Formed in 2009, the Archive Team (not to be confused with the archive.org Archive-It Team) is a rogue archivist collective dedicated to saving copies of rapidly dying or deleted websites for the sake of history and digital heritage. The group is 100% composed of volunteers and interested parties, and has expanded into a large amount of related projects for saving online and digital history.
Book Reviews
October 29, 2023Book Reviews / horrorIf It Bleeds is a collection of four “short” stories by Stephen King. The cover of the book has a gold background with the words STEPHEN KING at the top in large font. Below it is a blurb from The Washington Post that reads “Filled with startling, sometimes unsettling pleasures… compulsively readable”.
Below the blurb is the head of a black cat. If you stare at the cat long enough, you will see the nose of the cat, and the cat’s eyes, are actually the head of a rat. Below that somewhat disturbing image are the words If It Bleeds, the title of this book of short stories.
The first story is titled: “Mr Harrigan’s Phone”. He is a very old man who purchased a house that could be considered a mansion. In short, Mr. Harrigan asks the boy’s father if he would allow his son to come over and read to him. The old man promised to pay the boy for his time, and the father allowed it.
Over time, as the boy grew up, he considered Mr. Harrigan to be a friend. Time moves on, and the boy’s father bought him an iPhone. At first, Mr. Harrigan wanted nothing to do with this new-fangled device. He changed his mind after the boy told him he could get The Wall Street Journal on the phone. It wasn’t long before Mr. Harrigan purchased his own iPhone.
There was a day when the boy came over to read to Mr. Harrigan only to find that he had died. There was a funeral. At the last minute, the boy puts Mr. Harrigan’s phone into the inner pocket of his jacket as the man lay in the open casket. Things get really weird from there.
The second story is titled: “The Life of Chuck”. This story is done in what I would call a backwards format. It starts with evidence that there is severe climate change happening. Huge sinkholes are opening up in the streets, swallowing vehicles (and the people who were inside them). Unexpected power outages are happening.
As this is going on, a man named Chuck is in a hospital room, hooked up to machines. No one knows who he is, and wouldn’t know, despite his image appearing on TV, park benches, and skywriting. Some of Chuck’s family are in the hospital room with him, waiting.
The third story is titled: “If It Bleeds”. A woman named Holly learns about a reporter who tends to show up after car accidents, explosions, shootings, and other alarming situations. I’m finding it difficult to write about without giving away major spoilers. What I can say is that she meets some people who also have figured out that the reporter is not human.
The phrase “If It Bleeds” is part of the full phrase “If it bleeds, it leads.” It’s something that has been said on news channels and websites, who tend to focus on tragic situations that cause injury or death. The bad guy in Stephen King’s “If It Bleeds” book of stories is the reporter that Holly noticed.
The fourth, and final, story is titled: “Rat”. A writer goes out to a cabin in the woods, hoping to finish a story that he has been trying to write. He believes he needs total concentration to get it done. His wife, who doesn’t really want him to go, allows it. They share some phone calls while he is at the cabin.
His writing is going really well! It seems to be set in an old western type of book. Meanwhile, a dangerous bad storm appears and lasts for days. The writer get sick and heads for a small store for cough syrup and some food. Upon arriving back at the cabin, he starts hallucinating after allowing a rat to come in from the storm. [...]
October 25, 2023Book Reviews / horrorWorld War Z is the oral history of the Zombie War, written by Max Brooks. It is also was a New York Times Bestseller. It is my understanding that this book was turned into a movie (or maybe two movies), but I haven’t seen those yet.
The book starts with an unnamed character. He gathered up the stories of the survivors of World War Z, and sent his findings to a commission – which promptly removed all the stories and instead focused on hard facts. This made the unnamed character very frustrated. His “boss” told him to write a book about those stories that he had gathered. And so, he did.
World War Z is interesting in a number of ways. It was first published in 2006, long before the COVID-19 pandemic. And recently, I’ve seen people post on social media about a “zombie plague” (or words similar in effect) which appears to be their attempt to point out that COVID-19 didn’t go away.
As such, the unnamed character compiled the stories he got from people he interviewed shortly after World War Z had ended. It appears to have started in China, and then quickly spread across the globe.
The first story came from a doctor in China who was called to investigate a twelve-year-old boy who was described as “Patient Zero”. He had been locked inside a house, hands and feet bound, and a gag in his mouth. The villagers outside were terrified of this child, and several others were on cots in the new communal meeting hall.
The doctor examined the boy, with the help of two large villagers. The boy’s skin was gray, his eyes wild, and it certainly looked like he was the one who had bitten the villagers who were resting on cots.
Of course, this wasn’t the only place where a zombie appeared. It was happening around the globe. People who were bitten tried to hide it, and some governments forcibly removed refugees who tried to enter their countries. One example was a group of caged dogs that would watch the refugees walk past them. If the dogs barked, the person was pushed into a van and taken…somewhere.
Eventually, various militaries were enlisted to take out the “Zeds”. There’s a story from a man in Denver, Colorado, who was in the military and lucky enough to be in one that supplied the troops with armor that was hard to chew through. It’s one of the stories that I found to be very interesting.
And, of course, there were people doing shenanigans. In parts of this book, medical personnel were describing the zombie plague as “rabies”. So, a guy made a vaccine for “rabies” that he knew didn’t work at all against zombie bites. His goal was to make money off the situation.
People who were fleeing areas where zombies were active got in their vehicles and drove away. They carried as much canned food as they had in their house, which didn’t last as long as they had hoped it would. Eventually, people’s vehicles ran out of gas. Some families were stuck in a park after their fuel ran out. Many brought items that were now useless because there was nowhere to plug electronics into.
On the brighter side of things, as the Zombie War went on, a filmmaker made some movies that helped uplift the spirits of people who were trying to survive. It went into theaters across the United States, and people lined up to watch it. Several of them watched it more than once. The purpose of the movie was to give people a reason to live at a time when many were – choosing not to.
There’s a whole lot more going on in World War Z. I don’t want to spoil it for you. There’s plenty of other stories to be found in this book. It’s definitely not for the squeamish. Personally, I found the problem-solving that many of the stories used to help keep people safe and alive to be innovative and interesting. [...]
October 15, 2023Book ReviewsWool by Hugh Howey, is what I consider to be a dystopia. It involves a huge number of people who have been living in a (mostly) underground silo for as long as anyone can remember. There are more than 100 levels, and many are filled with families. There are large cafeterias, a sheriff’s office, a nursery, schools, shops, and more. The lower parts of the silo have gardens and mechanical areas that keep the place running.
The people who live in the underground silo absolutely do not want to go outside. They have been taught that the outside is toxic (which seems to be the truth). Sometimes, however, there will be someone who insists that they want to go outside. They end up in the sheriff’s office, in a cell, as they await their doom.
Wanting to go outside is considered a form of treason (for lack of a better word.)
Those unfortunate few are held in the cell until it is time for them to get what they asked for – to go outside. The Sheriff’s office (which is ground level) has an area where the person is helped into what amounts to a space-suit like outfit. The inner door of this “room” is closed as the outer door opens.
The person is expected to do a cleaning – which means wiping off the dust and debris that has gathered on the upper windows of the silo. Some insist they will not do a cleaning – but everyone seems to do it anyway. They use wool to scrub the windows clean.
The person who has now gone outside is looking through a visor on their helmet. It makes the outside world look absolutely beautiful. Bright blue sky, green grass, this sort of thing. After cleaning, the person usually will take a walk – thinking they are in a beautiful place.
Not long after that, the space-suit starts malfunctioning. The person starts to asphyxiate from their own Co2 levels that they breathed out. They typically fall over when they reach what they thought was a green hill, which, after they take off their helmet, realize the land is brown and scorched.
Somewhere in the silo, underground, is an IT department. The man in charge is disagreeable and does a number of despicable things to other people. I’ll leave you to find that out when you read the book.
There’s also a woman who works in mechanical. She is on a list of three people that could become the next sheriff. It takes some convincing for her to accept the position. What eventually happens next is unexpected. She goes outside.
Thanks to some help from her friends, she is able to walk farther than anyone else has. Which leads not only this character, but also the reader, to understand more about the world these people live in (and who has been controlling it). This leads to changes – for the better- in the silo she came from. [...]
Podcasts
August 31, 2022Podcasts / Words of JenArtwork by Crash
Totally Real Human Adults is a game created by C.R. Legge. It appears to me meant as a one-off, and was created during the One-Page RPG Jam 2020. I was very excited to run this game and see what my players would do with it!
Here is a brief description of the game: You play as one in a stack of creatures on a trench coat. You must perform a variety of normal human tasks without being discovered. These can be going to the mall, participating in a dinner party, working in an office job, or a series of small vignettes throughout a day in the life of a human adult. Anything that a totally normal human adult would be seen doing during totally normal circumstances.
My players chose to be:
Raven – played by ArchbethChipmunk – played by CrashOctopus – played by Ellie
I decided to have them do some totally normal human adult things in a shopping mall that had somehow never updated since the 1980’s. The mall was functional, and clean, with a working food court and plenty of stores to visit.
Big thanks to Crash for editing this episode for me!
https://media.blubrry.com/bookofjen/ins.blubrry.com/bookofjen/One-Shot_TotallyRealHumanAdults.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSS [...]
April 24, 2022Podcasts / Words of JenPhoto by Katie Rainbow on Pexels
My very first experience at being a DM (Dungeon Manager) was a one-off called “Baby Tiefling Candy Shop Heist”. It was not my original work. To the best of my knowledge, a group of people made it up on Tumblr. The seaslesbian account appears to the the one that created the rules.
How much chaos could four orphan toddler Tieflings create in a candy store?
I decided to start with this one-off for two reasons. One, I wanted to see what it was like to DM for a group of players, and a one-off seemed manageable. Two, our regular DM doesn’t get nearly enough time to just play a game, and I wanted him give him an opportunity to do it.
What follows is a little background about what I did to build up the one-shot:
I created some characters to populate the candy store. The Shopkeeper was a human named Felix Cooper, who runs the Cooper’s Candies shop. It is a family run shop that has been around for decades. Felix only speaks Common.
There was a worker in the shop, named Waverly. She is a teenage Half-Elf whose job it is to clean the shop. She does things like sweep the floor, and sometimes ring up purchases on a very old mechanical cash register. Waverley spent a lot of time looking out of the front window of the shop. She speaks Common and Elvish.
There were three other characters who didn’t get introduced until later on in the one-shot.
I provided a description of the candy shop to my players. There are shelves across two of the walls of the store. The best candy is in one-pound jars on the top shelves. Lower shelves have a somewhat lesser quality of candy and a smaller jar. The bottom shelf is where the least expensive candy is displayed.
There is a counter toward the back of the store. It has a mechanical cash register on it (with a handle) and is bolted to the counter. Off to the side, there is a garbage can. There is a door leading to the back room. I left it to the players to decide if they wanted to explore the back room.
Player Characters:
Penny – Glasya Tiefling (coppery) that can cast minor illusion – Played by IoLevi – Levistist Tiefling (blue) that can cast ray of frost – Played by CrashMuu -Variant Tiefling (calico) that has a non-prehensile fluffy tail – Played by ArchbethOrixori – Zariel Tiefling (lavender) that can cast thaumaturgey – Played by Ellie
Starting the game:
I started the game by reading out the rules from Tumblr. In short, each player’s character was a Tiefling toddler, and each had to pick a sub-race of Tiefling. This enabled me to keep track of them and to decide if they could use a special ability that was intrinsic to them based on what sub-race they selected.
All the stats were 10 – and players should apply their racial boosts. Each toddler Tiefling has four hit points (5 if they had the Constitution boost). If a toddler Tiefling reaches zero hit points, they fall unconscious. We don’t want any toddler deaths. Your only abilities are your racial traits.
You have broken out of the orphanage, have no money, and seek a treasure trove of candy from the store. How you retrieve this candy without being apprehended is up to you.
The candy store has gumballs, lollypops, and chocolates.
I gave my players a choice: Do you want to start by breaking out of the orphanage? Or do you want to start having done that? They chose the second option.
To be honest, as the game went on, I was pretty loose about adhering to the original rules set. There is a concept that our group often uses that can be described as, “No, this is funnier!” I also allowed the players to work together to gather up at least a pound of candy. Or, they could gather it alone.
Overall, I believe it is ok to slightly alter the rules in order to make the game more fun for everyone.
How did it go?
To my surprise, the game was super fun for everyone. I highly recommend giving this one-shot a try, even if you are a first-time DM.
The three characters that were introduced later made their appearance towards the end of the one-shot. I was holding them back so the players would not only have a surprise, but also opportunity to end the story in a satisfying way.
If you enjoyed this episode please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. Thank you!
https://media.blubrry.com/bookofjen/ins.blubrry.com/bookofjen/BabyTieflingEscape.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSS [...]
March 25, 2022Podcasts / Words of JenThe Words of Jen 1997 series started in November of 2021, as part of NaPodPoMo (National Podcast Post Month). In this series, I read to you pieces from a hand-written journal that I was required to write as part of my student teaching experience in 1997.
I read “End of the Journal” on Episode 096 of Words of Jen (the 1997 Series).
If you enjoyed this episode please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. Thank you!
https://media.blubrry.com/bookofjen/ins.blubrry.com/bookofjen/woj096.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSS [...]
Diablo IV
November 8, 2023In this video, my Rogue competed the story line quests in Scosglen. It is an interesting location, in part because the people living there have accents that reminds me of some of my Irish relatives. There are some of what I call “exclamation point” quests that can be done, but I decided to stick to the storyline. [...]
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October 28, 2023Fractured Peaks is part of the storyline in Diablo IV. My brand-new Rogue wandered around through the Fractured Peaks areas. I started this video by selecting a male Rogue and giving him a name. In this video, my Rogue, Rayan, completed the storyline quests in this zone.
One of the cool things he go to do was to speak with Prava, and then head out across the snow to find various alters of Inarius, while carrying a heavy sacred object on his back. Rayan got to meet Father Inarius himself towards the end of this video. [...]
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August 20, 2023Shortly after the 1.1.1 patch hit Diablo IV, I decided to make a brand new Rogue and actually try and get through the storyline quests. I used the random naming feature in the game to give this Rogue the name Rayan.
My goal with this video (which is approximately five hours long) was to get Rayan all the way through the Act I storyline. Looking back, I wish I would have done the storyline with my original Rogue. But, that wasn’t really possible before the 1.1.1 patch was released.
As you may have guessed, if you haven’t played through the storyline in Act I, there will be spoilers here!
Oh, and a correction. Somewhere in the video, I said that I got a steel series Inarius chair. That was incorrect. I got a SecretLab Inarius chair.
My favorite thing about this video is that it was fun to do! I desperately needed the fun back in Diablo IV.
What’s next for this Rogue? The story line in Scosglen! [...]
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August 3, 2023This is Oona, my Diablo IV Druid. In this video, I worked on leveling her up a bit more by exploring dungeons and unlocking areas of the map this character hadn’t been to yet.
Oona started at Level 17, and ended around Level 20. I found the Bear form to be really fun to play, and also learned that it was powerful. This video was recorded on July 28, 2023 (if I remember correctly). I finally got around to editing it.
There is something really delightful about going around Sanctuary as a bear and mauling enemies! [...]
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July 6, 2023This is Oona, my Diablo IV Druid. I decided to try and level her up a bit more. Unfortunately, it was slow going and she wasn’t quite strong enough to complete any dungeons. [...]
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July 3, 2023In this video, my Level 21 Barbarian helped with not one, but two exorcisms. She also killed a whole lot of Marauders and Ghouls along the way.
This was the video in which I realized that my Barbarian runs out of health and fury very quickly. I learned that pushing her through the fighting increases her fury. If/when she gets overwhelmed by the mob of monsters – she comes back at full health. This is not a perfect solution, but worked well enough for me. [...]
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June 27, 2023In this video, my Barbarian started out in Yelesna. She helped someone with an exorcism. After that, she ran around Sanctuary killing a variety of monsters – but mostly ghouls. She also helped Krystyna find her missing husband.
My Barbarian hit level 21 – and then the game crashed. [...]
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June 27, 2023In this video, I made a Druid character just to see what it was like to play one. First impression: the ability to turn into a bear is super fun!
Oona started in Nevesk (as all new characters do). After finishing up the quests there, she eventually encounter Lorath Nath. They traveled to Kyovoshad together. The bear form starts out a little slow, but is super fun anyway. Who doesn’t want to be a bear that can maul monsters?
Oona hit level nine shortly before I needed to stop playing. [...]
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June 18, 2023In this video, I decided to try out the Rogue class. A friend of mine and I decided to use ranged characters to complete a series of quests that we struggled with as Barbarians.
To my surprise, I found myself having more fun with a Rogue than I did with a Barbarian. I’m not entirely sure why the Barbarian became such a struggle for me. The Rogue moves very smoothly, and that made the game more fun.
I think I ended this video at Level 9, and was getting very close to hitting level 10. [...]
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June 16, 2023In the previous video, my Barbarian met Lorath Nath. The two of them headed for Kyovashad together, fighting demons along the way. Kyovashad is much larger than Nevesk.
She eventually visited Margrave, and did a few quests there. Some of these quests were ones I encountered in the betas and the Server Slam. [...]
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June 11, 2023This is my very first video of Diablo IV! It doesn’t play on a Mac, so I purchased the game on Xbox. To make this video, I used a device called AVerMedia. It lets me record my gameplay and use my computer monitor to see what I’m doing. (Note: I use an LG monitor).
There may be spoilers here.
If you played through the Diablo Closed Beta, the Diablo Open Beta, or the Server Slam – you’ve already traveled through Nevesk. [...]
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June 2, 2023The Diablo IV Server Slam was fun! The most exciting part for me was fighting Ashava the Pestilent with a random group of (approximately) eight or nine other players. The screenshot above shows that our group managed to kill Ashava. The reward for doing so will appear in Diablo IV after it launches.
To make this short video of clips, I went through the video clips that my Xbox recorded for me during the Server Slam. There are no spoilers in this video. [...]
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June 1, 2023The Diablo IV Server Slam started on May 12. It was an unexpected occurrence, as most of us thought that the Open Beta would be the last of the betas before Diablo IV was released. As before, I made notes about my experiences in the Server Slam on Mastodon. (There are no spoilers here.)
May 12
I have downloaded the Diablo IV Server Slam. It starts at 12pm today. Super excited to play it!
As before, I might post my thoughts about the Server Slam here. I will use #ServerSlam so you can mute this content if you are not interested in it.
#ServerSlam. Just went through a menu of options. It includes the ability to have text to speech, the ability to turn off shaky cam, the ability to have your Diablo IV character highlighted in a color of your choosing and options for color blind players.
#ServerSlam Now watching the cinematic “By Three They Come”
#ServerSlam Character creation gives players plenty of interesting options, including class, gender, hair color and style, jewelry, and tattoos.
#ServerSlam First cinematic features the character I just made.
#ServerSlam. Got right in! No queue. Now going through the first part of the game. New: the NPC speech is now on a box above their heads – not on the bottom of the screen.
#ServerSlam. The ability to sell inferior armor to a vendor is much easier now. Previous betas had the player graying out items they outgrew. It was tedious and difficult to drop.
#ServerSlam. Hit level 10. This version of Diablo IV runs a lot smoother than the previous betas.
#ServerSlam. Just got killed by the Butcher. He is a LOT faster than the Diablo III version.
#ServerSlam. There is a very long quest that starts with two NPCs. One leaves, the other stays. Interesting story line. Today I learned that I could portal back to the nearest town, refill, sell junk to a blacksmith, get the armor I’m wearing repaired – and portal back to the quest.
#ServerSlam. My Barbarian is now halfway through level 18. Picked up a quest where the player character helps a woman find her husband. Can’t find him. My hands are too stiff to play now, so I’m gonna eat and come back to this later.
#ServerSlam. Ate some food and got back into Diablo IV. Hoping to hit 20 soon.
#ServerSlam. Still cannot find the husband the NPC lady who wants my help finding him. Feels very “Mankirk’s Wife”.
#ServerSlam. Hit level 20. Highest level you can get during the ServerSlam. I wonder if my Barbarian is strong enough to fight Ashava with a bunch of other level 20 players.
May 13
#ServerSlam. Took a side quest that took place in a sewer. Interesting story line. Also did a heartbreaking quest on what amounts to a terrible asylum.
#ServerSlam continues, but I am done for now. Later today, I need to learn where to fight Ashava.
#ServerSlam continues today. Everyone who has their Diablo IV character to level 20 can participate in fighting Ashava. First battle starts about 2 hours from now.
#ServerSlam. Now waiting with a small group of players for Ashava to spawn. I expect to die.
#ServerSlam. About ten people showed up to try and kill Ashava. We all died repeatedly. Needed more people. Once Ashava appears, there is a countdown timer. Got Ashava down to two bars – and it ran away. Exciting.
#ServerSlam. Next Ashava spawn is in about three hours. Gonna take a nap now.
#ServerSlam. Back in the game. Slept through opportunities to fight Ashava (again). Currently have a different follower who wants me to help him find his brother. Seeing a pattern.
#ServerSlam. Without giving away any spoilers, my Barbarian met an injured young man in a town. Just ran through a dungeon. Turns out the information found there connects to the injured young man.
#ServerSlam. One more try to fight Ashava. Got about nine people here. I had to run through mobs of monsters to get here. Worst parade in all of Sanctuary.
#ServerSlam. Got two necromancers here, each with plenty of minions. That should help a lot. Especially since level 20 is the max for players in the server slam – and Ashava is level 25, huge, and has a lot of environmental spells.
#ServerSlam. Eight people in the Ashava fight. This group worked very well together, even rushing over to resurrect players that Ashava killed. Got Ashava down to a bubble an a half before she ran away. Proud of this group.
#ServerSlam. There are dungeons that are specific to a certain class. I completed a Barbarian dungeon that included killing vampires.
#ServerSlam. Currently eating food. Next Ashava fight is in about an hour and a half. The last Ashava fight is 9 AM tomorrow.
#ServerSlam I’m just in time for one more Ashava fight. Got about nine people here – 15 minutes before the battle starts. Some people here are in a clan, and others are in another clan.
May 14
#ServerSlam. We killed Ashava!!! I’m super excited that this group really put in the effort and worked well together. Before the fight started, three players in the same clan said they killed Ashava in the Open Beta – and the server crashed and they didn’t get the reward. And now, we all got the award.
#ServerSlam. The reward is a trinket that attaches to your horse after Diablo IV launches (and after you buy a horse.)
#ServerSlam. Next, I’m going to see if I can help the NPC to find her husband.
#ServerSlam. Found Krystyna’s husband. Unfortunately, the quest is glitched and many people online reported about that. There is no way for me to finish this quest.
#ServerSlam. Last chance to fight Ashava. Got about eight people here. I already earned the reward. Am here to help.
#ServerSlam. Pretty sure we had nine people in the fight. Killed Ashava with more than six minutes to go. Got some nice loot.
Overall, I had a really good time in the Server Slam. I am not one who desires getting involved in boss fights, but it was the only way to obtain the trinket that can go on the player’s horse (when Diablo IV launches). What I didn’t expect was that fighting Ashava the Pestilent would be so much fun!
It is my understanding that the Server Slam is nothing like what Diablo IV will be after it launches. I’m looking forward to exploring Sanctuary. [...]
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April 27, 2023The Diablo IV Open Beta does not run on a Mac (iOS) computer. Thankfully, I have an Xbox | S that enabled me to play during the Open Beta. Xbox | S only allows for clips that are – at most – three minutes long.
I decided to put together a video of some (non-spoiler) clips of my Barbarian and my Necromancer.
There is a Server Slam that will happen in May. I’m hoping to get into that one as well! [...]
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April 26, 2023I was lucky enough to get into the Diablo IV Open Beta. My initial experience with the Open Beta was frustrating because my Xbox | S thought I was trying to get into the Closed Beta (which had already ended). This was eventually worked out.
The Open Beta started on March 24, 2023. I started posting my initial thoughts about this beta into my Mastodon account. I did the same with the Diablo IV Closed Beta. One interesting difference between the two was that Xbox was now allowing players to take screenshots and clips. They were not immediately accessible after the Open Beta ended – but eventually showed up.
March 24
I’m trying to get into the Diablo IV Open Beta on Xbox. It is my understanding that the main purpose of this one – at least initially – was to stress the servers. I don’t know this from first hand experience because I can’t get into the game.
One thing consistently pops up: WARNING ! Online play is blocked. (Code 300031). It keeps giving me that error – all day long and now into the night. Frustrating!
Explanation: I was determined to find a way to fix this problem, and went hunting around online and in the Diablo IV forums to find a solution. Eventually, I found information that made things work.
I was unable to find the original source I used. PCGamesN posted a list of Diablo IV Open Beta error codes – and what each one means.
Error Code 300010 – this error code appears when you’re logging in, with users feeding back that it seems timed to Battle.Net accounts. Your best option is to reload the game and keep trying or wait for the account issue to resolve.
The solution turned out to be simple (but not immediately obvious). Turn off the Xbox | S. Pull out the plug. Put the plug back in. Turn on the Xbox | S and let it do an update. It worked for me!
March 25
New pop-up appears! “We are expecting exceptionally high player volume during Diablo IV’s Open Beta weekend. Login times may be longer during peak playtimes this weekend.”
Giving up on being able to play the Diablo IV open beta. Did everything I could think of and still can’t get in. Stuck in a “press any key” loop that pops up an error message. There does not appear to be anything resembling a queue.
March 26
Got into the Open Beta for Diablo IV early this morning. Made a second Barbarian. Today the pollen count is nine point something and I feel like the undead. So I’m playing a necromancer.
One of the nice things about Diablo IV is that some animals will walk through deep snow and leave behind a trail. The crows that do that are amusing.
Oh, no! My necromancer’s skeletons are clipping.
Today I learned that if you play a necromancer in Diablo IV, you will never run out of health.
Explanation: In the Open Beta, the necromancer can syphon health from corpses. The result was that this character class rarely – if ever – needed health potions (at least in the early game). I am not certain whether or not that ability got nerfed.
Here are a few of the screenshots I took while I was in the Open Beta. These are spoiler free.
This is a screenshot from a very interesting dungeon. There is a story that is given to the player in small bits as the dungeon is explored.
Every so often, it is possible to find a shrine that people have placed lit candles in front of. This one is located somewhere in the Anemic Falls.
My necromancer started with four skeletons (and got a fifth one later on). They are exploring the Abandoned Halls together.
Overall, I had a lot of fun in the Open Beta. At the time, I knew it was going to be hard to wait for the game to launch. This game is much larger than what players could access in the Closed Beta, and the Open Beta. There is a huge world to explore when Diablo IV launches! [...]
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April 25, 2023The above image was one of many on the Diablo IV official website, where you can buy the game. I’m not certain that I saw this specific image while in the Closed Beta. I spent hours playing it on my Xbox|S.
I decided to start adding my thoughts and (non spoiler) comments about it on my Mastodon account.
The Diablo IV Closed Beta was confidential. Blizzard posted a Developer Update on September 19, in which they wrote: “The Closed Beta will be confidential, meaning players invited will be unable to publicly talk about or share their gameplay experience.” As such, I don’t have any screenshots to share with you in this blog post.
Please note: The Diablo IV Closed Beta was exactly what it was meant to be. There were glitches. There were crashes. There were long queues. All of this helps the developers figure out what’s working, what’s broken, and how to fix it before the next Open Beta.
March 17
I’m in the Diablo IV beta. Watched the cinematic. Made a character. My Barbarian appeared as the main character in the next cinematic. Got to talk to some townspeople. Fought some wargs, polar bear, and some skeletons. And then the Early Access Open Beta crashed.
Lost my level 3 Barbarian. Made another one with a game generated name. Made it to where I could enter the Early Access Open Beta. Was put in an 87 minute queue.
Queue ended. Looked like the beta let me in. Crashed. Back in the queue. This one started at 120 minutes.
So, I guess a lot of us are here to… help test the queue function? To be fair, there was a notification that some things might not work. Or might crash.
One really good thing about D IV is there is a robust menu of accessibility options. Text to speech. Subtitles. Ability to turn off what I call “shakey-cam”. Option for people with various types of color blindness.
Currently number 83 in the queue. I’m playing on Xbox – and I suspect many of us are stuck in an endless queue.
Was hoping to hit level 20 with a Barbarian but not sure that’s possible now, considering the ever-lasting queue. Gotta hit level 20 to get the wolf puppy.
I’m hoping that I won’t have to sit through two – somewhat lengthy – cinematic again. Assuming the beta lets me back in.
Good news /sarcasm. The queue I’m stuck in has only 36 minutes left.
Ten minutes to go. Maybe I’ll get to play the beta a little more? I don’t want to sit in a third queue.
I’m in!
Got back in the Diablo 4 beta. Died a lot. After my most recent death – my Barbarian became invisible. Unfortunately, the monsters can still see her. But I can’t.
Had to log out and back in again. Nine minute queue.
Now in a fourteen minute queue. Game failed to let me in after the nine minute queue – and posted an error message.
Queue failed again. Now in a sixteen minute queue. Do they – want – players to test the game? Signs point to no.
Now queued!
Seventeen minute queue now. /headdesk
March 18
One minute queue!
I have found the Cathedral of Light. Went on walked around. Talked with some NPC’s Am now out of the Cathedral and stuck. Probably a glitch.
Had to turn off the Xbox and turn it back on again. Got a message: “You have been logged out because the game has been suspended for too long.”
Working on a dungeon with spiders and skeletons. My armor and gear is breaking, but I was able to pick up some nice gear. I keep dying. And then my character when invisible again. Turned off the Xbox. About to turn it on again.
Also! I hit level 10. Gotta hit 20 to get the wolf puppy.
There is a player named SnuSnu who is in a clan named GOP. Terrible.
Another player is named “kfsee” and their clan is KFC. This is related to the D IV crossover with KFC’s double down sandwich. Those who bought one in time got into this beta.
Another player in the GOP clan. Named BConPC. Not sure how to report that clan name.
Just saw two players with extremely offensive names. One was named “Ganggrape” and the other was named “Cootershooter”. I now have good reason to report them.
Just used the chat in game for the first time. Friend asked how I was doing in game. Told friend that I’m struggling with Xbox interfaces but the game is fun.
Currently have four gold items on my Barb.
Now at level 13. Found a book and was directed to a town that is new to me.
Found a player with an even worse name – worse than the others. Not going to post that here. Will be reporting that one.
March 19
Now level fourteen. Steep learning curve if you’re playing solo.
Found my first conduit shrine! Happy to know that Diablo IV has some of those!
Now talking with an NPC beggar who has a quest for me. Did not notice him until after I hit level 15.
I have hit a quest zone that clearly was not designed for solo player. So that is enough of Diablo IV for me right now.
Back in Diablo IV. Halfway through level fifteen. The goal is to hit level 20.
Just found my first Treasure Goblin in Diablo IV. Huge! The Goblin dropped gold and ran me through a mob while I chased it.
Now halfway through level 16. Been temporarily grouping up with other players to find monsters in what feels like pop up events. Fun!
Just got my first Legendary weapon! “Wolf’s Bite Of The Dire Whirlwind”. It is a mace. Next step for me is to put a point in Whirlwind.
Hit level seventeen. Starting to feel less stressed while fighting monsters.
Now at level 18. The skill tree in Diablo IV is massive. I think some of us will get “decision fatigue.”
Now at level 19. My goal is to hit level 20 so I can get the wolf puppy in a backpack.
So far, I have seen players named KurtRussell, MileyCyrus, and JasonMamoa. I know that one is spelled wrong – but it’s fun.
Pretty sure once you hit level 19 you stop being able to tank dungeons on your own. This is disappointing. A Barbarian can get far in a dungeon. But I end up dying to a mob filled room. Can’t finish that quest.
Just hit level 20! There appears to be an achievement for this but the game does not seem to be aware that I hit level 20.
After some investigation, it turns out that the game – appears – to know that I hit Level 20 with my Barbarian. It’s possible that the interface is a bit wonky, considering this is an Early Access Open Beta. Just in case, I took a screenshot of my Level 20 Barbarian with my phone. (I tried capturing screenshots through Xbox, but it doesn’t work).
Back in the beta. Just saw a player named Kevin run into a portal in town. No idea where he ended up.
March 20
Still in the beta. Hit level 21. Did some random quests in a town and then went out to fight wargs and such.
It turns out the Diablo IV beta will post a pop up to tell you that your Xbox controller’s batteries are about to run out. Fortunately, we have more batteries.
In case you were wondering – yes, there is a sewer quest in one of the towns.
My Barbarian is now level 22!
I found a bug to report. I’m helping! Hopefully that bug won’t make it into the main game.
Now at level 23! I’m hoping my Barbarian will be stronger now. Getting through 22 was not easy.
The only thing I don’t like about Diablo IV is how fast my equipment breaks. It gets really expensive for a blacksmith to fix it. You can buy armor from vendors, IF you have enough coins.
Things I’m attempting to do clearly cannot be done as a solo player.
Turns out one of the Blacksmiths can prepare all the stuff you’re currently wearing – if you have enough coins for that. Helpful!
Summary
Overall, I enjoyed the Diablo IV Closed Beta. It was fun to be able to play – at least one version – of Diablo IV before the game launched. The purpose of this beta was to have players try it out – and provide feedback to the developers so they could fix things that weren’t working well.
The moment the Closed Beta ended, I was hoping I’d be lucky enough to get into the Open Beta. [...]
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Diablo III
November 16, 2023Diablo III / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Diablo III Monk finished the Act I objectives. She found some portals while doing Act I Bounties. The portals are the new thing in Season 29, and are very fun to play through!
To my surprise, Season 29 is still live in Diablo III. I might make more videos of my Diablo III gameplay. [...]
September 28, 2023Diablo III / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Monk completed a set of bounties – that I forgot to do in the previous video. She also took advantage of the many portals that opened up and collected interesting and useful loot!
Objective completed in this video:
Westmarch’s Most Wanted: Obtain an Act V bounty cache. (Act V)
I spent some time in this video giving armor and weapons to the Scoundrel and other Followers. My hope was to avoid having to drag excess armor and weapons into my non-seasonal stash after Season 29 ends. [...]
September 25, 2023Diablo III / Diablo VideosI’m playing Solo Self Found in Season 29 – mostly to see what it was like. My Monk started out at level 21. My recording software shut off sometime during my previous video, so I picked up from there. This video includes an entire room full of Treasure Goblins!
Objectives completed in this video:
Friends With Benefits: Fully equip one of your followers. (Chapter II)
Tristram’s Most Wanted: Obtain an Act I bounty cache. (Chapter III)
Caldeum’s Most Wanted: Obtain an Act II bounty cache. (Chapter III)
Let’s Get Started: Learn 5 Blacksmith Recipes (Chapter IV)
Arreat’s Most Wanted: Obtain an Act III bounty cache. (Chapter III)
Heaven’s Most Wanted: Obtain an Act IV bounty cache (Chapter III)
My Monk reached level 31 near the end of this video. [...]
Diablo Immortal
January 17, 2023Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Barbarian obtained a “Strawman Sack” while the Hallow’s Wake event was live. This video is from October of 2022.
The Strawman Sack could be purchased with a temporary currency called Hallowed Stones that was connected to Hallow’s Wake. The Strawman Sack lasted for one hour and was a purely cosmetic item.
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January 3, 2023Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Barbarian continued working on the Hallow’s Wake event. She also completed an Elder Rift and spent some time killing undead in Ashwold Cemetery.
She also spent some time killing things in the Library of Zoltun Kulle. There were some interesting quests to do. My Barbarian has now completed the entire area of the Library of Zoltun Kulle.
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December 24, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Barbarian mostly worked on the Hallow’s Wake event. It was the Halloween event in Diablo Immortal. She also completed some Infernal Knowledge quests.
The event involved trick-or-treating, and gave players the chance to obtain a mask.
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December 18, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Barbarian tried (again) to re-access the Shadow Clan I started. After that, she ran through an Elder Rift. She then went to the Frozen Tundra and fought all the things, and then went back to Westmarch to follow a mysterious voice.
The mysterious voice led to the Legacy of the Horadrim series of quests. There is a dungeon to fight in. It is going to take a lot of gems to complete this, and more story is revealed as you go. It is not something that can be done in one shot!
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December 18, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Barbarian tried learning some new things. Some of the interfaces in this game are a bit confusing for me, and it has taken me a while to properly sort them out.
This video was recorded in October of 2022. It is possible some things have changed since then.
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October 3, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Barbarian started out at level 60. This pushed her into Hell I content (and temporarily prevented her from accessing bounties). Somewhere along the way, I made a Dark Clan for fans of the Shattered Soulstone podcast.
Some of this video includes my Barbarian trying to survive bounties on Hell I difficulty. It was definitely a learning curve! She also completed a little bit more of the storyline.
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September 28, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Barbarian continued to work on the Scorched Sea Event while also trying to finish some of the Return to Sanctuary event. Somewhere along the way, she hit Level 60.
If you enjoyed this video, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. Thank you! [...]
September 22, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosI decided to see how much I could accomplish with The Scorched Sea Event. So far, I’m mostly doing bounties, and having fun with that. The event ends on September 28, 2022. This video shows what my Barbarian accomplished with this event.
Usually, I enjoy trying to work towards a goal in whatever video game I’m playing. The events in Diablo Immortal are fun – but I have difficulty keeping up with them. There are small rewards along the way, so I will get something for trying.
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September 15, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosThe Hungering Moon event is one that I’ve attempted several times. So far, I’ve been unable to complete it. Completion requires doing a lot of other stuff in the game that can be turned in for one of the rewards of the Hungering Moon event.
I’m mostly having fun in Diablo Immortal. However, there are things that I find frustrating. For whatever reason, I am unable to remember how to swap out older gear for one that is newer and more powerful. Another problem I faced in this video was that I joined a group to kill Lassal – but people kept kicking out some of the eight players the event requires.
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August 29, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Barbarian traveled around the map in an effort to complete some Bounties. I find the Bounties in Diablo Immortal to be very fun!
One of the things I really like about Diablo Immortal is the Bounties. The game lets you pick which ones you want to do – and you are not penalized for choosing to skip the ones you don’t happen to like. There is a chest reward after you complete one Bounty, and more if you complete a set of three Bounties (total).
This system is very different from the Bounties in Diablo III, where you have to complete a full set before you can earn anything of value from completing them.
#Blaugust2022
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August 20, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Barbarian started out at Level 47. She attempted to join the Shadows. While waiting, she completed an Elder Rift, and then worked on some other stuff.
I find the Bounties in Diablo Immortal to be fun, so I sent my Barbarian over to the Bounty Board. There are typically plenty of players who also want to do some Bounties. I’m willing to wait for players to pick up some Bounties and then go off to finish them. This time, however, I noticed something wrong.
In the screenshot above, there are two players who chose terrible names for their characters. One named himself “Crazyjoe”, and the other named himself “LGB0FJB”. These are two extremely political (and mean) names that should not be allowed in a game that emphasizes teaming up with other players.
There is I found information on Blizzard’s website that shows you exactly how to report inappropriate language or names in Diablo Immortal. It wasn’t me who reported them. I didn’t know how yet!
The Countess is the coolest thing I’ve unlocked in the Bestiary.
After that, my Barbarian completed some Bounties in Dark Wood and Shassar Sea.
My Barbarian became a Shadow, and that opened up a lot more stuff to do!
#Blaugust2022
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August 9, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this one, my Barbarian explored the Library of Zoltun Kulle. The zone is interesting, in part because there is a construct of Zoltun Kulle who guides your character through it.
The zone ends with a battleground pulled from the real Zoltun Kulle’s memory. My Barbarian got to help Zoltun Kulle and Tal Rasha fight Baal!
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August 5, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, I was kind of at a loss about what to do next. My Barbarian started at Level 42, and ended up doing a lot of Bounties in various areas of the game.
When in doubt, do some Bounties! The Bounties in Diablo Immortal are fun. You can choose which ones you want to do by clicking them on the Bounty Board in Westmarch.
Doing Bounties is a good way to level up your character. The cool thing about Bounties in this game is that the game shows you your progress as you kill off the required amount of monsters for that specific Bounty. It also rewards you with some loot and gold when you finish one. Finish three or more, and you get more loot!
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#Blaugust2022 [...]
July 16, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Diablo Immortal Barbarian started followed the glowing footprints to the Elder Rift. After that, she went around Sanctuary looking for monsters to slay. There is a video of this adventure at the bottom of this blog post.
The Elder Rift boss was Igonicus.
I completed the Elder Rift.
In a second Elder Rift, my Barbarian fought Dread. I assume this is a reference to Dredscythe.
This time, the Elder Rift boss was Vryss. She spawns green, floating skulls. She can also raise golems, and throw huge globs of blood all over the place. Vryss is likely a necromancer.
This is a Cycle’s Turn Crest. It is something players can obtain from the Hilts Vendor. Hilts are an in-game currency that the game gives to players. I purchased this one without having to use real-world money. Find the Hilts Vendor in the Immortal Overlook.
Cycle’s Turn Chest is a Daily Purchase (Limit 1/1). A mystery reward drops into your inventory. You can buy one chest per day during the week of Cycle’s End.
Complete 3 Side Quests
Complete 8 Battle Pass Activities
I completed an Elder Rift achievement and a Bounties achievement.
I unlocked the Night Howler in the Bestiary.
Not even the din of battle can drown out the awful baying of the night howlers. The sounds of their hunger…
Daily Activity Awards (0/3)
Shassar Sea 3/11: Upgrade 1 Normal Gem to Rank 2
JenSoulstone: The Chamber of Wisdom… Very well.
This piece of a map was obtained by my Barbarian after she talked with Peth.
Kill 1,600 monsters
Bounties – Completed: 2/24
To future generations, learn from our mistakes. Fahir is no god, and today his reign of death is over! His abominations would not die, so they have been bound with their accursed creator. May he be forgotten. May our sounds seal this place forever. Let them be the last sacrifice in his name.
Blessed be you, O thousand souls, the King’s deserved sacrifice.
Through your gift of the spirit shall our god’s wonders be made manifest.
Rest eternally, knowing the Scepter shall guide our great kingdom forever.
Fahir’s Command is the item the player must obtain from the Chamber of Wisdom.
The second piece of the map comes from Zov, who waits for the player to exit the Chamber of Wisdom.
My Barbarian hit Level 35 immediately after handing Tabri the scepter piece.
Bounties – 3/24 completed
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June 22, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Barbarian started out at Level 30. She talked with Deckard Cain about souls shards, and attempted to help him destroy them. Later, she completed some bounties.
Charsi brought my Barbarian to a Level 2 Rift. She fought a gold skeleton named Xarishflar (who was a Community Manager for Blizzard).
The Rift Boss was a large red demon named Perdition. He spawned smaller enemies and spewed fire.
I completed some Westmarch Achievements:
Westmarch 10/16: Follow Charsi to the Challenge Rift
Westmarch 11/16: Earn 230 Battle Points
Westmarch 12/16: Reach Level 28
Westmarch 13/16: Complete Challenge Rift Level 1
Westmarch 14/16: Upgrade 1 Item to Rank 3
Westmarch 15/16: Meet the Hilts Trader
Deckard Cain showed my Barbarian a portrait of Zoltun Kulle. This might be the start of a quest.
After that, my Barbarian went to a tavern and broke up a bar fight. She spoke with a Captain Rhem, who agreed to take her to the Shassar Sea. (However, my Barbarian wasn’t quite done with Westmarch, so that will have to wait.)
Instead, she completed some Dark Wood Bounties.
Bloodsworn: The Countess’s thralls battle the rogues of the Dark Wood with bows, wicked shields, and sawtoothed blades…
I earned a reward for unlocking a page from the Bestiary.
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June 12, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Barbarian worked her way through many of the Westmarch achievements, and then headed into the Dark Wood.
My Barbarian started out by entering Westmarch. She was directed to go speak with the Blacksmith. While exploring Westmarch, she found several vendors whom she cannot access until she hits higher levels. My Barbarian was Level 21. One vendor wanted her to be Level 25, and another wanted a level higher than that.
She found Charsi the Blacksmith. Unfortunately, the chat was absolutely vile and visible on my screen. I took the time to completely shut off the chat. It is highly unlikely I will turn it back on.
Charsi directed my Barbarian to seek out Deckard Cain. He tells her some interesting lore.
One thing I learned while recording this video is that I really should have taken the time to prevent notifications from Discord. Something to remember for next video.
I completed some Westmarch Achievements:
Westmarch 3/16: Accept 1 Bounty from the Bounty Board
Westmarch 4/16: Socket 1 Legendary Gem
Westmarch 5/16: Complete 2 Elder Rifts Modified with Crests
Westmarch 6/16: Craft a Legendary Gem
Westmarch 6/17: Upgrade a Legendary Gem to Rank 2
Westmarch 6/18: Earn 90 Battle Points
Westmarch 9/16: Leave Westmarch for Dark Wood
Next stop – Dark Wood!
Dark Wood 1/7: Unlock the Horadric Bestiary
The first page I unlocked in the Horadric Bestiary was the Fallen Shaman. I’m looking forward to unlocking more pages.
My Barbarian hit Level 27 by the end of this video.
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June 4, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Barbarian completed some Achievements connected to Ashwold Cemetery. This included fighting Lethes and The Skeleton King.
I figured out how to record the game through my iPad. This one includes all of the in-game sounds and music. Unfortunately, it did not pick up my voice. I’m hoping to work that out for the next video.
Achievements earned in this video:
Ashwold Cemetery 3/9: Talk to the Blacksmith and Salvage 1 item
Ashwold Cemetery 4/9: Talk to the Blacksmith and Upgrade 1 item to Rank 2.
Ashwold Cemetery 6/9 – Dungeon: Complete Mad King’s Breach
Ashwold Cemetery 8/9: Earn 40 Battle Points
Ashwold Cemetery 9/9: Reach Level 18
Ashwold Cemetery – Guide Complete
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June 2, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosThe much anticipated Diablo Immortal launched on iOS and Android on June 1, 2022. Players who want to play it on PC had to wait until June 2, 2022. In this video, I go through the tutorial. Unfortunately, my video recording software did not pick up any of the in-game sounds.
The purpose of a tutorial is to help new players acclimate to how the game works. In general, this requires a player to make a character and send that character out into the world to complete (relatively) simple tasks. Those who didn’t get into the Diablo Immortal alphas would be starting from scratch when the game launched.
When I played in the Diablo Immortal Closed Alpha, the video recording software that I used to record the game on my iPad worked just fine. I thought it would work for the launch as well, but no. I ended up with a very chill tutorial video with no sound.
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June 29, 2021Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Crusader started at Level 29. I tried out an Elder Rift for the first time.
It is possible to do an Elder Rift solo. Players can buy crests to add to the Elder Rift with currency obtained in the Elder Rift. Or, you can pay money for them. New players get a crest from a merchant as part of a quest. Naturally, I used that crest in the next Elder Rift.
The Elder Rifts are fun, with or without a crest. It appears that using a crest gives you more loot. Of course, I cannot be sure of that, having only done two Elder Rift.
Next, my Crusader did a quest that led her to the Jeweler’s shop. The helpers in there can sell the players some stuff. I didn’t have the right items to buy things yet. However, I was able to get the Apprentice Jeweler to socket some gems into my gear.
By the end of the video, my Crusader was at Level 30. She found Deckard Cain… who talked about Soulstones.
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June 29, 2021Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Crusader picks up where she left off in the previous video. I enjoyed the quests, and the scenery, in the Dark Wood area.
Shortly after fighting some enemies, my Crusader got a notification about a Daily Reward. It turned out to be an item called Vicious Hero’s Companion of Fortitude. It was an upgrade to what my Crusader was currently using.
Eventually, my Crusader got to meet Akara, someone who seems to be very important to the Sisters of the Sightless Eye. I also learned that the camp area gives the player the ability to access their stash.
One of the interesting things in Diablo Immortal is that you can encounter other players who are working their way through the same quests that you are. It makes the game feel more populated than Diablo III does.
The most interesting thing in the camp (other than the storyline) is the Horadric Beastiary. This was the first time I encountered it. To use it, a player must kill a certain kind of monster and pick up Monster Essence. Use the Monster Essence in the Beastiary to learn more about that type of monster.
During the Closed Alpha, the Beastiary wasn’t entirely revealed to the player. Once this game is released, I intend to see how many of the beasts within in it I can unlock.
My Crusader ended the video at Level 24.
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June 28, 2021Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Crusader started off at Level 22. She entered a Challenge Rift for the first time.
I start off by explaining how I accidentally misgendered the Blacksmith. When I record these videos, I cannot hear the sounds in the game. I figured Charsi was either a woman – if so, that would make her the first Blacksmith that was a woman. Or, perhaps the Blacksmith was nonbinary, based on the image.
The answer to my questions about Charsi’s gender was revealed not long after I started playing. She sent me on a quest in Dark Wood.
I started out looking at the Codex and claiming a reward called Westmarch. I also earned some Salvage related achievements. I will need to remember to keep looking at that. You have to click on each achievement that you earn before you can obtain the loot.
My Crusader completed a Challenge Rift Level 1. There is a leaderboard connected to the Challenge Rifts. A player can do the Challenge Rift solo, or bring in some other players to help. It took me a little while to understand how to navigate my way through the Challenge Rift. It was fun, and there was lots of loot.
Upon leaving the Challenge Rift, my Crusader followed a set of glowing footprints that led me back to Charsi. She sent me on some quests that take place in the Dark Woods area. One of the things I like about these quests is that the entire quest chain is (almost) all women. That’s not something I’ve seen very often in a video game.
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May 11, 2021Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Crusader started off at Level 22. Part of this video is about figuring out where to find the Achievements and how to maneuver through the interface that shows Bounties, dungeons, and more. The main part of this video involves the Blacksmith.
The first thing my Crusader did was talk to Xul. He sent her to go fight Lethes, who is in a location called Lord’s Rest. Upon entering, the screen said: “You have entered a solo Story Dungeon.”
My initial impressions of Westmarch started forming while I played through this part of the game. I intend to wrote about that, but don’t want to squish it all into this post.
Charsi is the Blacksmith of Westmarch. When I record these videos, I cannot hear the sound (due to the setup I have for recording my Diablo Immortal gameplay.) As such, I accidentally misgendered the Blacksmith. If I were able to hear Charsi speak, that would not have happened.
I had the opportunity to start to figure out how to use the Blacksmith’s services. It is rather simple, once you understand how to move through the interface. I’m probably going to have to do that a lot before it will feel intuitive.
This video also includes the most useful escort quest I’ve experienced in any of Blizzard’s games. If you enjoyed this video, please consider supporting me on Ko-Fi. Thank you!
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May 10, 2021Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Crusader started off at Level 20. She made a second attempt at completing the Mad King’s Breach dungeon (after failing it on the first try).
In this attempt, I learned that it is possible to complete this Dungeon solo, despite the game’s recommendation that you bring 9 other players with you. I also learned that King Leoric has a “tell” that makes it very clear where he is about to charge. This gives the player a chance to get out of the way.
By the end of the video, my Crusader was at Level 22.
If you enjoyed this video, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. Thank you!
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May 9, 2021Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosThis is my first video of the Diablo Immortal Closed Alpha. I decided to play a Crusader that looked like the one featured on the Diablo social media accounts. In this video, my Crusader started out at Level 11.
I was mostly learning how to play the game. I play a lot of app games, so that made things easier. My biggest problem was that I kept getting stuck in the scenery, and had not yet worked out how to maneuver effectively in order to not be stuck.
This video includes The Festering Woods area and Ashwold Cemetery. It also features some quests that involve Xul and Lethes. It ends with my Crusader standing outside Mad King’s Breach. By then, she was at Level 18.
I’m not intending to record every little bit of my game play in the Diablo Immortal Closed Alpha, in order to avoid accidentally exposing people to “spoilers”. If you enjoyed this video, please consider supporting me on Ko-Fi. Thank you!
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Diablo II: Resurrected
August 22, 2021Diablo II: Resurrected / Diablo II: Resurrected Open BetaI had a lot of fun playing the Diablo II: Resurrected Open Beta. There has been a bit of a learning curve as I learn how to use an Xbox Series S controller and navigate the Xbox menus. The game itself, however, feels intuitive and I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to play the Open Beta.
One of the cool things that Xbox allows is for players to take short clips of their game play. The clips last for approximately 30 seconds, so you have to learn to time it well. Players can also take screenshots. Both of those things are really easy to do.
The difficult part was trying to figure out how to get them off the Xbox S and onto my Mac Mini computer. I’m not adept enough to explain this properly. There is an Xbox app you can put on a tablet. In short, players can use that to view all of their screenshots and clips, and get the option of saving them or deleting them.
My husband helped me figure out how to get the Xbox app to let me pull out the screenshots and clips, and stick them into the Photos app on my tablet. From there, I was able to upload them to my Mac Mini.
The most difficult part of making a very short video out of clips was finding software that would let me do it. When I record my Diablo III game play, I use a piece of software called ScreenFlow. It will record whatever it sees on my computer monitor after I tell it to start recording.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to upload clips from Xbox (or anywhere else) into that software.
I ended up having to use iMovie to put together a few clips from the Diablo II: Resurrected Open Beta. Working with iMovie is not at all intuitive. Fighting with it long enough to put together clips that total to about a minute and a half was manageable. Exporting it to my desktop made everything else on my computer run extremely slowly until it was done.
Anyway, that’s how I was able to record, stitch together, and create a video of clips from Xbox S.
#Blaugust2021
Diablo II: Resurrected Clips is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
If you enjoyed this blog post please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. Thank you! [...]
Pocket Camp
August 31, 2022Animal Crossing Pocket CampJack’s Fright Night Scavenger Hunt started on October 21, 2020, and ended on October 28, 2020. It is the third part is a trio of events that connected to each other. It was preceded by Jack’s Creepy Conjuring and Fishing Tourney (Potions).
The Fright-Night Scavenger Hunt had players searching for Fright-Night Gyroidites. They are used to craft a variety of items that are connected to a specific Scavenger Hunt event. This time, the Gyroidites look like pumpkins, with glowing eyes, that are wearing purple witches hats.
I turned my camper into a Halloween-themed paint job.
Fright-Night Furniture Rewards included:
fright-night streetlight
fright-night dance floor
fright-night balloons
There was also a fright-night stage, which required more fright-night gyrodites than I was able to collect. Sometimes, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp re-issues items. I might be able to buy it with Leaf Tickets if and when it reappears.
Fright-Night Clothing Rewards included:
pumpkin treat basket
purple fright-night hat
orange fright-night hat
mummy shirt
mummy pants
I don’t know who this player was, but they made really good use of the mummy shirt and pants. The King Tut helmet was not part of the Fright-Night Scavenger Hunt.
There were a few more clothing items that players could obtain. Unfortunately, they all cost more Leaf Tickets than I happened to have at the time.
There were three Happy Homeroom classes connected to the Fright-Night Scavenger Hunt:
Fright Night is the first class in the series.
This class required the fright-night streetlight, the mummy shirt, and a barrel planter.
barrel planter
Ready to start!
The highlighted boxes show where the player needed to put the required items.
Success!
Fright Night 2 class required different items than the previous class did.
Ready to start!
candelabra
This class required the orange fright-night hat, fright-night balloons, and a candelabra. It also wanted the fright-night dress but I didn’t have enough Leaf Tickets to buy it.
The highlighted boxes are the ones that show the items that the player needed to place. I swapped the fright-night dress with the trick-or-treat dress. Close enough?
I got two stars in this class, instead of three.
Fright Night 3 is the final class in this series.
This class required several of the same items that were part of the previous two classes. It wanted the fright-night dress and the fright-night stage – which I still didn’t have. For some reason, a cheese tart was also a required item.
Ready to start Fright Night 3 class!
The highlighted areas are the ones where the player had to put an item into.
Good enough!
I ended up with a total of seven ribbons. Not bad, considering there were items I didn’t have!
Cyrus can make things that the player wants to use. From memory, I think this item may have come from some of the reissued Halloween items.
After obtaining more of the things that the third class required – I improved and got more ribbons.
Jack: What’s this? You still have some magic hat bats and presto pumpkins left over?!
Jack: I’ve got places to brighten, moods to lighten… and lots of folks to frighten! Hee hee hee!”
Jack: Well dear subject, it is time for your monarch to bid you a very fond farewell.
Jack: Very well- I shall happily relieve you of them!
(Jack is referring to the hat bats and presto pumpkins that were left over.)
This is the outcome the third set of classes connected to this event.
Jack: Have a happy Halloween!
#Blaugust2022
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp – Jack’s Fright-Night Scavenger Hunt is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
August 25, 2022Animal Crossing Pocket CampFishing Tourney (Potions) – also referred to in the Animal Crossing Pocket Camp Wiki as Fishing Tourney 31 , started on October 12, 2020. It ended on October 19, 2020. Pocket Camp has three events that sometimes connect with similar themes. Jack’s Fishing Tourney focuses on potions.
Jack’s Fishing Tourney (Potions) follows Jack’s Creepy Conjuring. Typically, a beaver named Chip is in charge of the Fishing Tourney. This time, Jack is running it.
Jack: Trick or Treat?
Jack: Hee hee hee! I’m Jack! Some call me the Pumpking… But you can call me the czar of Halloween!
Jack: In honor of the season, Chip has once again granted me control of the Fishing Tourney.
Jack: Quite a loyal subject he is. And as a loyal subject yourself, you ought to set about catching me some fish!
Jack: By that I mean to say, it’s time for… Fishing Tourney (Potions)! Let’s begin, shall we?
Two red flagonfish
Jack: That was fast! Now then, go ahead and hand over all the tourney fish you have!
wood fish trophy
Jack: Now, allow me to give you your prize! Ta-daaa!
batty swirl lollipop
one red flagonfish
one blue flagonfish
one yellow flagonfish
two yellow flagonfish
Fishing Tourney (Potions) rewards:
potion set A
potion display stand
potion set B
potion display case
potion decanter A
potion decanter B
shelf of potions
The trick-or-treat dress was not part of the Fishing Tourney (Potions). You could buy it from the Able Sisters. It reminds me of the plastic Halloween costumes that were sold in stores when I was a kid.
Another player also decided to buy the trick-or-tweet dress! I guess it was popular.
Fishing Tourney (Potions) Trophies
bronze fish trophy
silver fish trophy
gold fish trophy
Classes connected to Fishing Tourney (Potions):
Potion Commotion is the first of three classes. It requires players to have potion set B, potion display stand, and potion set A.
There are some of the items from Fishing Tourney (Potions) in the room. The player has to put the required ones into the right spaces. The floor has a black rug with decorative designs on it. The walls are red with rose designs. There are columns around the room that have gold wire designs above them.
Potion Commotion after I put in the required items.
Success!
The next class was called Potion Commotion 2.
The required items this time are: potion display stand, potion decanter A, potion display case, and potion set A. All of these items came from Fishing Tourney (Potion) rewards.
Potion Commotion 2 is a dark, black, room. The colorful potion bottles really stand out!
Here is what Potion Commotion 2 looks like after the player completes it. The glowing squares show where the player had to put specific items.
Success!
Potion Commotion 3 is the last class in the series.
The items required for Potion Commotion 3 include: shelf of potions, potion display stand, potion set B, potion set A and potion display case.
Potion Commotion 3 has a black carpet, and several stained glass windows on the back wall. Many of the items that came from Fishing Tourney 3 are in the room.
Here is what Potion Commotion 3 looked like after I put in all the required items.
Success!
This brings us to the end of the Fishing Tourney (Potions) event. The third event involves collection Halloween-themed Gyoridites as part of a scavenger hunt.
#Blaugust2022
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp – Fishing Tourney (Potions) is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
January 31, 2022Animal Crossing Pocket CampJack’s Creepy Conjuring started on September 28, 2020, and ended on October 9, 2020. It is run by a Pumpkin-headed visitor who wants to attract “loyal subjects”. As always, the first part of the event requires the player to plant special flower seeds, grow flowers, and exchange them for prizes.
Jack: Hee hee hee! Want to see a magic trick, Ownka?
Jack: Ready or not, here it comes… I am conjuring Halloween to this campsite early!
Jack: Of course, if we are to make this place truly magical… We have some preparations to make.
Jack: Thus, I search for loyal subjects to assist me in this endeavor. You are the manager here, yes?
Jack: Perfect! Then you shall lend your aid to me, your macabre monarch, starting immediately!
Jack: Make haste, my dear subject. There is much to be done!
Jack: Another loyal subject acquired! Hee hee hee!
Jack: Very well. Allow me to send you forth with your marching orders.
Jack: It is my intention to bring this place… an epically enchanted Halloween extravaganza!
Jack: In order to do this properly, I need some rare bats. Specifically, I require bats in magic hats!
Jack: With those merry tricksters floating about the place, we are certain to conjure a mystical atmosphere.
Jack: Magic hatbats like presto pumpkins. That’s because they are terrifically adorable. Like me!
Jack: So, go on and plant these presto pumpkin seeds in your garden. That will draw the hatbats there.
Jack: Of course, this is all moot if you don’t know how to catch hatbats. Do you need some instructions?
Jack: Excellent! I am delighted to have such a devoted subject as yourself.
Jack: Here are the presto pumpkin seeds. Go forth and gather as many magic hatbats as you can before the party.
Jack gave my Pocket Camp character 5 bags of o-presto pumpkin seeds+ and 5 bags of o-presto pumpkin seeds.
Jack: Let the creepy conjuring commence!
Now seemed like a good time to pick out a Halloween costume. My Pocket Camp character is wearing a King Tut costume. They are standing inside their garden, with orange pumpkins and some hatbats.
Here is what the hatbats look like. They come in two varieties: purple bats with dark orange wings, and light orange bats with light orange wings. All of them are wearing tiny witch’s hats.
Task complete!
Rewards for completing tasks:
pink enchanted star
The batty swirl lollipop item is something players had to collect to complete certain tasks. As the event went on, the player had the ability to earn more of these items.
mystical star chair
seafood enchanted star
My Pocket Camp character is wearing a King Tut costume and is about to collect the hatbats from the pumpkins.
Players could earn a bat beret while completing quests during Jack’s Confection Collection.
My Pocket Camp character is wearing the bat beret, a shirt with a skull on it, and other dark grey or black clothing.
My Pocket Camp character is still wearing the bat beret, and has changed into a “steampunk” looking dress. There are purple pumpkins and orange pumpkins in their garden. The pumpkins have attracted hatbats.
Rewards for completing more tasks:
magic starry cauldron
Players could earn the flapping bats by completing parts of the Jack’s Confection Collection tasks. The bats could be placed in the player’s campsite. They are small, and fly around together – but only in the spot they were put in.
purple spellcaster set
orange spellcaster set
spellbinding table set
orange mystic pumpkins
If you put the orange mystic pumpkins in your campsite, one of your animal friends will sit on the top one. The animal friend can wave wands and cause the rest of the pumpkins to levitate.
There was also an item called Purple Mystic Pumpkins that functioned the same as the orange ones, but I wasn’t able to obtain it. There’s always a chance that Animal Crossing Pocket Camp will make it available again.
All tasks complete!
Classes related to Jack’s Creepy Conjuring event:
Magical Halloween is the first of three classes that connect to the Jack’s Creepy Conjuring event. The first class only requires three items, two of which can be obtained by finishing tasks.
Cyrus can craft the barrel planter for the player.
I now had everything I needed to complete this Magical Halloween class.
Lottie and Jack are ready for my Pocket Camp character, who is wearing a King Tut costume, to start the class.
The highlighted items are the ones that the player must correctly place into the Magical Halloween scene.
Success!
The Magical Halloween 2 class required its own set of recommended items. These included the purple spellcaster set, magic starry cauldron, pink enchanted star, and perfume bottles. At the time, there was no way for me to craft the perfume bottles. As such, I had to allow the game to suggest an item to go in its place.
My Pocket Camp character is thinking about how to pass this class without having all the required items.
The highlighted items are the ones the player must correctly place. The game will suggest an item to replace one that the player doesn’t have. In this case, it appears to have selected a decorative plate.
Lottie points out that the magic starry cauldron was the key item. I ended up with two medals instead of three because I didn’t have the perfume bottles item yet.
Magical Halloween 3 is the last class connected to Jack’s Creepy Conjuring event. My Pocket Camp character is thinking about where to put the many recommended items that this class requires.
The third class required several of the items that could be obtained by completing quests. I had everything that was required. There are four gravestones at the back of this scene – which were not part of the event.
Overall, I did pretty well with the Magical Halloween classes. I earned three medals in the Magical Halloween class, two medals in Magical Halloween 2, and three medals in Magical Halloween 3.
Jack: Well, dear subject, it is time for your monarch to bid your a very fond farewell.
Jack: I’ve got places to brighten, moods to lighten… and lots of folks to frighten! Hee hee hee!
Jack: What’s this? You still have some magic hatbats and presto pumpkins left over?!
Jack: Very well – I shall happily relieve you of them!
Jack: You’ll be well compensated, of course. Be sure to check your mailbox in a little while.
Jack: Have a happy Halloween!
This brings us to the end of Jack’s Creepy Conjuring event. In Animal Crossing Pocket Camp. Each event has three parts, so this isn’t the last time we will see Jack.
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp: Jack’s Creepy Conjuring is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
November 29, 2021Animal Crossing Pocket CampLolly’s Celestial Cookie is one of many cookies that players can obtain by spending 50 Leaf Tickets for one cookie. Lolly’s Celestial Cookie was released on August 1, 2020, and stayed available through October 30, 2020. The game reissues cookies, so there is a chance this one could reappear at the Fortune Cookie Stand.
In the screenshot above, my Pocket Camp character looks a little displeased by how much it will cost to obtain all of the items that come from this type of Fortune Cookie.
Here are some of the thing that come from Lolly’s Celestial Cookies:
luminous bamboo
soaring stars
starlit path
starry flowerbed
sparkling bench
starry yukata
celestial lantern
There are some items that I still need to get when this cookie is reissued.
There are three classes that connect to the items that come from Lolly’s Celestial Cookie.
Starry Night is the first of three classes that include items from Lolly’s Celestial Cookie.
The Starry Night class requires the luminous bamboo, soaring stars, and starry yukata.
This is what the Starry Night class looks like at the start.
Here is what the Starry Night class looks like after the player puts the right items on the squares.
Success!
There are two more classes in this series. I skipped them because I didn’t have some of the items.
I took some screenshots of my Animal Crossing Pocket Camp friends using the Celestial items.
Bluebear and Sprinkle on the starry bench.
Bluebear and Rosie on the starry bench.
Rodeo and Flurry on the starry bench.
Bud and Goldie on the starry bench.
Rodeo stands next to the starry bench that Apollo and Bud are using.
Flurry and Jay share the starry bench. Each holds a blue fan with stars on it. My Pocket Camp character is standing on the starlit path and is holding the celestial lantern.
UPDATE: I finally got the glittering waterfall from the Lolly’s Celestial Cookie! This one is a special item not only because of its size, but also because it come with a memory.
glittering waterfall
Lolly is standing among starry flowerbeds and luminous bamboo. She is wearing the starry yukata (that was part of the set from Lolly’s Celestial Cookie).
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp – Lolly’s Celestial Cookie is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
November 21, 2021Animal Crossing Pocket CampCeleste’s Ginkgo Cafe started on August 30, 2020, and ended on September 19, 2020. It is an event where Celeste asks the player to grow rare Mini Ginkgo Seeds and Gingko Maidens, as well as Ginkgo themed awards. This event has a very strong fall-like theme.
Celeste: Oh, pardon me!
Celeste: The trees turning yellow are so pretty that I didn’t pay attention to where I was and stumbled here…
Celeste: Autumn revolves around leaves changing colors and the harvest. It’s also a time for reflection.
Celeste: This is a special occasion, so I’d love to relax with some coffee and enjoy the plethora of colors.
Celeste: Eureka! What are your thoughts on opening a pop-up café here at this campsite?
Celeste: Colorful leaves, coffee, sweets… These are all of the fall essentials I look forward to!
Celeste: I think everyone at the campsite will appreciate it too!
Celeste: I tend to get quite sleepy during the daytime… so if you could help me out, I’d really appreciate it!
Celeste: Thank you! By the way, my brother Blathers, gave me a mini ginkgo tree recently.
Blathers is another owl character in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp. His main purpose is guiding players through maps that result in useful prizes. The player has to collect the map first, and then spend a specific resource to play through it.
Celeste: I found out that rare ginkgo maiden insects are attracted to this type of plant.
Celeste: Who would have thought? And they’re also quite rare!
Celeste: Gazing at mini ginkgoes and ginkgo maidens from a café terrace would make for a picturesque scene.
Celeste: I’d love it if you could grow mini ginkgoes in your garden and catch the insects that gather there!
Celeste gave me some y.-mini-ginkgo seeds+ and some y.-mini-ginkgo seeds. One grows faster than the other.
Event on now! Celeste’s Ginkgo Café
This sign shows what two of the rare creatures look like. It also shows that the player can eventually exchange mini ginkgo plants for prizes that are connected to this event.
My Pocket Camp character is standing in their garden. Five mini-ginkgo plants have grown. Each one has attracted either a red or yellow rare creature.
I caught some red gingko maidens and some yellow ginkgo maidens. These are exchanged for prizes.
Prizes earned during Celeste’s Gingko Café event
ginkgo café chair
plum dessert coffee set
fall ginkgo leaf
Players needed to collect a certain amount of fall ginkgo leaves in order to earn additional prizes.
chestnut harvest hat
This is what the chestnut harvest hat looks like on my Animal Crossing Pocket Camp character.
Here is an above view of the chestnut harvest hat.
fallen fall leaves
fall red-brick rug
berry fall dessert set
ginkgo café table
Task complete!
The next part of the event required the player to collect gold ginkgo maiden bugs and silver ginkgo maiden bugs. It was still possible to collect the previous colors, if you needed more of them in order to earn prizes.
lime dessert coffee set
citrus fall dessert set
fall maidenhair trees
ginkgo café coffee stand
park clock
I took some screenshots of the Celeste’s Gingko Café items.
My Pocket Camp character stands in front of the beginning of a café. Goldie is sitting in one of the chairs and enjoying coffee. The table is set for two with a plum dessert coffee set. There is a table of berry fall dessert set in the background.
My Pocket Camp character stands in front of the beginning of a café. There is a café table with a tablecloth. There are two café chairs near the table, and one black chair off to the side. Behind the table is a yellow ginkgo plant in a brick pot.
In front of the table are two sections of fall leaves on the ground, with red bricks on either side of them.
My Pocket Camp character has added four maidenhair ginkgo trees in the background.
My Pocket Camp character stands in front of a (mostly) complete café. It is missing a few chairs. I added the ginkgo café coffee stand behind the tables and in front of the trees.
I was eventually able to add more café chairs. The black chair is not part of the café set, but it matched well enough. I added the park clock to this fancy little outdoor café.
This was the final configuration of Celeste’s Ginkgo Café. I made it less cluttered by rearranging the items and removing the ones that were not actually part of the event.
All tasks complete!
Celeste’s Gingko Café Classes
The first class is called Ginkgo Terrace.
The recommended furniture for this class included one ginkgo café chair and one yellow mini ginkgo plant in a pot. Both of those are part of the café items. It also required a bistro table, which I did not have.
Cyrus is the only one who can craft a bistro table.
This class requires the player to put all three of the required items into the proper spaces.
The highlighted squares show where the player needs to put specific items.
Success!
Ginkgo Terrace 2 is the second class in this series.
All of the items that are recommended for this class come from Celeste’s Ginkgo Café. They include: ginkgo café chair, ginkgo café table, plum dessert coffee set, and berry fall dessert set.
Here is an overhead view of Ginkgo Terrace 2. The highlighted squares show where the required items go.
Success!
Ginkgo Terrace 3 is the final class in the series.
Ginkgo Terrace 3 requires several items from Celeste’s Ginkgo Café event. This includes: citrus fall dessert set, fall maidenhair trees, lime dessert coffee set, ginkgo café stand, park clock – and more.
An overhead view of the Ginkgo Terrace 3 class. The highlighted squares are where the player needed to place specific items.
The sweet-potato roast set was a prize that players could earn as they worked through the quests.
Celeste: Thank you so much for gathering all of these ginkgo trees! Much appreciated, Ownka.
Celeste: Now, as a little treat, I’ve roasted up some sweet potatoes for us. Let’s enjoy them together!
Goal complete!
Celeste: Doesn’t a roasted sweet potato just hit the spot?
Celeste: I hope you got enough to eat! A fully belly will help you keep nice and warm.
Celeste: It’ll be chilly around here before you know it, Ownka.
Celeste: Farewell for no! When you look up at the night sky and see the stars, I hope you recall your friend Celeste.
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp: Celeste’s Ginkgo Café is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
October 14, 2021Animal Crossing Pocket CampThe Haunted Scavenger Hunt followed the Fishing Tourney (Goldfish), which came after Isabelle’s Creek Cooldown. Both of those events fit together well, because they both had something to do with water. The Haunted Scavenger Hunt, however, didn’t match. To me, it felt like maybe it was originally intended to be a Halloween event.
The Haunted Scavenger Hunt started on August 21, 2020, and ended on August 28, 2020.
Every scavenger hunt in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp requires the player to collect a whole lot of Gyroidites. They are little fabricated things that the player must go find and pick up. Collect the right amount of them, and you can have Cyrus craft one of the event items for you. Repeat the process until you get them all!
Prizes earned during the Haunted Scavenger Hunt
haunted candles
haunted tatami rug
haunted TV
haunted lantern
haunted willow tree
haunted shoji screen
haunted well
haunted tokonoma
Here is what all of the Haunted Scavenger Hunt items look like when you put them all together.
There were three event classes that players could do if they had some of the event items.
Haunted Garden 1 is the first class in the series.
Haunted Garden 1 required the haunted candles, haunted lantern, and a bamboo screen. (The screen is not part of the Haunted Scavenger Hunt collection.)
Lottie shows the player the items they need in order to pass this class.
Lottie and Kiki stand near my Pocket Camp character. Behind them are some items that are already placed.
The highlighted spaces show where the player must put the necessary items.
Lottie and Kiki are pleased. I have passed this class!
Haunted Garden 2 is the second class in the series.
The event items required for this class include: haunted well, haunted lantern, haunted shoji screen, and haunted candles.
Several items have already been placed before the class begins. Most of them belong to the Haunted Scavenger Hunt. The rest appear to be from Isabelle’s Creek Cooldown.
The highlighted spaces show where the player must put the necessary items.
Success!
Haunted Garden 3 is the final class in this series.
This class requires the following items: haunted TV, haunted tokonoma, haunted candles, and haunted willow tree. All of these items are ones that the player could obtain by collecting Haunted Gyroidites during the Haunted Scavenger Hunt.
The floating wisps item is part of the Haunted Scavenger Hunt, but it cannot be obtained by collecting Haunted Gyoridites. To obtain it, players had to spend 130 Leaf Tickets. I didn’t have that many, so I never got this item.
wooden bucket
The wooden bucket is not part of the Haunted Scavenger Hunt items. It is not unusual for a class to require something unrelated to the current event.
This class is also in the dark, to highlight the items that glow. Unlike the previous dark room, this one take place outdoors. As such, it is a little bit easier to see the items that have already been placed.
The highlighted parts show which items the player needed to put into this room. I didn’t have the floating wisps, so I put in a different kind of wisp instead. It was enough for me to pass this class.
The Haunted Scavenger Hunt theme did not match well with the previous two events. This does not bother me, because I enjoy creepy things. If you place these items into your Campsite, the Animal visitors will use them. For example, it is possible for one of them to get inside the haunted well and pop out at random times!
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp: Haunted Scavenger Hunt is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
September 29, 2021Animal Crossing Pocket CampThe Fishing Tourney (Goldfish) event started on August 12, 2020, and ended on August 20, 2020. It followed the Isabelle’s Creek Cooldown event. This Fishing Tourney has players fishing for three different kinds of goldfish.
Chip: Oh boy, it’s finally here… “Fishing Tourney (Goldfish)”!
The purpose of this event is to catch as many goldfish as possible. The fish are only available in one of the two areas in the game where players can fish. When a Fishing Tourney is open, the fish that count are sparkly. Players receive one free Fishing Tourney net, which they can use to catch a lot of Tourney fish all at once.
two red wakin goldfish
ranchu goldfish
two ranchu goldfish
black wakin goldfish
two black wakin goldfish
I used the free Fishing Tourney net to catch a bunch of goldfish at the same time.
Fishing Tourney (Goldfish) Rewards
goldfish hairpin
red-wakin aquarium
black-wakin aquarium
ranchu aquarium
goldfish paper lantern
goldfish aquarium A
goldfish aquarium B
goldfish screen
icosahedral aquarium
Fishing Trophy
wood fish trophy
bronze fish trophy
silver fish trophy
gold fish trophy
Fishing Tourney (Goldfish) Happy Homeroom classes
Elegant Aquarium is the first of three classes that connect to the Fishing Tourney (Goldfish) event. It requires the red-wakin aquarium, the goldfish hairpin, and the goldfish paper lantern.
Here is what this class looks like at the start. The room is dark, and the items glow.
The highlighted items are ones that the player had to place.
Success!
Elegant Aquarium 2 class required more items than the previous class did.
This class requires goldfish aquarium B, goldfish aquarium A, goldfish screen, and black-wakin aquarium.
The room is dark in order to highlight all of the glowing aquariums and other objects.
Here is an overhead view of the aquariums that were required for this class. The player needed to add the ones that are now highlighted.
Success!
Elegant Aquarium 3 is the final class that connects to the Fishing Tourney (Goldfish). Once again, it is a dark room with glowing items inside it. This class requires: goldfish aquarium A, goldfish screen, goldfish paper lantern, icosahedral aquarium, red-wakin aquarium and ranchu aquarium.
Here’s an overhead view of the Elegant Aquarium 3 class. Players needed to place the highlighted items.
Success!
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp – Fishing Tourney (Goldfish) is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
September 15, 2021Animal Crossing Pocket CampIsabelle’s Creek Cooldown began on July 28, 2020, and ended on August 9, 2020. Isabelle is a special character who guides new players through the variety of things they can do in the game. In addition, Isabelle sometimes comes to the player’s campsite and starts a new event.
Isabelle’s Creek Cooldown is the first of three events that are connected to each other.
All of the events in Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp start with special flowers. Players must plant them in their gardens, then return to collect the rare creatures (bugs) that find them. Prizes are distributed based on how many bugs the player caught.
Isabelle: Summer is definitely one of my favorite seasons, but the heat can certainly leave me feeling groggy.
Isabelle: At the very least, I need to find a way to cool off for a few hours…
Isabelle: So, I came up with a really great idea!
Isabelle: Why not create a creekside area where everyone at the campsite can come to cool off for a bit?
Isabelle: I’m going to give you some seeds to start, so go ahead and plant them in your garden.
Isabelle gave my Pocket Camp character 5 bags of purple starflower + seeds. and 5 bags of purple starflower seeds. The ones with the + grow super fast!
Isabelle: Once these flowers bloom, they’re sure to attract plenty of creek fireflies.
The goal is to keep planting the event-specific flowers and then come back and collect the rare creatures that landed on them. The number of bugs is what grants the player prizes, which usually match the theme of the event.
Task complete! My Pocket Camp character and Isabelle are standing on a path in my garden. The plants directly in front of them are not done growing yet. Off screen are the five purple starflower+ seeds that grow much faster than the rest. I picked the fireflies off of them, and got enough to earn a reward.
This process takes place, over and over again, until the event ends of the player earns all the rewards.
I earned two stardust fans. These items are required in order to complete a set of quests.
I earned a bamboo-boat lantern!
Task complete! My Pocket Camp character is wearing a straw beach hat and a white beach dress. Those items were not part of the event, but might have connected to a previous one.
Here are what the fireflies that were attracted by the purple starflower plants looked like.
Task complete! The flowers in the above screenshot are pink starflowers. I was able to earn some prizes by planting them, but I don’t think I got all of the rewards. The event ended before I could do that.
Here are some other rewards that are connected to Isabelle’s Creek Cooldown:
river stepping-stones
flowing-river rug
three-tier lantern A
river rock
dancing fireflies
three-tier lantern B
red standing umbrella
riverside veranda A
There were classes that required some of the items that players could earn during this event.
Creek Cooldown was the first class. It only required a few items.
The highlighted items are the ones that the player needed to place. One of them is Cool-Stone Riverbank (highlighted rocks in the background). I must have obtained at least one of them, but cannot find the screenshot. The other two are River Stepping-Stones, and I’m certain I earned two of them.
Success!
Creek Cooldown 2 was the second class.
Creek Cooldown 2 required the river rock, river stepping-stones, red standing umbrella, and three-tier lantern A. Some of those items were also used in the Creek Cooldown class.
An overhead look at the Creek Cooldown 2 class. The required items are highlighted.
Success!
I put some of the Creek Cooldown items into my campsite.
Goldie seems to be enjoying these items.
More of the Creek Cooldown items were added to the same space after I earned them. I like how these items, when put together with a few more that fit the theme, felt very peaceful.
Isabelle: We’d all be sad and sweaty if it weren’t for you. Thanks for making this possible, Ownka!
A small scene appears when part of the Creek Cooldown event is over.
Goal complete!
Isabelle: Congratulations! You’ve completed all of these goals!
Isabelle: Thank you for gathering so many fans, Ownka!
Isabelle: They’re yet another creative way we can get a big of relief from this scorching summer heat.
Isabelle: There’s nothing more refreshing than something cold on a hot day.
Isabelle: Ice cream, lemonade, or even ice water would certainly hit the spot right about now, huh?
Isabelle: Anyway, enjoy your summer, and try your best to stay cool!
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp – Isabelle’s Creek Cooldown is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
August 31, 2021Animal Crossing Pocket CampThere is a pattern to the events on Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. It starts with planting flowers for prizes. Next is a Fishing Tourney (for more prizes). The last one is a scavenger hunt where the player collects gyordites and uses them to craft prizes.
Usually, there is a theme that runs through all three events. This time, that didn’t happen.
This series of events started with Gulliver’s Port Resort, where players collected items to make that resort in their campground. The Fishing Tourney Pirate Life followed. Players caught special, sparkling, fish and traded them for pirate-themed prizes. The Cool Scoop Scavenger Hunt focuses on ice cream. One of these things is not like the other!
The screenshots in this blog post are from July of 2020.
Players had to go from one location to another and gather up all the cool scoop gyordites that they could find. The gyrodites are only available during the event. A certain number of them is one of the things required for players to craft the prizes associated with this part of the event.
Prizes earned during the Cool Scoops Scavenger Hunt:
creamy-cone holder
ice-cream-shop table
blue ice-cream cart
sherbet-cone holder
pink ice-cream cart
There were more prizes available, but I didn’t manage to collect enough cool scoop gyordites before the event ended. I missed out on the Ice Cream Shop cart that looked different from the other two carts. One item could only be purchased with Leaf Tickets (the in-game currency). It wanted 150 of them, and I didn’t have it.
Most, if not all, of the Animal Crossing Pocket Camp events include classes that the player can take. The classes disappear after the event ends. To pass the class, the player needs to obtain specific items.
Cool Scoop Parlor is the first of three event-related classes.
Cool Scoop Parlor 1 required the ice-cream-shop table and the creamy-cone holder. It also required players to craft a Candy Gingham Shirt, which was not part of the event.
Success!
Cool Scoop Parlor 2 also required the ice-cream-shop table. Additional items include the blue ice-cream cart, and the sherbet-cone holder.
It also required a cream soda – which players had to craft.
My Pocket Camp character is thinking about where to put the required items for this class.
The highlighted objects are the ones that were required for this class.
Success!
Cool Scoop Parlor 3 required Creamy-cone holder. It also wanted the Ice-Cream-Shop cart (which I did not have). It sometimes is possible to pass the class without having everything needed.
It also required the menu chalkboard, which players had to craft.
My Pocket Camp character is trying to figure out how to pass this class.
The highlighted areas are the ones where the required items are supposed to go. I didn’t have the Ice-Cream-Shop cart. When that happens, the game suggests an item that the player should put instead. So, I ended up with a table that had a large umbrella over it.
Not quite a success, but good enough!
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp – Cool Scoop Scavenger Hunt is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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August 27, 2021Animal Crossing Pocket CampThere are three parts to an event in Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. The first one involves planting flowers and capturing rare creatures. The second one is a Fishing Tourney. The third is a scavenger hunt.
Fishing Tourney Pirate Life started on July 11, 2020, and ended on July 19, 2020. It began shortly after Gulliver’s Port Resort ended. The screenshots in this blog post were taken in July of 2020.
The game gives the player an announcement when a new Fishing Tourney begins. The theme connects to the previous event. Sometimes, the theme matches well. In this case, my campsite had been turned into a Port Resort. This Fishing Tourney gives players the opportunity to obtain pirate-related loot. It works!
Chip: Oh boy, it’s finally here… “Fishing Tourney (Pirates)”!
All of the Fishing Tourneys work the same way. The player needs to go fishing in the place the Fishing Tourney is held. (There is another location player can fish from – but fish caught there won’t count.) There is a timer on how long a player can fish – meaning that the Tourney fish will disappear after a short span of time. The player then hands over the Tourney Fish they caught to Chip who will measure them. Prizes can be earned.
I caught two Bering wolffish!
I earned a wood fish trophy.
Chip: Now, let’s see here. What have I got for ya…
Players needed to collect a number of mariner’s anchors in order to complete a series of quests. There are prizes that can be obtained by those who gather enough mariner’s anchors before the event ends.
Here is what the fish in the Fishing Tourney (Pirates Life) event looked like:
smalltooth sand tiger
great barracuda
two great barracuda
I used a Fishing Tourney net. Players get one for free at the start of a Fishing Tourney. I caught a Bering wolffish, some great baracuda and some smalltooth sand tigers. I’m not sure if the number I caught includes only what was in the net, or if it includes the fish I pulled out of water before deploying the net.
Bering wolffish
two smalltooth sand tigers
Here are the prizes that players can earn while doing this Fishing Tourney:
pirate tee and vest
wooden box
eye patch
black bandana
I now had the right items to complete one of the classes that connected to this Fishing Tourney.
The first Pirate Life class required the wooden box, pirate tee and vest, and black bandanna.
The required items go into the spots that have a transparent rectangle on them.
Success!
I have been assigned the rank of Amateur Rank 9!
Here are more of the prizes that come from the Pirate’s Life Fishing Tourney:
barrel chair
barrel table
pirates’ treasure map
pile of Bells
For those who have never played an Animal Crossing game – Bells are the in-game currency. There are many ways to earn Bells in the game. This particular pile of Bells is only cosmetic, and cannot be used to buy something with.
I now had all the items that are necessary to complete the second Pirate Life class.
Success!
pirates’ bounty
pirate skull banner
stack of barrels
I now had everything necessary to complete the Pirate Life 3 class.
My Pocket Camp character is thinking about where to place the items.
This is what the Pirates Life 3 class looks like after everything has been properly placed.
Success!
I earned three medals in each of the Pirate Life classes.
The Fishing Tourney (Pirate Life) shared some quest goals that carried over from the Port Resort event. As such, I was able to obtain some rewards that were part of each event just by completing quests.
white resort bench
Here is the white bench in the middle of my Port Resort.
Fishing Trophies
I already posted the wooden fishing trophy in this blog post. Somehow, I failed to get a screenshot of the next one, the bronze fishing trophy.
silver fish trophy
After the Fishing Tourney Pirate Life ended, I got this announcement of my results. I earned a gold fish trophy.
It was time to take a rest!
Rod’s adventure cookie
One of the rewards for completing all of the quest goals was a Rod’s adventure cookie. Players earn it. Usually, the special cookies cost Leaf Tickets (a type of currency that players can earn – or purchase with real money).
To open a fortune cookie, a player’s character must eat it. There is always a short fortune inside, just like in real world fortune cookies. There will be a prize inside (that usually looks way too big to fit into a cookie).
I got a pirate captain hat!
A pirate’s life for me!
The Port Resort part of my campground has been taken over by the Pirate Life items.
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp – Fishing Tourney Pirate Life is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
August 21, 2021Animal Crossing Pocket CampOne of the most relaxing things to do in Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp is to catch bugs. The types of bugs are swapped in or out, depending on the season. There are sometimes events that require players to catch a certain number of a specific type of bug.
The butterflies are the most interesting to me. There is a surprising amount of variety to them!
purple butterfly
Andromeda satyr
Cairns Birdwing
blushing phantom
peacock butterfly
paper kite butterfly
common bluebottle
giant blue swallowtail
Madagascan sunset moth
emperor butterfly
purple swallowtail
stresemanni swallowtail
agrias butterfly
chestnut tiger butterfly
#Blaugust2021
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp – Butterflies is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
August 11, 2021Animal Crossing Pocket CampGulliver’s Port Resort started on June 30, 2020, and ended on July 4, 2020. The event started like all the other events do. Players had to collect special seeds, plant them in their garden, and hope that rare creatures appeared.
Gulliver: Ahoy there! The name’s Gulliver.
Gulliver: Maybe you knew that. Maybe we’ve met. You land-legs all look alike to me. I get hit on the head a lot!
Gulliver: Anyway, maybe you know I do exports. And I’m known to rustle up some goodies from time to time.
Gulliver: Well, it so happens I got my talons on something unbelievable in my last haul – paper-petal seeds!
So far, every time an animal friend invites themselves to my campsite, it is because they want something from me. Gulliver usually can be found at Sunburst Island (the one with the bugs). He has his own boat, which he sends to other islands to retrieve things.
The player must fill up the boat with items before Gulliver can send it off. Some time later, the boat returns with souvenirs. Each one will cost some Leaf Tickets.
Gulliver: These things take me back. I’ve laid eyes on many a scintillating flower in my travels…
Gulliver: Yep. Journeying harbor to harbor, seeing the flowers lined up out of port like an array of cannons…
Gulliver: Fish-flakes! All that nautical nostalgia’s sailed me right into a brilliant idea!
Gulliver: Let’s recreate the maritime magic of a port resort right here and now!
Gulliver: You ever heard of dailycrabs? Rare hermit crabs with shells as precious as undersea treasure.
Gulliver: They gather around paper-petals, so we wanna track some down… and reel ’em in! Er, with a bug net!
Gulliver: Their shells’ll be real nice for our post-resort experience. Sardines! I’ve got some decor ideas already!
Gulliver: So, do you know all about how to go about catching these dallycrabs?
Orange dallycrab
Pink dallycrab
Task complete!
Gulliver: Well done, generous sailor.
The screenshots above pretty much show everything you need to know about how this part of the event works. Gather flower seeds by going around and giving things to animal friends (including those in your campsite). Plant the seeds in your garden. Water them when needed (unless a friend got to it already). Collect the rare creatures. Harvest flowers. Repeat.
Here are the rewards I earned for collecting orange and pink dallycrabs:
pink paper-petal seeds+
seaside-vacation shades
mariner’s anchor
The mariner’s anchor items are required in order for players to collect enough to complete the special quests.
Collecting mariner’s anchors gives the players special rewards. For example, a starfish hairpin.
seaside-vacation dress
Task complete! My character is wearing the starfish hairpin and the seaside-vacation dress.
seaside-vacation shirt
port-resort table
seaside-vacation juice A
Once you collect up (or craft) certain items that are related to a limited-time event, you can use them to take a class. The concept is a little wonky, but it does give you some good rewards if you successfully complete it.
The first class related to Gulliver’s Port Resort event is the one shown above. I had collected the seaside-vacation shirt, and the seaside-vacation juice A. To get the little pot of pink paper-petals, you have to get in your garden and exchange some of those flowers for ones inside a flower pot.
Here is what the first class looks like with the required items placed.
This the face my Pocket Camp character makes after successfully completing a class.
I have reached Amateur Rank 8.
Eventually, the game introduces new paper-petal flowers. The new ones are yellow instead of pink. They attract different colored dallycrabs.
Gold dallycrab
Silver dallycrab
Here are some of the rewards for collecting gold and silver dallycrabs:
seaside-vacation juice B
post-resort lounge chair
white resort bench
post-resort fence A
Here is what the Port Resort Class 2 looks like after the player successfully completes it.
Once again, my Pocket Camp character makes that face after successfully completing a class.
post-resort fence B
post-resort balcony
post-resort arch
Here is what the third – and final – Post Resort class. The game gives players duplicate items as prizes. The player might need to make use of them in the classes.
Here is another view of the third Post Resort class when it is successfully completed.
After the player finishes all the tasks, there is a short scene that appears.
Here is a view of the Post Resort items in my campsite at night.
Here is a view of the Post Resort items in my campsite during the day.
Gulliver: Ahoy there, friend. I figure it’s time I weighed anchor and got back to my usual work.
Gulliver: Well, shuck my clams! You’ve still got dallycrabs and paper-petals to give away? I’ll take them, of course.
Gulliver: You’ll find a reward waiting in your mailbox. Check for it later!
Gulliver: See you around!
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp: Gulliver’s Port Resort is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
July 31, 2021Animal Crossing Pocket CampThe Harmony Scavenger Hunt started on June 21, 2020. It was connected to Lottie’s Wedding Expo and the Fishing Tourney (Wedding) events. The Harmony Scavenger Hunt ended on June 28, 2020.
When the Harmony Scavenger Hunt started, the game gave the players a look at what kinds of items they would be able to obtain by participating in the Scavenger Hunt.
Here is a close up look at what the bebop gyoridites for this scavenger hunt look like. Each scavenger hunt includes a unique type of gyoridites. Players get to keep the ones that they did not use up by the end of the event. Players must collect a specific number of them for each of the items they want to craft.
There are quests that the player can complete simply by picking up a certain number of bebop gyroidites. Doing so gives the player a wedding bells item, which is required in order to complete a different set of quests.
Here are the items I obtained by collecting bebop gyroidites and crafting items:
do melody button
re melody button
mi melody button
fa melody button
so melody button
la melody button
ti melody button
high do melody button
I started putting the melody buttons into my campsite, as I crafted them. To my surprise, two of the animal friends in my campsite decided to stand on them while holding hands.
I eventually put all of the melody buttons into my campsite. In this screenshot, one animal friend is standing on the first melody button. It was fun to return see what animal friends were standing on the buttons every time I returned to my campsite.
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp: Harmony Scavenger Hunt is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
April 20, 2021Animal Crossing Pocket CampThe Fishing Tourney (Wedding) was connected to the Lottie’s Wedding Expo event. The Fishing Tourney started on June 13, 2020, and went through June 17, 2020. The most interesting thing about it was that the prizes included music and other gear that would be useful for a band that had been hired to play at a wedding party.
The moment the player arrives at the location where the Fishing Tourney is held, balloons fill the air. Chip, who is in charge of the Fishing Tourney, walks over to the player and teaches them what they need to do.
Chip: Oh boy, it’s finally here… Fishing Tourney (Wedding)!
Chip: I’m Chip, and I’ll be your host and your number-one fish fan. Nyuk, nyuk!
Chip: So, for this Fishing Tourney, I’ll be givin’ out rewards for the total size of all the fish you catch.
Chip: And if you wanna take on some of my Chip Challenges, here’s what I’ve got for ya!
Here are the Tourney Fish that players could catch:
one white angelfish
two white angelfish
two white tuxedo guppy
Of course, it was possible for players to catch one white tuxedo guppy. In fact, it was more likely that players would catch one Tourney Fish than two at the same time. I cannot find a screenshot of my character holding one white tuxedo guppy.
one white butterfly koi
two white butterfly koi
Players are given a free Fishing Tourney Net at the start of every Fishing Tourney. It is a good way to catch a lot of fish all at once. Players can purchase additional Fishing Tourney nets if they want to. I’ve never bought one.
The rewards that players earned by participating in the Fishing Tourney (Wedding) were ones that looked like they were meant for the band that played at the wedding reception.
wedding band guitar
wedding-singer vest
wedding band amp
wedding band bass
wedding flower stand
wedding band drums
wedding band keyboard
wedding band stage
There are four Fishing Tourney trophies that players can earn.
When a Fishing Tourney ends, the player gets to keep the highest trophy that they have earned.
There was a smaller event happening where players had to collect a certain number of grand oysters. It had nothing to do with the Fishing Tourney (Wedding). My best guess is that this was a side quest that loosely connected to the wedding theme because oysters are sometimes served at wedding receptions.
There were three Fishing Tourney (Wedding) classes that players could take. The best way to succeed in any Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp classes is to wait until you have all the necessary items before starting one.
Joyful Ceremony was the first of three Fishing Tourney (Wedding) classes.
I earned the items that were required in order to pass the first Fishing Tourney (Wedding) class.
The Joyful Ceremony 2 class required three more items that can only be obtained from the Fishing Tourney (Wedding). I like that the Fishing Tourneys give players the opportunity to earn prizes just by playing the game.
The items that the player needed to place into the scene are highlighted.
These are just a few of the items that the player needed to have in order to pass the Joyful Ceremony 3 class.
The highlighted items are the ones that the player needed to have earned from the Fishing Tourney (Wedding). This class required six items.
I successfully completed the Joyful Ceremony 3 class!
An incredibly awkward moment happened when my character handed Chip some Tourney Fish they caught. Chip usually asks the player for their Tourney Fish and measures them. He hands out prizes if a player’s catch resulted in a size goal.
Chip: Hold up! Hold up! I just can’t take it anymore. Pardon me a minute…
My character handed Chip a bag of the Tourney fish they caught. Instead of measuring the fish, Chip took the bag, turned around, and ate all the fish. This was unexpected, and I was concerned it meant I would not receive a prize this time.
In the real world, beavers eat trees, not fish. Whomever designed this particularly awkward moment in Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp didn’t do enough research.
Chip: Woah there! Sorry ’bout that. I just couldn’t help myself. I love eating fish!
The look on Chip’s face is really creepy. My best guess is that whoever designed this part of the game honestly believed that beavers eat fish. The look on Chip’s face might have been meant to express that he had a satisfying meal. It missed the mark, and made me feel really uncomfortable.
Chip: Ya know, there are lots of ways to prepare fish. You can fry ’em, bake ’em, broil ’em…
Chip: Of course, I just eat ’em raw! …burp…
Chip: Yep. Now that you caught all those tasty tourney fish, I’m stuffed.
Chip: Funny thing is… I still want to eat more! So, if you catch any tourney fish, bring ’em all to me!
Around the time that the Fishing Tourney (Wedding) was coming to an end, I remember that Chip mentioned something about taking a vacation. He said that others would come to run upcoming Fishing Tourneys. This makes me wonder if people complained about Chip.
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp: Fishing Tourney (Wedding) is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
December 29, 2020Animal Crossing Pocket CampAnimal Crossing Pocket Camp reissued tons of previously released holiday items. The ones that caught my attention were the Holiday 2017 items. I did not have time (or materials) to make them all, but I did get a fair amount of them done.
These screenshots were taken in December of 2020.
Some of items in the Holiday 2017 collection have “Jingle” in the name. Jingle is the name of the reindeer animal friend that leads the 2020 holiday events in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp.
As you might expect, all of these items are crafted for the player by Cyrus.
Jingle checked rug
Jingle checked sofa
Jingle checked bed
Jingle snow globe
festive bow tree
mountain of presents
Jingle fence
The festive fireplace required 60,000 Bells and took about 24 hours to craft.
festive fireplace
festive streetlight
Here is how I arranged my Holiday 2017 items. The arch in the back is not part of the collection. It is from the 2020 holiday events. The golden ornament tree in a pot is also not part of the Holiday 2017 items. It was a gift from Animal Crossing Pocket Camp.
The animal friends at my campsite seems to like these holiday items.
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp: Holiday 2017 Reissued Items is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
December 28, 2020Animal Crossing Pocket CampJingle’s Floral Festivities required players to earn Poinsettia Ornaments by completing specific tasks during the event. To me, the biggest prize was a camper “skin” that had Christmas lights and a pile of presents on top of it.
The screenshots in this blog post were taken in December 2020.
The first thing I did was have Mabel from Able Sisters make me a red sweater dress. It looked like it would be really comfortable, and I love that you can see the knitting on the dress.
The red sweater dress is part of the Toy Day Clothing collection.
Here is my Pocket Camp character wearing the red sweater dress.
My Pocket Camp character is about to eat a Fortune Cookie called Egbert’s cozy cookie. It’s always a good sign when your character starts singing before eating the cookie!
cozy cardigan
There were Season’s Greetings Gift that players obtained by logging in to Animal Crossing Pocket Camp. One of the rewards was an Egbert’s cozy cookie.
What is inside this Fortune Cookie?
cozy-lodge knickknacks
There was a brief fishing event that was not connected to a Fishing Tourney. It was called Diving Light Goals. Players needed to catch a certain number of comb jelly and a certain number of northern comb jelly. They glow!
Players that completed all the goals in the Diving Light quests received an Egbert’s cozy cookie.
cozy-lodge lamp
Jingle’s Floral Festivities required players to collect festive gyroidites. There were two ways to do it. Players could go to different locations in the game and hunt for the festive gyroidites. Or, they could go to their campsite where some of their animal friends would give the player a gift of some festive gyroidites.
Each of the Toy Day Party items was part of a scavenger hunt. Players scavenged for the right amount of festive gyroidites, and then used them to craft the required items. Each one the player finished crafting gave them some poinsettia ornaments, which were used to finish quests.
Labelle of Able Sisters crafted Toy Day party hat B for me. It was one of the items in the scavenger hunt.
I gave Bluebear Toy Day party hat B to wear.
Labelle of Able Sisters crafted Toy Day party hat A for me. It was also one of the items in the scavenger hunt.
I gave Goldie the Toy Day party hat A to wear.
Mabel of Able Sisters crafted the festive dress for me. It is not part of the items in the scavenger hunt.
I gave Rosie the festive dress. She is one of the animal friends who frequently wants me to pick out a new outfit for her.
The festive dress is not part of the reissued Holiday 2017 items. I don’t remember what collection it belongs in.
Cyrus crafted the festive chair for me. It is part of the Toy Day Party scavenger hunt items.
The Merrymaking at Home class is one that involves a reindeer named Erik. This series of classes are about celebrating the holidays at home. In the real world, people were warned not to travel during the winter holidays, in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19.
The recommended items for the Merrymaking at Home class are: Toy Day party hat A, festive chair, festive dress.
Here is the start of the Merrymaking at Home class.
I finished the Merrymaking at Home class!
Merrymaking at Home class – success!
Another way to gather festive gyrodites is to visit Shovelstrike Quarry. If you go by yourself, it costs 20 Leaf Tickets. There is a way to go with five friends, but I’ve never tried that. I went to Shovelstrike Quarry twice during the 2020 holiday quests, and got a little over 30 festive gyroidites each time.
Cyrus crafted the festive table for me. It is part of the Toy Day scavenger hunt items.
I hit Level 70 in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp!
I completed enough of the Jingle’s Floral Festivities to earn the Toy Day travel camper. Normally, I wouldn’t be at all interested in this. Something about being under “stay at home” orders – again – made me more open to ridiculously decorated holiday stuff in video games.
Jingle: Thanks to you and all of your hard work, I’ve collected sooo many ornaments. It makes me so happy!
Jingle: Let’s get everything decked out with lights, and finally start the Toy Day celebrations!
Goal complete!
Jingle: Did you have fun at the party? It’s always so nice gathering with friends around Toy Day, isn’t it?
Jingle: But the event isn’t over yet! You’ve still got time to enjoy the festivities!
When the holiday quests started, I decided to design my camper with blue and white colors that reminded me of ice and show. Now, I had the opportunity to turn my camper into the Toy Day travel camper.
The Toy Day travel camper is red, with red and green plaid trim. It has a ring of Christmas lights, embedded in what looks like pine branches, going around the top. The sides have wreaths with colored Christmas lights in them. The top of the camper has a pile of wrapped presents that are sitting on a platform that has a railing around it.
Here is my Animal Crossing Pocket Camp character standing in front of the newly decorated Toy Day travel camper.
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp sent everyone a Toy Day gift. It is a small gold tree with white ornaments on it. The tree is in a little pot. The small tree is not so easy to spot in my campsite, but you can see what it looks like in the image above.
Cyrus crafted the stocking-stuffer lamp for me. It is part of the Toy Day scavenger hunt items.
Cyrus crafted the Toy Day sweets for me. It is part of the Toy Day scavenger hunt items. There is a chocolate Yule log, a white layer cake with tree decorations on it, and a group of decorated cupcakes guarded by gingerbread people.
I hit Level 71 in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp!
Cyrus crafted the Toy Day hors d’ oeuvres for me. It was part of the Toy Day scavenger hunt items. There are trays of little sandwiches (with the crusts cut off) that are held together by fancy toothpicks. There are star shaped pizzas. There is a bowl that might be mac ‘n’ cheese with star shaped meat in it, decorated by a green and red Christmas tree.
Merrymaking at Home 2 required some of the Toy Day scavenger hunt items that I had collected.
It included the Toy Day party hat B, festive chair, festive table, Toy Day hors d’oeuvers, cypress plant, and more.
Merrymaking at Home 2 takes place in a different room.
I finished the Merrymaking at Home 2 class!
Merrymaking at Home 2 – Success!
The Toy Day spread was the last item I needed to craft in order to complete the scavenger hunt. It required the player to collect 300 festive gyrodites. Each of the Toy Day Party items required a certain number of them – but the Toy Day spread required the most.
Once the player collects 300 festive gyrodites they must wait 24 hours – in real time – for the item to be crafted.
Cyrus crafted the Toy Day spread. I had now completed all of the quests that went along with the Toy Day scavenger hunt.
The Toy Day spread includes: a gingerbread house; a tree-shaped tiered tray that has cupcakes, cookies, and chocolates; thick slices of ham, a veggie plate with some kind of dip in the center; a plate with some bread-like pastries; and a small tray of decorated cookies.
Immediately after the Toy Day spread was completed, the game let me know that I had enough items to do will in the Merrymaking at Home 3 class.
I was missing the festive screen. It cost 100 Leaf Tickets. I didn’t have enough, and did not want to use real-world money to buy more.
Merrymaking at Home 3 takes place in what looks like a fancy restaurant. Maybe it is a catered event that takes place in a mansion.
I finished the Merrymaking at Home 3 class!
Merrymaking at Home 3 class – success!
I put all the food related holiday items together and made a buffet for the animal friends that are at my campsite.
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp: Jingle’s Floral Festivities is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
December 26, 2020Animal Crossing Pocket CampThe Fishing Tourney (Do, Re, Me) started shortly after the Jingle’s Glowing Garden event ended. I enjoy fishing in video games because it is relaxing. The main prizes for this Fishing Tourney included solfège bells.
These screenshots were taken in December of 2020.
One way to start the Fishing Tourney is by talking to C.J.
C.J.: What up, fishionista! Did you hear? The Fishing Tourney (Do, Re, Me) is full speed ahead!
C.J.: I’m C.J.! I’ll be your judge and emsea for this fishing tourney. Anywave, enough about me.
C.J.: You wanna hear the rules, or do ya feel like you’re ready to heave off and get your feet wet?
C.J.: Here are the total-size rewards you can reel in.
These are just a few of the rewards that players can earn during this fishing tourney. The main focus is on the solfège bells. The potions are essences that the player must use to craft certain items. I’ve no idea why a white faux-fur rug is part of the rewards.
These are a few of the Challenges. Each one can be completed when the player catches a certain amount of Fishing Tourney fish.
C.J.: If ya really wanna hit the fishing rudderlode, you oughta try using a tourney throw net!
The tourney throw net has a one-time use. It will only pick up fish that are part of a fishing tourney. Players can purchase more tourney throw nets if they want to.
I caught two green lumpfish on my first try. The game directs the player to show those fish to C.J.
C.J.: You caught that tourney fish in, like, NO TIME! Fintastic! Here hit me with ’em.
You’ve earned a trophy! Collect it from your mailbox after the tourney.
do-note solfège bell.
red lumpfish
white lumpfish
green lumpfish
C.J. : Clutch casting, fishionista! I’ll, um, get to measurin’
There is a limit to the amount of Tourney fish that a player can catch. Eventually, the Tourney fish run out. The player character suddenly realizes that they have caught all the Tourney fish and should bring what they caught to C.J.
C.J. will measure all the Tourney fish the player brings him. If the player reaches a size goal, they get a prize. This entire process repeats, over and over, until a Fishing Tourney ends.
white faux-fur rug
I’m not really sure why this item was included as a prize in the Fishing Tourney (Do, Re, Mi). It certainly isn’t a solfège bell, and the rug is too small to fit the completed collection of bells on it.
I hit Level 68 in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp.
two green lumpfish
The reward for catching 5 green lumpfish is sparkle stones.
I bought an Eric’s workshop cookie with Leaf Tickets.
snowy glass partition
re-note solfège bell
mi-note solfège bell
The reward for collecting 15 red lumpfish is sparkle stones.
The reward for collecting 15 green lumpfish is three Leaf Tickets.
The reward for collecting 10 white lumpfish is sparkle stones.
I earned the bronze fish trophy in the Fishing Tourney (Do, Re, Mi).
The Chorus of Bells class uses items players can obtain from the Fishing Tourney (Do, Re, Mi) event.
The recommended items include: do-note solfège bell, re-note solfège bell and the mi-note solfège bell.
The Chorus of Bells class looks like it takes place in a church.
The recommended solfège bells make it look like a concert is about to start.
I successfully completed the Chorus of Bells class.
fa-note solfège bell
This Fortune Cookie is called Carrie’s Apple Cookie.
pie-cooling window
The reward for catching 10 green lumpfish is a sparkle stone.
The reward for catching 20 white lumpfish is three Leaf Tickets.
The reward for catching 10 white lumpfish of at least 8.0 cm is a sparkle stone.
I used the Tourney Throw net and got ten green lumpfish, eight red lumpfish and eight white lumpfish.
I earned the silver fish trophy in the Fishing Tourney (Do, Re, Mi).
la-note solfège bell
The reward for catching 35 red lumpfish is three Leaf Tickets.
The reward for catching 20 red lumpfish of at least 5.0 cm. is a sparkle stone.
so-note solfège bell.
I was now ready to try the Chorus of Bells 2 class.
The recommended items include: mi-note solfège bell, la-note solfège bell, so-note solfège bell and fa-note solfège bell.
The Chorus of Bells 2 class looks like it is happening in an outside chapel.
The Chorus of Bells 2 class started off with two bells already placed. It is really easy to put the rest of them into their spaces.
I successfully completed the Chorus of Bells 2 class.
The animal friends at my campsite seem to like the solfège bells!
I was not able to collect all of the sofège bells yet, but that didn’t seem to matter to the animal friends at my campsite.
I hit Level 69 in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp.
ti-note solfège bell
I earned a gold fish trophy in the Fishing Tourney (Do, Re, Mi).
The Chorus of Bells 3 class is the last one in the series. I decided to wait to give it a try until after I obtained the last of the solfège bells. Unfortunately, the event ended before I was able to get it.
I caught a total of 1,023.2 cm of Fishing Tourney (Do, Re, Me) fish. I earned the gold fish trophy. The game automatically takes away whatever amount of Tourney fish that the player still has when the event ends.
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp: Fishing Tourney (Do, Re, Me) is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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December 25, 2020Animal Crossing Pocket CampThe first “Toy Day” event in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp was called Jingle’s Glowing Garden. It required players to grow Christmas trees and catch bugs that looked like wrapped presents.
The screenshots in this blog post were taken in December 2020.
I’m not usually a fan of the Christmas related stuff in video games. This year, for reasons I do not understand, I decided to try them anyway. Blame it on the pandemic.
Jingle: Ho ho hello! Happy holidays, kid! I’m Jingle, the black-nosed reindeer and I come bearing great news…
Jingle: The best day of the year is almost nearly here! Ready your joy, and ready your cheer… for…
Jingle: TOY DAY!
Jingle: Nothing gives me the holiday spirit like seeing festive lights twinkling in wreaths and tree branches.
It appears that Nintendo was very careful about the wording in this year’s holiday events. It is called Toy Day – not Christmas. I think this was a smart choice because it is my understanding that people in Japan celebrate Christmas differently than do people in countries where there are a lot of Christians.
The decision to call the holiday Toy Day amuses me. In a way, it sounds like how children see Christmas (as the day they hope to get new toys). It also makes me think of the capitalism that Christmas is wrapped in.
Nintendo also made it clear that Jingle is a “black-nosed reindeer”. That’s a good way to avoid any copyright issues that might have come if Jingle had red nose (like Rudolph).
Jingle: Ho HO! I just had a thought… This campsite would rival the north pole if we decked it out with lights.
Jingle: The greatest give we can give folks here is enhancing the extra-magical mood of Toy Day, right?
Jingle: That and picking out our gifts with thought and care.
Jingle: Speaking of gifts… this little hoofed helper is gonna share some holiday know-how: lights attract presents!
Jingle: That is, there are little elf-like critters known as peppy presents that flock to holiday displays.
Jingle: So, what do you say, kid? Toy Day needs you! I need you! You’ll help out, right?
Jingle: Ho ho hurray! That news is caroling to my ears. Now, here are the rules of the reindeer. Ahem.
Jingle: First, plant these decked-out trees in your garden – the more, the merrier, we in the cheer business like to say.
The process Jingle is describing is the exactly the same as all of the Animal Crossing Pocket Camp events that involve planting specific plants in the player’s garden. Each one has its own, unique, critters to catch. No matter what those critters are – the way to catch them is always the same.
Jingle: Thing is, peppy presents loooove ornament trees. You plant those and they’ll be sure to gather!
Jingle: Second – and this is the important part – fire up your sleigh and catch them. It’s that easy!
Jingle: Lastly, the rules of the reindeer also state that you need to know HOW to catch peppy presents. Do you?
Jingle: That’s the spirit! I know you could tell your candy canes from your gingerbreads. Let’s get to planting!
Jingle gives the player some green decked-out tree seeds+, and some green decked-out tree seeds.
The red peppy presents and the green peppy presents are attracted to green ornament trees. These four trees grew faster than the rest of them.
Jingle’s Glowing Garden event included prizes for completing tasks and for finishing parts of the holiday quests.
merry glowing gifts
poinsettia ornament
Players must collect poinsettia ornaments in order to make progress in some of the quests.
Jingle: Ho ho hooray! You already finished your first task! Joy is filling the air – this is wonderful!
I ordered a waffle shirt from Mabel of Able Sisters.
I paired the waffle shirt with some green pants.
Task complete!
Jingle: That task was about as big as the pile of presents in Santa’s sleigh on Toy Day! Take this as my thanks.
glowing Toy Day hedge
I ended up with more than one of the glowing Toy Day hedges.
I hit level 65 in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp.
This fortune cookie is called Erik’s workshop cookie.
The fortune cookie gave me handheld gift boxes.
bright glowing gifts
poinsettia planter
I ended up with more than one of these.
The Night Full of Lights class is one that features Jingle and some Toy Day related items.
The merry glowing gifts were a reward from Jingle for completing a garden task. I got the waffle shirt from Mabel from Able sisters. The green decked-out tree is a very small plant that players can get by trading some of the regular-sized green decked-out trees.
This is what the Night Full of Lights room looked like after I added the necessary items to it.
Here is another view of the Night Full of Lights room after I completed it.
I got holly from Cyrus.
The more green peppy presents and red peppy presents you capture, the closer you get to completing the Jingle’s Glowing Garden quests.
I hit level 66 in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp.
glowing Toy Day arch
This is my favorite of all the prizes in the Jingle’s Glowing Garden event.
This is what the golden peppy presents, and the silver peppy presents look like. They are attracted to the white ornament trees.
Task complete!
Toy Day path corner
Toy Day path
glowing snow friend
Night Full of Lights 2 is another limited-time Happy Homeroom class.
I collected all of the required items for the Night Full of Lights 2 class.
My Pocket Camp character is ready for this class to start!
This is where each of the required objects goes.
Night of Lights 2 – Success!
golden Toy Day gazebo
poinsettia hairpin
I decided to place some of the holiday items in my campsite.
There is a swing inside golden Toy Day gazebo.
I hit Level 67 in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp!
glowing Toy Day tree
Jingle: Ho ho hold up! I should contact the workshop and get our festive committee to come check this out.
Jingle: It’s… wonderful! The lights! The joy! Are my eyes extra twinkly? I bet they are! Fantastic work, kid!
Jingle: Did you have fun this year? The lights sure made the mood merry and bright, didn’t they? Ho ho ho!
Jingle: Thanks to you and your generosity, all of your friends now get to feel the full enjoyment of Toy Day.
I completed all the tasks in the Jingle’s Glowing Garden event.
Jingle: And since it’s the season of giving… I have a few extra tasks I’d be happy to give you!
I gave the Hard Tasks a try, but was unable to complete all them before the event ended.
Night Full of Lights 3 is the last class that goes along with the Jingle’s Glowing Garden event.
Most of the furniture that is recommended for the Night Full of Lights 3 class come from the Jingle’s Glowing Garden event. The folk shirt comes from Flurry (and possibly other Animal Crossing Pocket Camp friends).
I was all ready to start the third, and final, class that was part of the Jingle’s Glowing Garden event.
This is where the recommended items go in the Night Full of Lights 3 class.
I successfully completed the Night of Lights 3 class.
Some of the Animal friends at my campsite used the holiday items I added.
Bud has a unique perspective about Santa and his reindeer:
Bud: The way I see it, the reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh have to be totally RIPPED.
Bud: I mean, they’re hauling that sleigh through the freezing cold all over the world, right? Gotta be tough.
Bud: What a way to show off your max strength! I gotta find a way to flex my muscles for the holidays, too!
Jingle: Hey kid! With Toy Day just around the corner, I have to report back to the big man in red and lend a hoof.
Jingle: Hold the sleigh! There’s no use holding onto peppy presents and trees. I’ll just take those.
Jingle: Once I leave, the magic leaves too. Sad, I know, but I’ll send you a gift in the mail to make up for it.
Jingle: Well, it’s time for this reindeer to hoof it. Have an excellent Toy Day, kid!
Jingle’s Glowing Garden event ended before I could complete some of the hard quests. I’m happy with the items that I got from this event. Christmas is not usually my thing, but some of the Animal Crossing Pocket Camp holiday stuff was really nice.
There was still time to strike a pose in front of the glowing Toy Day tree.
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp: Jingle’s Glowing Garden is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
December 6, 2020Animal Crossing Pocket CampLottie’s Wedding Expo started around the end of May of 2020. I’m fairly certain that there was a similar event happening in Animal Crossing New Horizons because a few of my friends who were playing that game decided to “nope” out of this event.
Lottie is the character in charge of the Happy Homeroom classes.
To be honest, I almost decided not to give this event a try. Wedding stuff just isn’t my thing. Then I learned that the tables (and other items) players can earn in this event were light green. They might make good St. Patrick’s Day decorations!
Lottie: Oh, look! You’re just in time!
Lottie: The real-estate business has been slow lately, so I’ve taken on a side job as a wedding planner.
Lottie: I want to host a wedding expo, but I was having trouble finding a suitable venue…
Lottie: That is, until I arrived at this campsite… I think this would be the perfect location!
Lottie: Now, I’m sure you know this campsite better than anyone else…
Lottie: So, if you’re open to it, I’d like to offer you an assistant-planner position.
Lottie: How does that sound? Would you mind helping me out?
Lottie: Fantastic! I’m so glad to hear it!
Lottie: Now, we obviously need a theme for the decorations. I’m thinking garden gala is the way to go!
Lottie: I want to go all out with this decor. We’ll spare no expense!
Lottie: I’m envisioning some gorgeous green-and-white table settings to showcase delectable desserts.
Lottie: And wouldn’t some lovely ringwings top things off nicely? You know, living decor!
Every event in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp starts by having the player plant special kinds of seeds in their garden. The plants that grow from the seeds attract rare creatures that are specific to the event.
Lottie: I’ve got some seeds here that might help us catch more than a few of these creatures.
Lottie: If you plant these in your garden, ringwings will gather around them like they’re cake at a reception!
Lottie: Speaking of which, do you know how to catch ringwings?
Lottie: Of course you already know how! Okay, try planting some seeds in the garden!
Lottie: All right, I think it’s time to get out there and start catching ringwings!
This is what a green ringwing looks like.
This is what a pink ringwing looks like.
Collect enough ringwings – and you get a prize.
Prizes for collecting pink and green ringwings included:
fruity wedding slushies
fruity dessert plate
sweet dessert plate
savory dessert plate
Other prizes came from completing event quests:
The wedding bell ornament was something players needed in order to complete some event quests. It was not an item players could put in their campsites or wear.
tiny white top hat
lovely wedding balloon
The first part of the event required players to plant pale bloomtonnieres and yellow bloomtonnieres and collect ringwing creatures off of them.
ivy wedding table
The ivy wedding table and some of the wedding food were required parts of a Happy Homeroom event class.
silver-tray buffet table
pink-lemonade table
chapel choir stage
The chapel choir stage came from a fortune cookie. I think this item came from a Celia’s Chapel Cookie. To me, it looked like it belonged with the wedding expo items.
fresh-fruit wedding cake
ivy sweetheart table
All tasks complete! The screenshot above is from the little scene that players get to watch after completing all the tasks in the wedding expo event.
The game creates its own scene, and populates it with characters that may or may not actually be invited to your campsite. Players don’t have to place the wedding expo items into their campsite in order to unlock this scene.
I had Mabel from Able Sisters craft the wedding-party dress. It’s cute!
My character is wearing the wedding-party dress and the tiny white top hat.
Another task complete!
Lottie: The wedding expo went off without a hitch! Or should I say… went off WITH a hitch!
Lottie: Hah, pardon me. Just some wedding humor I’ve picked up from working this side job.
Lottie: Speaking of which, you’re a pretty great assistant planner! If you’re up for it, I have another checklist.
Lottie: The extra tasks are completely optional, but I promise there are more rewards for clearing them!
The hard tasks function the same way that the previous tasks did. The player must continue to capture pink ringwings and green ringwings in order to receive event-related prizes.
I had enough items to complete another Happy Homeroom Wedding Expo class. As always with these classes, some of the items are already in place, and the rest the player must fill in with specific items they have collected.
This is the face my character makes after successfully completing a Happy Homeroom class. I’ve no idea what that expression is supposed to mean.
Lottie: Fantastic work with everything! I’d love to stick around, but duty calls! Real estate won’t sell itself.
Lottie: Hey, wait a second… You still have some bloomtonnieres and ringwings on you.
Lottie: I’ll take them off your hands. Expect a reward to arrive in your mailbox soon!
Lottie: Well, it’s time to take my leave. Thanks again for all your help. Hope to see you soon!
That conversation signaled the end of Lottie’s Wedding Expo. There was another related event that involved picking up grand oysters.
Yay! I got a grand oyster!
Players who picked up the required amount of grand oysters, along with a certain amount of other seashells, got a Celia’s chapel cookie as a prize.
It is always a good sign when your character sings before eating a cookie.
lantern-lined aisle
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp: Lottie’s Wedding Expo is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
September 14, 2020Animal Crossing Pocket CampMitzi’s Mystery Friend is an event that can be unlocked when a player obtains a specific items from Mitzy’s Aviary Cookie. This type of Fortune Cookie was available in May 2020.
This was the first time I found myself interested in spending Leaf Tickets to buy Fortune Cookies – Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp’s version of “loot boxes”. Unlike in other games, the only advantage of Fortune Cookies is that the player gets some interesting stuff to put in their campsite or cabin.
I kept finding players who were wearing cockatiels on their heads. The bird looked just like one of my cockatiels, and I really wanted one. But, it took me a while before I learned that I had a chance to get the item from the Mitzi’s Aviary Cookies.
Every time I gathered 50 Leaf Tickets, I spent them on a Mitzi’s Aviary Cookie. My hope was the one of them would give me the cockatiel that sits on your head as if it were a hat.
little birds’ sofa
The best thing about this item is that it has not one, but two, parakeets sitting on it! There was a time why my husband and I had three parakeets. Two of them look just like the parakeets on this item.
birdcage hanging chair
There aren’t any birds sitting on the birdcage hanging chair. It is large enough for my Pocket Camp character to sit in it. Players can end up getting an item more than once from a cookie. I ended up with two of them.
I put them both in my cabin, along with the little birds’ sofa. The birdcage hanging chairs are big, but the lily valley terrarium, from the Terrarium Fishing Tourney, is much larger.
Here is my Pocket Camp character, sitting on the couch, waiting for the parakeets to toddle over and sit on her. These birds do not move from where they are sitting, but move their heads once in a while.
little birds’ square rug
My Pocket Camp character is looking at a small, red, birdcage. Inside is a red and green parrot. The item didn’t come from a Mitzy’s Aviary Cookie, but I added it to my cabin anyway because it fit the theme.
little birds’ stylish dress
The little birds’ stylish dress includes a necklace and a sweater. My character is wearing a sakura hairpin from the Sakura Festival. The shoes were a reissued item that I bought with Leaf Tickets.
I decided to save this outfit.
birdcage tree stand
One of those cages has a green and yellow parakeet inside it. To me, it looks like the cage has an opening that is large enough for the parakeet to escape if it wanted to. The other cage has some multicolored candles in it.
If your Pocket Camp character gets super happy before eating a Fortune Cookie it means there is something special inside it.
little birds’ playground
If you look closely, you will see a yellow and green parakeet sitting on the highest perch that this item offers. A bit lower, there is a yellow cockatiel, with orange cheek spots, sitting on a swing.
Another yellow and green parakeet is sitting on a hanging water dish. It either wants to take a drink, or a bath, or maybe both.
You got new furniture that unlocks a new memory!
How does a player unlock a memory? I couldn’t figure it out. All of my little birds’ collection was inside my cabin. To me, it looked like the memory needs to happen at my campsite.
There didn’t seem to be anything on the little birds’ playground item that would start the memory.
Maybe I could find more detailed information within the game? Eventually, I found the screenshot you see above. There is some information there, but not what I needed.
Carmen and Opal heard a rumor that Mitzi has a friend staying over. The investigation begins! To view this Scrapbook memory, get the little bird’s playground!
Maybe the little birds’ playground needed to be in my campsite, instead of in my cabin? I moved some of the stuff that came from Mitzi’s Aviary Cookie to my campsite.
Rosie and Muffy decided to use it. This was a good sign! It indicated that the animal people in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp could interact with this item.
Ava and Goldie also used the little birds’ playground.
Eugene is on the swing. Muffy has fallen asleep on the platform.
It didn’t take long for the animal people at my campsite to flock to the little birds’ items. Eugene is still on the swing. Muffy, now awake, is on the platform. Rosie is on the little birds’ sofa. Egbert is on the birdcage hanging chair.
Ava is now sitting on the platform, looking very pleased. Muffy has moved to the swing and decided to take another nap.
At first, I thought that the way to unlock the memory was to craft all the things that the three animal people who are participating in it want. In other words, I’d need to do that so I could invite all three of them to my campsite. This would mean kicking out the current guests, at least temporarily.
I started working on this, but quickly realized that it was too much effort. Back to poking around on the app in the hopes of stumbling upon something useful. Eventually, I found out how to unlock this memory.
Carmen and Opal heard a rumor that Mitzi has a friend staying over. The investigation begins!
At the bottom of the screen, there was a button called “Watch Memory”. All I had to do was click it to get this memory started. At the time I am writing this blog post, I have forgotten how I found this.
Carmen: Ohmigosh! Did you hear Mitzi has a new friend staying over? I wonder who it could be, nougat!
Carmen: I didn’t want to be super obvi, so I tried to listen in from a ways away. But I could only hear Mitzi chatting.
Opal: Snoot! Gossip! I have been preparing for this moment all my life! Let’s procure a sneak peek!
Carmen: Hi, Mitzi! We, like, came to see your um… books. Yeah, your books! To, like…borrow? And nothing else?
Mitzi: Hi Opal! Of course, Carmen, if books are really what you’re after… feel free to browse.
Mitzi: I’ll make some tea. In the meantime, you, um…decide if there was something else you wanted.
Carmen: Phew! That went over amazingly. And you said I should take “acting lessons,” nougat.
Opal: Yes, it certainly was an… inspired performance. Now, to begin our investigation, snoot!
Opal: Observe, for instance, this sofa. Clearly designed to seat two. Why, just look how cozy these birds are!
Carmen: Look at this! Did she have this cute seat before? Maybe her new friend brought it along…
Opal: How intriguing! This would make a prime spot for some… CUDDLING, wouldn’t you say? Snoot!
Carmen: Oh. My. Gosh. What is THIS thing? It’s like a trapeze!
Opal: Some sort of… exercise device, it seems? Perhaps our mystery guest is a fitness enthusiast.
Carmen: This is so cool! I have no idea what is going on, but I totes feel like a secret agent or something!
Mitzi: Sorry for the wait! I hope the tea is to your liking.
Carmen: Mitzi, the suspense is, like, super intense. I can’t take it! I must know! Who’s your new friend?
Mitzi: New…friend? Oh, you mean THEM! Hahahah! Why, they’re right over there. Haven’t you seen them?
Carmen: What?! I don’t get it! Are they invisible?! Are they a ghost?! Are they… ooh… You mean…
Mitzi: Yep! I took in a couple of birds. They seem to be enjoying their new home so far!
Opal: So it was these little ones all along? We were sure you were conversing with someone earlier!
Mitzi: I was talking to them! They’re quite smart, you know. We’re getting to be great friends!
Carmen: Hahaha! Mystery solved, I guess.
Mitzi: Shall I make introductions? I’m sure they’d love to get to know you!
Mitzi: Settle in! Stay awhile! I’ll show you some of the tricks I’ve been teaching them…
So, Mitzi does have new friends staying over. They’re just a little smaller than expected!
This was the first memory I was able to unlock in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp. I have mixed feelings about the story it told. Mitzi, who seems to like birds as much as I do, seems like a character I might want to invite to my campsite.
As for Carmen and Opal, the remind me of the worst gossipy teenagers that I went to high school with. I won’t be inviting either of them to my campsite.
little birds’ coffee table
It is a very cute coffee table, and went very well with the rest of the items that came from Mitzi’s Aviary Cookies. My hope was that, eventually, I would get the cockatiel that sits on the player’s head, but that did not happen.
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp reissues older item sets from time to time. Maybe someday I’ll get another opportunity to get it.
Update! Animal Crossing Pocket Camp reissued the Mitzy’s Aviary Cookies. This gave me the opportunity to try and get the cockatiel “hat”.
It’s always a good sign when your character starts singing before eating a Fortune Cookie!
I finally got the cockatiel that sits on the players head! It looks exactly like Max, my very first cockatiel, who passed away years ago. My Animal Crossing Pocket Camp character will be running around with Max forever.
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp: Mitzi’s Mystery Friend is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
September 11, 2020Animal Crossing Pocket CampThe Rainy Sky event in Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp took place in May of 2020. It appeared to be connected to the Daisy Mae’s Pickin’ Patch event. Both rewarded players with a dewdrop leaf after they completed certain tasks.
At the time this event was live, it seemed to me that the majority of it required Leaf Tickets. There were plenty of items connected to this event that were out of my price range.
Instead, I focused on crafting the items that were affordable.
rain-dew shrub
small rain puddle
slippery-stones floor
I put the slippery-stones floor in my cabin. It made a nice decorative floor for the bathroom area.
misty wall
misty garden buckets
Isabelle: You’ve done such a wonderful job gathering those dewdrop leaves, Jen! Thank you!
Isabelle: Let’s get everyone together so they can enjoy the greenery, shall we?
Goal complete!
Isabelle: The glistening dew really brings out the natural color of the leaves, doesn’t it? And that fresh smell…
Isabelle: Ah, there I go, geeking out again. Sorry, I can’t help it. Spring is just such an exciting time!
Isabelle: Thank you again for the help. I appreciate it, Jen!
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp: Rainy Sky is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
July 20, 2020Animal Crossing Pocket CampThe Fishing Tourney Terrarium Decor event started on May 13, 2020, and ended on May 20, 2020. I happen to enjoy fishing in Pocket Camp, and I liked the look of the rewards.
We all could use something relaxing to do while coping with the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtual fishing in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp works for me.
This Fishing Tourney was run by an animal person named Chip. The player fishes for special kinds of fish that are only around while the tournament lasts. Give the fish to Chip to receive rewards.
Chip: I’m Chip, and I’ll be your host and your number-one fish fan. Nyuk, nyuk!
Chip: Now hold the reel just a second there. Is this your first Fishing Tourney? Need a few tips?
It was not my first Fishing Tourney. The game lets players choose if they want to have Chip explain how to play to them, or to skip that if they already know what to do.
Chip: So, for this Fishing Tourney, I’ll be givin’ out rewards for the total size of all the fish you catch.
Chip: And if you wanna take on some of my Chip Challenges, here’s what I’ve got for ya!
It took me a little while before I put it together. Players gather fish. Players give the fish to Chip. Fish and Chips.
Chip: If you really wanna go for it in this tourney, you might try out one of these tourney throw nets.
I used the Tourney throw net and caught four crystal red shrimp, four gourami and four beta fish.
Fishing Tourneys involve catching a lot of special, limited-time only, fish. These fish appear for a certain amount of time. Players will eventually catch all of the ones in that batch. Then, players have to wait around for about an hour for the special fish to reappear.
I enjoy fishing in Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. It is relaxing.
I caught one crystal red shrimp.
I caught two crystal red shrimp at the same time.
I caught a betta.
I caught a gourami.
I caught two gourami at the same time.
Chip: Whoa, you got a bunch of fish in there, didn’t you? Well, let’s measure ’em up!
Chip will measure all the fish you caught and determine if you have reached a size goal. If so, he will give you a prize. The prizes I liked the best were the ones that looked like terrariums.
blue glass marbles
orange glass marbles
When I got the marbles, I assumed they would be a very small decorative item. Instead, they were much bigger than I expected! In the screenshot above, you can see how much space the orange glass marbles took up.
mossy stone terrarium
I put the mossy stone terrarium inside my camper. The green and black colors of the stones inside it matched the my color scheme.
short terrarium stand
crystal-red-shrimp tank
long terrarium stand
fresh flower terrarium
betta tank
gourami tank
lily valley terrarium
The lily valley terrarium is huge! I tried to fit it into my campsite, but it took up way too much space. There was room for it in my cabin. Compare the size of this terrarium with the couch that is sitting next to it.
Here is another look at the lily valley terrarium. I rearranged the furniture a little bit in order to try and make it all fit better.
Players can earn fishing trophies during a Fishing Tourney. After the Tourney ends, the player will find the highest trophy their earned in their mailbox. The rest of the trophies disappear.
wood fish trophy
bronze fish trophy
silver fish trophy
gold fish trophy
Trophy rank up! Collect this trophy from your mailbox after the tourney.
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Terrarium Fishing Tourney is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
June 12, 2020Animal Crossing Pocket CampThe Daisy Mae’s Pickin’ Patch started on April 30, 2020. Either way, the purpose of this event is to grow vegetables and earn garden-related prizes for doing so.
The event ended on May 11, 2020. In this blog post, I have a collection of the best screenshots I took of this event.
Daisy Mae: “Why hullo there! I’m Daisy Mae!”
My first reaction upon meeting Daisy Mae was, “Oh no!” I could not help but notice the turnips that she was carrying on her head. Some of my friends are playing Animal Crossing New Horizons, and I’d seen them discuss, and lament, the turnip situation over there.
I was not interested in participating in what I think of as “the Turnip Stock Market.”
Fortunately, all Daisy Mae wanted was for me to start growing vegetables in my garden. That didn’t sound bad at all! No turnips were involved in this event.
Daisy Mae: Can’t forget that vegetables soakin’ up all that sunshine taste absolutely delightful too!
Daisy Mae: I’ve got a craving for ’em and came here to let y’all know just how tasty these greens are!
Daisy Mae: Turnin’ this campsite into a veggie patch, chowin’ down, surrounded by all these colorful veggies…
Daisy Mae: Just thinkin’ about it makes me all warm inside! Anywho, would you be willin’ to help me out?
Players don’t really get much of a choice about whether or not they are willing to help out Daisy Mae. I suppose if a player really didn’t want to participate, all they would have to do is avoid the garden until the event was over.
That said, players are kind of stuck listening to Daisy Mae until she is done trying to convince you to plant vegetables in your garden.
Daisy Mae: A-heeheehee… Sure am glad to hear it!
Daisy Mae: Oh, and I heard this rumor…
Daisy Mae: Certain critters known as seedwings have the power to make veggies taste oh-so-yummy!
Daisy Mae: Your garden really is somethin’, I’ll say. If you plant some veggies, I bet those seedwings would fly on over.
Daisy Mae: I think everybody at this campsite deserves to try something crisp and delicious!
Daisy Mae: So go ahead and catch tons of those seedwings!
Daisy Mae: Oh! By the way, do you know how to catch seedwings?
Daisy Mae: Looks like Lloid in the garden can help ya out. Let’s head on over!
This completes the “tutorial” by Daisy Mae. She hands the player off to Lloyd, who is always in the player’s garden.
Lloid: All right. Bear with me for just a moment – this requires all of my focus!
If I remember correctly, Lloyd focuses on catching the seedwings that are flitting around some vegetable plants that are in the player’s garden. He does this for free during the tutorial. I think it costs some kind of in-game currency to have him do this again.
Daisy Mae: Delightful job catchin’ them. Now this is all yours!
Just like that, the player has completed an event task. The task requires the player to catch one Lilac seedwing. Having Lloid “help” (by catching it for you) is fine!
The reward is a package of farmer’s eggplant seeds. There are five seeds in the package.
The player is then asked to share one or more seedlings with another player. I’m assuming that players who have friends that also play Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp would share with them.
Or, if you’re like me and have no friends connected to this game, then you can share with whatever random player has visited your garden.
Daisy Mae: Great job sharin’! I’m sure your friends are gonna be super happy.
Daisy Mae: Seedwings don’t have to stay on veggies, so feel free to share away.The screenshot above shows what the eggplants and peppers look like when they are fully grown. Two of the ones in the front row have Lilac seedwings fluttering around them.
One of the cool things about Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp is that players receive rewards for sharing event-related creatures with other players.
This time, I got a package of farmer’s pepper seeds. There are five seeds in the package.
It’s time to get serious about gardening!
The reward for completing Task 1-1: Catch 1 Lilac seedwing is a veggie-patch apron. As you can see in the screenshot above, the apron comes with a long-sleeved white shirt. Together, they look like a dress.
This dress has pockets!
I caught an Orange seedwing!
I decided to pair the veggie-patch apron with the alpinist hat (that I crafted previous to when this event started).
I caught a Lilac seedwing
It is possible to complete more than one task at a time. The player can catch a mixture of Lilac and Orange seedwings. The garden-related goals have tasks where the player has to catch a certain number of each – and then do it again (but with the target number increased).
These rewards are for completing two different tasks.
Task 1-2: Catch 3 Lilac seedwings
Task 2-1: Catch 1 Orange seedwings
Some of the rewards players can earn for completing tasks are different kinds of essences. They look like little potions. I didn’t take screenshots of those because they aren’t very interesting to look at.
Other rewards I collected during this event include:
garden carrot patch
garden cabbage patch
Quests that went along with the Daisy Mae’s Pickin’ Patch event required players to collect an item called a dewdrop leaf. Some could be obtained by completing event tasks.
Players who collect four dewdrop leaves earn an olive-wreath crown.
The olive-wreath crown matched nicely with the veggie-patch apron.
The tasks were broken up based on what type of seedling the player needed to collect: Lilac seedwing, Orange seedwing, Silver seedwing, Gold seedwing.
The Silver and Gold seedwings preferred the farmer’s tomato plants.
I caught a Silver seedwing.
I caught a Gold seedwing.
garden log bench
garden cucumber plants
garden-patch scarecrow
garden-patch canal
beige harvest crate
tiled-garden-patch rug
Daisy Mae: Whoa! You did it all! I can barely believe my eyes!
Daisy Mae: Thanks to you, everyone got to eat yummy veggies together! Food tastes so much better with friends!
Daisy Mae: Alrighty, Jen! Let’s grab some grub!
All tasks complete!
Daisy Mae: Everybody at the campsite seems to be enjoyin’ the food. Oh, that just warms my li’l heart!
Daisy Mae: Oh yeah! You’re so good at catchin’ seedwings, I’ve got more stuff for you to do.
Players who complete the first set of tasks are given the opportunity to work on Hard Tasks. These tasks involve catching more seedwings.
pot of minestrone soup
The pot of minestrone soup is huge!
giant garden turnip
The giant garden turnip is also huge!
In the screenshot above, Eugene is trying to pull the giant turnip.
brown harvest crate
I put many of the event items into my campsite. They are part of the garden event – but it is not actually possible to place them into the garden itself.
The Happy Homeroom had three classes that featured items from the Farm-Fresh Veggie Patch category. Everything players needed for the classes could be earned through the Daisy Mae’s Pickin’ Patch event.
I completed the Crisp Veggie Patch 1 Happy Homeroom class.
I earned three medals on the Crisp Veggie Patch 1 Happy Homeroom class.
HH Rank Up!
I now have HH Star rank.
I earned a studious HHA jacket.
I completed the Crisp Veggie Patch 2 Happy Homeroom 2 Class.
HH Rank Up!
I am now Amateur Rank 2.
I can now craft a golden closet.
I can now craft a golden table.
I can now craft a golden chair.
Daisy Mae: Well, Jen. Looks like it’s about time for me to head back home to gram-gram.
I was unable to complete everything in this event, but it was fun anyway.
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp: Daisy Mae’s Pickin’ Patch is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
May 1, 2020Animal Crossing Pocket CampKatie’s Sakura Festival was the first event that I participated in since I started playing Animal Crossing Pocket Camp.
I’m not sure what made me decide to give it a try. The event involved a whole lot of flowers, and happened during a really rough pollen season (in the real world).
Katie’s Sakura Festival started when Katie showed up in my campground, right next to the garden. She talked about planting seasonal flowers, and catching the rare creatures that are attracted to them.
Katie: So, Jen! wanna start catching bees?
In real life, I avoid encountering flowers and bees. So, the Sakura event did not sound at all appealing. That said, I hadn’t really made use of my garden yet, so this seemed like a good time to learn how to plant things.
The Sakura event was the first one I was aware of in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp. There was a bit of a learning curve before I was able to figure out where to find the quests and how to complete them.
In the screenshot above, I completed my first quest from this event. If I remember correctly, it was for planting Sakura flowers in my garden.
The screenshot above shows some white sakura blossoms. To plant them, you need white sakura seeds, which were only around during the festival. White sakura blossoms attract White Blossom Bees, which are rare creatures.
This entire pattern holds for the pink sakura flowers and the yellow sakura flowers. Each attract bees that match the flowers.
The reward for catching some bees was a Katie mask.
This is a sakura cookie. Inside is a fortune, and a random item that relates to the sakura event.
Fortune: You will have an amazing dream but forget to write it down.
I got a sakura stone lantern.
By the time I got my second sakura cookie, I was starting to understand what I was doing and where to find some of the quests. In the screenshot above, my character is wearing a corded sakura hairpin.
Fortune: You will post a charming video that goes viral.
I got a sakura koto. The coolest thing about this item is that the animal people whom you have invited to your campground will come over and start playing the koto.
I put the sakura koto and the sakura stone lantern in my campground. At the time, I had no idea how much sakura stuff I would accumulate before the event ended.
I caught a silver blossom bee.
I caught a gold blossom bee.
In the game, these rare bees are almost cute. The have wings that seem too small lift them off the ground, and are shaped like fancy lightbulbs. In the real world, bees their size would be absolutely horrifying!
I got a sakura festival banner for completing a bee collection task.
I put this screenshot in here because it was so colorful. What task did I complete? I no longer remember.
What would this sakura cookie give me?
Fortune: You will fearlessly ride the world’s scariest roller coasters.
I got a sakura tunnel.
Completing another one of Katie’s quests resulted in a sakura paper lantern.
By this point, I had gathered up enough sakura items to put them in my campground. It seemed like the thing to do.
The tatami rug is not part of the sakaua festival. It is an item that player can have Cyrus craft for them. I picked this rug because I thought it would go well with all the sakura items I was collecting.
Here is a screenshot from my garden, filled with flowers and rare creature bees. The tasks at the bottom show my progress. They turned out to be repetitive. Catch a certain number of a certain type of bee – now do it again, only catch more this time.
Muffy is playing the sakura toto. The sakura items were starting to take over my camp. All of these pink, flowery, items are not my preferred aesthetic, as you can see by the skull shirt my character is wearing.
I decided to tolerate the sakura stuff for a while. Players can swap items in and out of their campsite at will.
It wasn’t until Katie’s sakura festival was coming to an end that I found the additional quests. All of them required the player to order items from Cyrus. Instead of the usual crafting materials, these items required a certain amount of gyroidites. Players had to gather up these little pink figures from various locations.
These foods were part of the event: peach manjuu, pastel traditional tea set, soup dumplings, and sesame manjuu.
The pastel traditional chair, and the pastel traditional table, were also part of the sakura quests. Crafting each of these items gave players a certain amount of sakura globes. I wanted to find out what would happen if I finished crafting them all before the sakura festival ended.
Here are all of sakura items together. I think it is really cool that you can put all four of the foods on the table at the same time.
The pastel traditional shelf required more pink gyroidites than any of the previous individual items did. It also took longer to craft, but I had enough time left in the sakura festival to finish this quest.
This is what the pastel traditional shelf looks like in my campsite.
The very last sakura quest I had to complete was one that required me to craft the traditional counter. By this point, I lacked the required amount of pink gyroidites it required.
My solution was to go around the map to areas that had gyroidites, pick them all up, and then return a little while later for more. This plan almost worked.
There were only a few hours left in Katie’s sakura festival when I finally collected up the right number of pink gyroidites. That is when I learned this item takes 13 hours – in real time – to craft.
I was unable to complete the last quest, but did end up with the item. Next sakura quest, I suppose I could put all of these things back into my campsite. I kind of want to see how the animal people interact with the traditional counter.
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp: Sakura Festival is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
April 28, 2020Animal Crossing Pocket CampOne of the clothing options in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp is a white doctor’s mask. I’ve been playing this game daily since the COVID-19 “stay at home” order in my state began. The mask seemed like an appropriate thing to wear in-game.
To my surprise, many other players started wearing masks as well.
The doctor’s mask is an item that players can craft. It comes from Labelle, who is one of the Able Sisters. I just happened to find it at the right time.
I started taking screenshots of my character, standing next to other players who were also wearing doctor’s masks. I don’t know who any of these players are, and only interacted with them to check their Market Boxes or to visit their Camp and give kudos.
Here are some of the other players I found who were also wearing masks:
There is no way to ask another player for permission to take a screenshot with them in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp. That said, I feel like the limited ability to design what your character looks like keeps things anonymous.
This player is wearing the same corded sakura hairpin as I am.
This player is wearing a very fancy dress that they paired with wings.
This player is wearing a dress from a collection that, at the time I am writing this blog post, will not be available for very much longer.
This player has decorated their camper with colorful paint splotches.
This player has is wearing a really cool looking knit hat.
This player is wearing an outfit that would probably be acceptable to wear in an office environment.
This player is wearing a halo.
This player is also wearing a halo.
This player is wearing a straw hat.
This player is wearing light pink clothing.
The one thing all of these players have in common with me is that we all chose to wear the doctor’s mask in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp. Perhaps this shouldn’t be surprising, considering that we are playing the game during the COVID-19 pandemic.
My perception of the sudden popularity of the doctor’s mask in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp is that it is a sign of solidarity. It is a way of letting people who are under “stay at home” orders, and/or who are required (or strongly suggested) to wear masks outside, know that they are not alone.
I think that is a very sweet message to send in a time of isolation.
#Blapril2020
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp: Masks is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
April 24, 2020Animal Crossing Pocket CampOne of the things I really enjoy doing in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp is fishing. I tend to play this game right before I go to sleep or shortly after waking up. Fishing for virtual fish is relaxing.
There are a wide variety of fish that a player can obtain in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp. In this blog, I will share a collection of the fish I’ve been able to catch (so far).
red snapper
football fish
sea butterfly
dace
tuna
barred knifejaw
black bass
carp
butterfly fish
squid
pale chub
sakura shrimp
mantis shrimp
loach
crawfish
#Blapril2020
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp: Fishing is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
April 19, 2020Animal Crossing Pocket CampBunny Day is an event in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp. I think it is somewhat different from the one in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The Pocket Camp version involves catching strange little egg fish for a “Fishing Tourney”.
Zipper the bunny makes me uncomfortable in so many ways!
Yes, my character is wearing a mask. It felt appropriate since I’ve been playing Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp a lot during the “stay at home” order that my state has been under (which has been extended through most of May).
Most of the dialogue from Zipper feels icky. It’s hard to explain. One example is in the above screenshot. Zipper is using “regular font” for most of what he says. But then, this tiny font reveals something darker.
After trying to hype Bunny Day, he tells the player “… you can clap now.” It reminds me of when Jeb Bush was running for president, and he pleaded to a silent audience “Please clap.”
Zipper talks in rhymes, and does little dances. He can be overly loud sometimes. Based on the font size of the words, he is screaming his name at the player.
The Fishing Tourney required players to fish for eggler fish. They come in three colors: aqua, pink, and yellow. Bring them to Zipper, and he will measure the total amount of eggler fish you caught.
I enjoy fishing in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp, so catching these strange looking eggler fish was fun. Sometimes, you can catch two of them at once. In the screenshot above, I caught two (very small) yellow eggler fish.
In the screenshot above, I caught two big pink eggler fish. If you get two at a time, they are always of the same color.
Zipper gives the player a Tourney Throw Net that can be used to catch many eggler fish at once.
It was fun to use, and increased my ability to earn rewards from the tournament.
Turning the eggler fish in to Zipper was kind of awful. Everything he says makes him seem like he is a human dressed up as a bunny. This is completely bizarre in Pocket Camp where there are tons of animal people all over the place. No one would have questioned him if he was able to just … avoid being creepy.
If the player tries to turn in eggler fish, and is behind Zipper, he yells at them. He yells that talking to his back is not polite, and insists there’s “nothing to see” there. But, it’s very clear that there is a huge zipper on the back of his bunny outfit.
The rest of his dialogue feels like he is trying to hard. Zipper feels like someone who hates their job as an entertainer of children. There’s some similarities here to Krusty the Clown that I was not expecting in a lighthearted Nintendo game.
One of the rewards I got from the Fishing Tourney was a Zipper Hat.
Here is my character wearing the Zipper Hat while enjoying smoked fish with Bam. I am amused by Bam, who calls me “Brosephine”.
It wasn’t until after I stopped playing and looked at this screenshot that I noticed Zipper in the background, waiting to be invited to eat smoked fish. While I realize that the reason Zipper is in the background was because of where Bam happened to be standing… it still feels creepy that Zipper behind us.
“Watching you catch so many fish makes me very HOPPY!”, Zipper says. Why is Zipper so fixated on watching me catch fish? Zipper clearly lacks some social skills.
Usually, I enjoy puns, but substituting “happy” for “HOPPY” just isn’t good enough. Zipper has this false cheerfulness that makes me wonder what is wrong with him. It wasn’t long before I stopped wearing the Zipper hat around Zipper.
I earned the wood fish trophy.
Later, I earned the bronze fish trophy.
The highest trophy I earned was the silver fish trophy. The game puts the highest one you earn into your mailbox when the Fishing Tourney is over. I found a place for it at my campsite.
I also received some Fishing Tourney/Bunny Day items that I probably will never use. Patches of egg-shaped flowers, and a Bunny Day Arch Egg feel too “Easter” for me.
Overall, I enjoyed the fishing part of Bunny Day, but Zipper creeps me out.
#Blapril2020
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp: Bunny Day is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
April 7, 2020Animal Crossing Pocket CampA quick glance at social media shows that there are a lot of people playing Animal Crossing New Horizons on Switch. I don’t have a Switch, so I’m playing Animal Crossing Pocket Camp instead. It works on my phone.
I find the game relaxing, and have started playing it before falling asleep.
Instead of doing a play-by-play of every things I’ve done in the game, I’m going to post screenshots of things that amused me.
I’ve started making an effort to actually use some of the old screenshots that I took and meant to put into blog posts. Here are some from August of 2018.
Goldie: If you have any extra shells, would it be too much if I asked to have just one of them?
Goldie: I’m just in the sort of mood where I feel like gazing at something beautiful, woof!
I don’t remember which kind of shell I gave Goldie. Whatever it was, Goldie was happy to have it.
Goldie: Thanks again. Suddenly I feel like anything is possible!
Goldie is one of my favorites (out of the animals I’ve met so far). She’s very sweet, and often seems hesitant to ask for something. She seems kind of shy, and careful about unintentionally hurting the player’s feelings.
Goldie’s personality contrasts strongly with Rosie, who often calls me “Silly.”
Gulliver: OH! Would you look at that! I made an unintentional rhyme. Ha! Don’t you love when that happens?
I haven’t quite figured out what I’m supposed to do with Gulliver. The best I can figure, he wants to send me to other islands, and requires trade goods. But, I don’t seem to have the trade goods he requires, and am unsure if visiting the islands costs some kind of currency.
That said, I find it amusing that this seagull is named “Gulliver”.
This is the only horned dynastid I’ve managed to catch (so far). They sit on the trunks of the palm trees, and aren’t easy to spot. They flit away before I can catch them.
Filbert: Hi Jen! It’s OK to eat a 3 o’clock snack even if it isn’t 3 o’clock… right?
Filbert really likes food. I think he is a squirrel, so I’m going to guess he has a high metabolism. I have yet to figure out how to get Filbert to visit my camp.
Filbert: You found what I wanted! Me? I’m so lazy. It never fails to amaze me when people actually do things.
FIlbert seems more open and honest about himself than some of the other animal characters are. Or, maybe he just doesn’t have a “filter”.
Freya: Aw, you’re the best. See you around! Uff da!
I have absolutely no idea what “Uff da!” means. Freya is a bit of a mystery. I’ve only run into her once. Since then, Rosie has been asking me to choose a gift that Freya would like. Freya’s response is kind of hit-or-miss.
I hit Level 3!
These screenshots were from when I was trying to learn how to play the game. Randomly running into animal friends was pretty easy to do. I learned that they ask for specific items that I can go get and bring back to them.
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp has a lot more to do than that, but I didn’t realize it at the time. I took a long break from the game, and mostly forgot about it for a while. When I returned, it seemed like a lot more had been added to Animal Crossing Pocket Camp.
#Blapril2020
Pocket Camp: Learning How to Play is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
August 5, 2018Animal Crossing Pocket CampAnimal Crossing Pocket Camp is an app that was designed to be a mini-version of the Animal Crossing game. Both are made by Nintendo. I started playing Animal Crossing Pocket camp after a friend told me about it.
I’ve never played any of the other Animal Crossing games because those require consoles that I do not have. Animal Crossing Pocket Camp is supports iOS (and Android). I started playing it on my iPad, but later decided to play it on my phone instead.
Overall, it is a very cute game. The sounds the animals make sort of annoys me, so I tend to play with the sound off. I discovered that when I downloaded the game on my iPhone, it made me start all over again. I think this happened because I didn’t link a Nintendo account.
In short, this game is all about decorating a campsite and encouraging other animal-people to come visit. There are quests to complete and different areas to explore. So far, the thing I enjoy doing the most is fishing.
Rather than do a play-by-play of what happens in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp, I’m going to fill this blog post will screenshots from the game that I found amusing and/or interesting.
K.K.: Well, I think you’re headed in the right direction. Enjoy the peace and quiet and go at your own pace.
This was exactly what I wanted to hear. I strongly prefer to take my time and go at my own pace when playing video games – rather than race through content. There are days when my chronic illnesses force me to take things slow. Looks like Animal Crossing Pocket Camp will be good on days when I am exhausted.
I’m enjoying fresh fruit with Goldie. This is the best!
The first piece of furniture I ordered was a Ranch Couch. If I remember correctly, players have to do this in order to complete a quest. After that, players can unlock other types and styles of furniture.
My first visitor is Goldie. She’s been hanging around my campsite ever since. It’s kind of nice to have animal visitors at my campsite. It makes it easier to find them, talk to them, get quests from them, and turn in those quests.
Filbert has decided to call me “Bucko.” This amuses me! There’s a joke there for people who love the Chicago Cubs and who listen to a certain announcer when the Cubs play the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Filbert: I’ve been lazing away around here for hours!
Barbecue time with Filbert! Everything is so good…Think I can get away with seconds?… or thirds?
Some quests involve catching bugs
Gulliver: Hello! My name is Gulliver. That sure did ruffle my feathers… Which is funny…’cause I’m a bird!
This is the Lovely Love Seat. Players need to have this one crafted for them so Rosie will come visit their campsite.
Now, I have both Rosie and Goldie visiting my campsite.
Rosie: I carry my pyrotechnic effects with me wherever I go.
Rosie might be a problem!
This is what my campsite looked like shortly after I got both Goldie and Rosie to visit.
#BlaugustReborn
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
Other Video Games
August 22, 2022Neko Atsume / Other Video GamesThis is Bob the Cat. It took me a long time before I found him in my home. He is standing on the highest part of the Cat Metropolis.
The Neko Atsume wiki says Bob the cat may be a reference to the bobcat, a member of the cat family which can be found between central Mexico and southern Canada. Its habitat is not limited to high altitudes, despite what Bob’s specialized Goody might suggest.
The name of this cat may be a reference to Bob the Jagex Cat from RuneScape.
Bob the Cat is on the highest perch of the Cat Metropolis. Sunny is looking out from the box underneath the platform that Bob the Cat stands on.
This is the Cat Metropolis. It is an extremely large cat tower with several places where cats can hide, sharpen their claws, or sit. They seem to like it!
The flavor text on the Cat Metropolis says: Cat tree? More like a cat city! Expect your house to become a cat capitol!
Willow
Snowball and Willow
Sunny and Socks
Pickles and Patches
Fred, Sunny and Socks
Melange, Ganache, Socks
Spooky, Caramel, and Willow
Smokey, Sunny, Spooky, Sooty
Sunny, Socks, Breezy, Patches
Mack, Fred, Pickles, Sunny
Caramel, Gabriel, Ginger, Socks
Here is what happens if you feed the cats tuna:
Ganache, Caramel, and Socks
Fred, Macchiato, Callie, Socks, Tabitha, and Misty
Ganache, Caramel, Pumpkin, Bolt, Sunny, Socks, Breezy
Neko Atsume: Cat Metropolis is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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August 19, 2022Neko Atsume / Other Video GamesThis is the Carp Tunnel. It is a cardboard tube that has been painted to look like a blue-colored carp. Many of the Neko Atsume cats seem to like it.
The flavor text for the Carp Tunnel says: Just a cat tunnel with a carp pattern painted onto it. The cats probably won’t even notice.
Willow
Sunny
Cocoa
Ginger
Snowball
Spots
Smokey
Dottie
Dottie
Bolt
Bolt
Bolt
Sunny and Spots
Sunny and Spots
Sunny and Cocoa
#Blaugust2022
Neko Atsume: Carp Tunnel is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
If you enjoyed this blog post please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. Thank you! [...]
August 18, 2022Flight Rising / Other Video GamesFlight Rising is a game where you control a lair that is full of dragons. There is plenty to do in this browser-based game. Right now, the Warrior’s Way event is live. I’ve been using it to obtain armor sets for some of my dragons.
All of the artwork in this post is copyright of Flight Rising.
In order to obtain that event-related armor, a player needs to focus on the battlegrounds. It is where you take three of your dragons to fight against monsters that are specific to a certain level of dungeon. Your dragons can be knocked out, but they don’t actually die.
All of the apparel in Flight Rising is cosmetic, only. There are sets of clothing/armor you can give your dragons to wear. Unlike many other video games, the armor doesn’t actually do anything for them. If you want your dragons to get stronger – take them to the battlegrounds and start fighting.
There are five sets of Warrior’s Way armor that you can collect while this event is live.
Champion’s Set
Carmel is a male Tundra.
Primary: Tan BasicSecondary: Dirt BasicTertiary: Honeydew Basic
Champion’s Pelt: (Apparel) A warrior makes use of their kills.
Champion’s Skull: (Apparel) A warrior makes use of their kills.
Champion’s Weapons: (Apparel) A warrior is prepared to kill.
Champion’s Furs: (Apparel) A warrior makes use of their kills.
Mourner’s Set
Voltt is a male Tundra.
Primary: Obsidian BasicSecondary: Splash BasicTertiary: Coral Basic
Mourner’s Pelt: (Apparel) A warrior makes use of their kills.
Mourner’s Skull: (Apparel) A warrior makes use of their kills.
Mourner’s Weapons: (Apparel) A warrior is prepared to kill.
Mourner’s Furs: (Apparel) A warrior makes use of their kills.
Warden’s Set
Legend is a male Tundra.
Primary: Ice BasicSecondary: Ice BasicTertiary: Mulberry Basic
Warden’s Pelt: (Apparel) A warrior makes use of their skills.
Warden’s Skull: A warrior makes use if their kills.
Warden’s Weapons: A warrior is prepared to kill.
Warden’s Furs: (Apparel) A warrior makes use of their kills.
UPDATE: I was able to obtain two more of the Warrior’s Way sets.
Tomato is a Male Tundra.
Primary: Maroon BasicSecondary: Tomato BasicTertiary: Teal Basic
Contestant’s Pelt: (Apparel) A warrior makes use of their kills.
Contestant’s Skull: (Apparel) A warrior makes use of their kills.
Contestant’s Weapons: (Apparel) A warrior is prepared to kill.
Contestant’s Furs: (Apparel) A warrior makes use of their kills.
Marroo is a Male Tundra.
Primary: Mulberry BasicSecondary: Violet BasicTertiary: Carmine
Victor’s Pelt: (Apparel) A warrior makes use of their kills.
Victor’s Skull: (Apparel) A warrior makes use of their kills.
Victor’s Weapons: (Apparel) A warrior is prepared to kill.
Victor’s Furs: (Apparel) A warrior makes use of their kills.
#Blaugust2022
Flight Rising: Warrior’s Way Event is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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Stories I Wrote On Tumblr
June 26, 2023The demon king tapped his long, sharp, nails on one of the arms of his throne. He became the king of the demons eons ago, and spent a lot of time trying to keep the smaller demons from intentionally setting themselves on fire.
Somewhere outside of the throne room he could hear one of them screaming loudly after jumping into the molten fire that flowed through his realm. In the early days of his kingship, he would rush over and try to put the fire out. These small ones were his minions, after all, and he tried his best to protect them.
After decades of this same problem, happening over and over again, the demon king stopped helping the smaller demons. They were too simple-minded to remember WHY we don’t jump into the fire.
He rolled his eyes, and waited for the screaming to stop. Whichever small demon it was would simply regenerate itself in a few hours from now, forget what happened, and likely jump back into the molten river again.
Sighing, the demon king realized that he had a big problem. He was incredibly bored. There was no one here with the intellectual capacity to engage in conversation with. No one from outside wanted to visit him, and he couldn’t really blame them, what with the fire, and the screaming, and the constant regeneration of the smaller demons.
And so, he sat on his throne, tapping his long, sharp claws into one of its arms. There was nothing to do.
Suddenly, the doors of the throne room opened. One of the medium-sized demons struggled to open the doors. After pushing through them, the demon ran directly towards the demon king. Was that.. a letter.. in his hand?
“My king! I bring you this letter. Came from someone not from here,” the medium-sized demon explained. Intrigued, the demon king held out his hand, and was immediately given the letter.
“Thank you,” said the demon king. “You may go back to… whatever it was you were doing.” He waved one of his hands at the medium-sized demon, who immediately turned and ran back out of the throne room.
The demon king opened the letter, but had trouble reading it. He looked around for his glasses, and then realized they were hanging from a piece of leather that he wore around his neck. Holding up the glasses, and squinting a bit, he started reading.
“Hello, my friend! It is I, Loki, and I have an interesting proposition for you. There is a small child – a human child – who somehow got the idea that he should come to your realm and fight you. Neither I, nor my brother, could talk this child out of doing this.
As such, I sent you this letter to give you a warning that this child, who is probably around… I don’t know, maybe 10 years old, will arrive soon.
Could you just… play along with this kid? You know, pretend to be injured when he strikes you with… what looks like a sword made of some kind of foam? Fall over and cry a little bit and pretend to die? And then, send him on his way back home?
It is my understanding that you’ve been extremely bored lately, and I wanted you to have a little fun.
Let me know how it goes!”
The demon king smiled. He felt… happy? Was that the word for the emotion he was experiencing? He folded the leather up and put it in his pocket. He took off his glasses and let them hang from the leather he wore around his neck.
This was going to be fun! When was the last time he had fun? He couldn’t remember.
The doors of the throne room opened again, and in walked a human child. Loki wasn’t joking about that foam sword after all. It certainly looked as though it was made form some sort of neon green foam.
The demon king decided to play along. He stood up. “Who dares come into my throne room without permission!” He – almost – smiled, then stopped himself.
“My name is Edmund, and I am here to slay you!” the child yelled out in the squeakiest voice the demon king had ever heard.
Edmund had some sort of strange helmet on his head. It looked like plastic, with a chin strap to hold it on. He appeared to be wearing some soft clothing and oddly colored shoes. Was that a cape on his back?
“You’re Edmund? THE Edmund?”, the demon lord said, making his voice sound as though he were scared. “Oh no! Please, don’t hurt me!”
Edmund made a very serious face and started walking directly toward the demon king. When he got in close range, the boy hit the demon lord’s kneecap with his only colored foam sword.
The demon lord played along. He pretended to cry, and slumped to the floor, holding his knee. “Oh, it hurts too much! I shall not survive this wound”, said the demon king, as he lay down on the carpet in front of his throne, closed his eyes, and stuck out his tongue.
Edmund stood still for a moment. He then gently poked the demon king’s kneecap again, and waited a little while. Then, he smiled, and triumphantly marched himself out of the demon king’s realm.
A while later, the demon king opened his eyes. He brushed himself off, stood up, and started writing a letter back to Loki.
“My good friend, Loki! You have brought me so much fun today entertaining little Edmund. Allow me to tell you how things went…”
This story was inspired by a writing prompt on Tumblr titled: “A demon king is contacted by the gods “look, the hero is coming after you is 10, can you just play along and let him win?” It is not allowed to be copied. [...]
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June 26, 2023Earlier this year, California was covered in rainstorms – one right after another. The sky was dark and grey, and the winds were so fierce that they blue the door of our water heater straight off.
One day, there was a break in the weather. Skies were blue again. The rain had (temporarily) stopped. The weather got a little bit warmer.
Our cockatiel, Lucy, perked up that day. She was sitting on my husband’s shoulders when she decided that now was the time to start shedding her down features.
I should note that Lucy is a white cockatiel. Her toes are pink, and her eyes are black. Years ago, we had another white cockatiel, whom we named Gordon. Both white birds appear to grow more down feathers than cockatiels of other colors.
As such, Lucy systematically removed some of her down feathers and dropped them. Most ended up on Shawn’s clothing, but a good number of them got scattered on the floor.
Before anyone worries, cockatiels will shed down feathers when they think spring has started. It’s normal for birds to do this. Lucy wasn’t sick, or stressed. She was just doing what birds do in springtime.
A few days after that, the rains returned. Not as hard as the previous round this time. The skies became grey one more, and Lucy went back to being super sleepy.
Recently, Shawn was asked to watch over the animals at his sister’s house so her family could take a vacation. I couldn’t go because I’m allergic to everything. And neither of us wanted to leave Lucy home, for days, by herself.
While Shawn was gone, the weather cleared up again. Lucy continued removing the down feathers that she didn’t need anymore. It was springtime, after all.
I watched her sit on a perch in her cage and use her beak to remove the no-longer-needed fluffy down feathers. She dropped them, one by one, to the bottom of the cage.
The white feathers collected together and resembled large snowflakes. There were a lot of them! I assumed this was the end of her molting season.
But no.
She continued removing the down feathers for days on end. Every day since then, more and more – not spring – feathers were removed and dropped. I started picking them up and dumping them back into her cage.
The other day, Lucy decided to come and sit on me. I usually put a towel on my shoulder for her to sit on. Somehow, she manages to knock the towel off me without me noticing.
This time, she wanted me to try and remove the itchy parts of feathers that are attached to her neck. Ones she cannot reach. I did my best to accommodate her.
And then, I realized I was covered in cast-off down feathers.
This story I wrote on Tumblr is a true story, and is not allowed to be copied. [...]
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June 20, 2023This story came from a prompt on Tumblr by writing-prompt-s. The prompt said: “In a world where every human has a unique superpower, yours is largely laughed at. The ability to untangle anything has come in handy for untying shoelaces until you discover a new way of using your power that makes you formidable against your former superiors.
When I was a little kid, just starting kindergarten, the world changed. My classmates and I didn’t even notice what happened. We were too busy coloring, playing with blocks, and learning the alphabet.
The teacher, however, had a strange look on her face. We were too little to understand why. She held her finger to her lips and said “shhhh…” and the entire room went soundless.
I don’t mean that us kindergarteners were extremely well behaved and immediately got quiet after being shushed. The clock on the wall was still working – but wasn’t making a ticking sound now. Some kids tried to speak, only to find that they could not. It was scary!
Five minutes went by, and the room suddenly burst into sound. Some of us started crying – including the teacher.
At the time, no one seemed to know what the cause of the unexpected superpowers were. Governments blamed it on other countries – whom they never really trusted in the first place.
Little by little, people started spontaneously manifesting their superpower. I remember sitting on the floor in front of the TV and watching the news with my mother.
A little girl told a news reporter that she could understand what hummingbirds said.
“What do the hummingbirds say?” a news reporter asked.
“Um… well, they’re really grumpy all the time, and I don’t think I should repeat the words they use,” the girl responded.
A old man in the UK discovered that his superpower was the ability to prevent a bus from leaving the stop until he got on it. A middle-aged woman in Nigeria had the power to know when there was an area of clean water underground. A child in Mexico suddenly could understand all languages.
The really interesting thing was that only one person on the entire planet could have a specific superpower. All were unique, but some were much more useful than others.
A teenage in Canada could lift himself off the ground and fly to wherever he wanted to go. The news was calling him “Teenage Superman”. A pre-teen girl in the Netherlands had the ability to locate people’s lost dogs, and help them find their way home. A toddler in Italy started making Renaissance paintings with his crayons.
By first grade, I desperately hoped that I would be one of the lucky ones, like the people featured on the news. I wanted to have a superpower that could help people.
Unfortunately, my superpower was… not very impressive. First-graders are taught how to tie their shoes. It was really difficult for most kids, and some parents got tired and gave their kids slip-on shoes with no laces at all.
I remember trying very hard to tie my shoes – all by myself. Somehow, I accidentally tied the laces of one shoe to the laces of the other shoe. I got really frustrated and just wanted my shoes to untie themselves so I could start over. And… right before my eyes, they untangled themselves!
When I looked up from my shoes, I saw that most of the class was staring at me with confused expressions. My classmates who had already tied their shoes suddenly found them untied again. This was my fault!
I wanted to cry. My superpower was one of the useless ones. I would never be a superhero. The other kids laughed at me for having one of the most useless superpowers possible.
Fast forward, and I started finding things I could do with this seemingly benign superpower. When the bullies found me in middle-school, I used my “untangle” power to make them trip and fall, giving me the time to run away. When the mean girls harassed me, I untangled the braids in their hair – without even touching them.
By the time we reached high-school, things got weird. Classmates who were blessed with the useful superpowers acted like they were superior to the rest of us.
There was a guy who got the power to dispel tornadoes, which resulted in our school never having to do tornado drills. Years later, he became a meteorologist.
There was a girl who could read people’s minds, and who threatened to tell the world their darkest secrets. I think she ended up as a gossip columnist for some small-town newspaper.
And then, there was everybody else. The majority of my classmates had received their superpower – but most of them didn’t want to talk about it or use it. Those who stayed silent either hadn’t gotten their power yet, or they got one that they were embarrassed about.
As time when by, governments started trying to suppress some of the people who had a special power that they deemed to be dangerous. There were hearings planned that never materialized. I got the feeling that maybe there were congresspeople and senators who secretly had a superpower they never talked about.
The military, however, took this as a great time to recruit the people who had been given superpowers that involved massive amounts of strength, the ability to regenerate damaged or broken limbs, or who could fly without needing a plane. It wasn’t clear how many of that group were convinced to join the military.
As for me, I decided that my ability to untangle things wasn’t something anyone really cared about. If I was in a coffee shop and noticed someone having difficulty with their knitting, I’d wave my fingers at it and untangle the yarn for them. Simple things that nobody would notice – other than the knitter.
I started learning to code rather than go to college. It was difficult at first, but then I realized that coding was – sort of – like untangling something. I got really good at it and eventually got hired to work at a big social media company. For a while, it was fun!
Then, things changed. The guy who started the social media company sold it to another guy who didn’t seem to know much about how it worked. He quickly fired most of the coders who worked there and the entire Q&A department. He was inexplicably hostile toward the social media site he had purchased for a ton of money.
I was really good at blending into the woodwork, so to speak, which prevented me from getting fired. One day, that changed. The new boss walked over to me and asked me to follow him. I did what he asked, worried that I was about to lose my job.
The boss walked me down a hallway, and into a basement. Inside it was some of the oldest computer-ish monstrosities I’d ever seen! He opened up a bunch of cabinets, all in a row, and showed me what was inside.
What I saw was unexpected. How could a big social media company let their wires get so tangled up? I guess he finally fired the last guy who had knowledge of where the wires go to or what they make happen.
“I want this mess fixed, it is not something I understand how to do myself, and everyone I asked to try and help failed and have been fired. Can you fix this?” the boss asked.
I smiled, realizing that this was the perfect opportunity to use my superpower for something good. I started by untying the boss’s shoelaces without actually touching them.
“You can do that?” the boss asked, seeming very surprised.
“Yes, I can. My superpower started when I was six-years-old.”
“Wonderful”, said the boss. “Get started on these wires right now.”
“I want something in return.” I said. “Something meaningful.”
“Money is no object to me”, the boss responded, in a way that seemed like he was proud of that.
“Oh, I don’t want your money. I want you to become a better human. Give the people you fired at least five years worth of their salary.”
“Done!” the boss said, taking out his smartphone and tapping the screen a lot. He turned the screen towards me to prove that he had sent the appropriate amount of money to everyone who had been fired.
I nodded my head and waved my hands in front of each cabinet of tangled wires. It took longer for me to untangle them than I’d expected, but eventually the wires moved themselves to where they were supposed to be.
The boss seemed pleased. He smiled, and said I could take the rest of the day off.
As he started walking me out of the basement, a thought came to mind. “By the way,” I said, “I hope you really did send the money to the people you fired. Because if you didn’t… well, I happened to know someone whose superpower is to tangle things back up again.”
This story I wrote on Tumblr is based on a writing prompt titled: “In a world where every human has a unique superpower, yours is largely laughed at. The ability to untangle anything has come in handy for untying shoelaces until you discover a new way of using your power that makes you formidable against your former superiors” and is not allowed to be copied. [...]
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June 20, 2023I wrote this story based on a prompt from writing-prompt-s on Tumblr. The prompt said: “I pulled myself together and got up. The autopsy technicians could only stare in horror.”
The last thing I remembered was getting shot in the head by one of those “Hunters”. There was just enough time for me to memorize her face as she ran away. And then… nothing.
I woke up on a table in some hospital’s morgue. It takes a little while for people like me to regain full consciousness and the ability to move again. The morgue was very cold, but that’s not really a problem for my kind.
Someone was poking a metal device into the hole in my head. One of them asked their colleagues a question.
“Are we certain that this is the right corpse? I’m asking because the x-rays we viewed showed that at least half of this one’s head had a huge hole through it. But now? All I see is a hole the size of a quarter.”
Tiring of having my brain poked with a metal tool, I opened my eyes. There were three people in lab coats – all of whom slowly backed away from the metal table they had placed me on.
“… The eyes! … Maybe that was a… a nerve impulse?” one of them asked.
Humans, even educated ones, can be incredibly/hopefully stupid when scared. This was to my advantage. It takes a lot of energy to regenerate one’s self – and I was HUNGRY.
When I sat up, the three humans seemed paralyzed in fear. I was covered in blood – probably my own – thanks to the gunshot wound.
Part of this “autopsy” resulted in one of them cutting into my chest. My heart was visible. I allowed the humans to watch as my heart started beating again (a parlor trick some of us can do) as my skin and bones grew back.
Staking a vampire doesn’t always require a sharpened, wooden, post. And, it doesn’t actually kill us. We just sort of go into stasis. It’s very boring. I suppose these metal implements they used served well enough as a stake – right up until they removed it from my heart.
I don’t know what they did with my clothing, but that’s not really important right now.
Moving faster than human eyes can see, I launched myself at the nearest person in a lab coat. He didn’t even have time to make a sound before my fangs entered the artery on his throat. His co-workers screamed and ran away as I drained him dry.
Within seconds, I felt like myself again. His blood surged through me, and I could feel the adrenaline that had been mixed into it. The borrowed body heat felt wonderful, but I knew it wouldn’t last forever.
Realizing that I couldn’t walk out of the hospital looking like this, I used the nearby sink to wash the blood off of my skin, my face, and from under my nails. My hair also got a quick wash so I could remove the blood and gore that it collected after I got shot.
There was a pristine, white, lab coat covered in plastic. I bit into that with my fangs and ripped the package open. The size wasn’t perfect, but it covered most of me. I popped the collar up like I did back in the 80s, when I was still a human.
As I was buttoning up the lab coat, I realized that my legs were still somewhat visible, and that would make me stand out. I’m sure that the human I drained wouldn’t mind if I “borrowed” his pants and shoes.
The other two, the ones who ran away… forgot to close the door to the morgue. I smiled, retracted my fangs, and walked down some corridors which eventually led me outside.
The moon was shining brightly, and I was feeling strong. Time to locate the Hunter who thought she killed me.
I wrote this story on Tumblr. It is based on a writing prompt: “I pulled myself together and got up. The autopsy technicians could only stare in horror” and is not allowed to be copied. [...]
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June 20, 2023Here is a true story that I wrote on Tumblr. It is about the crows that live nearby.
Yesterday, my husband had the opportunity to start clearing out the shed. It isn’t a huge shed, but just big enough to stow away boxes, Christmas ornaments, and other stuff.
Then, the COVID-19 pandemic started, and he later suffered an injury to his ankle which caused him great pain. It took a long time before he could get an appointment to get that fixed. Obviously, a person experiencing pain from an injury should NOT be trying to clear out a shed.
And so, things simply sat there for a while.
I decided to help him de-clutter the shed. There were a lot of a cardboard boxes, of various sizes, that we had no more use for. Some had styrofoam, bubble wrap, or cardboard “spacers” for lack of a better word.
To make things go faster, I decided I would carry the flattened cardboard, and the fillers that were inside it, to the trash and/or recycling bins that were in the mobile home park.
After making a few trips, I noticed that a couple of crows had started flying in that direction. They circled around in the sky ahead of me, but I didn’t see anything there that they could be chasing,
There was an unintentional pattern I was following. Pick up the cardboard and other stuff. Walk to the dumpster and recycling bin. Repeat.
After doing this for a while, I noticed there was a crow nearby. At the time, I was struggling to put a very large, heavy, flattened box into one of the dumpsters.
The crow flew over me and landed on what once was a line of wires that people would hang their clothing on to dry. The wires had rusted over the years. A small structure near it had coin operated washers and dryers.
The crow landed on the post nearest the dumpsters and looked back at me. It had some kind of food in its beak, which might have been parts of a shelled peanut, or perhaps a reasonable amount (for a crow) of bread.
And it waited.
“Hello, crow,” I said. “I see you. I’m okay.”
The crow sort of nodded, and then flew off with the food in it’s beak.
We have occasionally fed the crows that appear at the end of the driveway. Sometimes, one would calmly and quietly sit on top of the neighbor’s house and wait to be fed. Other times, they arrive and scream for food.
We don’t feed them every day. Their other sources of food include restaurants that are in a plaza headed by a supermarket. The crows know exactly when to go there and wait for a human to bring out a bag of “trash”.
I guess what I’m saying is that we make sure that we aren’t their only source of food. They get a handful of cashews, or stale Cheerios. Just a little bit of food to help sustain them. Snacks.
Eventually, my husband and I decided to call it a day. We can pick up on the de-cluttering of the shed again and keep working. Little by little will do.
We went back into our mobile home and sat down and rested a bit. I started telling him about the crow that had food in its beak.
My husband thinks that the crow, who could possibly be one we fed, thought I was hungry. As my husband explained it, the crow saw me walk down to the dumpsters and recycling bins, open the lids, put things in – but not take anything out.
To paraphrase what my husband thought: “Animals that are hungry sometimes open dumpsters hoping to find food. The crow saw you looking into the dumpsters and putting things into it. You left empty-handed. So, the crow brought you some food.”
It is a magical thing to realize that the crows we fed have decided we are part of their flock. I wear a lot of black clothing, and am small for a human. This crow thought I was starving and wanted to give me food.
True story.
This is a true story I wrote on Tumblr. It is not allowed to be copied. [...]
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June 18, 2023This story comes from a writing prompt that said: Offering the dragon marriage into the royal family had been a power play on the king’s part, a way to intimidate the kingdom’s enemies. He had not anticipated the dragon actually accepting the offer.
Here is the story I wrote in response to this prompt:
Gruzedla the Brave was in the stables, tending to her horse. They had just returned from Marhagan, a town whose people had always been loyal subjects of the King of Agbratten. Gruzedla was sent on a quest to attempt to learn why the people of Marhagan had stopped tithing.
Both the knight and her horse, got covered with muck, dirt, and pollen on their way back. It was a warm day. So Gruzelda tied her horse to a post outside the barn, and then returned with several buckets of water and a scrub brush.
Bucephalus (whom Gruzedla called “Boo”) started to prance a bit upon seeing the water buckets. Gruzedla smiled, dumped one of the buckets of water over the horse, and started scrubbing.
Both knight and horse were enjoying the moment. Boo loves (almost) nothing more than a good bath in the warm sun. He also enjoys carrots.
It was then that Gruzedla heard the sounds of frantic footsteps approaching. She dropped the scrub brush and pulled out her sword, ready for battle if it was called for.
“Gru!” panted the serving woman who stopped near the knight.
“King Alfred… has asked me… to bring you to him… something about… a quest?”
Gru recognized Eplheiba, a servant girl who worked in the kitchen. She would sometimes bring carrots – that were still good, but no longer for human consumption – to Boo. Gru patiently waited for Eplheiba to catch her breath.
“I’m sorry… I was ordered to come fetch you. King Alfred wants to see you immediately, if not sooner. You must hurry to the throne room.”
“Hold on,” Gru said. “I can’t go into the throne room looking like this!” She gestured at the muck, dirt, dust, pollen and other stuff that had collected on her armor and her hair.
Elpheiba, still recovering after her sprint to the stables, looked terrified. “I’m sorry, but there is no time for a bath. The King was very clear about that.”
“Understood.” Gru picked up a bucket of water that was still full, and dumped it over her head. Elpheiba made a nervous squeaking sound.
“Let’s go!”, said Gru. Elpheiba began sprinting again and Gru was able to keep the pace. The second the two women reached the door of the throne room, Elpheiba ran back to the kitchen.
Two knights guarded the door to the throne room. Each saluted Gru, the King’s favorite knight. They clicked the heels of their boots together at the same time. Each grabbed a door handle, opened the double doors, and gestured for Gruzedla to enter.
Gru walked up the long, red, carpet that led to the throne. King Alfred looked both impatient and angry. Gruzedla performed the gestures of respect by bowing her head, and clasping her hands together in front of her.
“My King! I bring you news from Marhagan. The people have been influenced by the promises of King Fezuzo of Adalantia. He appears to have offered them monthly parades, extra warm boots to wear in the cold months, and more food than what you are – very kindly – sending to the people.”
“I have been told,” Gruzedla continued, “that this promise from King Fezuzo has not yet resulted in any of those things. However, the people of Marhagan want to believe that help is on the way.”
King Alfred nodded his head, impatiently, as his favorite knight explains things. “Is that all they want? Bah!” the king said, in the most sarcastic tone Gru had ever heard him speak in.
“No, my King, that is not all. King Fezuzo made those promises with a severe stipulation. If the people wanted the parades, warm boots, and additional food – they must stop sending their coins to you. And that, my good and benevolent King, is why they have not been sending tithes.”
King Alfred pounded his fist on the arm of his throne hard enough that the sound echoed through the room. He put his face in his hands for a moment, and let out a deep, frustrated sounding sigh.
“Gruzedla the Brave,” he said in a quiet voice, as he looked into Gru’s eyes. “You are my favorite knight because you tell me the truth about things. Everyone else tells me falsehoods because they are afraid of my wrath if I don’t like what they reported.”
“I will send word to King Fezuzu to…” The King paused, then continued with, “encourage him to undo his promises to the people of Marhagan. King Fezuzo is all talk and no action. Marhagan’s people likely know this.”
“But,” King Alfred said, clapping his hands together. “I have another quest for you. It is a bit… unusual.”
Gru once again bowed her head and clasped her hands together. “I am at your service, my King.”
“Excellent! I’m sending you out to find a dragon. Not just any dragon! I’m thinking about a specific dragon who lives in a cave on the hillside not too far away.”
Gru listened carefully. “I will do my best to fight the dragon, my King.” In the back of her mind, she was trying to squelch the image of dying from excessive fire damage.
“Oh, I don’t want you to fight a dragon. I want you to make the dragon an offer.”
Gru stared back at her King, confused.
“Let me back up a bit,” the King said. “Do you remember when eldest son Tanner got married to Princess Myaza of Beckleplains?”
Gru nodded her head. “Yes, my King. I was among the knights who were protecting their carriage as it headed to the church.”
King Alfred nodded. “Tannan and Myaza have two children now, an heir and a spare, so to speak.”
“My younger son, Triton, who spent several years as part of the Royal Navy, recently retired. He and Darious – his husband-to-be are waiting on the paperwork. I completed my portion of it years ago. But, Darious is from Upper Ghyllxos, and their council insists on dotting every I and crossing every t.”
Once again, Gru nodded and patiently listened to her King.
“My youngest child – well, she’s actually an adult now. How time flies,” King Alfred said, shaking his head. “Rosalind vehemently refuses any suitor who comes calling. None of the young men were up to her standards, I suppose.”
“Tannen and his wife are doing well, and appear to be loved by her people. Triton will – eventually – also do well after the paperwork ends and the marriage begins. Rosalind, however, she’s not interested in getting married – or having children.” The King sighed in frustration.
King Alfred handed Gruzedla two pieces of parchment. One was a map to the dragon’s lair. The other was a letter that she should give to the dragon.
“I don’t mean to be impertinent, my King, but it sounds like you want me to hand a marriage proposal to a dragon on your behalf, possibly against Rosalind’s wishes?”
King Alfred nodded his head. “Of course! That’s exactly what I want. There is always a lot of paperwork, and back-and-forth with Royal marriages. This is just how things are done.”
“That said,” King Alfred said with a smirk, “I expect the dragon to decline the offer. Dragons collect treasure, and they live for a very long time. Can’t imagine dragons would abandon all that hard work collecting things to marry a Princess and get stuck in tedious politics.”
Gru, once again, bowed her head and clasped her hands. “I will do as you ask, my King.” She sprinted through the castle, received some dirty looks from the well dressed women she passed by, and headed to the stable.
Boo and Gru immediately set out to complete the King’s quest. It took less time to find the dragon’s lair than it did to find her way to Marhagan. It certainly helped that the cave opening was huge and easily spotted from far away.
After climbing up the winding, rocky path to the cave, Gru and Boo took a short break. The view from there was wonderful! She gave Boo another carrot, tied the horse’s reigns to a nearby rock structure, and headed inside the lair.
Gruzedla the Brave expected to see a lot of treasure in this cave. And she did! There were several piles of gold lying about, next to large piles of unsorted gemstones. Gru knew better than to touch any of that.
The light in the cave dimmed. Only a dragon could cast a shadow that large! Gru slowly turned around and was stunned by how huge a red dragon could be!
The dragon stood still, looking down at Gru. “Why are you here? You haven’t stolen any of my treasure, so you must want something else from me.” The voice of the dragon echoed through the cavern.
Gru watched as the dragon blew tendrils of smoke out of its nose. She opened up the letter that was for the dragon, and started explaining herself.
“I apologize for the intrusion. My name is Gruzedla the Brave, favored knight of King Alfred, of Agbratten. My king hopes that you will marry his youngest offspring, Princess Rosalind. Many suitors have asked for her hand, but the Princess turns them down.”
“Interesting…” the large red dragon commented. He slowly lowered his head until he was at eye level of the letter. “The font is too small. Read it to me.”
Gru nodded her head and began reading.
“King Alfred of Agbratten requests that you consider marrying his youngest offspring, Princess Roselind. She is a young-adult who absolutely does not want to have children. Gruzelda the Brave has a locket around her neck that contains a portrait of Princess Rosalind.”
“If you take a liking to the Princess’s portrait, the Agbratten government will begin generating the required paperwork that is needed to be signed off by many people before the marriage can be officially approved.”
“As you may know, it is not unusual for adult children of Royalty to marry someone who is from outside their kingdom. Should your marriage to Princess Rosalind commence, you would become the Princess’s consort. Typically, this position includes attending official Royal gatherings, waving at the commoners who come to watch you and your spouse, and occasionally being written about in the tabloids of sketchy newspapers.”
“King Alfred of Agbratten would be thrilled to have you marry his daughter. She hasn’t found someone worthy of her yet. King Alfred believes that you would be seen as very impressive not only to Rosalind, but also to the people of Agbratten.”
The dragon listened intently. He appeared to be considering his options. Gru waited, assuming that the dragon would not want to marry a human, even if she was a princess.
“What does the Princess look like?” the dragon asked.
Gru reached underneath her chest plate so she could grab the portrait that hung on a leather rope around the knight’s neck. She held it up for the dragon to view.
“If you choose to marry Princess Rosalind, you will have to sign the end of this letter to make your intent official”, Gru explained.
“That parchment is way too small for me to read, much less sign,” said the dragon. “Could you sign my name for me?”
“Um.. yes? I think I’m allowed to do that.” Gru picked the feather quill and a small bottle of ink out of her pocket. “Typically, if a person who wishes to marry cannot sign their name themselves, we allow someone to write it on their behalf. What is your name?”
“My name is… something that is not understandable in your language. Too many syllables and letters that you would never be able to pronounce properly. You may call me… Fred.”
Gru wrote “Fred” at the bottom of the letter. She pressed the bottom of the small ink bottle into the paper, to make an impression of her mark.
“Done!” said Gru, putting away her quill and ink. “I should have said, things are now officially started. It can take a long time between now and when the wedding happens. You will receive more letters as the process continues.”
“One more question,” said Fred. “What does Princess Rosalind think of this marriage proposal?”
“I’m really not certain what she would think about this. Perhaps I should ask her to send you a letter, if you would like that.”
Fred nodded. Gruzedla the Brave turned and marched out of the cave.
The moment Gru returned to the Kingdom of Agbratten she placed Boo into the stable where he could eat and take a nap. She sprinted her way to the closed doors of the throne room, and was let in by two guards.
King Alfred was thrilled to see his favorite knight return. He was all smiles.
“Well? What did the dragon say about marrying Princess Rosalind?
“Things went well, my King. Fred, the red dragon of the large cave, has accepted the marriage proposal. I read the letter to him because it was very small and hard for him to see. And, if you look closely, I followed our kingdom’s custom of signing his name for him, complete with my mark next to it for clarity.”
King Alfred froze. “I… did not plan for this outcome. The dragon was supposed to turn down the offer. What am I going to do now?”
“If you would like my advice, my King, I suggest we talk with Princess Rosalind about this. Clearly, she’s not interested in any of the eligible men that have tried to court her. And, if you had not noticed, she has filled the walls of her room with paintings of dragons.”
This story I wrote on Tumblr is based on a writing prompt titled: Offering the dragon marriage into the royal family had been a power play on the king’s part, a way to intimidate the kingdom’s enemies. He had not anticipated the dragon actually accepting the offer”. [...]
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December 27, 2021Photo by Kindel Media from Pexels
No one told us that this little robot would become a hunter!
My husband and I have a Roomba. It usually does a decent job of removing dirt and debris from our floors.
But, its real love is VIOLENCE.
And for some inexplicable reason, it chooses to attack other items that can be used to clean things.
It started with the Roomba knocking over a metal folding chair, which hit an air cleaner that I use because I have allergies. Cracked chunk of plastic off of it. Little did we know that this was a sign of things to come.
Our Roomba has attacked:
Air cleaner in the living room – knocked the front panel off and broke a piece of it. The Roomba did this by knocking over a chair which slammed into the air cleaner that was on a small table. The air cleaner has a chunk of plastic missing, but still works.
Shop Vac – Roomba grabbed the power cord of a shop vac that was inside the house at the time and completely unraveled it across the room.
Broom – Roomba knocked it over and dragged it across the floor for a bit.
Smaller air cleaner – Roomba pushed the box that holds a filter for that air cleaner and out of the room it was cleaning by shoving it under gap in the door.
Cleaning products – Roomba goes over to the cabinet under the kitchen sink and opens the door. It leaves the door open, exposing all of the cleaning products within. Eventually, Roomba goes back and slams the cabinet door shut on them.
I wrote this story on Tumblr. It is based on a writing prompt, and is not allowed to be copied.
Shop Vac — Roomba grabbed the power cord and completely unraveled it across the room.
Broom — Roomba knocked it over and dragged it across the floor a bit.
Smaller air cleaner — Roomba pushed the box that holds a filter for that air cleaner out of the room it was cleaning, by shoving it under the gap in the door.
Also, it frequently opens the cabinet under the kitchen sink, where all the cleaning products are — leaving them exposed. Eventually, the Roomba comes back and slams the cabinet door on them.
There is a disturbing pattern happening here!
Things Our Roomba Has Attacked is true story I wrote and then posted on Tumblr. It is not allowed to be copied. [...]
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Blaugust
August 28, 2022Blaugust / Blogging About BlaugustBy the time I’ve reached this point on Blaugust – really, any Blaugust I’ve participated in – I feel mixed emotions. Part of me is happy that I’ve managed to keep up with blogging this month. The other part of me is tired and just wants to be done. I’ve felt the same way during NaPodPoMo (where you post a daily podcast through November).
Here are some lessons I’ve learned while working on Blaugust 2022:
I have a tendency to assume that I’ll have enough energy to participate in yet another Blaugust. The optimistic side of me wants to believe that my chronic illnesses will allow me to take the time to create content. This, inevitably, fails the moment that fall pollen season starts, or if/when any of my other chronic illnesses decides to have a tantrum. Potential solution: Make less blogs, or shorter ones, or opt-out of next year’s Blaugust.
There has never been a Blaugust where I was able to read/watch everyone’s content during the month of August. I am consistently unable to keep up with it all. This is a problem that I also have run into when doing NaPodPoMo. Potential solution: I’m going to try my best to read/watch everyone’s content through September.
Joining Blaugust 2022 – while trying to complete paid work – was a struggle. The paid work is getting done, but has taken longer than typical to do. In addition, I’ve become involved in several TTRPG games (Dungeons & Dragons, Vampire the Masquerade, Prowlers & Paragons, Hunter the Reckoning) that take up my time and energy. All of these activities are fun, and I honestly enjoy doing them. I’ve learned that I really don’t have the energy for all of this at the same time. Solution: I should skip next year’s Blaugust if I’m still this busy next August.
I have learned that Blaugust is not the place for really long-form, in-depth, blogs. I miss being able to take the time to put together long blogs about health-related topics, good things the Biden-Harris administration has done/is doing, the 2022 midterms, and a series I’ve been putting together in bits and pieces about COVID-19. Solution: Save those blog posts for when I have more time to focus on them after Blaugust 2022 is over.
I have learned that I really enjoy writing book reviews. There was a time when Book of Jen had a bunch of book reviews appear fairly often (especially when I was importing the best ones from an older blog as a way to consolidate everything here). Somewhere along the way I stopped writing them. Blaugust 2022 gave me the motivation to continue writing book reviews.
Put all of this together, and it shows that I really need to put my health first. All of my chronic illnesses appear at random, and none of them can be cured. All cause pain and exhaustion. Fortunately, I have some medications that can temporarily help with symptoms. I will finish Blaugust 2022, but there is reason to believe I won’t be healthy enough to do this next Blaugust.
#Blaugust2022
Lessons Learned Week is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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August 23, 2022Blaugust / Blogging About BlaugustI don’t know about you, but I’m losing my motivation for Blaugust. That doesn’t mean I’m quitting – just that I’m struggling to find the energy to post something every day. I’ve had the same thing happen every time I participated in NaPodPoMo, where the goal is to post one episode of your podcast every day in November.
What’s slowing me down this Blaugust? The weather here has been hotter than I’d like it to be, and it coincides with what already has become a brutal Fall pollen season. Trying to create blog posts while on allergy medication is… less than ideal. There has also been some random other things popping up that took time and energy to fix.
I’m also way behind on reading/watching everyone else’s Blaugust posts. I’ve been putting a “thumbs up” emoji on the posts I’ve read or watched. Maybe you noticed that, maybe you didn’t. It’s my way of keeping track of where I left off.
How am I staying motivated? Some of it is sheer force of will. If I start one of these month-long projects, my intent is to finish them. There are only eight more days left of Blaugust 2022 (not including today). We are all getting close to the finish line. Now is not the time to give up!
Here’s what I think I’ll be posting in the remaining days of Blaugust 2022:
A one-off I ran for my friends on a day when we didn’t have enough people to play D&D (podcast)
Really old World of Warcraft screenshots featuring the Pet Biscuit (because it amuses me)
Book review of at least one of the books I finished reading recently
An Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp blog – I haven’t posted any in a while
Another Diablo Immortal video – which I probably need to edit first
A cute, short, video of our cockatiel eating snacks
Kitchen Scramble blog – if I have time
Maybe a Seekers Notes blog – It’s been a long time since I posted one
Now that I’ve taken the time to map out the end of Blaugust, I feel less stressed than when I started this blog post. I reserve the right to change the things I put in the above list. There’s a chance I’ll find something I’d rather blog about and swap something out in favor of… whatever that might be.
Those of you who have also lost your motivation to complete Blaugust can try making a list of what else you would like to post on your blog this month. It might save you the time of having to think up a new thing every day.
Writing this blog post, this week, counts as one of the Blaugchievements. I’ve found those to be motivating on days when I have no idea what to write about.
#Blaugust2022
Staying Motivated Week is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
If you enjoyed this blog post please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. [...]
August 8, 2022Blaugust / Blogging About BlaugustOne of the themes of Blaugust 2022 (and probably previous Blaugusts) is to write a post where you introduce yourself. I don’t think I’ve done this before because my blog has an About Page. However, since we have some people who are brand new to Blaugust this year, I decided to write an introduction of myself.
My name is Jen Thorpe, and I’ve been a freelance writer since 2010. The work I post on Book of Jen is the fun stuff that I don’t typically get to do when writing for pay.
I was one of the original hosts of the Shattered Soulstone podcast and recently have become the only host of the show. Shattered Soulstone is a podcast about the Diablo series of games. In recent years, it has become the place where I keep people up to date about the shenanigans at Activision Blizzard King, and all the unionization efforts. I also try and highlight creative content from the Diablo Community.
When I’m not doing that, I spend a lot of time doing TTRPG games with my friends. We do this online in either audio or “live action” videos. It depends on the game and whether or not people want to be on camera. Most of us live too far away from each other to reasonably be able to game with them in person.
The games I’m currently involved in include:
From Cogwheel Gaming:
Pack Tactics: Season 4 “IN VACUO DEPEROTA”: (Dungeons & Dragons) Our group of Kobolds traveled by spaceship to a different planet, crash landed, and are learning about this new world we landed on.
Cause & Effect: (Dungeons & Dragons) A large group of people from the future get sent back in time to fix things in the past so the terrible future they experienced does not happen. In this one, I’m playing a Warforged who has memory loss and used to be a bounty hunter. One really interesting thing about this game is that the setup is designed so that if a player can’t be there – the game can continue.
From Restless Barbarian Gaming:
Sofia By Night: (Vampire the Masquerade): In this one, I was playing Iskra, who was extremely innocent in life but turned into a broody teenager after becoming a vampire. It takes place in the dark ages in Bulgaria. Sofia By Night had two seasons, one that was mostly audio, and a season of live video. I kinda miss my grumpy, teenage, vampire.
Blood in the Water: (Vampire the Masquerade): In this one, I play Layla, (a Toreador) who is the bass player in an all-vampire band. She is part of a coterie with Silas (a Venture) and Stan (who didn’t know what clan he was in at the start of the game – for reasons). The first season included a lot of chaos and was super fun. There will be a second season.
Laser Vision Comics (Prowlers & Paragons): This one has a group that becomes an ensemble cast. All of us are playing superheroes, and we start by learning what our powers are. It started with individual episodes establishing each character, and grew to episodes where two superheroes team up. There is an upcoming episode that is going to include Thunderbolt, Old Man Winter, Quark, and Agent Orange.
In addition, there will be a Hunter game happening later this month (and extending into other months.)
Video games I’m currently playing:
Diablo III
Diablo Immortal
Kitchen Scramble
Neko Atsume
DragonMania Legends
Most of these games are ones that I started playing a while back, and haven’t finished yet. Diablo Immortal, of course, is new. I’m enjoying it without putting real world money into it. My biggest problem with the game is that the new content is being added quicker than I can keep up with.
Another thing to know about me is that I have several chronic illnesses. These slow me down quite a bit, which is why I struggle to finish a video game. My physical disabilities include: severe allergies, fibromyalgia, and borderline anemia. My other disabilities include PTSD, dyslexia, and dyscalculia.
I am nonbinary and use they/them pronouns. Some nonbinary people prefer he/they or she/they. Nonbinary people are part of the LGBTQ2IA+.
#Blaugust2022
An Introduction is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
If you enjoyed this blog post please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. [...]
August 7, 2022Blaugust / Blogging About BlaugustWe are now in the second week of Blaugust 2022. There is still plenty of time to sign up, post stuff on your blog, and join the Blaugust Discord. We’ve got a large group of bloggers this year, including some brand new people.
The main idea of Blaugust is to keep your blog (or vlog) going. Most, if not all of us, share links to our Blaugust posts on the Discord. It provides an easy way for the group to access your content and for you to find interesting blogs to read/watch.
Personally, I enjoy trying to write 31 posts on my blog during Blaugust. I’ve done it many times before, and I like to challenge myself to do it again. That said, you are not required to do Blaugust the way I prefer to. Any amount of blogging counts, as the goal is to encourage writers to start a blog of their own – or to revive a blog that was left by the wayside.
What I’m trying to say is that I’ve always found the Blaugust group to be incredibly welcoming to new people. You aren’t competing against anyone other than yourself, and you get to choose how much (or how little) you want to participate. There is something about having a group of fellow bloggers/vloggers who get together every August and share links to their work that inspires me to keep posting content.
Technically, the “Welcome to Blaugust” post was ideally to have been written last week (the first week of Blaugust). Unfortunately for me, the first week of a new month is really busy because I work as a freelance writer. One great thing about Blaugust is that nobody is going to look down upon you if you end up doing a themed post a bit later than intended.
Blaugust is a fun event where new bloggers can jump into the community. You will probably find blogs that attract your attention – and some that focus on topics that aren’t your thing at all. I find it fun to check out all the post/videos, but that is not required.
#Blaugust2022
Welcome to Blaugust 2022 is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
If you enjoyed this blog post please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. [...]
August 3, 2022Blaugust / Blogging About Blaugustraindrops on window by Anant Jain on Unsplash
I wrote this piece of writing on July 26, 2014, on a website that no longer exists. The original piece turned out to be a “first draft”, which I later decided to craft into a poem. It was very hot and humid Summer day, and I was wishing for rain.
During the drought, we conserved waterIn hot, humid, muggy, sticky weatherI wish it would rain
Lazy and sleepy from the heatThat rises visibly from the streetI’m hoping for rain
Humidity thickened airPanting breath; frizzing of hairI’m waiting for rain
Pouring bucketsRaining cats and dogsGardens getting waterlogged
Heavens have openedWashing heat awayThunderstorms welcome today!
All of this is but a dreamAs we swelter in the steamIt’s not gonna rain
The website that I originally posted this poem on (and then adapted here) no longer exists. It was one that paid people to blog on their site, in the hope of earning some money from the site’s ad revenue. In short, the company failed in many ways, writers quit, and content scrapers posted a multitude of writing that certainly wasn’t their own work.
One day, the site disappeared, leaving many writers very upset because they hadn’t thought to make a copy of their content just in case something like that happened. To me, it seemed like a whole lot of people, who were promised payment for their heart-felt blog posts – didn’t get anything in return.
For additional context, I live in California. It doesn’t rain here very often. The summer months can be very hot and humid here, and the state has a tendency for fire to break out and spread. The poem you see here is what I was feeling in the midst of a Summer that had gotten too hot for me to be comfortable anymore.
I didn’t have very much time to write anything today, and had no inspiration. Looking for help, I skimmed through the “Writing-Prompts” section of the Blaugust Discord. Mr. Peril (of the Contains Moderate Peril blog) posted the following prompt:
“Today’s radical writing prompt is as follows. Go through your draft folder and pick one of those unfinished posts and complete it.”
Thanks for the writing prompt, Mr. Peril! Your suggestion really helped me get “unstuck” today.
#Blaugust2022 [...]
August 2, 2022Blaugust / Blogging About BlaugustI am participating in Blaugust2022, a fun event that lasts throughout the month of August. Those who participate typically end up posting a lot of content on their blogs (or vlogs) – which everyone gets to enjoy.
It is not too late to sign up and participate! We’ve got a really friendly, helpful group of people, many of whom do this every August. (More details here.)
I’m making an attempt to keep up with everything, and enjoying everyone’s creativity. There is something about having a deadline to hit that can push people to get back into regular blogging.
For example, today, I’m writing about Blaugust. There is something new added for 2022 – “Blaugchievements“. I’m using this blog post as a way to keep track of the Blaugchievements I complete this month. This is not my first attempt at Blaugust, which means I’ve already completed some of these by default. It’s like when you start playing a video game that doesn’t have achievements, and then the developers add some in – and you get “achievement spam” as the game counts the ones you earned.
BLAUGCHIEVEMENTS 2022
Reading the Manual – Read the introductory blog post with the rules of the event. – COMPLETE!Joining the Cause – Sign Up for Blaugust. – COMPLETE!Recruit a Friend – Convince another blogger to participate in Blaugust.Spreading the Madness – Promote Blaugust on your blog or through your social media of choice. – COMPLETE!Friend of Wumpus – Join the Blaugust Discord. – COMPLETE!Sharing is Caring – Post your content in the “Share Your Content” Channel. – COMPLETE!Forum of Friends – Take part in a discussion in the “Post Discussion” Channel.The Pet Tax – Post a picture of an animal friend on the “Stuff and Things” Channel. – COMPLETE!Friend Like Me – Answer a question posted on the Blaugust Discord or help out a new blogger.Shared Thoughts – Comment on a blog post from another Blaugust participant. – COMPLETE!Getting Inspired – Write a blog post inspired by a post from another Blaugust participant.Pickup Group – Play a game or take part in an activity with one or more Blaugust participants.Hot Topics – Write a blog post based on the Blaugust Prompt List. – COMPLETE!Welcome Wagon – Write a blog post based on the first week’s theme of Welcoming Folks to Blaugust. – COMPLETE!Introduce Yourself – Write a blog post based on the second week’s theme of Introducing Yourself. –COMPLETE!Creative Appreciation – Write a blog post based on the third week’s theme Appreciating the works of some Creative or CompanyStaying Motivated – Write a blog post based on the fourth week’s theme of how you have managed to stay motivated. – COMPLETE!Lessons Learned – Write a blog post based on the fifth week’s theme explaining some of the Lessons you have Learned through Blaugust. – COMPLETE!Going Platinum – Complete All of the Blaugchievements for Blaugust 2022.
I will be updating this blog post if/when I complete more of the Blaugust 2022 Blaugchievements.
I’ve also added a Category on Book of Jen called “Blaugust”. This post, and others like it, are going to be shuffled into that category.
Blaugchievements! is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. (With the exception of those participating in Blaugust 2022 and who want to copy-paste the list of Blaugchievements from this post.)
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#Blaugust2022 [...]
August 29, 2020Blaugust / Blogging About BlaugustIn a galaxy far, far, away, there are two paths that force-sensitive people can choose from: the light side, or the dark side. While there are many wonderful reasons for fans to favor the protagonists, I find that the antagonists can also be very complex and interesting.
I am participating in Promptapalooza, this year’s version of Blaugust. Each blogger is assigned one prompt to respond to – and an additional one to pass on to the next blogger. Participating bloggers can also write about any or all of the other prompts.
The prompt I’m responding to in this post is: “Tell us about some of your favorite antagonists and explain why.” It was originally assigned to Naithin on the Time to Loot blog.
Thrawn
The most impressive thing about Thrawn is his ability to carefully calculate every step in his plans. He is a brilliant strategist who is able to make quick changes as the situation allows. Thrawn is the type of person who has the ability to always be several steps ahead of his opponents.
Thrawn finds the art and culture of other species interesting. The more he learns about them, the more he can use that information to his advantage. He is the rare Star Wars antagonist who not only understands why that knowledge is useful, but also appears to enjoy the scholarly aspect of learning such things.
Unlike several other Star Wars antagonists, Thrawn is able to keep his cool when a situation goes differently than he had planned. This gives him the ability to seem very reasonable to whomever he is trying to persuade.
An example of Thrawn’s ability to change tactics and adopt an alternate strategy are in what has been called “The Thrawn Trilogy” by Timothy Zahn. This trilogy is no longer considered to be canon, so I’m thrilled that Timothy Zahn has written new Thrawn books that are canon.
In the first book in the original “Thrawn Trilogy”, Grand Admiral Thrawn seeks out the strange and powerful Jedi Master Joruus C’baoth. It becomes clear that C’baoth believes he is the last Jedi (until Thrawn mentions Luke and Leia).
Thrawn convinces C’baoth to work with him by striking a bargain. Thrawn makes C’baoth believe that he would be in charge of a quest that C’baoth is intensely interested in. C’baoth insists that Thrawn is the one who should be in charge, and agrees to go with him.
This relationship eventually unravels, as it becomes clear that C’baoth has lost his mind. Thrawn switches tactics to make things go in his favor. Timothy Zahn puts the reader inside many of the character’s heads in this trilogy, and that allows the reader to experience what Thrawn is thinking.
Ben Solo / Kylo Ren
I am well aware that Ben Solo / Kylo Ren is a character that has evoked a lot of emotion from Star Wars fans. Some dislike him because he throws tantrums. Others seem to have fallen in love with Kylo Ren for reasons I do not understand.
Both groups are missing the complexity of this character. Adam Driver did a fantastic job of bringing out both sides of this broken, force-sensitive, person.
Ben Solo is the child of Han Solo and Leia Skywalker Organa Solo. Two parents with strong personalities and plenty of resources with which to raise a child. Things should have gone well.
Unfortunately, it was not enough. Something was very wrong with Ben Solo. After learning who his grandfather was, Ben Solo became obsessed with him. There are scenes in the movies where he is talking to the crushed and burned helmet that Darth Vader used to wear.
Han and Leia decided that the best thing to do would be to send Ben to train with Luke, who had begun training Jedi. The hope was that the experience would move Ben Solo towards the light side of the force.
While training, Luke realizes that he could feel the darkness within Ben Solo, and feared that Snoke had already corrupted him. He decided to speak with Ben about it, but found him sleeping.
Using the force, Luke reached out and saw the death and destruction that Ben Solo would eventually bring to everything Luke loved. He learned that his nephew had already been turned by Snoke. It was too late.
On instinct, Luke drew his lightsaber, briefly intending to kill his nephew, but stopping himself from doing so. Ben woke up, saw his uncle with his lightsaber raised, and believed Luke was about to kill him. In short, Ben Solo used the force to drop the ceiling on his uncle. He then killed the rest of Luke Skywalker’s students.
After Han Solo and Leia Skywalker Organa Solo learned what happened, they decided to separate. Each blamed themselves for what their son had done.
Eventually, Ben Solo realizes that Snoke had been “the voices in his head” since early childhood. Snoke saw Ben as “a focal point between the light side and the dark side” and wanted him for an apprentice.
Ben Solo eventually decided to drop his name in favor of a new one that didn’t connect him to his parents. He was now Kylo Ren, and became part of the Knights of Ren. Later, he moved up the ranks of the Empire.
And through all of this is a very confused young man who feels torn between the light and the dark. He feels betrayed by his uncle Luke, and has become convinced that his parents don’t love him anymore. All that is left is Snoke.
In other words, Ben Solo / Kylo Ren never really had the opportunity to make his own decisions. He doesn’t understand why he behaves the way he does.
There is a scene in one of the movies where Han Solo confronts his son. He calls him by name, Ben Solo, and asks him to remove his mask so he could see his son’s face. Ben takes off the mask, but insists that he “destroyed Ben.”
Han insists that his son, Ben, was very much alive. He pleads with his son to come home to his true family, and insists that Snoke is only using him. Ben starts crying.
“I’m being torn apart. I want to be free of this pain. And I know what I have to do, but I don’t know if I have the strength to do it. Will you help me?” Ben asks his father.
Han replies, “Yes. anything.” In that moment, Han Solo may have believed that he was about to get his son back. Instead, Ben Solo / Kylo Ren murders his father. He probably thought that killing his father would make him stronger. It did not. Instead, it made him weaker and more unbalanced.
So, why do I like Ben Solo / Kylo Ren? Part of it is the “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” aspect of this character. He has a split personality, with dueling motivations and interests. The viewer cannot know, for certain, what he will do next and that makes the story more intense and exciting.
Ben Solo / Kylo Ren is a character who believes that he is doing the right thing. He doesn’t see himself as the “bad guy”. He is able to find reasons to justify the things he has done. Kylo Ren identifies as the protagonist in his own story – which makes him a complex and interesting character.
My Favorite Star Wars Antagonists is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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August 12, 2020Blaugust / Blogging About BlaugustImage by Manfred Antranias Zimmer from Pixabay
I am participating in Promptapalooza, this year’s version of Blaugust. Each blogger who is participating is assigned a prompt to write about.
SDWeasel described it as “a blogging relay race” in a blog post focused on the prompt: “What’s something you’ve lost along the way that you would love to have back?” You can find that blog post on Unidentified Signal Source.
Today, it is my turn to complete a portion of the Promptapalozza relay race by writing about the prompt: “Tell us 5 Facts About Yourself”. Just for fun, I decided to tell you about five facts about myself that relate to video games.
The next blogger in the relay race is Heather whose blog is called Just Geeking By. The prompt I am sending to her is: “What are some of the things that get you excited in life?” Be sure to check out her blog tomorrow to see what she will write about that prompt.
My First Video Game was Pong
Pong is described as a “tennis like” video game. It was made by Atari, who released a home version of the game in 1975. My father brought home Pong sometime after the release date. I was in elementary school at the time, so my best guess is that my family was playing it in the early 1980s.
I remember watching my father hook up Pong to our TV. It seemed magical that the TV screen we spent so many hours passively watching could become something we could actively play a game on. The controllers were stiff, and designed for hands much bigger than mine, but I was still able to play.
Looking back, I realize that Pong was what sparked an interest in video games in a very young me. I’m still playing video games all these years later, thanks to a random decision by my father to bring Pong home.
Super Mario Brothers Helped Me Bond with My Brother
One of my brothers is autistic. When he was little, he had a very difficult time expressing himself in a way that made sense to others. Somehow, I understood what he was trying to say. I became his translator.
His primary focus was video games and he loved Super Mario Brothers, which was released on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1985. He was really good at finding patterns in video games, and it wasn’t long before he could sit down and play through the entire game without losing a life.
My parents decided that he needed to take turns. To their surprise, he happily handed over the controller to me or my sister after he finished a game. My best guess is that he knew that we would burn though three lives very quickly, and he wouldn’t have to wait long before he could play again.
My sister eventually grew tired of the game, in part, because my brother liked to give advice to whoever was playing. She seemed annoyed by this. As for me, I saw this as an opportunity to encourage my brother to practice his “speaking to other people in an understandable way” skills.
When it was my turn, I let him give me whatever advice he had. I’d ask questions about when I should jump, or which monster to attack first. It turned out he was surprisingly good at instructing people how to play this game.
When I messed up and died, he patiently re-explained what I should have done. He never got frustrated by my mistakes. He never made fun of me. I think he honestly wanted to teach me how to be a better player.
Super Mario Brothers gave me the opportunity to bond more with my awkward, brilliant, brother. He later used the skills that he didn’t know he was practicing while we played video games to make friends.
My First MMO was Meridian 59
Meridian 59 (now available on Steam) was released in 1996. It was the first 3D massively multiplayer online game, which means the graphics were better than many other games at the time.
The first thing I noticed was that the player characters, the monsters, and the environment, looked dimensional. All of it was much more solid looking than anything in I’d played before.
In 1996, I was almost, but not quite, done with college. I was living with a group of friends, one of whom was a boyfriend I was in a long-term relationship with. A few of them started playing Meridian 59. Eventually, my boyfriend suggested that I start playing it, too.
My computer at the time was a Frankenstein of a PC. It was made of leftover parts after someone upgraded their computer, and scavenged parts from the IT rooms some of my friends were working in. It worked just well enough to run Meridian 59.
When I first started playing, I ended up on a different server than the one my boyfriend played on – and he was really angry about that. At the time, I assumed that players were just randomly stuck on whatever server had room. Maybe that was how it worked.
The game was fun. It allowed for a little bit of character customization, had guilds that each got their own guild hall, and quests that sometimes involved a puzzle-solving strategy. I kind of want to start playing it again, but it won’t run on the Mac I use today.
Diablo was the First Game I Played Until the Sun Came Up
I wasn’t in a good place after finishing college. In a short span of time, I experienced a break-up with my boyfriend, a move to a new apartment where I lived alone for the first time, a job change, and a second move to accommodate it. My grandmother, whom I loved dearly, passed away shortly after that second move.
Living alone gave me the opportunity to play video games whenever I wanted to. Diablo was released in 1997. It was the first game that I played for several hours at a time. It always came as a surprise when I looked up from the screen to see that the sun was coming up.
I remember feeling terrified the first time I opened the door and The Butcher ran out. That fear appeared on my second play-through and all the ones after that. My favorite memory was when I found a bow that had knockback on it and used it to kill The Skeleton King. He couldn’t get close enough to hit me.
Part of what attracted me to this game was its dark, scary, aesthetic. At the time, I felt like everything around me had crashed and burned. I couldn’t change anything in the real world to make it better.
Diablo gave me the illusion that I could fight against the evils of the world. There was something cathartic about slaying an entire level’s worth of skeletons and demons and making that virtual space calmer and safer than what my real world felt like.
World of Warcraft
My favorite memories of World of Warcraft come from when my husband Shawn and I were playing the game together on a regular basis. I was playing a Dwarven Priest named Bradanna, and he was playing a Dwarven Hunter named Hansbrix (with a bear pet named Fridge).
The screenshot above was taken during the Invasions before the Legion expansion was released. We both found these to be really fun, and spent a lot of time going from one location where an invasion was happening to the next one.
Shawn is legally blind, but could still see well enough to play video games for a while back then. I would read the quest text to him, sometimes trying to do the accent of the quest giver. We would stop playing when he started to get eye-strain, and pick up where we left off another time.
You can find many blogs about The Dwarves and their adventures on this website. It is a partial record from when Shawn and I could play the game together. I intend to find time to make blog posts out of the rest of them.
Tell Us 5 Facts About Yourself is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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August 1, 2019Blaugust / Blogging About BlaugustThe official logo of Blaugust 2019 – created by Belghast
Last year, I joined in on the fun and became part of Blaugust Reborn. It was a wonderful opportunity to hang out in Discord with the community of bloggers who had also decided to take on this challenge.
This year, I am taking part in Blaugust 2019. This “festival of blogging” is encouraging me to find the time to post content on my own blog on a regular basis. My goal is to post something every day this month.
I read “A Festival of Blogging” on Episode 051 of Words of Jen.
My one advantage in this challenge is my years of experience in blogging. The work I do as a freelance writer, posting content on other people’s blogs for pay, started in 2010. Somewhere along the way, I realized that I no longer needed to feel inspired before I could begin writing something.
My disadvantages, in regards to this challenge, are many. I have chronic illnesses, some of which can make it extremely difficult to do any kind of writing or blogging. When that happens, my drive to get things done remains, but my body refuses to cooperate.
At any moment, I could encounter an allergen that forces me to drop everything and take medication. My fibromyalgia could give me “fibro fog”, which clouds my thinking for an indeterminate amount of time. Or, it can cause chronic pain, in the form of muscle cramps that can turn into muscle spasms. Pain is exhausting.
Those are my reasons for choosing to join Blaugust 2019 as a participant instead of a mentor. I cannot guarantee that I’ll be well enough to mentor bloggers on a regular basis.
What I can do is share my Blaugust 2019 strategy here. I think that bloggers who also have chronic illnesses may find it useful, whether or not they are taking part in this year’s festival of blogging.
Start creating blog posts early, and scheduling them to go live later. Doing so makes the deadline less stressful. It gives you the opportunity to create blogs that require a lot of time to put together.
Finish the blogs that you started and have left in draft. Starting from something is easier than staring at a blank page on days when you have little motivation, low energy, and no inspiration.
Start thinking of your personal blog as something that is worthy of your time and effort (even if you make no money from it). Personally, I have a tendency to put everything else first, which means my blog gets neglected. I’m hoping that blogging every day for a month will get me into the habit of actually putting content on my blog on a regular basis.
Do you have a gaming blog? If so, consider using up the screenshots that you’ve taken and intended to put into a blog post someday. You don’t have to use each and every screenshot you took. Pick the ones that visually illustrate the in-game thing that you want to write about.
Have fun! The challenge of writing a blog post every day (or even once a week) is intended to spark creativity and encourage you to get into the habit of producing content regularly. If you find yourself getting fatigued, it is perfectly ok to take a break. Festivals are supposed to be fun, after all.
#Blaugust2019
A Festival of Blogging is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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September 4, 2018Blaugust / Blogging About BlaugustImage by Wokanda from Pixabay
In August, I joined a group of bloggers who were participating in a project called Blaugust Reborn. Many (but not all of) their blogs were focused on video games.
One purpose of Blaugust Reborn was to encourage people to post a lot of content on their blogs during the month of August. Another purpose was to create a community of bloggers, like we had back in the days when blogging was the new shiny thing for writers to play with.
Blaugust Reborn welcomed blogging “veterans”, people who blogged for a while and then abandoned their blogs, and those who were brand new to blogging. The Blaugust Reborn’s Discord was active and filled with advice, comments, and conversation. I think the social aspect of the project greatly contributed to its success.
My goal was to post something on my personal blog every day for the entire month of August. This was not a requirement. Blaugust Reborn allowed participants to post as little as five blogs in the month of August — and still earn a fancy virtual “trophy”.
As a freelance writer, work that will pay me tends to take priority. I needed to find a balance between my work and my personal blog — and to fit it around my chronic illnesses/chronic pain. Here are some of the things I learned from blogging every day.
I needed to change how I thought about blogging.
Shortly after I became a freelance writer, I’d gotten into the mindset that I shouldn’t write things on my personal blog until I was done with all of my paid work. My personal blog got much less attention.
It definitely felt good to get paid work done and be able to pay some bills. The problem was I started to feel like my personal blog wasn’t important (especially since it did not generate any income).
Blogging every day made me change my outlook. I started to treat my personal blog as though it was a paid “gig”. When I’m healthy enough, I post one piece of writing on each of my client’s blogs every day (or every other day). I learned that it was entirely possible to add my personal blog into that queue — and still get my freelance writing work done on time.
Daily blogging doesn’t work well with long blog posts.
Every so often, I like to create very detailed blogs that require a lot of time to put together. It’s too much work to cram into one twenty-four hour period. Shorter posts are great for people who want to put new content on their blogs every single day.
I
learned that I could create several short blog posts rather quickly and
schedule them. Doing so put new content on my blog, and gave me some
time to work on the longer blog posts. What was impossible to create in a
day was entirely feasible if done little bursts.
Daily blogging alleviates a backlog.
I learned from the Blaugust Reborn community that there are many writers who have a bunch of posts that are in draft. They put a sketch of ideas into a post, and then leave it in draft, with every intention to finish it later.
It
was a relief to learn that I wasn’t the only blogger who does this.
Blogging every day motivated me to finally complete some of my blogs
that were still in draft.
It also forced me to start solving another problem. I have a huge backlog of video game screenshots that I took because I wanted to use them in a blog post. Blaugust Reborn gave me a good excuse to go through some of those screenshots, put the best ones into a blog post, and delete the ones I didn’t need.
What’s next?
Blaugust Reborn 2018 is over. My intent is to continue posting something new on my personal blog for as long as possible. Ideally, I’d like to keep going until I have used up, or deleted, the video game screenshots I’ve been hoarding for years.
I’m already looking forward to next year’s Blaugust project.
This blog was originally posted on Medium on September 4, 2019.
What I Learned from Blogging Every Day is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
If you enjoyed this blog post please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. Thank you! [...]
August 31, 2015Blaugust / Blogging About BlaugustThis is my very last post for #Blaugust, a project the requires participants to write one blog, every day, through the month of August. It is my understanding that you could write about whatever you wanted to, but most people seem to be writing about video game topics.
I chose to challenge myself by writing about Diablo III for each and every post. To be honest, I wasn’t entirely certain that I would be able to complete this project on time. I’m a freelance writer, so I knew that I could write a blog every day. I often write two or more each day. The difficulty was to see if I could come up with enough things to say about Diablo III for an entire month’s worth of blogs.
I’ve learned quite a bit from my experience with #Blaugust, especially about how to write video game related blogs. So, for my last post for the project, I’m going to share what I learned from doing #Blaugust.
Just to be clear, I’m posting the things I learned in random order, off the top of my head. They aren’t listed in order of importance, or anything like that.
It helps to have a backlog.
One of the reasons I wanted to do #Blaugust was because it would force me to finally blog about all the Diablo stuff that I’d been meaning to write about… someday… when I had time… when I felt better. The majority of the topics I’d been procrastinating on made it into #Blaugust. Projects like this are less intimidating when you start with a handful of ideas that you’ve written in your head, but not actually put into your blog.
A nice side effect of finally blogging about a bunch of Diablo stuff was that it forced me to go through some of the screenshots that I’d been hoarding. The ones I needed for a blog got used. The ones that weren’t as important as I once thought got deleted. I’ve started going through more screenshots and tossing out the stuff I now realize I do not need. I hope I can continue to do that.
I had more to say than I’d realized.
There were so many days when I thought “I’ll just do a quick, little, blog about X”. Those blogs almost always turned into great, big, blogs, with several screenshots included. I learned that I have more to say about the lore of Diablo III than I’d realized. I’d start out with a mental framework about what I wanted to say about a particular character. As I wrote, I’d remember other stuff that needed to be included for context.
I also learned that I have a tendency to “cite sources” in my blogs about the “Diablo universe”. For example, I like to note which book I got certain information from, or where to find that lore in-game. This is something I do naturally in blogs about real life stuff (like politics, for example). But, I didn’t know I’d want to do that in video game blogs, too.
Ideas spawn more ideas.
One of my concerns about doing a 31 day blogging project was that I would run out of ideas. Instead, it was as though each idea spawned a few more. For example, I wrote a blog about Adria, and this inspired me to write another blog about Leah’s family tree, which inspired a third blog about whether or not Leah had her own soul. Something in the Adria blog made me want to write about Andariel (a lesser demon), and then to write about her “twin”, Duriel.
Some of the lore stuff that I’ve written about for #Blaugust has already made its way into “Jen’s Lore Corner”, a new segment that I’m doing for the Shattered Soulstone podcast. More of the lore blogs I wrote this month will find their way into the segment, too. I ended the month with more ideas about Diablo lore stuff that I wanted to write about than when I’d started.
Time constraints limit topics.
I learned that there was only some much time in one day for me to write a blog. Some days were busier than others, and there were plenty of days when I was too sick to write (but did it anyway). As a result, I had to hold off on some topics that I wanted to write about.
For example, I wanted to do a blog about the lore of Tyrael this month, but then realized that it would be too long, too involved, and too research intensive to be practical. That one’s gonna have to wait. I also intend to put together a blog that shows where to find all the journals in-game. Of course, since the game is randomized, some of them won’t always appear in the same place. Even so, I could still put together a “guide” about them. To do this, I need to go through the game, Act by Act, and take a lot of screenshots. I’ve started working on that, but couldn’t complete the research quick enough to include it in #Blaugust.
I can do it!
I think of myself as a writer, but not necessarily as a video game writer. What was holding me back? In general, I tend to assume that everyone else knows more about a particular video game than I do. I had concerns that I wouldn’t get things right, or that my ideas would be too “out there”. I also had concerns that writing about video games, while female, would attract comments/tweets from guys who think it’s fun to harass women who have anything to do with gaming.
Instead, the comments I received were overwhelmingly positive. This surprised me. It also boosted my self-esteem as a video game writer. I learned that I can write thought-provoking things about the “Diablo universe”. I learned that what I think of as my “how to” blogs about Diablo III were getting “clicks” from people who wanted to know that exact information.
What’s next?
I am going to continue to write about Diablo III, but it won’t be every single day anymore. My next project is going to involve moving my best Diablo blogs onto a website that is dedicated to only that type of content. Doing so will make it easier for people to find. [...]
August 16, 2015Blaugust / Blogging About BlaugustA friend who I follow on Twitter mentioned the Portent’s Content Idea Generator. I’d never heard of it before, so I decided to give it a try. This blog is the result of the title it generated for me.
It was totally random that I ended up with a title with the number 16 in it. That works nicely with my Day 16 post for #Blaugust. Those of you who are also working your way through #Blaugust might want to give the generator a try. It’s better than being stuck for ideas.
1) PVP
Ever since there was the first whispers about Diablo III coming into existence, there was a call for PVP (player vs player). There clearly was a group of players who passionately wanted PVP in Diablo III. A Battle.net post (written by Jay Wilson and posted on March 9, 2012) discussed an update about PVP.
Today, we wanted to let you know that we’ve made the difficult decision to hold back the PvP Arena system and release it in a patch following the game’s launch. After a lot of consideration and discussion, we ultimately felt that delaying the whole game purely for PVP would just be punishing everyone who’s waiting to enjoy the campaign and core solo/co-op content, all of which is just about complete.
People were upset that the game wasn’t going to include PVP at the start. They were angry when upcoming patches didn’t include PVP. Some brought the subject back up again around when the Reaper of Souls expansion was going to be released. A recent forum post on Battle.net is titled “I stopped playing D3 because PVP doesn’t exist”. It’s still a big deal!
PVP won’t happen in Diablo III. I think if Blizzard really wanted PVP in the game, they could have found a way to add it to the Reaper of Souls expansion.
2) Offline Play
Shortly after Diablo III was released, there were people who were upset because they did not want to have to get online in order to play the game. This group of players intended to always play solo and had no interest in ever joining a group for a co-op game. It’s entirely possible to make your game private and refuse to invite anyone into it. You don’t have to play the game with other people if you don’t want to. The option of offline play is never going to happen, though.
3) Kadala Gives You the Loot You Wanted
Kadala is probably the most hated NPC (non-player character) in Diablo III. You give her the blood shards you collected, and hope that she will give you something good in return. It’s always a gamble. Blood shards aren’t good for anything else, so you may as well spend them and see what happens.
Kadala says “Anything could happen.” You gamble your blood shards hoping she will give you that one awesome ring, or that one last set piece you need to complete a set. Instead, Kadala gives you some yellows that don’t help your character at all. In a game where the ability to find a specific piece of gear is already randomized, Kadala’s additional random item generation can be extremely frustrating. It often feels like Kadala will never give you the loot you want.
4) Unlimited Blood Shard Carrying Capacity
Wouldn’t it be great if your character could hold an unlimited number of blood shards? That would end the problem of being at maximum carrying capacity and having to return to town and spend some blood shards just so you could pick up the ones that are on the ground. Right now, the only way to increase your blood shard carrying capacity is by doing Greater Rifts.
Unlimited blood shard carrying capacity will never happen. I don’t think Blizzard wants people to save up thousands of them before giving them to Kadala. If they allowed for that, it would cause another problem. Kadala will fill your bag with junk, and you would need to go sell it before you could spend more blood shards.
5) eSports
Blizzard has gotten into eSports with most of their other titles. There have been eSports events for Starcraft, Hearthstone, and Heroes of the Storm. Blizzcon 2014 had a World of Warcraft Arena Sport Championship. Diablo III will never have eSports attached to it. I don’t see how the game could have any eSport potential until Blizzard adds PVP (or something else that puts players into teams that oppose each other).
6) Deckard Cain Returning
I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say that Blizzard is not intending to return Deckard Cain to Diablo III. I remember hearing someone from Blizzard say at Blizzcon (either 2013 or 2014, I forget) that bringing Cain right back into the game would make his death meaningless. (I’m paraphrasing). Based on this, I believe that the return of Deckard Cain in-game is not going to happen. Instead, Blizzard is letting Cain live on through The Book of Cain, Diablo III: The Order, and in a section of The Book of Tyrael.
7) The Return of the Auction House
It seems like it wasn’t that long ago that Blizzard removed both the gold Auction House and the Real Money Auction House from Diablo III. At the time, the main idea was that people were “farming the Auction House” instead of farming in-game for the loot they wanted. The result was that it made the game less exciting because once a player purchased the loot they were after, they weren’t going to find anything better or more desirable in-game.
Blizzard got a cut from the transactions that took place on the real money Auction House. The other Blizzard games have micro transactions built in. You can buy yourself a nice mount to ride on in World of Warcraft, purchase a new Hero in Heroes of the Storm, or buy a bunch of packs of cards in Hearthstone. How will Blizzard make money from Diablo III?
The plan seems to be for them to do it via micro transactions. They have already started dabbling in it, but didn’t have immediate plans to bring it to the Americas. The micro transactions seem to be for cosmetic items, only. The return of the Auction House, where players could buy weapons and armor, will never happen.
8) A Replacement Archangel of Wisdom
Malthael was the Archangel of Wisdom, who kind of freaked out after the Angiris Council voted to allow the Nephalem to continue to exist. If you’ve played through the Story Mode of the Reaper of Souls expansion, you know that Malthael has met his end. The player kills him off.
The game doesn’t have a history of filling vacancies in the Angiris Council. Tyrael started off as the Archangel of Justice, and resigned when he chose to become mortal. That job is still vacant.
For a while, Tyrael, as a mortal, tried to fill the role of Archangel of Wisdom (after Malthael had disappeared and before it became clear what he was up to). It turned out that it just isn’t possible for a mortal to live and work in the High Heavens (what with the lack of bathrooms, beds, and food).
So, now we have two vacancies in the Angiris council. Blizzard would have to create brand new characters to fill those two positions. I can’t see any reason why they would bother, unless an upcoming expansion required the Angiris Council to be filled and functional again. Doing so would throw off the current content of the game, and potentially the lore behind it as well.
9) Flying Mounts
In the past few months, there has been a big argument regarding flying mounts in World of Warcraft (WoW). Or, to be more specific, the lack of ability to use flying mounts in certain zones in the game. This type of argument will never erupt regarding Diablo III because there are no mounts at all. Technically, the Crusader’s Steed Charge is a skill, not a mount.
Diablo III just isn’t the type of game where having a flying mount would work. The game isn’t designed to accommodate anything other than the “default” camera angle. The indoor “dungeons” have low ceilings, and I doubt a flying mount could do more than run in that setting.
10) The Return of Leah
There are those who find Leah annoying, but she is among my favorite characters. Some have wondered what, exactly, happened to her after she turned into “femme Diablo”. Some of the NPCs speculate about what might have happened to Leah’s soul in that moment.
I’ve mentioned in other blogs that some characters die and become ghosts (or return as zombies, wraths, or other monsters). This is not going to happen with Leah. The main reason is because she never had a soul of her own. From the moment of her conception, she and Diablo were one being. The return of Leah will never happen, not even if Diablo comes back again.
11) Trading
When Diablo III was launched, players could get into a game with their buddy, and drop a bunch of loot on the ground. The buddy could pick it up and immediately equip it (if he or she was the right level for the gear). This function enabled players to share the items their character had “outgrown” with a friend who had a lower level character. The same function could be used to initiate a trade between any two players.
Today, you can’t do that anymore. A player can’t find some gear, wait a few days until his buddy is online at the same time he is, and hand the buddy that gear. This is kind of frustrating for players who enjoy helping out their friends. I suspect that there must have been players who were abusing this function, and that trading is gone for good.
12) Time to Level Your Non-Seasonal Characters
There have been 3 Seasons in Diablo III so far, and Season 4 will be starting soon. Blizzard has been good about giving players a warning before a Season comes to an end. They have also made it clear exactly when the new Season would begin. This gives everyone enough time to finish whatever they were hoping to do in one Season and start preparing for the next one.
So far, there hasn’t been much of a gap between one Season and the next. I’ve got a Wizard that hit Level 60 right before Season 1 started. I’ve been meaning to get him to Level 70, but haven’t had the time to do so. If there’s a Season going on, I focus on my Seasonal character. Will we ever have time to level non-seasonal characters again? Signs point to “no”.
13) Character Customization Like in WoW
The transmog system in Diablo III is fantastic. You can use it to change how any weapon or piece of armor looks. Unlike WoW, players don’t need to hold on to all the cool looking gear in order to be able to use it for transmog. The game automatically remembers what you have already picked up. Buy some dye and change the colors of your gear. This allows players to customize the overall look of their Diablo III characters.
That being said, you can never play a blond Barbarian, or a Monk with a purple mohawk and a nose ring. Diablo III will never have that kind of character customization. It doesn’t really need it. One reason is that the interface in Diablo III is different than in WoW. You barely see your character’s face in-game anyway. Does it matter what color her hair is?
The other reason why Diablo III won’t ever have Wow-like character customization has to do with RP (role play). Plenty of people want to get into WoW and become their character. This concept doesn’t seem to appeal to most of the people who play Diablo III. It’s all about the loot!
14) Diablo III Mobile
Hearthstone can be played on your computer, your phone, or your iPad. Gaming is starting to go mobile, and this is a trend that will continue. While Diablo III has moved to console, I can’t see how it would work as a mobile game. There’s never been the slightest suggesting that Blizzard even wants to bring Diablo III to people’s phones. Do you really want to be on a bus, or at a restaurant, with some guy shouting about Treasure Goblins and frantically pushing buttons on his phone? Mobile Diablo III is not going to happen.
15) Diablo I Mobile
Diablo III may be too complex for phones. The original Diablo game, however, might be simple enough to play on a phone or tablet. The game was released in 1996, after all. As much as I would love to see Diablo I released for mobile, I don’t really think it is going to happen. Right now, you can buy Diablo II from the Blizzard store, but Diablo I is nowhere to be found. It feels like Blizzard is trying to separate itself from that title.
16) A Subscription Fee
A bunch of players recieved Diablo III for free after signing up for the World of Warcraft Annual Pass in 2011. The pass itself cost $14.99 a month, which was the same as the monthly fee for a WoW subscription. Those who were already playing WoW, and wanted to continue, would be paying that amount anyway. In addition, they got Diablo III for free.
Players who didn’t do the Annual Pass had to purchase the original Diablo III. Later, people had to buy the Diablo III: Reaper of Souls expansion. Come up with the amount of money it costs to buy both, and you are all set. There’s never been a subscription fee in Diablo III, and I highly doubt that Blizzard will ever make the game subscription based.
[...]
Out of Spoons (Chronic Illness)
July 22, 2022Out of Spoons / Public HealthPhoto by Glen Carrie on Unsplash
This blog post is part of a series focusing on what heath care was like during the Biden-Harris administration. It was a month where the main focus was on the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, other health related topics were addressed. Some of the information about COVID-19 in this blog may be outdated information now.
March 1, 2021 – March 31, 2021
March 1, 2021: President Biden issued “A Proclamation on American Red Cross Month, 2021“. From the proclamation:
…For 140 years, the American Red Cross has been synonymous with the prevention and alleviation of human suffering across the globe. Founded by Clara Barton in 1881, the organization’s mission lives on in the dedication of Red Cross workers – more than 90 percent of whom are volunteers – and the generosity of the American people in moments of crisis.
We saw unmistakable evidence that spirit through the challenges of this past year. In 2020, more than 70,000 people became new Red Cross volunteers and stepped up on behalf of those in need – as disaster shelter workers, health workers, blood donor ambassadors, and transportation specialists. And when our country faced a severe blood shortage, with more than a half-million of our friends and neighbors donating blood with the Red Cross for the first time.
In a year like no other, people made a lifesaving difference. As months of relentless hurricanes, wildfires, and other extreme weather events battered communities, families spent more nights in emergency lodging than in any other year over the past decade – thanks to the hard work and generosity of Red Cross volunteers and partners who provided more than 1.3 million people with overnight stays last year.
When the pandemic strained emergency services, Red Cross workers adapted to help fulfill urgent needs. They responded to increased emergency calls from military families, aided hundreds of thousands of home fire survivors, supported international health and hygiene services, and safely provided health and safety courses to essential workers and others to help them manage the COVID-19 threat. In recent days, as harsh winter storms left many Americans without power and water across the South and Midwest, the Red Cross and its partners have worked to help people recover and restore access to safe water.
This month, we renew our commitment to Clara Barton’s remarkable vision and join together, as one Nation, to recommit ourselves to a foundational American principle: the duty of care we owe to one another when times get tough. I urge all Americans to take part in that tradition through our own everyday acts of compassion – helping a neighbor, a stranger, or a community in need.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America and Honorary Chairman of the American Red Cross, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 2021 as American Red Cross Month. I encourage all Americans to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies and activities, and by supporting the work of service and relief organizations…
March 1: U.S. Food and Drug Administration posted a Statement titled: “Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA issues Authorization for Quidel QuickVue At-Home COVID-19 Test”. From the Statement:
Today, the Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the Quidel QuickVue At-Home COVID-19 Test, another antigen test where certain individuals can rapidly collect and test their sample at home, without needing to send a sample to a laboratory for analysis.
The QuickVue At-Home COVID-19 Test is authorized for prescription home use with self-collected anterior nasal (nares) swabs from individuals ages 14 and older or individuals 8 and older with swabs collected by an adult. The test is authorized for individuals suspected of COVID-19 by their healthcare provider within the first six days of symptom onset.
“The FDA continues to prioritize the availability of more at-home testing options in response to the pandemic,” said Jeff Shuren, M.D., J.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health. “The QuickVue At-Home COVID-19 Test is another example of the FDA working with test developers to bring important diagnostics to the public.”
In addition to this new prescription home test, Quidel also was issued a EUA in December 2020 for their QuickView SARS Antigen Test which is authorized for use in laboratories certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIS) to perform high, moderate, or waived complexity tests, as well as for point-of-care testing by facilities operating under a CLIA Certificate of Waver.
The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.
March 1: National Institutes of Health (NIH) posted a news release titled: “NIH to evaluate COVID-19 at-home testing system”. From the news release:
Newly authorized COVID-19 diagnostic kit is paired with smartphone app.
What
A research team funded by the National Institutes of Health has launched a study to assess performance and usability of a smartphone app paired with the Quidel QuickVue At-Home COVID-19 Test, which just received an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use with a prescription. The home test was supported by NIH through the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) initiative, which has spurred the development and commercial availability of millions of COVID-19 tests over the past year.
More than 200 participants have already enrolled in the study that involves daily testing for a two-week period. An app called MyDataHelps, developed by CareEvolution, LLC provides step-by-step instructions for taking the test and important tools such as timers to ensure that the steps of the test are performed at the correct time intervals. Although users can interpret the test result on their own, the app also provides an independent confirmation of the results when the user photographs the test strip with the smartphone camera.
Understanding how individuals interact with these apps and where they find value in them will inform future efforts to advance at-home COVID-19 testing.
The antigen test gives results in just 10 minutes using a nasal swab sample that is placed in a test tube followed by addition of a test strip. The visually read, colored lines that appear on the test strip indicate a positive or negative result – similar to a pregnancy test.
As rapid, at-home COVID-19 tests like QuickVue become more widely available, companion smartphone apps are expected to play an important role in their successful use. Apps offer great potential to assist individuals with administering tests, tracking symptoms, and interpreting results – ultimately resulting in improved test performance and ease-of-use. In addition to providing valuable guidance, apps can also make it straightforward to report results to public health authorities and health care providers.
These technologies are supported by the National Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), part of the NIH. Quidel intends to apply for an additional EUA from the FDA for sale of this test over the counter, without a prescription.
Who
Bruce J. Tromberg, Ph.D, director of NIBIB and lead for the RADx Tech program, can comment on COVID-19 testing technology…
…About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about the NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
March 1: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Press Release titled: “CDC’s Tips From Former Smokers Campaign Returns With New Ads” From the Press Release:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Tips From Former Smokers (Tips) campaign enters its 10th year today with new ads that encourage people who smoke to quit. The Tips campaign is the nation’s first federally funded tobacco education campaign that has helped more than 1 million U.S. adults to quit smoking and inspired millions more to try to quit. This year’s Tips campaign features ads that will air on national and cable television, online, and streaming radio.
To coincide with the launch of this year’s Tips campaign CDC is also releasing a special supplement in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine focusing on the role of tobacco quitlines. The studies and articles in the supplement address how quitlines have been able to reach, adapt, tailor, and innovate to serve more than 10 million Americans since 2004.
Research shows that emotionally evocative, evidence-based campaigns, like Tips, are effective in raising awareness about the dangers of smoking and helping people who smoke to quit. These campaigns are even more effective when coupled with quitlines, which provide free, confidential support services to help people quit smoking. Each year when the Tips campaign is aired, there is an immediate and marked spike in calls to 1-800-QUIT-NOW and in visits to the campaign website.
“For nearly a decade the Tips campaign has shown us the impact of living with real-life consequences from smoking,” said CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH. “CDC’s longstanding effort to end tobacco use continues to be a public health priority and we remain determined to reduce the number of deaths and prevent chronic diseases that result from tobacco use.”
Emotionally evocative, evidenced-based campaign
Through the campaign, people share compelling stories about their smoking-related diseases and disabilities and the toll these conditions have taken on them and their loved ones. The new 2021 Tips include:
Tonya M. 49, who suffered from heart failure at age 38. Tonya had open-heart surgery and had a battery-operated heart pump installed.Denise H., 66, who cares for her husband, Brian H., 65, who suffers from heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lung cancer – all caused by smoking.Assad M., 25, who cares for his mother, Leah M., 52, who suffers from colorectal cancer due to smoking.
In addition to the new ads, we will continue to run existing ads that highlight a variety of health conditions. This includes ads that feature participants who smoked and have COPD, emphasizing the fact that smoking can cause lung illnesses and make them worse.
“We are so thankful to all the brave Tips campaign participants who, through the years, have shared their powerful stories about the toll cigarette smoking has taken on them and their loved ones,” said Karen Hacker, MD, MPH, director of CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. “Their stories continue to save lives by inspiring people to quit smoking.”
Cost-effective Tips campaign saves lives and dollars
In addition to the harm it causes to people’s lives, cigarette smoking also has a significant impact on the U.S. economy. Smoking costs more than $300 billion a year, including nearly $170 billion in direct medical care for adults and more than $156 billion lost in productivity.
Mass-reach health education campaigns, like , help people quit smoking, improve their health, and reduce healthcare spending. A recently published study showed that during 2012-2018, the Tips campaign prevent an estimated 129,000 early deaths and helped save an estimated $7.3 billion in smoking-related healthcare costs. Every $3,800 spent on the Tips campaign between 2012-2018 prevented an early death.
Cigarette smoking remains the single largest cause of preventable disease and death in the United States, killing more than 480,000 Americans each year. For every American who dies from a smoking-related disease, about 30 more suffer at least one serious illness from smoking.
The adverse effects of smoking are clear and well-documented. Smoking harms nearly every organ in the human body and increases the risk of more serious illnesses from COVID-19 Quitting smoking is beneficial at any age. For more information on the Tips campaign, including profiles of former smokers, other campaign resources and links to the ads, visit CDC.gov/Tips.
March 1: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted a News Release titled: “FDA Authorizes First Robotically-Assisted Surgical Device for Performing Transvaginal Hysterectomy”. From the News Release:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized marketing of the Hominis Surgical System, a new robotically-assisted surgical device (RASD) that can help facilitate transvaginal hysterectomy in certain patients. The Hominis Surgical System is intended for benign hysterectomy (removal of the uterus for non-cancerous conditions) with salpingo-oophorectomy (removal of one or both fallopian tubes and ovaries).
“We are providing physicians and patients another minimally invasive gynecologic surgical option for non-cancerous conditions,” said Binita Ashar, M.D., MBA, FACS, director of the Office of Surgical and Infection Control Devices in the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health. “The FDA continues to support advancements in safe and effective medical devices that can improve patient experiences when undergoing surgical procedures.”
RASD, sometimes referred to as robotic surgical devices or computer-assisted surgical devices, are not actually robots. The devices cannot perform surgery without direct human control. RASD enable a surgeon to use computer and software technology to control and move surgical instruments through one or more tiny ports (incisions or orifices) in the patient’s body and in a variety of surgical procedures or operations. RASD technology facilitates performing minimally-invasive surgery and complex tasks in confined areas inside the body.
To remove the uterus, the Hominis Surgical System uses minimally-invasive surgical instruments inserted through the vagina (transvaginal approach) and a video camera inserted laparoscopically through a small incision on the abdomen for visualization of the instruments inside the patient. The transvaginal approach requires fewer incisions on the abdomen compared to conventional laparoscopic hysterectomy. During the procedure, surgeons in the operating room control the instruments from the Hominis Surgical System console. The FDA will require the manufacturer to develop and provide a comprehensive training program for surgeons and operating room staff to complete before operation of the device.
In addition to its assessment of performance and engineering testing, the FDA evaluated safety and effectiveness in a clinical study of 30 patients undergoing transvaginal total hysterectomy with salpingo-oophorectomy or salpingectomy for benign conditions, using the Hominis Surgical System. Patients has varying characteristics such as ages ranging from 37 to 79 years, body mass index from 17.6 – 40, and 63% of patients had different cormorbidities, such as high cholesterol, osteoporosis or high blood pressure. All 30 procedures with the Hominis Surgical System were successfully completed and there were no conversions to open or other laparoscopic surgical approach. Observed adverse events included minor blood loss, urinary tract infection and delay healing of the closure made at the top of the vagina (vaginal cuff) that is done as part of a hysterectomy.
The FDA reviewed the device through the De Novo premarket review pathway, a regulatory pathway for low- to moderate- risk devices of a new type. Along with this authorization, the FDA is establishing special controls for devices of this type, including requirements related to labeling and performance testing. When met, the special controls, along with general controls, provide reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness for devices of this type.
The FDA granted marketing authorization of the Hominis Surgical System to Memic Innovative Surgery Ltd…
March 1: President Biden posted “A Proclamation on National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, 2021“. From the Proclamation:
For my family, for the Vice President’s family, and for millions of families across our Nation, the fight against cancer is personal. Too many of us know the sinking feeling of shock and devastation when a loved one receives a diagnosis of cancer – too many of us know the unspeakable pain when the fight cannot be won. Each year, colorectal cancer claims more than 50,000 American lives, making it the second leading cause of cancer deaths in our Nation. National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month is a chance to bring greater attention to this terrible disease and to offer what families living through it need most: hope.
In this battle, hope and awareness are intertwined. Because the risk of death from colorectal cancer drops dramatically when the cancer is caught early, we can save lives by calling attention to risk factors and increasing routine screening. This month is our chance to improve public understanding of colorectal cancer risk, inform people about screening recommendations, and set our sights on broadening prevention strategies, improving treatments, and finding a cure.
Colorectal cancer can afflict anyone, but the risk is higher among some Americans than others. When we lost the trailblazing actor Chadwick Boseman to colon cancer last year after a heroic fight, it served as a reminder that this disease disproportionately impacts communities of color – and is particularly fatal among Black Americans. Age, too, is a factor, as the majority of cases occur in people over 50 years old. People with increased risk for developing the disease include certain racial and ethnic minority populations, as well as individuals with inflammatory bowel disease, a family history of colorectal cancer, or other risk factors such as tobacco use. For more information on risk factors, you can visit www.cancer.gov.
As with so many diseases, the best defense against colorectal cancer is early detection. Symptoms can include blood in the stool; stomach pain, aches, or cramps that do not go away; and weight loss without a known cause. But many cases have no symptoms, especially early in the disease, when colorectal cancer is most curable. A recent Government study estimated that if all 50-year-old adults were screened for colorectal cancer, we could prevent approximately 35,000 deaths. That’s why it is so crucial, especially for Americans over 50 or otherwise at increased risk, to receive regular screenings. And although the disease is relatively rare in younger adults, the incidence of colorectal cancer has been rising among this group. No matter your age, every American should take possible colorectal cancer symptoms seriously and bring them to the attention of your health care provider.
I know how hard it is right now to be mindful of preventative care. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted so many parts of our lives, including, for far too many, the routine checkups and screenings that are so vital to guarding against disease. I urge every American to take the precautions they need in order to stay vigilant against cancer – don’t delay your treatments. You and your healthcare provider can discuss how to balance the risks and benefits of cancer screening, taking into account medical history, family history, other risk factors, and the time between screenings.
My Administration is strongly committed to improving the prevention and treatment of colorectal cancer, and to giving every American access to quality, affordable health coverage. Because of the Affordable Care Act, most health insurance plans must cover a set of preventative services with no out-of-pocket cost. This includes colorectal cancer screening in adults age 50 and older. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, my Administration also announced a Special Enrollment Period for the Health Insurance Marketplace now through May 15th, so that millions of uninsured individuals and families can sign up for health coverage and gain these protections. I encourage you to visit www.healthcare.gov to explore your eligibility and get covered.
Above all, I want every family facing this fight – and all those that will in the future – to know that there is hope. As President, I am committed to ending cancer as we know it. That mission motivated me every day when I led the Cancer MoonshotInitiative in 2016 to speed up progress toward prevention, treatment, and cures. Thanks to that effort, researchers, oncologists, care providers, philanthropists, data and tech experts, advocates, patients, and survivors have joined forces to double the rate of progress toward a cure for cancer. One particular program, Accelerating Colorectal Cancer Screening and follow-up through Implementation Science (ACCSIS), has made strides to improve colorectal cancer screening, follow-up, and referral for care among populations that have low screening rates, including communities of color and rural Americans. You can read more about this important work by visiting www.cancer.gov and www.cdc.gov/cancer…
…NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 2021 as National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. I encourage all citizens, government agencies, private businesses, non-profit organizations, and other groups to join in activities that will increase awareness and prevention of colorectal cancer…
March 1, 2021: The White House posted a “Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials“. From the Press Briefing:
MR. ZIENTZ: Good morning. Thank you for joining us. We got very good news over the weekend: The Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization for a third safe and effective vaccine, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which will help us defeat the pandemic.
While we have much work ahead of us on many fronts, this is certainly a very encouraging development.
Today, we’ll get a state-of-the-pandemic update from Dr. Walensky. Dr. Fauci and Dr. Nunez-Smith will discuss the recently authorized J&J vaccine. And I’ll close with an update on our planning, logistics, and distribution of the J&J vaccine. And then we’ll open it up to questions.
Dr. Walensky.
DR. WALENSKY: Thank you, Jeff. I’m delighted to be back with you today. Let’s get started with the current state of the pandemic.
I remain deeply concerned about a potential shift in the trajectory of the pandemic. The latest CDC data continue to suggest that recent declines in cases have leveled off at a very high number. The most recent seven-day average of cases – approximately 67,200 – represents an increase of a little over 2 percent compared to the prior seven days.
Similarly, the most recent seven-day average of deaths has also increased more than 2 percent from the previous seven days to nearly 2,000 deaths per day.
These data are evidence that our recent declines appear to be stalling – stalling at over 70,000 cases a day. With these new statistics, I am really worried about reports that more states are rolling back the exact public health measures we have recommended to protect people from COVID-19.
I understand the temptation to do this. Seventy thousand cases a day seemed good compared to where we were just a few months ago. But we cannot be resigned to 70,000 cases a day, 2,000 daily deaths.
Please hear me clearly: At this level of cases, with variants spreading, we stand to completely lose the hard-earned ground we have gained. These variants are a very real threat to our people and our progress. Now is not the time to relax the critical safeguards that we know can stop the spread of COVID-19 in our communities, not when we are so close.
We have the ability to stop a potential fourth surge of cases in this country. Please stay strong in your conviction. Continue wearing you well-fitted mask and taking the other public health prevention actions that we know will work.
Ultimately, vaccination is what will bring us out of this pandemic. To get there, we need to vaccinate many more people. Yesterday, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, endorsed the safety and efficacy of Janssen’s COVID-19 vaccine. After that ACIP met, I was heartened to sign their recommendations for use of this vaccine in people 18 or older.
It offers several unique benefits. It’s a single-dose vaccine that provides COVID-19 protection with just one shot. That can help fully vaccinated people who may have difficulty, or who are not interested, in returning for a second dose. For those administrating the vaccine, this vaccine is also easier to store and transport since it does not need to be kept in a freezer. This will make it easier to provide vaccine in community settings and mobile sites as supplies scale up.
Having multiple types of vaccine available, especially ones with different dosing regimes and different storing and handling, offers more flexibility. For example, clinics and mass vaccination sites that do not have freezer capacity may be able to use the Janssen vaccine, increasing access to more communities.
I know that many Americans look forward to rolling up their sleeves with confidence as soon as a COVID-19 vaccine is available to them. We are working hard to get and distribute these vaccines to your communities. I also know that some people may not be there today and may still have questions about those vaccines, including wanting more information about the process for developing and authorizing them. That’s natural. And I know that some people have had experiences that may have diminished their confidence in the health system. That’s also understandable.
I want to emphasize several important facts about these vaccines. We have conducted the largest-scale clinical trials of any vaccine, and what made that possible so quickly was the high amount of disease in the community and the fact that so many people were interested in participating. All of the available data show that these vaccines are safe and highly effective.
Over 100,000 people participated in clinical trials to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of these vaccines, and they have all met rigorous FDA scientific standards. Equally importantly, as of today, nearly 50 million people in the United States have received at least one does of a COVID-19 vaccine. We have put in place the most intensive vaccine safety monitoring systems in U.S. history, and we are actively monitoring for any new safety signals.
CDC’s new V-safe smartphone-based health checker has now enrolled approximately 4.5 million people to capture patient-reporting side effects in real time. These results are all reassuring. Some people have had no side effects after vaccination. Many people reported mild side effects like pain, swelling at the injection site, and headache and chills or fever. These are common with all vaccines and should go away after a day or so. Serious, generally reversible reactions remain exceptionally rare.
For those who have – still have questions about the vaccines, I encourage you to visit the CDC COVID-19 website for more information. Our decisions today as a unified nation, and as individuals, including whether and when to get vaccinated, will determine how quickly we can stop this pandemic and what life will look like in the coming months ahead.
The most important thing you can do is be ready to get the vaccine that is available to you. It will help protect us all from COVID-19.
Thank you. I look forward to your questions. And with that, I’ll turn things over to Dr. Fauci.
Dr. Fauci?
DR. FAUCI: Thank you very much, Dr. Walensky. I’m going to talk just a little bit more now about the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine.
If I could have that first slide. Let’s move on to the second slide. We get questions – just move on to the second slide.
We get questions regarding the various percentage numbers that people see. And I know most of you are aware of them, but let me clarify a few things. The 66 percent vaccine efficacy that we have is really against all of the countries involved. You must recall that this vaccine trial was done on three continents – the United States, South America, and South Africa – with varying degrees of infection dynamics, as well as varying strains, variants, or lineages. That is the 66 percent. The 72 percent is the vaccine efficacy against moderate to severe critical infection in the United States.
I want to point out again a question we often get asked. In order to try – we always say: What vaccine is better than the other vaccine? In order to be able to determine that, you would have to compare them head to head. This was not done. We have three highly efficacious vaccines that also, as Dr. Walensky says, have a very good safety profile.
A very important number, but I want to reemphasize, is that there’s 85 percent efficacy against severe COVID-19 globally, including the United States. This is very important because if you look at other countries, such as South Africa – if you go to the next slide – where you have the B1351, you can see that the efficacy against severe critical disease was 82 percent there. That’s really very important, because even though the vaccine itself – the spike protein against wild-type virus, namely the virus that is D613G, not against the B1351. So even through the vaccine itself was not specifically directed against this variants, it did extremely well when it came to preventing critical disease. And as we’ve heard many times now, there were no hospitalizations or deaths in any of those studies.
Next slide.
I want to spend a minute now telling you the difference between mRNA and the Ad26, because we often get asked that question. As we’ve said on previous briefings, the mRNA that’s injected into the muscle codes for the spike protein in the proper configuration. The body sees that and makes an immune response against that, giving you the protection that has been shown with both of the mRNA vaccines.
Next slide.
In contrast, the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine approach is to take a common-cold, harmless, non-replication, competent virus called Adeno26, in which the DNA of the SARS spike insert was given into the genome. That virus is then injected into an individual. The DNA then transcribes the RNA; the RNA then gives you the spike protein.
The ultimate end game is that both of the viruses – excuse me, both of the vaccines ultimately result in a spike protein in the right configuration that gives the body the opportunity to feel that this is the actual virus that it’s seeing when it’s not; it’s the protein.
Next slide.
And so just to put everything in perspective – we’ve shown this slide before – we now have, again, the third vaccine that is highly efficacious, as shown here, which has been granted an EUA, as has been described by Dr. Walensky.
Let me go to the last slide and just make a comment that I think people do not seem to appreciate, and it has to do with what goes into making these vaccines successful.
I have as the title of the slide, “The Role of the NIH and the U.S. Government in the Development and Testing of J&J.”
I think what people don’t appreciate is that there have been decades of investment in basic preclinical and clinical research to actually develop the adenovirus 26 vector. A lot of work was done by Dr. Dan Barouch and his colleagues up at Harvard.
The development of the stabilized prefusion spike protein was done by scientists at the NIAID Vaccine Research Center. The utilization by J&J of the extensive domestic and international clinical trials network, that was established for – actually, for HIV and influenza.
Also, the NIAID-funded CORE lab at the HVTN, at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, performed all the immunological testing. The Data and Safety Monitoring Board was established by NIAID, and there as extensive support from BARDA at ASPR of HHS to conduct the trial and to pre-purchase hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of vaccines by BARDA.
So it’s a complicated process. So even though it looks like it was quick and it was done in a very relatively short period of time, there was a lot of effort, including fundamental, basic preclinical and clinical research that went into that.
I’ll stop there and hand it over to Dr. Nunez-Smith.
Dr. Nunez-Smith: Well, thanks so much, Dr. Fauci. This is all very, very good news. You know, all three vaccines are safe and highly effective at preventing what we care about most, and that’s very serious illness and death.
So all of the authorized vaccines will be distributed across states and jurisdictions and across all of our federal vaccination channels.
That doesn’t mean that every vaccination site will have every vaccine, but it means that all vaccines will reach all communities – so all three authorized vaccines available in the suburbs, all three available in the cities, all three available on the coast and in the Heartland.
So I just want to briefly talk about some of the clinical benefits of the J&J vaccine from a healthcare provider’s perspective. Having these different types of vaccines available for use – you know, ones that have different storage requirements, different handling requirements, different dosing recommendations – that will bring more options and more flexibility to healthcare providers.
You know, it could absolutely allow for expanded availability of vaccine, you know, in some temporary clinics, some pop-up mobile sites, and those locations that do not have cold storage capacity. The overall increased vaccine supply creates greater opportunity for people to get vaccinated.
We also recognize some individuals may have a preference for a single dose vaccine – so those who do not want to return for a second dose or who would have difficulty returning for a second dose. We understand that.
Still, as a physician, I strongly urge everyone in America to get the vaccine that is available to you when it is your turn. If people want to opt for one vaccine over another, you know, they may have to wait. Time is of the essence; getting vaccinated saves lives.
No doubt, communities across the country have been devastated by this pandemic. The vaccines and vaccinations are a critical tool in bringing this unprecedented pandemic to an end. And now we have three.
And so, for that, in addition to the scientist, I want to thank all of the clinical trial participants for their contributions to scientific discovery.
You know, for this vaccination campaign to be successful, vaccines will have to reach everyone. And so kudos to those states and jurisdictions who are already working closely with trusted leaders in the hardest-hit communities to ensure fair and equitable access to vaccinations. This is best practice.
So, again, all three vaccines have been proven safe, highly effective at preventing severe disease, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19 after full immunity.
And if I could leave people with one message, it is this: Get vaccinated with the first vaccine available to you. Protect yourself, your family, and your community from COVID-19.
And with that, I’ll turn it over to you, Jeff.
Mr. Zients: Well, thank you, Dr. Nunez-Smith. I’ll provide an update on our planning, logistics, and distribution of the recently authorized Johnson & Johnson vaccine before we open it up for questions.
For the last several weeks, we’ve been working with governors, state and local health officials, and pharmacies and community health centers to ensure we were ready to roll out the J&J vaccine immediately after FDA approval and CDC recommendations.
Starting yesterday, we began executing on our plans by distributing 3.9 million doses of Johnson & Johnson to states, tribes, and territories, and also to pharmacies and community health centers.
Johnson & Johnson doses will be delivered as early as tomorrow. We’re allocating the J&J vaccine the exact same way we allocate Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccine: proportional to a state, tribe, or territory’s population.
So, for example, if a state represents 2 percent of the U.S. population, it receives approximately 2 percent of the Pfizer allocation, 2 percent of the Moderna allocation, and will now receive 2 percent of the J&J allocation that is made to states, tribes, and territories.
We have directed states to manage distribution of all three vaccines in a fair and equitable way. And we will continue to monitor that closely.
As part of that work, the CDC is tracking distribution of vaccines across a range of equity metrics, including zip codes and Social Vulnerability Index data.
We have very effective vaccines, and all communities should have equitable and even access to each vaccine.
As to the expected supply of Johnson & Johnson vaccine, this week we’ll distribute 3.9 million doses. That is the entirety of Johnson & Johnson’s current inventory. We’re getting these doses out of the door right away to ensure vaccines get into as may arms as quickly as possible.
J&J has communicated that the supply will be limited for the next couple of weeks following this initial distribution of nearly 4 million doses. The company expects to deliver approximately 16 million additional doses by the end of March.
However, as we have discussed with governors and their teams and with federal partners, we know that J&J distribution and delivery will be uneven across these early weeks in March, and the company expects the delivery to be predominantly in the back half of the month.
Overall, in the J&J vaccine, we’ve done the planning, we have the distribution channels in place, and we’re getting doses out the door as quickly as possible to get shots in arms. So we’re focused on execution, and that includes the important work of ensuring that we continue to increase overall vaccine supply, increase the number of vaccinators, and increase the number of places Americans can get vaccinated.
Next, I want to provide an update on the pace of doses being administered. As you can see on our weekly vaccination report, the current seven-day average is 1.7 million shots per day. Given that first couple of days in this seven-day period included the storm impacts, 1.7 million actually understates the current pace.
Over the weekend, we experienced new record levels of daily vaccinations. That said, we have much more to do on all fronts in our war on this pandemic.
There is a path out of this pandemic, but how quickly we exit this crisis depends on all of us. And that’s why I encourage everyone to take the advice of Doctors Walensky, Fauci, and Nunez-Smith.
Follow the public health guidance. Get vaccinated when it’s your turn. And continue to wear masks and social distance to protect yourself and your fellow Americans. We will continue doing everything we can, as a federal government, to defeat this virus, but it’ll take all of us, stepping up to do our part.
With that, let’s open it up to questions.
MODERATOR: Great. And as a reminder to please keep your questions to one question only. First up, we’ll go to Elizabeth Wise at USA Today.
Q: Hi, thank you so much for taking my question. You didn’t say how many doses are being shipped this week. I think, usually, you’ve said that.
My question, however, is: So, appointment systems seem to be the rate limiting factor for getting people vaccinated in a lot of the country, and in some cases this is frustrating people who aren’t coming back because they couldn’t get through. As states move into phase 1B and 1C, and we get tens of millions of more Americans who are eligible, how is the system going to cope? And what are you doing to strengthen it?
Mr. Zeints: So the number of doses is 3.9 million. So that was the entire J&J inventory, and all of those doses are being shipped this week.
You know, I think scheduling an appointment is too difficult and remains too difficult in many places. You know, in some states or in some locales, things have gotten better. The pharmacy systems are often better at scheduling appointments. But overall, too many Americans are suffering frustration, taking up way too much time to schedule an appointment.
We have addressed some of those root causes as we’ve increased the vaccine supply, as we’ve put more vaccinators in the field, as we’ve increased the number of places. But now we really need to make sure the systems can handle not only the current demand, but the projected demand for people being vaccinated.
So we’re working with states to improve their health sites so that they can handle this capacity. We’re also looking at lower-tech solutions that the federal government might be able to provide, whether those are call centers or people to help navigate the system.
So, I think, overall, scheduling remains, for far too many people, too frustrating, and we need to make it better.
Next question.
MODERATOR: Next we’ll go to William Joy with WFAA Dallas.
Q: Thank you for taking my question. So this has to do with equity, for either Dr. Nunez-Smith or for Jeff. So, at least here in Dallas-Fort Worth, the gap between vaccinations in affluent zip codes versus underserved zip codes is actually getting worse. So how specifically are you grading yourself when it comes to equity? And what’s that grade right now?
Mr. Zeints: Dr. Nunez-Smith?
Dr. Nunes-Smith: Yeah. No, thanks for the question. We’re absolutely 100 percent committed to equitable vaccine access. And, you know, the statistics that you share are very concerning to us. We know that we still have a challenge in term of – in terms of data. The data quality are not exactly where we’d like them to be as far as race, ethnicity. But even the data that we do have do suggest this pattern.
You know, we are already, in the federal programs, prioritizing equity. We have been committed to this from the very beginning, in the launch of those programs, using metrics such as the CDC’s Social Vulnerability Index to help guide where resources should go.
You know, ultimately, we do believe that people should be vaccinated at the rates – and different groups should be vaccinated at the rates in their population. And that’s – that’s our target and our goal.
We’re already working closely with states to provide technical assistance where needed. We will continue to do so.
Mr. Zeints: I think Dr. Nunez-Smith has captured it well. I will add that the President has been crystal clear that, as important as speed and efficiency in vaccinations, equity and fairness are as important, and we need to make sure that we execute on a strategy that ensures equity and fairness.
MODERATOR: Great. Next question will go to Laurie Garrett.
Q: Sorry, had a moment of unmuting. Thank you very much. Yes, I have a question regarding the variants, and this would go to both Doctors Fauci and Walensky. We have this new New York variant that jumped from 0.2 percent of identified viruses in early November to now about 28 percent in New York. And it seems to have arisen in an HIV/AIDS patient, indicating the possibility that we could see variants arising in highly immunosuppressed individuals. And they’re warning that it may be colonizing in nasal cels with very high, like tenfold affinity, for H2 receptors. And that’s a site pretty privileged in terms of IgG neutralizing antibodies.
So, I wonder – my question is: How worried should we be about this particular variant? And is it possible that vaccinated and COVID-surviving individuals could still harbor and colonize and transmit from their noses to other individuals? Thank you.
Mr. Zeints: Let’s start with Dr. Fauci, and then we’ll go to Dr. Walensky.
Dr. Fauci.
Dr. Fauci: Well, we certainly are taking the New York variant, the 526, very seriously, Laurie. You know, as you know, it started of in what is likely the Washington Heights section, and then has gone through multiple boroughs, and is now gaining. Work done by David Ho has shown that we really have to keep an eye on that for its ability to evade both monoclonal antibody and, to a certain extent, the vaccine-induced antibodies. So it’s something we take very, very seriously.
Mr. Zeints: Dr. Walensky, anything to add there?
Dr. Walensky: I would just say we know that early studies actually show that these variants could emerge in a single host – in a single immunocompromised host, as well. And it’s our reason to decrease circulating virus everywhere, but in the community, as well as individuals.
Dr. Fauci: What I think is important – because we often get asked the question that’s a reasonable question: “Should people who are immunocompromised get vaccinated?” And the answer is, “Absolutely, yes.” Absolutely, yes. Because that’s not only important for them for their own health, but that could be the breeding ground of the emergence of variants for the simple reason that, if you don’t clear the virus rapidly, you’re going to have immunological selection within a given individual. And as Laurie said correctly, that was probably how this started with 526.
MODERATOR: Next question will go to Jeremy Diamond at CNN.
Q: Hey, thanks for taking the question. Sorry, let me just mute the (inaudible) here. Apologies. I’m hoping you could address some of the concerns that the more easily deployable nature of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will make the go-to vaccine for marginalized and harder-to-reach communities.
I know you guys have said that, you know, that’s something that you’re monitoring and you want states to distribute these shots equitably. But beyond monitoring, what more can the administration do to not only avoid this perception that, you know, you have different vaccines for different classes of Americans, but also to make sure that you’re getting the most bang for your buck from an epidemiological perspective, given the limited supply?
Mr. Zeints: Dr. Nunez-Smith?
Dr. Nunez-Smith: Absolutely. Thank you for the – for the question. So, you know, we shouldn’t lose sight of the very good news that we have: we have three authorized vaccines. That’s tremendous. We do expect that they be distributed evenly for all communities to benefit.
There are clinical benefits to J&J that we talked about briefly – in terms of the cold storage capacity, the single dose – that might make it very useful for healthcare providers in their toolkit, as they’re thinking about things like some pop-ups.
But overall, you know, we do think that the distribution, again, should be should be even across communities. So, importantly, providing that guidance upfront – we are modeling that within the federal programs. And then, you know, as we said, we will be tracking biometrics, such as zip code and social vulnerability to see where vaccines are going.
And should certain vaccines go consistently to certain communities, we will be able to intervene. And, you know, we’re here to provide support and technical assistance to pivot and intervene and correct, if and when needed.
MODERATOR: Last question will go to Zeke Miller at the Associated Press.
Q: Thank you all for doing the call. Two questions. First, just to follow up on what Dr. Nunez-Smith just said: What would that intervention look like? Would that be a reduction in a state’s allocation?
And then, more broadly, for Doctors Walensky and Dr. Fauci, what is the current timetable in terms of federal guidance on what people who have been vaccinated can and shouldn’t do in this moment? Is it safe for them to go out to dinner right now? Can they start to travel? And are you worried that the delay in getting that sort of guidance is having some – a downward pressure on demand?
Mr. Zeints: So, Zeke, I’ll go first here, and then over to the doctors.
You know, if we were to see that vaccines were going to certain communities, we will take action, as Dr. Nunez-Smith said, to ensure supply is distributed evenly. And first actions would include obviously the communication of our standards and our insistence that people adhere to the standards, and then we would begin by providing technical assistance to the state or other providers.
Second question over to you, Dr. Fauci.
Dr. Fauci: Yes. So this is something that the team – the medical team talks about all the time. Ultimately, the CDC will be coming out within a reasonable period of time; I’ll let Rochelle give you that timeframe in a moment. But, you know, I have been asked and have said publicly that, you know, as we get more and more people vaccinated, the logical that was just asked by Zeke is an important question. And that is: What happens if you get doubly vaccinated people with the Pfizer and Moderna, for example – members of family, people coming in – like, I use the example of a daughter coming in from out of town who is doubly vaccinated, and maybe a next-door neighbor who you know are doubly vaccinated, and a husband and wife doubly vaccinated. Small gatherings in the home of people, I think you can clearly feel that risk – that relative risk is so low that you could have a good social gathering within the home.
Beyond that is going to be based on a combination of data, a combination of modeling, and a combination of good, clinical common sense. And the CDC is working on that right now. And we’ll all be together with a good message hopefully soon.
So, Rochelle, why don’t you take it from there?
Dr. Walensky: Yeah, I don’t have too much to add, except to say we’re actively working on this guidance. We’re looking forward to releasing it soon.
At the same time – and I would agree with all that Dr. Fauci has said – at the same time, I want to really keep our eye on the fact that were are – our cases are increasing right now, slightly and – but they are. And so, you know, the goal is not to sort of open up travel, open up all of, you know, things because people – you know, we’re scaling up vaccination. The goal in those first 100 days has always been to sort of make sure that we are in a place to be out of this pandemic. At 70,000 cases per day, we’re not in that place right now.
So while we may have, you know, guidance at the individual level, as Dr. Fauci has suggested, I think we all need to keep our eye on the fact that we’re not out of the woods here yet.
Dr. Fauci: Yeah, the environment of, as I just mentioned, the setting in a home of a small group of people having dinner together, all of whom are vaccinated, is very different when you step out the door and go into a society that has 70,000 new infections per day. So, amen to what Dr. Walensky just said.
Mr. Zeints: I want to thank everybody for joining today. We’ll be back together on Wednesday. Thank you.
March 2: National Institutes of Health (NIH) posted a news release titled: “NIH invests in next iteration of public-private partnership to advance precision medicine research for Alzheimer’s”. From the news release:
The National Institutes of Health has launched the next version of the Accelerating Medicines Partnership (AMP) Alzheimer’s disease program (AMP AD 2.0) to expand the open science, big data approach for identifying biological targets for therapeutic intervention. AMP AD 2.0 is supporting new technologies, including cutting-edge, single-cell profiling and computational modeling, to enable a precision medicine approach to therapy development. Managed through the Foundation for the NIH (FNIH), AMP AD 2.0 brings together NIH, industry, non-profit and other organizations with a shared goal of using open science practices to accelerate the discovery of new drug targets, biomarkers and disease subtypes.
“Unraveling the complex biological mechanisms that cause Alzheimer’s disease is critical for therapeutic development,” said NIH Director Francis S. Collins, M.D., PhD. “AMP AD 2.0 aims to add greater precision to the molecular maps developed in the first iteration of this program. This will identify biological targets and biomarkers to inform new therapeutic interventions for specific disease subtypes.”
Alzheimer’s, the most common cause of dementia, affects an estimated 2.8 million Americans 65 and older. Because the prevalence of this disease is greater among Black and Latino Americans than among white Americans, AMP AD 2.0 will expand the molecular characterization of Alzheimer’s in brain, blood, and spinal fluid samples collected from these populations. These dataset will allow the AMP AD 2.0 research teams to refine the characterization of new targets, discover new fluid biomarkers, and define disease subtypes and increase the understanding of causative factors and steps in disease progression. The knowledge gained will inform the development of therapies that can be tailored to different stages of the disease and diverse disease risk profiles.
“AMP AD has helped transform the way we learn about the disease process and identify new targets for treatment,” said Richard J. Hodes, M.D., director of the National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of NIH. “By expanding the molecular characterization of Alzheimer’s disease to be more inclusive of diverse populations and by renewing the commitment to open science practices for sharing data, methods and results, we will enable researchers across the globe to approach the development of effective treatments.”
During the first AMP Alzheimer’s program, research teams generated a wealth of high-quality data from human biological samples and animal and cell-based models and discovered more than 500 unique candidate targets through a centralized data infrastructure and data-sharing platform, the AD Knowledge Portal, and the portal-linked, open-source platform Agora. The wide availability of this data has led to many new insights on the role of the genome, proteome, metabolize and microbiome in the disease process. To date, more than 3,000 researchers around the world, representing academic, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry sectors, have used these data resources for research on Alzheimer’s and related dementias.
NIA will lead research efforts and contribute an estimated total of $61.4 million over five years, pending availability of funds. This includes funding for a data coordinating center at Sage Bionetworks, and six multi-national, cross-disciplinary academic research teams.
AMP AD 2.0 private funding partners include Eisai Inc., Gates Ventures and Takada Pharmaceutical Company Limited. The Alzheimer’s Association and GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK), who have been partners since the beginning of the AMP Alzheimer’s program, will again participate and continue to provide support towards the program’s goals. The total co-funding contribution from all private partners will be approximately $13.45 million, which will be managed through FNIH.
As before, FNIH will manage a steering committee to provide strategic direction of the partnership’s research plans with representation from public- and private-sector partners. FNIH’s steering committee management will be directed by an AMP AD executive committee made up of leaders from NIA, industry, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and not-for-profit research, advocacy and care organizations.
“This partnership offers real hope to the tens of millions of people affected by Alzheimer’s disease,” said Maria C. Freire, Ph.D., president and executive director of the FNIH. “Collaboration through the first round of AMP AD has already enabled breakthrough advances in researchers’ understanding of how Alzheimer’s disease progresses, uncovering numerous potential targets for drug therapy in a field where treatment options are severely limited.”…
March 2: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted news titled: “CDC to Require Airlines to Collect Contact Information from Passengers from DRC and Guinea”. From the news:
Starting Thursday, March 4, 2021, airlines and other aircraft operators will be required to collect and transmit contact information to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for appropriate public health follow-up and intervention for all passengers boarding a flight to the United States who were in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) or the Republic of Guinea within the last 21 days before their arrival in the United States.
There are currently outbreaks of Ebola virus Disease (Ebola) in DRC and Guinea. The ability to identify and locate people in the U.S. who may have been exposed to a communicable disease, such as Ebola, abroad is critical to help prevent the spread of disease within U.S. communities. Having access to travelers’ contact information will allow U.S. federal, state, and local heath departments and agencies to provide health information, monitor travelers for signs and symptoms of Ebola, and ensure travelers who develop symptoms are quickly isolated and receive appropriate medical evaluation and care.
This order follows the February 2020 interim final rule that authorized CDC to require airlines and other aircraft operators to collect certain data from passengers before they board a flight to the United States, and to provide the information to CDC within 24 hours of a CDC order.
“Timely public health follow-up requires health officials to have immediate access to accurate and complete contact information for travelers as they arrive in the United States,” said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky. “Inaccurate or incomplete contact information reduces the ability of public health authorities to swiftly protect the health of travelers and the public. Any delay in contacting exposed individuals can increase the likelihood of disease spread.”
Air travel has the potential to transport people, some of whom may have been exposed to a communicable disease, anywhere across the globe in less than 24 hours. In certain situations, public health officials may need to follow up with travelers who have arrived from a country where an outbreak is occurring, such as the Ebola outbreaks in DRC and Guinea.
CDC has identified the minimum amount of information needed to locate travelers reliably after they arrive in the United States: full name, address while in the U.S., primary contact phone number, secondary or emergency contact phone number, and email address. Airlines and other aircraft operators will collect this information and submit it electronically, to enable CDC to receive these data in a timely manner.
The U.S. government will also begin to redirect air passengers from DRC and Guinea to six U.S. airports where over 96% of air passengers from these countries already arrive. The six airports include New York (JFK), Chicago (ORD), Atlanta (ATL), Washington D.C. (IAD), Newark (EWR), and Los Angeles (LAX). Passengers can expect their contact information to be verified by U.S. government officials on arrival to ensure it is accurate and complete. CDC will share contact information securely with state and local health departments for passengers’ final destinations in the United States.
For more information on the Order, visit https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/order-contact-information-ebola.html.
March 2: National Institutes of Health (NIH) posted a news release titled: “NIH effort seeks to understand MIS-C range of SARS-CoV-2 effects on children”. From the news release:
The National Institutes of Health has launched a new research effort to understand how SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, affects children, who account for roughly 13% of the total cases of COVID-19 in the United States. The effort us called the Collaboration to Assess Risk and Identify Long-term Outcomes for Children with COVID (CARING for Children with COVID). This research program is developing and funding studies to investigate why some children are at greater risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection than others, why symptoms vary among children who are infected, and how to identify children at risk for severe illness from SARA-CoV-2 infection. Research on the latter question is focused particularly on multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), a life-threatening condition marked by severe inflammation of one or more parts of the body, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, and gastrointestinal organs.
The program is led by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) in collaboration with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Research conducted through CARING for Children with COVID is supported in part by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
“This effort stems from NIH’s commitment to understanding the spectrum of risk that SARS-CoV-2 poses for children and to identifying interventions to improve their short- and long-term health outcomes,” said NICHD Director and CARING for Children with COVID co-chair Dana Bianchi, M.D.
Based on current data, most children with SARS-CoV-2 infection do not develop serious illness. However, those who do go on to develop MIS-C can experience prolonged fever and severe abdominal pain and may progress to shock. Although most children with MIS-C survive, its cause and long-term effects remain largely unknown. There is also early evidence that some children with asymptomatic or mild infection may go on to develop such long term symptoms as fatigue, muscle and joint pain, and respiratory problems.
“While much of the devastation wrought by COVID-19 is on older and vulnerable populations, it is affecting children in ways we are just beginning to understand,” said Gary Gibbons, M.D., director of the NHLBI and co-chair of CARING for Children with COVID. “That’s why this research and these networks are so critical.”
Specifically, the program developed new research protocols for three clinical networks with sites across the country, to include children with SARS-CoV-2 infection and related conditions, including MIS-C:
Long-Term Outcomes after the Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MUSIC)
Funded by NHLBI and leveraging the Pediatric Heart Network, this study focuses on cardiovascular complications of MIS-C, but also collects data on all aspects of childhood and adolescent health in affected participants.
Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, and Safety Profile of Understudied Drugs Administered to Children per Standard of Care (POPS)
Funded by NICHD and leveraging the Pediatric Trials Network, this study focuses on understanding the treatment of children diagnosed with COVID-19 or MIS-C with medicines that have shown promise in adults with COVID-19.
Pediatric Research Immune Network on SARS-Cov-2 and MIS-C (PRISM)
Sponsored and funded by NIAID, the study aims to evaluate the short-and long-term health outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children, including MIS-C, and to characterize the immunologic pathways associated with different disease presentations and outcomes.
CARING for Children with COVID also includes Predicting Viral-Associated Inflammatory Disease Severity in Children with Laboratory Diagnostics and Artificial Intelligence (PreVAIL kids), a research funding program to encourage the development of approaches that identify children at high risk for developing MIS-C. PreVAIL kids is funded by NIH’s Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) Radical (RADx-rad) program to support new, non-traditional approaches and reimagined uses of existing tools to address gaps in COVID-19 testing and surveillance.
Although the studies supported by CARING for Children with COVID have slightly different goals, all will collect data on a core set of health measures that can later be analyzed across studies. Data from CARING for Children with COVID activities will be made available on multiple NIH web platforms to allow researchers to conduct additional analyses and make more discoveries.
More information on the effort is available on the CARING for Children with COVID website at https://caring4kidswithcovid.nih.gov.
March 2: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) posted a Press Release titled: “Biden Administration Announces Historic Manufacturing Collaboration Between Merck and Johnson & Johnson to Expand Production of COVID-19 Vaccines”. From the Press Release:
President Biden Invokes Defense Production Act to Support Measures to Accelerate Vaccine Development
President Biden announced today that his Administration has helped forge a historic manufacturing collaboration between two of the largest U.S. health care and pharmaceutical companies, Merck and Johnson & Johnson (J&J), to expand production of J&J’s COVID-19 vaccine. The collaboration will increase manufacture of vaccine drug substance, as well as its fill-finish capacity – two of the biggest bottleneck facing J&J in the production of its vaccine.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will collaborate with Merck to repurpose some of its facilities for rapid large-scale manufacturing of vaccines and therapeutics for use in public health emergencies during the current pandemic. The facilities will be available to private sector partners working with the federal government on the COVID-19 response or to produce Merck products against COVID-19. Janssen Pharmaceuticals, part of Johnson & Johnson, will be the first federal partner to use repurposed Merck facilities to manufacture COVID-19 vaccine. Merck will use two of its facilities to produce drug substance, formulate and fill vials of J&J’s vaccine.
Consistent with the Administration’s mission to ensure that the United States has sufficient long term sustainable capacity to manufacture vaccines, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), will leverage the Defense Production Act to provide an initial investment of $105 million in funding for Merck, at the Administration’s request, to convert, upgrade and equip Merck facilities to the standards necessary to safely manufacture the vaccine. The company will address all the necessary qualification and validation activities needed for the facilities to be used for large-scale manufacturing.
To further accelerate production of the J&J vaccine, President Biden also announced he has invoked the Defense Production Act to expedite materials in vaccine production, such as equipment, machinery and supplies like single use bags, and he has directed the Department of Defense (DOD) to provide daily logistical support to strengthen J&J’s efforts. With the urging and assistance of the Administration, J&J’s efforts. With the urging and assistance of the Administration, J&J also will begin operating its manufacturing facilities 24/7 to maximize production output.
These efforts will contribute to J&J’s ability to accelerate delivery of their vaccine doses from 100 million doses by the end of June to at or near 100 million doses by the end of May. In the long term, these actions will ultimately double J&J’s U.S. capacity to produce drug substance and increase the U.S. capacity for fill-finish.
March 2: National Institutes of Health (NIH) posted a news release titled: “NIH halts trial of COVID-19 convalescent plasma in emergency department patients with mild symptoms.” From the news release:
Study shows the treatment is safe, but provides no significant benefit in this group.
What
The National Institutes of Health has halted a clinical trial evaluating the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 convalescent plasma in treating emergency department patients who developed mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.
An independent data and safety monitoring board (DSMB) met on Feb. 25, 2021, for the second planned interim analysis of the trial data and determined that while the convalescent plasma intervention caused no harm, it was unlikely to benefit this group of patients. After the meeting, the DSMB recommended that the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of NIH, stop enrolling new patients into the study. The NHLBI did so immediately.
Launched in August 2020, the Clinical Trial of COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma of Outpatients (C3PO) was being conducted at 47 hospital emergency departments across the United States and had enrolled 511 of the 900 participant recruitment goal. It was specifically looking at the effectiveness of COVID-19 convalescent plasma – blood plasma derived from patients who have recovered from COVID-19 – in adults who came to an emergency department with mild to moderate symptoms they had for a week or less. These patients also had at least one risk factor associated with COVID-19, such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, or chronic lung disease, but none were ill enough at the time to be hospitalized.
After the study participants received either the COVID-19 convalescent plasma or a placebo, researchers tracked whether the participants needed to seek further emergency or urgent care, had to be hospitalized, or died, within 15 days of entering the trial. The recent data analysis from the study indicated no significant difference in the proportion of participants who experienced any one of these outcomes. Even if enrollment continued, this trial was highly unlikely to demonstrate that COVID-19 convalescent plasma prevents progression from mild to severe illness in at-risk emergency department non-hospitalized participants.
COVID-19 convalescent plasma, also known as “survivor’s plasma,” contains antibodies, or special proteins, generated by the body’s immune system to the novel coronavirus. More than 100,000 people in the United States and many more worldwide have already been treated with it since the pandemic began.
Who
Nahel El Kassar, M.D., Ph.D., program officer for the C3PO trial and a medical officer with NHLBI’s Epidemiology and Clinical Therapeutics branch, or Simone Glynn, M.D., M.P.H., program scientist for the C3PO trial and chief of NHLBI’s Blood Epidemiology and Clinical Therapeutics branch, are available for interviews.
March 2: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted a News Release titled: “Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: March 2, 2021”. From the News Release:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced the following actions taken in its ongoing response effort to the COVID-19 pandemic:
The agency has updated its FDA COVID-19 Response At-A-Glance Summary, which provides a quick look at facts, figures and highlights on the FDA’s response efforts.
The agency issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to Quidel for its QuickVue At-Home COVID-19 Test for at-home use with a prescription. The Quidel QuickVue At-Home COVID-19 Test is an antigen test that detects proteins from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, from a nasal swab sample and gives a result in 10-15 minutes without needing to send a sample to a laboratory for analysis. The test is authorized for prescription at-home with a self collected nasal swab sample by people 14 years and older or people age 8 years and older, with the nasal swab sample is collected by an adult, within the first six days of the onset of COVID-19 symptoms.
A new FDA Voices entitled National Consumer Protection Week: FDA Is Vigilant in Protecting Consumers Against COVID-19 Vaccine Scams, by Judy McMeekin, Pharm. D., explains that the FDA is on the lookout for charlatans seeking to profit from the pandemic. Vaccine distribution is underway throughout the country and schemes to mislead and scam the American public are prevalent. Public health protection for consumers is the hallmark of our mission and the FDA remains vigilant to ensure that consumers are shielded from seedy efforts and can have confidence in COVID-19 vaccines.
As part of the FDA’s efforts to protect customers, the agency issued a warning letter jointly with the Federal Trade Commission to Ageless Global, LLC for selling unapproved products with fraudulent COVID-19 claims. The company sells products, including “Immunoral,” “Immune Plus,” “MD Immune Support Spray,” and “MD CVK-365 Mouth Spray,” and misleadingly represents the products can mitigate, prevent, treat, diagnose or cure COVID-19 in people. The FDA requested Ageless Global, Inc., take immediate action to cease the sale of any unapproved and unauthorized products for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19. Consumers concerned about COVID-19 should consult with their health care provider.
As part of the FDA’s efforts to protect consumers, the agency issued a warning letter to KDunn and Associates, P.A. dab HealthQuilt and Kimberly Dunn, M.D., Ph.D., for not complying with federal laws and regulations, including laws and registrations to protect people participating in clinical trials, during the clinical investigation of an investigational drug to treat, cure and prevent COVID-19. Sponsors seeking to develop new drugs to treat or prevent any disease, including COVID-19, must comply with the FDA’s laws and regulations governing the drug approval process.
Testing updates: As of today, 335 tests and sample collection devices are authorized by the FDA under emergency use authorizations (EUA’s). These include 249 molecular tests and sample collection devices, 71 antibody tests and 15 antigen tests. There are 38 molecular authorizations that can be used with home-collected samples. There is one molecular prescription at-home test, two antigen prescription at-home test and one over-the-counter (OTC) at-home antigen test.
March 3: The White House posted “Remarks by President Biden in a Bipartisan Meeting on Cancer”. From the Remarks:
The President: Hey, everyone. Thanks. Thanks for coming in. These are members of the House, Senate – Democrat, Republican – who all have an extremely keen interest in doing what – what I said once before: that I’d live to be the President to preside over the end of cancer as we know it. These are the folks in the House and Senate who would love to preside over cancer – the end of cancer as we know it. And they were – all were critical in the CARES Act, which put about $9 billion into NIH to deal with cancer and cancer research.
And the Vice President and I are in the view that we can make significant strides in fighting cancer and Alzheimer’s and other diseases, if we take a slightly different approach. And what I want to talk with them about today is how we go about taking advantage of the work they’ve done to get us where we are today, because I think we’re on the cusp of some real breakthroughs across the board on cancer. And that’s what we’re going to talk about.
And probably to all of you, like all of us, cancer is personal for almost everybody. It’s probably the one word that is the most frightening word in the English language to people. When they hear that “C word,” cancer, it is – it is just devastating.
And I always ask at – when I talk about cancer, I ask the audience if they – to raise their hand, if any of them were suffering from cancer as I spoke, and/or they lost someone, and virtually 70 percent of every audience – whether or not its 4,000 people or 400 people. And a lot of folks in this room have, like many of you maybe have been victims of cancer and overcame it.
But there’s so much hope that that’s what I want to talk about with these folks – about what we do, from a legislative and a substance point of view, to make the kind of inroads I think we can make. That’s what we’re talking about today.
Thank you for coming in. And we’re – I’m optimistic we’re going to get something done here.
…Q: Do you have a response to Texas relaxing its COVID restrictions?
The President: I didn’t hear the question.
Q: Message to Texas and Mississippi – Texas and Mississippi?
Q: (inaudible) COVID-restrictions?
The President: Texas – I think it’s a big mistake. Look, I hope everybody has realized by now: These masks make a difference.
We are on the cusp of being able to fundamentally change the nature of this disease because of the way in which we’re able to get vaccines in people’s arms. We’ve been able to move that all the way up to the end of May to have enough for every American to get – every adult American to get a shot. And the last thing – the last thing we need is Neanderthal thinking that, in the meantime, everything is fine, take off your mask.
Forget it. It still matters.
I carry a card with me – I don’t have it. I put it on my desk. As of last – as of yesterday, we had lost 511,874 Americans. We’re going to lose thousands more. This will not occur – we’ll not have everybody vaccinated until sometime in the summer. We have the vaccine to do it. Getting a shot in someone’s arm and getting the second shot are going to take time. And its critical – critical, critical, critical – that they follow the science: Wash your hands – hot water; do it frequently. Wear a mask. And stay socially distanced.
And I know you all know that. I wish to heck some of our elected officials knew it.
So thank you very much.
March 3: The White House posted “Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, March 3, 2021”. From the Press Briefing.
Ms. Psaki: Okay. I have a couple of items for all of you at the top. Yesterday, I discussed the President’s announcement about the historic partnership between Merck and Johnson & Johnson to produce more COVID-19 vaccines. And, of course, he laid our more details yesterday afternoon.
He also directed states to prioritize teachers for vaccinations in an effort to treat in-person learning, like essential – the essential service it is. He challenged all 50 states to get teachers, school staff, and childcare workers their first shot by the end of this month.
To help states do that, starting next week, we will be using the federal pharmacy program to prioritize vaccinating teachers, school staff, and childcare workers during the month of March. This is a part of the President’s efforts to urge states to prioritize vaccines for all essential workers.
The Special Enrollment Period, which we have talked about a couple of weeks ago – I have an update on that and the number of people who have enrolled. On February 15th, the Biden-Harries administration opened HealthCare.gov for three months to provide all Americans the opportunity to sign up for health insurance through a Special Enrollment Period. In the two weeks since, more than 200,000 Americans have gotten covered. These numbers are encouraging, but we can’t slow down until every American has health coverage.
There is plenty of time left to sign up. And, of course, people who need health insurance can go to HealthCare.gov to sign up before May 15th….
…This afternoon, the President and Vice President will also meet with members of Congress, which we announced last night, to begin working in a bipartisan way to end cancer as we know it.
Defeating cancer is of significant personal importance to the President, the First Lady, and the Vice President. And cancer is, of course, a disease that impacts – affects many Americans, no matter their political affiliation. This has been a priority of the President’s, as we all know, for many, many years. And this is his first engagement with members of Congress in the Oval Office about it…
…Q: If I can, quickly, a little homework around here as it relates to the COVID relief bill. If know we’ll see you speaking – the President speaking to the House Democratic Caucus later today. Can you confirm that the President has signed off on these reduced income thresholds as it relates to those direct payments?
Ms. Psaki: Well, let me – let me provide a little context here, because some of the reporting – it’s all coming out, so some of the reporting is aligned with accuracy and some is not; no one’s fault.
Q: That’s the true story.
Ms. Psaki: First – (laughs) – so, one – I talked to the President about this this morning – he’s pleased with the progress that is being made on the rescue plan. As someone who served for 36 years in the Senate, he is certainly familiar with the journey that it takes from a proposal to a bill being signed. And in every instance, in the final stage, which we feel we are in – we are in now, there are suggestions, there are changes, there are negotiations between even different member – different parts of one party. That’s what – that’s what’s happening now. And he is open to – has always been open to good ideas and to proposals that will strengthen the package.
What he has been firm on is that the package needs to be large enough to meet the scope of the twin crises we’re facing: COVID and the economic downturn. He has been firm on the importance of the $1,400 checks going out to Americans, and that – and that he has fought for that tooth and nail and is – that is a – that is a bar for him. And he’s also been firm on the thresholds at which Americans should receive those checks.
So, as we’ve seen in the reporting, its 75K and 150K. He has been clear that those are important thresholds to him. What we’re talking about here – and I realize you didn’t actually ask this, but just for clarity for everyone – is where the – where is the – is the ramp-up and how far the ramp-up goes.
Q: Where it ends.
Ms. Psaki: Where it ends, I should say. Where it ends. And he has been open from the beginning for those – that being more targeted and for there to be a steeper – steeper cliff at which that ramp down ends.
Q: So for clarity, is he – does he support – I know he’s okay with – what you just said out there – is he okay with it ending at $80,000 for individuals, $160,000 for couples, and $120,000 for heads of households?
Ms. Psaki: He is comfortable with where the negotiations stand. And of course, there are going to be ongoing discussions. We don’t have a final bill, as you know. There will be ongoing discussions. He is comfortable and knows there will be tweaks at the margin. What his firm viewpoint is, is that it needs to meet the scope of the challenge, it needs to be the size he’s proposed, it needs to have the core components in order to have the impact on the American people.
Q: And he’s confident that he’ll have 50 Democrats that’ll all support where it stands based on those changes to which you just referred?
Ms. Psaki: He is – he is certainly. That’s one of the reasons why he’s meeting with members of Congress. You can – you can define them any way you like – moderates, progressives, Republicans – because he’s not taking anything for granted, as we work to get past the finish line…
…Q: Let me ask one last question, given the news that came out last night about Texas and Mississippi. The President was in Texas, met with Governor Abbott just a matter of days ago. They have now, in both of those states, removed their mask mandates, and they’re reopening at 100 percent, even as this White House says, “Now is not the time for that.” How do you characterize those decisions? And what do you say to the governors of those two states that are making them?
Ms. Psaki: Well, first, the President’s position on mask wearing is based on the recommendations of health and medical experts and their views that it could save 50,000 lives. That is why he asked the American people to wear masks for 100 days.
For nearly a year, we’ve been dealing and navigating and coping with this pandemic across the country. And this entire country has paid the price for political leaders who ignored the science when it comes to the pandemic.
We talked a little bit yesterday about how people are starting to feel a little bit better in some cases. You go to the grocery store, and there’s Clorox wipes available. And a year into this that feels better, but there’s still more work that needs to be done. We need to remain vigilant and he believes that, and he’s hopeful, that people in these states will continue to follow the guidelines that have been set our and the recommendations made by health and medical experts.
Go ahead.
Q: Jen, thank you. I have several questions about teachers getting vaccinated, but to follow up on Peter first: Does President Biden plan to speak to the governors, to have them reconsider their orders? And secondly, what are people in those states supposed to do if they’re confused about whether to listen to their governor or the President?
Ms. Psaki: Well, first, I would say we’re not asking people just to listen to the President. Of course, we recommend that, but we’re asking people to listen to health experts, medical experts, the CDC, to Dr. Fauci, to others who are basing their recommendations on how to save people’s lives. That’s what we’re asking people to do.
The President’s view is well known – we all know it quite well – about why mask wearing is important – again, based on health and medical experts. He speaks with governors of both parties on a regular basis. He obviously traveled with the governor last Friday, and I’m sure he will raise this at the next opportunity he has.
Q: And on the President’s goal to vaccinate educators by the end of this month: Last month, he made it very clear that, as you well know, it’s up to states to determine how to prioritize vaccines. And you reminded us that even though there are federal recommendations, the process is not to mandate the states to prioritize anyone.
What has changed between then and now? And what power does President Biden have to direct states to prioritize teachers?
Ms. Psaki: Well, first, 30 states are already doing this. So that is the majority of states in the country who are treating teachers as essential workers, and that’s what the President is asking, what he is recommending.
We, of course – right now, the teachers will have access through pharmacies. That is – the supply that goes to pharmacies is through the federal supply. And so that is a – you know, an area where we can work through a program that we have instituted to ensure that teachers are prioritized.
Q: So, today you’ve said that he is challenging states, he’s asking states, he’s urging states, but yesterday the President said he’s directing states. So is it just a firm request, or is he using some mechanism and authority to direct them?
Ms. Psaki: Well, again, he is using a federal program that is – works – that is distributing vaccines to pharmacies across the country to ensure that teachers are prioritized. It is not – it remains – it does not – it remains the same case it’s been, where it is not a prerequisite for schools to open; it is just a – it is one of the mitigation steps that can be taken for teachers to be vaccinated. But he believes that teachers should be treated as essential workers.
There is, of course, the power of the bully pulpit; there is the power of the pharmacy program that the federal government is instituting. And certainly, as the President of the United States, the leader of the country, he is conveying, “This is important.” It’s not a Republican or Democratic issue whether or not our kids are behind. We have all seen the impact on mental health. We’ve seen the impact on kids being – doing Zoom from their kitchen tables and kitchen counters.
And everybody wants – the President wants kids to be back in school. This is part of the effort to east that.
Q: And one last question on the effort. You’re using the federal pharmacy program, which was supposed to establish more equity, especially for communities of color. Dr. Celine Gounder has called the move to prioritize teachers “anti-equity,” since most teachers are white, and it’s taking away from those people who are underserved.
So what is the administration doing to make sure teachers, and these people who are underserved, will have the same access to vaccines?
Ms. Psaki: Well, first, we simply disagree, and not just me or the President, but the head of our Equity Task Force and our health and medical team, for a couple of reasons.
One is it’s critical to remember that the program is beyond teachers; it includes bus drivers, janitorial workers, childcare workers – a workforce that is broadly, incredibly, diverse.
Second, getting kids back to school is one of the most equitable steps we can take, because what we’ve seen statistically is that black and Latino students are disproportionately experiencing learning loss for a variety of reasons – Internet interconnectivity, parents who are disproportionately frontline workers – and this compounds the damaging effects of policies that already leaves students of color with lower-equity resources.
So our view is actually that this step is one that is meant to help communities of color, help students who are already being disproportionately disadvantaged by schools being closed.
Go ahead.
Q: Thanks. Following up on this, you know, you said again that the CDC’s recommendations were clear and that educators don’t have to be vaccinated to safely reopen schools, but we’re hearing this big push, this prioritization with the White House through the pharmacy program. So what do you say to critics who say this just isn’t about science; it’s about politics and appeasing the unions?
Ms. Psaki: I would say that our actions have been clear, that we’ve basing our recommendations to school – our work with school districts to reopen on science, on the recommendations of CDC guidelines; and that we’ve been clear that it’s not a prerequisite. It is not a requirement for teachers to be vaccinated.
However, we also – the President has also been clear he believes they should be prioritized, as many other frontline workers are, because – because they are playing a vital role – a role as essential workers, teaching our kids, educating the future of the country.
So, you know, this is a challenging issue, but this is a step where the President could take, using his ability, his authority of federal government program, to ensure he’s sending the message that teachers should be prioritized because of the value of their work, the essential role they play teaching the next generation – schools across the country, many of which keep reopening every single week. As you know, Dr. Biden and our new Secretary of Education are visiting a few today.
We’ll continue to work with them and push for them. It’s not a prerequisite, and nothing has changed on that front.
...Q: What’s your message then to other essential workers? Are teachers really more at risk in the classroom than Americans who are working at a meatpacking plant?
Ms. Psaki: Well, look, certainly the President has taken a number of steps over the last couple of days to expedite the availability and the access of vaccines to Americans across the country. And we – it’s very clear that, you know, it’s important for schools to be reopened. It’s not a political issue or a partisan issue; we all – we all agree with that.
…Q: I have two questions on two different subjects.
Ms. Psaki: Okay.
Q: First, you know, this agreement to, you know, change the eligibility rules around the stimulus checks was something that got moderate Democrats on board. Are you concerned at all about the left on this – that, you know, they see this as negotiating against yourself and, you know, maybe not living up to the promise that even the President was making in campaigning with the Georgia runoff candidates?
Are you concerned that, you know, by cutting some people out of eligibility, that you’re actually giving people – there are people who are going – who are not going to get checks who did get checks during the Trump administration, and that in some way is not living up to his political promises?
Ms. Psaki: What the President promised and committed to was ensuring that the American people receive $2,000 in checks. This $1,400 is part of delivering on that promise.
He also proposed, of course, a higher threshold, as you know, in his own proposal, in his joint session speech that he delivered a couple of weeks ago.
He has also been clear that he is open to changes on the margins of this package. While he is firm on the $1,400 – and, as you know, there have been negotiations about trying to lower that to $1,000 or change the size of the check – he’s unmovable on that; repeated that to me again this morning. And he has been very clear that the threshold should be at 75K and 150K for families.
But he also knows that the sausage-making machine sometimes spits our a different package – almost always it spits out a different package than what is proposed initially. These are negotiations primarily through Democrats in Congress with each other, but he’s a part of – you know, he rolls up his sleeves; he gets involved in them too.
And, you know, he’s confident that this is a package, with all of the components included that – and he’s hopeful that Democrats of all political backgrounds can get behind…
…Go ahead, Hans.
Q: Given the clear importance you’re placing on vaccinating teachers, I’m wondering if there’s been any discussion on holding back some of the federal stockpile outside of this, sort of, federal pharmacy program and going directly and having some sort of program to vaccinate teachers?
Ms. Psaki: I think this is the step that we feel is most effective and immediately impactful in terms of ensuring that teachers can go to their local pharmacies – pharmacies that are already functioning, already distributing the vaccine.
We’ve seen, I think, in some New England states, there was some reporting about it already being underway, or about to be underway. So this was the step that our team that oversees the operational components, as well as the health components, felt was most effective.
You know, we always reserve a range of options. We understand we’re still at the height of a pandemic, but I don’t have anything to preview, nor am I aware of that being under consideration….
…Q: I have a couple of questions –
Ms. Psaki: Okay.
Q: – on several different topics. Going back to the issue of vaccines, when is this administration expecting herd immunity? And I ask that because there are still populations in this nation that are not running to this vaccine, even though you’re – or these vaccines, even though you’re flooding the home. Is there a concern that herd immunity will not be reached by at the time that you are hoping for because of this mindset in certain communities?
Ms. Psaki: Well, I’m not going to make a prediction about herd immunity, but I will say that you’re touching on an incredibly important point in that, now that we’re at the state where the President just announced we’ll have enough vaccines to vaccinate all of the American people by the end of May, we will eventually reach a point – to your point, April, where we will have more vaccines than people who want vaccines. That feels hard to believe at this moment in time, but we are focused on – we are concerned about the level of vaccine hesitancy in a range of communities across the country. And certainly communities of color are communities where there’s been a higher level of vaccine hesitancy.
Now, we are working to take a number of steps. Of course, we have an Equity Task Force, led by Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, to look closely, take the appropriate steps, do planning – you know, plan communication, plan outreach that is going to be effective. But this will be a focus. We are, of course, concerned because we know we will reach a point, which we’re already seeing – but we’ll reach a point where we have more vaccines than we have people who want to take them.
Q: So – but at some point, understanding, if you listen to the science – if you have a majority in one community taking it and not a majority in another, it’s all for not. We won’t reach herd immunity, and we still have a problem. Is there still a concern?
Ms. Psaki: There’s absolutely a concern about swaths of the population not taking – not feeling that the vaccine is safe or effective, and certainly relying on a problematic and tragic history that has contributed to vaccine hesitancy.
So this is a significant concern of ours and one that we’ve been focused on from the beginning, and we will be focused on direct outreach, direct communications, and a range of efforts to help address this and reaffirm how safe and effective the vaccines are…
…Q: And another issue is in-house issue. We know today there’s new COVID test rules that have been implemented in the White House. Some suggested that if the White House can provide vaccinations to the White House journalists and cameramen, this daily test issue could be resolved. Does the White House have any plan to do so?
Ms. Psaki: Well, let me first say the good news is that we now have enough vaccines to – we will by the end of May – to ensure every American is vaccinated – well, a little bit after that, once they are all in place – including journalists, of course. And many of you may be eligible before that.
We put in place new policies. One, our objective is to protect all of you, to protect the people in the White House, and to abide by COVID-safe protocols. As you know – and just for full clarity – anyone who is in the briefing room as a part of the briefing room pool is not paying – is not charged for tests. We cover those tests. Anyone who is in the pool for the President, we cover the cost of the tests. And same for the Vice President.
And our objective is certainly bringing an end to the pandemic and having this tool full again without masks, and doing that in a safe way. So we’ll look forward to that.
Thank you so much, everyone. Have a good afternoon. Or I’ll see many of you…
March 3: The White House posted a Statement by President Biden titled “Statement by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. on 2021 Special Health Insurance Enrollment Period Coverage Progress”. From the statement.
Health care is a right, not a privilege – and ensuring that every single American has access to quality, affordable health care they need is a national imperative. Never has that been more important than today, in the midst of a deadly pandemic that has infected nearly 30 million Americans.
On February 15, my administration opened HealthCare.gov for three months to provide all Americans the opportunity to sign up for health insurance through a special enrollment period. In the two weeks since, more than 200,000 Americans have gotten covered. These numbers are an encouraging sign – but we can’t slow down until every American has the security and peace of mind that quality, affordable health coverage provides.
There is plenty of time to sign up, and I encourage everyone who needs health insurance to go to HealthCare.gov before May 15. If you already have coverage, you can help family members and friends who are uninsured get themselves covered.
Getting more Americans covered is an important part of the equation – but we also need to lower health costs. Last week, the House of Representatives passed my American Rescue Plan, which includes big steps to drive down people’s premiums and expand access to care for all Americans, including those who have lost their employer plans. This plan will increase federal subsidies and decrease premiums in order to ensure that no one ever pays more than 8.5 percent of their income on health coverage – though most Americans will pay far less. And it incentivizes states to expand coverage to an additional four million people with low incomes, and extend coverage for a year to low-income women who have recently given birth.
The American Rescue Plan is essential to defeating the pandemic – allowing us to ramp up testing, tracing, and our national vaccination program to get shots into as many arms as possible as quickly as we can. But it also lays an important foundation for better health, a stronger economy, and peace of mind for more Americans as we come out of the crisis and build back better. The American people have united historic numbers around this plan – Democrats, Republicans, and independents alike. Now, it is up to the Senate to hear them, and act quickly to pass the bill.
March 3: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted a press release titled: Allyson Felix, track and field star, joins Hear Her campaign to raise awareness about maternal mortality”. From the press release:
CDC is pleased to announce that Allyson Felix, an elite track and field athlete and U.S. Olympian, has joined the Hear Her campaign to share her story and raise awareness about urgent warning signs that could indicate life-threatening complications during and in the year after pregnancy.
Ms. Felix was diagnosed with severe preeclampsia when she was 32 weeks pregnant. During a routine prenatal visit, test results alarmed her doctor and she was immediately admitted to the hospital. She had an emergency c-section to deliver her daughter, who spent the first month of life in the neonatal intensive care unit. Her doctor’s diagnosis and fast actions may have saved Allyson’s life.
Given her level of fitness and training, Ms. Felix felt prepared for the birth of her daughter and never imagined she would have a serious problem during pregnancy. While she experienced some symptoms, like swelling, she thought they were a normal part of pregnancy.
“Looking back, I wish I would have been better informed about potential warning signs and talked to the doctor about those symptoms,” Ms. Felix said. “I really want women to have information, to know if they’re at risk, to have a plan in place, not to be intimidated in doctor’s offices, and to feel empowered to speak up when they have concerns.”
While Ms. Felix fortunately survived her experience, not every woman does. About 700 women die in the United States each year do to complications in pregnancy. Black women are three times more likely to die from these complications than White women. Through her involvement, Ms. Felix also seeks to raise awareness of the higher burden of poor pregnancy outcomes among Black women in hopes of generating change.
“We are delighted Allyson Felix has joined us to encourage women to speak up and ask those who support them to listen and act quickly if they raise concerns,” said Wanda Barfield, MD, director, CDC’s Division of Reproductive Health. “Allyson’s passion and dedication to improving maternal health, particularly among Black women, makes her a strong partner in this effort.”
Ms. Felix’s video story and a 30 second public service announcement are available for broadcast distribution. Graphics for social media are also available. Ms Felix is one of several women featured in the campaign who share their story about severe pregnancy-related complications. With her involvement, CDC hopes to increase the reach and impact of the campaign’s important messages.
This campaign is supported through a partnership with the CDC Foundation and by funding from Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, through its Merck for Mothers program…
March 3: The White House posted “Remarks By Vice President Harris In Press Gaggle”. From the remarks:
The Vice President: Well, I’m glad to be in Jacksonville. And we’re here – just been talking with the Mayor, the Commissioner, and the Congressmen about the good work that’s happening here on the ground. And they have expressed their appreciation for, of course, what we’ve been able to do with the ARP, with our American Rescue Plan, getting more shots in arms, helping out folks.
A lot of our conversation today is also going to be about food insecurity, which we all know to be about hunger in America and the crisis – the hunger crisis in America. So we’ll be talking about that today.
But it’s good to be here. And, of course, you will see that part of the day is to emphasize a number of things, including – look, regardless of who somebody voted for in the last election, we’re all in this together.
Q: Madame Vice President, we’re in Florida today. There’s a variant of coronavirus spreading throughout the state. Parts of the state of largely open for business. There’s a spring break issue with people having to abide by curfews. What’s the administration’s message to local officials who are just keeping the state open and not, sort of, observing the fact that there is a pandemic going on?
The Vice President: Well, I’m here to emphasize the importance of vaccinations and getting the vaccine. You know, when it’s your turn, you got to get it.
And regardless of what we’re talking about in terms of the various – the variants, one thing is for sure: if you get vaccinated when it’s your turn, you are much more likely to avoid contracting COVID, much less having severe symptoms or hospitalization or death. And, in fact, for all of them, we’re talking about it at almost 100 percent of avoidance of hospitalization and death.
So the state today, we’ve heard, have lowered the age to 50. That’s a good thing. And we’re going to be here visiting a vaccination site, saying, “Look, everybody who – when it’s your turn, go and get vaccinated.” And that’s the message of the day, and that should be the message every day, including reminding folks to wear a mask and wash their hands and social distance.
These are very specific and effective ways that we can avoid whatever the variant is.
Q: Do you plan to visit the border?
The Vice President: Not today. (Laughter.) But I have before, and I’m sure I will again.
Q: On the border, there’s obviously a lot of political pressure coming from Republicans in particular, on this administration, but also some the Democrats who represent some of those border districts. What can the administration do, at least in the short term, to kind of assure people that it’s really taking steps to make sure that the people – children in particular – are being treated humanely, but also that you’re sort of, you know, thinking about the bigger picture weeks and months ahead?
The Vice President: Yeah. I mean, first of all, we were left with a very challenging situation. And, you know, let me start by saying I think we all agree – and Secretary Mayorkas said it a number of times this weekend – let’s get the kids out of CBP custody, get them into HHS custody.
We’ve got to treat this issue in a way that is reflective of our values as Americans and do it in a way that is fair and humane. And – but we have to meet the moment. And there’s a lot of work going into that, and we expect to have success, but it’s going to take a lot of work.
I mean, again, we were presented, when we came in, with some serious challenges. So –
March 4: The White House posted a Press Briefing titled: “Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough, March 4, 2021”. From the press briefing:
Ms Psaki: Well, we have another special guest today. Today we are joined by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, my former boss, Denis McDonough, who is working tirelessly to build and restore trust in the VA.
As you all know, Secretary McDonough served as White House Chief of Staff in the Obama-Biden administration for four years. He also served in several roles on the National Security Council, including as Principal Deputy National Security Advisor. Throughout his service at the White House, Secretary McDonough helped lead the Obama-Biden administration’s work on behalf of military families and veterans.
He has a busy schedule, as all of our Cabinet members do, but he has kindly agreed to take a couple of questions after he speaks. And I will, as always, be the bad cop.
Come on up.
Secretary McDonough: Jen, thanks so much. It’s a – it’s a total joy to be working with you, as it always is. And good afternoon to everybody here. It’s nice to see some old friendly faces.
I want to obviously thank Jen for inviting me to speak about the importance of the American Rescue Plan, particularly as it relates to its support to the VA to provide quality care to our veterans, especially during the very challenging pandemic.
Like other hardworking Americans, veterans have been severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Countless veterans have lost jobs, closed businesses, homeschooled their own children, and faced uncertain prospects while our nation grappled with the pandemic.
And like the rest of the country, many veterans were directly affected by the deadly virus, with more than 230,000 veterans in our care infected by it and, sadly, 10,605 dying from the disease.
At the VA, we’ve risen to the challenge of combating this deadly pandemic. Our integrated healthcare system, the largest in the nation, has been running nonstop since the start of a pandemic to provide much-needed care to infected veterans and vaccines to those most at risk.
To date, more than 1.4 million veterans have been vaccinated with more than half of them having gotten both vaccines. And we’re making sure that equity is at the forefront of where and how we distribute vaccines.
At the same time, we continue to deliver routine care while mitigating the spread of infection. The VA is leading the country in standardizing the use of Telehealth for routine doctor visits. We’re partnering with community and service organizations so that vets do not forego checkups because of broadband limitations.
Last year, for example, in March, VA averaged approximately 2,500 Telehealth visits a day. Last month, February, we averaged nearly 45,000 such visits a day. As you can see, this is a major increase, and we need the funding in the ARP to sustain this up-tempo for our veterans so we can continue to push through the pandemic.
Lastly, before getting into a little bit more detail on the health situation, the Veterans Benefits Administration continues to help veterans cope with economic impact of the pandemic, from helping veterans avoid eviction and foreclosure, to making sure that veterans can continue to rely on their GI Bill to pay for tuition.
We make sure that VA can continue to adapt to these challenging times, and the President’s American Rescue Plan will do just that. It will provide $17 billion in additional funding to the VA, to include at least $13.5 billion to improve our ability to provide medical service to veterans affected by COVID; $272 million to cut through the backlog of disability claims and help us manage the compensation exams the have worse – – access to which have worsened as a result of the pandemic; and $386 million to develop a rapid retraining program for veterans unemployed as a result of a pandemic.
Now, let me just give you one other figure for you to consider. Since the start of the pandemic, 19 million appointments have been changed, cancelled, or deferred as a result of the pandemic – 19 million. What we believe is – obviously we’ve been able to cut to compensate for those through the Telehealth platforms, but not for all of them. And as a result of deferred care – which were actually seeing across the healthcare system, not just in the VA – we’re going to see increased cost. And the ARP is critical to our ability to make sure that we can keep up with those demands of increased cost.
So our department remains fully committed, obviously, to fulfilling the sacred obligation that President Biden has made clear we have to those who serve in uniform. The Rescue Plan helps us deliver on that promise, especially in this unanticipated and significant time of crisis.
We urge the Senate to pass the much-needed plan as soon as possible. And I thank you again, Jen, for the opportunity to be here with you.
Ms. Psaki: Absolutely. All right, go ahead, Jeff.
Q: Mr. Secretary, can you explain how veterans should go about looking for where to sign up for vaccinations? Should they be going to the VA, or should they be going to their states and localities? It’s certainly been one of the trickiest parts of the vaccination process to figure out information on that.
Secretary McDonough: Yeah, so I want to – I want to start by telling, I think, what is a very positive story. Oftentimes you don’t – at least we’ve not in the past been focused on good-news stories about our scheduling process. Our scheduling process is actually working pretty well.
And what – so the first answer, Jeff, is: Those veterans in our care currently in the 75 and older and 65 and older who are particular focus at the moment should be hearing from our schedulers, and our schedulers are in contact with them. And if you just take an example of the VA here in D.C., they’re moving through something – on some days – something like 80 veterans vaccinated an hour.
Now, that’s obviously because of the vaccinators, it’s because of the pharmacists, it’s because of the nurses, but it’s also because of the schedulers. And they’re doing an amazing bit of work.
So the first thing is, they should be hearing from our schedulers. The second thing is, we have a bunch of information on our website at VA.gov, including how to get access to opportunities. And then we’re working also with VSO partners and directly with veterans through even my office, whom we’re hearing from, to make sure that they have the most recent information.
Are there examples of frustrations? Absolutely. But we’re staying, obviously, on top of this, Jeff, trying to be as transparent as possible, and in the first instance, reaching veterans directly to schedule them.
Q: Are there examples of overlap, too, where veterans may be going to the VA but also hearing from their local – or going to their state or local facilities as well?
Secretary McDonough: Definitely. And many of our veterans are obviously – this is the beauty of the integrated system, which is we provide care across a range of services. And so we’re – many of our, you know, the 6 – the over 6 million vets who are with us, rely on us for care across the board, are very sophisticated consumers of care. But then we have up to 9 million who are enrolled in the VA system, and they have choices, and we’re seeing them make choices.
But again, we are trying to be as affirmative and on the front foot as we can be so that we’re providing that kind of information.
Q: I guess what I’m getting at – and sorry to ask one more – is: Isn’t there some inefficiency there that would be a problem? Like, if veterans just knew “we can get our shots from the VA,” that will clear past at these other facilities for other people and it would ideally give them priority at the VA.
Secretary McDonough: Yeah. And I guess my answer isn’t that there’s not overlap and that their’s not competition; there obviously is. But I think what we’re seeing, Jeff, is that we are very efficiently moving veterans who qualify through the system, and we’re hearing very positive feedback on that.
There inevitably is going to be some overlap, and that’s what we’re trying to get ahead of with forward contracting and also providing information as clearly as we can about dates and times for vaccinations, how those clinics are going to function, but also not have it just be a jump ball – actually have it be scheduled so we can get – efficiently get that through the system.
Ms. Psaki: (Inaudible.)
Q: Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Can you talk about what the biggest challenges are in getting as many veterans vaccinated as possible? And secondly, is a part of that hesitancy at all? Because I know Pentagon officials have said about a third of troops have not opted to get the vaccine.
Secretary McDonough: Yeah.
Q: So what are the challenges? And does that include hesitancy?
Secretary McDonough: Well, the biggest challenge is supply, and that’s why we really need the American Rescue Plan. You’ve heard the President say this, you’ve heard Jeff Zeints say this, you’ve heard Jen say this.
We have more demand right now than there is supply. And that’s notwithstanding the fact that the COVID Coordinator, the President have really – really cranked up the supply, week on week, including with this – these several innovative actions, even over the last several days, with Johnson & Johnson and enhancing the manufacturing supply.
So the big challenge is supply. From what I hear from our docs is: From the moment we get it, our allotments are in arms within two to three days. Okay? So I think that’s a pretty remarkable throughput.
Now, on hesitancy: You know, our lead doc on this testified last week to Congress that, in fact, we’re surprised that hesitancy is less than we feared. Now, that doesn’t mean we’re not going to confront it. But right now, we’re seeing significant demand – that demand outstripping supply, and that demand consistent across categories. In fact, our performance among black vets, Latino vets, and white vets is pretty consistent, if not outperforming, in black and Latino vets’, white vets’ uptake.
Nevertheless, this is going to be a problem going forward, so we’re working closely with our VSOs, very closely with Congress, and then very closely to tell the story of the more than 1.4 million vets who have gotten vaccinated to date. We’ve – we’re talking about what that experience has been, which is overwhelmingly positive.
But we need the funding from ARP to get this done.
Q: A quick follow on the supply. Is there a set amount that you’re getting every week from the administration? And have you asked Jeff Zeints to increase that?
Secretary McDonough: We – there is a process – a well-established process that’s run through the interagency. So we get our allotment every week out of that process. We then channel it out to what we call our “VISNs,” which are our regional setups across the country based on their population of the target populations. So we have a very straightforward, transparent process by which we get our allotment and dish it out.
Now the – I think the question over time is: We’re trying to demonstrate at VA that we’re very efficient at moving it through in the hopes that, as their’s extra, that it comes our way. So, for example, about three weeks ago there was 200,000 doses that was additive to our allotment. And we – as with everything else we’re getting, we moved that quickly through the system into vets’ arms on a very clear, efficient process.
Ms. Psaki: Mary.
Q: On another topic: As the Capitol is on alert today, I wanted to ask you about the veterans who played a role in the January 6th attack. We’ve seen 30-plus veterans be arrested for participating. We see these militia groups that are actively trying to recruit veterans. What, if anything can the VA do, are you considering doing to try and combat some of this?
Secretary McDonough: Yeah, so I also – just to fill out the story, I also saw veterans on that day, including members of Congress, who were veterans doing remarkable things, including members of the DCPD and the Capitol PD – veterans doing remarkable things. And so I think it’s a full picture there that underscores that, basically, veterans continue to play a critical role in the country even after they retire from active duty. And we’re proud of that.
As to the questions you raised: We’ll take a look at that. We don’t have anything specific to announce now.
But again, I want to make sure that we have a full picture of things like remarkable members in the House – Mr. Gallego is one who comes to mind; you know, Senator Cotton in the Senate. These people are taking concrete action in support of democracy on the ground that day. They’re vets too.
Ms. Psaki: Phil.
Q: Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Two, if you don’t mind. The first one is COVID-related. You talked about missed appointments and, kind of, the – what COVID has taken away. When it comes to suicide, what is the VA doing right now tangibly to reach out the veterans proactively, not just messaging campaigns – though I know these are important – but to proactively reach out to veterans to ensure that needs in that general area are being met?
Secretary McDonough: Yeah, it’s a major – it’s a major priority for obvious reasons, and it’s heartbreaking every – any individual suicide is absolutely heartbreaking, and we’re very focused on reducing these.
The most important set of sessions I think we have to draw from is the availability of telehealth platform. Demand for mental health services is up. I think that’s a good sign because it speaks to the fact that stigma is being reduced. However, there’s still too much. And that is part of – that’s the first have of the answer to your question, which is, we’re not just passive, waiting for vets to come to us.
We’re also then working with our providers and with local communities to ensure that we have a good sense of at-risk vets and that we’re establishing contact and ways to be in contact with them affirmatively.
Lastly, Congress has given us additional authorities on this, and we’re going to use them. The Hannon Act was just enacted – in fact, I was just speaking with Senator Boozman from Arkansas about this earlier this week; he and Senator Tester spent a lot of time on this question – giving us new authority to make grants in local communities, using local providers who know their communities best to ensure that we’re providing assistance to those vets – at-risk vets, and making sure that we’re doing things like reducing the stigma.
So that’s what we’re – that’s what we’re doing, Phil.
Q: And then just real quick, from a policy question. I know this came up during your confirmation hearing, but do you have a plan right now to either reverse or significantly revise the comment access standard through the VA MISSION Act?
Secretary McDonough: I don’t have a specific plan on that. I’m very – in active discussion with people like Senator Moran, Senator Tester, Senator Sanders about what we’re seeing. We’re also beginning to get data about last fiscal year, what happened in the community. This is – the data we’re getting now is pre-COVID – so, basically, first quarter and a half of FY20. And what we’re seeing there is a pretty significant uptake in the community.
And se we got to, A, be a good partner with that, ensure that we’re paying those bills on time to local providers. We’re keeping vibrant networks so our people have places that they can find care. But we also have to be really careful that we’re also maintaining investment in the integrated system of the VA itself. We have to recapitalize that and make sure that these institutions – many of them over 50 years old – are brought up to speed.
The ARP will be important to that, too. Things like new HVAC, new air control systems, zero-pressure rooms, so we’re not moving that virus through the hospital. Those are all things that are going to be enables by the ARP, and that’s why we really need the Senate to get this done.
Ms. Psaki: All right, let’s do the last question. Then we’ll have to have him come back. Go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Mr. Secretary. At the top of your remarks, you mentioned the importance of keeping veterans in their homes. The moratorium on forbearance and foreclosures, of course, was extended through June.
Secretary McDonough: Yes.
Q: Do you think it should be extended further?
Secretary McDonough: Well, we’ll take a look at that. And we’re taking a look at a lot of those – those things. Incidentally, and importantly, in the ARP is additional funding for homelessness programming. We know that this continues to – to bedevil us as a country. It’s an outrage any night that any vet is homeless.
We’re, you know, over the last 10 years, down 50 percent on those numbers, but they’re creeping back up as a result of the pandemic. And 50 percent, while progress, is nowhere near where we need to be. So we need that funding in the ARP.
Ms. Psaki: Thank you so much, Secretary McDonough.
Secretary McDonough: Thank you.
Ms. Psaki: You’ll have to come back.
Secretary McDonough: Yes, thank you very much. It’s great to see everybody.
Q: Thank you. …
…Ms.Psaki: Go ahead, Mary.
Q: The governor of Mississippi has responded to the President’s comments yesterday, and he seems to have taken offense at some of the President’s language. He says, “Mississippians don’t need handlers.” I just think we should trust Americans, not insult them.” He’s making an argument that this is really about personal liberty here. Does the President have any second thoughts about the language used yesterday? And how does comparing someone to a “Neanderthal” help convince them to change course and get on board with your public health message?
Ms. Psaki: The behavior of a Neanderthal, just to be clear. The behavior of.
Look, I think the President – what we – what everybody saw yesterday was a reflection of frustration and exasperation, which I think many American people have, that for almost a year now, people across the country have sacrificed and, many times, they haven’t had the information they need from the federal government. They haven’t had access to a greater understanding of what the public health guidelines should look like. And those include many, many, people in Mississippi, in Texas, in Ohio, Florida, and every state across the country.
And, you know, he believes that with more than half a million Americans’ lives lost, with families that continue to suffer, that it’s imperative that people listen across the country, whether they live in a red state or blue state, to the guidance of public health experts.
At the same time – you’ve watched the President closely for some time, Mary, as you all have – he’s going to engage with and talk with people who disagree with him on a range of issues, including this one. But he believes that if we’re going to get this pandemic under control, we need to follow public health guidelines.
He simply has – was asked – asked the American people to abide by wearing masks for 100 days. We’re at about day 40. Are we at day 40? Around there. Sixty more days. That’s what he’s asking, and he’s certainly hopeful that businesses and people across the country will continue to do that.
Q: Has he reached out to Governors Reeves and Abbott to convince them to try and change course here?
Ms. Psaki: I don’t think his view on mask wearing is a secret. They’re certainly familiar with it. He’s talked about it many, many times. And I’m certain when he speaks with them next, he will convey that directly.
Q: The President said that he hopes – you know, he’s hopeful that by this time next year we may be getting some semblance of normalcy again. Is there a concern that, as we see states like Mississippi and Texas take these actions, if others follow suit, that we could shift the timeline; that a few states could set back the timeline here?
Ms. Psaki: Well, what the President has said publicly and certainly conveyed to all of us is: He can’t do this alone; the federal government cannot do this alone. This is going to require additional sacrifice from the American people. He doesn’t think that’s easy. None of us think that’s easy.
But he has ordered enough vaccines to ensure everybody in the country is vaccinated, and he will have – we will have those vaccines by the end of May, but it will require ongoing social distancing, ongoing mask wearing, as we’ve been talking about, and it will also require the American people getting the vaccine. He can’t force individuals to do that.
So he can just project the recommendations of public health officials. He can take steps, as he has over the last couple of days, to ensure that communities are prioritized, who are playing key roles in society. But he can’t do it on behalf of the public, and it’s going to require the public to play an important and vital role here too.
Q: Just one question on vaccines. You know, the President has been pretty critical of the prior administration’s handling of this pandemic, saying you inherited a mess here. But when it comes to vaccinations, you’re following some of the same playbook here. So does the prior administration deserve some credit for laying the groundwork?
Ms. Psaki: Which ones are we following?
Q: Well, for instance, former Trump HHS Assistant Secretary Admiral Brett Giroir has said that you’re following 99 percent of the playbooks they created on vaccines. He has said that the prior administration deserves more credit here for at least getting the ball rolling on some of these.
Ms. Psaki: I don’t think anyone deserves credit when half a million people in the country have died of this pandemic. So, what our focus is on, and what the President’s focus is on when he came into office just over a month ago, was ensuring that we had enough vaccines. We have – we are going to have them now. We had enough vaccinators, and we had enough vaccine locations to get this pandemic under control.
There’s no question, and all data points to the face that there were not enough of any of those things when he took office. We are open-eyed about the challenges we continue to live under, and that’s why he has been focused every single day and doing everything possible together the pandemic under control.
But those were – there were shortages in all those areas, which were preventing us from moving forward on getting the pandemic under control.
Go ahead…
...Q: And then, on the COVID bill: Last night, when the President was speaking to the House Democrats, he said, “I know we’re all making small compromises, as he tried to work everybody to support the bill or thank them for supporting their version of the bill. What exactly has the President asked moderates to compromise on in this process up to this point?
Ms. Psaki: You’d have to ask them that question. You know, the President has been clear that he is unmovable on the size of the package – $1.9 trillion. And as you know from covering the Hill, that is not – that was a size that some expressed concern about.
He has been unmovable about his view that Americans who need help the most should get $1,400 checks. There were some who spoke openly about their concern about that. And he has been very clear that state and local governments need assistance now to keep cops on the beat; to keep teachers; you know, to keep firefighters employed; and to keep state and local governments functioning.
I’m sure there may be other issues that they have concerns about. I’ll let them speak about that. There were some who spoke openly about their concern about that. But he has been insistent that the scope of the challenge requires this size of a package. And in order to adjust – address these twin crises that we’re facing, it needs to have these key components.
Q: And then, last one. Again from the President last night, to House Democrats, he made the point that “this will make everything more possible… to get done” – “get done” – I think I’m quoting properly there –
Ms. Psaki: Mm-hmm.
Q: – passing this now. Is that the kind of theory of the case here: You get this done at this scale, and all of a sudden, some difficulties you may have in the U.S. Senate become less so because people see that you were able to produce? I just want to make sure I understand, kind of, his thought process going forward.
Ms. Psaki: I’m not sure what the context of that comment was. Can you tell me more of the context of it?
Q: Yeah, I don’t have the full thing in front of me. Sorry about that. I was just struck because he said – you know, I will paraphrase – I promise I’m being accurate when I paraphrase this: that the idea being if they get this done, there’ll be more trust in government, and if there’s more trust in government, therefore people will be willing to get behind maybe the priorities that House Democrats have going forward – whether that’s on infrastructure, whether that’s on climate, any of those things. The list goes on.
And so I guess that’s my question, is: Does the administration look at the American Rescue Plan and say, “This is our springboard to doing even more broad-based, more “bold” – in the words of the administration – legislative proposals in the future?
Ms. Psaki: We don’t look at it through a – as political-legislative as a – of a lens as you just outlined. But I will say that the President came into office knowing that getting the pandemic under control, helping address and put people back to work – the millions and millions of Americans who are struggling to make ends meet, the one in seven American families that can’t put food on the table – that he knew those would be his top two priorities – his top one, two, three four: pandemic economic recovery pandemic economic recovery. And that is what this package is meant to address.
And what I’ve heard him say – and this sounds consistent with that, while I don’t know the full context of this – that is, of course, he wants to build on – build his agenda beyond – build his agenda beyond getting the pandemic under control, beyond addressing and stemming the tide of a fina- – of an economic crisis, because he believes that investing in infrastructure is imperative and long overdue. He believes that modernizing our immigration system is long overdue and is good for the American people, good for our economy. He believes there needs to be more done for caregiving. He believes we need to do more to protect our health – to ensure its people – more people have access to healthcare.
So, there’s no question that he views his – the early stage – early part of his presidency as focused on these twin crises, but he is hardly going to be done with his agenda and work once we have this package signed into law…
Go ahead, Mario…
…Q: Gasoline prices are approaching $3 per gallon for the first time since 2014. Americans, as you well know, are cash-strapped. Is the President planning to intervene somehow? OPEC Plus came out this morning and said they were going to limit supply. Does the President plan to intervene somehow – maybe call the Saudi government, Russia – anything in the toolbox to rein in gas prices?
Ms. Psaki: I don’t have anything on that to preview for you. If will say, since you’ve given me, sort of, an opportunity and opening here, is that there’s been a lot of reporting on, kind of, what kind of relief would come out of the American Rescue Plan – something that can help address a range of issues the American people are having, whether it’s the cost of gas or it’s the inability or concern about getting food on the table.
So let me take this opportunity to lay out some of the specific numbers our NEC team – I love number crunchers – crunched for all of you.
So under the Senate version of the bill, 158.5 million households are going to receive direct payments. That’s 98 percent of the households who received them in December. And in the previous round of relief, that 2 percent all received checks smaller than $600; in some cases, as small as $100 – because, as you all know, it was scaled down after a certain income rate.
Under the Rescue Plan, almost all of these 180 – 158.5 million households are going to receive checks that are more than twice the size of the previous round, not to mention the 66 million kids who will benefit from the expanded child tax credit and 17 million adults who ben- – who will benefit from the expanded earned income tax credit. Because, of course, there are many tax companies, as you all know, in addition to the direct checks that are included in this package.
So, I just wanted to give a little number-crunching letdown.
Go ahead, Jeff.
Q: Jen, going back to Texas and Mississippi, is the White House concerned and the COVID team concerned about the loosening or lifting of restrictions in those states will lead to these COIVD variants to spread more?
Ms. Psaki: Well, one of the reasons that our health and medical experts have continue to call for the American people to wear masks, to social distance, to get whatever vaccine they have access to is because many of them have – of these vaccines have shown to be effective in addressing the variants and because we’ve seen a spread of variants, reportedly, in some of these states.
So I would say, Jeff, that, you know, our concern here is on the health, welfare, wellbeing, and survival, frankly, of people across the country. And in states where the guidelines are not – or where the recommendations from leadership is not following health and medical guidelines, we have concerns about the impact on the population.
Q: You know, in Europe, there are – there are travel restrictions between European states. The United States is large and has 50 states. Is there any discussion of restrictions for traveling between states when different states have such different ideas about how to fight COVID? And would you encourage or discourage other Americans from traveling to Texas or Mississippi right now?
Ms. Psaki: I’m not aware of any discussions, and I certainly wouldn’t do that from here. But I would just say, Jeff, that, you know, we are – we are going to continue to use every bully pul- every method of bully pulpit at our disposal to convey directly to people living across the country, including in many of these states, that mask wearing, social distancing, getting access to the vaccine is the path to go back to normal. And that is how we are going to get it done and how the American people can return to – believe me, I’d love to take my kids to birthday parties and to parks and to go to a restaurant. I haven’t been to one in a year. You know, we all want that. This is the pathway to do that, and that’s what we’ll continue to convey.
Go ahead.
Q: Just one more quick one on another topic. I’m sorry.
Ms. Psaki: Yeah.
Q: The Capitol is on high alert today because of the potential of an attack related to a conspiracy theory about this date. Is the White House taking any additional security measures? And can you share any intel or readout about what we know about the threat?
Ms. Psaki: Well, let me first say, Jeff, that, on the specifics of today’s threats, the FBI and DHS have warned that the threat from domestic violent extremism, particularly racially motivated and anti-government extremists, did not begin or end on January 6th. And we have been vigilant, day in and day out. Our national security and homeland security team has been since then, in part because we are witnessing a years-long trend of false narratives fueling violence. And the current heightened security environment in the National Capital Region, writ large, is an illustration of that.
I’m not going to outline any security steps from here at any point in time, but I can say the our team is, of course, remain – or our team – the President personally remains deeply engaged in tracking these threats, in receiving regular updates, as he does from his team, about threats, of course, but about incidents happening across the country. It’s something he is personally engaged in. It’s reflected in the comprehensive review he ordered in his first week on the job.
He’s also a diligent and cons- – an eager consumer of intelligence. And as you’d expect, appropriate elements of the intelligence community and law enforcement are providing a stay pace of information and analysis on a regular basis on domestic violent extremism in the country.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Jen. As more people are getting vaccinated every day, there’s still a lack of clarity about what they should and shouldn’t do. And we’ve reported that the CDC guidance for them was supposed to release today, but that’s no longer happening. Do you have any guidance about why not and when Americans should expect to see recommendations?
Ms. Psaki: I would certainly point you to the CDC. I believe they said, in your story or maybe another story perhaps, that the CDC’s guidance will not be posted tomorrow – this is a quote from them – “because we have not finalized it here at the CDC. Once it is final, we will publish and disseminate it.”
And certainly, we know people are eager to hear more details about steps they can take once they’re vaccinated. And we certainly think that once people have a sense of that, hopefully – and we’ll see it when we see it – it will hopefully encourage people to get vaccinated, as well. But they’re on their own timeline, and we’ll wait to see when they’re ready to put out that guidelines.
Q: So the White House has not seen them yet?
Ms. Psaki: I’m not aware of the White House reviewing the guidelines, no.
Q: And then, on Texas, Governor Abbott said that “the Biden administration must stop importing COVID into the country” because he claims that COVID-positive migrants are being bussed into Texas and then sent to other places in the country. Do you have a response to that? And can you elaborate on what the government is doing to test migrants, if anything?
Ms. Psaki: Sure. Well, we’re around fact – we’re about facts around here. That is not factual. So let me give you an overview of what happens.
When migrants are placed in alternatives to detention, their COVID-19 testing – our policy for COVID-19 testing its to be done at the state and local level with the help of NGOs and local governments. And that, certainly, is something that our policy is, is to have that be done – concluded – before they are even moved to go stay with family members or others they may know while their cases are being adjudicated.
And, of course, our guidance to anyone – regardless of status – who is testing positive for COVID-19 or experiencing COVID-like symptoms is, you know, to social distance, to wear a mask, and seek medical attention as needed.
But, you know, in general, our approach and our policy is to work with local governments, work with NGOs, to ensure – to have testing – to ensure these migrants are tested. And that can take place, in that steps for isolation, quarantining, and medical care can be taken should that be needed.
Q: Is there a reason why the burden is on the state and local jurisdictions to do the testing and not the federal government?
Ms. Psaki: Well, many of these NGOs are – have stepped in to help ensure these steps can be taken. Many of these NGOs have also, if quarantining or isolf – or isolation is needed, have even reserved hotel blocks in some cases. And you just certainly have to talk to some of them about the steps they take.
But obviously, their assistance is – allows – allows the federal government to, you know, work with local communities to get this done…
…Q: The President has traveled back to Wilmington a couple of times since taking office. The CDC does still urge people not to travel for personal reasons. Obviously, presidential travel is very different than commercial travel, but should the President are doing more of an example about personal travel during a pandemic?
Ms. Psaki: Well, the President lives in Wilmington; it’s his home. That’s where he’s lived for many, many years. And as you know, as any President of the United States does, he takes a private airplane called “Air Force One” to travel there. That is, of course, a unique – unique from most Americans, but I think most Americans would also see that as a unique circumstances….
…Go ahead
Q: Thank you, Jen. You mentioned earlier – on masks, you referenced the President’s frustration and exasperation with people who are not following the science. It would appear notwithstanding, there are still millions of Americans out there who are not following the science, certainly in places like Texas, Mississippi, South Carolina, and other places.
So I’m wondering: Why doesn’t the President consider ratcheting up his rhetoric beyond the undertow and personalizing his concerns? Why doesn’t – for example, why doesn’t he think about saying, “Folks, here’s the deal: If you don’t wear your mask, people are going to die because of you”? That would certainly get people’s attention.
Ms. Psaki: We’ll note it. I will say, the President has been clear that if people wear masks for 100 days, 60,000 lives could be saved. And he has been clear – he did a whole PSA during the Super Bowl about it – and about the benefit and impact of mask wearing.
He also, though, does not believe that people of any state or any American should be hurt by the guidance of their leadership. And so that’s why he’s spoken directly to the American people – we all have, or we are all trying to – about the impact of mask wearing, of social distancing, and of taking the vaccine when people can have access to it…
March 4: National Institutes of Health (NIH) posted a news release titled: “NIH scientists discover how DNA fragments can trigger inflammation in sickle cell disease”. From the news release:
Researchers have discovered that DNA from the mitochondria – the cell’s “powerhouses” – acts as a danger signal in the body and triggers inflammation in people with sickle cell disease. A better understanding of mitochondrial DNA, long known to circulate in human blood, may provide vital insight into how to stop the underlying chronic inflammation that marks this inherited red blood cell disorder. It could also lead to new ways to reduce the pain crisis suffered by people living with the life-threatening disease.
The study, published in the journal Blood, was supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health.
“These study findings suggest that measuring the DNA of mitochondrial origin could help us better understand its role in pain crises, destruction of red blood cells, and other inflammatory events in sickle cell disease,” said Swee Lay Thein, M.B., D.Sc., chief of the Sickle Cell Branch at NHLBI. “It could also serve as a marker of disease progression and a way to measure the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions.”
Normally a red blood cell gets rid of its mitochondria when it matures, because the energy from mitochondria is not needed to carry out the red blood cell’s function of delivering oxygen throughout the body. However, Thein and her team showed that red blood cells from people with sickle cell anemia – the most common and often most severe type of sickle cell disease – abnormally retain the mitochondria, which can lead to a buildup of highly reactive chemical molecules that stresses the cells.
The condition, researchers found, allows damaged mitochondrial DNA to enter circulation with too few of the small molecules, called methyl groups, that typically attach to the DNA to help the cells function. This abnormal amount of molecules on the mitochondrial DNA, in turn, stimulates inflammation, a hallmark of sickle cell disease.
To do the study, Thein and her staff scientist, Laxmianth Tumburu, Ph.D., the study’s main author, analyzed the complete set of DNA extracted from the blood plasma of 34 people with sickle cell anemia, as well as the blood plasma from eight healthy volunteers.
“We were intrigued when we found higher levels of free-floating mitochondrial DNA in the plasma of the patients with sickle cell disease,” Thein said. “These were shorter and more fragmented than free-floating nuclear DNA fragments, which are also known to drift in the patient’s blood.”
The free-floating mitochondrial DNA from patients with sickle cell disease had fewer methyl groups than were found in the blood plasma of the healthy volunteers. As intriguing: the free-floating mitochondrial DNA from seven of those patients had even less of these methyl groups when the patients were having a pain crisis, compared to when they were not.
To examine why this was the case, the researchers looked at how the blood plasma containing high levels of free-floating mitochondrial DNA triggers a specific inflammatory process. Neutrophils are part of the immune system and they form structures called neutrophil extracellular traps, or NETs that are crucial components of the immune response and are typically protective in bacterial or viral infections.
But a negative consequence of these NETs is inflammation that is detrimental and often continual, even in the absence of infection. Knowing this, Thein and her team were able to block the formation of NETs by treating neutrophils with a small molecule inhibitor.
With this improved understanding of the components that contribute to the sickle cell disease process, the researchers said they now want to pursue preclinical testing of drugs that target mitochondrial DNA and the inflammatory process it stimulates…
March 4: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted a News Release titled: “FDA Alerts Public about Improper Use of Thermal Imaging Devices; Warns Firms for Illegally, Offering Thermal Imaging Systems for Sale” From the News Release:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today alerted consumers, health care providers and other users of thermal imaging systems intended to measure human body temperature – also known as telethermographic systems, infrared thermographs, thermal cameras, and “fever cameras” that improper use of the systems may provide inaccurate temperature readings due to a variety of factors. Additionally, the FDA issued several Warning Letters to certain firms offering unapproved, uncleared, and unauthorized thermal imaging systems for sale.
“While thermal imaging is not an effective diagnostic device for COVID-19, it can determine if someone has an elevated temperature, which can be an important risk management tool during the pandemic when used properly,” said William Maisel, M.D., M.P.H., Chief Medical Officer and director of the Office of Product Evaluation and Quality in FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health. “But improper use and marketing of thermal imaging systems may lead to inaccurate temperature readings and pose a potential danger to public health. As part of the FDA’s ongoing commitment to transparency to the American public, the agency is providing important information to users about the correct use of these devices and is warning certain firms that the FDA will not tolerate their marketing of misbranded and adulterated products.”
Thermal imaging systems intended to measure a person’s surface skin temperature are regulated as devices by the FDA. Thermal imaging systems detect infrared light emitted from a person’s skin and convert that information into a temperature reading. The FDA is aware that thermal imaging systems can be used in a way to detect temperature as part of a larger approach to COVID-19 risk management, such as in combination with mask wearing, social distancing and hand washing, to provide initial temperature assessments or triage individuals for elevated temperatures in public areas such as airports, grocery stores, offices and schools. When designed and used correctly, thermal imaging systems have been shown to accurately measure someone’s surface skin temperature.
Improper use of thermal imaging systems may lead to inaccurate body temperature measurements which can present potentially serious public health risks. Such risks may include, but are not limited to, the device incorrectly detecting a normal human body temperature when a person has an elevated temperature and incorrectly assessing a person to have an elevated body temperature when they do not. These risks are more likely to be present where thermal imaging systems scan multiple individuals simultaneously. To help mitigate these risks, the FDA is providing important recommendations in the safety communication to consumers, health care providers and other users about the proper and improper use of these system.
The FDA is also aware that some firms are marketing unapproved, uncleared and unauthorized thermal imaging devices intended to measure human body temperature, including measuring multiple individuals’ temperature simultaneously, and has issued Warning Letters to Certify Global Inc., Kogniz Inc., Opgal Optronic Industries Ltd., and Thermavis. The FDA’s position is that Warning Letters are issued only for violations of regulatory significance. Warning Letters that have been issued by the FDA are published on Warning Letters page, and COVID-19 related Warning Letters are published on FDA’s Fraudulent Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Products page.
The FDA may take additional action, as appropriate, to protect consumers.
If you wish to report a problem with a thermal imaging system, you may do so through the MedWatch Voluntary Reporting Form.
March 4: National Institutes of Health (NIH) posted a press release titled: “NIH-Sponsored ACTIV-3 Clinical Trial Closes Enrollment into Two Sub-Studies”. From the press release:
The ACTIV-3 clinical trial, which is evaluating the safety and efficacy of investigational therapeutics for COVID-19 in hospitalized patients, has closed enrollment in two sub-studies: one examining the investigational monoclonal antibody therapy VIR-7831, and another evaluating the investigational combination monoclonal antibody therapy containing BRII-196 and BRII-198. The sub-studies were halted by the trial sponsor, the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, on March 1, 2021, following an interim review and recommendations from the independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB).
The DSMB determined that the Brii therapeutic did not meet the inclusion for criteria for further enrollment in the trial, due to futility. The initial analysis of data from the VIR-7831 sub-study indicated that the investigational treatment met the pre-specified criteria for study continuation. However, participants entering the control group had more advanced illness overall than those enrolling in the group receiving the therapeutic, so the data were adjusted to account for this imbalance. Once this difference was taken into account, the DSMB recommended that recruitment in the VIR-7831 sub-study should cease, due to futility.
There were no safety concerns with either therapeutic agent and no indication of harm in the therapeutic arms compared to the placebo arm.
VIR-7831 was developed through a partnership between GlaxoSmithKline (Brentford, United Kingdom), and Vir Biotechnology Inc. (San Francisco). BRII-196 and BRII 198 are manufactured by Brii Biosciences (Durham, North Carolina and Beijing).
ACTIV-3, part of the Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions And Vaccines (ACTIV) public-private partnership, is a master protocol designed to allow for the study of multiple investigational agents compared to placebo in adults hospitalized with COVID-19. All trial participants receive Veklury (remdesivir), a drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of COVID-19 in hospitalized patients. The trial is divided into sub-studies, each of which evaluates a different candidate therapeutic. After five days, the clinical status of participants is assessed using two seven-point ordinal scales. Each scale ranges from being able to undertake usual activities with minimal or no symptoms, to death. After approximately 150 participants are enrolled in each sub-study and 150 enrolled in the corresponding placebo group, the DSMB conducts a pre-planned interim safety and efficacy review to determine if the sub-study should be expanded to enroll additional participants or if it should be closed.
The DSMB reviewed data on 344 people in the VIR-7831 sub-study and 343 people in the Brii-196 and Brii-198 combination sub-study. Volunteers in both sub-studies will continue to be followed for 18 months. Currently, NIAID and trial coordinating investigators are analyzing the data, and they will provide more information in a forthcoming report.
Participants continue to be enrolled in the ACTIV-3 sub-study evaluating AZD7442, an investigational long-acting antibody combination developed by biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca (Cambridge, United Kingdom). The DSMB will review the safety and efficacy of this sub-study once approximately 300 participants have been enrolled.
The NIAID-supported ACTIV-2 trial will continue to test the BRII-196 and BRII-198 combination monoclonal antibody therapeutic regimen in people with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 who have not required hospitalization. It is being overseen by the same DSMB that oversees ACTIV-3, and the DSMB does not recommend any changes to ACTIV-2 at this time.
NIAID conducts and supports research – at NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwide – to study the causes of infection and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing, and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID website.
March 4: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) posted News titled: “HHS OCR and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan Enter Voluntary Resolution Agreement with Michigan Bariatric Practice to Protect Patients from HIV Discrimination”. From the News:
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights (“HHS OCR”) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan have entered into a Voluntary Resolution Agreement with Great Lakes Surgical Associates (“GLSA”) to protect patients from discrimination on the basis of HIV status. The Complainant, an African American man and a Medicare beneficiary, initially filed a complaint with the Department of Justice (DOJ), reporting that his primary care physician referred him to GLSA for bariatric surgery to address his high blood pressure and diabetes. However, GLSA allegedly refused to evaluate him for bariatric surgery or to provide him with the surgery due to the Complainant’s HIV status.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan investigated the allegation that GLSA discriminated against the Complainant based on his disability, in violation of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“Title III of the ADA”). Title III of the ADA prohibits public accommodations from discriminating on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of their goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations.
In cooperation with DOJ, HHS OCR initiated a compliance review to determine GLSA’s compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (“Section 504”), and Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (“Section 1557”). Section 504 prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability (including HIV status) in programs or activities that receive HHS funding, such as hospitals, nursing homes, or physician practice groups. Section 1557 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in certain health programs or activities.
The Voluntary Resolution Agreement requires GLSA to:
Post a Notice of Nondiscrimination notifying GLSA personnel, patients, and the public that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability, including HIV status, in its health programs or activities;
Provide assurances that, in the future, it will not discriminate on the basis of disability; nor retaliate against any person who has made, or is making, a disability discrimination complaint;
Establish and implement policies and procedures for providing services in a nondiscriminatory manner to individuals with disabilities;
Arrange for training of all personnel on GLSA’s obligations not to discriminate against individuals with disabilities; and
Report on implementation of the Agreement for a three-year term.
In addition, pursuant to DOJ’s authority under Title III of the ADA, GLSA has agreed to compensate the Complainant in the amount of $37,000.
“The HHS Office for Civil Rights is committed to ensuring that all individuals with disabilities are afforded an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from health care programs and services,” said Acting HHS OCR Director Robinsue Frohboese. “Discrimination against individuals with HIV in health care or human services is unlawful and we will continue to take appropriate steps to remedy discrimination when it occurs and provide consumers with knowledge about their rights and providers with awareness of their obligations.”
A copy of the Voluntary Resolution Agreement may be found at: https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/glsa-joint-vra.pdf – PDF.
March 4: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted a News Release titled: “Federal judge entered permanent injunction against New York-based dietary supplement manufacturer”. From the News Release:
A dietary supplement manufacturer and two of its executives have been ordered by a federal court to stop manufacturing, holding, or distributing any articles of food, including dietary supplements, until they come into compliance with federal dietary supplement current good manufacturing practice regulations and other Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) requirements.
Today, Judge Edward R. Norman, of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, entered an order of permanent injunction against Confidence USA Inc., of Long Island, New York, and the company’s president Helen Chian and general manager and founder Jim Chao. The permanent injunction requires the defendants to cease manufacturing, holding, or distributing dietary supplements until the FDA notifies defendants that they may resume operations.
“Consumers deserve access to dietary supplements that are manufactured to assure their quality. If a dietary supplement company repeatedly fails to comply with good manufacturing practice requirements, the public cannot trust that their products are what they say they are,” said Judy McMeekin, Pharm.D., FDA’s Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs. “The FDA will continue to protect American consumers by taking appropriate actions necessary when companies violate the law.”
Confidence USA Inc. has manufactured and distributed more than 50 dietary supplements under brand names that include Confidence USA, American Best, USA Natural, and The Herbal Store. Confidence USA Inc. currently manufactures and distributes the above-mentioned dietary supplement products through Amazon, Walmart, and its own online store at www.confidenceusa.com.
The court found that defendants violated the FD&C Act because their products were prepared, packed or held in violation of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulations for dietary supplements. Multiple FDA inspections showed that the defendants repeatedly failed to verify the identity of each dietary ingredient used in the manufacture of their supplements. The defendants also failed to verify that their products met specifications for purity, strength, composition, and contamination limits.
The court order prohibits defendants from receiving, processing, manufacturing, preparing, packing, holding and distributing any article of food, including dietary supplements, until they hire an independent expert to ensure that they are following the CGMP regulations, and, following an inspection, receive the FDA’s approval to resume operations. Following the court order, once defendants resume operations, they must retain an independent auditor to ensure that they continue to follow the CGMP regulations.
March 5: The White House posted a Press Briefing titled: “Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials”. From the Press Briefing:
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Thank you all for joining us. It was an eventful week at the White House and around the country. I want to take a moment to step back and remind people where we’ve come from and where we’re going.
Over the past six weeks, we’ve seen the nation rally together in an unprecedented way. Together we’ve recovered from a storm, kept vaccination sites open late, packed and shipped vaccines throughout the night, seen companies across America make major commitments to masking and vaccinations and to underserved communities.
And just this week, we went from J&J authorization to shots in arms in three days. All that was topped off by an announcement from two rival drug companies, Johnson & Johnson and Merck, of an unprecedented collaboration to increase our vaccination capacity along with the U.S. government.
We have increased vaccine supply to states, tribes, and territories by more than 77 percent, launched programs to get vaccines into thousands of additional convenient and trusted locations, like pharmacies, community vaccination centers, and community health centers. And there are thousands of Americans – from our military servicemen and women, to retired doctors and nurses, to members of the National Guard – all vaccinating Americans across the country.
The nation is coming together on this pandemic response, and we are throwing everything we have at this virus. As much sacrifice as this requires from everyone, we are making progress.
Six weeks ago, only 8 percent of seniors – those most vulnerable to COVID – had received a vaccination. Today, nearly 55 percent of people age 65 or older have received at least one shot. Altogether, we’ve administered more than 82 million shots – more than any country in the world. And we’ve opened or expanded more than 450 community vaccination sites.
Today, we are announcing the addition of two new FEMA-supported high-volume sites. The Atlanta Falcons Stadium in Georgia and the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio, will turn into FEMA-supported community vaccination sites with the capacity to deliver 6,000 shots per day each. Both of these sites sit in neighborhoods hit hard by the pandemic and are well known in the community.
This brings that total to 18 FEMA-supported sites across seven states with the ability to administer more than 60,000 shots per day.
But I want to be clear: We owe the public straight talk, whether the news is promising or challenging. Progress demonstrates we can defeat COVID-19, but it does not equal success.
It may seem tempting in the face of all this progress to try to rush back to normalcy as if the virus is in the rearview mirror. It’s not. Now, years of watching football on TV has shown me that it’s better to spike the football once you’re safely in the end zone, not after you’ve made a couple of completions.
The CDC and public health officials – locally, at the state level, and nationally – are all clear: Wear a mask – not forever, but for now. Wear a mask now so we can get to a place where you don’t have to.
and this is not just the voice of cautious public health experts. It is what businesses who want to remain open and many public officials of both parties who have lived through the last year are saying.
And as you will hear in a moment from Dr. Walensky, it is also what the data from the last year is telling us.
And with that, I’m going to turn it over to Dr. Walensky.
Dr. Walensky: Thank you so much. It’s a pleasure to be back with you today.
I know there have been many questions about when CDC is going to release its guidance for fully vaccinated persons and activities they can resume. These are complex issues, and the science is rapidly evolving. CDC is working to ensure that the communication we release on this guidance are clear and that the American public can act on them.
Our goal and what is most important is that people who have been vaccinated, and those not yet vaccinated, are able to understand the steps they can take to protect themselves and their loved ones. we are making sure and taking the time to get this right, and we will be releasing this guidance soon.
Now let’s shift to an overview of the pandemic. CDC’s most recent data shows cases continue to fluctuate around 60,000 to 70,000 cases per day, with the most recent seven-day average of 62,000 cases per day. We also continue to see deaths hovering around 2,000 deaths per day with the latest seven-day average of 1,900 deaths per day.
The current numbers remain concerning. Cases and deaths are still too high and have now plateaued for more than a week at levels we saw during the late summer surge following six weeks of steady declines.
This is why I’m asking you to double down on our prevention measures. I know the idea of relaxing our mask wearing and getting back to everyday activities is appealing, but we’re not there yet. And we have been – we have seen this movie before. When prevention measures like mask mandates are rolled back, cases go up.
An article published today in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report highlights that critical importance of these prevention strategies and the real risks when prevention measures are eased. The study looked at the relationship between COVID-19 cases and deaths, and both state-issued mask mandates and restaurants resuming on-premises dining from March to December of 2020.
The researchers found that increases in both daily death rates and COVID cases and deaths slowed significantly within 20 days of putting masks mandates into place. And protective effect of the mask mandates grew stronger over time. In contrast, increases in daily death rates of COVID-19 cases and deaths grew more quickly within 40 to 80 days following restaurants being allowed to resume on-premises dining.
This report is a critical reminder that with the current levels of COVID-19 in communities, and the continued spread of more transmissible virus variants, which have now been detected in 48 states, strictly following prevention measures remains essential for putting and end to the pandemic. It also serves as a warning about premature lifting these prevention measures.
There’s a light at the end of this tunnel, but we must be prepared for the fact that the road ahead may not be smooth. And that is within our control. But continuing to wear masks and following CDC’s public health recommendations, while we get more people vaccinated, we can bring this pandemic to an end.
Thank you. I look forward to your questions. But first I’ll turn things over to Dr. Fauci.
Dr. Fauci?
Dr. Fauci: Thank you very much, Dr. Walensky. I’d like to take up a bit of what Dr. Walensky just said. If I could have the first slide.
I’m going to spend the next couple of minutes talking about the daily trends in the numbers of cases that have been reported and how this relates to both… I’m going to spend the next couple of minutes talking about the daily trending in the numbers of cases that have been reported, and how this relates to both the evolution of variants and how you handle variants.
If you look at the far-left part of the slide, on the area between January and June, you remember – many of us will recall very, very vividly – in the end of the winter and the beginning of the spring, we had a surge that was dominated by the New York Metropolitan Area. After the surge, what we came down to was a baseline of about 20,000 cases per day. That is a very high baseline, relatively speaking. When we tried to open up the country on the second peak, in the middle of the slide, the same thing: After we peaked, we started to come down, but we plateaued again at a very high baseline – in this case 40,000.
We just now recently experienced the worst surge – on the right hand part of the slide – which now, as you see, is starting to come down in a very nice deflection curve.
The issue is – if you look on the very far right of the slide – as Dr. Walensky has said, we are starting to plateau. I’ve blown that up in a little section, which is now sitting in the middle of the slide. That plateau is about 60-70,000 cases a day. When you have that much of a viral activity in a plateau, it almost invariably means you are at risk for another spike.
Next slide.
In fact, as the Washington Post reported yesterday, many countries in Europe have seen just that. They had a decrease in cases over a six-week period. They plateaued. And now, over the past week, they saw an increase in cases by 9 percent, something we desperately want to avoid.
Next slide.
How does that relate to the variants? Let me just go through this. I refer to it as virology 101. What it really is is some fundamental tenets of virology; namely RNA viruses, like SARS-CoV-2, tend to mutate. They have poor proofreading mechanisms. A virus cannot mutate if it doesn’t replicate. And it replicates in infected individuals.
A high baseline level of community spread of virus favors mutations and the evolution of variants. Now, variants get evolved because of selection pressures, namely just fundamental pressure to enhance its own replication and propagate itself, as well as pressure to evade neutralizing antibodies. This has important implications for vaccines, as well as the potential role of immunosuppressed people who get infected, don’t clear the virus very rapidly, and allow it to mutate in the individual.
So a suboptimal immune response favors the generation of variants. That’s very, very clear when your dealing with RNA viruses.
Next slide.
In fact, I had showed you in a previous press briefing what the issue was when you have a first dose of, let’s say, for example, Pfizer vaccine – very similar to the Moderna: you get a response that is protective. In this case, it would be about 52 percent. However, the second dose brings that level of antibodies quite high, which gives it redundancy to prevent the evolution, as well as to protect against viral variants.
Next slide.
Said in a just plain and simple way: Suboptimal immune responses to wild-type virus promotes the generation of variants, and the lack of potency or redundancy of an immune response to protect and suppress variants is another issue of concern.
Next slide.
And so, how do you address these threat – which we clearly are facing – of a number of viral variants? On the one hand, vaccination: Maximize the immune response against the wild-type virus. You can do the by the proper adherence to the regimens shown on the clinical trial, or even plan – as some companies are doing – of, in the distance, giving a booster to the wild type.
Also, as I mentioned in a prior conference, perhaps plan, as we are doing with Moderna, to boost with a very variant-specific vaccine.
But importantly, there’s another tool in our armamentarium, and that is what was emphasized by Dr. Walensky: namely adherence to the public health measures in an arena of a high baseline of infections – with masks, distance, avoiding congregate settings, washing hands.
And on the next and final slide – just yesterday evening, in JAMA, John Moore, a very accomplished virologist, actually gave a nice description and hit upon many of the things that I just described to you. So if you want to look at it in some detail, I recommend you take a look at this article that came out yesterday.
I’ll stop there. And hand back to Andy.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Thank you. Okay, let’s go to Q&A.
MODERATOR: Great. First question we will go to Sam Whitehead with WABE Atlanta.
Q: Hey, thank you all for taking my question. I’m wondering if you can share some more details on this mass vaccination site you all are going to be setting up here in Atlanta. You know, I have been covering the active mass vaccination effort from our county health department there, and I’ve heard from people in some parts of the south – like the south side of Atlanta, the Mercedes-Benz is still kind of a hard place for them to reach. So is there going to be further outreach to make sure people have access to this site and not just that it’s set up?
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Sam, thank you for the question. So I can’t give you the specifics on this site, on this call. We will be glad to follow up with you.
But I will last that with all of our mass vaccination site efforts, the first week we really see a lot of adjusting to the needs of the local community, including how appointments are reserved, including whether there are mobile vans and clinics that need to be set up, including transportation issues and in arranging transportation.
You may be aware that Uber and Lyft – to pick two – have a donated millions of rides. So we’re going to try to make sure all those things are packaged neatly so that it is easier for people, particularly those who have a more challenging time getting vaccinated, to get there and get vaccinated. So thank you for the question.
Next, please.
MODERATOR: Next we’ll go to Arlene Saenz at CNN.
Q: Hi there. Thanks for taking my question and doing this call. I have a few questions when it comes to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. You guys have acknowledged that there’s going to be a bit of a break, as far as the shipment and distribution of that. So what are you doing to prepare for the coming lull in the J&J supply? And how is that going to impact places that have already incorporated this into their vaccination operations?
And then, separately, you know, you’ve spent a lot of time stressing that J&J is equal to the other vaccines and that everyone should take it as soon as whichever vaccine is available to them. But we heard Detroit’s Mayor Duggan saying that he’s declining that initial allotment of J&J in part because he believes that Pfizer and Moderna are better vaccines. So what exactly do you guys plan to do to counter this type of messaging, especially if it’s coming form a local official?
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Yeah. So, look, I’m going to actually ask Dr. Fauci to talk about the compatibility of these three very successful vaccines in a second, but I do think it’s important to clarify that that was not actually the mayor’s intent, and that was not the mayor’s comment.
We’ve been in constant dialogue with Mayor Duggan, who said, in fact, that was not what he said or – however it was reported. In fact, he is very eager for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. And I think we would reiterate the message that, for all of us, the first vaccine we have an opportunity to take makes absolute sense to take. So thank you for allowing us to clarify that.
But, Dr. Fauci, maybe you want to reiterate the guidance around these three vaccines.
Dr. Fauci: Yes. Thank you, Andy. As we’ve said many times and happy to reiterate it right now, we have three highly efficacious vaccines with a very good safety profile. Each of them are very effective in preventing clinically apparent disease. But importantly, all three of them have a important effect of being extraordinarily effective in preventing severe disease, and particularly preventing hospitalizations and deaths. That’s point number one.
We don’t compare one to the other. The only way that you can effectively do that is by having head-to-head comparisons in a clinical trial, which was not done.
And so, as Andy said, and I’ll reiterate, it’s a question – if you go in and a vaccine is available to you, I would take the first vaccine because the most important thing to do is to get vaccinated and not try and figure out what one may be or may not be better than the other.
I’ll stop there, Andy.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Yeah, thank you. And I realized I didn’t answer one element of your question, which is: How are we preparing states and others in the distribution system for the pattern of vaccines that are coming off the line at Johnson & Johnson?
The same thing is true for Johnson & Johnson as it is for Moderna and Pfizer: Everyone we’re distributing to – all the states and jurisdictions – have a – at least a three-week-forward view as to their vaccinations that are coming. They’re able to plan for them.
And thankfully, to date – even if you just look at the Pfizer and Jo- – Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, we’ve taken them up about 77 percent so far, and we will aim to continue to increase as much as possible.
So next question.
MODERATOR: Next we’ll got to Tamara Keith at NPR.
Q: Great. Can you hear me?
Acting Administrator Slavitt: I can.
Q: Okay, excellent. I am – and you probably don’t have the answer to this – but how soon is “soon” on this guidance for people with vaccines? There are now millions of people who are fully vaccinated and making life choices, like some grandparents I know who are getting on an airplane today. So there is a sense of urgency there.
And then I have one other question.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: So, noting your sense of urgency, maybe – maybe I will – and, look, you’re not alone. Everybody is eager to see what’s next.
The burden that falls on the CDC is not only to get the science right, but to communicate clearly in a way that’s not confusing. But maybe I’ll get – go back to you, Dr. Walensky, for you to reiterate some of your points.
Dr. Walensky: Yeah, I will just reiterate that it’s coming soon. We know that people are interested. I think the anecdote that you raise is one that is exactly why we want to make – to ensure that the communication is crystal clear – and that is because everyone has their specific scenario of what they’re trying and wanting to do. And so we really just want to make sure that it’s very clear and can be easily adapted for individuals, their households, and their loved ones.
Q: And the other question I have is: When do you expect this crossover to happen, where it will go from a scarcity problem to then an administration problem – you know, having enough people to put shots in arms – and then from there, to a hesitancy problem?
And on the hesitancy: Has anyone in this administration tried reaching out to President Trump, who got his vaccine privately, about maybe doing a PSA?
Acting Administrator Slavitt: So, Tamara, thank you for the question. So your question is: When do we go from having a situation where we have a shortage situation, which we have today, to one where we have an oversupply situation?
And I think the best way to answer that question is not with a precise date, but the fact that it’s not a switch that flips, but it’s a sliding scale, and it happens differently in community by community.
And I will tell you that there are some communities we’re already very engaged and very focused on communicating with people about the questions they have about getting off the fence and taking the vaccine. That’s already begun.
This has been a massive week of outreach, led by Dr. Marcella Smith, but with many people across the country participating in that dialogue, and it’s happening increasingly on a local basis.
So, from our view, this is not something that will start at some magical day in the future; it has begun today. And it’s something that we have to make sure we’re addressing.
Did you have another part of your question? U’m sorry, I feel like I forgot one things you asked. Okay, well – yes.
Q: Yes. Here. I’m back. The question was whether anyone in this administration –
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Oh.
Q: – has reached out to President Trump, who quietly and privately got vaccine, but would seem to be a perfect spokesman for a public service announcement to supporters who might be experiencing hesitancy.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Well, we’re glad that everybody who has taken the vaccine is talking about it, including him. We’ll also note that we have governors of both parties who are – who have taken the vaccine and who are being very public about it, and others as well.
I think many people are, you know, waiting their turn. But we find it helpful for everybody – I particularly like the Dolly Parton song myself. Ev- – that’s one of my favorites.
All right, next.
MODERATOR: Next we’ll go to Yamiche Alcindor with PBS.
Q: Hi. Thanks so much. You guys can hear me?
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Yes.
Q: Great. I – it sounded like you touched on this a bit, but I want to go back to the idea of the Detroit mayor declining this city’s allotted J&J vaccine and saying, in fact, that it’s a good vaccine, but that Moderna and Pfizer are the best. How often is this happening, and what are you doing to try to avoid this? And what else can be said or done to make sure that cities aren’t going to follow in his footsteps? And how problematic, if at all, is that?
And then, I have a second question on the vaccine hesitancy, but I want the first – that – the first one about the Mayor of Detroit.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Yeah, let me reiterate the mayor’s office has indicated, after we talked to them, that that was a misunderstanding; that was not the intent of those remarks.
So – and thankfully, I think, as Dr. Fauci said, we’re seeing widely across the country, people are grateful and we’re seeing an overwhelmingly positive response to this third vaccine.
And I think people understand the fact that they are not directly comparable, given the time periods with which they were tested, and that they all make – make it past the most important test, which is that they are able to prevent disease, and particularly severe disease and death, and at the 28-day at 100 percent level. And, by the way, that’s including testing in South Africa, where we have one of the most dangerous variants.
Maybe I’ll go back to you, Dr. Fauci, again because I don’t think we can say it enough… And – and I think it – I will tell you that it’s a great question, but the message is getting through.
Dr. Fauci: Yeah, Andy. I – we’ve got to get away from this issue of comparing one with the other, except to say that we have a highly efficacious group of three vaccines. And the critical issue that you said to repeat again, in the important area of preventing very severe disease leading to hospitalization and death: It is virtually 100 percent in that regard. That is really good news.
And, again, people want to get vaccinated. And you go to a place that will have a vaccine – almost all will have one or the other – I would just take the vaccine that is the most readily available to you.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Thank you.
And did you – did you have a follow up on hesitancy?
Q: Yeah. I had a follow-up on hesitancy. I know there’s been a lot of talk about, obviously, African Americans and hesitancy, but I was also looking at hesitancy among Republican voters, in particular. There was a poll that showed, in Michigan, only about 29 percent of Republicans said they would get the coronavirus vaccine. I’m wondering if there’s a special push for Republican voters, for conservative voters who, according to polling, are showing a big amount of vaccine hesitancy.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Yeah. You know, the only thing I would say – we’ve seen obviously a lot of the same information. We are engaged with stakeholder groups across racial and ethnic minorities, rural Americans, to reach young Americans. All of these are important. Our whole perspective is: :eave nobody behind.
And, in fact, I just – the only thing I would take slight issue with is we don’t think this decision is a matter of political identity. And I think – and I can tell you, everybody from evangelical leaders to media figures, like Hugh Hewitt and others, reinforced the fact that while there may – there may be different pockets of populations that may, in fact, identify with whether it’s their location or political identity, and so forth, it’s not driven necessarily by their politics. And that’s a good and important thing because we don’t think that this is about political identity.
So we are targeting specific groups with conservations and answering questions that people have. And those questions may differ based on where you live or how you identify. But this is not and nor should it ever become something that is a question of politics.
Do we have another question?
MODERATOR: Last question will go to Kristen Welker at NBC.
Q: Hi, everyone. Thank you for the question. Really appreciate it. I want to follow up with you on the report that you all referenced today: the fact that areas with mask mandates have seen decreases in their daily cases, and yet areas where restaurants were open have seen increases in cases and even deaths. What’s the broader message here? And does this mean that restaurants should close down, or does there just need to be more vigilance?And then just as a quick follow-up: I know that the CDC data shows that a larger share of white – of the white population has been vaccinated as compared to Hispanic, Asian, black populations. What’s being done specifically to address that right now?
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Okay, Dr. Walensky, do you want to take the first? And welcome to obviously talk about the second, if you like, as well.
Dr. Walensky: Yeah. You know, I think the science is now following the messaging that we have, and the messaging has followed the science. We have demonstrated that masks work. We have demonstrated that in-person dining – this is not the first report that demonstrates the impact of in-person dining and how cases and deaths will follow after in-person dining. So I think all of this is very consistent.
I think we’ve known that restaurants have led to cases, have led to clusters, so I think this is yet another report at a population level – at a large population level, over a durable period of time, that has demonstrated that you have decreases in cases and deaths when you wear masks, and you have increases in cases and deaths when you have in-person restaurant dining. And so we would advocate for policies, certainly while we’re at this plateau of a high number of cases that would listen to that public health science.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: So, I’ll just – I’ll just add to that. Number one, we are following the science and we are following the data, and we are following with the work the CDC says. It’s very clear that these interventions work and they save lives. Why somebody wouldn’t take advantage of a small intervention to save people’s lives, that – that would be surprising.
Second, so with – just very clear – we’ll say it – all three of us have said this: We’re not done. We’re not done. We’re making progress, but there are also disturbing signs on the horizon. And every time we’ve gone through this pandemic, we’ve learned that you can look a few weeks ahead, and in the world, you see a few weeks ahead, it will not look like the world you live in today. And the signs of what you will see ahead are with you at the present, if you look at them. And I think Dr. Fauci and Dr. Walensky have been very clear about what we’re seeing today. Very clear. We – and so we – we have to be straight with the public.
In terms of equity, particularly with racial and ethnic minorities, we have been, I think, the first ones – the first ones to come out and say, “This is a challenge, and this is a hard challenge, and this is an important challenge.” It’s – and it’s been a pillar of everything we’ve focused on. It doesn’t mean it’s easy. But I will tell you that there are three major thrusts to this initiative.
The first is we have to meet communities where they are. We have to go to where people are. We have to make sure the transportation, working hours, et cetera, hit people to allow them to get vaccinated. And this is in large part, as we all know now, an occupational disease, and it’s a disease of living conditions.
So we cannot allow just a system where we generically throw out vaccine supply and let whoever comes to get it get it. We have to make these focused efforts. And we have some evidence in the case of our community vaccination centers, in the case of retail pharmacies, in the case of the emerging program on community health centers that these steps are working.
Second, trusted messengers. We are spending a lot of time with people locally who need to hear from and want to hear from to feel comfortable whether they should be taking the vaccine. People have legitimate questions. Let me be clear: A question about whether I should take a vaccine or not is not an illegitimate question. These are legitimate questions, and they need to be answered in a straightforward way with people who they trust. Because the record of these vaccines is just outstanding from an efficacy and safety standpoint.
And third: data, data, data. The more we can look at this, the more we can see the problem, the better we can solve it, the better we can focus on solutions. So we need more states to be contributing data to this effort. We are committed to trying to solve it. It doesn’t mean it’s easy, but we’re committed to trying to solve it.
Thank you for all the questions today, and I hope everyone has a good weekend.
March 5: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted a News Release titled: “Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Authorizes Adaptive Biotechnologies T-Detect COVID-Test”. From the News Release:
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the T-Detect COVID Test developed by Adaptive Biotechnologies. The T-Detect COVID Test is a next generation sequencing based (NGS) test to aid in identifying individuals with an adaptive T cell immune response to SARS-CoV-2, indicating recent or prior infection with SARS-CoV-2.
“Today’s authorization further underscores the FDA’s commitment to innovation in test development,” said Jeff Shuren, M.D., J.D., director of FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health. “The T-Detect COVID Test is a novel technology that assesses the T cell immune response to COVID-19. Information and scientific data the deepen our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 remain important keys to get ahead of this global pandemic.”
The test analyzes DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) sequences from T cells (white blood cells) to aid in identifying individuals with an adaptive T cell immune response to SARS-CoV-2, indicating recent or previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. A positive test result indicates recent or prior infection with SARS-CoV-2, while a negative test result indicates that a patient is unlikely to have been infected with SARS-CoV-2. Negative results do not preclude acute or current SARS-CoV-2 infection. All results from the test should be used in combination with a clinical examination, patient medical history and other findings. The T-Detect COVID Test should not be used to diagnose current SARS-CoV-2 infection.
A T cell response may be detected in blood several days after initial infection; however, it is unknown how long the T cell immune response remains following infection and what level of protection may be provided by the presence of a T cell immune response. The T-Detect COVID test will be a useful tool to help determine if a person previously had COVID-19. This is especially important for people who may have exhibited symptoms previously or believe they have been exposed but have not tested positive for COVID-19 using a molecular or antigen diagnostic test.
The test is indicated for use by qualified healthcare professions on samples from individual who are 15 days or more post-symptom onset. Testing is currently limited to laboratories designated by Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation that are certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA) and meet the requirements to perform high complexity tests.
March 8: The White House posted a Press Briefing titled: “White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials”. From the Press Briefing:
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Thank you for joining us. It was an important weekend for the President and the American People.
President Biden came into office with two clear, immediate goals: mount a vaccination program to turn the tide on the pandemic and pass a rescue plan to bring the nation through these tough times successfully.
This weekend, we took critical steps on both fronts. On Saturday, the Senate passed the American Rescue Plan. In the face of what is one of the country’s greatest challenges Americans have ever faced, this historic legislation will cut child poverty in half, put $1,400 checks into the pockets of 85 percent of the country, fund our schools so they can reopen safely and so our kids can catch up quickly, and create 7 million jobs. And importantly, it gives America the resources we need to defeat the pandemic. It demonstrates government once again is working for the people.
On that very same Saturday, we set a new record for single-day recorded vaccinations. We are vaccinating a seven-day average of nearly 2.2 million Americans a day, up from about 900,000 when we came into office. Saturday was as high as 2.9 million doses reported administered – a new daily record – and we’re at a pace seen nowhere else around the world. This is a function of everyone executing to their fullest, and it depends on vaccination sites being open late and the tireless efforts of vaccinators.
While all of this is challenging, our message is: Keep going. I know the pace is challenging. This is a war, and we can’t let up.
Last week, the President announced we’d have enough vaccine for every adult in America by the end of May. Turning those vaccine doses into vaccinations requires more vaccinators and more vaccination sites. We must continue to get these vaccinations efficiently and equitably distributed to the public.
We’ve already provided more than $4.1 billion to states, tribes, and territories to support more than 500 community vaccination sites. The American Rescue Plan includes tens of billions more in funding to scale up our vaccination program.
Many states are now running vaccination sites 24 by 7. Slots are being reserved for teachers and people in hard-hit ZIP codes, and we’re getting more vaccinators – from the military to retired doctors and nurses – into the field.
We are in a historic crisis, and we have reason to have confidence that we will prevail. But we are not done, and we must keep up the pace of progress and remain vigilant.
Joining me today is Dr. Walensky, Dr. Fauci, and Dr. Nunez-Smith. And with that, I will turn it over to Dr. Walensky to talk about or next steps on our path back.
Dr. Walensky: Good morning and thank you. I’m glad to be back with you today. Let’s get started with an overview of the pandemic. The most recent seven-day average of cases is about 59,000 cases per day/ Importantly, on the far right of the graph, you can see there is a leveling off the decline. And the most recent seven-day average of deaths is slightly lower than 2,000 deaths per day.
These numbers show us that the pandemic still remains a very serious situation with the most communities continuing to have high levels of COVID-19 transmission. We are watching these data very closely to see where the pandemic will head in the coming days.
But I’m also hopeful. As of today, 59 million people in the United States have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine, and approximately 31 million or 9.2 percent of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated, putting us on a strong path to eventually end this pandemic. And as you just heard, we are now vaccinating more than 2 million people per day.
We’ve been through a lot this past year. And with more and more people getting vaccinated each day, we are starting to turn a corner. And as more Americans are vaccinated, a growing body of evidence now tells us that there are some activities that fully vaccinated people can resume at low risk to themselves.
This is why, today, CDC is releasing initial guidance for the public that, for the first time, lays out some of the activities considered safe for those who are fully vaccinated. When I say “fully vaccinated,” I mean people who are two weeks after their second dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson.
Before I talk about specific recommendations, I want to underscore a few important points. First, robust clinical trial data demonstrate that the current COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective at protecting vaccinated people against severe illness, hospitalization, or death from COVID-19. However, there is still a small risk that vaccinated people could become infected with milder or asymptomatic disease, and potentially even transmit the virus to others who are not vaccinated. Understanding the size of this risk in vaccinated people and the risk of transmitting the virus to others who are not vaccinated is an ongoing area of research.
Second, it’s important to note that this is initial guidance. The science of COVID-19 is complex and our understanding of the virus continues to rapidly evolve. The recommendations issued today are just a first step. As more people get vaccinated and the science and evidence expands, and as the disease dynamics of this country change, we will continue to update this guidance.
Importantly, our guidance must balance the risk to people who have been fully vaccinated, the risks to those who have not yet received a vaccine, and the impact on the larger community transmission of COVID-19 with what we all recognize to be the overall benefits of resuming everyday activities and getting back to something – to some of the things we love in life.
It’s against this backdrop and the current state of the pandemic that we have developed these new recommendations. With today’s initial guidance, it’s important to note that we are focusing on activities fully vaccinated people can resume in private settings, such as their homes, under two scenarios.
The first scenario is fully vaccinated people visiting with other fully vaccinated people. In this slide, these individuals are represented by solid green circles. In this scenario, CDC recommends that fully vaccinated people can visit with other fully vaccinated people in small gatherings indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing. Remember, here we are talking about private settings where everyone is vaccinated.
So what does this mean? If you and a friend or you and a family member are both vaccinated, you can have dinner together wearing masks, without distancing. You can visit your grandparents if you have been vaccinated and they have too.
Now I want to talk to you about another more complicated scenario: It involves vaccinated people visiting with unvaccinated people. When fully vaccinated people visit with unvaccinated people, we have to consider the underlying risks of the unvaccinated people and any unvaccinated members of their household. We take this approach because all of our guidance is rooted in making sure we are keeping people safe.
So, CDC recommends that fully vaccinated people can visit with unvaccinated people from one other household, indoors, without wearing masks or physical distancing, as long as the unvaccinated people and any unvaccinated members of their household are not at high risk for severe COVID-19 disease.
In the slide, people who are vaccinated at a low risk for severe COVID-19 are indicated by orange circles. This means that none of the unvaccinated people or any unvaccinated members of their households, for example, are an adult over age 65 or have an underlying condition – such as cancer, heart disease, or diabetes – that could increase their risk of COVID-19 related hospitalization or death.
Here is an example: If grandparents have been vaccinated, they can visit their daughter and her family, even if they have not been vaccinated, so long as the daughter and her family are not at risk for severe disease. They are solid orange circles.
Second, if an unvaccinated individual or any unvaccinated member of their household are at high risk for severe disease, shown here by hollow orange circles, everyone, regardless of vaccination status, should still were a mask and physically distance and choose to meet outdoors or in a well-ventilated space. This is recommended to keep the individuals at high risk who are unvaccinated safe.
Moving on to quarantine, away from visiting. In addition to these new recommendations on visitation in private settings, CDC’s new guidance also recommends that fully vaccinated people do not need quarantine or get tested following a known exposure to someone with COVID-19 as long as they are asymptomatic. At this time, the CDC is not adjusting current guidance on travel.
We believe these new recommendations are an important first step to our – in our efforts to resume everyday activities on our communities. However, we remain in the midst of a serious pandemic and still over 90 percent of our population is not fully vaccinated, though we are working hard to get there. Therefore, everyone, whether vaccinated or not, should continue to avoid medium- and large-sized gatherings, as well as nonessential travel, and, when In public spaces, should continue to wear a well-fitted mask, physically distance, and follow other public health measures to protect themselves and others.
COVID-19 continues to exact a tremendous toll on our nation. Like you, I want to be able to return to everyday activities and engage with our friends, families, and communities. Science and the protection of public health must guide us as we begin to resume these activities.
I know this is complex and I’ve covered a lot of ground this morning, so I want to recap the main points of our initial guidance released today.
In summary, fully vaccinated people can visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing a mask or physical distancing; visit with unvaccinated people from a single household who are low risk of severe COVID-19 disease, indoors, without wearing masks or physical distancing; and refrain from quarantine and testing following a known COVID-19 exposure if the vaccinated person remains asymptomatic.
For now, we will continue to examine this in the upcoming weeks – and update our guidance accordingly. Fully vaccinated people should continue to take precautions in public like wearing masks and physical distance and adhere to other prevention measures when visiting with unvaccinated people who are at increased risk of severe COVID or who have an unvaccinated family member – household member who has an increased risk of COVID; wear masks, physically distance and practice other prevention measures when visiting with unvaccinated people from multiple households; avoid medium- and large-sized crowds; get tested if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms; follow guidance issued by individual employers; and follow CDC and health department travel recommendations.
As I close, I want to stress that we have – we continue to have high levels of virus around the country, and more readily transmissible variants have now been confirmed in nearly every state. While we work to quickly vaccinate more and more people each day, we have to see this through. Let’s stick together. Please keep wearing a well-fitting mask and taking the other public health actions we know work to help stop the spread of this virus.
Thank you so much for your time today, and I will now turn things over to Dr. Fauci.
Dr. Fauci: Thank you very much, Dr. Walensky. I’d like to just spend a couple of minutes now on a different topic, and that has to do with investigational therapeutics for COVID-19. If I could have the first slide.
On a previous briefing, I had mentioned to the group that there were a number of investigational therapeutics, including monoclonal antibodies, convalescent plasma, immunomudulators, et cetera. What I want to do today for a couple of minutes is talk about the issue of direct-acting antivirals. If I could have the next slide.
The strategy for direct-acting antivirals in the future will be a process that we have done with other infections, which I’ll get to in a moment, and that is the identification of vulnerable targets after study of the replication cycle of the virus – in this case, SARS-CoV-2 – and then, to design drugs to directly inhibit that vulnerable target. Next slide.
We have been extraordinarily successful in this with HIV. Now, targeted drug development, which is the terminology we use for this approach – “targeted drug design” – has occurred before HIV, particularly with the herpes viruses. But it really got into its own frame with HIV.
And the reason I say that is that that was the first of the extraordinarily successful results of targeted drug design. And the reason and the mechanism that we got there – next slide – was to delineate the replication cycle of the virus. In this case, you can see in the upper left, HIV binding to it’s now well-described receptors: the CD4 molecule and one of its core receptors. It fuses, it enters, the RNA reverse transcribes, it integrated its DNA into the cellular DNA, then transcribes out and buds off.
Over the years of intensive study – next slide – each of those vulnerable targets has led to a different class of highly effective antiretroviral drug, including the reverse transcriptase inhibitors, the protease inhibitors, the integrate inhibitors, and the fusion and entry inhibitors.
Next slide.
This has led to now an extraordinary number of drugs which, when used in combinations, have transcribed – has transformed, excuse me, the life of HIV-infected individuals, giving them almost a normal lifespan, although the drug needs to be given, essentially, for the rest of their lives.
Next slide.
That same principle is now being applied to SARS-CoV-2, because here’s a comparable life cycle. Obviously there are differences here. Again, in the upper left, you’ll see SARS-CoV-2, by virtue of its spike protein, binding to its ACE2 receptor, binding to the membrane, fusing, entering, and then a whole bunch of steps that I need to go through that involve a variety of enzymes, which ultimately lead to the virion release – on the lower right-hand part of the slide.
Next slide.
With the same strategy that was used with HIV, we will be screening and then proactively designing entry inhibitors, protease inhibitors, polymerase inhibitors, and others.
Next slide.
And then, if you look at what’s been going on right now and take each of these very briefly, there are early-stage, non-monoclonal antibody candidates in preclinical development, such as peptides and small portions blocking entry.
With regard to polymerase inhibitors, the FDA has already approved remdesivir from Giliad. And just this past week, we’ve heard of molupiravir from Ridgeback Biothearapeutics and Merck, in which they published the preliminary analysis of their phase-two trial that showed a quicker decrease of infectious virus in participants with symptomatic disease. Just two days ago, Atea Pharmaceuticals reported favorable safety and pharmocokenitic data from phase-one trial. And Pfizer now is in a phase-one trial with a protease inhibitors.
I show this to the group because this is really the beginning of the phase of looking in a strategic way for direct-acting antivirals, which are going to be used to prevent people from progressing in their disease, mainly keeping them out of the need for hospitalization.
And on this final slide, for those of you who want to get more detail: Just this past November, the NIH had an NIH SARS-CoV2 Antiviral Therapeutics Summit looking at the state of therapeutics gaps in the field, and a number of our public-private partnerships. You can get this on the NIH website. And I encourage you, for those who have any interest in it, to take a look at that because that is the direction that we will be going over the next few weeks, to months, to two years.
I’ll stop there and hand it over to Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith.
Dr. Nunez-Smith: Thank you so much, Dr. Fauci, and good morning to everyone. I’m going to talk, of course, about equity. And you’ve heard us describe that equity is the foundation – the center of this administration’s COVID-19 response. You know, over the last month in my time with you, I’ve detailed why that needs to be the case. So we’ve took a – we’ve taken a look at the differences in COVID-19 outcomes, for instance, by race and ethnicity.
And since the beginning of this pandemic, we have all seen that factors, you know, like race, ethnicity, rural versus urban geography, poverty, disability, living situation, and type of employment – they all are exerting tremendous influence on the outcomes we’ve see in COVID-19.
So I want to begin this morning by giving an update on the ongoing inequities related to COVID-19. So, first, let’s take a look at the rates of COVID-19 cases, deaths, and vaccination by race and ethnicity. As you can see here, Latino individuals continue to bear more than their share of COVID-19 cases, while black people continue to bear more than their share of deaths.
Notably, you see the share of vaccinations is significantly – significantly lower for Latino and non-Hispanic black individuals, relative to their share of the general population. And the same is true for Asian individuals.
This all still only tells part of the story as we remain limited by the completeness of our data. We only have race ethnicity data for 53 percent of those who have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. This varies widely among the states, as you can see on the next slide. And we’re not getting from individuals, from providers, and from states the critical information about who has access to these three lifesaving vaccines that need to be equitably distributed across our country.
So I want to emphasize here: It is possible to do better. The final slide shows us the information that providers and states are reporting to us on the age of people who they’re vaccinating. So contrast that with the data on the race and ethnicity of those same individuals.
Again, we have critical ground that we must make up, but we cannot get discouraged or feel like it’s insurmountable. You know, all of the evidence points to one simple truth: We can do this.
So, like many of you, we’ve also seen a lot of conversation about vaccine confidence, about how some communities – due to a range of historical, as well as contemporary factors – are less inclined to believe that these vaccines are safe and effective, less inclined to trust the government asking them to get vaccinated. So we still have some work to do to meet people where they are.
The administration is implementing a comprehensive national public education campaign and we have been hosting roundtables with key constituencies to make sure that we get that effort right. We’re building relationships with trusted messengers all over the country to make sure they have the best information possible to share with their communities. But we cannot and we will not accept that these differences in vaccine confidence are the end all and be all of the differences in vaccine update that we’re already seeing.
In the context of inequitable systems, we must take significant steps at every level of intervention to bend the vaccination process towards justice. Now our success depends on our ability to build a robust and coordinated effort at the local, state, and federal level to overcome all of the dynamics that are in place, and this moment absolutely calls for that kind of effort.
In the context of inequitable systems, we must take significant steps at every level of intervention to bend the vaccination process towards justice. Now our success depends on our ability to build a robust and coordinated effort at the local, state, and federal level to overcome all of the dynamics that are in place, and this moment absolutely calls for that kind of effort.
So in light of everything that we’ve seen in the 84 days since our nation began administering COVID-19 vaccines, we’re turning up the expectations for this vaccine program on all fronts. And we have a series of federal programs that are a key part of our approach to ensuring that all communities have vaccination access.
First, we have our large community vaccination sites all over the country. So far, we have over 580 operational, federally supported sites. And over 170 sites are actively receiving on-site support by federal personnel. We’ve also been able to stand up a series of federally established community vaccination centers. And by the end of this week, we’ll have 18 of those sites running across seven states with the ability to administer 61,000 total shots per week.
And each of our federal sites has been designed with key equity-oriented features – so targeted geographic eligibility, weekend extended hours, reserved slots for registration through faith-based and community-based organizations, as well as deployment alongside mobile vaccination units to help vaccinate surrounding communities.
So we’re going to keep pushing to launch more and more of these sites and dive into the data on each site to make sure they are achieving their goal of improving vaccine equity in those communities.
Second, we have our Federal Retail Pharmacy Program. And this program features chain and independent pharmacies across the country. And as of last week, we’re administrating 2.5 million doses of the Pfizer/Moderna vaccines, plus the additional supply that they received with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
We designed this Retail Pharmacy Program to ensure that one third of the pharmacy sites were placed in communities with higher scores on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index. Those are populations at higher risk due to factors like socioeconomic status, the composition of the household, people of color, as well as housing types and transportation dynamics.
So we’re going to press toward this mark to ensure that pharmacies are selecting the communities with the greatest need. And we’re going to prioritize those pharmacies that do a better job addressing equity.
And finally, we rolled out our federal community health centers partnership program. And over the past three weeks, we have been onboarding the first 250 centers. They collectively serve 12.5 million people and span all 50 states. You know, as a whole, these community health centers provide services for large numbers of public housing residents, people of color, and individuals with limited English proficiency.
So, as we look to the next phase of this program we will prioritize filling gaps in our coverage to the highest-hit – I’m sorry – hardest-hit, highest-risk communities, whether they be urban or rural. And as we double down on the reach and impact of our federal programs, we’ll continue increasing our vaccine supply to the states.
And as we move forward, we’re calling on every state to show their work, too. We’re asking our partners in the states to offer clear, transparent equity goals for their residents. And we’re also calling on the states to help us get the data we need to know where we are and to work with us to find creative solutions to the inequitable vaccine uptake that has already emerged in these first months of the vaccination program.
So, I just want to be clear that achieving equity is not an aspirational goal; this is mission critical. Absent equity, we will not be able to stop this pandemic from continuing to claim lives, strain our healthcare system, and weaken our economy. But, but working together, we believe we can hit the mark.
So I think you for your time. And with that, I’ll turn it back over to Andy.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Thank you. So we’ve covered a lot of ground in our report-outs. Before I turn for questions, I just want to maybe briefly summarize a few things I heard today. Today, I think we’ve begun to describe what a world looks like where we move beyond COVID-19.
Dr. Walensky outlined a first step for those of us who’ve been vaccinated. And I think it’s important to note that, as more and more people get vaccinated, Dr. Walensky will continue to update us and that list of activities will continue to grow.
Dr. Fauci outlined ongoing strategies to allow for a life post-COVID to become safer and safer. And Dr. Nunez-Smith, I think importantly, points out that this recover is not an even picture. And in fact, we cannot fully get back to a place where we are approaching where we were before COVID unless we do an important and good job reaching equity.
So, I think a very hopeful morning, but with some continued warning signs and hope for the future. So with that, let’s take some questions…
…MODERATOR: We’ll go ahead and go to – we’ll go to Zeke at AP.
Q: Thanks, you all, for doing the call. For Dr. Walensky, I was hoping you could clarify why the CDC hasn’t – what the limiting factor is in CDC not, sort of, putting out guidance to the effect of those who have been fully vaccinated not been – not having to wear masks and being able to travel and things like that. You know, what is the limiting factor? Is it the background cases of the virus in the community? Is it the fact that enough – not enough people are vaccinated just yet to get there?And then can you just provide potentially a step, sort of, what the next set of guidance is going to be and what the triggers would be for – you know, for people who are fully vaccinated being advised to be able to remove their masks in public, and, you know, go about a somewhat normal life?
Dr. Walensky: Yeah, thank you for that question. I think it’s important to realize, as we’re working through this, that still over 90 percent of the population is not yet vaccinated and that it is our responsibility to make sure, in the context of 60,000 new cases a day, that we protect those who remain unvaccinated and remain vulnerable. So we’re doing our best to do that.
I think it’s also important to remember that people who are vaccinated – there’s increasing data now that suggests they might get breakthrough infection with lesser amounts of virus, lesser amounts of disease, lesser symptomatic disease – milder disease. However, we’re still waiting for data to emerge about whether they could transmit that virus to other people.
So our next steps, in terms of putting out the guidance, as I mentioned, is really to see a larger swath of the population vaccinated – we’re actively on our way to doing that – as well as to hopefully see further cases decline in the country, as well as waiting for new data to emerge.
So we’re hoping it’s in – you know, a relatively short period of time, but we do need to see some more data as well.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Next question.
MODERATOR: Next we’ll got to Shira Stein at Bloomberg.
Q: Hi, thanks so much for doing this. Can you explain what the scientific justification is for not changing travel guidance to telling folks who are fully vaccinated that they should not be traveling? And how will this guidance affect folks’ willingness to get vaccinated?
Dr. Walensky: In terms of travel, here’s what we know: Every time that there’s a surge in travel, we have a surge in cases in this country. We know that many of our variants have emerged from international places, and we know that the travel corridor is a place where people are mixing a lot. We are really trying to restrain travel at this current period of time, and we’re hopeful that our next set of guidance will have more science around what vaccinated people can do, perhaps travel being one of them.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: To the second part of your question: Obviously, it will be pure speculation on our part, but we think that this is part of a growing list of reasons why Americans do want to get vaccinated. We are already seeing increasing numbers of people wanting to get vaccinated given the highly effective vaccines and given the very good safety profiles. And this list, which Dr. Walensky pointed out, will continue to grow, we think, are a growing set of reasons why people want to get vaccinated.
Having said that, I think it’s important to note that the CDC makes its decisions based upon what the science and the data tells them are the right decisions, not for any other reasons.
Next question.
MODERATOR: Okay. I’m going to try Ed one more time. I think he figured it out.
Q: I did. Thank you. And let me follow up on the travel question there because, Director Walensky, you explicitly said grandparents now could go visit their daughter’s house and see the grandkids. But in many cases, that’s going to result in grandparents probably getting on a train or plane to go to a neighboring state or some other state to see them.
If a governor calls you today and says, “Okay, you just said people can gather together in homes, and this is going to cause people to start traveling despite the urge not to,” what guidance would you give governors regarding vaccinated people coming back to their state? Do they still have to quarantine for a certain amount of time? Or, at this point, can they sort of disregard those travel restrictions if they’ve been vaccinated and have been fully vaccinated within those two weeks after their final shot?
Dr. Walensky: Our travel guidance is unchanged, and so we would maintain whatever travel guidance is currently in place. We would like to give the opportunity for vaccinated grandparents to visit their children and grandchildren who are healthy and who are local, but our travel guidance currently has been unchanged.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Okay, the next question.
MODERATOR: All right. And final question will go to Alice Park at Time.
Q: Hello. Can you hear me?
Acting Administrator Slavitt: We can.
Q: Great. This is a question for Dr. Fauci, and this has to do with the studies you mentioned last week on the third dose. Can you outline for us what the metrics are that you’re going to be looking at in those dose – in those studies, and what thresholds you will set for success or to determine whether a third does might be necessary or not?
Dr. Fauci: Alice, there were two third-dose scenarios. One was one that Pfizer was pursuing, where they’re talking about giving a third dose against the wild-type virus to boost up the level of neutralizing antibodies. The parameter there will be taking a look at what the level of boost of antibody, because we do know from in vitro studies that when you get a high level of antibody against the wild-type, it gives you a cushion of effect against the variant.
And the second third boost is one that we are doing in collaboration with Moderna, where the boost will actually be a boost of a vaccine that is directed specifically against the variant. So there are two issues there. What we’re looking for in the second one is the level of antibody that we will have boosted against, specifically, the variant, as opposed to the level of antibody against wild-type, which you will assume will give you some cross protection against the variant.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Thank you.
Thank you all for joining. This is a – I hope people view this as a hopeful day in this next steps of the pandemic. And we are here in no small measure because of the safety and protection that many, many Americans have taken with regard to their family, friends, and neighbors. We ask people to continue to do that so we can get there as quickly and as permanently as possible.
Thank you very much, and we’ll be here again on Wednesday.
March 8: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posed a press release titled: “CDC Issues First Set of Guidelines on How Fully Vaccinated People Can Visit Safely with Others”. From the press release:
Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued its first set of recommendations on activities that people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can safely resume.
The new guidance – which is based on the latest science – includes recommendations for how and when a fully vaccinated individual can visit with other people who are fully vaccinated and with other people who are not vaccinated. The guidance represents a first step toward returning to everyday activities in our communities. CDC will update these recommendations as more people are vaccinated, rates of COVID-19 in the community change, and additional scientific evidence becomes available.
“We know that people want to get vaccinated so they can get back to doing the things they enjoy with the people they love,” said CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH. “There are some activities that fully vaccinated people can begin to resume now in their own homes. Everyone – even those who are vaccinated – should continue with all mitigation strategies when in public settings. As the science evolves and more people get vaccinated, we will continue to provide more guidance to help fully vaccinated people safely resume more activities.”
Visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or staying 6 feet apart.Visit with unvaccinated people from one other household indoors without wearing masks or staying 6 feet apart if everyone in the other household is at low risk for severe disease.Refrain from quarantine and testing if they do not have symptoms of COVID-19 after contact with someone who has COVID-19.
A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the last required dose of vaccine. Although vaccinations are accelerating, CDC estimates that just 9.2% of the U.S. population has been fully vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine that the FDA has authorized for emergency use.
While the new guidance is a positive step, the vast majority of people need to be fully vaccinated before COVID-19 precautions can be lifted broadly. Until then, it is important that everyone continues to adhere to public health mitigation measures to protect the large number of people who remain unvaccinated.
CDC recommend that fully vaccinated people continue to take this COVID-19 precautions when in public, when visiting with unvaccinated people from multiple other households, and when around unvaccinated people who are at hight risk of getting severely ill from COVID-19:
Wear a well-fitted maskStay at least 6 feet from people you do not live withAvoid medium- and large-sized in-person gatheringsGet tested if experiencing COVID-19 symptomsFollow guidance issued by individual employersFollow CDC and health department travel requirements and recommendations.
CDC has released resources to help people make informed decisions when they are fully vaccinated.
March 8: National Institutes of Health (NIH) posted a press release titled: “Statement on NIH starting enrollment for third trial of blood clotting treatments for COVID-19”. From the press release:
The National Institutes of Health has launched the last of three Phase 3 clinical trials to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of blood thinners to prevent life-threatening blood clots in adults diagnosed with COVID-19. The first patient in the trial was enrolled on February 15.
Part of the Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines (ACTIV) initiative, the trial explores the use of Eliquis (apixaban 2.5 mg), a blood thinner, or anticoagulant, donated by Bristol Myers Squibb/Pfizer, in patients who have been discharged from the hospital following a diagnosis of moderate-to-severe COVID-19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2.
The ACTIV-4 Convalescent trial is the third of the ACTIV-4 Antithrombotics master protocol for adapted traits. The other two – one focused on hospitalized COVID-19 patents and the other one on patients with COVID-19 patients who have not been hospitalized – are already underway. The trials are being conducted at more than 100 sites around the world. These trials are overseen by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the NIH.
Early in the coronavirus pandemic, researcher noticed that many patients who died from COVID-19 had formed blood clots throughout their bodies, including in their smallest blood vessels. This unusual clotting, one of many life-threatening effects of the disease, has caused multiple health complications, from organ damage to heart attack, stroke, and pulmonary embolism.
The ACTIV-4 trials will answer critical questions about the proper use of blood thinners or anticoagulants – called anthithrombotics – in the treatment of patients with COVID-19, particularly those who suffer from life-threatening blood clots.
Recruiting at sites with a significant COVID-19 burden, ACTIV-4 Convalescent is a randomized and placebo-controlled trial. Researchers will assess if, within 45 days of being hospitalized, patients develop any thrombotic complications – heart attack, stroke, blood clots in major veins and arteries, deep vein and pulmonary thrombosis, or death.
Trial planning and development work is being done through a collaborative effort with a number of institutions, including Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, University of Pittsburgh; University of Illinois at Chicago; Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston; the Medical College of Wisconsin; the University of California, San Francisco; and the University of Ottawa and the Ottawa Hospital Institute.
COVID-19 Thrombosis Prevention Trials: Post-hospital Thromboprophylaxis https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04650087
March 8: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) posted News titled: “Biden Administration to Invest $250 Million in Effort to Encourage COVID-19 Safety and Vaccination Among Underserved Populations” From the News:
HHS Office of Minority Health Will Offer Localities Funding to Partner with Community Organizations to Connect Minority, Underserved Populations with Vital Services, Promote Pandemic Safety Measures
As part of President Biden’s National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness today, the Administration is announcing an effort to invest $250 million to encourage COVID-19 safety and vaccination among underserved populations. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH) will offer the funding as health literacy grants to localities, who will partner with community-based organizations, to reach racial and ethnic minority, rural, and other vulnerable populations. The new initiative – Advancing Health Literacy to Enhance Equitable Community Responses to COVID-19 – is expected to fund approximately 30 projects in urban communities and 43 projects in rural communities for two years. Cities, countries, parishes or other similar subdivisions may apply for the funding.
Recipients are expected to develop a disparity impact statement using local data to identify racial and ethnic minority populations at highest risk for health disparities, low health literacy, and not being engaged or reached through existing public health messages and approaches for promoting COVID-19 public health recommendations. Then they will create and operationalize a health literacy plan, partnering with community-based organizations and adhering to culturally and linguistically appropriate services by racial and ethnic minority populations and others considered vulnerable for not receiving and using COVID-19 public health information.
“Information is power, especially the ability to understand and use information to support better health. Whether it helps us understand where to get tested or the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine, information is a crucial part of keeping families and communities safe,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Health RADM Felicia Collins, M.D. “Nowhere is this more important than in communities hit hardest by the pandemic, especially racial and ethnic minority communities and other vulnerable populations.”
Racial and ethnic minority populations experience higher rates of cases, hospitalizations and deaths related to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Social determinants of health, such as housing, education and work conditions, contribute to these disparities. Underlying chronic conditions, such as kidney disease, diabetes and obesity, are more prevalent among minority populations and increase the risk of severe COVID-19 illness.
OMH will be accepting applications for this new initiative through April 20, 2021.
The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, provides public health and science advice to the Secretary, and oversees the Department’s broad-ranging public health offices, whose missions include minority health, HIV policy, women’s health, disease prevention, human research protections and others. OASH also includes the Office of the Surgeon General and the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.
The Office of Minority Health is dedicated to improving the health of racial and ethnic minority populations through the development of health policies and programs that will help eliminate health disparities.
March 9: National Institutes of Health (NIH) posted a Media Advisory titled: “NIH scientists use human cerebral organic to test drug for deadly brain disease”. From the Media Advisory:
Approximately two years after establishing a human cerebral organoid system to study Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), National Institutes of Health researchers have further developed the model to screen drugs for potential CJD treatment. The scientists, from NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), describe their work in Scientific Reports.
Human cerebral organdies are small balls of human brain cells ranging in size from a poppy seed to a pea; scientists use human skin cells to create them. CJD, a fatal neurodegenerative brain disease of humans caused by infectious prion proteins, affects about 1 in 1 million people each year. It can arise spontaneously, result from a hereditary mutation within the prion gene, or arise due to infection, for example, from eating contaminated meat products. A notable example of this occurred in the United Kingdom in the mid-1990s following an outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cattle. There are no preventative or therapeutic treatments for CJD.
The lack of a completely human CJD model has been a considerable barrier hindering the discovery of potential therapies. Studies in mice have failed to identify treatments that were then effective when tried in patients. The human cerebral organoid CJD model holds promise that this barrier can be eliminated. Cerebral organoids have organization, structure, and electrical signaling systems similar to human brain tissue. Because they can survive in a controlled environment for months to years, cerebral organoids also are ideal for studying nervous system diseases over lengthily periods of time. Cerebral organoids have been used as models to study Zika virus infection, Alzheimer’s disease, and Down syndrome.
The CJD study was conducted at NIAID’s Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, Montana. Scientists tested pentosan polysulfate (PPS) to determine its potential preventive and therapeutic benefits. In the experiments, PPS treatment reduced the disease indicators by 10-fold or more without causing tissue death. PPS is a benchmark anti-prion compound in laboratory experiments, but it is rarely used clinically because it requires direct administration into the brain.
While it may extend a patient’s life, PPS has not been shown to improve quality of life. However, using the anti-prion properties of PPS with the new human organoid CJD model allowed researchers to assess the value of this model system for drug discovery. The scientists showed that the human organoid model can be used to screen compounds that may be useful for preventative treatment. Such treatment could be used for people carrying genetic mutations that cause the disease, but who have not yet developed symptoms, or for people who may have been exposed to infectious prion proteins that might cause CJD. The model further proved useful for screening drugs against established CJD after a patient is diagnosed and starts showing symptoms of the disease.
The scientists are working to expand the organoid model for screening larger numbers of novel drug candidates. Their goal is to find treatment options for people who are susceptible to CJD because of their genetics or who accidentally are exposed, as well as for those who develop sporadic disease. They are optimistic that with their fully human model of disease, they can now identify compounds with promise for benefitting patients with CJD.
March 9: U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDS) posted a News Release titled: “Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: March 9, 2021” From the News Release:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced the following actions taken in its ongoing response effort to the COVID-19 pandemic:
On Friday, the FDA issue an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to Cue Health Inc. for its over-the-counter-at-home diagnostic test for COVID-19 The Cue COVID-19 Test for Home and Over The Counter (OTC) Use is a molecular test that can be used completely at home without a prescription by people with or without COVID-19 symptoms. It requires the use of a compatible smartphone and a downloadable app. The app provides testing instructions and works with the Cue Cartridge Reader (provided separately) and the Cue testing cartridge to preform the test. Results are available in about 20 minutes.
On Friday, the FDA issued a EUA to Adaptive Biotechnologies for its T-Detect COVID Test. The T-Detect COVID Test analyzes DNA from a patient’s T cells (white blood cells) to aid in identifying people with an adaptive T cell immune response to SARS-CoV-2, indicating recent or previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. The test should be used together with a clinical examination and a patient’s medical history. Negative results do not rule out acute or current SARS-CoV-2 infection.
As part of the FDA’s effort to protect consumers, the agency issued a warning letter jointly with the Federal Trade Commission to CAMA Wellness Center/IodoRios Company, LLC for selling an unapproved product with fraudulent COVID-19 claims. The company sells a hand wipe product, and misleadingly represents the product can prevent or treat COVID-19 in people. The FDA requested that CAMA Wellness Center/IodoRios Company, LLC take immediate action to cease the sale of any unapproved and unauthorized products for the mitigation, prevention, treatment, diagnosis or cure of COVID-19. Consumers concerned about COVID-19 should consult with their health care provider.
Testing updates:
As of today, 340 tests and sample collection devices are authorized by the FDA under EUAs. These include 253 molecular tests and sample collection devices, 72 antibody and other immune response tests and 15 antigen tests. There are 39 molecular authorizations that can be used with home-collected samples. There is one molecular prescription at-home test, two antigen prescription at-home tests, one OTC at-home antigen test and one OTC molecular test.
March 9: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) posted News titled: “Extension of the Public Comment Period for Proposed Modifications to the HIPAA Privacy Rule” From the News:
Today, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announces a 45-day extension of the public comment period for the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to modify the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule.
OCR first released the NPRM to the public on the HHS website on December 10, 2020, and it was published in the Federal Register on January 21, 2021. The 45-day extension moves the current deadline for the public to submit comments from March 22, 2021, to May 6, 2021. The notice of extension of the comment period is available at https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2021-05021.pdf – PDF.
The proposed changes to the HIPPA Privacy Rule include strengthening individuals’ rights to access their own health information, including electronic information; improving information sharing for care coordination and case management for individuals; facilitating greater family and caregiver involvement in the care of individuals experiencing emergencies or health crises; enhancing flexibilities for disclosures in emergency or threatening circumstance, such as the Opioid and COVID-19 public health emergencies; and reducing administrative burdens on HIPAA covered health care providers and health plans, while continuing to protect individuals’ health information privacy interests.
OCR encourages and will carefully consider comments from all stakeholders, including patients and their families, consumer advocates, HIPAA covered entities (health plans, health care clearinghouses, and most health care providers) and their business associates, health care professional associations, health information management professionals, health information technology vendors, and government entities.
“OCR anticipates a high degree of public interest in providing input on the proposals because the HIPPA Privacy Rule affects nearly anyone who interacts with a health care system,” said Acting OCR Director Robinsue Frohboese. “The 45-day extension of the comment period to May 6, 2021, will give the public a full opportunity to consider the proposals and submit comments to inform future policy.”
Interested members of the public may submit their comments on the NPRM no later than May 6, 2021. The NPRM is available for review and comment at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/21/2020-27157/proposed-modifications-to-the-hipaa-privacy-rule-to-support-and-remove-barriers-to-coordinated-care.
March 10: National Institutes ofHealth (NIH) posted a News Release titled: “Study of mosquito protein could lead to treatments against life-threatening viruses”. From the News Release:
The mosquito protein AEG12 strongly inhibits the family of viruses that cause yellow fever, dengue, West Nile, and Zika and weakly inhibits coronaviruses, according to scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and their collaborators. The researchers found that AEG12 works by destabilizing the viral envelope, breaking its protective covering. Although the protein does not affect viruses that do not have an envelope, such as those that cause pink eye and bladder infections, the findings could lead to therapeutics against viruses that affect millions of people around the world. The research was published online in PNAS.
Scientists at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of NIH, used X-ray crystallography to solve the structure of AEG12. Senior author Geoffrey Mueller, PH.D., head of NIEHS Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Group, said at the molecular level, AEG12 rips out the lipids, or the fat-like portions of the membrane that holds the virus together.
“It is as if AEG12 is hungry for the lipids that are in the virus membrane, so it gets rid of some of the lipids it has and exchanges them for the ones it really prefers,” Mueller said. “The protein has high affinity for viral lipids and steals them from the virus.”
As a result, Mueller says the AEG12 protein has great killing power over some viruses. While the researchers demonstrated that AEG12 was most effective against flaviviruses, the family of viruses to which Zika, West Nike, and others belong, it is possible AEG12 could be effective against SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. But, Mueller said it will take years of bioengineering to make AEG12 a viable therapy for COVID-19. Part of the problem is AEG12 also breaks opens red blood cells, so researchers will have to identify compounds that will make the protein target viruses only.
Alexander Foo, Ph.D., an NIEHS visiting fellow and lead author of the paper, explained that mosquitoes produce AEG12 when they take a blood meal or become infected with flaviviruses. Like humans, mosquitos mount a vigorous immune response against these viruses, with AEG12 bursting their viral covering. But, at the beginning of the project, Foo and his colleagues knew little about the function of AEG12.
“The prospect of studying a new protein is exciting, yet daunting,” Foo said. “Thankfully, we had enough clues and access to a wide range of expertise at NIEHS to piece it together.”
Co-author and crystallography expert Lars Pedersen, Ph.D., is leader of the NIEHS Structure Function Group. He routinely uses information about a molecule’s physical makeup in his work and encourages more scientists to consider using this data in their studies. He said, “Our research shows that understanding the structure of a protein can be important in figuring out what it does and how it could help treat disease.”
March 11: National Institutes of Health (NIH) posted a News Release titled: “NIH-led team sets new bar in retinal imaging”. From the News Release:
A team led by scientists at the National Eye Institute (NEI) has noninvasively visualized the light-sensing cells in the back of the eye, known as photoreceptors, in greater detail than ever before. Published in Optica, the researchers report how they improved imaging resolution by a third party by selectively blocking the light used to image the eye. NEI is part of the National Institutes of Health.
The achievement is the latest in an evolving strategy to monitor cell changes in retinal tissue that, in turn, will help identify new ways to treat and prevent vision loss from diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in people age 65 and older.
“Better imaging resolution will enable tracking of degenerative changes that occur in retinal tissue. The goal of our research is to discern disease-related changes at the cellular level over time, possibly enabling much earlier detection of disease,” said the study’s lead investigator, Johnny Tam, Ph.D., Stadtman Investigator in the Clinical and Translational Imaging Unit at NEI.
Earlier detection would make it possible to treat patients sooner, well before they’ve lost vision. What’s more, detecting cellular changes would enable clinicians to more quickly determine whether a new therapy is working.
The two types of photoreceptors, cones, which enable color vision, and rods, which enable low-light vision, vary in size and density across the retina. Cone photoreceptors, while larger than rods, are trickier to visualize when they’re more tightly packed together as they are in the fovea, the region of the retina responsible for the highest level of visual acuity and color discrimination. The entire landscape of cones and rods is referred to as the photoreceptor mosaic.
Advanced imaging systems are widely used for observing retinal tissue and are essential tools for diagnosing and studying retinal diseases. But even with adaptive optics retinal imaging, a technique that compensates for light distortions using deformable mirrors and computer-driven algorithms, there are still some areas of the photoreceptor mosaic that are challenging to image, according to the first author of the paper, Rongwen Lu, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in the Clinical and translational Imaging Unit at NEI.
“Sometimes rods are hard to image because they are so small,” Lu said. “By eliminating some of the light in the system, it actually makes it easier to see the rods. So, in this case, less is more.”
In this latest report, Tam’s team at NEI, with help from researchers at Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, sought to push the resolution of adaptive optics retinal imaging further by strategically blocking some of the light to image the retina.
By blocking the light that illuminates the eye in the middle of the beam, to create a ring of light (rather than a disk), the NEI-led team improved the transverse resolution (across the mosaic). But that came at the expense of axial resolution (mosaic depth). To compensate, Tam’s team blocked the light coming back from the eye using a super small pinhole, called a sub-Airy disk, which recovers the axial resolution that would have been lost using the ring of light alone.
Combining the ring illumination with the sub-Airy disk imaging results in the best of both worlds, Tam said. The tweaked technique yields about a 33% increase in resolution, which makes it much easier to see rods, as well as sub cellular details within cones.
Their technique also enhanced the visualization of the photoreceptor mosaic with another technique called non-confocal split-detection, which is yet another type of microscopy that provides a complementary view of the photoreceptor mosaic.
The work was supported in part of NEI grants U01 EY025477, and by the Intramural Research Program at NEI, part of the National Institutes of Health.
March 11: U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) posted News titled: “Biden Administration to Expand COVID-19 Vaccine Program to 950 Community Health Centers”. From the News:
As part of President Biden’s commitment to ensure the nation’s underserved communities and those disproportionately affected by COVID-19 are equitably vaccinated, this week the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is announcing that an additional 700 HRSA-supported health centers will be invited to join the Health Center COVID-19 Vaccine Program. These health centers will have the opportunity to join the program over the next six weeks, increasing the total number of invited health center partners to 950.
HRSA-funded health centers are community-based and patient-directed organizations that deliver affordable, accessible, quality, and cost-effective primary health care. Over 91% of health center patients are individuals or families living at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines and nearly 63% are racial/ethnic minorities. Health centers across the nation are playing vital roles in supporting local community responses to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
The additional 700 centers invited to participate in the next phase of the program include those that serve high proportions of low-income and minority patients, provide services to rural or frontier populations, operate Tribal/Urban Indian Health Programs, and/or utilize mobile vans to deliver services.
250 health centers have already been invited to participate in this program, and include those that serve a large volume of the following disproportionately affected populations: individuals experiencing homelessness, public housing residents, migrant/seasonal agricultural workers, or patients with limited English proficiency.
To view a list of the health centers participating in or invited to join the program please visit: https://www.hrsa.gov/coronavirus/health-center-program.
To locate a HRSA-funded health center, visit: https://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/
March 11: National Institutes of Health (NIH) posted a News Release titled: “NIH awards grants to support bacteriophage therapy research”. From the News Release:
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded $2.5 million in grants to 12 institutes around the world to support research on bacteriophage therapy. These awards represent NIAID’s first series of grants focused exclusively on research on this therapy, an emerging field that could yield new ways to fight antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. A 2019 report from CDC found that antibiotic-resistant pathogens cause more than 2.8 million infections in the U.S. each year and more than 35,000 people die.
Bacteriophages (or “phages”) are viruses that can kill or incapacitate specific kinds of bacteria while leaving other bacteria and human cells unharmed. By gathering naturally-occurring phages, or by modifying or engineering phages to display certain properties, researchers hope to create novel anti-bacterial therapeutics. Because phages eliminate bacteria by infecting them, rather than by generating compounds like antibiotics which kill bacteria, phages can be used to treat antibiotic-resistant infections. In addition, some evidence suggests that combination therapy containing both phages and antibiotics could prevent bacteria from becoming drug resistant.
Although scientists have been aware of phages and their ability to kill bacteria since 1917, the first U.S.-based clinical trials of phage therapy have only recently begun. Individual U.S. patients have received phage therapy, but only under emergency investigational new drug protocols. In Eastern Europe, where the use of phage therapy is more prevalent, its efficacy has not been rigorously demonstrated.
“In recent decades, multidrug-resistant bacteria, particularly those that cause potentially deadly diseases like tuberculosis, have become a serious and growing public health concern,” said NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. “With these awards, NIAID is supporting research needed to determine if phage therapy might be used in combination with antibiotics – or replace them altogether – in treating evolving antibiotic-resistant bacterial diseases.”
The new NIAID grants support research to address key knowledge gaps in the development of phages as preventative and therapeutic tools for bacterial infections. Basic research supported by these grants will include a study characterizing different types of phages; a project studying how phages combat sticky, sheet-like colonies of microorganisms called biofilms, which can be difficult to treat with antibiotics; and research to determine how to identify new, potentially useful phages. Some translational research supported by these grants will study how to exploit the interaction between phages and bacteria to create lasting, re-usable therapeutics; and engineering viruses to combat Staphylococcus bacteria.
The recipients of the awards are as follows:
University of Pittsburgh
Principal Investigator: Graham F. Hatfull, Ph.D. – Phage resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
PhagePro,Inc. (Boston)
Principal Investigators: Minmin Yen, Ph.D., MPH, and Andrew Camilli, Ph.D. – Targeting antibiotic resistance genes in Vibro cholerae using a phage-encoded CRISPR-Cas system to improve efficacy of phage prophylaxis
University of Connecticut (Storrs)
Principal Investigator: Simon White, Ph.D. – Characterization of long-circulating phages isolated from in vivo mouse studies
Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta)
Principal Investigator: Samuel Paul Brown, Ph.D. – Building re-usable phage and antibiotic treatments via exploitation of bacteria-phage co-evolutionary dynamics
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Principal Investigator: Srivatsan Raman, Ph.D. – Understanding molecular rules governing bacteriophage specificity and virulence by high-throughput mutational and metagenomic scanning.
Texas A&M Agrilife Research (College Station)
Principal Investigators: Lanying Zeng, Ph.D., Junjie Zhang, Ph.D. – Reducing virulence through the suppression of retractile pilli
Queens College, City University of New York
Principal Investigator: John Joseph Dennehy, Ph.D. – Novel strategies for treating biofilm-forming pathogens with phage therapy
Harvard School of Public Health (Boston)
Principal Investigator: Eric J. Rubin, M.D., Ph.D. – Using genetics and multi-scale imaging to understand the mechanisms underlying emycobacteriophage host choice
Guild Associates, Inc. (Dublin, Ohio)
Principal Investigator: Ian Fleming, Ph.D. – Optimized methods for isolation and characterization of bacteriophage by VT-FACS
Geneva Foundation (Tacoma, Washington)
Principal Investigator: Yohann Stephane Le Breton, Ph.D. – A platform for genome mining of multidrug-resistant pathogens to develop therapeutic phages using synthetic biology.
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Principal Investigator: Terje Dokland, Ph.D., and Asma Hatoum, Ph.D. – Engineering picoviruses with defined host range to combat drug-resistant staphylococci
Albert Einstein College of Medicine (New York)
Principal Investigator: William Robert Jacob Jr., Ph.D. – TB phage therapy: Optimizing delivery methods of mycobacteriophages to target intracellular Mycobacterium tuberculosis
March 11: National Institutes of Health posted a News Release titled: “Preterm birth, prolonged labor influenced by progesterone balance”. From the News Release:
Novel research in mice sheds light on hormone regulation needed in late pregnancy, opens doors for therapy.
New research by the National Institutes of Health found that unbalanced progesterone signals may cause some pregnant women to experience preterm labor or prolonged labor. The study in mice – published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences – provides novel insights for developing treatments.
During pregnancy, the hormone progesterone helps to prevent the uterus from contracting and going into labor prematurely. This occurs through molecular signaling involving progesterone receptor types A and B, referred to as PGR-A and PGR-B. In this first-of-its-kind study, the scientists showed how unbalanced PGR-A and PGR-B signaling can affect pregnancy duration.
“We used genetically engineered models to alter the ratio of PGR-A and PGR-B in the muscle compartment of the uterus, called the myometrium,” said senior author Francesco DeMayo, Ph.D., head of the National Institute of Environmental Health Services Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory. “Our team found that PGR-A promotes muscle contraction and PGR-B prevents such contraction, and we identified the biological pathways influenced by both forms.”
Previous research showed that PGR-A regulates processes involved in initiating childbirth and that PGR-B affects molecular pathways related to maintaining the normal course of pregnancy. This study builds on those findings, revealing that the relative abundance of PGR-A and PGR-B may be critical in promoting healthy pregnancy. The public health implications are significant.
Preterm birth affects 10% of all pregnancies and is the primary cause the neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide, while prolonged labor increases the risks of infection, uterine rupture, and neonatal distress, according to the researchers.
The scientists pointed out that care for preterm deliveries can result in high social and economic costs, with infants born preterm at greater risk for experiencing disorders ranging from blindness to cerebral palsy. Prolonged labor can harm both mother and infant and lead to cesarean delivery.
Progesterone treatment aimed at preventing premature labor can help a subset of patients, but for other individuals, confounding factors may reduce effectiveness, noted Steve Wu, Ph.D., first author on the study and a staff scientist in DeMayo’s lab. Wu said that the research team found novel molecules that control uterine muscle contraction, and they could serve as future therapeutic targets. He added that the current study also may help to advance treatment for labor dystocia – the clinical name for abnormally slow or protracted labor.
“Although labor stimulation by oxytocin infusion is an approved measure to mitigate labor dystocia, serious side effects have been associated with this treatment,” said Wu. “Novel proteins that we identified as being part of progesterone signaling could serve as a key molecular switch of uterine contraction, through drug-dependent regulation of their activities,” he explained.
“Hormone signaling in pregnancy is complicated and involves both the hormone levels and the types of receptors in the uterus that sense the hormones,” said co-first author Mary Peavey, M.D., from the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “This publication sheds light on how hormones influence labor and can thus be used to help women when the uterus goes into labor too soon for a prolonged period.”
This news release describes a basic research finding. Basic research increases our understanding of human behavior and biology, which is foundational to advancing new and better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease. Science is an unpredictable and incremental process -each research advance builds on past discoveries, often in unexpected ways. Most clinical advances would not be possible without the knowledge of fundamental basic research. To learn more about basic research, visit https://www.nih.gov/news-events/basic-research-digital-media-kit.
March 12: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) posted News titled: “Biden Administration Takes Action Through HHS to Increase Number of Vaccinators”. From the News:
HHS amends PREP Act declaration to increase COVID-19 vaccine workforce.
As part of President Biden’s national strategy to defeat the pandemic, and following his speech last night outlining the Administration’s next steps in the war-time effort to speed COVID-19 vaccinations, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has taken action to expand the pool of qualified professionals able to serve as vaccinators.
HHS has used its authority under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act) to add additional categories of qualified people authorized to prescribe, dispense, and administer COVID-19 vaccines authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, including dentists, EMTs, midwives, optometrists, paramedics, physician assistants, podiatrists, respiratory therapists, and veterinarians.
This action also authorizes medical students, nursing students, and other health care students in the professions listed under the PREP Act with proper training and professional supervision to serve as vaccinators.
“As President Biden said last night, the key to getting us back to our lives is increasing vaccinations, and in order to do that, we need more vaccinators,: said Acting HHS Secretary Norris Cochran. “As vaccine supply ramps up, we want to be sure communities have the help they need to get shots into arms for anyone in the U.S. who wants to be vaccinated against COVID-19.”
As hundreds of millions more vaccine doses are manufactured and distributed throughout the country, today’s announcement provides a pathway for states to expand and support their vaccination workforce if needed. People interested in administering vaccinations should visit PHE.gov/COVIDvaccinators to determine if they are eligible.
More information about the PREP Act can be found at PHE.gov.
March 12: The White House posted a Press Briefing titled: “Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials”. From the Press Briefing:
Mr. Zeints: Thank you everybody for joining us today. Today, we will get a state-of-the-pandemic update from Dr. Walensky, Dr. Fauci will highlight the latest science, and Dr. Nunez-Smith will discuss our focus on equity.
But first, I want to start by giving an overview of the President’s address to the nation. Last night, President Biden announced that all Americans will be eligible for vaccinations no later than May 1. All Americans no later than May 1. And the President put the nation on a path to get closer to normal by the 4th of July.
As many of you remember, on the President’s first full day in office, he outlined a comprehensive strategy to beat this pandemic. We’ve spent every day since then executing against that strategy, and we are making progress.
As you can see on our weekly vaccination progress report, the current seven-day average – the dark bar on the far right – is 2.2 million shots per day. That’s a new record pace that we will continue to build on.
On Inauguration Day, only 8 percent of Americans 65 and over had gotten their first vaccination. Today, that number is nearly 65 percent. This is important because 80 percent of COVID deaths have been individuals 65 and over. So we’re making progress, but there’s more work to do.
Last night, Americans heard the President say that all we – that all of us need to do our part, and that if we do, there’s a good chance that families and friends will be able to safely gather in small groups to celebrate Independence Day.
I want to walk through the key components of our effort moving forward, starting with May 1 eligibility. The President will direct states, tribes, and territories to make all adults eligible for the vaccine no later than May 1st. That’s earlier than expected and reflects our success in working with vaccine manufacturers to increase supply and in securing doses for all adult Americans, and also our progress in increasing both the number of vaccinators and the number of places that people can get vaccinated.
Now, that does not mean that everyone will get a shot immediately, but May 1st is the date every adult will be eligible to sign up to get the shot. And by the end of May, we expect to have enough vaccine supply available for all adults in this country.
To help ensure that we turn vaccine supply into shots and arms, the President announced that we will continue to increase the number of vaccinators in the place – the number of places to get vaccinated. First, over the coming weeks, we will deliver vaccines directly to up to 700 additional community health centers that reach underserved communities, brining the total number of these community health centers participating in our federal vaccination program to 950.
Second, we will work to double the number of pharmacies participating in the Federal Pharmacy Program. We will make the vaccine available at more than 20,000 pharmacies across America.
And the administration is instructing these pharmacies to expand mobile operations into the hardest-hit communities to reach more people.
Third, the administration will more than double the number of federally run mass vaccination centers to ensure that we hit the hardest-hit communities – sorry, to ensure that we reach those hardest-hit communities. Many of these sites will include mobile operations to further reach out to underserved communities and deliver thousands of shots per day.
Today, in fact, I’m pleased to announced the addition of a new FEMA-supported site in Detroit. This site, located at Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions, has the ability to administer 6,000 shots per day. And last night, President announced the deployment of more than 4,000 active-duty troops to support vaccination efforts, bringing the total troop deployment to over 6,000.
Fourth, we will increase the number of vaccinators – people who can administer shots in arms. Dr. Nunez-Smith will talk about the importance of today’s PREP Act amendment to increase the total number of vaccinators in the field.
Now, we know the work to increase vaccine supply, vaccinations and places to get vaccinated is not enough on its own. We need to make it easier for every American to get vaccinated. Too often, it’s too difficult, too time consuming, and too frustrating for people to identify where vaccines are available and where to schedule an appointment.
That’s why the President, last night, announced steps to make it easier for individuals to find a vaccine near them.
By May 1st, as vaccines are available in more places, the administration will launch a federally supported website that will show the locations near them that have available vaccines.
And because we know that not everyone has Internet access or is comfortable online, we will also launch a call center to provide assistance in finding a vaccine. Since so many Americans use their state and local websites to schedule vaccine appointments, the administration will also deploy technology teams to help improve these systems.
Reopening schools safely is critical to getting closer to normal. Last night, President Biden discussed additional steps in our efforts to reopen schools. Now that the American Rescue Plan is law, $130 billion will help schools pay for critical supplies to implement CDC’s mitigation strategies, hire more staff, and support children’s academic, social, and emotional needs. And we’re getting educators vaccinated.
Last week, the President announced that he’s using the administration’s authority to direct states that haven’t yet prioritized pre-K-through-12 school staff and childcare workers for vaccinations to do so immediately.
As we work to get more people vaccinated, we need to expand testing, diagnostic screening, and genomic sequencing. With the American Rescue’s Plan $1.7 billion investment, we will dramatically expand our ability to sequence to identify, track, and mitigate emerging variants. And the administration will use the nearly $50 billion in testing that comes from the funding in the American Rescue Plan to invest in screening and testing to help schools reopen safely, and also to expand testing in congregate settings, including shelters for individuals experiencing homelessness, prisons, and other settings where individuals live in close quarters.
Across the next several weeks, the CDC will provide health guidance based on the best available science and the pace of vaccinations for people as they travel, participate in small gatherings, and go to work, and in houses of worship.
Also, as we increase the number of people vaccinated, we know some people may have a need to demonstrate that they are vaccinated. The private sector and not-for-profit coalitions are already beginning to work on this. Our role is to help ensure that any solutions in this area should be simple, free, open source, accessible to people both digitally and on paper, and designed from the start to protect people’s privacy.
As the President noted last night, this fight is far from over. We still have a lot of work to do. This is certainly not a time to put down your guard. Mask up and follow the public health standards. We need all Americans to get vaccinated as soon as it’s their turn, and to help your family and friends and neighbors get vaccinated, as well.
Together, unified, we can defeat this pandemic, and we can all celebrate a more normal Fourth of July with our family and friends, gathering in small groups, to celebrate the holiday.
With that, I’ll turn it over to Dr. Walensky. Dr. Walensky?
Dr. Walensky: Thank you, Jeff. It’s good to be back with you all today. We are now officially one year and one day into the COVID-19 pandemic. As I reflect back on the near-impossible clinical decisions we had to make to prioritize scant resource s- ventilators and PPE – I recall those moments, and I’m sure many of you shared them, where I felt powerless and hopeless. And here we are, one very long year later, led by science and propelled by a growing sense of hope that we can and we will get out of this together.
But cases and hospitalizations and deaths remain high, and we’ve been fooled before into being too lax. So now is the time to double down to see this through.
CDC’s most recent data shows cases continue to fluctuate between 50- and 60,000 new cases per day, with the most recent seven-day average being more than 55,500 cases per day. The most recent seven-day average of hospital admonitions continues to decline, down from the previous seven-day period to about 4,900 admissions per day. We also continue to see around 1,500 to 1,800 deaths per day, with the latest seven-day average being just over 1,500 deaths per day.
I’m encouraged by these data, but we much – must remain vigilant to continue in our efforts to get cases, admissions, and deaths down.
We’re making remarkable progress on our vaccination efforts. We now have more than 64 million people who received at least one dose of the vaccine, and we are vaccinating millions more each day. This is our path out of the pandemic. As you heard last night from the President, we are working as quickly as we can to ensure that every American has access to vaccine.
As we get more vaccinations into communities, I am asking everyone to do the right thing: Continue taking public health precautions and be ready to roll up your sleeve when that vaccine is available to you.
Throughout the pandemic, parents and caregivers have faced the challenging task of balancing childcare responsibilities with work responsibilities, often operating in virtual environment, with limited childcare options. We know that childcare programs and early childhood education are essential to healthy childhood development. The services these programs offer are important for working parents and provide a safe, stable, and nurturing environment for kids to get them ready for school and develop critical social and emotional skills.
Like other businesses and community services, many childcare programs have been challenged in their response to the pandemic. Early last year, CDC released initial guidance for childcare programs during COVID-19. As we learned more about the virus, CDC experts updated that guidance several times throughout 2020.
Today, CED is releasing updated guidance based on the most recent science. That science includes additional evidence showing that, when used consistently and correctly, prevention strategies such as mask wearing, staying home while sick, and good hand hygiene can allow childcare programs to operate safely and reduce the spread of COVID-19.
This updated guidance is intended for all types of childcare providers, including childcare centers, family childcare homes, Head Start programs, and pre-kindergarten programs, and is meant to supplement, not to replace, other laws, rules, or regulations that childcare programs must follow.
The guidance includes strategies that childcare programs can use to maintain healthy environments and operations, to lower the risk of COVID-19 clusters in their programs, to prepare for when someone is sick with COVID-19, and to support coping and resilience for their staff and children and parents they serve.
Critically, the updated guidance evidence – emphasizes the importance of mask wearing for all children older than two years old and all staff, except when eating or sleeping. It also highlights strategies such as cohorting, where groups of children are kept together with the same peers and staff to reduce the risk of spread throughout the program. The guidance also provide recommendation on simple, low-cost ventilation strategies, how to adapt the environment for children with disabilities and special needs, and ways to make spaces, such as communal spaces, food service areas, and other – and play areas safer.
Recognizing that guidance can sometimes be complex, we’re also releasing a suite of complementary resources, infographics, and toolkits to help programs with implementation. For example, we have included quick guides and flowcharts to help you know what to do if a child become ill or is showing signs of COVID-19 while in care. All of these resources, along with the guidance, are now available at CDC.gov. I hope that childcare providers will view the guidance as a one-stops shop for strategies they can use to safely provide care and enrichment to our nation’s children.
In addition, I’m excited to note that the American Rescue Plan, signed by the President yesterday, includes $24 billion in emergency funding to help support childcare providers. This funding can be used to pay for rent, utilities, and staff, but also to help childcare providers implement COVID-19 prevention strategies.
I also want to stress that our childcare guidance emphasizes the importance of COVID-19 vaccination as an additional layer of protection for childcare workers. I strongly encourage America’s childcare workers to get vaccinated.
Last week, President Biden directed all states to prioritize childcare workers as well as K-through-12 teachers and school staff for COVID-10 vaccination in March.
CDC is taking a leading role in helping to achieve the President’s goal through our Federal Retail Pharmacy program. We now have over 9,000 pharmacies participating nationwide, while childcare workers are being prioritized for vaccination appointments.
If you are a childcare worker and want to get vaccinated, please visit CDC.gov and check out the pharmacy partners that are participating in your state. Our website also provides information on where to go to schedule your appointment.
And if you are a childcare center whose workers don’t uniformly have access to the web, please work with your center and your community to assist them in making appointments.
Finally, as we’re taking about the impact of this pandemic has had on childrens and family, I want to share with you another concerning way that COVID-19 is affecting the health of our nation: disrupting our ability to vaccinate children against other infectious disease. On-time vaccination throughout childhood is essential because it helps to provide immunity before child – children are exposed to potentially life-threatening disease.
During the pandemic, we have seen substantial declines in pediatrician visits. And because of this, CDC orders for childhood vaccinations dropped by about 11 million doses – a substantial and historic decline.
As we work to get our children back to school, we certainly do not want to encounter other preventable infectious outbreaks such as measles and mumps. When planning for your child’s safe return to childcare programs or to school, please check with your child’s doctor to make sure that they are up to date on their vaccines. As if they did – and if they did fall behind, they can be caught up by following the CDC’s catch-up immunization schedule available on the CDC website.
This pandemic has taken so much from us already. We must work together to protect our children’s health now and in the future.
Thank you. I’ll now turn things over to Dr. Fauci.
Dr. Fauci: Thank you very much, Dr. Walensky. I’d like to spend just a few minutes on updating you from something I spoke about a couple of pressers ago regarding therapy and, in some respects, prevention of COVID-19 disease.
If I could have the next slide.
This is a slide, again, which I had shown previously. And the reason I repeat it is because what I’m going to tell you over the next two or three minutes relates to things that will be very useful if one consults the treatment guidelines, which, as I mentioned, is a living document which is updated on a regular basis as new clinical data come in.
The reason why I point this out is that, recently, there has been a considerable amount of information regarding some of the monoclonal antibodies that are used in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.
Recall, a week or so ago, I spoke to you about the direct antiviral agents the we are pursuing in a very proactive way. What we’re going to be talking about in the next minute or two are the monoclonal antibodies.
So just to orient you, there are a number of monoclonal antibodies, not all of the, directed against the virus itself. For example, toclizumab is an anti-IL-6 receptor antibody from Genentech. I’ll get to that in a moment.
The monoclonal antibodies that are directed against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein – usually the receptor-binding domain – are bamlanivimab from Lilly, estesevimab from Lilly, the VIR-7831 by VIR-GSK, and a cocktail from Regeneron called casirivimab and imdevimab – again, from Regeneron.
So let’s just go to the next slide.
We’ll talk about monoclonal antibodies for COVID-19 treatment.
Next slide.
I had mentioned that tocilzumab – there was a recent guideline alert from the NIH, which showed that this particular monoclonal antibody in combination with dexamethasone, for certain advanced hospitalized patients, namely patients who were exhibiting rapid respiratory decompensation, showed that it was useful in the treatment of these individuals who are exhibiting this rapid progression of disease.
Next slide.
Now getting to the monoclonal antibodies against the virus itself, the combination of bamlanivimab and etesevimab recently – literally a couple of days ago at the CROI Conference, which is the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections. I point that out to you – is that many of the researchers who had previously devoted their careers to studying HIV have now pivoted because of the emergency nature of COVID-19. In this study reported at CROL, in individuals who were ambulatory – with the question being asked, “Can we keep them out of the hospital?” – it showed a 70 percent reduction in COVID-related hospitalizations and deaths, by any cause, by day 29 in people who received this combination as opposed to placebo.
Next slide.
There was another study by Vir – which is a combination of the Vir Biotechnology Company and GSK – who announced that their product, VIR-7831 – again, in ambulatory patients – reduced hospitalization and risk of death with an 85 percent reduction when you look at this compared to placebo.
Next slide.
Very quickly now, looking at monoclonal antibodies for COVID-19 prevention, as opposed to treatment: In this study reported a couple of days ago, bamlanivimab prevented COVID-19 morbidity and mortality in the nursing home setting. What does that mean? It meant that in an individual where you have infection in a nursing home, and you looked at the groups – be they staff or residents – who were randomized to placebo versus bamlanivimab, there was an 80 percent reduction in the incidence of moderate or worse COVID-19 at eight weeks.
Next slide.
Here again is the Regeneron COV antibody cocktail that I mentioned just previously. In this situation, it was within a household setting – in other words, where there is a infection in the household setting – and you’re looking at the results of randomized – the family members, either to take this cocktail or to placebo, to determine if you can prevent, namely, a post-exposure prophylaxis, or if you can treat early disease.
The results were really dramatic. There was 100 percent protection against symptomatic infection in the group, compared with placebo. And it reduced the overall infection rate by 50 percent. And importantly, those who were infected had 100-fold lower viral load and shorter duration of the detectable viral RNA.
Now, the reason I show you the slide on the NIH treatment guidelines is that this is a very fluid area of research, particularly since , as I mentioned on a previous presser, that these monoclonal antibodies can be knocked out, particularly when given as mono therapy, by different variants – which is the reason why, as we go on – and I will report to you at future meetings – you’ll see mostly combinations of these antibodies, as opposed to single ones, because the single ones are most vulnerable the variants that can knock them out easily.
I’ll stop there and turn it over to Dr. Nunez-Smith.
Dr. Nunez-Smith: Thank you so much, Dr. Fauci. It’s great to be here. I’m just going to return us to vaccines for a moment. So, you know, a doctor, as a frontline worker myself, I am very excited to see that more of my healthcare colleagues now have the chance to further expand their participation in the response.
You know, as Jeff said, expanding the number of places people can get vaccinated, as well as a number of vaccinators – that’s going to be critical for us as we drive an equitable response.
You know, we are faces with this reality that marginalized and minoritized communities are often the first to be forgotten, especially when resources are in short supply. And so we remain very committed to disrupting that narrative.
You know, with today’s announcement, up to 700 new community health centers coming online, a doubling of pharmacy locations, and a surge in vaccinators, we’re ensuring that equity remains at the center of our response.
So I want to just take a minute to touch on the newly eligible vaccinators. You know, to help meet the demand for more shots in arms once everybody is eligible for vaccines come May 1, the administration is expanding the pool of qualified professionals who will be able to administer shots. And so this list now includes dentists, optometrist, paramedics, physician assistance, and many more, including trained medical and healthcare students.
You know, alongside this effort, the Department of Health and Human Services will launch a new portal to help individuals determine where they can sign up to volunteer to administer shots.
We know a person’s zip code is a stronger driver of health than their genetic code, so we will continue to prioritize getting the necessary resources to those areas and communities that have been hit hardest and are at highest risk.
As we fight against centuries of structural inequities, we must be intentional about making vaccination easy and convenient for everyone, and key to that effort is having enough vaccinators to deliver shots in arms. So I encourage my fellow healthcare colleagues to visit the new portal at PHE.gov. Check your status and sign up to help.
So, thanks so much in advance. And with that, I’ll turn it back over to you, Jeff.
Mr. Zeints: Well, thank you. Let’s open it up for questions.
MODERATOR: All right, we’ll start doing questions now. Just a reminder to please keep your question to one question so we can get through as many as possible.
First we’ll got to Carl O’Donnell at Reuters.
Q: Hey, one things I wanted to ask you: So there’s been, you know, some commentary lately from a number of different – from a number of different groups about the impact of U.S. export controls on, you know, both efforts in places like India to scale up the global supply and also, you know, AstraZeneca’s ability to get shots to the EU, where it’s already been authorized.
Just wondering if you can sort of share any views that you guys have on that and whether, you know, there’s any reassessment for, you know, how to make sure that the global supply chain is streamlined.
Mr. Zeints: So, you know, the President has been very focused on fulfilling his responsibility to the American people. And we as a country have suffered over a half million deaths – more than any country in the world – so we’re rightly focused on getting Americans vaccinated as soon as possible. And, you know, as we’ve talked about, we’re pleased with the progress, and there’s yet a long road ahead.
However, we know this is a global pandemic and that the virus has no borders. That’s why the President is providing – the United States is providing the most funding or any country to COVAX – over $4 billion. It’s why we – the President, on his first day in office reengaged with the WHO. And that’s why just today, this morning, I participated in the Quad meeting with the President, and it was announced that we’re working to achieve expanded manufacturing of sale and effective COVID-19 vaccines at facilities in India. And we also believe that the historic partnership between J&J and Merck will help expand capacity and ultimately benefit the world.
So we will continue to prioritize getting all Americans vaccinated as quickly as possible while at the same time understanding this is a global pandemic and making as big a contribution as we possibly can to worldwide efforts to get everyone else vaccinated.
MODERATOR: Next question will go to Kaitlan Collins at CNN.
Q: Thanks very much. I have two questions – one super quick. One is: How many people do you actually want to see vaccinate by July 4th in order to meet that goal of having those small gatherings that the President was talking about?
And secondly – I think this is probably best for Jeff, but you all have said we’ll have enough vaccine for everyone by the end of May – not that everyone will get it by then. But if we’re looking at these numbers, it looks like Moderna will have 200 million by then, Pfizer 200 million, and Johnson & Johnson 20 million. So, that’s enough, based on my math, for about 220 million people. So where are those other vaccines coming from in order to have enough for all eligible Americans by the end of May?
Mr. Zients: So, Kaitlan, I think your 20 million is the figure that Johnson & Johnson has talked about in terms of their cumulative doses by the end of the month. The work that we did, working with Johnson & Johnson and Merck to accelerate their manufacturing process – particularly the fill-finish piece, which is relevant in this timeframe – has it so that Johnson & Johnson is now delivering at or near its 100 million by the end of May.
So if you take the 200 million doses by the end of May, of Moderna, plus the 200 million doses of Pfizer, plus the at or near 100 million completion of the Johnson & Johnson first contract, that is more than enough supply to vaccinated – vaccine supply to vaccinate all Americans by the end of May.
Now, we need to ramp up the number of vaccinators, as we’ve been talking about, and the number of places where Americans can get vaccinated so that when all adults are – Americans are eligible on May 1st, we can accelerate and move very quickly to get as many Americans vaccinated as soon as possible.
Dr. Walensky: Maybe I’ll just address the second – the first question, and that is: We’re still not looking at a single metric of a fraction of people vaccinated in a vacuum. We’re looking at it in the context of what’s going on with the pandemic, as well. So I don’t think we can put a single metric on that, as well as what’s happening in – what science has emerged with regard to vaccinated people. So, it’s hard to put a metric on a single number.
MODERATOR: Great. Next question will go to Chyenne Haslett at ABC.
Q: Hi. Thanks for taking my question. How likely do you think it will be that states can open up to every adult before May, when it comes to that vaccine supply? And when should states really be expecting the floodgates to open on vaccines?Mr. Zeints: Well, I think that the key here is that May 1 is a date that the President will direct using his authorities. There, hopefully, will be states – and we already have one in Alaska – that open up before then, and we’re doing everything we can to encourage states to get as many needles in arms as fast and efficiently as possible.
And this is where increasing the number of vaccinators, the number of laces, the can community vaccination centers, the federal pharmacy channel, the community health centers – as we welcome those efforts, we can accelerate from the 2.2 million rate that we’re having on average per day now – hopefully, we can accelerate that further. And there will be states that open before May 1, but May 1 is an absolute deadline for all Americans to be eligible to receive the vaccine.
MODERATOR: Next question will go to Sean Sullivan at The Washington Post.
Q: Thanks very much. Can you talk a little bit about why the President felt the need to set out specific dates in his speech last night, and also how you intend to manage the public’s expectation of what will happen by those dates? As you’ve pointed out and as the President pointed out, you know, things could change, the situation could change. But how do you manage expectations from a public that might not always be paying attention to some of those developments, caveats that could make things change?
Mr. Zeints: So I think it’s – I think we all would agree that it’s important to have deadlines and goals, and we spent a lot of time working through the supply, the number of places, the number of vaccinators, and we believe May 1st is the right deadline. No later than May 1st.
So we will have enough supply, as we talked about, by the end of May, given all the President’s work and leadership to bring forward the supply and create enough supply for all adult Americans by May 31st. We will have enough vaccinators and enough places for people to get vaccinated.
And the funding from the American Rescue Plan really helps to ensure that we will have that capacity to do the 2.2 million shots per day that we’re currently doing, and hopefully to accelerate off of the pace as we add more places and vaccinators.
MODERATOR: All right. We got time for one more question. We’ll go to Zeke at AP.
Q: Thank you all for doing this. First, for Jeff, can you speak to – with the expansion in the retail pharmacy program and as well as the community health center program, how many doses are you starting to divert into that – into that stream – that fairly controlled stream? I know you’ve told the governors that their allocation will remain largely static for the coming weeks.
And then, just another one on the AstraZeneca, in particular: With the stockpile of millions of doses here in the United States that aren’t approved here but they can be used overseas, with that EUA still up in flux, why not just send those vaccines oversees right now to help out and save some lives, with American allies in particular?
Mr. Zeints: Well, the allocation that we’ll make on a going-forward basis will be based on performance of the different channels. And performance is a function of speed and efficiency, but as Dr. Nunez-Smith talked about, as importantly, equity and fairness. The next couple of weeks of supply overall are relatively flat before supply really starts to accelerate towards the end of the month, and then into April and May.
Now when I say “relatively flat” – at a level that’s more than twice what it was six or seven weeks ago. So allocation will be based on performance, and we believe that community health centers are particularly important in order to reach hard-to-reach communities and to ensure fairness and equity. The pharmacy program is also structured around fairness and equity. So we’ll make future allocations based on performance.
As to AstraZeneca, we’re following the exact same process that we did with the other three now-approved vaccines – Moderna, Pfizer, and J&J. And just as we did with those vaccines, as we awaited for the completing of the clinical trial – and right now, my understanding of when they submit the data from the clinical trial, we have a small inventory of AstraZeneca so that, if approved, we can get that inventory out to the American people as quickly as possible, as we just did with J&J. So, AstraZeneca, we’re awaiting the clinical trial and then the decision by the FDA and CDC.
I think that’s it on questions. I want to thank everybody for joining today, and we look forward to seeing you on Monday. Thank you.
March 12: U.S.Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) posted News titled: “HHS and DHS Joint Statement on Termination of 2018 Agreement”. From the News:
Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the termination of a 2018 agreement that undermined the interests of children and had a chilling effect on potential sponsors (usually a parent or close relative) from stepping up to sponsor an unaccompanied child placed in the care of HHS. In its place, DHS and HHS signed a new Memorandum of Agreement that promotes the safe and timely transfer of children. The new agreement does not change the safeguards designed to ensure unaccompanied children are unified with properly vetted sponsors who can safely care for them while they await immigration proceedings.
March 12: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted a News Release titled: “Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: March 12, 2021” From the News Release:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced the following actions taken in its ongoing response effort to the COVID-19 pandemic:
As part of the FDA’s effort to protect consumers, the agency issued a warning latter to Cannafyl for selling unapproved products with fraudulent COVID-19 claims. The company sells CBD-containing products, including “Balance CBD Drops”, “Relief CBD Drops”, “Relax CBD Drops” and “Relief CBD Salve,” and misleadingly represents the products can mitigate, prevent, treat, or diagnose or cure COVID-19 in people. The FDA requested that Cannafyl take immediate action to cease the sale of any unapproved and unauthorized products for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19. Consumers concerned about COVID-19 should consult with their health care provider.
Today, the FDA issued a Letter to Clinical Staff, Point-of-Care Facility Staff and Health Care Providers to alert them that false positive results can occur with the Roche Molecular Systems, Inc. cobas SARS-CoV-2 & Influenza A/B Nucleic Acid Test for use on the cobas Liat System.
Today, the FDA issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Propofol-Lipuro 1% injective emulsion for infusion to maintain sedation via continuous infusion in patients greater than 16 years old who require mechanical ventilation in an intensive care unit setting during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Propofol-Lipuro 1% injectable emulsion for infusion is not FDA-approved and has important differences in its formulation compared to FDA-approved propofol drugs; providers should consult the Health Care Provider Fact Sheet for more information before administering it.
Testing updates:
As of today, 341 tests and sample collection devices are authorize by the FDA under EUAs. These include 254 molecular tests and sample collection devices, 72 antibody and other immune response tests and 15 antigen tests. There are 38 molecular authorizations that can be used with home-collected samples. There is one molecular prescription at-home test, two antigen prescription at-home test, one OTC at-home antigen test and one OTC molecular test.
March 12: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) posted News titled: “Fact Sheet: The American Rescue Plan: Reduces Health Care Costs, Expands Access to Insurance Coverage and Addresses Health Care Disparities”. From the News:
The Biden-Harris Administration is reducing health care costs, expanding access to coverage, and ensuring nearly everyone who buys their own individual or family health insurance through a Marketplace can receive a tax credit to reduce their premiums. The American Rescue Plan (ARP) not only provides the resources for America to beat this pandemic, but it also expands access to health insurance coverage, lowers costs, and ensures that health care is truly a right for all Americans.
It’s Working: After the Biden-Harris Administration made available a Special Enrollment Period through the Federal Marketplace from February 15 to May 15 for people who needed health care coverage during the pandemic, more than 200,000 people signed up for Marketplace coverage through HealthCare.gov in the first two weeks – a three-fold year over year increase. Now following the passage of the ARP more than 14.9 million Americans who currently lack health insurance and many current enrollees will receive additional financial support to find the coverage that best meets their needs at a price they can afford.
More Affordable Options are Available: Many people who enroll in health coverage through HealthCare.gov will qualify to save money on their premiums. Premiums after advance payment of these increased tax credits will decrease, on average, by $50 per person per month and $85 per policy per month. Four out of five enrollees (up from 69% pre-ARP) will be able to find a plan for $10 or less per month after tax credits, and over 50% (up from 14% pre-ARP) will be able to find a Silver plan for $10 or less per month.
Making it Easier for Consumers: Starting on April 1, consumers will be able to take advantage of increased premium tax credits on high quality health care plans when they enroll in coverage through HealthCare.gov. Every day, we’re going to make the consumer experience even better, streamlining HealthCare.gov and providing the help and support consumers want in order to understand their options and pick the right plan for their families.
The American Rescue Plan:
Reduces the cost of health care coverage for 9 million consumers currently receiving financial assistance by ensuring consumers eligible for premium tax credits have at least a couple of plans to choose from that won’t cost more than 8.5% of their household income on their Marketplace plan premium per year.
Many premiums will decrease, on average, by 50% per person per month and $85 per policy per month.Four out of five enrollees (up from 69% pre-ARP) will be able to find a plan for $10 or less per month after tax credits, and over 50% (up from 14% pre-ARP) will be able to find a Silver plan for $10 or less per month.1 out of 4 enrollees on Healthcare.gov will be able to upgrade to a higher plan category that offers better out of pocket costs at the same or lower premium compared to what they’re paying today (excludes enrollees already at the highest health plan category available, including certain enrollees eligible for cost sharing reductions).For example:
Uninsured couples earning over $70,000 could save more than $1,000 per month on their monthly premium.
A family of four making $90,000 will see their premiums decrease by $200 per month.
An individual making $19,000 will be able to find health insurance coverage with no monthly premium, saving roughly $66 per month on average.
Expands the number of people eligible to save money on their health care coverage.
About 14.9 million Americans who currently lack health insurance will be able to save money on their premiums to find the coverage they need at a price they can afford:
3.6 million uninsured people are estimated to be newly eligible for health care coverage savings (See state level data in table 1)
1.8 million uninsured people are estimated to be eligible for zero-dollar benchmark Marketplace coverage, since PTC-eligible individuals with incomes 150% of the FPL will now qualify for a 100% premium subsidy for the benchmark Marketplace plan (See state data in table 1.)
An additional 9.5 million uninsured people with incomes between 150% and 400% of the FPL are estimated to potentially qualify for additional financial support to reduce out-of-pocket costs for Marketplace premiums.
Addresses racial health inequities by expanding coverage and reducing costs. Increased affordability and health insurance coverage expansion will allow historically uninsured communities – especially those who have faced significant disparities – to access coverage, thereby improving opportunities for health care during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated stark health disparities among certain racial and ethnic minority populations in several areas, including infections, hospitalizations, death rates, and vaccination rates. Many of these same populations have experienced job loss or loss of health insurance coverage at disproportionately high rates.
48,000 uninsured American Indians and Alaska Natives will be newly eligible to save money on health care coverage and 21,000 will be eligible for zero-dollar benchmark Marketplace plans.
730,000 uninsured Latinos will be newly eligible to save money on health care coverage and 328,000 will be eligible for zero-dollar benchmark Marketplace plans.
197,000 uninsured Asian, Native-Hawaiian and Pacific Islander will be newly eligible to save money on health care coverage, and 50,000 will be eligible for zero-dollar benchmark Marketplace plans
The Biden-Harris administration is further expanding access to health insurance coverage and improving access to mental health services and community-based programs that addresses social determinants of health.
(NOTE: The HHS website includes a large box that breaks into three parts: State, Uninsured Population Newly Eligible for Tax Credits, and Uninsured population now eligible for $0 dollar benchmark Marketplace coverage <(150% FPL). You can find that box by clicking the link above.)
March 15, 2021: The White House posted a “Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials”. From the Press Briefing:
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Good morning. Thank you for joining us.
As President Biden said, recovering from a devastating pandemic will require all of us doing our part. We are not out of the woods, but we know what we need to do as a country. The President has now laid down some markers about steps to move our country back to normal activities with a fully vaccinated population, provided we all work together.
President Biden has directed the administration to deliver the two things that will most hasten our ability to recover: checks and shots. And as he said, “Help is on the way.”
With the American Recovery Act signed into law last week, Americans will finally get the support they need – most immediately, in the form of checks to American households and relief to Americans and small businesses under so much pressure from the pandemic.
Nearly 30 percent of adults and nearly two thirds of seniors have now received their first vaccination shot. And we are accelerating vaccinations in anticipation of meeting the President’s goal of being ready to be – open up all vaccinations to all adults by May 1st at the latest.
Over the last seven days, we’re now averaging 2.4 million shots per day. For those who pay extremely close attention, there was a delay in data synching over the weekend, which resulted in a reporting cut-off time of 11:00 a.m. instead of 6:00 a.m. Eastern time on Saturday. I’m sure you’re all following that.
So, for the record, there were 3.2 million shots reported administered on Saturday and 2.7 million on Sunday. This is an enormously complex effort, and it’s a result of the work of tens of thousands of people who are going above and beyond the call of duty.
Healthcare providers across the country are doing everything they can to protect Americans from getting this infectious disease. Doctors, nurses, and pharmacists are working around the clock and vaccinating people with a modest reimbursement. This is exactly what our medical professionals have shown the country throughout this pandemic.
Now, today, we are doing more than saying thank you to all the people we call heroes. We’re announcing that the Biden Administration will nearly double Medicare’s reimbursement rates for administering COVID vaccines, from about $23 per shot to $40 per shot. That’s $80 total for a two-dose vaccine.
Now, this will make it easier for more healthcare providers to get out into communities and give more COVID shots to people in need. We need this heroic team in particular to make sure that our highest-risk and underserved populations are cared for.
Second, thanks to the American Rescue Plan, the administration will now be covering 100 percent of the cost for Medicaid and children’s health insurance beneficiaries to get vaccinated. This protects states from bearing any costs associated with the increased Medicare reimbursement rates. And the Biden administration stands ready to work with states who are interested in increasing their Medicaid reimbursement rates for vaccinations so that we can make sure that we have most effectively reached vulnerable communities. This is an important health equity step, as working and lower-income Americans have faced the brunt of this crisis and must receive the resources to protect them.
What do these changes mean for people across the country? Well, first it means that vaccines will continue to be free to you. You do not need insurance to get vaccinated. You do not need cash or a credit card, or worry about a co-payment or deductible. You will not get a bill. The vaccines are free, they’re safe, and they’re effective.
It also means doctors, nurses and healthcare providers you trust will be out in your communities administering vaccines because the federal government will now pay them more for each shot they deliver.
Now, with that, I will turn it over to Dr. Walensky and then to Dr. Fauci, and then we’ll take your questions.
Dr. Walensky: Thank you, Andy. I’m glad to be back with all of you today. Let’s begin with the data. CDC’s most recent data show cases continue to fluctuate somewhere between 50,000 and 60,000 per day, with the most recent seven-day average approximately 52,500 cases per day. The most recent seven-day average of hospital admissions has also declined to just over 4,700 per day.
We also continue to see decline in deaths, with the latest seven-day average just over 1,200 deaths per day. We have come a long way from where we were in early January, but we still have much work to do.
In some parts of the country, the weather has started to warm up. And with the clocks change this weekend, our days have seen a little bit more sunshine And with the coming warmer weather, I know it’s tempting to want to relax and to let our guard down, particularly after a hard winter that sadly saw the highest level of cases and deaths during the pandemic so far.
This past Friday, we saw more travelers pass through our airports: over 1.3 million. This is the most travelers that we’ve had in a single day since last March, before the WHO declared the global pandemic. We have seen footage of people enjoying spring break festivities maskless. This is all in the context of still 50,000 cases per day.
Equally concerning are the resurgence we are now seeing in some European countries – countries that have had strikingly similar trends and surges during the pandemic as the United States. Each of these countries has had nadirs like we are having now, and each took an upward trend after they disregarded known mitigation strategies. They simply took their eye off the ball.
I’m pleading with you, for the sake of our nation’s health. These should be warning signs for all of us. Cases climbed last spring. They claimed again in the summer. They will climb now if we stop taking precautions when we continue to get more and more people vaccinated.
Please follow our recommend public health prevention precautions and be ready to get your vaccine when it is available to you. We are just starting to turn the corner. The data are moving in the right direction, but where this goes is dependent on whether we all do what must be done to protect ourselves and others.
We continue to see positive information emerge from our vaccines. A new CDC MMWR published today, looking at data from mid-December to mid-February, found that the vast majority of people getting both doses of these vaccines within the recommended timeframes. Based on the report, only about 3 percent missed their second dose, and systems were in place to make sure that those missed doses were not wasted – a very encouraging finding.
We also found that 96 percent of people who got both doses did so within the recommended timeframe: on or within four days of the 21 days for the Pfizer vaccine and 28 days for the Moderna vaccine.
These findings are incredibly reassuring as we continue to scale up our vaccination efforts. They show that our systems are working and that people are taking vaccination seriously, even when it means taking time to show up for their second appointment. It is remarkable what we can do as a nation when we are united against the virus.
This report also shows that a small percentage of people did miss their second dose. It may be hard for some people to get back for their second dose, but it’s essential for everyone who receives a two-dose vaccine to get both shots and get the full protection of these vaccine offers – this vaccine offers.
CDC is working across the government and with state and local partners to identify and address barriers to getting both doses. Some strategies include working with trusted messengers and communities to spread science-based messages on the importance of getting fully vaccinated; partnering with jurisdictions and vaccination providers to schedule both vaccination appointments upfront or schedule the second appointment when you get the first shot; and having systems in place to send appointment reminders to patients, reschedule canceled appointments, and repurpose missed second doses to avoid vaccine wastage; and finally, making available the second – the single-dose vaccine, Johnson & Johnson, as a terrific option for individuals who may prefer a one-dose vaccine.
Importantly, we have a role to play. I encourage those who can help others to get vaccinated. This can be as simple as helping family members and other loved ones with scheduling their appointments, reminding them about their appointments, reminding them about their appointments, and driving or accompanying them to their appointments. These small acts will go a long way toward protecting health and helping to end the pandemic.
Finally, I want to briefly discuss a technical update to our vaccination data on the CDC website. I know many of you watch our data closely, and when something changes, it can prompt questions.
Last Friday, CDC implemented an improvement to how we calculate the age of people who have received vaccinations. This was done to correct for differences in how states report date of birth to CDC and to more accurately determine the age of people getting vaccinated. As a result, there was a slight change in our age distribution of those vaccinated, with the percentages in all age groups under 75 increasing slightly, and those 75 and older decreasing slightly.
This largest shift occurred among people aged exactly 75 when more than 1 million individuals previously classified as 75 were reclassified as age 74. This should not be concerning as we’re vaccinating exactly the right cohorts, and those people will be 75 sometime in the next 12 months.
As CDC Director, a key principle is leading with transparency. And reflecting this principal, I believed it was important for me to clarify this new approach to our public-facing data.
Thank you. I look forward to your questions. And with that, I’ll turn things to Dr. Fauci.
Dr. Fauci: Thank you very much, Dr. Walensky. I’m just going to give a brief what we’ll call “science update” on something that is being asked much more consistently, is that: How do we approach the entire issue of pandemic preparedness currently and for future pandemics?
If I have the first slide.
There are three components that have been pursued now for some years. The first is, priority pathogens pick out a pathogen that you think might be risky in the future. That could be Nipah, that could be Ebola, that could be any of a number. The other is to develop platform technologies. We’ve already spooled about the, really advances that have been made with messenger RNA technology.
And the third one is one I want to send just a couple of minutes on, and that’s called prototype pathogens. What do we mean by how prototype pathogen approach helps us for future pandemics? Next slide.
This slide looks complicated but it’s simple, because it really tells you that this is all of the phylogenetic tree of the coronaviruses. And in red are the human coronaviruses, but, noticeably, in the yellow boxes are the four coronaviruses that each year cause about 15 to 30 percent of all the common colds that we all experience repetitively usually during the winter months.
So we’ve been studying these viruses now for decades and decades. if you go to the next slide, then in 2002, with the appearance of SARS – which we all remember – and then in 2012, with the appearance of MERS – which we all remember – we’ve gotten more and more experienced within this group of coronaviruses.
And then next slide, – nope, go back one. Yeah, next slide comes the SARS-coronavirus-2, which is the current virus that we’re dealing with. And in the next minute or so, I want to show you how previous experience has allowed us to make the kind of advances that have been so successful in COVID-19 vaccine.
Next slide.
This is a slide from 2017, when we were attempting to make a vaccine for MERS – the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus. We had found, interestingly, that that spike protein that we talked about was unstable in its perfusion form, namely the one that we really wanted to vaccinate people with. She we made a bunch of mutations to stabilize it and to have what would be a successful MERS-CoV-2 vaccine. But, however, given the fact that MERS is smoldering right now, and even though we’re pursuing the vaccine for MERS, we use that same knowledge gained from the prototype pathogen of coronaviruses.
And on the next slide, what you see is what we’re dealing with now: That squiggly structure on the right-hand part of the slide is the spike protein that the messenger RNA codes for, that the adenovirus vectors express, and that the soluble portions that we have using in the Sanofi and the Novavax all use the same sort of structure.
And the point I want to makes is that we didn’t start doing this in January of 2020. This was literally decades of fundamental research on the broad prototype pathogens of coronavirus. And these are the kinds of things that we’re going to be doing with other viruses that could, in fact, pose risks as future pandemics.
So, let me stop there and go back to Andy. Thank you.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Thank you, Dr. Fauci. Okay, let’s take questions.
MODERATOR: All right. We have time for a few questions. First question will go to Tamara Keith at NPR.
Q: Thank you very much. A question about the variants. CDC had predicted that the UK variant would be dominant in the U.S. by March. Is it yet? Is it dominant in certain states? Which ones? And what effect is that having on the trajectory?
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Dr. Walensky, would you like to start?
Dr. Walensky: I can start with that. Yeah, thank you. You know, it’s not evenly distributed across the United States. We do have B117 reported in 50 jurisdictions, over 4,700 cases reported so far, and that’s just based on what we’re evaluating and sequencing.
In some states, Florida and California, it’s up to 25 percent. In other states, it’s lower. Our current models still project, by the end of March, early April, B117 will be the dominant variant.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Okay, next question.
MODERATOR: Next question will go to April Ryan at TheGrio.
Q: Thanks for doing this call. A couple of questions. Doctors, do you by any chance have solid numbers at this point on how many people have been vaccinated successfully with both vaccines, as well as the one from Johnson & Johnson? And do you have adequate numbers of the breakdown on minority numbers? Because there is now a report form Brilliant Corners that talks about the reason why black people have not gotten it. It’s not what the original thought was about Tuskegee or Henrietta Lacks; it was basically – the hesitancy was basically about misinformation or no information. Can you expand, please?
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Dr. Walensky?
Dr. Walensky: So, you know, we keep updated numbers on our CDC website. They’re updated every day. I can tell you that 37.45 million people have received two doses of – are fully vaccinated, and that 107.6 million people have been – have received at least one dose of a vaccine. I don’t have, off the top of my head, the racial breakdown this morning, but that is available on the CDC website.
I think we still have a lot to learn with regard to why, you know, some communities are not choosing to be vaccinated. Some communities are more hesitant. And I would be reluctant to say that it’s the same reason for every community. I think we have to meet people where they are as we try and get all communities vaccinated. And we have to understand that there’s not a singular underlying reason, but many reasons.
Dr. Fauci: Yeah, let me just, maybe, extend that for a minute. We also are very, very much involved in trying to get better access for the minority populations. It is, you know, not just the idea of hesitancy, but the fact that we have been in – and you’ve heard the President, himself, say very clearly that with the community vaccine centers; with the community health centers; with the pharmacies that we’re giving vaccine to, particularly in areas where minorities are represented; as well as the mobile units that are going out – so we are right now being very actively – in going out in a proactive way to make sure that any inequities that exist we can then, essentially, eliminate them. And that will be one of the things that are now, going forward, we’re putting a lot of effort into.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: It’s critical. Okay, next question.
MODERATOR: Next, we’ll go to Elizabeth Weise at USA Today.
Q: Thank you so much for taking my question. We’re hearing so much about other countries requiring some type of vaccination proof to enter those countries. Is there anything under discussion at the federal level to provide some type of vaccine, for want of a better word, “passport”?
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Yeah, let me take this, Elizabeth. It’s an important question as more people get vaccinated. Americans are asking the question: How will I be able to demonstrate, reliably, that I’ve been vaccinated?
And, you know, we have a couple of core beliefs about that. One is that it’s not the role of government to hold that data and to do that. But we do believe that when that gets done, there is a right way and a way that’s not as good. And the right way is: It needs to be private; the data should be secure; the access to it should be free; it should be available both digitally and in paper, and in multiple languages; and it should be open source.
So, those are the right kind of principles for someone to be able to have – be able to demonstrate that they have had a vaccine. And we know that there are – there are efforts that are underway, led by nonprofit collaboratives and the private sector, all working on exactly that type of thing.
Next question.
MODERATOR: Next, we’ll go to Anne Flaherty at ABC.
Q: Hi, thanks for taking my question. I wanted to ask about this study that found that three feet in schools might be safe, as long as they’re masked. Dr. Walensky, are you revisiting the CDC guidance on this? And also, can you tell us where the six feet came from? Was it ever studied with masks?
Dr. Walensky: Thank you for your question. Yes, we’re looking at this carefully. The six feet data came from early studies, with and without masks, from all other – from respiratory viruses, flu viruses, as well as SARS, and other coronaviruses – the MERS virus that Dr. Fauci just spoke about – and how distant air – how far aerosols and droplets can travel in that context.
As soon as we put out our guidance, among the biggest challenges that we were aware of was the fact that schools were having a hard time with the six foot guidance, and that, of course, prompted more studies to say: Is six feet necessary on the context of mask wearing?
The study that you’re remarking on is the first study that has been published that looked at there feet versus six feet. It was in Massachusetts schools where there was 100 percent mask wearing. And it demonstrated that students, when there was 100 percent mask wearing, had similar infection rates when it – at six feet versus three feet, as well as staff had similar infection rates at six feet versus six feet when they were masked.
We are looking at these data carefully. The question actually prompted more studies to be done, so we know more are forthcoming. We’re taking all of those data carefully and revisiting our guidances in that context.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Great. Next question.
MODERATOR: Next we’ll go to Shira Stein at Bloomberg.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Shira, are you with us? Kevin, maybe we should take the next question and come back.
MODERATOR: We’ll come back to you, Shira. We’ll go to Zeke at AP.
Q: Thanks all for doing the call. I was hoping you might be able to explain what your assessment is of the early rollout of the J&J vaccine. The CDC tracker right now show – it’s showing under 1.3 million doses administered, with 3.7 million distributed, but obviously, those doses have been distributed now for a couple of weeks. Are you seeing any vaccine hesitancy with the update in the shot versus the two-dose regimens? Thank you.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Well, let’s start this way: Let me ask Dr. Fauci if – for people who haven’t heard our review before – for you to talk about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and how people should view it relative to the two other vaccines, the Moderna and Pfizer. Then I’ll more specifically go into your question.
Dr. Fauci: Yeah. Thanks, Andy. You know, just to reiterate what we’ve said multiple times on these briefings: that we have three highly efficacious, safe vaccines that are now available to the American public. They have not been compared one to the other, which is the only way you could effectively do that would be in head-to-head comparisons.
So that’s the reason why you’ll hear all of us always say continuously that the way to look at it is that there are three vaccines that are highly efficacious. If you go into a place and you have a certain vaccine available to you, take that vaccine rather than waiting for another vaccine because all three of them are highly efficacious.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Yeah, and I’ll – let me address the other part of your question. So, look, we watch this data, as you can imagine, incredibly closely, and we don’t have reason for concern at this point.
To remind everybody the Johnson & Johnson vaccine came out with a – it’s no secret – a relatively small amount of doses. Given that, we know that states are metering the – you know, how they’re putting out the doses to be a little bit more straight line. And then, third, that, you know, we are seeing it continue to ramp. There was a day this weekend where we say 300,000 Johnson & Johnson doses.
So I think it continues to climb. We’re – I think the key operative word in your question is “early.” When we get – by the time we get to the end of the month, I think we will see the ramp pattern where we expect it to be.
Next question. Kevin –
Q: Thanks, all.
MODERATOR: Making sure you were there. Great.
Q: Yep, there we go. Sorry about that earlier. Can you tell me why you decided to change the – change the reimbursement number for the Medicare administration of vaccines? And then, can you also talk – it looks like you’re going to be doing some more public service announcements to provoke vaccination. What’s the budget of that?
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Well, look, I think CMS – who focuses on making sure that our nation’s seniors and our nation’s – people who live on low and fixed incomes are getting access to the same high-quality care that they deserve and that others in the country should get – determined that an additional level of reimbursement was going to increase vaccination rates, particularly in hard-to-reach communities. So asking people to do, as Dr. Fauci indicated, mobile vans, reach out into communities, and make the extra effort to meet people where they are to reimburse them.
You know , we believe that the medical professionals that are on the frontlines of this vaccination effort – by the way, the same people that ore on the frontlines of this entire pandemic – need to be taken care of. And we think that’s going to do a job of both increasing vaccinations as well as improving equity. And that’s – that’s the reason behind it.
Your second question was about education campaigns? Is that – was that what it was?
MODERATOR: Yep.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Yeah. So, look, let me say this: Today I think the latest data shows – from, I believe, Pew – that 69 percent of Americans are definitive in saying that they either have taken – have had a vaccine or plan to take a vaccine. That’s significantly higher. It’s at least 10 points higher than it was a short while ago and more significant than from when the Biden administration began.
We think this is for a number of reasons. These are very good vaccines with an incredible track record – large clinical trials; years, as Dr. Fauci has indicated, of research into them.
And many Americans got vaccinated early. And the people who I think have been watching this and seeing the process and seeing how it has had an impact on them and in their communities, that it increasingly makes them want to take the vaccination.
So we believe this is edu- in some respects, the easiest education effort ever is if we let people see the truth and not get information on, say, Facebook, or somewhere where there’s less reliable information. People are capable of making these decisions for themselves. We know that people are not looking to be convinced by the government or by some other entity; they want to have conversations with people in their local community; whether it’s a doctor, their pharmacist, or other people that they trust. And our job – and I think the CDC had been doing a marvelous job at this – is to get reliable information out to people. These briefings are another example of this – very clear scientific information, the good and the bad.
Now, we will – we will be supporting that effort with all kinds of additional education efforts, including some paid efforts, including other types of conversations. But it’s most important that the people who are the local, trusted people continue to have the reliable information about these vaccines. And we believe that will continue the pattern that’s already begun, which is that more and more people will be comfortable taking the vaccine.
Kevin, is that –
MODERATOR: All right, we’re going to squeeze one more question in from Brian Karem at The Bulwark.
Q: Thanks. I’ll be brief. I want to follow up on April Ryan’s question about the number of people – the millions that have already been fully vaccinated. Today we heard that 30 percent of the adults, or 20 percent of the seniors, had received some vaccination. Is that – you know, are the 20 percent seniors a 20 percent of the Total number, or is that a subset of adults? First.
And secondly, if we use the number of shots that we are getting on a daily basis, the number of new cases, and the number of people who have been fully vaccinated, can you all – using those metrics – give us a better idea of when we’ll either reach herd immunity or be in the clear? And thus, when we can start sharing our dosage of our vaccines with our allies and neighbors internationally?
Acting Administrator Slavitt: It sounds like an SAT math question. So let me clarify the basic of the numbers, because I think they may not have come through clearly.
We are talking about close to two thirds of seniors and close to 30 percent of all adults that have now received their first shot. And I think its important – for reasons that I think both Doctors Walensky and Fauci can articulate – that people get their second shot, largely because of the durability and the variants.
So as we report these numbers out, this is to report on the progress and the very hard work of tens of thousands of people, but it’s – by no means should be perceived as declaring victory. There’s much more – much more work to do.
I think the question that you’re asking in some sense is: “When will we reach herd immunity? When will we have enough doses, et cetera?” And what I will tell you is that, as the President articulated last week, we believe that we will have enough for the adult population – produced by the end of May. And with some time after that, those vaccinations will have – will have occurred. And it is with that the President indicated that if we all do our part, by the 4th of July, we should be able to take the really important step to brining the things to people – the events in our lives – back into our lives. That’s an “if”. That’s – that’s really on all of us.
So no mater what math you use, we will have enough vaccine doses. We do need people to actually get vaccinated. We do need everybody that’s been doing this enormously important work to keep doing it. And if we do that, we should be in a position right around then, when the adult population will have the vaccines they need.
Now, if you’re asking questions about our supply, we have indicated that there are other pieces of our supply;y that are important to us, and Dr. Fauci has mentioned this several times : teenagers, adolescence, children, potential booster shots down the road, other things.
So it’s a very big equation with a lot of scenarios in it, and our job is to be prepared for every scenario.
Now, having said all of that, I think there was a part of your question about the world, about the globe, and so many I can ask Dr. Fauci to talk about the efforts that we have undertaken already, even as we vaccinate our country, to make sure we’re playing a leadership role in the globe.
Dr. Fauci: Yes. Thank you, Andy. So, as you well know, on the first day of the President’s presidency – his tenure – he had me go out early in the morning and make a speech to the executive board of WHO, saying we’re going to rejoin WHO and we’re going to be part of COVAX, which means, A, that we’ve made a commitment of $4 billion that the United States will be giving to COVAX – which is a multi-organization, multi-country effort to help those countries that do not have the resources to be able to vaccinate their people to get them vaccinated.
In addition, it’s become clear that after we get our people in the United States vaccinated – and remember, we’ve suffered terribly with over 530,000 deaths thus far, so our responsibility of getting all people vaccinated first, before we start giving doses to other countries – which, we will be doing that if and when we do have a surplus, which it looks very much like we will. But that will not occur until we actually have our people vaccinated.
But the $4 billion has already been implements. Part of it, $2 billion, and then $2 billion to come. So we’re very actively involved in thinking about and caring about the plight of other countries.
Andy, if I might just make one comment that was made part of the question. We should not get so fixated on this elusive number of herd immunity. We should just be concerned about getting as many people vaccinated as quickly as we possibly can because herd immunity is still somewhat of an elusive number. We made a projection of what it would likely be – I’ve said many times – somewhere between 70 and 85 percent, but we don’t know that for sure. So rather than fixating on that, why don’t we just say, get as many people vaccinated as quickly as you possibly can. And every day that goes by now, with more than 2 million doses going into people, we’re getting closer and closer to control of this pandemic.
Thanks, Andy.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Great, thank you. And thank you all for listening in. And I really want to thank again the doctors, nurses, physicians, vaccinators, people around the country who have been – and continue to be a part of this extraordinary effort that we need to keep going.
We will be her Wednesday to do this once again. Thank you.
March 16: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted an FDA Statement titled: “Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA takes steps to streamline path for COVID-19 screening tools, provides information to help groups establishing testing programs”. From the Statement:
The following is attributed to Jeff Shuren, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, and Team Stenzel, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Office of In Metro Diagnostics in the Center for Devices and Radiological Health
Testing remains an important cornerstone of our nation’s fight against COVID-19. This includes schools, workplaces, communities and other locations using testing to screen asymptomatic individuals who may still spread the virus. Screening involves testing asymptomatic individuals who do not have known or suspected exposure to COVID-19 in order to make individual decisions such as whether an individual should participate in an activity, based on test results.
Today, we are providing information for test developers about a streamlined path to emergency use authorization for these important screening tools as well as information to help these groups as they set up testing programs. Our actions complement those taken by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and are not intended to replace CDC’s testing or other public guidance.
First, the FDA issued a new supplemental template for test developers seeking emergency use authorization (EUA) of certain tests for screening with serial testing. Serial testing involves testing the same individual multiple times within a few days, and can increase chances of detecting asymptomatic infection that might not always show up with a single test. CDC recommends serial testing at least once per seek, along with mitigation measures, such as masking and social distancing, to reduce disease transmission.
This template applies to developers of molecular and antigen tests, for use in serial testing programs, as well as at-home tests for use in a serial manner outside of a testing program, intended to detect SARS-CoV-2 from individuals without symptoms or other epidemiological reasons to suspect COVID-19 infection. This includes tests conducted in any location, including a laboratory, at the point-of-care (POC), or even places such as a person’s home or certain non-traditional sites such as offices, sporting venues, airports, schools, etc.
We believe this effort will pave the way for further expanding the availability of tests authorized for screening asymptomatic individuals, help bolster existing and new testing programs and increase consumer access to testing.
As part of this new template for test developers, the agency provided recommendations aimed to streamline the authorization of screening tests with serial testing. The recommendation apply to test developers who seek a EUA from the FDA for certain screening tests prior to conducting certain performance evaluations with asymptomatic individuals. For example, in certain circumstances, a POC test or an at-home test could be authorized for over-the-counter (OTC) use without the need for validating its use in asymptomatic individuals prior to authorization. The FDA believes that evidence of a test’s strong performance in symptomatic patients combined with serial testing can mitigate the risk of false results when testing asymptomatic individuals.
Additionally, today the FDA issued a fact sheet that outlines considerations for selecting a test for use in a screening testing program. The fact sheet will help schools, workplaces, communities, and other locations as they are selecting a test for screening and help them understand the difference between tests used for diagnosis of suspected COVID-19 compared to those used for screening asymptomatic individuals.
This information we’re providing will be helpful to groups as they set up testing programs. We believe these combined efforts will further expand the availability of tests authorized for screening asymptomatic individuals, including OTC use, help bolster existing and new testing programs and increase consumer access to testing.
March 16: U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) posted a News Release titled: “Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: March 16, 2021”. From the News Release:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced the following actions taken in its ongoing response effort to the COVID-19 pandemic:
On March 15, 2021, the FDA launched the COVID-19 EUA FDA Adverse Events Reporting System (FAERS) Public Dashboard providing weekly updates of adverse event reports submitted to FAERS for drugs and therapeutic biological products used under an EUA during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
As part of the FDA’s effort to protect consumers, the agency issued a warning letter jointly with the Federal Trade Commission to Ravenscroft Apothecary, Inc., DBA Raenscroft Escentials for selling unapproved products with fraudulent COVID-19 claims. The company sells products, including “AIR PURIFY AROMAMIST” “HEALER’s CHAI AROMATEA & BREATH DROPS,” “ELEVATION OF MIND AROMAMIST” AND “ROSE FREQUENCY TONGUE TINCTURE,” and misleadingly represents the products as safe and/or effective to mitigate, prevent, treat, diagnose, or cure COVID-19 in people. The FDA requested that Ravenscroft Apothecary, Inc. take immediate action to cease the sale of any unapproved and unauthorized products for the treatment of COVID-19. Consumers concerned about COVID-19 should consult with their health care provider.
The FDA has posted translations of the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine fact sheet for recipients and caregivers in languages including: Burmese, Chinese, French, Hindi and Russian. We will post additional language translations of the fact sheet for recipients and caregivers as they become available.
Testing updates:
As of today, 341 tests and sample collection devices are authorized by the FDA under emergency use authorization (EUAs). These include 254 molecular tests and sample collection devices, 72 antibody and other immune response tests and 15 antigen tests. There are 38 molecular authorizations that can be used with home-collected samples. There is one molecular prescription at-home test, two antigen test and one OTC molecular test.
March 17: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) posted News titled: “Biden Administration to Invest More Than $12 Billion to Expand COVID-19 Testing”. From the News:
$10 Billion in Funding for School Screenings to Help Reopening
$2.25 Billion in Screenings to Address Disparities and Advance Equity
New CDC Guidance to Provide Clarity on Screening Testing Approaches
As part of President Biden’s National Strategy for the COVID-19 Resource and Pandemic Preparedness – PDF the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will invest $10 billion from the American Rescue Plan to ramp up screening testing to help schools reopen, $2.25 billion to scale up testing in underserved populations, and provide new guidance on asymptomatic screening testing in schools, workplaces, and congregate settings. These measures are part of President Biden’s strategy to increase COVID-19 testing nationwide as vaccinations increase.
“COVID-19 testing is critical to saving lives and restoring economic activity,” said HHS Acting Secretary Norris Cochran. “As part of the Biden Administration’s National Strategy, HHS will continue to expand our capacity to get testing to the individuals and the places that need it most, so we can prevent transmission of the virus and defeat the pandemic.”
Todays announcement includes funding or guidance to:
Support COVID-19 screening testing to help schools reopen: Consistent with the American Rescue Plan (P.L 117-2), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will provide $10 billion to states to support COVID-19 screening testing for teachers, staff and students to assist schools in reopening safely for in-person instruction. CDC’s Operational Strategy for K-12 Schools through Phased Mitigation, released in February 2021, makes clear that screening testing is a tool schools can utilize to help reopen safely as part of a comprehensive COVID-19 mitigation approach. Using existing funding mechanisms, this funding will be able to be deployed quickly as part of a strategy to help get schools open in the remaining months of this school year.
In addition to ensuring diagnostic testing of symptomatic and exposed individuals, serial screening testing will help schools identify infected individuals without symptoms who may be contagious so that prompt action can be taken to prevent further transmission. With this ARP funding, states can support the critical testing and testing supports schools need to implement screening testing programs. Recognizing that establishing a testing program is new for many schools, CDC and state and local health departments will support technical assistance to assist states and schools in standing up and implementing these programs. Today, CDC is releasing the state-by-state allocation table with final awards to be made to health departments in early April (The table is available below).
Address disparities and promote equity in COVID-19 testing and mitigation: CDC will invest $2.25 billion to address COVID-19-related health disparities and advance health equity among high-risk and underserved populations, including racial and ethnic minority groups and people living in rural areas. This funding represents CDC’s largest investment to date to support communities affected by COVID-29 -related health disparities. Grants to public health departments will improve testing and contact tracing capabilities; develop innovative mitigation and prevention resources and services; and, improve data collection and reporting to advance health equity and address social determinants of health as they relate to COVID-19.
Provide clear guidance for implementation of testing, including screening testing: CDC is releasing updated testing guidance to provide recommendations for how to use screening testing to identify, track and mitigate asymptomatic transmission of COVID-19. The guidance will provide information on the categories of tests used to detect COVID-19 and the intended strategies for use of those tests, including to diagnose infection, to screen in an effort to reduce asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic transmission, and to monitor trends in infection. This guidance also includes considerations for health equity in testing; choosing a test; and guidance for specific settings (e.g. non-healthcare workplaces, correctional facilities, shelters and other settings).
Support asymptomatic screening testing: This week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provided new recommendations and information for test developers to streamline the path to emergency use authorization (EUA) for screening tests. The recommendations apply to test developers who seek an EUA from the FDA for screening tests with serial testing. FDA may authorize certain tests, including those currently authorized for diagnosing COVID-19, for screening with serial testing prior to test developers conducting certain performance evaluations with asymptomatic individuals. This may include authorizing point-of-care and at-home COVID-19 tests for over-the-counter use. FDA also has released a fact sheet to assist schools, workplaces, communities, and others looking to establish testing programs to screen asymptomatic individuals as they are selecting a test for screening. These actions are intended to expand the availability of tests authorized for screening asymptomatic individuals, help bolster existing and new testing programs, and increase consumer access to testing.
Support COVID-19 screening testing in long-term care: The Departments of Health and Human Services and Defense have awarded a $255 million contract for the production and delivery of 50 million Abbott BinaxNOW rapid point-of-care antigen tests for COVID-19 to support continued screening testing in long-term care facilities.
Last month, HHS announced additional actions the Biden Administration is taking to expand COVID-19 testing capacity across the country as part of its national testing strategy. This includes:
Launching a pilot program to expand COVID-19 testing for schools and underserved populations through coordinating centers. HHS, in partnership with the Department of Defense (DOD), is investing $650 million to expand testing opportunities for K-8 schools and underserved congregate settings, such as homeless shelters, directly through new regional coordinating centers. These coordinating centers will organize the distribution of COVID-19 testing supplies and partner with laboratories across the country, including universities and commercial labs, to collect specimens, perform tests, and report results to the relevant public health agencies. These coordinating centers will identify existing testing capacity, match it up to an area of need, and fund that testing.
Increasing domestic manufacturing of testing supplies and raw materials. HHS and DOD are investing $815 million to increase domestic manufacturing of testing supplies and raw materials, including filter pipette tips, nitrocellulose used in antigen point-of-care tests, and specific injected molded plastics needed to house testing reagents. These investments will help create more domestic sources and expand existing facilities to increase production capacity.
Rapidly increasing genomic sequencing of the virus. CDC is investing nearly $200 million to identify, track and mitigate emerging strains of SARS-CoV-2 through genomic sequencing. This investment will expand genomic sequencing capabilities to increase sequencing three-fold per week. Increasing samples will improve the agency’s ability to detect emerging variants and understand their spread with greater precision. Expanded testing is critical to support more genomic sequencing, because sequencing only occurs after a COVID-19 test comes up positive.
The American Rescue Plan, which was signed into law last week, will allow the Biden Administration to further ramp up testing actions to detect, diagnose, trace and monitor COVID-19 and prevent its spread.
March 17: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted a News Release titled: “FDA Permits Marketing of First SARS-CoV-2 Diagnostic Test Using Traditional Premarket Review Process”. From the News Release:
BioFire Respiratory Panel 2.1 is the First COVID-19 Diagnostic Test Granted Marketing Authorization Using the De Novo Review Pathway
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted marketing authorization of the BioFire Respiratory Panel 2.1 (RP2.1), a diagnostic test for the simultaneous qualitative detection and identification of multiple respiratory viral and bacterial nucleic acids in nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) obtained from individuals suspected by COVID-19 and other respiratory tract infections. The diagnostic test, which had an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), was granted marketing authorization using De Novo premarket review pathway, a regulatory pathway for low-to-moderate-risk devices of a new type. The grant of this De Novo request marks an important step in FDA’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic because it is the first SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic test that will be permitted to be marketed beyond the public health emergency.
“Today’s action is a great demonstration of the FDA’s work to protect the public health in emergency response situations and beyond,” said FDA Acting Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D. “We ensure there were tests made available quickly under EUA; and we continue to work with diagnostic manufacturers to take the next step of ensuring products are FDA reviewed for safety and effectiveness and authorized for marketing under our traditional premarket authorities. While this is the first authorization for a diagnostic test using a traditional premarket review process, we do not expect this to be the last and look forward to working with developers of medical products to move their products through our traditional review pathways.”
The grant of the De Novo request for this test is based on additional data showing validation beyond what is needed for emergency use authorization. The FDA reviewed data from a clinical study of more than 500 test samples and a variety of analytical studies, which demonstrated a reasonable assurance that the BioFire RP2.1 was safe and effective at identification and differentiation of various respiratory viral and bacterial pathogens.
With granting of the De Novo for the BioFire RP2.1 today, the FDA also revoked the EUA for this device, which was initially authorized for emergency use in May 2020. This EUA revocation and De Novo authorization do not impact the availability other tests under EUA.
“Safety , effectiveness and innovation remain important priorities for CDRH, Today’s action underscores the FDA’s ongoing commitment to expand access to testing while providing important safeguards through both our EUA authority and traditional review pathways,” said Jeff Shuren, M.D., J.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health.
The BioFire RP2.1 is for use only in individuals suspected of respiratory tract infections, including COVID-19. The diagnostic test is for the detection and indication of specific viral and bacterial nucleic acids from individuals exhibiting signs and/or symptoms of respiratory infection and aids in the diagnostic of respiratory infection if used along with other clinical and epidemiological information. Results of the test should not be used as the sole basis for diagnosis, treatment, or other patient management decisions. Positive results of this test do not rule out confection with other organisms. The agent(s) detected by the BioFire RP2.1 may not be definite cause of disease. Negative BioFire RP2.1 results in the setting of a respiratory illness illness may be due to infection with pathogens that are not detected by this test or lower respiratory tract infection that may not be detected by an NPS specimen. Additional laboratory testing (e.g., bacterial and viral culture, immuoflorescence and radiography) may be necessary when evaluating a patient with possible respiratory tract infection.
Along with this De Novo authorization, the FDA is establishing criteria called special controls that define the requirements related to labeling and performance testing. When met, the special controls, in combination with general controls, provide a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness for tests of this type. This action also creates a new regulatory classification, which means that subsequent devices of the same type with the same intended use may go through the FDA’s 510(k) pathway, whereby devices can obtain a clearance by demonstrating substantial equivalence to a predicate device.
The FDA granted the marketing authorization to BioFire Diagnostics LLC.
March 17: The White House posted a press briefing titled: “Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials”. From the press release:
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Thank you for joining us today. You can see we have a full house.
Just this morning, following the President’s direction, the Department of Health and Human Services issued the order to formally direct states, tribes, and territories to make all adults eligible for COVID vaccines no later than May 1st. Even as we take steps to expand eligibility for vaccines in advance of May 1st, we continue to emphasize to states the importance of prioritizing vaccinations for higher-risk populations.
Two areas states can focus on in particular are, first, vaccination programs for congregate settings an homebound populations; and, second, creating priority scheduling pathways and dedicated shots for higher-risk populations.
Today, our team is going to highlight aggressive actions we are taking to use diagnostic testing to help defeat the pandemic and all people to safely return to normal activities. We’ve recently discussed investments in at-home and point-of-care testing, which can contribute significantly to our ability to safely get back to normal life.
Today, we’re releasing details about how our testing strategy can be advanced in three additional critical ways.
First – first is how we can reduce the disparities in health outcomes by investing more testing resources in underserved communities. We will also discuss how we will get critical therapies to underserved communities.
Second, our investments we are making in testing to increase screening and surveillance.
And third is how we can strategically invest in testing to ramp up the safety of schools and get them back open.
First you will hear from Dr. Nunez-Smith. She will then introduce Carole Johnson, the White House Testing Coordinator. She will introduce Dr. Walensky and then Dr. Fauci.
Between all of them, you will hear how various elements of our testing strategy come together. And with that, I’ll turn it over to Dr. Nunez-Smith.
Dr. Nunez-Smith: Thanks so much, Andy. And good afternoon, everyone. You know, as Andy said, we are continuing to advance robust efforts to ensure equity in our federal COVID-19 response, you know, making sure there is equitable access to all COVID-19 resources – so whether that is access to PPE or masks, access to vaccines; you know, access to testing, as you will hear much more about in today’s briefing; or access to treatments.
And today I’m here to provide an important update on how this administration is making COVID-19 treatments more accessible and available for the American people, particularly those in the hardest-hit, highest-risk communities.
We are working to improve access to one specific class of therapies, the monoclonal antibodies. And you’ve heard Dr. Fauci discuss the benefits of these therapies previously.
You know, there are currently three monoclonal antibodies that have been authorized by the Food and Drug Administration for emergency use, with the most recent authorization coming just in February.
You know the positive impact of these treatments has become pretty clear. For individuals who are diagnosed early with COVID-19 – that’s early testing – and who, you know, although they’re currently doing okay, are really at risk of getting pretty sick, these treatments can make a huge difference in preventing them from developing severe illness from COVID.
You know, in fact, Eli Lilly’s newest monoclonal antibody combination therapy has shown the ability to reduce COVID-19 related hospitalizations and deaths by up to 87 percent. So the National Institutes of Health, you know, and the Infectious Disease Society of America – that’s an association of over 12,000 physicians, scientists, and public health experts; they specialize in infectious disease – you know, they both formally recommend the use of this treatment in patients with mild or moderate COVID-19 who are at high-risk of progression to severe disease.
So these recommendations by the NIH and by IDSA send a really strong signal to patients as well as providers all over the country – you know, a message that these treatments are efficacious. They show enough promise in clinical studies to recommend their broader use during this pandemic to help us save lives. And we are certainly tracking all the latest science and updating clinical recommendations as needed.
You know, for all Americans, these treatments for COVID-19 are free, and the cost of administering them is covered why Medicare, Medicaid, and most private insurance companies. And these therapies are already available across the country, so that’s hospitals, emergency rooms, urgent care settings, physicians offices, and infusion centers.
But there is still work to do to make sure that these treatments are available and accessible to the highest-risk communities, those communities that have faced high burdens of COVID-19 over this past year.
So today we’re announcing a new $150 million agreement, signed by the Department of Health and Human Services, specifically to help us make sure that any individual and any community who meets the clinical criteria can have access to these important therapeutics. These funds will help us go beyond those existing 5,000 sites to help get these therapies to folks in other settings as well, giving us the ability to continue to meet people where they are.
This new effort is going to speed assistance to hard-hit communities, really increasing the use and administration of the monoclonal antibody therapies, preventing hospitalization and death.
You know, this assistance may include additional staffing, infusion center capacity, in both traditional and non-traditional healthcare settings, and the equipment necessary to administer this intravenous infusion, as well as being sure we increase awareness among healthcare providers and patients about the treatment options that are available, including where and how to access them.
So this is just another example of how we are committed to an equitable COVID-19 response. We’re working absolutely to keep people from getting COVID-19 in the first place. You know, and the vaccines that are currently being administered across the country are key to doing just that.
But for those individuals who get COVID-19, we want to make sure that they too have the benefit of the latest in scientific discovery to help them hope and help toward a safe and speedy recovery.
So you can learn more about these monoclonal antibodies and how to access them by going to CombatCOVID.HHS.gov.
And with that, I’ll turn it over to Carole Johnson, the Testing Coordinator, and the White House COVID-19 Response Team.
Carole?
Ms. Johnson: Thank you, Dr. Nunez-Smith. When the President announced his national strategy to fight COVID, he outlined a comprehensive plan to scale and expand testing in order to safely reopen schools and society.
Today, thanks to the American Rescue Plan, we’re turning that plan into action. We know that school districts want to reopen, but up to this point, many lack the resources to set up COVID screening programs for students, teachers, and staff to keep COVID out of our schools.
Today, all that changes. Earlier today, the Department of Education announced the state funding allocations for the $122 billion in the American Rescue Plan to help schools invest in mitigation strategies like PPE, additional space, more teachers, and extending their critical learning and enrichment programs.
And today, the Department of Health and Human Services announced plans to distribute $10 billion to support COVID-19 testing in schools across our country. With this funding for testing, every state in America will have access to millions of dollars to set up screening programs to add a layer of protection for schools, teachers, and students. This funding can be used to test teachers and staff, students and others with symptoms of COVID, those who may have been exposed, and to establish sustained regular screening testing programs across the school system.
We recognize that establishing a COVID testing program is new for many schools, and that’s why CDC will work with state and local health departments to support technical assistance to help schools and states in standing up and implementing these programs.
With this critical funding from the American Rescue Plan, we hope more schools will reopen across the country and more kids will be back in the classroom soon.
We know that testing works. We know that it works to identify cases and slow the spread of COVID. And we look forward to working with schools to implement this exciting new program.
Finally, I want to note that this work builds on additional actions the administration has already taken to scale up testing nationwide, like establishing regional coordinating centers to help accelerate testing and make the process easier, increasing domestic manufacturing of testing supplies, and rapidly increasing genomic sequencing.
The American Rescue Plan, which was signed into law last week, will invest nearly $50 billion over all in testing. We believe it was important – we believe it is important to get the first $100 billion out to states for school reopening as quickly as possible.
So with that, I’ll turn it over to Dr. Walensky who will share additional testing news for today. Thank you, Dr. Walensky.
Dr. Walensky: Thank you, Carole. And good afternoon. I’m glad to be back with you today. Let’s start first with an overview of the data.
Cases continue to hover around 50-55,000 cases per day, and the most recent seven-day average is 53,000 cases per day. Hospital admissions continue to fall, with the most recent seven-day average just over 4,700 admissions per day. We continue to see declines in the number of deaths from COVID-19, averaging slightly more than 1,100 deaths per day over the last seven days.
Today, I want to spend a little time discussing COVID-19 testing and why this remains a critical component of our comprehensive approach to ending this epidemic.
Reliable and widely available testing is a crucial part of our efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19. But several factors can make testing strategy decisions complex, including the different kinds of tests available, the changing dynamics of the pandemic in communities, and the increasing proliferation of new variants that are more transmissible.
Having clear, evidence-based recommendations to help state and local public health departments and the medical community make informed decisions about COVID-19 testing is paramount to an overall national testing strategy.
Today, CDC is releasing a suite of five updated guidance documents on COVID-19 testing, building on the latest science, available testing options, and what we have learned about testing during this pandemic.
Our testing overview guidance describes the available tests that are used to detect COVID-19, how to choose a test, and the reasons for using them. They also explain the impact of vaccination on testing.
Importantly, until now, limited test capacity has resulted in our use of tests for largely diagnostic purposes when someone presents with symptoms or has been exposed. Only in selected places have we capitalized on the benefits of how testing can be used as a screening intervention, with frequent tests to identify asymptomatic disease and prevent clusters before they start.
Testing can also be used as a surveillance tool to monitor the burden of disease in communities. Our newly released set of guidances offers a comprehensive approach to testing and helps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 through the rapid identification and isolation of people who are infected, including those who do not know they are infected because they do not have symptoms.
The updated overview also provides new information about how health equity – about health equity issues related to testing. To end this pandemic, everyone must have equal access to affordable and timely testing, with fast turnaround time for results, to identify infections and reduce community spread.
In addition to the overview guidance, we are also releasing four complementary guidance documents that focus on testing in specific settings, including correctional and detention facilities, non-healthcare workplaces, institutions or higher education, and homeless shelters and encampments.
Each of these companion documents – guidance documents provide tailored recommendations that take into account the unique circumstances and risks for COVID-19 spread in the different settings.
Today’s updated guidance is intended to help public health officials, medical providers, school and justice system administrators, and others make decisions about setting up testing programs in their communities.
All five guidance documents are now posted on our website at CDC.gov. And while guidance is critical to informing decisions making for – decision making for COVID-19 testing, its equally important that testing programs and communities are supported with resources to do the work. This requires much-needed and long-overdue resources.
So I’m proud to share that CDC is announcing new funding for $2.25 billion in grants to public health departments – on average, $20 million per grant to more than 100 health departments – to address COVID-19 health disparities and advance health equity among people who are at high risk and underserved, including racial and ethnic minority groups and people living in rural areas.
A large component of this funding will focus on strategies to improve testing and contact tracing, along with funding to support continued implementation and prevention strategies for COVID-19. These funds will provide much-needed funding to states, cities, counties, and rural locations.
I’m so excited to report that this funding represents CDC’s largest investment to date to support communities that are affected by COVID-19-related health disparities, especially those in high-risk and underserved groups.
This is truly a historic investment for CDC and an important step forward to help hard-hit communities turn the corner on this pandemic.
Thank you. And I’ll now turn it over to Dr. Fauci.
Dr. Fauci: Thank you very much, Dr. Walensky. I’m just going to change topics somewhat, just for the next minute or two, to give you an update in the context of vaccines and what we are learning in the longer range as we go from the EUA’s.
This slide is a familiar slide that I’ve shown a couple of times at these briefings. Just to summarize, we have three vaccines that have been proven to be highly efficacious. Namely, within the context of the clinical trial, they work. Now the question is: What happens when you get out into the real world?
Next slide.
We refer to this as the difference between efficacy and effectiveness. Efficacy is what you show in a clinical trial. Effectiveness means what happens when you use that in the real world.
And what we are seeing is that, in fact, these types of vaccines that I just mentioned are working. Let me give you just a couple of quick examples among several.
This is a study from Israel, in which 600,000 newly vaccinated people with the Pfizer-BNT vaccine were matched against 600,000 controls. Look at the right-hand part of the slide: Seven or more days after the second dose, the effectiveness of this vaccine in the community was well within the range of the efficacy of the trial – 92 to 94 percent.
Next slide.
This is a slide from the UK in which regular asymptomatic testing was done among healthcare providers who did the same kind of routine testing that many of us do. It was shown that in an arena and a context in which there was a variant, B117, predominated – in England – again, you had a very high degree of effectiveness seven days after the second dose, as shown here, with 85 percent.
Next slide.
Back to the United States, in the Mayo Clinic: In this study of individuals who went un- – who underwent routine pre-procedural testing – coming into the hospital for a sigmoidoscope, a colonoscopy, dental procedures, or what have you – they were tested, and it was found that after adjustment for confounding factors, there was an 80 percent reduction in the risk of a positive screening test in people who received two doses of an mRNA vaccine.
And then, finally, on this last slide, in Israeli and Spain: The study in Spain showed that a viral load is a proxy for infectivity. And then, in a study in Israel, they found out, when there were breakthrough infections either among vaccinated individuals or those who were not vaccinated, when you look at the viral load in the nasopharynx, it was decreased fourfold for those who actually were within 12 to 28 days of the first dose of vaccine.
Bottom line: The vaccines are effective in the real world. Not only are they efficacious, but they are effective.
Now back to you, Andy.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Thank you. All right, why don’t we take questions?
MODERATOR: All right. First question we will got to Shannon Pettypiece with NBC.
Q: On the school testing, there’s been concern from schools that they are not able to use the rapid tests for asymptomatic students unless they get one of these CLIA waivers. And they say there’s been a big issue with them being able to use the rapid test. So does this guidelines that you’re putting out today, is that going to open the door for schools to use the rapid tests more easily in asymptomatic students?
Acting Administration Slavitt: Let me ask Carole to take that.
Ms. Johnson: Yeah, so I will say the CDC is putting out guidance today, but there’s more work to do. We’re putting these resources out to help schools plan, but we continue to work on the policy background here. And there continues to be work to do.
We have seen some states do some creative work around CLIA waivers, and we have seen some work from the Department of Health and Human Services to make it easier to access CLIA waivers. And we’re going to continue to work on that issue.
I will also point out that, just yesterday, the FDA made a policy announcement about making it easier for tests to get authorization for asymptomatic screening use. So, again, much more work to do, but we are continuing to move forward on the policy environment here to support screening testing.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Dr. Walensky, is there anything you want to add to that question? Nothing?
Dr. Walensky: Nothing to add. Thank you.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Okay. Next question.
MODERATOR: Next we’ll got to Sheryl Stolberg with The New York Times.
Q: Thank you for taking my question. I’m wondering what metrics you’re going to apply to measure the effects of the spending on testing and the other mitigation measures. How much will this hasten the end of the pandemic or bring about the reopening of schools and the economy? How quickly will that happen, and how will you measure it?
Acting Administrator Slavitt: That’s a – it’s a broad question, so I would invite anyone to take that. Carole, is that something you want to start with?
Ms. Johnson: Yeah, let me just start by saying that we – our goal, from the front end, was that – we have heard from folks who work directly with school districts about schools that are anxious to have the resources to be able to do testing to support their reopening. So, as part of our broader goal to – the President’s broader goal to safely reopen schools, we want to make sure there are resources available to do that. And we are continuing to track school reopening with our colleagues at the Department of Education.
But our main message here is that we want schools to have the resources so that they can add this layer of mitigation that the CDC guidance on school reopening has pointed out can be an added protective factor. We know schools want – there are many schools that want that. We know there are schools that have tried to do it and have struggled to have the resources to do it. And so we want the resources out there, and we want to attract school reopening.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Anybody want to add to that.
Dr. Walensky: Maybe I’ll just add that there a lot of metrics that people are using. We’re looking at wastewater for disease burden in communities. We’re looking at hospitalization rates. We’re looking at clusters and outbreaks in these schools that implement these screening strategies. So I think there are a lot of metrics that we can impose. Of course, there are a lot of moving parts. Not only are we ramping up testing, we’re also ramping up vaccinations.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: I would just add, as a reminder for everyone, that since the President’s call for schools to be open, we have issued a set of guidelines from the CDC to help with a roadmap to do that, prioritize vaccinations for teachers, and now this commitment around testing.
So the question, I think, for the administration and for the schools in the country is not whether they can be open, but how. And I think with this roadmap, with this testing resource, with these vaccinations, there is a clear path there.
Next question.
MODERATOR: Next we’ll go to April Ryan with TheGrio.
Q: Thank you. I want to get back to the issue of children and vaccinations. What is the current research showing right now as it relates to vaccinating school-aged children? I ask that because I’m hearing from doctors that there is a concern about the possible change in the genetic profile by two of the vaccinations versus the Johnson & Johnson. If you can give me a comment on all of that – all of the above. Thank you.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Dr. Fauci.
Dr. Fauci: Yeah. Thank you, Andy. Thank you for that question, April. Right now, there are a couple of studies from multiple companies looking at vaccines in children. Just to let everybody know where we are: The vaccine studies that are done right now are looking at both safety and immunogenicity; it’s not looking for vaccine efficacy signals, because you would need tens of thousands of people in those trials. We’re trying to do bridging studies to show comparable immunogenicity at the same time of looking at safety.
We will know answers to that for high school-level individuals by the time we get to the fall. And when you do an age de-escalation in younger children – we just started a study with Moderna, literally this past week, in which we’re going to do age de-escalation from 12 to 9, 9 years to 6 years, 6 years to 2 years, and 6 months to 2 years. We’re going to be looking at multiple aspects of safety.
There is really no biological reason at all to indicate or even predict that you would even see any modification of the genetic profile when you’re dealing with an mRNA, which has no way of integrating into the genome of a cell. So it is a question, April, that gets asked frequently, but there’s no biological mechanism why we can see how that would happen. We’re going to be looking at all aspects of safety, but I really don’t predict you’re going to see anything in that – in that space.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Next question.
MODERATOR: Next we’ll go to David Lim at Politico.
Q: Hi, thanks for taking my question. I wanted to ask about the testing announcement today, specifically supply tests and what types of tests school districts will have access to, and if CDC is setting up a mechanism for purchasing those tests for distribution. Because it seems that there are still relative limitations, considering the number of students that are in K-through-12 schools.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: All right, why don’t we start with Carole.
Ms. Johnson: Yeah. Thanks, David. We are obviously closely monitoring supply, and expect some of the efforts to onshore supply will start to dovetail with the increases associated with this screening testing. We hope that the President’s commitment to testing, with a nearly $50 billion investment in the American Rescue Plan, is a strong signal to all about our commitment to testing and the importance of continuing to ramp up and expand testing.
Every – we are using those resources to not only expand testing but to address critical supply issues as we announced earlier last month that we were going to invest critical resources in raw materials and other issues that have presented shortage issues in the past.
The awards from CDC – I should let Dr. Walensky and anything that she would like – but these will be awards to state health departments for the purposes of helping to – help schools stand up testing programs. Many schools have – some schools have testing programs, and so the intent is not to disrupt the relationships that they have. Others need help in connecting to programs. And the federal government is continuing to work to build up the Federal Supply Schedule, to ensure that people have easy access and affordable testing.
Dr. Walensky: And maybe I’ll just add that we’re exciting because it’s not just to the state health departments, but this goes to the local health departments; it goes to rural and urban health departments so that we can really facilitate not just the testing, but the contact tracing and other prevention / interventions; the technical support that these local health departments will need to implement this testing.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Thank you. Next question.
MODERATOR: Next we’ll go to Shira Stein at Bloomberg.
Q: Hi. Thanks. You used to break down all the vaccines that we’re getting by various streams – so one by states, tribes, and territories; then by pharmacies; and then – now we’re seeing community heath centers. Can you break down how many vaccines, specifically for next week? So – basically, so we can better understand where all the vaccines are going.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Let me give you a rough – this is not a precise answer but I’ll give you a rough approximation: Somewhere in order a third of vaccination – of vaccines are going to retail pharmacies; something in the order of half are going to healthcare systems – the healthcare providers, hospitals, et cetera; then a large piece, after that, going – most of the rest to the big community vaccination centers; and then an increasing share to community health centers, mobile vans, et. cetera.
Now, the reason that can’t be precise is some of their – there’s some overlap in that states are each distributing their vaccinations into a variety of those channels. And so, you know, you can’t really – you can’t really give a complete picture because we’re sending vaccines directly to, say, community health centers and so are states. But that – the numbers are certainly rough in there.
But, Dr. Walensky, anything you want to add or change about that?
Dr. Walensky: No, that’s exactly – you know, the – if the states are distributing to the federal – to pharmacies, but there’s also getting federal supply, it makes it harder to tease apart. But that’s about – that’s exactly what I would have said.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Okay. Next question.
MODERATOR: Last question will go to Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar at AP.
Q: Hi, thank you for taking my question. Can you hear me?
Acting Administrator Slavitt: We can.
Q: Okay, thank you. Yeah. My question is for Dr. Walensky. And I was just wondering with the new guidance today, could you please review, underline for us what is the value added from the new guidance when compared to the previous layers of CDC guidance that we’ve had?
Dr. Walensky: Thank you for that question. So, this new guidance actually is really quite extensive compared to prior. It’s an expansion of the description of the kind of tests; how might one choose a test; the addition of the intended use of each of the individual tests; the addition of health equity as how we would use these tests in – to ensure that we have equitable distribution, that there’s a rapid turnaround time in all of these settings; the expanded availability of screening tests and how one might consider using diagnostic tests, as well as screening tests; and then, some discussion about how we would interpret these tests; and then some discussion about how we would interpret these tests in the context of vaccinated individuals; and then, of course, a menu of guidance on specific settings and how you would use the test, both from a diagnostic standpoint, but as well as from a screening and surveillance standpoint.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: We’ll close with one of the comments that President Biden made the other day, which is that “help is here.” It’s not even 60 days into the administration, and I would just like to summarize that your government is acting with urgency – acting even as people are being asked to maintain wearing masks.
The government is moving as quickly as possible, acting with speed of moving checks into the American – to the American public – near 100 million already; speed of vaccinations – near 100 million since January 20th; the speed of testing dollars moving out into the field, as Carole Johnson said today, with over $10 billion getting out the door quickly; and the speed of action on all of the areas needed to support the public from the most recent legislation that was passed.
So I want to thank everybody at the government and who is part of this effort for the great speed with which we’re asked – we’re acting on behalf of the public.
With that, thank you, and we will be here again on Friday.
March 17: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a press release titled: “CDC Announces $2.25 Billion to Address COVID-19 Health Disparities in Communities that are High-Risk and Underserved”. From the press release:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today announced a plan to invest $2.25 billion over two years to address Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related health disparities and advance health equity among populations that are high-risk and underserved, including racial and ethnic minority groups and people living in rural areas. This funding represents CDC’s largest investment to date to support communities affected by COVID-19-related health disparities.
CDC’s new National Initiative to Address COVID-19 Health Disparities Among Populations at High-Risk and Underserved Communities, Including Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations and Rural Communities, will offer grants to public health departments to improve testing and contact tracing capabilities; develop innovative mitigation and prevention resources and services; improve data collection and reporting; build, leverage, and expand infrastructure support; and mobilize partners and collaborators to advance health equity and address social determinants of health as they relate to COVID-19.
“Everyone in America should have equal opportunity to be as healthy as possible,” said CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH. “This investment will be monumental in anchoring equity at the center of our nation’s COVID-19 response – and is a key step forward in bringing resources and focus to health inequities that have for far too long persisted in our country.”
Data show that COVID-19 has disproportionately affected some populations and placed them at higher risk, including those who are medically underserved, racial and ethnic minority groups, and people living in rural communities. These groups may experience higher risk of exposure, infection, hospitalization, and mortality. In addition, evidence shows that racial and ethnic minority groups and people living in rural communities have disproportionate rates of chronic diseases that can increase the risk of becoming severely ill from COVID-19 and may also encounter barriers to testing, treatment, or vaccination.
To stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus and move toward greater health equity, CDC continues to work with populations at higher risk, underserved, and disproportionately affected to ensure resources are available to maintain and manage physical and mental health, including easy access to information, affordable testing, and mental health care. For more information and community resources, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus2019-ncov/community/health-equity/index.html
This initiative is funded through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021, (P.L. 116-260) and is expected to award funding to up to 108 state, local, territorial and freely associated state health departments, or their bona fide agents. CDC will be accepting applications for this initiative through April 30, 2021.
March 17: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) posted News titled: “Biden Administration to Invest $150 Million to Expand Access to COVID-19 Treatments in Underserved Communities”. From the News:
As part of the Biden Administration’s ongoing efforts to promote health equity in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is investing $150 million to increase access to COVID-19 monoclonal antibody therapeutic treatments for patients in vulnerable communities across the country.
This new effort will speed assistance to hard-hit communities to increase administration of monoclonal antibody treatments to prevent hospitalizations and deaths. Assistance may include additional staffing, infusion center capacity in traditional and non-traditional health care settings, and equipment to administer the intravenous treatments. The effort will also increase awareness among health care providers and patients about the treatment options available, including where and how to access them.
“This is another example of how the Biden Administration is committed to an equitable COVID-19 response,” said Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, Chair of the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force. “We’re working to keep people from getting COVID-19, and the vaccines that are currently being administered across the country are a key to doing just that. But for those individuals who get COVID-19, we want to make sure that they, too, have the benefit of the latest in scientific discovery to give them hope and help toward a safe and speedy recovery.”
This effort will focus on communities that have high levels of COVID-19 and are determined to be particularly vulnerable based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) social vulnerability index. Social vulnerability refers to the potential negative effects on communities caused by external stresses on human health including disease outbreaks. The index uses 15 U.S. census variables to help local officials identify vulnerable communities.
CDC has found that COVID-19 is affecting underserved communities and ethnic minorities disproportionately largely due to poverty and uneven access to health care in those communities. Also considered are communities in which monoclonal antibody treatments currently are available and equitable access can be increased quickly for underserved populations.
Three monoclonal antibody treatments are available under emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The monoclonal antibody therapeutics neutralize the virus that causes COVID-19 to prevent progression of disease. Based on the available evidence of safety and efficacy, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently updated its guidelines to recommend use of the treatments for those non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients who are at high risk of progressing to severe disease.
As each monoclonal antibody therapeutic received FDA authorization, HHS purchased and began allocating treatment courses, and now health care facilities can order the treatment courses directly from the distributor. Each therapeutic is administered as a single infusion. Since November 2020, more than 900,000 treatment courses have been distributed to more than 5,000 locations across the United States.
To learn more about the monoclonal antibody therapeutics available, visit https://combatcovid.hhs.gov/
March 18: The White House posted “Remarks by President Biden on the 100 Million Shot Goal”. From the speech:
The President: Well, folks, good to see you all.
When I announced in early December that I had goal that I set of administering 100 million shots for the virus in the first 100 days of our office – 100 million shots in 100 days – it was considered ambitious. Some even suggested it was somewhat audacious. Experts said that it was a – the plan was, quote “definitely aggressive,” and distribution would have to be “seamless” for us to be successful. One headline simply put it, quote: “It won’t be easy.” End of quote. Well, it wasn’t.
When I took office, when we took office, there was a lot that had to be done. We needed to vaccine, more vaccinatiors, more places for people to get vaccinated. And we needed a whole-of-government approach.
So, I directed Jeff Zeints, the coordinator of our COVID-19 response, to put us on a war footing – and I meant that in a literal sense – to get us on track to truly beat this virus.
And I’m proud to announce that tomorrow, 58 days into our administration, we will have met my goal of administering 100 million shots to our fellow Americans.
That’s weeks ahead of schedule, and even with the setbacks we faces during the winter storms. And it’s another big step on the path to checking the – putting checks in pockets and shots in people’s arms.
When we crossed the 50 million doses just three weeks ago, I told you that every time we hit the 50 million mark, I’d update you on our progress.
So here is where we are today: Eight weeks ago, only 8 percent of seniors, those most vulnerable to COIVD-19, had received a vaccination. Today, 65 percent of people aged 65 or older have received at least one shot, and 36 percent are fully vaccinated. And that’s key – because this is a population that represents 80 percent of the well over 500,000 COVID-19 deaths that have occurred in America.
We have nearly doubled the amount of vaccine doses that we distribute to states, Tribes, and territories each week. We have gone form 1 million shots a day – that I promised in December, before we were even sworn in – to an average of two and one half million shots a day, outpacing the rest of the world significantly.
And here’s how we accomplished this: Using the power given to a President under the Defense Production Act, we expedited critical materials in vaccine production, such as equipment, machinery, and supplies. We worked with vaccine manufacturers to speed up the delivery of millions more doses and brokered a historic manufacturing partnership between competing companies who put patriotism and public health first.
These steps put us back on track to have enough vaccine – enough vaccine supply for every adult American by the end of May – months – months earlier than anyone expected.
And we stood up or supplied more than 600 community vaccination sites that are administering hundreds of thousands of shots per day.
We launched the Federal Pharmacy Program, which has allowed millions of Americans to get a shot at one of thos- or, excuse me, one of 14,000 local pharmacies in this country, the same way they get their flu shot.
And for folks who aren’t near a pharmacy or mass vaccination center, we’ve supplied more than 500 mobile clinics, like pop-up sites or vans, meeting people where they are – meeting people where they are.
We’ve developed nearly – we’ve developed nearly 6,000 federal personnel, including FEMA, active-duty military, and Department of Health and Human Services to support vaccinations and serve as vaccinators – putting the needle in people’s arms.
We’re also supplying vaccines to community health centers to reach those who have been the hardest hit – the hardest hit – and suffered the most, especially Black, Latino, Native American, and rural communities. This is really important – because we believe that speed and efficiency must be matched with fairness and equity.
Now when President Harris and I took a virtual tour of a vaccination center in Arizona not long ago, one of the nurses on that – on that tour, injecting people, giving vaccinations, said that each shot was like administering a dose of hope. “A dose of hope.” That’s how she phrased it.
Behind these 100 million shots are millions of lives changed when people receive that dose of hope: Grandparents can hug their grandchildren again. Front-line workers who can show up at their jobs without the same fear they used to have. Teachers – with the confidence to head back into the classroom.
These milestones are significant accomplishments, but we have much more to do. Much more to do. And the American Rescue Plan will help us do it.
In addition to cash payments it provides to you and your families, it also provides the funds to add vaccinators, to supply more community vaccination – support more community vaccination centers, and increase testing.
It will help accelerate nationwide efforts to reopen schools safely. And as I told the nation last week, I’ve directed all states, Tribes, and territories to make all adults eligible to be vaccinated no later than May the 1st. I’m glad to see that several states are already taking that step to make more and more Americans eligible, even before May 1st.
Tomorrow, we will hit 100 million doses our administration has administered. But I’ve always said: That’s just the floor. We will not stop until we beat this pandemic. Next week, I will announced our next goal to put shots in arms.
This is a time for optimism, but it’s not a time for relaxation. I need all Americans – I need all of you to do your part: Wash your hands, stay socially distanced, keep masking up as recommended by the CDC, and get vaccinated when it’s your turn. Now is not the time to let down your guard.
In the last week, we’ve seen increases in the number of cases in several states.
Scientists have made clear that things may get worse and new variants of this virus spread. Getting vaccinated is the best thing we can do to fight back against these variants.
While millions of people are vaccinated, we need millions more to be vaccinated. And, again, I need you to get vaccinated when it come – when it’s your turn, when you’re able to do that. I need your help. I need you to help – not just the country, but your family, your friends, your neighbors. Get them vaccinated as well.
If we keep our guard up, stick with the science, we can look forward to a Fourth of July that feels a bit more normal, with small groups able to gather for cookouts in backyards, and when we’ll be – where we begin to declare our independence on Independence Day from the virus.
Look, together – together we’re going to come through this stronger, with renewed faith in each other, in our government that fulfills its most important function: protecting the American people.
Let me be clear again: wearing this mask, in the meantime; making sure you wash your hands; making sure you socially distance and listen to the CDC. We’ve got to reach the point where we have herd immunity – meaning where we have a vast majority of the American people have been vaccinated – before we can stop wearing these.
So, please, please, don’t let what’s happening – you see happening in Europe and you see on television. Keep the faith. Keep wearing the mask, keep washing your hands, and keep socially distanced. We’re going to beat this. We’re way ahead of schedule, but we’ve got a long way to go.
So I just wanted to bring you up to date. And I think you very much. And may God bless America, and may God protect our troops.
Thank you so much.
March 18: National Institutes of Health posted a News Release titled: “NIH leaders on the future of precision medicine, healthcare transformation”. From the News Release:
COVID-19 puts renewed focus on the urgent need to put diverse health data to work to support discoveries and bring more precise prevention and treatment strategies to communities. A new commentary in Cell, co-authored by Director of the National Institutes of Health Frances S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., and Joshua C. Denny, M.D., M.S., chief executive officer of the All of Us Research Program, highlights seven opportunities to accelerate tailored medicine efforts and create a more equitable health landscape in the future.
The commentary covers key areas including huge cohorts, artificial intelligence, routine inclusion of genomics as part of clinical testing, deeper investigation of the role of phenomics and environment in health and disease, and returning value across diverse populations.
The authors highlight the role of large cohorts, like the All of Us Research Program and the immense potential of such resources that aim to bring together diverse streams of information spanning genomics, social determinants of health, environmental exposures, electronic health record data, and wearable device data. They note that these resources offer tremendous opportunities for discovery across every area of medicine, but that an “open science” approach is needed for researchers to combine data across cohorts to maximize their impact on a global scale.
Another necessary growth area the authors discuss is improving diversity and inclusion in science. As a case in point: a Nature Genetics paper last year reported that people of African or Hispanic/Latin American genetic ancestry make up less than 3% of participants in published, genome-wide associations of studies. Collins and Denny content that such underrepresentation has the potential to worsen current health disparities, while also weakening biological discovery that could benefit all populations. All of Us is working to change this, with more than 80% of its core participant cohort from populations that are historically underrepresented in biomedical research, including more than 50% from racial and ethnic minorities.
The COVID-19 pandemic has only heightened the need for transformative change in health research to meet the needs of communities nationwide, especially communities of color bearing the brunt of the viruses’s impact. With a bold plan in place – including international collaboration, engagement of diverse populations of participants and researchers, and broad access to data – the authors believe more precise medicine is possible for all.
March 18: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a press release titled: “CDC Initiative Creates New Water Fluoridation Technology to Support Rural Health Needs”. From the press release:
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funded research initiative offers access to optimally fluoridated water for up to 19 million people in the U.S. for the first time.
The new fluoridation method is designed to dissolve in a small amount of water, much like the chlorine tablets used in swimming pools. This tablet system could allow nearly 32,000 small public utilities – often in underserved, rural areas – to contribute to the national Healthy People goal of providing access to fluoridated water to 77.1% of the U.S. population by 2030.
Drinking fluoridated water has greatly improved oral health outcomes for over 75 years keeping teeth strong and reducing cavities by about 25% in children and adults. Oral health is critical to overall health, yet oral diseases – ranging from cavities and gum disease to oral cancer – cause significant pain and infections across the globe. Untreated oral diseases can lead to problems eating, speaking, and learning. Over $45 billion is lost in productivity in the United States each year because of untreated oral disease.
“Drinking fluoridated water keeps teeth strong and reduces cavities, resulting in less pain, fewer fillings or teeth pulled, and fewer missed days of work and school,” said Karen Hacker, MD, MPH, Director of CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. “As we honor World Oral Health Day on March 20, I am proud we could for the first time, make available such an important prevention strategy to so many people.”
Oral Disease Highlights Inequities
The burden of oral diseases highlights disparities in access to dental care and preventative services. In the U.S., children and adults from low-income households are two to three times more likely to have untreated cavities compared to those from higher-income households. Community water fluoridation is the most efficient and cost-effective way to deliver fluoride to everyone in a community, regardless of their age, income, or education.
About 35% of people in the U.S – and most people around the world – do not have access to properly fluoridated water, often because they live in a home not served by a public water system or because their public water system lacks resources to install and maintain cost-effective fluoridation systems.
The CDC recognized some smaller public water systems would need an alternative approach to optimally fluoridate water. In 2013, CDC announced a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding opportunity to develop a method similar to chlorine tablets used in swimming pools, so small systems could provide fluoridated water to their customers. Through a competitive, objective process, KC Industries (KCI) of Mulberry, Florida, received a CDC Phase 1 SBIR Award in 2014 to test the idea.
Following successful competition for Phase 2 funding, the awardee created a tablet and feeder system that is economical for systems that serve between 50 and 10,000 people. Nearly 19 million people in the United States are serve by these small systems – often in rural areas with less access to school dental sealant programs, healthy foods, and public transportation to get dental appointments.
March 19: The White House posted a Statement titled: “President Biden Announces his Intent to Nominate Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, Department of Health and Human Services”. From the statement:
Today, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Dawn O’Connell to serve as Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, Department of Health and Human Services.
Dawn O’Connell, Nominee for Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, Department of Health and Human Services.
Dawn O’Connell is currently the Senior Counselor to the Secretary for COVID-19. In this role, she coordinates the Department-wide response to the pandemic. Prior to assuming this role, Dawn serve on the Biden Transition Team a the health cluster lead for the Nominations Team. She was also the Director of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness and Innovation (CEPI) US Office. As director she was responsible for managing the broad spectrum of CEPI’s US and North American interests, including its relationships with US and North American-based stakeholders, government entities, and industry partners. She also served as the executive director for CEPI’s Joint Coordination Group – a roundtable of institutional partners who all have a vested interest in the successful development of epidemic vaccines.
Prior to joining CEPI in June 2017, she was a Senior Counselor to Secretary Sylvia Burwell at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) during the Obama Administration. As Senior Counselor, O’Connell advised Secretary Burwell on high-priority global health and humanitarian issues, including infectious diseases, unaccompanied children, and refugees. She worked with HHS leaders, the White House, and other federal and international partners, to resolve key policy challenges, lead implementation, and drive progress toward Administration goals. O’Connell received her undergrad degree in literature from Vanderbilt University and her law degree from Tulane University School of Law. She lives in Washington D.C., with her husband and two daughters.
March 19: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted a News Release titled: “Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: March 19, 2021”. From the News Release:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced the following actions taken in its ongoing response effort to the COVID-19 pandemic:
On March 16, the FDA posted a new web page on FDA.gov, Screening for COVID-19: Deciding Which Test to Use When Establishing Testing Programs. This resource is intended for schools, workplaces, communities and others looking to establish testing programs to screen people without symptoms and with no known or suspected exposure to COVID-19. The FDA also posted a new template for test developers to help facilitate submission of an emergency use authorization (EUA) request for certain COVID-19 tests for screening using a serial testing approach.
On March 17, the FDA posted two templates for serology tests with recommendations on what to include in Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) requests or Pre-EUA submissions: Template for Test Developers for Serology Tests that Detect or Correlate to Neutralizing Antibodies (New) and Serology Template for Test Developers (Update). The FDA updated the Serology Template for Test Developers to add clarity throughout and provide recommendations regarding monitoring for and assessing the impact of new SARS-CoV-2 mutations and variants. These templates provide the FDA’s current recommendations concerning what data and information should be submitted to the FDA in support of an EUA request or Pre-EUA submission for SARS-CoV-2 antibody tests. The templates are intended to help test developers provide validation data and other information to the FDA, but alternative approaches can be used.
On March 17, the FDA granted BioFire Diagnostics LLC marketing authorization for its BioFire Respiratory Panel 2.1 diagnostic test. The grant of this De Novo request marks an important step in the FDA’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic because it is the first SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic test that will be permitted to be marketed beyond the public health emergency. The BioFire Respiratory Panel 2.1 is a multi-analyze molecular test that simultaneously detects 22 different viruses and bacteria associated with respiratory tract infections, including SARS-CoV-2, from a single nasopharyngeal swab. It is for use only for people suspected of respiratory tract infections, including COVID-19.
On March 17, the FDA approved an abbreviated new drug application for azithromycin tablets USP, 500 mg, which is indicated for specified mild to moderate infections caused by designated, susceptible bacteria. Side effects of azithromycin tablets include hypersensitivity, QT prolongation, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, and vomiting. We remain deeply committed to facilitating access to medical products that are experiencing increased demand.
The FDA authorized revised fact sheets for health care providers to include additional information on susceptibility of SARS-CoV-2 variants to each monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapy that is available through an Emergency Use Authorization for COVID-19 treatment. The fact sheets contain details regarding specific variants and potential resistance that may make the authorized mAb therapies less effective.
The revised fact sheets are for:
Bamlanivimab (REVOKED)
Bamlanivimab and Etesevimab
REGEN-COV (Casirivimab and Imdevimab)
In a March 18 FDA Voices entitled FDA’s Ongoing Use of Inspectional Tools for Ensuring Access to Safe, Quality Food and Medical Products During the COVID-19 Pandemic, FDA leaders explain that over the past year, the agency’s approach to foreign and domestic inspections for food and medical products has been both risk-based and deliberate. The COVID-19 pandemic required us to rework our business operations so that we could carry out our public health mission while protecting our workforce, and the workforces of those we regulate.
Testing updates:
As of today, 341 tests and sample collection devices are authorized by the FDA under emergency use authorizations (EUA’s). These include 254 molecular tests and sample collection devices, 72 antibody and other immune response tests, and 15 antigen tests. There are 38 molecular authorizations that can be used with home-collected samples. There is one molecular prescription at-home test, two antigen prescription at-home test, one over-the-counter (OTC) at-home antigen test, and one OTC molecular test.
Related Information
COVID-19 Vaccines
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
March 19: The White House posted a “Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Officials”. From the press briefing:
Mr. Zeints: Well, thank you for joining us today. Today we’ll get a state-of-the-pandemic update from Dr. Walensky, and Dr. Fauci will highlight the latest science.
But first, I want to start with an important announcement the President made yesterday. We reached our 100 million shots goal in just 58 days, weeks ahead of schedule. Achieving this goal is a direct result of deliberate, aggressive actions guided by the President’s whole-of-government national strategy to end the pandemic.
Now, thanks to the American Rescue Plan, we will have the resources to fully implement this strategy and put the pandemic behind us. I’m currently at a community health center in New York City where I joined Leader Schumer on a tour of the Ryan Health Center to see what’s working, thank the folks on the frontlines, and hear what else we can do to support them.
I also want to thank Leader Schumer for his critical leadership in passing the American Rescue Plan.
Today, I’ll give a brief update on our three-part strategy on vaccinations. First, more vaccine supply. Second, more vaccinators in the field. And third, more places to get vaccinated.
On vaccine supply, the President has taken aggressive action to move up the production timelines for all three vaccines – Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. As a result, by the end of May, we will have enough vaccine for every adult in the United States.
This week, about 22 million doses went to states, Tribes, and territories, and through the federal channels, including pharmacies and community health center. That’s more than two and a half times the weekly supply that was being distributed when we took office.
On vaccinators in the field, we’ve deployed nearly 6,000 federal personnel to serve as vaccinators and support vaccinations, including over 2,000 active-duty military men and women. At the President’s direction, that number will grow to more than 6,000 active-duty troops over the coming weeks.
On places to get vaccinated, we’ve increased the number of convenient and trusted places for people to get a shot. We’ve provided federal support for more than 600 community vaccination sites. We’ve administered more than 1 million shots at federally run community vaccination sites across the country. And more than 60 percent of those vaccinations have been administered to minority populations. That includes two sites right here in New York City: one in Brooklyn and one in Queens. And the American Rescue Plan will allow us to continue to increase the number of community vaccination centers.
We launched the Federal Pharmacy Program, which has allowed millions of Americans to get a shot in their local pharmacy the same way they get their flu shot. Last week, the President committed to doubling the number of pharmacies participating in the program. Already, people can get vaccinated at one of 14,000 pharmacies around the nation. For Americans who aren’t near a pharmacy or a community vaccination center, we’ve supported more than 500 mobile clinics to meet people where they are.
And today, I’m at the Ryan Health Center. Community health centers like Ryan Health serve 30 million people; 60 percent are people of color, and two-thirds of patients are below the poverty line. The administration is already sending vaccines directly to 250 of these community health centers. By the end of April, we will deliver vaccines to an additional 700 community health centers. This work is a result of the Biden administration’s partnership with state and local officials, federal workers, and the nonprofit and private sectors, and is leading to significant progress.
As you can see in our weekly vaccination progress report, the current seven-day average is 2.5 million shots per day – 2.5 million shots per day. That’s a new record pace that we will continue to build on. Importantly, now two out of three adults age 65 and older have gotten at least their first shot. This is critical because 80 percent of COVID deaths have been individuals 65 and older.
Given our progress on increasing supply, coupled with increasing the number of vaccinators in the field and creating more places to get vaccinated, the President announced last week that all adults in the country will be eligible for vaccinations no later than May 1. All adults eligible no later than May 1.
Finally, I want to provide an update on how we are working with our North American partners on efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 across the continent. As part of the national strategy to end the pandemic, the United States is committed to engaging with the international community and supporting global efforts to address public health and humanitarian concerns. Under the President’s direction, the U.S. has reengaged with the WHO on day one of his presidency. We committed to providing the most funding to COVAX than any country in the world: $4 billion.
We also announced with our Quad partners last week that we are working to achieve expanded manufacturing of safe and effective COVID-10 vaccines at facilities in India.
And now, given our visibility into vaccine supply in the U.S., we’re able to announce that we’re lending a portion of our releasable AstraZeneca vaccines to Mexico and Canada.
Our approach to this wartime effort is to have as many tools in our toolkit as possible. Right now, we have three effective vaccines that went through a rigorous review process to be authorized by the FDA. We have other vaccines going through that process now, including one from AstraZeneca.
As we await the results of these trials here in the U.S., many countries have already approved AstraZeneca but need more supply. That includes Canada and Mexico.
So balancing the need to let the approval process of the AstraZeneca vaccine take place here in the U.S., with the importance of helping to stop the spread in other countries, we will loan a portion of our releasable AstraZeneca vaccine to Mexico and Canada. This action will allow our neighbors to meet a critical vaccination need in their countries, providing more protection immediately across the North American continent. In total, we will loan Mexico and Canada around 4 million doses.
To be clear: This loan will not reduce the available supply of vaccines to Americans. The doses we are loaning are not approved for use in the United Staes. No American will be without a vaccine because of this action.
And with that, I’ll turn it over to Dr. Walensky. Dr. Walensky?
Dr. Walensky: Thank you, Jeff. I’m glad to be back with you today. Let’s begin with the data.
COVID-19 cases continue to remain between 50- and 60,000 cases per day, with the most recent seven-day average at 53,200 cases per day. The most recent seven-day average of hospital admissions is slightly below 4,700 admissions per day, similar to the seven-day average we had on Monday. Deaths continue to decline with the current seven-day average of 1,025 deaths per day.
Today, I want to talk about a top priority for us at the CDC and for me as a parent: CDC’s efforts to support the safe reopening of schools for in-person instruction. We have frequently said CDC believes schools should be the last place to close and the first place to open.
The benefits of in-person instruction are well recognized. As a mother of three myself, I know all too well the difficulties that arise for our children – and parents and caregivers -when children are not Abel to attend in person for school. These challenges are especially difficult for children and families from low-resourced communities, as well as those from racial and ethnic minority communities and those with disabilities.
Safe in-person instruction gives our children access to the critical, social, and mental health services that prepare them for the future, in addition to the vital educational needs that they need to succeed.
When I became CDC Director, I promised that I would lead with science. To rebuild trust in our public health institutions and to keep people safe, it’s critical to make decisions based on evidence and facts. On February 12th, CDC released our operational strategy for K-12 schools, based on the latest science at the time, to help schools open and remain open for safe in-person learning.
The science told us then, just as it tells us now, that K-12 schools that implement strong, layered prevention strategies can operate safely while protecting teachers, staff and students. We’ve seen data demonstrating that this is safe, even in areas of high community spread.
CDC’s operational strategy focuses on five key layered mitigation measures for schools conducting in-person learning. These include universal and correct use of masks, physical distancing, hand washing and respiratory etiquette, cleaning to maintain healthy facilities, and diagnostic testing with rapid and efficient contact tracing, in combination with isolation and quarantine, and in collaboration with local health departments.
When we released the operational strategy, I said that CDC was going to follow the science and would update our guidelines as new evidence emerged. This is essential since the science of COVID-19 is rapidly changing with new data emerging every week.
Since the initial release, CDC scientists have been actively reviewing the latest science and conducting their own studies to expand the evidence base, and we now have new information to help us refine our recommendations, specifically for physical distancing.
Last week, the Journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases published a study that looked at COVID-19 in 251 Massachusetts school districts over a four-month period of time. It found that physical distancing of at least three feet between students could safely be adopted in school settings where everyone – students and staff – wore a mask at all times. And today, CDC is publishing three new studies in the MMWR that add to this evidence base.
One study looked at data from Utah elementary schools and found that COVID-19 spread was low with students placed less than six feet apart in classrooms, even though levels of virus spread in the community were high.
Another report examined data from kindergarten classrooms in Springfield and St. Louis, Missouri. This study found that transmission occurred at lower rates in classrooms than in the community because the schools used multiple layered prevention strategies together.
And the third study looked at COVID-19 rates among students in Florida and found that 60 percent of cases in students were not related to the spread in schools. It also found that resuming in-person activity was not associated with proportionate increase in COVID-19 cases. Importantly, this study also found that COVID-19 rates were higher among students in school districts that did not have mandatory mask-use policies in place.
Layered mitigation strategies, including strict use of masks among students and a distance of at least three feet between students, were common factors among the schools in these studies that demonstrated decreased transmission from COVID-19. This additional evidence continues to underscore why it is so important for schools to use layered prevention strategies to provide the greatest level of protection.
So, in light of the expanded evidence on physical distancing, today, CDC is pleased to update our recommendations for physical distancing between students and classrooms in our K-12 operational strategy. Specifically, in elementary schools, CDC is now recommending that all students remain at least six feet apart in classrooms where everyone is wearing a mask, regardless of whether community COVID-19 risk is low, medi- intermediate – low, moderate, substantial, or high.
In middle and high schools, CDC is also recommending that students be at least three feet apart in classrooms where everyone is wearing a mask and the community level of risk is low, moderate, or substantial. Because COVID-19 is spread more likely among older students, CDC recommends that middle and high school students should be at least six feet apart in communities where COVID 19 rift is high, unless cohorting is possible.
Cohorting is when groups of students are kept together with the same peers and staff, without close interaction with other groups or cohorts, to reduce the risk of spread throughout the school. We recognize that cohorting is harder in high school students, but the science indicates that these students are also at higher risk of transmitting SARS-CoV-2.
I want to emphasize that these recommendations are specific to students in classrooms with universal mask wearing. CDC continues to recommend at least six feet of distance between teachers and staff and other adults in the school buildings and between the adults and students.
In common areas in the school, where masks cannot be worn – such as when eating, during activities such as singing, band practice, sports, exercise, and other activities that can increase exhalation – these activities should be moved outdoors or to large, well-ventilated spaces when possible. And six feet should also be used in community settings outside the classroom.
Today’s announcement builds on our ongoing efforts to support teachers, school, staff, and students, as well as our work and educational and public health stakeholders to provide the guidance, tools, and resources to get our nation’s schools open as quickly and safely as possible. This includes our plan to invest $10 billion to support COVID-19 diagnostic and screening testing for teachers, staff, and students – which we announced on Wednesday – and our ongoing work to get teachers and school staff vaccinated during the month of March through more than 9,000 pharmacies in our Federal Retail Pharmacy program that are now prioritizing vaccination appointments for teachers and staff who work in K-12 schools.
If you are an eligible educator or school staff member and have not yet been vaccinated, I encourage you to go to CDC.gov to learn more about how you can sign up for an appointment through this program.
I’m hopeful that we are turning a corner on this pandemic. Getting our children back to school, in-person instruction, as soon as possible, is a critical first step in doing so. I’m grateful to all the scientists who have produced the evidence to address the key question, such as a distance required to remain safe, so that we can move quickly to this end.
Thank you. I look forward to your questions, and I’ll now turn things over to Dr. Fauci.
Dr. Fauci: Thank you very much, Dr. Walensky. I’d like to spend the next couple of minutes in addressing an issue which is on the forefront of the minds of many people, and that relates to the threat of a variant of concern, particularly the B117 variant, which, right now, as we know, is causing a significant degree of concern in Europe where the flare and the surge that they are seeing is directly related to the variant 117.
This variant, as you know, is every day getting more and more dominant in our own country. So, very first, let me just take a few seconds to refresh your memory about the variant. It was first detected in the UK in December of 2020. It was reported in over 90 countries. The first U.S. cases were detected in the United States, in Colorado, at the end of December 2020. And since then, it has been detected in 50 jurisdictions in the United States, and likely accounts now for about 20 to 30 percent of the infections in this country, and that number is growing.
Next slide.
So what I want to do, again, is take a look, first, of the concern that we have and then some encouraging news, and then I’ll end with a caveat. Of concern is that there are about 50 percent increase of transmission with this particular variant that has been documented in the UK, and there’s likely an increase in severity of disease if infected with this variant.
Next slide.
This is an example of that. If you look at the daily confirmed cases in certain selected European countries over a period of time – and as you can see, the last date on this slide is March 17th – this is what I referred to previously about the surges that are going on in Europe at a time when we’ve reached this point of plateauing that Dr. Walensky mentioned to you, where we’re now at 53,200 cases per day on a seven-day average. This strongly suggests that there’s an increase in transmissibility in the European countries associated with 117.
What about severity of disease? Next slide. In a couple of UK studies, this one, looking at over 54,000 mashed pairs of participants in the UK, in which one person was infected with the B117 and another one wit the previously circulating variant, there was a 64 percent increased risk of death for those with the B117.
Next slide.
In this similar study in the UK, there was about 5,000 deaths that were analyzed where there was the presence or absence of 117. And again, an estimated 61 percent higher risk of death with B117.
Next slide.
What about some encouraging news? There has been a minimal impact on viral neutralization by EUA monoclonal antibodies. And importantly, for what we are doing in the United States with vaccines, there’s been a minimal impact on viral neutralization either by convalescent plasma or, importantly, by post-vaccination sera.
Next slide.
And so, on this last slide, as you can see with Israeli as an example where the B117 predominates, as their vaccine doses into the arms of individuals increase, you’re seeing a very dramatic and steady diminution of cases, which is underscoring the effect and the capability of the currently utilized vaccines against 117.
With that encouraging note, I want to end with a big caveat. The way we can counter 117, which is a growing threat in our country, is to do two things: to get as many people vaccinated as quickly and expeditiously as possible with the vaccine that we know works against this variant; and finally, to implement the public health measures that we talk about all the time and that was on Dr. Walensky’s slide: masking, physical distancing, and avoiding congregate settings, particularly indoors.
I’ll stop there, and back to Jeff.
Mr. Zeints: Thank you Dr. Fauci. And before we open up it for questions, I spoke at the beginning about reaching the President’s goal to administer 100 million shots in his first 100 days, and we accomplished that in just 58 days.
This week, we’ve also announced a number of steps to help deliver in the President’s goal to get our schools reopened. As Dr. Walensky just discussed, the CDC continues to work to update its guidance for schools, as the science evolves.
Earlier this week, we announced that schools will receive $10 billion in funding for testing program and nearly $130 billion to help schools invest in mitigation strategies, like PPE, additional space, hiring more teachers. And at the President’s direction, we’re also working to get all educators vaccinated.
With that, we’ll open it up for a few questions.
MODERATOR: All right. And I know there’s a lot of questions today, so please keep your questions to one question. First, we’ll got to Anne Flaherty at ABC.
Q: Hi, thanks for taking my question. Dr. Walensky, can you address the criticism by some of the unions that the research that you’re looking at in schools does not address underfunded urban schools?
And on the testing – you’ve encouraged testing but these tests – these rapid tests are not widely available on the market, even with the additional $10 billion. How soon before schools can test?
Dr. Walensky: Yeah, thank you for that question, Anne. You know, we have now increasing evidence for many different school settings that did not control for ventilation, as to demonstrating that it is safe in classrooms, when 100 percent masked, to be at three feet.
And so, you know, what I would say is, you know, we are following the science, and we have done the science, and we’ve seen the science to make – to ensure that this is safe for those schools.
Our strategies for mitigation, when layered with integration strategies that we have demonstrated, talk about distancing, masking, as well as respiratory etiquette, hand washing, and contact tracing. We have added, indeed, layered mitigation strategies – further layers mitigation strategies for both ventilation as well as testing and teacher vaccination.
So while we don’t believe those to be essential, all of those are scaling up simultaneously through the American Rescue Plan.
Mr. Zeints: Next question.
MODERATOR: Next we’ll go to Erin Billups at Spectrum News.
Q: Hi, thanks for taking my question. So a growing number of studies are finding that the second shot of the mRNA vaccines are unnecessary for people previously infected with COVID-19. In France, they’ve changed their policy based on this. Are there any discussions happening to consider a change in dosing policy for the U.S. in light of these findings, particularly because research is showing that second doses are effectively wasted on those with pre-existing immunity?
Mr. Zeints: Let’s go to Dr. Fauci. Dr. Fauci?
Dr. Fauci: Yeah. Yes, there’s no doubt that the preliminary studies that we have seen right now, that vaccination of an individual who has been previously infected has a much greater increment in the level of neutralizing antibodies, compared to an individual who has just been vaccinated an received a second dose.
Now, obviously, the places that are now looking at that are those that have a true paucity of vaccine doses. But as you’ve heard from Jeff, just recently, we are now at a position where we are giving between 2 and 3 million doses a day. If there were a dramatic shortage, I think that’s something that you would want to consider, but that’s not something that we’ll be making a policy about soon.
Thanks.
Mr. Zeints: And, importantly, we have enough doses now, driven by the President’s action, for all adult Americans by the end of May.
Next question.
MODERATOR: Next we’ll going to Michael Winner at McClatchy.
Q: Thanks, everyone, for doing this. I’d like to ask about these FEMA-run federal mass vaccination sites and clarify some confusion I’m hearing out there. In Florida, we understand that the sites are now transitioning to only administering second doses and will then close up shop.
So two questions, specifically one on Florida. Are those mass sites closing? And then, secondly, and more broadly, are all of these federal mass vaccination sites intended to stand up for only a couple of weeks at a time? Thanks.
Mr. Zeints: You know, I don’t know the specifics on Florida. We can follow up on that. But I can say, across the board, these sites are really an important opportunity to increase the number of places where Americans can get vaccinated.
As I said in my opening comments, we’re now well over a million shots – doses administered at the federal sites. The federal sites are seen as very well run. And, importantly, not only efficiently and effectively delivering vaccines, but doing so in an equitable way.
So, the plan is for the federal sites to continue. We’ll get back to you with any specifics on the Florida site.
Next question.
MODERATOR: Next we’ll go to Kaitlan Collins at CNN.
Q: Thank you very much. I have a question for Jeff and a question for Dr. Walensky. Jeff, can you just explain what is – what do you mean by “loan,” when you’re saying that we’re loaning vaccines to Mexico and to Canada – these AstraZeneca vaccines? Does that mean that they’re going to reimburse the U.S. for these return this amount of AstraZeneca doses? Could you just explain that/
And then, Dr. Walensky, could you say: Was the CDC pressured by teachers unions to change this guidance to three feet from six feet in school?
Mr. Zeints: So thank you, Kaitlan. The structure of a loan, that’s what makes the most sense, given what we’re balancing here, which is helping our global partners while they have a critical need and we await the results of the clinical trials here in the U.S. and FDA action on AstraZeneca in the next few weeks.
So this arrangement helps Canada and Mexico, in the moment, meet that critical need, while ensuring that they return those does through the company – through AstraZeneca – later in the year.
Dr. Walensky?
Dr. Walensky: Great. Yeah, thank you, Kaitlan, for that question. First, let me just acknowledge what the teachers have had to do this year in the context of COVID-19, and how they have had to evolve their thinking and their curricula, and how they teach their students in, truly, an overwhelming and challenging time.
I’ve spoken to the teachers unions. They know that we need to follow the science and to make our guidance based on that science, and they’ve been very respectful of that.
Mr. Zeints: Next question.
MODERATOR: Next we’ll go to Kristen Welker at NBC.
Q: Hi, everyone. Thanks for doing the call. Can you address the fact that there has been an uptick in cases in some states? New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island – to name just a few. Why do you assess this is happening now, given the fact that people are vaccinated? And how concerned are you about it?
And can you be crystal clear why it is ok for kids to be three feet apart but adults in the workplace, for example, still need to be six feet apart? Thank you.
Mr. Zeints: So let’s have Dr. Fauci answer the first question about increases in some states and Dr. Walensky on three versus six feet.
Dr. Fauci.
Dr. Fauci: Yeah, thank you very much, Jeff. Yes, that’s an excellent question, and it really relates to what we have been saying on the past few briefings that we’ve given.
We’re at a position right now where we have a plateauing at around 53,000 cases per day. The concern is that throughout the country, there are a number of state, city, regions that are pulling back on some of the mitigation methods that we’ve been talking about: the withdrawal of mask mandates, the pulling back to essentially non-public health measures being implemented. This is something that each of us have express concern about that is really quite risky to declare victory before you have the level of infection in the community to a much, much lower level than 53,000 cases per day.
So it is unfortunate but not surprising to me that you are seeing increases in number of cases per day in areas – cities, states, or regions – even though vaccines are being distributed at a pretty good clip of 2 to 3 million per day. That could be overcome if certain areas pull back prematurely on the mitigation and public health measures that we talk about.
Dr. Walensky: Maybe I’ll chime in – thank you for that question, Kristen – that the evidence shows that the risk of COVID-19 transmission among younger children is much lower than it is among teenagers and adults. And in particular, our school studies have shown that when children – young children – are masked, the distance of three feet is, in fact, safe and has a lower transmission risk.
For adults, we don’t have that evidence, and for older children, so we’re continuing with the six foot guidance.
Mr. Zeints: I just want to reiterate what the President said yesterday, which is consistent with what Dr. Fauci just said, which is: It is a time for optimism but not a time for relaxation. We need to follow the basic public health standards. We need to mask up, and then we need to make sure everyone gets their vaccine when it’s their turn. We cannot let down our guard at this point.
Kevin, one more question.
MODERATOR: One more question. We’ll go to April Ryan with theGrio.
Q: Thank you for letting me ask this question. What are the concerns with the variant and its severity as it relates to school-aged children? We’re understanding that the variants are hitting the children harder than the original strain. And how does this play into these new guidelines for schools and the distancing – three feet apart? Thank you.
Mr. Zeints: Let’s start with Dr. Fauci on the variant in kids and then over to you, Dr. Walensky.
Dr. Fauci: Well, yes. Obviously, as I mentioned in one of the first slides that I showed, that there is an increase in severity, but also, it appears that the likelihood of a child getting infected is greater with this variant. That might relate not to anything specific about children, but that is just, in general, more easily transmitted. So that would explain that.
Regarding the school situation, I’ll hand that back to Dr. Walensky.
Dr. Walensky: And what we can say is that it is, in fact – while these variants are concerning, it is, in fact, the same disease and the same mitigation strategies – the masking, the distancing – work just the same with the variants as they do with the wild-type disease.
Mr. Zeints: Good. Well, thank you, everybody, for joining us. We’ll look forward to Monday’s briefing. Thank you.
March 19: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a press release titled: “CDC Updates Operational Strategy for K-12 Schools to Reflect New Evidence on Physical Distance in Classrooms”. From the press release:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is updating K-12 school guidance to reflect the latest science on physical distance between students in classrooms. CDC now recommends that, with universal masking, students should maintain a distance of at least 3 feet in classroom settings. CDC has updated its operational strategy to say:
In elementary schools, CDC recommends all students remain at least 3 feet apart in classrooms where mask use is universal – regardless of whether community transmission is low, moderate, substantial, or high.In middle and high schools, CDC also recommends students should be at least 3 feet apart in classrooms where mask use is universal and in communities where transmission is low, moderate, or substantial.Middle school students and high school students should be at least 6 feet apart in communities where transmission is high, if cohorting is not possible. Cohorting is when groups of students are kept together with the same peers and staff throughout the day to reduce the risk for spread throughout the school. This recommendation is because COVID-19 transmission dynamics are different in older and younger students – that is, they are more likely to be exposed to SARS-CoV-2 and spread it than younger children.
The updated Operational Strategy for K-12 Schools through Phased Prevention is part of CDC’s existing resources for K-12 schools to open and remain open for in-person instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since release of the Operational Strategy on February 12, 2021, CDC has continually reviewed the evolving evidence of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in K-12 schools, as well as the latest science on the effectiveness of different prevention strategies within schools. The updated guidance complements CDC’s existing guidance, resources, and tools for K-12 schools.
Three studies, published in today’s Morbidity and Morality Weekly Report (MMWR), also addresses spread of SARS-CoV-2 in schools. Taken together, these studies build on evidence that physical distancing of at least 3 feet between students can safely be adopted in classroom settings where mask use is universal and other prevention measures are taken.
“CDC is committed to leading with science and updating our guidance as new evidence emerges,” said CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky. “Safe in-person instruction gives our kids access to critical social and mental health services that prepare them for the future, in addition to the education they need to succeed. These updated recommendations provide the evidence-based roadmap to help schools reopen safely, and remain open, for in-person instruction.”
These updated recommendations are specific to students in classrooms with universal mask wearing.
CDC continues to recommend at least 6 feet of distance:
Between adults in the school building and between adults and students.
In common areas, such as school lobbies and auditoriums.
When masks can’t be worn, such as when eating.
During activities when increased exhalation occurs, such as singing, shouting, band practice, sports, or exercise. These activities should be moved outdoors to large, well-ventilated spaces wherever possible.
In community settings outside of the classroom.
Given the crucial services schools offer and the benefits of in-person learning, it is critical for K-12 schools to open and remain open for in-person instruction, as safely and as soon as possible. Schools should be the last settings to close because of COVID-19 and the first to reopen when they can do so safely. Working together, school leaders and community member can take actions to keep schools open for in-person learning by protecting students, teachers, and school staff where they life, learn, and play.
Vaccines are an important tool to help stop the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier this month, as part of ongoing efforts to reopen K-12 schools, President Biden directed all states to prioritize K-12 teachers, school staff, and childcare workers for COVID-19 vaccination, and he challenged states to give these educators their first shots by the end of March. CDC is taking a leading role in helping to achieve the President’s goal through its Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, which has over 9,000 participating pharmacies nationwide prioritizing K-12 teachers, school staff and childcare workers for vaccination appointments throughout the month of March. Additional information is available on the CDC website.
March 19: U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) posted a News Release titled: “Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Authorizes First Machine Learning-Based Screening Device to Identify Certain Biomarkers That May Indicate COVID-19 Infection”. From the News Release:
Device may be used to identify biomarkers indicative of SARS-CoV-2 infection among certain asymptomatic individuals following a temperature reading that does not meet criteria for fever
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the first machine learning-based Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) non-diagnostic screening device that identifies certain biomarkers that are indicative of some types of conditions, such as hypercoagulation (a condition causing blood to clot more easily than normal).
The Tiger Tech COVID Plus Monitor is intended for use by trained personnel to help prevent exposure to and spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The device identifies certain biomarkers that may be indicative of SARS-CoV-2 infection as well as other hypercoagulable conditions (such as sepsis or cancer) or hyper-inflammatory states (such as severe allergic reactions), in asymptomatic individuals over the age of 5. The Tiger Tech COVID Plus Monitor is designed for use following a temperature reading that does not meet the criteria for fever in settings where temperature check is being conducted in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local institutional infection prevention and control guidelines. This device is not a substitute for a COVID-19 diagnostic test and is not intended for use in individuals with symptoms of COVID-19.
“The FDA is committed to support innovative methods to fight the COVID-19 pandemic through new screening tools,” said Jeff Shuren, M.D., J.D., director of FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health. “Combining use of this new screening device, that can indicate the presence of certain biomarkers, with temperature checks could help identify individuals who may be infected with the virus, thus helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in a wide variety of public settings, including healthcare facilities, schools, workplaces, theme parks, stadiums, and airports.”
The device is an armband with embedded light sensors and a small computer processor. The armband is wrapped around a person’s bare left arm above the elbow during use. The sensors first obtain pulsatile signals from blood flow over a period of three to five minutes. Once the measurement is completed, the processor extracts some key features of the pulsatile signals, such as pulse rate, and feeds them into a probabilistic machine learning model that has been trained to make predictions on whether the individual is showing certain signals, such as hypercoagulation in blood. Hypercoagulation is known to be a common abnormality in COVID-19 patients. The result is provided in the form of different colored lights used to indicate if an individual is demonstrating certain biomarkers, or if the result is inconclusive.
The Tiger Tech COVID Plus Monitor is not a diagnostic device and must not be used to diagnose or exclude SARS-CoV-2 infection. The device is intended for use on individuals without a fever. An individual’s underlying condition may interfere with the COVID-19 related performance on the device and could lead to an incorrect screening result.
The FDA issued the EUA to Tiger Tech Solutions, Inc.
March 22: The White House posted a Press Briefing titled: “Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials”. From the press briefing:
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Good morning. Thank you for joining us. We’re now two months into our national strategy to defeat COVID-19. At the heart of our plan are a number of critical activities.
Vaccinations: We’ve had to significantly ramp up vaccine production to a level more than double when we arrived, acquired enough vaccines to vaccinate the population, and have set up a deadline – May 1st – by which all Americans should be eligible to get a vaccine.
We’ve done this not only by increasing vaccine production, but also adding thousands more vaccinators and thousands of additional locations to get vaccinated.
We are now vaccinating about 2.5 million people per day, up from 900,000 when we arrived. This weekend was the first time that the U.S. reported vaccinating more than 3 million people on consecutive days.
There are now a total of 81 million people – or nearly 1 in 3 adults – with at least one vaccine dose in the U.S., and 44 million who are fully vaccinated. Nearly 69 percent of seniors have now received their first vaccination, and 42 percent are fully vaccinated.
A second core element of our plan is to get schools open and open safely. This has meant following the science, dramatically increasing testing, and making it a priority to vaccinate teachers. With $10 billion committed to testing so far, schools have enough resources to properly test their students and staff.
Today, we’re taking another step in building equitable and efficient response. The state of Washington will receive its first federally – federal community vaccination site. The Yakima County CVC will be able to offer up to 1,200 shots per day. Local residents will be able to drive through the Central Washington State Fair Park and get a shot.
Now, this is the 22nd federally run vaccination site we’ve opened. And as you can see from some of the tweets on the screen here, these sites get great reviews as a place to get vaccinated. Combined, they deliver nearly 100,000 shots per day.
All of the sites are in areas defined by the CDC as having a high social vulnerability rating. In fact, against the backdrop of inequity in vaccine distribution generally, and the severe toll taken by the virus on people of color, in federal vaccination centers, over 60 percent of the shots have gone to people of color.
For example, Yakima County has been particularly hard hit throughout the COVID-19 pandemic with disproportionately high infection and hospitalization rates as compared to the rest of the state.
The President has set a goal of doubling the number of community vaccination centers run by FEMA and the U.S. military to ensure that we reach the hardest-hit communities in this historic effort.
We have much more work to do, but further progress was made this weekend.
With that, I’m going to turn this over to Dr. Walensky and then to Dr. Fauci for some important updates.
Dr. Walensky: Thank you, Andy. I’m delighted to be back with you all today. Let’s start with an overview on the state of the pandemic. The most recent seven-day average is about 53,800 cases per day, which is a slight increase from the previous seven-day period. And over the past two weeks, cases have continued to fluctuate somewhere between 50,000 and 60,000 daily cases.
The most recent seven-day average for new hospital admission is just over 4,500 per day. Like COVID-19 cases, hospital admissions have been relatively stable over the last two weeks, hovering around 4,500 to 5,000 admissions per day.
Deaths continue to decline – a lagging indicator – with the most recent seven-day average of deaths slightly over 1,000 per day. Slightly under – sorry – 1,000 per day.
The apparent leveling off of cases and hospital admissions after the consistent declines we saw in early January through the end of February I consider to be very concerning.
In addition, while deaths continue to drop, they remain at elevated levels. And in the past week, the rate of decline of deaths has slowed.
We also know that the trajectory of the pandemic varies across the United States, with some states and regions of the country, such as the Northeast and Upper Midwest, are beginning to again see a significant rise in cases.
Taken together, these statistics should serve as a warning sign for the American people. As I’ve stated before, the continued relaxation of prevention measures while cases are still high, and while concerning variants are spreading rapidly throughout the United States, is a serious threat to the progress we have made as a nation.
Increasingly, states are seeing a growing proportion of their COVID-19 cases attributed to variants. The newly identified variant, B1427/B1429, is estimated to account for 52 percent of cases in California, 41 percent in Nevada, and 25 percent in Arizona. And the B117 variant is estimated to be responsible for 9 percent of the cases in New Jersey and 8 percent in Florida.
Believe me, I get it – we all want to return to our everyday activities and spend time with our family, friends, and loved ones. But we must find the fortitude to hang in here for just a little bit longer. We are at a critical point in this pandemic, a fork in the road, where we as a country must decide which path we are going to take. We must act now. And I am worried that if we don’t take the right actions now, we will have another avoidable surge, just as we are seeing in Europe right now and just as we are so aggressively scaling up vaccination.
Nearly 25 percent of the American population have received at least one dose, and over 44 million people – about 13 percent of the population – is fully vaccinated. And we have more vaccine supply on the way.
Until then, we must do everything we can to stop the spread of COVID-19 and the proliferation of variants while we get more people vaccinated.
We now have 69 percent of adults over the age of 65 who have received at least one vaccine dose and 42 percent who are fully vaccinated. And we have seen that the vaccines are working. With increasing numbers of those over 65 presenting to our emergency departments because of COVID-19 is lower than those age 26 to 45 in the United States.
These vaccines work. We’re seeing it in the data. There are positive kinks in our curves. And we need to remain vigilant as we quickly get the rest of the American people fully vaccinated.
I’m calling on the American people to take action, whether vaccinated or not, to recommit to doing the right thing. Take the steps we know work to stop COVID-19: Wear a well-fitted mask, socially distant, avoid crowds and travel, and be ready to roll up your sleeve to get vaccinated when the vaccine is available to you.
Thank you, I’ll now turn things over to Dr. Fauci.
Dr. Fauci: Thank you very much, Dr. Walensky. We have some good news today in the field of vaccine, and that has to do with the results that were announced yesterday from the AstraZeneca trial.
As shown on this slide, there are three platforms that have six companies involved. For the discussion over the next couple of minutes, we’re going to be looking at the chimp adeno vector that is used by AstraZeneca, which yesterday revealed the results of their phase three trial.
Next slide.
Just to refresh your memory, the vector is used in this platform is a chimp adenovirus with the SAR-CoV spike protein DNA was inserted. That non-replication-competent harmless adenovirus is injected into the muscle of an individual. The DNA then codes for RNA, which then essentially codes for the spike protein which the body makes the immune response against. That is the fundamental mechanism of this protein.
Next slide.
And so, the data: We’re talking about a phase three trial involving more than 32,000 participants who are 18 years of age or older, and it was at 88 sites – mostly in the United States, but also a small amount in Chile and Peru – with a 2-to-1 randomization of vaccine to placebo.
The demographic distribution is shown here. Around 79 percent White, 22 percent Hispanics, 8 percent Black/African American, and 4 percent Native Americans, including American Indians and Native Alaskans residing in the United States, and 4 percent Asian. Twenty percent was 65 years of age or older, and 60 percent had cormobidities associated with an increased risk for progression of severe COVID-19, such as diabetes, severe obesity, or cardiac disease. This is important to get that many people who have comorbidities.
So right at the efficacy data, good results: 78.9 percent vaccine efficacy of preventing symptomatic disease; importantly, with regard to severe or critical disease requiring hospitalization, there was zero in the vaccine arm and five in the placebo arm. The good news is also that there was comparable efficacy across ethnicity and age; namely, a very good efficacy – 79.9 percent – in participants who are 65 years of age or older.
Next slide.
The reactogenicity and overall safety profile were good. The vaccine was well-tolerated, and the Data and Safety Monitoring Board identified no specific safety concerns related to the vaccines. Importantly, and this is a quote from the DSMB, “No evidence of disproportionate risk of thrombosis or events characterized by thrombosis among the 21,583 participants who received at least one dose. An in-depth search of the database for venous thrombosis revealed no events in this study.”
Next slide.
The United States government has played a significant role in the conduct of this trial. It was funded by BARDA and by NIAID in a trial led by the company AstraZeneca; the NIAD supported by its clinical trial network, the CoVPN. The Data and Safety Monitoring Board was formed by NIAID, which monitored the trial to ensure safety and validity of the data. And NIAID intramural investigators co-authored key preclinical studies.
And finally, on the last slide: Importantly, this vaccine can be stored, transported, and handled at refrigerator temperature for at least six months. And also, importantly, conditional marketing authorization or emergency use is already in play in more than 70 countries across six continents, and it has been given emergency use listing by the WHO.
I’ll stop there. And back to you, Andy.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Thank you, Dr. Fauci, Dr. Walensky.
Let’s go to questions, please.
MODERATOR: First question will go to Dan Vergano at BuzzFeed News.
Q: Thanks very much. I’m wondering if you could comment on what you see going forward, if we continue vaccinating the most high risk and elderly, with regard to the death rates versus the case rates. Are we going to see much lower death rate overall with continuing, you know, relatively high case numbers? And does that communicate your message about vaccination if the death rates decline? Assuming that’s a great thing, of course, but I wonder what kind of world we’re going to see going forward with more – as more people get the vaccine. Thanks.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Why don’t we start with Dr. Walensky and then Dr. Fauci?
Dr. Walensky: Yeah. It’s an important question for us to consider. I think one thing we have to realize is that there’s still a death rate among people who are under the age of 65. And that death rate is certainly going to be consistent with the number of cases we have overall.
So while I consider it extraordinarily good news that our death rate is declining in those who have been vaccinated, there is still a death rate among those who are over, you know, 25 – over 20. And, you know, as those cases continue to increase in that demographic, we will see death rates in that demographic as well. So I think the messaging is very consistent. We still need to be vaccinating everyone who is eligible.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Dr. Fauci, anything you’d add?
Dr. Fauci: No. Just to underscore with Dr. Walensky said: Every time we look at data, it looks at when you’re dealing with severe outcomes, hospitalizations, and deaths – the vaccines, all of them, have a good track record. So, as Dr. Walensky said, that just underscores the importance of getting everybody vaccinated as quickly as we possible can.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Great. Thank you. Next question.
MODERATOR: Next we’ll go to Tom Howell at the Washington Times.
Q: Hey, thanks for doing the call. With the AstraZeneca news and also robust data from Novavax, it looks like both of those might get emergency approval by May. I’m just wondering how you’re thinking about that in terms of supplies – the challenge shifting now to what to do with any surplus; how to maintain interest in the shots here at home. How are you, kind of, working through, you know, whether we’re going to have more supply than we need and what the challenges are now? Thanks.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Thank you, Tom. So, first of all, I’ll start and then see if Dr. Fauci, you want to add something.
So I think it’s too early for us to declare that we’re in a surplus position. We have been carefully planning. We have – obviously the highest priority is to, as Dr. Fauci just said, to vaccine the U.S. public as quickly as possible.
So – but obviously, the more we get confidence in our increased supply, the more flexibility that gives us for different events, whether its vaccinating adolescents, whether it is sharing that supply with other countries, as we announced at the end of last week – four more million doses were just shared with Mexico and Canada – or whether it’s other events.
So we are, obviously, monitoring the scenarios very closely and tracking these closely. Obviously, its is great news for both the U.S. and the world the more vaccines and the more supply that exist.
Dr. Fauci, anything you’d like to add?
Dr. Fauci: No, actually Andy, you said it very well. I just want to underscore one aspect of it, which was on one of the slides that I mentioned: that there are very many countries in Europe and throughout the world who have already authorized this. So the fact that a United States-run study has confirmed the efficacy and the safety of this vaccine I think is an important contribution to global health in general.
I’ll stop there.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Yeah, and something that, Dr. Fauci, you may want to – both of us would say is: It’s important to just remind everyone that we cannot and will not get ahead of the FDA. The FDA has incredibly rigorous scientific process. And so while we would certainly call today’s news “encouraging” – it’s the kind of thing we like to see – we have a rigorous process that will come once an EUA is submitted, and that will give us all more information and reason to be comfortable.
Next question.
MODERATOR: Let’s go to Jeremy Diamond at CNN.
Q: Hey, thanks for doing the briefing, as always. First of all, I’m wondering, you know, we’ve been between 54- and 58,000 new daily cases over the last two weeks. You guys are warning about the potential risks in that. What more are you doing to encourage states to maintain or re-impose coronavirus restrictions rather than relaxing them, as so many are?
And then, secondly, do you expect Johnson & Johnson to deliver 20 million doses by the end of the month, which is just a week away now? Thanks.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: So, Dr. Walensky – Dr. Walensky, would you like to take the first question about the kind of flattening of case rates and things that we can be doing as a country?
Dr. Walensky: Yeah, I’d be happy to. You know, we are looking at these data. We’re reaching out to individual states, trying to encourage them. We are having weekly governors’ calls. We’re doing outreach with states, territories to encourage them to look at their case data, to look at what’s happening with the variants, and to do as much outreach as we can to try and – to slow down the relaxation.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Yeah. And obviously, you’ve heard the President say, and you’ve heard our – both Dr. Fauci and Dr. Walensky say that we believe it’s a mistake to get rid of mask mandates.
Obviously, governors have certain authority there, but so do corporations, so do employers, so do individuals. And we’re making concerted efforts to make sure that people know that whether or not there’s a mandate in place, people that – it’s in the people’s strong interest – strong interest – to continue to wear a mask until such time that people have had a chance to be vaccinated.
On the Johnson & Johnson question: We are obviously, working very closely with the company. We are going to see a nice increase in Johnson & Johnson this week. And we should have more information, you know, around the first week in April to report on how they’ve done. Obviously, they’ve got a lot of increases that they need to be committed to doing. So we’ll continue to keep everyone posted.
Next question.
MODERATOR: We’ll go to Rachel Roubein at Politico.
Q: Hi, thanks for taking my question. I just wanted to follow up on the last one from Jeremy. Since April 1st is the end of the next week, do you think that J&J will have that 20 million shots? Can you give us an estimate of how many J&J shots are going out this week and how much states are seeing in their projections for next week?
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Yeah, I’m not going to give you precise numbers. Obviously, this is a ramped-up manufacturing process. We’re working with them very closely. I don’t think – yeah, I wouldn’t signal to you that they’re going t one far away from the numbers that they have projected at all, give or take a little bit. Obviously, we’re holding them accountable and working closely with them.
But with – at this point in time, I don’t want to commit to what’s going to happen over the course of the coming week. I would leave that to the company.
Next question.
MODERATOR: Next we’ll go to Nancy Cordes at CBS.
Q: Thank you. How do you plan to deal with hesitancy surrounding the AstraZeneca vaccine in particular? Or do you anticipate that by the time it’s in circulation, there will be so much supply of the other vaccines that it really won’t matter?
And then, given Dr. Walensky’s comments about the uptick in cases and the fork in the road that the country is facing, what’s your guidance for people who have been vaccinated when it comes to going on vacation? Because the TSA just reported that Sunday was its busiest air travel day of the year so far.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Okay, so let me start with Dr. Fauci with the first question, just to begin with the facts. Because I think the best – the best method for talking about people’s perception is to start with the actual ground-truth facts. It’s the reason why we do these briefings in the first place.
So, Dr. Fauci, do you want to reiterate the points your – you – your point of view?
Dr. Fauci: Yeah. The vaccine hesitancy surrounding AZ, related to reports from the European group that there was a greater incidence of thromboembolic events associated with the vaccine: During this trial here, there was no indication all. Now, remember, you’re dealing with 30,000 people in a trial.
The important thing to point out is that when you give vaccine to millions and millions of people, you got to make sure that when you look at the occurrence of what could appear to be an adverse event, that you essentially compare that into what the background of that type of event would be anyway in society. And the European Medicines Agency – the EMA – indicated in their examination that they did not see an increased risk of these types of events. Of note, in the trial I just reported on, they also did not see this, even though it was only in 30-plus thousand.
But as Andy has mentioned just a moment ago, the FDA is going to very, very carefully go over all of these data. There will be an application for an EUA, and I can tell you, you can rest assured that the FDA will put a great deal of scrutiny in every aspect of these data.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Yes. And I just very much appreciate that – those comments. And it’s one of the reasons why it’s so important people ask, “Why does the FDA take time to do their work?” People also ask, “Why do you make such a point of emphasizing the FDA’s independence?” and “Why do you make such an important point about emphasizing the transparency?” It’s because the science is going to be what the science is. The result are going to be what the results are going to be. And the American public will need to hear that directly, and it’s important that they have great confidence in what comes out of our independent scientific agencies.
So we’re going to hold on any judgement, other than what Dr. Fauci has indicated from these studies, until we hear from the FDA. And they will go through a very rigorous process, and after that, we will help interpret the results to the public.
So there was a second question, which I think is for Dr. Walensky, which is, I believe, commenting on travel and the uptick in travel. And I think there as a – part of that question was, you know, “What about the vaccinated people that are traveling?” I don’t think – what I saw, down in Miami – it didn’t look like a whole bunch of vaccinated people, but I could be wrong. But maybe you want to address that one.
Dr. Walensky: Yeah, you know, as we’ve articulated before, CDC is working on updated guidance for what you can do if your vaccinated, and that will include travel.
But I want to, sort of, go back to what Andy said, and that is: Much of the travel, we know, is related to people who are going on spring break. For the most part, people who go on spring break are not the demographic that we’ve been focusing in on travel. We’re worried not just for what happens when you are on the airplane itself, but what happens when people travel. That is, they go out; they mix – they mix with people who are not vaccinated.
We currently are at a situation – if we look at our European friends – we just don’t want to be at this rapid uptick of cases again, and that is very possible that that could happen. We’ve seen that. We’re behind the eight ball when that starts to happen. And that results in uptick of cases, hospitalizations, and then death.
So we’re so close to vaccinating so many more people. So I would just encourage people and remind people: Now is not the time to travel.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: I think that’s a great way to end this briefing. Thank you very much for listening in and your questions. And we will be back again on Wednesday.
March 22: National Institutes of Health (NIH) posted a News Release titled: “Investigational AstraZeneca vaccine prevents COVID-19” From the News Release:
Results from a large clinical trial in the United States and South America indicate that AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine, AZD1222, is well-tolerated and protects against symptomatic COVID-19 disease, including severe disease or hospitalization. The independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) overseeing the trial identified no safety concerns related to the vaccine. The United Kington-based global biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca developed the vaccine and led the trial as regulatory sponsor.
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, provided funding support for the trial through the federal COVID-19 response.
The placebo-controlled trial began in August 2020. The analysis is based on results from 32,449 adult volunteer participants enrolled across 88 sites in the United States, Chile and Peru. One participant received a placebo for every two participants who received AZD1222, resulting in approximately 20,000 people receiving the investigational vaccine. The vaccine was administered as two doses of 5 x 1010 viral particles four weeks apart.
AZD1222 demonstrated statistically significant vaccine efficacy of 78.9% in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 and 100% efficacy in preventing severe or critical disease and hospitalization. In participants 65 years and older, who comprised 20% of the trial population, vaccine efficacy against symptomatic COVID-19 was 79.9%.
The DSMB conducted a review of thrombotic events (blood clots) and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) among participants and found no increased risk of these conditions in vaccinated participants.
Approximately 79% of participants were white, 22% were Hispanic, 8% were Black or African American, 4% were Native American, including Indian/Alaska Native participants residing in the U.S., and 4% were Asian. Vaccine efficacy was consistent across ethnicity. Approximately 60% of participants of any age had underlying health conditions associated with an increased risk of developing severe COVID-19, such as diabetes, severe obesity or cardiac disease.
Authorization and guidelines for use of the vaccine in the United States will be determined by the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after thorough review of the data by independent advisory committees. Today’s results build on data from multiple clinical trials of AZD1222 conducted worldwide. The World Health Organization has recommended use of the vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 in adults and it is currently available for use in more than 70 countries. The European Commission has granted a conditional marketing authorization for the vaccine in the European Union.
The current trial defined symptomatic COVID-19 as having SARS-CoV-2 infection and at least one respiratory symptom (pneumonia, shortness of breath or low oxygen requiring supplemental oxygen) or at least two of the following symptoms: fever, new or worsening cough, and loss of smell and/or taste. Severe or critical COVID-19 was defined as having SARS-CoV-2 infection and any of the following: clinical signs of severe systemic illness, respiratory failure (defined as needing a high-flow oxygen, noninvasive ventilation, mechanical ventilation or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, known as ECMO), evidence of shock, significant acute renal, hepatic or neurologic dysfunction, or admission to an intensive care unit or death.
AD1222 was developed by Oxford University’s Jenner Institute and Oxford Vaccine Group and then licensed to AstraZeneca for further development. It is a viral vector-based vaccine that uses a safe, non-replicating chimpanzee adenovirus to deliver the genetic code of a protein found on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 (called the spike protein) to human cells so that the cells can make the protein. Adenoviruses can cause the common cold in humans, but the virus has been modified so that it cannot replicate and cause disease. The technology is based on a vaccine that Oxford previously was developing for Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). AZD1222 can be stored, transported and handled at 36 at 46 degrees Fahrenheit (normal refrigeration temperatures) for at least six months.
A DSMB formed by NIH monitored the vaccine to ensure participant safety and the validity and integrity of the data. The same DSMB is overseeing other ongoing Phase 3 vaccine clinical trials as part of the federal COVID-19 response effort. Representatives from AstraZeneca, NIAID, and BARDA receive recommendations from the DSMB.
Sites that are part of the COVID-19 Prevention Network (CoVPN) enrolled volunteers in the clinic trial. The CoVPN is composed of existing NIAID-supported clinical research networks with infectious disease expertise and was designed for efficient and thorough evaluation of vaccine candidates and monoclonal antibodies for the prevention of COVID-19. CoVPN investigators Ann R. Falsey, M.D., professor of medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine in New York and Magdalena E. Sobieszcyk M.D., associate professor of medicine at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, are coordinating investigators for the trial.
Participants will continue to be followed as part of the trial for approximately two years following their second injection. More details about the trial are available at PreventCovid.org and at clinicaltrials.gov under identifier NCT0516746.
March 22: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posed a News Release titled: “FDA Warns Companies Illegally Selling Over-the Counter CBD Products for Pain Relief”. From the News Release:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued warning letters to two companies for selling products labeled as containing cannabidiol (CBD) in ways that violate the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). Specifically, the warning letters address the illegal marketing of unapproved drugs labeled as containing CBD. The FDA has not approved any over-the-counter (OTC) drugs containing CBD, and none of these products meet the requirements to be legally marketed without an approved new drug application. The letters explain that, as CBD has known pharmacological effects on humans, with demonstrated risks, it cannot be legally marketed as an inactive ingredient in OTC drug products that are not reviewed and approved by the FDA. Additionally, the letters cite substandard manufacturing practices, including failure to comply with current good manufacturing practices.
“The FDA continues to alert the public to potential safety and efficacy concerns with unapproved CBD products sold online and in stores across the country,” said FDA Principal Deputy Commissioner Amy Abernethy, M.D., Ph.D. “It’s important that consumers understand that the FDA has only approved one drug containing CBD as an ingredient. These other, unapproved, CBD products, may have dangerous health impacts and side effects. We remain focused on exploring potential pathways for CBD products to be lawfully marketed while also educating the public about these outstanding questions of CBD’s safety. Meanwhile, we will continue to monitor and take action, as needed, against companies that unlawfully market their products – prioritizing those that pose a risk to public health.”
The FDA issued warning letters to:
Honest Globe Inc.
Biolyte Laboratories LLC
The products that are the subject of the warning letters issued today have not gone through the FDA drug approval process and are considered unapproved new drugs. There has been no FDA evaluation of whether these unapproved drug products are effective for the uses manufacturers claim, what an appropriate does might be, how they could interact with FDA-approved drugs or other products, or whether they have dangerous side effects or other safety concerns.
The FDA has previously sent warning letters to other companies illegally selling unapproved CBD products that claimed to prevent, diagnose, mitigate, treat or cure various diseases, in violation of the FD&C Act.
Under the FD&C Act, any product intended to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat or prevent a disease, and any product (other than a food) that is intended to affect the structure or function of the body of humans, is a drug. OTC drugs must be approved by the FDA or meet the requirements for marketing without an approved new drug application under federal law, including drug products containing CBD, regardless of whether CBD is represented on the labeling as an active ingredient or an inactive ingredient.
The FDA has not approved any CBD-containing drug products other than one prescription drug for the treatment of seizures associated with tuberous sclerosis complex, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, and Dravet syndrome in human patients.
The FDA has requested written responses from these companies within 15 working days stating how they will address these violations or providing their reasoning and supporting information, as to why they believe these products are not in violation of the law. Failure to adequately address the violations promptly may result in legal action, including product seizure and/or injunction.
March 22: National Institutes of Health posted a News Release titled: “Graduates of comprehensive preschool program less likely to be obese in adulthood, NIH-funded study finds”. From the News Release:
Such programs could lead to improvements in body mass index later in life.
What
Children in high-poverty neighborhoods who participated in a comprehensive preschool program that provided parents with health and educational services and job training had a lower body mass index (BMI) in their late 30s than a similar group who participated in the in the usual early childhood programs, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. The study authors concluded that comprehensive, school-based early childhood programs could lead to improvements in body mass index later in life. The study was conducted by Arthur J. Reynolds, Ph.D., of the University of Minnesota and colleagues. It appears in JAMA Pediatrics.
Funding was provided by NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).
Of the study participants, nearly 700 had attended the Child-Parent Center preschool program, which enrolled children in high-poverty, majority Black neighborhoods in Chicago. Offering small classes and intensive instruction in school readiness skills, the program also provides parents with job and parenting skills training, educational classes, and social services. The children were provided with healthy meals and learned how to make healthy food choices. Compared to a similar group of more than 350 people who had not attended the program, participants showed a 3.2% reduction in BMI at 37 years of age. Women participants had a 7.5% reduction in BMN. Women also were 27% less likely to be best compared with women who had not attended the program. The researchers found no significant differences in obesity rates among men who took part in the study, as the men in both groups had a low obesity rate.
Previous studies of the program’s graduates have found that, as adults, they have higher rates of educational attainment and household income than adults of the same background who did not partake in the program.
Who
James A. Griffin, Ph.D., chief of the NICHD Child Development and Behavior Branch, is available for comment…
March 22: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) posted News titled: “Statement by HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra on the Anniversary of the Affordable Care Act” From the News:
“President Biden promised to bring down health care costs and that is exactly what we at the Department of Health and Human Services will do, beginning with implementation of the American Rescue Plan.”
Today, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra released the following statement on the eve of the 11th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act:
“In the eleven years since it became law, the Affordable Care Act has saved lives, brought down health care costs, and expanded Medicaid to our most vulnerable neighbors. The lifesaving law has been a game changer, protecting roughly 133 million people with pre-existing conditions and extending quality, affordable health care to millions more.
“While health care is more in reach today, we have more work to do. The COVID-19 pandemic has thrust families into crisis. Over the last year, too many people have had to mourn lost love ones or struggle to pay their bills. President Biden promised to bring down health care costs and that is exactly what we at the Department of Health and Human Services will do, beginning with the implementation of the American Rescue Plan.
“Beginning on April 1, millions of Americans will be eligible for even more affordable options on HealthCare.gov. Because of the American Rescue Plan, four out of five enrollees will be able to qualify for coverage for as little as $10 per month.
“As HHS Secretary, I’m committed to building on this monumental progress to bring every American the peace of mind that comes with knowing you can take care of your family without going into debt.”
March 23: The White House posted about “Bill Signing: S.579”. From the post:
On Tuesday, March 23, 2021, the President signed into law:
S 579, which modifies the effective date of the elimination of the five month waiting period to receive Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance benefits for individuals diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
March 23: National Institutes of Health (NIH) posted a News Release titled: “NIAID Statement on AstraZeneca Vaccine”. From the News Release:
Late Monday, the Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) notified NIAID, BARDA, and AstraZeneca that it was concerned by information released by AstraZeneca on initial data from its COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial. The DSMB expressed concern that AstraZeneca may have included outdated information from that trial, which may have provided an incomplete view of the efficacy data. We urge the company to work with DSMB to review the efficacy data and ensure the most accurate, up-to-date efficacy data be made public as quickly as possible.
Authorization and guidelines for use of the vaccine in the United States will be determined by the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after thorough review of the data by independent advisory committees…
March 23: The White House posted “Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Jen Psaki Aboard Air Force One en route Columbus, Ohio”. From the Press Gaggle:
Ms. Psaki: Okay. Welcome to our trip to Ohio. Today, on the anniversary of the Affordable Care Act being signed into law by President Obama, we’re traveling to Columbus as part of the “Help Is Here” tour to highlight how the American Rescue Plan will lower healthcare costs for many families – a big deal, as my boss might put it.
In Ohio, the President – he added another word, but for the children. (Laughter.) In Ohio, the President will talk about how the Affordable Care Act has changed the lives of millions of Americans, enabling millions of families to have the peace of minds that comes with access to quality, affordable healthcare. He’s always thought that this was – the Affordable Care Act was something that would be built upon. And the American Rescue Plan is an opportunity to do exactly that.
In Ohio alone, the ACA has cut the state’s uninsured rate by half, dropping from 12 percent. This also provided protections for millions of Ohioans with pre-existing conditions.
And the American Rescue Plan makes coverage under the ACA even more affordable for Ohio families. Over 90,000 currently uninsured Ohioans can get a better deal on health insurance because of the Rescue Plan, and premiums for people who have coverage under the ACA will fall by an average of $50 per person per month.
He will also remind Americans to sign up for insurance at HealthCare.gov during the special enrollment period, and he’ll have an update on that, as well, today.
I also just wanted to note that our Health and Human Services Secretary, Xavier Becerra, is also traveling to Carson City, Nevada, to visit a health center today.
Update from the governors call – the weekly governors call that Jeff Zeints did this morning: Today, in our weekly governor’s call, he announced that we will have 27 million doses allocated across all channels this week. Of those 27 million doses, 4 million will be Johnson & Johnson. Two-thirds of the 27 million doses will be going to states and jurisdictions, and the rest will go to other channels, primarily the pharmacy program, which has been very successful and we’ve been increasing supply to.
This means that in 62 days since taking office, we’ve more than tripled vaccine output from 8.6 million doses to 27 million doses.
And then, the last update is: The President spoke with the governor – Governor Polis of California – sorry, of Colorado, this morning to, of course, offer his condolences and support as the state and Boulder deals with the tragedy of last evening.
With that, who wants to kick it off?…
…Q: Jen, NATO is making an effort for a virus-free summit for world leaders in June. What does the President think about that possibility of him traveling and being there in the environment?
Ms. Psaki: Well, we certainly are aware of the timing of the upcoming NATO Summit. And certainly the President, I know, would love to go overseas and travel overseas and have discussions about global issues and how to work together on a range of issues, including the pandemic, economic recovery, et cetera. But we’re going to rly on the advice of our health and medical experts, and I don’t have anything to preview on the likelihood of the trip at this point in time…
March 23: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted a News Release titled: “Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: March 23, 2021”. From the News Release:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced the following actions taken in its ongoing response effort to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a March 22 Consumer Update, the FDA provided an update on simple steps to help slow the spread of coronavirus disease to protect ourselves, our families and our communities. Read more: Help Stop the Spread of Coronavirus and Protect Your Family
The FDA and the NIH CURE ID app has received the 2021 Golan Christie Taglia Patient Impact Philanthropy Award from Cures Within Reach. CURE ID is an internet-based repository that lets the clinical community share novel uses of existing drugs for difficult-to-treat infectious diseases. The FDA and the NIH have made critical updates to CURE ID to be a more effective tool during COVID-19.
As part of the FDA’s effort to protect consumers, the agency issued a warning letter jointly with the Federal Trade Commission to PYRLess Group, LLC dba Dr. Fitt for selling unapproved products with COVID-19 claims. The FDA requested that the company take immediate action to cease the sale of any unapproved and misbranded products for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19. Consumers concerned about COVID-19 should consult with their health care providers.
Testing updates:
As of today, 343 test sand sample collection devices are authorized by the FDA under emergency use authorization (EUAs). These include 255 molecular tests and sample collection devices, 73 antibody and other immune response tests, and 15 antigen tests. There are 41 molecular authorizations that can be used with home-collected samples. There is one molecular prescription at-home test, two antigen prescription at-home tests, one over-the-counter (OTC) at-home antigen test, and one OTC molecular test.
March 23: National Institutes of Health (NIH) posted a News Release titled: “African Americans who smoke seem at higher risk of coronary heart disease”. From the News Release:
African Americans who smoke appear to have more than twice this risk of developing coronary heart disease compared to those who do not smoke, a new study has found. The findings – the first up-close look at the relationship between smoking and coronary heart disease in this population – also examined the risk for plaque buildup in the arteries of African Americans who smoke. Excessive plaque in the arteries is a known predictor of heart attacks and heart failure.
The study, published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, draws on data from nearly 4,500 participants in the Jackson Heart Study, the largest cohort study of investigating cardiovascular disease exclusively in African Americans. That study, as well as the new research, is supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), and the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), both part of the National Institutes of Health.
Coronary heart disease, the leading cause of death in the world, is the most common type of heart disease. In the United States, it affects more than 20 million adults and causes one in seven deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It can develop when plaques build up in the blood vessels that supply the heart. These clogged, or calcified, arteries can limit or block blood flow and increase the risk for heart attack.
Compared to whites, African Americans are more likely to die from coronary heart disease. Cigarette smoking causes inflammation and atherosclerosis, and coronary heart disease. Despite a marked decline in smoking among African American adults in recent years, almost 15% reported current cigarette smoking in 2019. Yet, the link between cigarette smoking and coronary heart disease has been understudied in this population.
African Americans have disproportionately higher rates of hypertension, diabetes, and obesity – known risk factors that partly explain the greater death tool from coronary heart disease in the community, according to the researchers.
“But smoking is also a well-documented risk factor, which, combined with the others, suggest that African Americans smokers represent a particularly vulnerable population for this disease,” said lead study author Adebamike Oshunbade, M.D., M.P.H, a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. “However, our study is the first to focus on the relationship between cigarette smoking and coronary heart disease exclusive among a large cohort of African Americans.”
Given the scant inclusion of African Americans in prior studies, researchers had limited ability to single out the specific effects of smoking, distinct from other risk factors, in this population. But the Jackson Heart Study cohort of 5,306 participants, Oshunbade and colleagues were able to assess the relationship between smoking, coronary heart disease, and coronary artery calcification in African Americans adults.
The investigators used coronary artery calcification (CAC) score measurements to assess the degree of calcified plaque buildup in participants’ coronary arteries. CAC score, which is measured by a CT scan, is a key predictor of an individual’s risk for cardiac events like heart attacks.
For the study, 4,432 participants without a history of coronary heart disease at the time (2000-2004), were classified as current smokers, former smokers, or never smokers. After taking into account other risk factors – including smoking intensity, or the number of cigarettes each consumed daily – researchers followed by the participants through 2016, tracking the development of coronary heart disease.
The researchers found that, compared to those who never smoked, those who currently smoked had a more than two-fold higher risk of coronary heart disease. Similarly, those who smoke had an increased likelihood of having a higher CAC score.
“Smoking is a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and 73% of African American adults who smoke want to quit,” said David Goff, M.D., Ph.D., director of the NHLBI’s Division of Cardiovascular Sciences. “However, compared to whites, African American patients are less likely to receive information about smoking cessation treatments that we know can make a difference. Fully addressing tobacco-related disparities requires addressing conditions where people live, work, and play.”
As the authors noted, the study was observational, and the findings do not establish casual links. Additionally, they should not be generalized to people of other races or regions.
March 23: The White House posted remarks titled: “Remarks by President Biden During Tour of Radiation Oncology Department”. From the remarks:
Q: Sir, is it comforting or is it hopeful or more painful for you to hear about cancer developments like this?
The President: It’s – it’s mostly hopeful because I don’t want to see anybody go through what my son went through.
One of the things you should be aware of: There are probably more soldiers, sailers, airmen, Marines coming home with brain cancers than any time in American history because of exposure. Some of you have read about the burn pits. There’s a lot of research that still has to be done to determine whether or not exposure to these toxins in the air have something to do with it. Also, you have an awful lot of these IEDs have caused brain trauma in other ways as well.
So, it really is something that I think is going to encourage us to spend a lot of time in the government focusing on. A little bit like, you know, what used to have to – with Agent Orange: You’d have to prove that, even though you were drenched in it and it rained on you, that whatever your problem was was a consequence of that. It was very hard to prove. I finally got a bill passed, as a senator, saying, if you were drenched, you’re automatically assumed – whatever your problem is, related to that.
Same thing with an IED. If you were near a concussion, you have a problem with – it’s assumed the government has responsibility for it. And – but there’s a lot going on, and the Doc could tell you more.
But one of the things that really excites me, Doc, is the idea that we’re moving into potential immunotherapy initiatives that – what they did with Beau, they injected an adenovirus into the brain.
Dr. Arnab: Exactly.
The President: And it – they were – they were giddy, initially, at all of the – the human body coming in to eat up the virus, but it just kept going. And because there had been some damage from radiation on a blood vessel, it – things got – it didn’t work.
But there’s real hope for people. There’s real hope.
Dr. Arnab: And, Mr. President, with this FLASH therapy, there’s more – much more synergism with immune therapy than with conventional radiation –
The President: Yeah, I agree with that.
Dr. Arnab: – we’re finding.
The President: Explain the difference between a proton and radiation going –
Dr. Arnab: Yes, great question. Great question.
The President: It’s really important.
Dr. Arnab: Yes. So with conventional radiation therapy, like this unit right behind you, sir, this produces high-level X-ray energy radiation that’s penetrative. It goes through normal tissues as well as tumor. So everything is treated: normal tissues and tumor together.
With proton therapy, the dose stops right at the tumor so you’re not treating normal tissues. So it’s a major advancement in the treatment of cancers.
The President: Treating normal tissue somethings is a very bad thing. Just – it also – it can destroy a normal tissue. It can destroy the cancer – hit that – but it goes through the cancer and destroys whatever is beyond it. Not just in the brain , but wherever it –
And so that’s why I – I think some of the – a few of the Nobel laureates on my cancer facility are- would argue that we should get – we should start to focus on protons.
Dr. Arnab: Yes.
The President: And because it doesn’t have the same application, but it does less damage when it occurs – when there is damage done.
And – but it really is one of my regrets of becoming President: I had to give up the Biden Cancer Initiative because I couldn’t raise money for it. But we proposed – there’s literally six Nobel laureates on the board. A group – a group of people that are like the Doc. I tried – I almost called you to ask for you – it’s a long story but –
And – but its is something that there’s a lot – these guys are on the edge of so many things. Think about it: Jimmy Carter was declared basically gone five times. Now, he’s in trouble now, but it’s amazing that – you know, it’s a little bit like – it’s why you should never give up hope. When the breakthrough comes, it just comes through. Not planned – it’s just, “Woah, we got it.”
Anyway, I’m talking too much…
March 23: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) posted News titled: “2021 Special Enrollment Period Access Extended to August 15 on HealthCare.gov for Marketplace Coverage”. From the News:
Today, President Biden announced that the Centers for Medicare Services (CMS) is extending access to the Special Enrollment Period (SEP) until August 15 – giving consumers additional time to take advantage of new savings through the American Rescue Plan. This action provides new and current enrollees an additional three months to enroll or re-evaluate their coverage needs with increased tax credits available to reduce premiums.
“Every American deserves access to quality, affordable health care – especially as we fight back against the COVID-19 pandemic,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “Through this Special Enrollment Period, the Biden Administration is giving the American people the chance they need to find an affordable health care plan that works for them. The American Rescue Plan will bring costs down for millions of Americans, and I encourage consumers to visit HealthCare.gov and sign up for a plan before August 15.”
As a result of the American Rescue Plan, additional savings will be available for consumers through HealthCare.gov starting April 1. These savings will decrease premiums for many, on average, by $50 per person per month and $85 per policy per month. On average, one out of four enrollees on HealthCare.gov will be able to upgrade to a higher plan category that offers better out of pocket costs at the same or lower premium compared with what they’re paying today.
Consumers who want to access the SEP to enroll in coverage and see if they quality for financial help to reduce the cost of monthly premiums, can visit HealthCare.gov or CuidadoDeSalud.gov to view 2021 plans and prices and enroll in a plan that best meets their needs. Additionally, consumers can call the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596, which provides assistance in over 150 languages. TTY users should call 1-855-889-4325. Consumers can also find a local assister or agent/broker in their area: https://localhelp.healthcare.gov
Consumers who are eligible and enroll under the SEP will be able to select a plan with coverage that could start as soon as the first month after plan selection. Current enrollees will be able to change to any plan available to them in their area. To take advantage of the SEP, current enrollees should review their application and make changes, if needed, to their current information and submit their application in order to receive an updated eligibility result.
Additionally, beginning in early July on HealthCare.gov, consumers who have received or have been determined eligible to receive unemployment compensation for any week during 2021 may be able to get another increase in savings when enrolling in new Marketplace coverage or updating their existing Marketplace application and enrollment. These savings to be made available starting in early July for eligible consumers are in addition to the increased savings available to consumers on HealthCare.gov starting April 1.
The SEP is currently available to consumers in the 36 states that use the HealthCare.gov platform. Consumers served by State-based Marketplaces that use their own platform can check their state’s website to find out more information on Special Enrollment Periods in their state.
To see how the American Rescue Plan will bring down health care costs and expand on the Affordable Care Act, visit: https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2021/03/12/fact-sheet-american-rescue-plan-reduces-health-care-costs-expands-access-insurance-coverage.html.
March 23: The White House posted remarks titled: “Remarks by President Biden on the Anniversary of the Affordable Care Act”. From the remarks:
The President: Good afternoon, almost getting into evening. Before I begin, as the congresswoman said, earlier today at the White House, I addressed the mass shooting in Boulder, Colorado. While the investigation is ongoing – and I spent some time on the telephone with the Attorney General, as well as the head of the FBI this – the investigation is ongoing.
My heart goes out to the families of the victims and the survivors. I want to – I want to commend the heroic actions of Officer Eric Talley – the father of seven children, who left for work yesterday morning assuming he’d be able to go home – and for the ultimate sacrifice for others.
Now, let me turn to why I came today: to talk about, initially, the American Rescue Plan and the progress we’re making on tacking COVID. Tameka, thank you for sharing your stories and what you’re doing – my daughter is also a social worker and you have a profound impact on people’s lives – and all you do to connect folks here in Ohio with the coverage an care they need.
I want to thank Joyce, Congresswomen, for sticking with me during the day, and Marcy, my old friend good to see you Marcy. Thanks for being here. And Tim Ryan, I always kid with Tim. If you’re – if I got to be in a foxhole, he’s the guy I want to be with. He always keeps his word, does exactly what he says he’s going to do. And it’s great to see you, Tim.
And Madam President, thanks for having served in the Obama-Biden administration, and you’re doing an incredible job here.
And all of the docs that are here that I got a chance to meet with today. Thank you. You are – you’re an incredible group of individuals.
I also want to thank Sherrod Brown – who wanted to be here today, but he had to be in Wahington to case important votes in the United States Senate.
Look, I want everyone to be aware that there are three key parts to the American Rescue Plan all of my colleagues supported here. First, we’re going to more rapidly acquire – and we set out to more rapidly acquire enough vaccine to vaccinate every single American quicker than anticipated.
And what my COVID team and – when through – and with the use of the Defense Production Act, we’ve been able to organize and help increase the number of doses in a much shorter time.
So by the end of May, we’re going to have on hand roughly 600 million doses – enough for every American. And the American Rescue Plan is also going to provide the funding for more vaccinations, vaccination sites, vaccinators, and the paraphernalia needed to put that vaccine in one’s arm.
In addition, there is a second important piece of that plan. It’s focused on dealing with economic deprivation so many Americans have become subject to – a consequence to this virus through no fault of their own. Millions have lost their jobs, and they’re still out of work. Around 11 million children in America are going hungry through no fault of their own. But as a result of the pandemic and the economic crisis, millions of Americans are not able to maintain their mortgage payments or rental payments and have found themselves on the verge of being evicted and having their homes repossessed.
But we stepped in, and we prevented that from happening with the American Rescue Plan. Hundreds of thousands of businesses are now – not going to go under, but they’re going to have an idea – an opportunity to reopen and have the financial assistance to be able to do it the right way and safely.
Schools closed and children losing up to a year or more in learning capacity. You’re ahead of the (inaudible) here in Ohio but, across the nation, the help was badly needed, and we’ve now provided the funding for that.
Because of isolation – and violence against women is up; abuse of children is up – and the need for mental health problems – to deal with mental health problems and the consequences of them is up, as a consequence of COVID. And, in addition to that, suicides are up.
The second – so, second, the American Rescue Plan brings relief to a population that is badly hurting. And one more element of our response is that – first and foremost, is the commitment to get Americans a $1,400 check per person, including per child. So, a firefighter and a school teacher making $120,00 combined, with two kids, are going to get a $5,6000 in cash.
If they already have an account online with IRS, which many do, by tomorrow, we will have distributed 100 million of those checks just since the legislation passed. We’re on the verge of doing that as of tomorrow. But for someone who doesn’t have direct deposit, they’re getting a check in the mail for all of that.
So we expand the child – we also expanded the Childcare Tax Credit. Right now, if you file your federal income tax, you’ll get to a $2,000 deduction for every child you have. But if you’re making the minimum wage, you don’t earn enough to file for federal taxes. But because of the American Rescue Plan, if you have two children for example, under the age of six, you’re going to get a check for $3,600. If you have a child. And so, if you have two children, $7,200 will be paid on a monthly basis. This is going to be life changing. It’s estimated this will do more to end child poverty in America than anything we’ve ever done.
There’s the Earned Income Tax Credit. If you are over the age of 19 and not a full-time student and you are a childless worker, now you will get a check for $1,500 if you file.
Small businesses not only will be able to borrow money to keep business afloat, but get loan forgiveness in improving your business to get us back in the game.
And, by the way, all of this – economists left, right, and center argue and acknowledge – will create 7 million more jobs and increase economic growth. Increase economic growth.
There’s so much more, but help is here. But I’m here in this great hospital to talk about a third way to help. And that is for your health – a third type of help, and that’s healthcare.
I just concluded a tour of the Radiation Oncology Department here at the James Cancer Center, which was expanded thanks to a $100 million grant in the Affordable Care Act that Sherrod Brown was instrumental in making happen. That’s an addition to the research funding Ohio State received under the Beau Biden Cancer Moonshot.
Because of our investments, this department has gone from being able to treat 60 to 70 patients a day to nearly 300 a day. this place is a source of hope.
I have said that I want to – when I ran, I said I wanted to be a President who would preside over the end of cancer as we know it.
And when we see the strides we’ve made – you talk to the docs and researchers – I can tell you, it’s within our reach. We’re all benefited from the breakthroughs pioneered by the Defense Department, for example, research agency called DARPA, which helped bring us everything from the Internet to GPS.
Well, I’m going to be proposing to my friends in Congress that we launch a similar operation at the Department of Health – a new effort called “ARPA-H” – to deliver health breakthroughs to find cures for cancer and other diseases by investing billions of dollars that companies are not willing to do – drug companies are not – don’t have the capacity. And I know we can do this. I know we can find great breakthroughs.
America does big things. Eleven years ago today, President Obama signed into law the Affordable Care Act – historic achievement that would not have been possible but for the vision and determination of one of the most successful Presidents in recent American history: Barack Obama.
I might note, parenthetically, when I got in the automobile to go over to the – to the – to HHS, he was laughing. I didn’t know what he was laughing about. And he said, “Did you hear? They picked up what you said on the mic.” All I could think was, “Thank God my mother wasn’t around to hear it.” (Laughter.)
But look, on the anniversary, we should remember just how close we have come to losing that act we fought so hard for. And we have a duty not just to protect it, but to make it better and keep becoming a nation where healthcare is a right for all and not a privilege for a few.
When I ran for pro – for President, I promised I would build on the foundation of the Affordable Care Act. And just 50 days into my administration, we’ve delivered on that promise with the American Rescue Plan. It does that by making healthcare more affordable. It means better coverage and lower premiums for millions of Americans.
If you’re enrolled in Obamacare, you’re going to save an average of $50 a month – $600 a year – by the reduction of payments. For a family of four earning $90,000 a year, that could save you $200 a month in savings. For a 60-year-old couple here in Ohio earning $75,000 per year, it could save them about $1,000 per month and to maintain the same healthcare. That’s $12,000 a year in your pocket that you didn’t have before.
Because of the American Rescue Plan, if you lost healthcare because you lost your job or your hours were cut, we pay your contribution and your employer’s contribution under the so-called COBRA. That’s what your employer-based health insurance was. And so since – if they’ve gone out of business or you’re no longer there because you had to be laid off, you can stay covered for up to six months until you get back on your feet, because, look, the federal government will cover both ends of that COBRA payment.
For millions who are out of work and have no coverage, thanks to this law, there’s an Obamacare plan that most folks can get with zero-dollar premiums. Co-pays will still be there, but zero dollar premiums.
Four out of five Americans shopping on the Obamacare marketplace with a premium of $10 a month or less. Let me say that again: Four out of five Americans who shop for a plan will find one for $10 or less per month. It’s especially important in communities that historically have always faced health disparities – Black, Brown, and Asian, Native American communities – have borne the brunt of the COVID crisis.
And we’re also making it was to – easier to sign up for Obamacare. We’ve opened Healthcare.gov for special enrollment on February the 15th. In the first two weeks alone, more than 200,000 Americans gained coverage.
Today I’m pleased to announce that we’ve extended that period to run through August the 15th. Just go to HealthCare.gov or call the national hotline: 1-800-318-2506. That’s 1-800-318-2596. A few clicks and a short conversation – that’s ask it takes to start seeing these benefits of increased coverage and lower premiums.
I’ll close with this: With the American Rescue Plan and the Affordable Care Act, millions of families will be able to sleep a little more soundly at night because they don’t have to worry about losing everything if they get sick.
I, like many of you, grew up in a middle-class, I guess, technically, lower-middle-class – household on outcome. We lived in a three-bedroom split-level home with four kids and our grandpa living with us. And the paper – the walls were paper thin. I can remember lying in bed and hearing my dad rolling back and forth, and I could tell there was something wrong. I remember asking my mom the next morning, “What’s the matter with Dad?” She said, “Honey, he’s just worried. We just lost our health insurance. He no longer has his coverage.”
People lying in bed wondering, “My God, what happens? What happens if, in fact, I get sick? What happens if I turn and she has breast cancer or I end up with a heart condition? What happens?” And God forbid you’re sitting on the edge of a hospital bed with someone you love – like I did with my son, Beau, as he was dying, and all you have to think about is – all they have to think about is getting better, not what happens if an insurance company can come in, like they did before Obamacare, and say, “Sorry, you’ve outrun your coverage.” I used to sit there and think, “My God, what would happen? What would I do?”
That’s the difference. And we’re going to keep building until every American has that peace of mind and to show that our government can fulfill its most essential purpose: to care for and protect the American people. When we work together, we can do big things, important things, necessary things.
We saw it 11 years ago with the Affordable Care Act. We saw it 11 days ago when we marked the signing of the American Rescue Plan. But we’re not done yet.
Last week, we met my goal that I announced by administering 100 million shots in my first 100 days in office. At the time, the press said that’s awfully “audacious”. Now that we’ve done it in 58 days, they’re saying, “Boy, he sure set the bar awful low.”
Well this week, we’re announcing a new goal: to get more people vaccinated. But we need all Americans to keep washing your hands, staying socially distanced, and wearing the mask when you’re in public, as recommended by the CDC. And get vaccinated when its your turn. It’s a patriotic responsibility you have.
Now is not the time to let down our guard. If we all do our part, after a long, dark year, we can show once again that we are the United States of America; that there’s nothing we have – cannot do if we do it together.
We’re going to beat this pandemic. And because of the great docs up this staircase here, we’re going to beat cancer as we know it as well. We’re going to make sure, once and for all, that healthcare is a right, not a privilege, in this nation.
So I want to say again, the docs who spent the day with me, all the incredible work you’re doing – I told them that when my son contracted stage four glioblastoma when coming home from Iraq – when he was in Iraq, that I had the opportunity – the President asked me to do what they called a Cancer Moonshot.
I put together an organization made up of seven Nobel laureates, as well as another 30 docs in the cancer field, and I was able to go and visit every major cancer facility in the world save one. And we have some of the finest minds in the world, and they’re right here – right here at Ohio State – Ohio State. Right here in Ohio, right here in the United States of America. And they break their necks every singe day for us. We owe them.
I want to thank you all. May God bless you. May God bless us all and may God protect our troops. Thank you. Thank you for the hospitality. (Applause.)
March 23: The White House posted a briefing titled: “COVID-19 has exacerbated the economic inequality and caregiving crisis facing women of color. Here’s how the American Rescue Plan helps.” It was written by Joelle Gamble and Shilpa Phadke. From the briefing:
Women have been on the front lines of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis. Their labor – in hospitals and laboratories, on farms and in factories, in stores and in homes – has long been critical to keeping our nation running, and the past year has made these contributions all the more visible. Women represent half of all workers, yet they are over 60 percent of our essential workers. Women of color are disproportionately represented in frontline jobs and comprise more than half of the workers in critical service fields such as housekeeping, personal care services, and nursing assistance.
Our country’s caregiving crisis has compounded the effects of the economic downturn; women have borne the brunt of increased caregiving demands, contending with closed schools and child care centers and caring for sick family members. And these challenges have been particularly acute for essential workers and low-wage workers. The impact is striking: over 2 million women have dropped out of the labor force since February 2022. Nearly one year after the pandemic began, the women’s labor force participation rate reached its lowest point in more than 30 years.
The American Rescue Plan (ARP) meets the moment – and provides immediate relief for many Americans, including women of color, who so often are the first fired and the last hired when a crisis hits. Just as women of color were finally starting to see wage gains from the 2009 recession, a new crisis threatened to erase that progress. This is why President Biden made passing the American Rescue Plan his top priority.
Thanks to the hard work of advocates, Congress and the Biden-Harris Administration, the American Rescue Plan is now law, delivering much-needed support to women, families, and communities.
Several aspects of this relief are particularly critical to support women of color as we build a more equitable economy. Here are a few to highlight:
More than 1 and 3 households, including half of Black and Latino households, are struggling to pay for basic expenses, like rent and groceries; the American Rescue Plan provides immediate relief for the working people, helping hard-hit households recover from the economic impacts of the pandemic. The $1,400 direct payments to individuals, alongside the ARP’s increased tax credits, which help cover the cost of childcare and support low-wage workers, are critical to providing economic security for working women.
The expansion of the Child Tax Credit allows more families to benefit, increases the size of the benefit, and distributes benefits monthly. Altogether, the American Rescue Plan will cut child poverty by more than half; poverty levels for Black children are expected to fall by 52%, by 45% for Hispanic children, and by 61% for Indigenous children.
An investment of $39 billion in child care will help thousands of child care providers – who are disproportionately women of color – avoid potential closure, as well as ensure that they can operate safely and increase benefits for care workers.
State and local aid to women’s economic security, particularly for women of color, is also a key part of this bill. The relief that the ARP provides to state and local governments means fewer cuts in critical services and it also means fewer layoffs for state and local workers. This particularly affects women and people of color; women represent almost 60 percent of state and local public-sector workers, and the share of Black workers in the private sector and the share in overall employment.
Finally, we know that for a full and equitable economic recovery, our schools need to re-open, so that our children can return to the classroom and parents can get back to work. The American Rescue Plan provides $130 billion to elementary, middle, and high schools, supplemented by a nationwide vaccination program that will allow our schools to reopen safely for families and educators. These critical investments are the backbone of building back better for everyone.
This pandemic has exacerbated and shone a light on many issues – among them the enormous barriers facing so many women, particularly women of color, and the consequences of those barriers for them and for our economy. The passage of the American Rescue Plan will bring relief to so many women who have borne the brunt of the pandemic – and who will be the fist step in creating an economic recovery that removes barriers for women of color, and gives every American a fair shot.
March 24: The White House posted: “Bill Signing: H.R. 1276”. From the post:
On Wednesday, March 24, 2021, the President signed into law:
H.R. 1276, the “Strengthening and Amplifying Vaccination Efforts to Locally Immunize All Veterans and Every Spouse Act or the SAVE LIVES Act,” which expands the VA’s authority to provide COVID-19 vaccinations.
March 24: National Institutes of Health (NIH) posted a News Release titled: “NIH, DC government form partnership to reduce sleep-related infant deaths”. From the News Release:
Three-year partnership will develop D.C. project for infant safe sleep education and outreach.
The National Institutes of Health and the District of Columbia government are teaming up to raise awareness among District parents and caregivers about how to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep-related causes of infant death, such as accidental suffocation.
Although many U.S. states and territories have seen decreases in sleep-related infant deaths over the last few years, the District’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner reported an increase in these deaths between 2014 and 2018 (PDF). Sleep-related causes of death include SIDS – the sudden, unexplained death of an infant younger than 1 year of age that does not have a known cause, even after a full investigation – or suffocation, overlay, or other deaths from unsafe sleep environment.
The Safe to Sleep campaign, led by the NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), will work with the District of Columbia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, the Thrive by Five DC initiative and other D.C. groups to understand information or service gaps related to safe infant sleep and determine how those gaps contribute to deaths and risks for families in the District. The collaboration, known as the D.C. Safe Sleep Education and Outreach Project, will then develop and implement the outreach and awareness campaign to inform D.C. parents and caregivers about how they can bridge these gaps.
“By combining science with safe sleep practices and tailoring and tailoring safe sleep messages and activities to area parents and caregivers, this new collaboration has the potential to save infant lives,” said Diana W. Bianchi, M.D., NICHD Director. “We are excited to work with our colleagues in the District of Columbia government and other local groups to help babies and families thrive.”
“Every parent or caregiver wants their child to have the best start in life,” said Dr. Francisco J. Diaz, Chief Medical Examiner for the District. “The D.C. Safe Sleep Education and Outreach Project will provide families with valuable information on how to provide the safest possible environment for their infants, helping to reduce sleep-related deaths in the District and providing opportunities for each child to have a strong start.”
“I am excited about this collaboration and the partnerships it is sparking to move us toward sustainable solutions and more positive outcomes for our babies. Together with families, we can make sure our babies have everything they need to thrive, and that includes safe sleep environments and practices,” said Dr. Faith Gibson Hubbard, Executive Director of Thrive by Five.
NICHD and collaborators, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched the Safe to Sleep campaign as the Back to Sleep campaign in 1994, to raise awareness among caregivers and healthcare providers about ways to reduce the risk of SIDS. The collaborators expanded the campaign to Safe to Sleep in 2012 to focus on reducing risks for other sleep-related causes of infant death, such as suffocation.
The campaign translates safe infant sleep recommendations from the AAP into messages, educational resources and outreach materials for lay and provider audiences. Key messages include always placing infants on their backs to sleep, using a firm and flat sleep surface such as a mattress in a safety-approved crib, and breastfeeding.
Recent research findings jointly published by NICHD, CDC, and the Health Resources and Services Administration suggest that other safe sleep behaviors, such as keeping loose bedding and soft objects out of baby’s sleep area and room sharing with parents instead of bed sharing are not as well known. As a result, parents and caregivers may unknowingly be creating an unsafe sleep environment and putting their babies at risk.
With guidance and technical support from NICHD, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Thrive by Five DC and other partners will assess the District’s existing infant mortality data and safe sleep education and resources to determine if additional support systems or communications are needed to ensure that parents and caregivers make optimal choices related to safe infant sleep. Through focus groups and online surveys, they will identify any barriers to safe sleep practices among area residents and develop interventions to address those barriers. They will also identify and test safe sleep messages and materials, emphasizing the needs of and feedback from communities with the highest number of infant sleep-related deaths.
After testing is complete, these messages will provide the basis for the campaign, which will be a comprehensive outreach effort that will include community events, local media and community faith leaders, public service announcements, and media outreach. Dr. Diaz’s office notes that the D.C.-focused project will likely launch in late 2021.
March 24: U.S. Department of Health and Human (HHS) posted News titled: “OCR Settles Seventeenth Investigation in HIPAA Right of Access Initiative” From the News:
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announces its seventeenth settlement of an enforcement action in its HIPAA Right of Access Initiative. OCR announced this initiative to support individuals’ right to timely access to their health records at a reasonable cost under the HIPAA Privacy Rule.
The Arbour, Inc., doing business as Arbour Hospital (“Arbour”), has agreed to take corrective actions and pay $65,000 to settle a potential violation of the HIPAA Privacy Rule’s right of access standard. Arbour is located in Massachusetts and provides behavioral health services.
In July 2019, a complaint was filed with OCR alleging that Arbour failed to take timely actions in response to a patient’s records access request made in May 2019. OCR provided Arbour with technical assistance on the HIPAA Right of Access requirements. Later, in July 2019, OCR received a second complaint alleging that Arbour still had not responded to the same patient’s records access request. OCR initiated an investigation and determined that Arbour’s failure to provide timely access to the requested medical records was a potential violation of the HIPAA right of access standard, which requires a covered entity to take action on an access request within 30 days of receipt (or within 60 days if an extension is applicable). As a result of OCR’s investigation, Arbour provided the patient with a copy of the requested records in November 2019, more than 5 months after the patient’s request.
“Health care providers have a duty to provide their patients with timely access to their own health records, and OCR will hold providers accountable to this obligation so that patients can exercise their rights and get needed health information to be active participants in their health care,” said Acting OCR Director Robinsue Frohboese.
In addition to the monetary settlement, Arbour will undertake a corrective action plan that includes one year of monitoring. A copy of the resolution agreement and corrective action plan may be found at: https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/arbour-racap.pdf – PDF.
People using assistive technology may not be able to fully access Information in this file. For assistance, contact OCR at (800) 368-1019, TDD toll-free: (800) 537-7697, or by emailing OCRMail@hhs.gov.
March 25: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a press release titled: “CDC Plans to Provide $332 Million to Support Community Health Workers for COVID-19 Prevention and Control”. From the press release:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) plans to provide $300 million to jurisdictions for community health worker (CHW) services to support Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) prevention and control, and an additional $32 million for training, technical assistance, and evaluation. CHWs are frontline public health workers who have a trusted relationship with the community and are able to facilitate access to a variety of services and resources for community members.
By scaling up and sustaining a nationwide program of CHWs who support populations at high risk and communities hit hardest by COVID-19, funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act will provide critical support to states, localities, territories, tribes, tribal organizations, urban Indian health organizations, or health service providers for tribes. CDC expects to award funds to approximately 75 organizations through “Community Health Workers for COVID Response and Resilient Communities.” Applications will be accepted through May 24, 2021.
“These resources strengthen the incredible work of our nation’s community health workers in areas disproportionately affected by COVID-19,” said CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH. “Community health workers are trusted messengers within communities and instrumental in connecting high-risk and vulnerable individuals to care and needed services, and addressing local public health challenges.”
Notices of awards will be issued in the summer, with the amount each jurisdiction receives determined by population size, poverty rates and COVID-19 statistics.
The funding is intended for recipients to address:
Disparities in access to COVID-19 related services, such as testing, contact tracing and immunization.
Factors that increase risk of severe COVID-19 illness, such as chronic diseases, smoking, and pregnancy.
Community needs that have been exacerbated by COVID-19, such as health and mental health care access and food insecurity.
“Public health crises, such as COVID-19, worsen existing health inequities,” said Karen Hacker, MD, MPH, director of CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. “This funding opportunity supports the critical role of community health workers and is an important step toward health equity.”…
March 25: National Institute of Health (NIH) posted a News Release titled: “Scientists find evidence that novel coronavirus infects the mouth’s cells”. From the News Release:
NIH-funded findings point to a role for saliva in SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
An international team of scientists has found evidence that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, infects cells in the mouth. While it’s well known that the upper airways and lungs are primary sites of SARS-CoV-2 infection, there are clues the virus can infect cells in other parts of the body, such as the digestive system, blood vessels, kidneys and, as this new study shows, the mouth. The potential of the virus to infect multiple areas of the body might help explain the wide-ranging symptoms experienced by COVID-19 patients, including oral symptoms such as taste loss, dry mouth, and blistering.
Moreover, the findings point to the possibility that the mouth plays a role in transmitting SARS-CoV-2 to the lungs or digestive system via saliva laden with virus from infected oral cells. A better understanding of the mouth’s involvement could inform strategies to reduce viral transmission within and outside the body. The team was led by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
“Due to NIH’s all-hands-on-deck response to the pandemic, researchers at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Researcher were able to quickly pivot and apply their expertise in oral biology and medicine to answering key questions about COVID-19,” said NIDCR Director Rena D’Souza, D.D.S, M.S., Ph.D. “The power of this approach is exemplified by the efforts of this scientific team who identified a likely role for the mouth in SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission, a finding that adds to the knowledge critical for combatting this disease.”
The study, published online March 25, 2021, in Nature Medicine, was led by Blake M. Warner, D.D.S, Ph.D., M.P.H., assistant clinical investigator and chief of NIDCR’s Salivary Disorders Unit, and Kevin M. Byrd, D.D.S., Ph.D., at the time an assistant professor in the Adams School of Dentistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Byrd is now an Anthony R. Volpe Researcher Scholar at the American Dental Association Science and Research Institute. Ni Huang, Ph.D. of the Wellcome Sanger Institute in Cambridge U.K., and Paola Perez, Ph.D., of NIDCR, were co-first authors.
Researchers already know that the saliva of people with COVID-19 can contain high levels of SARS-CoV-2, and studies suggest that saliva testing is nearly as reliable as deep nasal swabbing for diagnosing COVID-19. What scientists don’t entirely know, however is where SARS-CoV-2 in the saliva comes from. In people with COVID-19 who have respiratory symptoms, virus in the saliva possibly comes in part from nasal drainage or sputum coughed up from the lungs. But according to Warner, that may not explain how the virus gets into the saliva of people who lack those respiratory symptoms.
“Based on our data from our laboratories, we suspected at least some of the virus in saliva could be coming from infected tissues in the mouth itself,” Warner said.
To explore this possibility, the researchers surveyed oral tissues from healthy people to identify mouth regions susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Vulnerable cells contain RNA instructions for making “entry proteins” that the virus needs to get into cells. RNA for two key entry proteins – known as the ACE2 receptor and the TMPRSS2 enzyme – was found in certain cells of the salivary glands and tissues lining the oral cavity. In a small portion of salivary gland and gingival (gum) cells, RNA for both ACE2 and TMPRSS2 was expressed in the same cells. This indicated increased vulnerability because the virus is thought to need both entry proteins to gain access to cells.
“The expression levels of the entry factors are similar to those in regions known to be susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection, such as the tissue lining the nasal passages of the upper airway,” Warner said.
Once the researchers had confirmed that parts of the mouth are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2, they looked for evidence of infection in oral tissues from people with COVID-19. In samples collected at NIH from COVID-19 patients who had died, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was present in just over half of the salivary glands examined. In salivary gland tissue from one of the people who died, as well as from a living person with acute COVID-19, the scientists detected specific sequences of viral RNA that indicated cells were actively making new copies of the virus – further bolstering the evidence for infection.
Once the team had found evidence of oral issue infection, they wondered whether those tissues could be a source of the virus in saliva. This appeared to be the case. In people with mild or asymptomatic COVID-19, cells shed from the mouth into saliva were found to contain SARS-CoV-2 RNA, as well as RNA for the entry proteins.
To determine if virus in saliva is infectious, the researchers exposed saliva from eight people with asymptomatic COVID-19 to healthy cells grown in a dish. Saliva from two of the volunteers led to infection of the healthy cells, raising the possibility that even people without symptoms might transmit infectious SARS-CoV-2 to others through saliva.
Finally, to explore the relationship between oral symptoms and virus in in saliva, the team collected saliva from a separate group of 35 NIH volunteers with mild or asymptomatic COVID-19. One of the 27 people experienced symptoms, those with virus in their saliva were more likely to report loss of taste and smell, suggesting that oral infection might underlie oral symptoms of COVID-19.
Taken together, the researchers said, the study’s findings suggest that the mouth, via infected oral cells, plays a bigger role in SARS-CoV-2 infection than previously thought.
“When infected saliva is swallowed or tiny particles of it are inhaled, we think it can potentially transmit SARS-CoV-2 further into our throats, our lungs, even our guts,” said Byrd.
More research is needed to confirm the findings in a large group of people and to determine the exact nature of the mouth’s involvement in SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission within and outside the body.
“By revealing a potentially underappreciated role for the oral cavity in SARS-CoV-2 infection, our study could open up new investigative avenues leading to a better understanding of the course of infection and disease. Such information could also inform interventions to combat the virus and alleviate oral symptoms of COVID-19,” Warner said.
This research was supported by the NIDCR Division of Intramural Research. Support also came from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK) grant DK034987 and the intramural programs of NIDDK, the National Cancer Institute, NIH Clinical Center, and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Additional support came from the American Academy of Periodontology/Sunstar Foundation, American Lung Association, and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
March 25: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted a News Release titled: “FDA Approves New indication for Drug to Treat Neurogenic Detrusor Overactivity in Pediatric Patients” From the News Release:
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new indication for Myrbetriq (mirabegron extended-release tablets) and Myrbetriq Granules (mirabegron for extended-release oral suspension), to treat neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO), a bladder dysfunction related to neurological impairment, in children ages three and older. Myrbetriq is also indicated overactive bladder in adult patients.
“Today’s action is a positive step for the treatment of NDO in young patients,” said Christine P. Nguyen, M.D., director, FDA’s Division of Urology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Office of Rare Diseases, Pediatrics, Urologic and Reproductive Medicine, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “Mirabergon, the active ingredient in Myrbetriq and Myrbetriq Granules, works by a different mechanism of action from the currently approved treatments, providing a new treatment option for these young patients. We remain committed to facilitating the development and approval of safe and effective therapies for pediatric NDO patients.”
NDO is a dysfunction of the bladder that results from congenital conditions (inherited conditions beginning or before birth), such as spina bifida, or other disease or injury in the nervous system, such as spinal cord injury. With NDO, there is overactivity of the bladder wall muscle, which normally relaxes to allow storage of urine. The bladder wall muscle overactivity in NDO results in sporadic bladder muscle contraction, which increases pressure in the bladder and decreases the volume of urine the bladder can hold. If NDO is not treated, increased pressure in the bladder can put the upper urinary tract at risk of harm, including possible permanent damage to the kidneys. In addition, spontaneous bladder muscle contractions can lead to unexpected and frequent leakage of urine with symptoms of urinary urgency (immediate need to urinate), frequency (urinating more often than normal) and incontinence (loss of bladder control).
The efficacy of Myrbetriq and Myrbetriq Granules for the pediatric NDO indication was established in a study of 86 patients ages 3 to 17 years old. Improvements occurred in patients’ maximum cystometric (bladder) capacity, number of detrusor (bladder wall muscle) contractions, volume of urine held until first detrusor (bladder wall muscle) contraction and number of daily urine leakage episodes after 24 weeks of treatment.
The most common side effects with Myrbetriq and Myrbetriq Granules with NDO were urinary tract infection, nasopharyngitis (common cold), constipation and headache. Myrbetriq and Myrbetriq Granules may increase blood pressure and may make blood pressure worse in patients with a history of high blood pressure. Myrbetriq and Myrbetriq Granules may cause angioedema, an allergic reaction with swelling of the lips, face, tongue, or throat. Patients should promptly discontinue Myrbetriq and Myrbetriq Granules and seek medical attention if angioedema associated with upper airway swelling occurs, as this may be life-threatening.
Myrbetriq and Myrbetriq Granules are two different products and they are not substitutable on a milligram-per-milligram basis. A recommended dosage for Myrbetriq Granules for adults has not yet been determined.
The FDA granted approval of Myrbetriq and Myrbetriq Granules to Astellas Pharma US, Inc.
March 25: National Institutes of Health (NIH) posted a News Release titled: “Engineered immune cells deliver anticancer signal, prevent cancer from spreading”. From the News Release:
In a study of mice, treatment with the engineered cells shrank tumors and prevented the cancer from spreading to other parts of the body.
Scientists have genetically engineered immune cells, called myeloid cells, to precisely deliver an anticancer signal to organs where cancer may spread. In a study of mice, treatment with the engineered cells shrank tumors and prevented the cancer from spreading to other parts of the body. The study, led by scientists at the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Center for Cancer Research, part of the National Institutes of health, was published March 24, 2021, in Cell.
“This is a novel approach to immunotherapy that appears to have promise as a potential treatment for metastatic cancer,” said the study’s leader, Rosandra Kaplan, M.D., of NCI’s Center for Care Research.
Metastatic cancer – cancer that has spread from its original location to other parts of the body – is notoriously difficult to treat. Dr. Kaplan’s team has been exploring another approach: Preventing cancer from spreading in the first place.
Before cancer spreads, it sends out signals that get distant sites ready for the cancer’s arrival – like calling ahead to have the pillows fluffed in your hotel room prior to arrival. These “primed and ready” sites, discovered by Dr. Kaplan in 2005, are called premetastatic niches.
In the new study, the premetatastic niche, the NCI team explored the behavior of immune cells in the premetatastic niche. Because Dr. Kaplan is a pediatric oncologist, the team mainly studied mice implanted with rhabdomyosarcoma, a type of cancer that developed in the muscles of children and often spreads to their lungs.
To study the premature niche, the researchers looked at the lungs of mice after tumors formed in the leg muscle but before the cancer was found in the lungs. The immune system’s natural ability to attack cancer was present but actively stifled in the lungs, the NCI scientists discovered. There were a few cancer-killing immune cells, but many cells that suppress the immune system.
Myeloid cells, in particular, were abundant in the premetastatic niche and continued to gather there as the cancer progressed. Myeloid cells are part of the body’s first response to infection, injury, and cancer. When they detect a threat, they normally make interleukin 12 (IL-12), a signal that alerts and activates other immune cells. But myeloid cells in the lung premetastatic niche instead sent out signals that told cancer-fighting immune cells to stand down, the researchers found.
Together, these features of the lung premetatastic niche allows cancer cells to thrive when they spread there, Dr. Kaplan explained.
The NCI team wondered if they could take advantage of myeloid cells to spur the immune system into action in the premetastatic niche by changing the message they deliver. So, they used genetic engineering to add an extra gene for IL-12 to myeloid cells from lab mice.
“We chose myeloid cells to deliver IL-12 based on their unique ability to home to tumors and metastatic sites,” Dr. Kaplan said. “With IL-12, we’re turning the volume up on a message that’s been quieted.”
In mice with rhabdomyosarcoma, these genetically engineered myeloid cells, nicknamed GEMys, produced IL-12 in the primary tumor and metastatic sites. As hoped, the GEMys recruited and activated cancer-killing immune cells in the premetatastic niche and lower the signals that suppress the immune system, the researchers found.
As a result, mice treated with GEMys had less metastatic cancer in the lungs, smaller tumors in the muscle, and they lived substantially longer than mice treated with nonengineered myeloid cells. The researchers found similar results when they studied mice with pancreatic tumors that spread to the liver.
The NCI team also found that, in combination with chemotherapy, surgery, or T-cell transfer therapy, the effects of the GEMy treatment improved. For example, giving mice a single dose of chemotherapy two days before the GEMy infusion cured mice with rhabdomyosarcaroma, meaning the treatment completely eliminated all traces of cancer for more than 100 days.
“I have never seen that kind of durable cure in my research before. Typically, cancer growth will slow down after treatment, but then it will come back with a vengeance.” Dr. Kaplan said.
The team also found evidence that the chemotherapy and GEMys might prevent cancer from coming back. When the researchers reintroduced cancer cells into mice that had been cured by the combination treatment, tumors didn’t form. This suggests that the combination treatment leaves a long-lasting “immune memory” of the cancer, the researchers explained.
Asa final step in their study, the researchers created GEMys from human cells grown in the lab. In lab dishes, the genetically engineered human cells produced IL-12 and activated cancer-killing immune cells.
The team plans to test the safety of human GEMys in a clinical trial of adults with cancer and, if it proves to be safe, in children and adolescents with cancer. There are many unanswered questions they hope to explore, including whether the homing pattern of GEMys is similar in humans and mice, and whether IL-12 from the GEMys will cause side effects in patients.
But the researchers are reassured by several factors. “We are delivering a small amount of IL-12 that’s similar to the body’s natural response to an infection, creating a ripple effect of immune activation against the cancer. In addition, GEMys don’t multiply rapidly inside the body, so they’re not flooding the system with IL-12,” explained Sabina Kaczanowska, Ph.D., first author of the study. These are important considerations because high levels of IL-12 throughout the body can be toxic.”
“Although there are challenges of planning a first-in-human trial of a cell therapy, I’m grateful to have access to the resources of the NIH Clinical Center and to be able to lean on the experience of my NCI colleagues who have had decades of experience developing cell therapies for cancer,” Dr. Kaplan added.
March 25: National Institutes of Health (NIH) posted a News Release titled: “Moderate daily caffeine intake during pregnancy may lead to smaller birth size”. From the News Release:
Pregnant women who consumed the caffeine equivalent of as little as half a cup of coffee a day on average had slightly smaller babies than pregnant women who did not consume caffeinated beverages, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of health. The researchers found corresponding reductions in size and lean body mass for infants whose mothers consumed below the 200 milligrams of caffeine per day – about two cups of coffee – believed to increase risks to the fetus. Smaller birth size can place infants at higher risk of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes later in life.
The researchers were led by Katherine L. Grantz M.D., M.S., of the Division of Intramural Population Health Research at NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. The study appears in JAMA Network Open.
“Until we learn more, our results suggest it might be prudent to limit or forego caffeine-containing beverages during pregnancy,” Dr. Grantz said. “It’s also a good idea for women to consult their physicians about caffeine consumption during pregnancy.”
Previous studies have linked high caffeine consumption (more than 200 milligrams of caffeine per day) during pregnancy to infants being small for their gestational age (stage of pregnancy) or at risk for intrauterine growth restriction – being in the lowest 10th percentile for infants of the same gestational age. However, studies on moderate daily caffeine consumption (200 milligrams or less) during pregnancy have produced mixed results. Some have found elevated risks for low birth weight and other poor birth outcomes, while others have found no such links. The current study authors noted that many of the earlier studies did not account for other factors that could influence infant birth size, such as variation in caffeine content of different beverages and maternal smoking during pregnancy.
For their study, the authors analyzed data on more than 2,000 racially and ethnically diverse women at 12 clinical sites who were enrolled from 8 to 13 weeks of pregnancy. The women were non-smokers and did not have any health problems before pregnancy. From weeks 10 to 13 of pregnancy, the women provided a blood sample that was later analyzed for caffeine and paraxanthine, a compound produced when caffeine is broken down in the body. The women also reported their daily consumption of caffeinated beverages (coffee, tea, soda and energy drinks) for the past week – once when they enrolled and periodically throughout their pregnancies.
Compared to infants born to women with no or minimal blood levels of caffeine, infants born to women who had the highest blood levels of caffeine at enrollment were an average of 84 grams lighter at birth (about 3 ounces), were .44 centimeters shorter (about 17 inches), and had head circumferences .28 centimeters smaller (about .11 inches).
Based on the women’s own estimates of the beverages they drank, women who consumed about 50 milligrams of caffeine a day (equivalent to a half cup of coffee) had infants 66 grams (about 2.3 ounces) lighter than infants born to non-caffeine consumers. Similarly, infants born to the caffeine consumers also had thigh circumferences .32 centimeters smaller (about .13 inches).
The researchers noted that caffeine is believed to cause blood vessels in the uterus and placenta to constrict, which could reduce the blood supply to the fetus and inhibit growth. Similarly, researchers believe caffeine could potentially disrupt fetal stress hormones, putting infants at risk for rapid weight game after birth and for later life obesity, heart disease and diabetes.
The authors concluded that their findings suggest that even moderate caffeine consumption may be associated with decreased growth of the fetus.
March 25: National Institutes of Health (NIH) posted a News Release titled: “DNA damage “hot spots” discovered within neurons”. From the News Release:
What
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have discovered specific regions within the DNA of neurons that accumulate a certain type of damage (called single-strand breaks or SSBs). This accumulation of SSBs appears to be unique to neurons, and it challenges what is generally understood about the cause of DNA damage and its potential implications in neurodegenerative diseases.
Because neurons require considerable amounts of oxygen to function properly, they are exposed to high levels of free radicals – toxic compounds that can damage DNA within cells. Normally, this damage occurs randomly. However, in this study, damage within neurons was often found within specific regions of DNA called “enhancers” that control the activity of nearby genes.
Fully mature cells like neurons do not need all of their genes to be active at any one time. One way that cells can control gene activity involves the presence or absence of a chemical tag called a methyl group on a specific building block of DNA. Closer inspection of the neurons revealed that a significant number of SSBs occurred when methyl groups on a specific building block of DNA. Closer inspection of the neurons revealed that a significant number of SSBs occurred when methyl groups were removed, which typically makes that gene available to be activated.
An explanation proposed by the researchers is that the removal of the methyl group from DNA itself creates an SSB, and neurons have multiple repair mechanisms at the read to repair that damage as soon as it occurs. This challenges the common wisdom that DNA damage is inherently a process to be prevented. Instead, at least in neurons, it is part of the normal process of switching genes on and off. Furthermore, it implies that defects in the repair process, not the DNA damage itself, can potentially lead to developmental or neurodegenerative diseases.
This study was made possible through the collaboration between two labs at the NIH: one run by Michael E. Ward, M.D., Ph.D. at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the other by Andre Nussenzweig, Ph.D. at the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Dr. Nussenzweig developed a method for mapping DNA errors within the genome. This highly sensitive technique requires a considerable number of cells in order to work effectively, and Dr. Ward’s lab provided the expertise in generating a large population of neurons using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from one human donor. Keith Caldecott, Ph.D. at the University of Sussex also provided his expertise in single strand break repair pathways.
The two labs are now looking more closely at the repair mechanisms involved in reversing neuronal SSBs and the potential connection to neuronal dysfunction and degeneration.
Who
Michael E. Ward, M.D, Ph.D., investigator, NINDS
Andre Nussenzweig, Ph.D., chief, Laboratory of Genomic Integrity, NCL
Article
Wu W. et al. Neuronal enhancers are hot spots for DNA single-strand break repair. March 25, 2021. Nature. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03468-5
March 26: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted a News Release titled: “FDA Approves First in the World Device to Treat Patients with Congenital Heart Disease” From the News Release:
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first in the world non-surgical heart valve to treat pediatric and adult patients with a native or surgically-repaired right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT), the part of the heart that carries blood out of the right ventricle to the lungs (blood leaking backward into the right lower chamber of the heart), a condition that often results from congenital heart disease. The device, called the Harmony Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve (TPV) System, is intended to improve blood flow to the lungs in patients with severe pulmonary valve regurgitation without open-heart surgery, which is the current standard of care. The use of the Harmony valve may delay the time before a patient needs additional open-heart surgery. It can also potentially reduce the total number of open-heart surgeries required over an individual’s lifetime.
“The Harmony TPV provides a new treatment option for adult and pediatric patients with certain types of congenital heart disease. It offers a less-invasive treatment alternative to open-heart surgery to patients with a leaky native or surgically-repaired RVOT and may help patients improve their quality of life and return to their normal activities more quickly, thus fulfilling an unmet clinical need of many patients with congenital heart disease,” said Bram Zuckerman, M.D., director of the Office of Cardiovascular Devices in the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health.
Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are conditions that are present at birth and can affect the structure of a baby’s heart and the way it works. They are the most common type of birth defect, affecting about 40,000 babies born each year. It is estimated that over two million infants, children, adolescents and adults are living with CHDs in the U.S. Patients with CHDs often require heart procedures early in life to help improve blood flow to the lungs. After having one of these procedures, the patient may or may not have a working pulmonary valve, which could lead to pulmonary regurgitation. Severe pulmonary valve regurgitation may be corrected through open-heart surgery to place a right ventricle-pulmonary artery conduit or an artificial valve.
During the implantation of a Harmony valve, a thin, hollow tube (catheter) with a collapsed Harmony valve on the end is inserted through a vein in the groin or in the neck and into the right side of the heart, and then into the RVOT where it is placed in position. The valve is then released from the catheter; it expands on its own, and anchors to the RVOT. Once the new valve is in place, it opens and closes like a door to force the blood to flow in the correct direction.
The FDA assessed the safety and effectiveness of the Harmony TPV device through a prospective, non-randomized, multi-center clinical study. During the study, physicians implanted the device in a total of 70 patients. All patients were scheduled for follow-up examinations at the start of the study, at implant procedure, discharge, and post implant at one month, six months, and annually through five years. The follow-up has been extended to 10 years as part of the post-approval study. The primary safety endpoint was no procedure – or device-related death within 30 days following the implant, which 100% of patients attained. The primary effectiveness endpoint was percentage of patients with no additional surgical or interventional procedures related to the device and acceptable heart blood flow function at six months. Among patients with evaluable echocardiography data, 89.2% of them achieved the primary effectiveness endpoint.
Adverse events observed during the clinical study included irregular or abnormal heart rhythms (23.9%, including 14.1% ventricular tachycardia), leakage around the valve (8.5%, including 1.4% major leakage), minor bleeding (7.0%), narrowing of the pulmonary valve (4.2%), and movement of the implant (4.2%).
The Harmony TPV device is contraindicated for patients with an infection in the heart or elsewhere; patients who cannot tolerate blood thinning medicines; or patients who have sensitivity to Nitinol (titanium or nickel).
The Harmony TPV device was granted Breakthrough Device Designation for the treatment of pediatric and adult patients with severe pulmonary valve regurgitation. Breakthrough Device Designation is a process designed to expedite the development and review of devices that may provide for more effective treatment or diagnosis of life-threatening or irreversibly debilitating diseases or conditions.
The device was also part of the U.S.-Japan Medical Device Harmonization by Doing Collaboration, which seeks to promote timely access to innovative devices in both the U.S. and Japan through greater collaboration and communication among regulatory, academic and industry stakeholders across all stages of product development, and by developing practical solutions to shared real-world challenges.
The Harmony TPV device was approved using the Premarket Approval (PMA) pathway. Premarket approval is the most stringent type of device marketing application required by the FDA and is based on determination by the FDA and the PMA application contains sufficient valid scientific evidence to provide reasonable assurance that the device is safe and effective for its intended use(s).
March 26: The White House posted Press Briefing titled: “Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials”. From the press briefing:
Mr. Zeints: Thank you for joining us. Today, we will get a state-of-the-art pandemic update from Dr. Walensky, and Dr. Fauci will highlight the latest science.
But first, I want to start with the next national vaccination goal the President announced yesterday: 200 million shots by his 100th day in office. That’s double the initial goal the President set in December of 100 million shots in the first 100 days.
With 200 million shots in the first 100 days, more than half of all Americans will have gotten at least one shot by April 29th. No one even contemplated reaching this goal a few months ago. But it is now possible, because of the aggressive actions we have all taken, to get more vaccine supply, more vaccinators in the field, and more places for people to get vaccinated.
Overall, we’ve made significant progress toward our ultimate goal: getting Americans vaccinated as quickly, as efficiently, and as equitably as possible.
As you can see on our weekly vaccination progress report, for the last two weeks, we are consistently vaccinating 2.5 million Americans per day. To hit our 200 million shot goal, we need to keep up this pace every day for the next five weeks. That is the equivalent of vaccinating a sellout crowd and Yankee Stadium 50 times a day or the entire population of Houston in just one day. That’s the scale of this effort each and every day.
Two hundred million shots in a hundred days – this is an unprecedented pace. No country has ever vaccinated this many people this fast. And this effort will coincide with us reaching into harder-to-reach communities across the country to keep up this pace and ensure and fairness. We are making progress.
As of today, 71 percent of individuals 65 and over have received at least one shot. That’s important because seniors sadly account for 80 percent of COVID deaths. Overall, more than 1 in 3 adults have had at least one dose, and more than 47 million adult Americans are now fully vaccinated. We will need to continue to build on this progress to meet our new goal of 200 million shots in the first 100 days.
And thanks to the resources of the American Rescue Plan, we have the resources to scale up activity, fully implement this strategy, and put the pandemic behind us.
I want to briefly outline how, in order to reach our new goal, we will continue to increase vaccine supply, vaccinators, and places to get vaccinated.
On vaccine supply, we’ve taken aggressive action to accelerate the production timelines of Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson, including using the Defense Production Act to expedite critical supplies, equipment, and materials, and brokering the historic partnership between Merck and Johnson & Johnson.
This week, a total of more than 27 million doses went to states, Tribes, and territories and through the federal channels. That’s more than three times the weekly supply that was being distributed when we took office – from 8.6 million doses to more than 27 million doses this week.
This significant increase in supply means by the end of May we will have enough vaccine for every adult in the U.S. To be clear, this is the direct result of all of our work with the vaccine manufacturers. It has produced results. They are setting and hitting targets. And we will continue to get all available vaccine supply out the door as soon as it’s available.
On vaccinators in the field, we’ve deployed over 6,500 federal personnel to serve as vaccinators and to support vaccinations, including calling on FEMA, retired doctors and nurses, and active-duty military to administer shots. And in the coming weeks, at the President’s direction, we will increase the 2,900 active-duty military men and women in the field to over 6,000 active-duty troops.
On places to get vaccinated, we’ve dramatically increased the number of convenient and trusted places for people to get a shot. Today, across the country, there are nearly 50,000 sites where Americans can go to get a shot. This number of sites continues to grow and includes 16,000 local pharmacies in the federal pharmacy program the we launched a few weeks ago. Millions of Americans can now get a shot in their local pharmacy the exact same way they can get their flu shot. We will increase the total number of participating pharmacies to more than 20,000.
There are 300 community health centers providing vaccines, which we will expand to 950 in the coming weeks. Importantly, over 65 percent of the shots administered at these community health centers have been to people of color.
In addition to pharmacies and community health centers, there are over 650 federally supported community vaccination sites across the country. And we’re also continuing to bring more federally run mass vaccination centers online, including three new sites we’re announcing today in Boston, Massachusetts; Norfolk, Virginia; and Newark, New Jersey. Together, these three new sites are capable of administering 15,000 doses a day.
And we’re meeting people where they are, from deploying more than 500 mobile clinics, to our new program to get vaccines directly to dialysis centers. Because of the progress we’re making, states are following the President’s call to open up eligibility to all adult Americans no later than May 1.
As you can see from this map, 46 states and the District of Columbia have already announced plans to open up eligibility no later than May 1. That’s the goal the President announced earlier this month. In navy blue, 14 states have already opened eligibility to all adults or will open eligibility in the next week. And in blue, in further good news, 12 additional states are opening up eligibility to all adults by April 15. So, in total, about half the states will have opened up eligibility to all adults by mid-April.
The President’s new goal of 200 million shots in his first 100 days is only possible because of the President’s whole-of-government national strategy and our partnership with state, territorial, tribal, and local officials; vaccine manufacturers; federal workers; and the not-for-profit and private sectors.
Before I hand it over to Dr. Walensky to talk about the state of the pandemic, let me close by saying there is a case for optimism, but there is not a case for relaxation. This is not the time to let down our guard. We need to follow the public health guidance, wear a mask, socially distance, and get a vaccine when it’s your turn.
Over to Dr. Walensky.
Dr. Walensky: Thank you, Jeff. It’s a pleasure to be back with you today. Since early in the pandemic, it’s been clear that COVID-19 has disproportionately affected certain groups in the United States, particularly Blacks, Latino, Native American communities, as well as in rural and low-income communities.
Not only have these communities seen disproportionate cases of COVID-19, but they have also often had higher rates of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease that have resulted in increased hospitalizations and deaths. Additionally, survey data indicate that these communities are facing higher rates of stress, anxiety, and other mental health challenges as they navigate the pandemic.
These communities have experienced longstanding disparities in access to care and services which have been further exacerbated during the pandemic. And I worry that these disparities will have health consequences that far outlast the infectious disease aspects of this pandemic.
We already know that life expectancy has dropped more significantly in Black and Latino Americans compared to white Americans. We can and must do more to address these inequities.
Yesterday, CDC announced several actions that will represent important steps in our agency-wide commitment to health equity. CDC will provide $3 billion from the CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan to 64 jurisdictions to support broad-based vaccine distribution, access, and administration efforts.
Importantly, this funding will continue our work to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines by those disproportionately affected by the virus. To achieve this goal, 75 percent of the funding must focus on specific programs and initiatives intended to increase vaccine access, acceptance, and uptake among racial and ethnic minority communities.
In addition, 60 percent of the funding must go to support local health departments, community-based organizations, and community health centers. Jurisdictions may use these new resources to provide funding to local health departments, faith-based and other community-based organizations to identify and train trusted messengers in communities to conduct door-to-door outreach, to raise awareness about COVID-19 vaccines, to help get individuals sign up for appointments, and to provide them transportation to vaccine appointments.
A food assistance and housing nonprofit in a rural high-poverty community could receive these funding to conduct vaccine outreach and education and to ensure its clients, including those with disabilities and limited mobility, of transportation to a FEMA-supported mass vaccination site.
Funding could also be used by local health departments to partner with local businesses to support vaccination clinics in local communities and at places of business frequented by communities that are medically vulnerable and underserved.
In addition, CDC announced a separate investment of $300 million that will train, deploy, and engage more community health workers to help communities and individuals hardest hit by the pandemic.
And I am proud that CDC is helping to lead the new effort in vaccinating patients receiving dialysis for chronic kidney disease across the country. Working with these dialysis clinics to vaccinate patients is a health equity imperative.
These actions are an important step to help spread – stop the spread of COVID-19 and to begin to address the longstanding inequities that prevent some communities from achieving optimal health. We are doing this person by person, one person at a time. And we are working to do it through trusted, supported members of your community within your community.
Finally, I want to give you a brief update on where we are in the pandemic. The most recent seven-day average is about 57,000 cases per day, which is an increase of 7 percent from the prior seven days. The most recent seven-day average of new hospitalizations, about 4,700 per day, represents also a slight increase from the prior seven-day period. The seven-day average of deaths continues to hover at 1,000 deaths per day.
I remain deeply concerned about this trajectory. We have seen cases and hospital admissions move from historic declines, to stagnations, to increases. And we know from prior surges that if we don’t control things now, there is a real potential for the epidemic to soar again. Please, take this moment very seriously.
We’re vaccinating at 2.5 million people a day and they are protected from COVID. If you haven’t been vaccinated, your turn is likely very soon. We can turn this around, but it will take all of us together. Please keep wearing your well-fitted mask and taking the public health actions now that we know we can reverse these concerning trends.
Thank you. I now will turn things over to Dr. Fauci.
Dr. Fauci: Thank you very much, Dr. Walensky. I’d like to spend the next few minutes introducing you to a new clinical trial that started yesterday that will ask a very – and answer a very important question related to what people who are vaccinated can and cannot do.
The trial – if I can have the first slide – will test if COVID-19 vaccine prevents infection as well as spread or transmission of SARS-CoV-1 among college students.
Next slide.
This is a question of extreme importance, because we know when people are vaccinated, that the endpoint of the trial showed that they were protected against clinically apparent disease. But the prevailing question is: When these people get infected, how often is that? If they’re asymptomatic, how much virus do they have in their nose and do they transmit it to people who are their close contacts? Again, this will help inform science-based decisions about mask use and about social distancing and post vaccination.
This is a randomized, open-label, controlled study, involving 12,000 college kids between 18 and 26 years of age at more than 26 – 20 universities shown in the slide of the map of the United States. They’d be followed over five months. And as I mentioned, the study started yesterday.
Next slide.
The students are going to be randomized into two groups: 6,000 will receive vaccine immediately and another 6,000 will be vaccinated with a delay of four months later. The delayed vaccination group will serve initially as a control cohort. Both of these groups are going to receive the FDA-authorized vaccine regimen of two 100-microgram doses of mRNA-1273, the Moderna product, administered 28 days apart.
Next slide.
The participants are going to complete questionnaires with an electronic diary app. They will swab their nose daily for SARS-Co infection and provide periodic blood samples.
Importantly, about 25,000 individuals will be identified by the participants in the main study as “close contacts.” They will provide samples. The degree of transmission from vaccinated individuals will be determined by the infection rate in close contacts.
So we hope that within the next five or so months we’ll be able to answer the very important question about whether vaccinated people get infected asymptomatically, and if they do, do they transmit the infection to others.
I’ll stop there. And back to you, Jeff.
Mr. Zeints: Well, thank you, Dr. Fauci, and thank you, Dr. Walensky. Let’s go ahead and open it up for a few questions.
MODERATOR: Great. And a reminder, one question per person. First up, we’ll go to Maureen Groppe at USA Today.
Q: Hi. Thanks for taking my question. You mentioned the number of states that are opening up vaccine eligibility to all adults, but some of those that are doing at the fastest – you know, this month and the first week of April – are lagging behind when it comes to vaccinating their residents, including seniors 65-plus. I’m wondering if that is a mistake – should they be focusing on that more first.
And I know you said one question, but if I – a colleague asked me to ask about Robert Redfield’s comments this morning that he believe that the coronavirus escape from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
Mr. Zeints: Let’s start with the second question. Over to you, Dr. Fauci.
Dr. Fauci: Okay, so when you think about the possibilities of how this virus appeared in the human population, obviously there are a number of theories. The issue that would have someone think it’s possible to have escaped from a lab would mean that it essentially entered the outside human population already well adapted to humans, suggesting that it was adapted in the lab.
However, the alternative explanation, which most public heath individuals go by, is that this virus was actually circulating in China, likely in Wuhan, for a month or more before they were clinically recognized at the end of December of 2019. If that were the case, the virus clearly could have adapted to a greater efficiency of transmissibility over that period of time up to and at the time it was recognized.
So, Dr. Redfield was mentioning that he was giving an opinion as to a possibility. But, again, there are other alternatives – others that most people hold by.
Dr. Walensky: And we are looking forward to a WHO report that should be coming out soon that examines the origin of this pandemic and of SARS-CoV-2 in humans, and we’ll look forward to reviewing that.
Mr. Zeints: So, to your first question, I think states across the country have done a good job of prioritizing the most vulnerable, and I think that being at 71 percent of individuals 65 years and older across the country having received at least their first shot is real progress. And about 45 percent of those seniors are fully vaccinated. But we have to keep prioritizing the most vulnerable populations. And if there are states that are lagging behind, we’re working with those states to ensure that they continue to prioritize the most vulnerable populations.
That said, with the increase in demand, we think it’s a good thing that states are opening up eligibility to all Americans no later than May 1.
Next question.
MODERATOR: Next we’ll go to Zeke Miller at the Associated Press.
Q: Thanks for doing the call. Jeff, this one might be for you. You mentioned that, over the last couple of weeks, the rate of vaccination has been stable at roughly two and a half million shots per day. Is your sense of that that is, sort of, the capacity of the existing system, or is it still a supply-constrained environment? And what is your projection for, you know, once you get these additional sites online, how many – how many doses can you administer? What is the maximum capacity of shots that can be injected per day once supply is no longer constrained?
Mr. Zeints: So, thanks, Zeke. First, I want to start with we’re doubling our original goal to – you know, it’s now to do 200 million shots in the first 100 days. Clearly unprecedented.
And then, furthermore, this next second – the second 100 million is going to be done in a faster period – a shorter period of time than the first 100 million. 2.5 million has been the consistent pace of the last couple of weeks, and it’s a record that we hope to build on.
I think, as we continue to increase the number of vaccinators in the field, the number of sites where Americans can get vaccinated – we announce three new additional federally run mass vaccination sites just today – and as states open up eligibility – you put that all together with the increased weekly supply, and I think it is possible that we can build off of the 2.5 million average that we’ve had for the last 14 days.
Next question.
MODERATOR: Josh Wingrove at Bloomberg.
Q: Hi, thank you so much for taking the time. Jeff, can you give us an update on supply? Do you think the vaccine manufacturers are going to hit their Q1 targets, or are you having hiccups there, or are things looking good?
And, Dr. Fauci or Dr. Walensky, I’m wondering also if you can give us an update on the variants, in particular how widely spread that B117 is in the U.S.? Thank you.
Mr. Zeints: All right. Let’s go in reverse order. Doctors Walensky, Fauci – do you want to talk about the variants?
Dr. Walensky: We continue to scale up our surveillance of the variants. B117 has now been detected in 51 jurisdictions, over 8,000 cases. We’re watching it very closely. It is, you know, a percent of those – of the variants is a little bit lagging behind our data because it takes a while to do the sequences and to sequence the variants and do that population-based analysis. But, yes, we’re worried about the increase.
Dr. Fauci: Yeah. The issue is the dynamics of the increase are telling us that it was going to continue to be a greater proportion. Because if you look from week to week, 117 becomes more of a percentage, and as the percentage goes up, that’s a reflection that it has the capability to become dominant.
Mr. Zeints: Josh, on your first question about the manufacturers and their quarterly targets, let me start with Moderna and Pfizer. As you know, we’ve done a lot to help accelerate their production. And they’ve maintained a steady cadence of production. And both Moderna and Pfizer appear to be on track to meet their first-quarter targets.
We’ve also been working closely with J&J. And we said right at the beginning that they started with an inventory of about 4 million doses, which we distributed immediately; that their first couple of weeks of March was likely to not have a lot of additional supply, which ended up being the case. The – as you know, early in the manufacturing process, they are ramping up.
We are expecting a significant number of doses, and we talked to the governors and our federal partners to expect a significant number of doses next week. They’ve told us they’ll deliver least 11 million, which would take them to 20 million doses.
So, we’ve done a lot to help J&J. We’re monitoring that very closely, and we anticipate a significant increase at the end of this month, which will enable them to hit at least 20 million doses.
Next question.
MODERATOR: Next we’ll go to Kaitlan Collins at CNN.
Q: Thanks very much for doing this. Two questions. One, Jeff, on those J&J numbers that you just announced, the 11 million, that’s a lot bigger than than what we were expecting. So could you explain how that number jumped so much, given it seemed to be in doubt just a few days ago that J&J would actually make that goal?
And then for Dr. Fauci, you were talking about the comments made by Dr. Redfield. Are you surprised by his comments? And is there any evidence within the CDC that this is a possibility? Or what is he basing this off of, do you believe?
Mr. Zeints: Why don’t you go first, Dr. Fauci?
Dr. Fauci: Yeah, Kaitlan, from what I gather from the press of what he said, he said that this is a possibility, and he’s entitled to his “opinion” now. That were his exact words. I think what he likely was expressing is that there certainly are possibilities, as I mentioned just a few moments ago, of how a virus adapt itself to a efficient spread among humans.
With regard to the information at the CDC, I’ll pass that back to Dr. Walensky.
Dr. Walensky: Thank you. I don’t have any indication for or against either of the hypotheses that Dr. Fauci just outlined.
Mr. Zeints: Good. Kaitlin, on your first question, as I said earlier, as we anticipated, there would be a sharp increase at the end of the month. You know, Johnson & Johnson is still in its earlier stages of manufacturing when you benchmark versus a Moderna or Pfizer, and will achieve across time a more regular cadence – a more regular weekly cadence.
The company said they’ll deliver the 20 million by the end of March. And from our conversations with the company, they appear on track to meet that goal with at least 11 million doses delivered next week.
I want to reiterate something that we’ve talked about before: As soon as those doses are made available to the U.S. government, we will, in turn, make them available for delivery to our state, local, and federal partners.
Next question.
MODERATOR: All right, we have time for one more question. We’ll go to Kristen Welker at NBC.
Q: Thank you so much for doing this call. Really appreciate it. Two more quick questions. Dr. Walensky, first one to you. You’ve repeatedly urged Americans to slow down on reopening – to hang on a little bit longer until more people get vaccinated. What are we seeing through, as we’ve discussed, is that more and more states are rolling back their mitigation efforts. I’m wondering if there’s any discussion about changing or targeting the messaging to focus on specific states, specific groups of people.
And then, just a quick follow-up to that – and this might be for you, Dr. Fauci: We’re hearing about breakthrough cases – people who are vaccinated but then getting sick. Minneapolis reporting there have been 89 reported breakthrough cases – not a lot when you consider 800,000 people have been vaccinated. But I just wonder what the takeaway is from that.
Dr. Walensky: So maybe I’ll just –
Dr. Fauci: Go ahead.
Dr. Walensky: Yeah, I was going to say, I’ll get started. This has been a long year, and I know people are tired. And they don’t want to hear that it’s going to take us a little while linger, but it’s going to take us a little while longer. Our advice is clear. We’re vaccinating really, really quickly. And we’re just asking people to hang on a little while longer in terms of the masks and the mitigation strategies so that we can get the majority of people vaccinated.
We’ve done a lot. We have a mask mandate at the federal land and buildings. We have it at the interstate level. We’re on weekly governors’ calls to encourage them to hold on for just a little while longer.
And what I would say is this is an individual choice. People can practice these mitigation strategies with r without their government supp- their government efforts.
So I would ask the American public: We have seen so much evidence now that our vaccination strategies are working ,that people who are getting vaccinated in the healthcare system and are – among our older communities are protected from disease. And so we just want to make sure that we don’t end up in a surge that truly is avoidable.
Dr. Fauci: With regard to the breakthrough cases of people who have been vaccinated and ultimately have gotten infection, obviously this is something we take seriously and follow closely.
You will see breakthrough infections in any vaccination when you’re vaccinating literally tens and tens and tens of millions of people. So, in some respects, that’s not surprising.
One of the important things that will be done and must be done is to sequence the genome of the virus that’s the breakthrough virus, because it would be very important to see if they broke through with the wild-type virus, which would indicate a diminution of immunity, or whether it broke through with one of the variants, which would be much more explainable if you don’t have enough cross-reactivity.
So all of that information will be collected and will be very informative to us about what the type and frequency of breakthrough that we’ll be seeing.
Mr. Zients: Let me just, in closing, reiterate what Dr. Walensky said, which is: We certainly understand that people are tired and everyone wants to return to some state more normal as quickly as possible, but we can’t let down our guard. And the President is doing everything he can with the mask mandate on federal land and buildings, the mask mandate on interstate travel.
Each time the President speaks about the virus, he reminds people that it’s a time, as I said earlier, for optimism but not for relaxation; that we just need to continue to push ourselves so that everyone does everything they can to stay vigilant, follow the public health measures, and get vaccinated as soon as it is your turn.
So, thank you for joining the briefing. We’ll be back on Monday. Thank you.
March 26: U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) posted a News Release titled: “Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: March 26, 2021” From the News Release:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced the following actions taken in its ongoing response effort to the COVID-19 pandemic:
On March 23, 2021, the FDA issued an emergency use authorization (EUA)to the Twist Bioscience Corporation for their SARS-CoV-2 NGS Assay. The SARS-CoV-2 NGS Assay is a next generation sequencing (NGS) based test for the identification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA from respiratory samples, such as nose or throat swabs and washes, from people who are suspected of having COVID-19. This is the second whole genome sequencing diagnostic test for the qualitative detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA authorized by the FDA. The test can be performed in laboratories certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments 1988 (CLIA) that meet the requirements to perform high-complexity testing.
In a March 24 Consumer Update, the FDA answers common questions about COVID-19 vaccines. The FDA is publicly sharing information about the evidence behind emergency use authorizations for COVID-19 vaccines so everyone can see it for themselves…
Testing updates:
As of today, 348 tests and sample collection devices are authorized by the FDA under emergency use authorizations (EUAs). These include 258 molecular tests and sample collection devices, 74 antibody and other immune response tests, and 16 antigen tests. There are 42 molecular authorizations that can be used with home-collected samples. There is one molecular prescription at-home test, two antigen prescription at-home tests, one over-the-counter (OTC) at-home antigen test, and one OTC molecular test.
March 26: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a press release titled: “CDC Supports Efforts to End Ebola Outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Guinea”. From the press release:
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is committed to bringing an end to the Ebola outbreaks that were announced in February of 2021 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Republic of Guinea (Guinea).
CDC is working closely with ministries of health and international and local partners in DRC, Guinea, and bordering countries to respond to these outbreaks.
Earlier this month CDC allocated $20 million from the infectious Disease Rapid Response Reserve Fund for preparedness and response activities in Ebola-affected and border countries to ensure continuation of these efforts.
“Even one case of Ebola is too many,” said CDC Ebola Response Incident Manager Joel Montgomery, PhD, CAPT USPHS. “These funds allow CDC and its partners to quickly put in place response, preparedness, and post-outbreak programs and activities, learn more about the virus, and protect the health of the American people and people around the world.”
CDC has deployed scientific and technical experts to DRC, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia to respond alongside CDC country office staff. CDC teams are providing on-the-ground and/or technical assistance to all parts of the responses, including epidemiology and surveillance, laboratory, infection prevention and control, case management, border health, risk communication and community engagement, vaccine, and survivor programs. In countries bordering affected areas, CDC is also working to strenghten rapid response capacity. The efforts are building upon capabilities that CDC helped establish during previous Ebola outbreaks in these countries.
In addition, CDC is financially supporting members of AFENET Corps of Disease Detectives who are working on the outbreak area in DRC, and also has contact staff in the city of Goma.
CDC will continue to work with the global health community to bring these outbreaks to an end and strengthen countries’ capacity to quickly detect and respond to future cases of Ebola.
March 26: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) posted News titled: “OCR Settles Eighteenth Investigation in HIPAA Right of Access Initiative”. From the News:
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announces its eighteenth settlement of an enforcement action in its HIPAA Right of Access Initiative. OCR announced this initiative to support individuals’ right to timely access of their health records at a reasonable cost under the HIPAA Privacy Rule.
Village Plastic Surgery (“VPS”) has agreed to take corrective actions and pay $30,000 to settle a potential violation of the HIPAA Privacy Rule’s right of access standard. VPS is located in New Jersey and provides cosmetic plastic surgery services.
In September 2019, a complaint was filed with OCR alleging that VPS failed to take timely action in response to a patient’s records access request made in August 2019. OCR initiated an investigation and determined that VPS’s failure to provide timely access to the requested medical records was a potential violation of the HIPAA right of access standard, which requires a covered entity to take action on an access request within 30 days (or within 60 days if an extension is applicable). As a result of OCR’s investigation, VPS sent the patient their requested records.
“OCR’s Right of Access Initiative continues to support and enforce individuals’ vital right to relieve copies of their medical records in a timely manner,” said Acting OCR Director Robinsue Frohboese. “Covered entities must comply with their HIPPA obligations and OCR will take appropriate remedial actions if they do not.”
In addition to the monetary settlement, VPS will undertake a corrective action plan that includes two years of monitoring. A copy of the resolution agreement and corrective action plan may be found at: https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/village-plastic-surgery-ra-cap.pdf – PDF.
People using assistive technology may not be able to fully access information in this file. For assistance, contact the HHS Office for Civil Rights at (800) 368-1019, TDD toll-free: (800) 537-7697, or by emailing OCRMail@hhs.gov.
March 26: U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted a News Release titled: “FDA Authorizes Marketing of Device to Improve Gait in Multiple Sclerosis Patients”. From the News Release:
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized marketing of a new device indicated for use as a short-term treatment of gait deficit due to mild to moderate symptoms from multiple sclerosis (MS). The device is intended to be used by prescription only as an adjunct to a supervised therapeutic exercise program in patients 22 years of age and older. The device, called Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator (PoNS), is a neuromuscular tongue stimulator that consists of a non-implantable apparatus to generate electrical pulses for stimulation of the trigeminal and facial nerves via the tongue to provide treatment of motor defects.
“MS is one of the most common neurological diseases in young adults. Today’s authorization offers a valuable new aid in physical therapy and increases the value of additional therapies for those who live with MS on a daily basis,” said Christopher M. Loftus. M.D., acting director of the Office of Neurological and Physical Medicine Devices in the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health.
MS is a chronic, inflammatory, autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that disrupts communication between the brain and other parts of the body. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, most people experience their first symptoms of MS between the ages of 20 and 40 and the disease occurs more frequently in women than men. MS is a disease that affects people differently as it causes a variety of symptoms – such as problems with walking and balance – that can interfere with daily activities but can usually be treated or managed. The most common walking problem is unsteady, uncoordinated movements (known as ataxia) due to damage to the areas of the brain the coordinate muscle balance. People with severe ataxia generally benefit from the use of a cain, walker, or other assistive device. Physical therapy can also reduce walking problems.
The PoNS device is a portable, non-implantable device which delivers mild neuromuscular electrical stimulation to the dorsal surface of the patient’s tongue. It consists of a controller and a mouthpiece that are connected to each other by a cord. The mouthpiece is held lightly in place by the lips and the teeth and the control unit is work around the neck during a patient’s visit with a therapist. The controller sends signals to the mouthpiece placed on the tongue; receptors on the tongue send millions of neural impulses to the brain through natural pathways. Additionally, the therapist can connect the control unit to a computer and view usage data via software developed specifically for the PoNS device. The usage data gives the therapist information on how to improve a patient’s execution of therapy by identifying potential areas of missed or shortened sessions.
The FDA assessed the safety and effectiveness of the PoNS device through two clinical studies and a retrospective analysis of real-world data (RWD). In the first study, 20 patients with gait defects due to MS participated in a randomized, double blind controlled trial where 10 patients used the PoNS device and the remaining patients used a sham control device that did not deliver stimulation. The primary outcome measure was the Dynamic Gait Index (DGI) where the clinician scored an index of eight gait tasks. The DGI was assessed for a baseline, at two weeks, six weeks, 10 weeks, and 14 weeks. The results showed that the PoNS group on average achieved improvement in their DGI score of 7.95 at the end of the study, which was statistically significant and clinically significant, while the control group did not.
In the second study, the clinicians investigated the effects of the PoNS device with cognitive rehab and physical rehab in 14 patients with MS, who did not know whether they had the PoNS device or the sham control device, in a randomized controlled trial where seven patients used the PoNS device and the other seven used a sham device. Baseline evaluations included sensory organization tasks (SOT) and DGI scores. The PoNS device group showed a statistically significant improvement in SOT scores at 14 weeks compared to the baseline value. Analysis of DGI scores after 14 weeks showed no significant result.
The sponsor also provided a retrospective analysis of RWD collected with the PoNS device in MS patients in clinical rehabilitation settings. Patients who agreed to treatment were given 1-hr consultation, provided consent, and given baseline assessments of gait function using Functional Gait Assessment. No serious safety adverse events were reported in the clinical studies or retrospective analysis of RWD.
The PoNS device should not be used by patients with penetrating brain injuries, neurodegenerative diseases, oral health problems, chronic infectious diseases, unmanaged hypertension or diabetes, pacemakers and/or a history of seizures. Because the PoNS device delivers electrical stimulation directly to the surface of the tongue, precautions for use are similar to those for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. Electrical stimulation should not be used if there is an active or suspected malignant tumor; in areas of recent bleeding or open wounds; or in areas that lack normal sensation. The PoNS device has not been tested on, and thus should not be used by, individuals under the age of 22 or who are pregnant. The PoNS device should not be used a patient is sensitive to nickel, gold or copper.
Patients should use the PonS device with caution, and electrical stimulation should only be used after seeking professional medical advice. For a full list of warnings and precautions to consider if using the PoNS device, please consult the device labeling.
The PoNS device was granted Breakthrough Device designation, which is a process designed to expedite the development and review of devices that may provide for more effective treatment or diagnosis of life-threatening or irreversibly debilitating diseases or conditions.
The FDA reviewed the PoNS device through the De Novo premarket review pathway, a regulatory pathway for low-to-moderate risk devices of a new type. Along with this type of authorization, the FDA is establishing special controls for devices of this type, including requirements related to labeling and performance testing. When met, the special controls, along with general controls, provide reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness for devices of this type. This action creates a new regulatory classification, which means that subsequent devices of the same type with the same intended use may go through the FDA’s 510(k) premarket process, whereby devices can obtain clearance by demonstrating substantial equivalence to a predicate device.
The FDA granted marketing authorization of the Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator to Helius Medical, Inc.
March 27: The White House posted: “Bill Signing: H.R. 1651”. From the post:
On Saturday, March 27, 2021, the President signed into law:
H.R. 1651, COVID-19 Bankruptcy Relief Extension Act of 2021.
March 27: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted a News Release titled: “FDA Approves First Cell-Based Gene Therapy for Adult Patients with Multiple Myeloma”. From the News Release:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Abecma (idecabtagene vicleucel), a cell-based gene therapy to treat adult patients with multiple myeloma who have not responded to, or whose disease has returned after, at least four prior lines (different types) of therapy. Abecma is the first cell-based gene therapy approved by the FDA for the treatment of multiple myeloma.
“The FDA remains committed to advancing novel treatment options for areas of unmet patient need,” said Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. “While there is no cure for multiple myeloma, the long-term outlook can vary based on the individual’s age and the stage of their condition at the time of diagnosis. Today’s approval provides a new treatment option for patients who have this uncommon type of cancer.”
Multiple myeloma is an uncommon type of blood cancer in which abnormal plasma cells build up in the bone marrow and form tumors in many bones of the body. This disease keeps the bone marrow from making enough healthy blood cells, which can result in low blood counts. Myeloma can also damage the bones and the kidneys and weaken the immune system. The exact cause of multiple myeloma is unknown. According to the National Cancer Institute, myeloma accounted for approximately 1.8% (32,000) of all new cancer cases in the United States in 2000.
Abecma is a B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-directed genetically modified autologous chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy. Each dose of Abecma is a customized treatment created be using a patient’s own T-cells, which are a type of white blood cell, to help fight the myeloma. The patient’s own T-cells are collected and genetically modified to include a new gene that facilitates targeting and killing myeloma cells. Once the cells are modified, they are infused back into the patient.
The safety and efficacy of Abecema were established in a multi center study of 127 patients with relapsed myeloma (myeloma that returns after completion of treatment) and refractory myeloma (myeloma that does not respond to treatment), who received at least three prior antimyeloma lines of therapy. Overall, 72% of patients partially or completely responded to the treatment. Of those studied, 28% of patients showed complete response – or disappearance of all signs of multiple myeloma – to Abecma, and 65% of this group remained in complete response to the treatment for at least 12 months.
Treatment with Abecma has the potential to cause severe side effects. The label carries a boxed warning for, cytokine release syndrome (CRS), hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis / macrophage activation syndrome (HLH/MAS), neurologic toxicity, and prolonged cytopenia, all of which can be fatal or life-threatening. CRS and HLH/MAS are systemic responses to the activation and proliferation of CAR-T cells causing high fever and flu-like symptoms, and prolonged cytopenia is a drop in the number of a certain blood cell type for an extended period of time. The most common side effects of Abecma include CRS, infections, fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, and a weakened immune system. Side effects from treatment usually appear within the first one to two weeks after treatment, but some side effects may occur later. Patients with multiple myeloma should consult with their health care professionals to determine whether Abecma is an appropriate treatment for them.
Because of the risk of CRS and neurologic toxicities, Abecma is being approved with a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy which includes elements to ensure safe use. The FDA is requiring that hospitals and their associated clinics that dispense Abecma be specially certified and staff involved in the prescribing, dispensing or administrating of Abecma are trained to recognize and manage CRS and nervous system toxicities and other side effects of Abecma. Also, patients must be informed of the potential serious side effects and of the importance of promptly returning to the treatment site if side effects develop after receiving Abecma.
To further evaluate the long-term safety, the FDA is also requiring the manufacturer to conduct a post-marketing observational study involving patients treated with Abecma.
Abecma was granted Orphan Drug and Breakthrough Therapy designations by the FDA. Orphan Drug designation provides incentives to assist and encourage the development of drugs for rare diseases. Breakthrough Therapy designation is a process designed to expedite the development of review of drugs that are intended to treat a serious condition and preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the drug may demonstrate substantial improvement over available therapy on a clinically significant endpoint(s). Breakthrough Therapy designation was granted based on sustained responses observed in patients with relapsed and refractory myeloma.
Drugs approved under expedited programs, such as Breakthrough Therapy designation, are held to the same approval standards as all other FDA approvals.
The FDA granted approval of Abecma to Celgene Corporation, a Bristol Meyers Squibb company.
March 29: The White House posted a FACT SHEET titled: “The Biden-Harris Administration’s Multi-Agency Effort to Support Renters and Landlords”. From the FACT SHEET:
Today’s action by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to extend the federal eviction moratorium represents the latest effort to provide relief to renters and landlords.
Following today’s announcement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of a 90-day extension of the federal eviction moratorium, the Biden Harris Administration is continuing its efforts to support tenants and landlords during the COVID-19 pandemic. Federal agencies including the Treasury Department, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are coordinating efforts to get tenants and landlords the assistance they need during the public health crisis.
President Biden entered office facing twin crises of historic proportions: a global pandemic and an economic downturn that left 10 million people out of work and one in five renters behind on rent. On January 29th, just days after President Biden entered office, the CDC extended the existing moratorium through the end of March, recognizing the historic threat to our nation’s health. Alongside the extension, the Administration continued to seek relief for struggling Americans. $25 billion had been allocated to rental assistance under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, and the Biden-Harris Administration worked quickly to streamline and simplify rules to access funding. The American Rescue Plan, signed into law by President Biden, will deliver an additional $21.5 billion in emergency rental assistance to help millions of families keep up on rent and remain in their homes.
President Biden remains committed to implementing a whole-of-government approach to addressing the nation’s housing challenges. The White House American Rescue Plan Coordinator is working across agencies and with White House offices to implement the American Rescue Plan’s housing provisions. And, Treasure, HUD, USDA, CFPB and the FTC are upholding that commitment through the following actions to maximize the impact of the extension and additional funding in the American Rescue Plan:
Treasury
The Treasury Department is in the process of delivering $1,400 Economic Impact Payments (EIP) to approximately 85% of American households, including those who may be behind on rent or at threat of eviction. More than 100 million EIPs have already been delivered.
The Treasury Department continues to administer the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) to assist households that are unable to pay rent and utilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to the passage of the ARP, an additional $21.5 billion is available, almost doubling in size the same and reach of this program and providing greater relief to our most vulnerable households.
Rental assistance is being distributed by the Treasury Department to state and local grantees. Renters and landlords seeking access to rental assistance should apply directly to the local program in their area. More information on the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, including eligibility requirements, can be found here.
The Treasury Department recently updated guidance on the ERAP, providing grantees greater flexibility in determining renter eligibility.
The Treasury Department is administering funding to cover costs borne by state and local governments that have stepped in during the crisis to provide housing assistance and relief to Americans across the country. These critical measures taken to blunt the impacts of the economic fallout from the pandemic will no longer be a strain on the balance sheets of American municipalities.
HUD
HUD will reach out to HUD grantees, including tens of thousands of local governments and housing providers, and other program participants to communicate about the eviction moratorium extension and will offer guidance and support where needed.
HUD will continue to coordinate across federal agencies to efficiently implement emergency rental assistance programs that prevent evictions and ensure financial stability of renters and rental properties (including programs from HUD, Treasury, and HHS’s Administration for Children and Families).
HUD will continue to support CDC in developing strategies for monitoring and evaluating the impacts of the eviction moratorium.
HUD will continue its responsibilities in upholding the Fair Housing Act and will monitor and address circumstances where landlords are evicting tenants because of race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), disability, familial status, or national origin. If tenants feel like they have experienced discriminatory treatment, they can contact HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at (800) 699-0777 (voice) or (800) 877-8339 (Relay). Tenants can also file discrimination complaints online at hud.gov/fairhousing.
USDA
USDA will send a notice to 7,000 property owners in its multifamily portfolio to inform then of their obligations under the extended CDC Eviction Moratorium. USDA will also require property owners to post the extension at their properties along with a template of the original moratorium letters. These actions follow USDA’s outreach to 400,000 tenants to share information on the projections provided under the CDC Eviction Moratorium as well as information on how to access the U.S. Treasury’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP).
CFPB
Tenants can learn about their eviction and debt collection rights and how to get help with housing costs at www.consumerfinance.gov/renters.
The CFPB is taking complaints from tenants about problems with debt collectors, including attorneys seeking to evict tenants in violation of the CDC eviction moratorium. Consumers can submit a complaint at www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/ or by calling (855) 411-2372
The CFPB will monitor and investigate eviction practices to ensure that companies are complying with the law. Evicting tenants in violation of the CDC, state, or local moratoria, or threatening to evict them without apprising them of their legal rights under such moratoria, may violate the law.
FTC
The FTC will be monitoring and investigating eviction practices to ensure that companies are complying with the law. Evicting tenants in violation of the CDC, state, or local moratoria, or threatening to evict them without apprising them of their legal rights under such moratoria, may violate the law.
March 29: National Institutes of Health (NIH) posted a News Release titled: “Younger use of first cannabis use or prescription drug misuse is associated with faster development of substance use disorders”. From the News Release:
A new study shows that in the time after first tryin cannabis or first misusing prescription drugs, the percentages of young people who develop the corresponding substance use disorder are higher among adolescents (ages 12-17) than young adults (ages 18-25). In addition, 30% of young adults develop a heroin use disorder and 25% develop a methamphetamine use disorder a year after first using heroin or methamphetamine. These findings, published in JAMA Pediatrics, emphasize the vulnerability of young people to developing substance use disorders.
The study was led by researchers at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health.
“We know that young people are more vulnerable to developing substance use disorders, but knowledge is limited on how the prevalence of specific substance use disorders varies by time since first substance use or misuse among adolescents and young adults in the United States,” said Dr. Nora Volkow, M.D., NIDA Director and a lead author of the analysis. “Though not everyone who uses a drug will develop addiction, adolescents may develop addiction to substances faster than young adults. This study provides further evidence that delaying substance exposure until the brain is more fully developed may lower risk for developing a substance use disorder.”
The researchers examined the proportion, or prevalence, of adolescents (ages 12-17) and young adults (ages 18-25) who had a substance use disorder in the past year (i.e., past-year substance use disorder) at various intervals since the first time they used or misused one of nine different drugs: tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and prescription drugs (opioids, stimulants, and tranquilizers used non-medically). The researchers evaluated past-year substance use disorders at four timepoints since first drug use: fewer than or equal to 12 months, more than 12 through 24 months, more than 24 through 36 months, and more than 36 months.
The researchers found that the prevalence of past-year cannabis use disorder was higher for adolescents than young adults at all examined time frames since the first use of the drug. For example, within 12 months since first cannabis use, 10.7% of adolescents had cannabis use disorder versus 6.4% of young adults.
Similarly, for the non-medical use of prescription drugs (opioids, stimulants, and tranquilizers), the researchers, found a greater prevalence of pasty-year substance use disorders among adolescents than young adults at all examined time frames since first use. For example, within 12 months since first misuse of prescription drugs:
11.2% of adolescents had prescription opioid use disorder verses 6.9% of young adults.13.9% of adolescents had prescription stimulant use disorder versus 3.9% of young adults.11.2% of adolescents had prescription tranquilizer use disorder versus 4.7% of young adults.
For alcohol and tobacco, adolescents and young adults had similar prevalence of past-year substance use disorders within 12 months of initiation, but that prevalence was higher for young adults in the subsequent time periods examined.
Estimates of cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin use among adolescents and young adults had similar prevalence in past-year substance use disorders within 12 months of initiation, but that prevalence was higher for young adults in the subsequent time periods examined.
Estimates of cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin use among adolescents were too small to report. However, approximately one-third of young adults developed a heroin use disorder (30.9%) and one-quarter of young adults developed a methamphetamine use disorder (24.8%) within one year after trying that drug for the first time.
The data excluded individuals who were incarcerated and individuals experiencing homelessness who are not living in shelters, possibly underestimating the prevalence of substance use disorders across the findings, authors noted.
“Research has shown that brain development continues into a person’s 20s, and that age of drug initiation is a very important risk factor for developing addiction,” said Emily B. Einstein, Ph.D., chief of NIDA’s Science Policy Branch and a co-author of the study. “This underscores the importance of drug use by prevention and screening for substance use or misuse among adolescents and young adults. Offering timely treatment and support to young people who need it must be a public health priority.”
March 29: The White House posted “Approaching Policy with Equity in Mind”, by Kalisha Dessources Figures and Catherine E. Lhamon. From the post:
The converging crises our nation faces today have exposed and exacerbated inequities that have long been with us. As we work to overcome those crises and build back better, we have an opportunity to advance equity and opportunity for all. That change must be driven by policies that weave together racial justice, gender equity, and other dimensions of equity to ensure that they lift up every single community and leave no one behind.
Together, the White House Gender Policy Council and the Domestic Policy Council work every day to implement the comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all that President Biden and Vice President Harris have prioritized since day one. From health, to economic security, to education and safety – equity is essential to building a stronger country for us all.
Equity is essential to health outcomes and health care.
As one example, our country is facing a maternal health crisis – and Black and Indigenous women and their families are bearing the brunt. Recent data show that Black women are 2.5 times more likely, and Indigenous women are 2.3 times more likely, to die from pregnancy complications than non-Hispanic white women. The Centers for Disease Control reports that two out of three women of color continue to face disproportionate barriers to accessing health care; they are more likely to lose coverage during a pregnancy, and less likely to have access to mental health screenings, treatment, and support before, during, and after pregnancy.
Equity is essential to economic security for women and families.
We know, for example, that reliable access to child care is critical to helping parents secure and maintain good jobs and build economic stability. But even before the pandemic, more than three in five Hispanic families lived in child care deserts, with limited to no access to licensed child care. Part of the reason for this is that our nation has failed to adequately invest in and value our care infrastructure – the under-compensated caregivers and early childhood educators who bring greater security and peace of mind to so many families – who themselves are disproportionately Latina women and other women of color. Latina women on average earn 55 cents for every dollar that non-Hispanic white men earn. This totals tens of thousands of dollars in diminished earnings in a year, and more than a million dollars over the course of a lifetime.
Equity is essential to the safety of women and girls.
Across communities, Black, Indigenous and other women and girls of color face high rates of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, harassment and stalking, whether at home, at work, or in the community. Asian American women suffer twice as many incidents of harassment and violence as Asian American men, exemplifying how racism, sexism, and gender-based violence converge to inflict harm. Native American women are subjected to sexual violence and domestic violence at rates higher than any other population in the United States, and the vast majority report being victimized by a non-native individual. Equity also requires supporting the work of culturally specific community-based organizations to ensure different pathways to safety and more holistic approaches to prevention and healing for survivors from historically marginalized communities.
In addition, to approaching policy with both racial and gender equity in mind, considering other factors that create barriers for safety and well-being is important, too. While Black girls are suspended from school at higher rates than girls of any other race or ethnicity, LGBTQ+ students, especially this who are transgender or who have disabilities, are also more likely than their non-LGBTQ+ peers to receive detention, suspensions, and expulsions from school, often as a result of discrimination and harassment. And harmful school discipline policies are further compounded for LGBTQ+ students of color and with disabilities.
For all of these reasons, we need to infuse our laws, norms, and policies with a strong focus on equity – and that’s exactly what the Biden-Harris Administration is doing. We’re more than ready for the urgency of this work; here are some of the steps this Administration has already taken:
1 The President’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan will not only be instrumental to vaccinating American, safely reopening our schools, and delivering economic relief checks into the pockets of 85 percent of the American people – it is also projected to dramatically reduce poverty and racial and gender wealth gaps. It contains the largest investment in child care since World War II, which will especially benefit the women of color disproportionately employed in our caregiving workforce. It makes the largest single federal investment in history for Native programs.
It also provides crucial support to small businesses in industries that have been hit the hardest by COVID-19, many of which are concentrated among entrepreneurs of color. Its creation of a new public health job corps will mobilize 100,000 community health workers to provide culturally competent care, maximizing better health outcomes across America, and specifically, benefiting communities of color and women and girls. All told, it is projected to cut poverty in the Hispanic community by 43 percent, and in AAPI communities by 23 percent – and will cut child poverty in half.
2 President Biden’s Executive Order directing federal agencies to fully implement all federal laws that prevent discrimination on the basis of sex, to include sexual orientation and gender identity, is one of the most consequential policy actions for LGBTQ+ Americans ever signed by a U.S. President. This is a critical step in protecting so many Black, Indigenous, and women and girls of color, including Black transgender women and girls, for example, who face unconscionably high levels of workplace discrimination, homelessness, and often deadly episodes of violence.
3 In addition to these early and transformative actions, our teams have set up the infrastructure to ensure that whole-of-government approaches to equity are deeply integrated throughout the federal government approaches to equity are deeply integrated throughout the federal government – keeping in mind the specific barriers that Black, Indigenous, and other women and girls of color face every step of the way. We and our colleagues across the federal government have rolled up our sleeves – and will keep them rolled up – to eradicate hate, ensure equitable federal procurement, provide data to the public, promulgate regulations that promote fairness, and generally ensure that equity guides all our work and results in equitable outcomes for the American people.
This Administration is committed to ensuring that we all – regardless of race, gender, or any other factor – have access to equal opportunity and equitable outcomes. Our joint work, laser-focused on equity, will move us closer to that goal.
March 29: National Institutes of Health (NIH) posted a News Release titled: NIH to enhance tribal engagement efforts for precision medicine research”. From the News Release:
Tribal leaders inform All of Us Research Program’s next steps to include tribal communities.
The National Institutes of Health will expand and strengthen commitments to respectively engage American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people and support their inclusion in the All of Us Research Program, a landmark health research effort that aims to find more precise ways to prevent and treat disease. In response to tribal leader input gathered from a nearly two-year consultation process, All of Us will initiate specialized education efforts for researchers, take steps to ensure the perspectives and needs of AI/AN communities are integrated into the program, and support ongoing engagement activities with Tribal Nations to pave the way for expanded collaborations in the future.
“We have a real opportunity to help address underrepresentation in research and uncover factors that contribute to health disparities,” said All of Us Chief Operations Officer, Stephanie Devaney, Ph.D. “But we must go about things in the right way, in partnership with communities. For us, engaging in Tribal Consultation is a critical element in fostering the ongoing dialogue needed to achieve those goals.”
All of Us seeks to build one of the largest and most diverse biomedical resources in history, with 1 million participants nationwide. The program has a special focus on engaging communities that have been left out of past research, such as American Indians and Alaska Natives, to close information gaps and help increase health equity.
In its consultation report, All of Us leaders reaffirmed a set of baseline commitments to Tribal Nations, including rules to never recruit on tribal lands or disclose participants’ tribal affiliations without a tribe’s agreement. Further, the program committed to continue holding back the data and samples of self-identified AI/AN participants from researchers for an additional six months; that allows time for participants to learn more about the Tribal Consultation, speak with their tribal leaders, and decide whether to remain or withdraw – before any AI/AN information is ever shared for research.
The program also highlighted plans to create a training for researchers on the responsible use of AI/AN data, and to explore hosting workshops with AI/AN researchers and community members to learn more about tribal communities’ research priorities. These steps add to the work the program has already done to expand representation of tribal members within its governance.
There are 574 federal recognized tribes within the United States, each with their own governments and laws. The formal Tribal Consultation process supports engagement with Tribal Nations on a government-to-government basis, respecting tribal sovereignty.
The All of Us consultation was one of the most extensive Tribal Consultations that NIH has held to date, encompassing multiple events across the country, a formal request for information, and comment periods for tribal leaders to weigh in on draft proposals. The consultation was scaled to match All of Us’s national scope, but also reflects a growing momentum across the agency to expand tribal engagement efforts generally.
In some cases, All of Us did not incorporate recommendations from tribal leaders. For example, some tribal leaders recommended that the data program give self-identified AI/AN participants the opportunity to opt in or out of each study involving AI/AN. However, the program determined that individual study consent would not be compatible with the program’s “data passport” model, which is specifically designed to encourage broad exploration of the dataset by approved researchers and enable thousands of studies across different health topics. All of Us explains its approach to broad data use in the consent process to prospective participants understand this element of the program before signing up. The program now has added more details on its website so that current and potential AI/AN participants know about their tribal leaders’ perspectives, too.
“We know that tribal leaders have many different views about participation in research, and that’s why we’re committed to a robust consent process and encouraging all members of tribal communities to speak with tribal leaders,” said Michael Hahn, All of Us’s tribal engagement lead. “We hope this consultation is a signal to tribal leaders that we’re listening. These initial discussions were an important step forward on our way to future engagement efforts, as we seek to continue building relationships with Tribal Nations. We’re committed to working together to make All of Us an inclusive program that benefits AI/AN participants and their communities.”
To read the report and learn more, visit http://www.allofus.nih/tribalengagement
March 29: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a press release titled: “CDC Real-World Study Confirms Protective Benefits of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines”. From the press release:
Study involved health care personnel, first responders, and essential workers in six states.
A new CDC study provides strong evidence that mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infections in real-world conditions among health care personnel, first responders, and other essential workers. These groups are more likely than the general population to be exposed to the virus because of their occupations.
The study looked at the effectiveness of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna mRNA vaccines in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infections among 3,950 study participants in six states over a 13-week period from December 14, 2020 to March 13, 2021.
Results showed that following the second dose of vaccine (the recommended number of doses), risk of infection was reduced by 90 percent two or more weeks after vaccination. Following a single dose of either vaccine, the participants’ risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2 was reduced by 80 percent two or more weeks after vaccination.
It takes about two weeks following each dose of vaccine for the body to produce antibodies that protect against infection. As a result, people are considered “partially vaccinated” two weeks after their first dose of mRNA vaccine and “fully vaccinated” two weeks after the second dose. These new vaccine effectiveness findings are consistent with those from Phase 3 clinical trials conducted with the vaccines before they received Emergency Use Authorizations from the Food and Drug Administration. Those clinical trials evaluated vaccine efficacy against COVID-19 disease, while this study evaluated vaccine effectiveness against infection, including infections that did not result in symptoms.
“This study shows that our national vaccination efforts are working. The authorized mRNA COVID-19 vaccines provided early, substantive real-world protection against infection for our nation’s health care personnel, first responders, and other frontline essential workers,” said CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH. “These findings should offer hope to those who will have the opportunity to roll up their sleeves and get vaccinated in the weeks ahead. The authorized vaccines are the key tool that will help bring an end to this devastating pandemic.”
One of this study’s strenghts is its design: participants self-collected nasal swabs each week for RT-PCR laboratory testing, regardless of whether they had developed symptoms of illness. Researchers were able to look for evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection irrespective of symptoms. A small number (10.7 percent) of infections in this study were asymptomatic (i.e. did not result in symptoms). However, the majority of infections (58 percent) occurred among people whose infections were identified by testing before they developed symptoms or knew they were infected. The study demonstrates that these two mRNA vaccines can reduce the risk of all SARS-CoV-2 infections, not just symptomatic infections.
This is important because preventing both asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic infections among health care workers and other essential workers through vaccination can help prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 to those they care for or serve. Findings from this study complement earlier reports that these two mRNA COVID-19 vaccines can reduce both asymptomatic and symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections.
The study also provided positive news about partial (one-dose) vaccination. The one-dose VE estimate of this study (80 percent) is consistent with other recent VE studies following the first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine among health care providers. Studies in the United Kingdom and Israel showed that one dose was about 70 precent and 60 percent effective, respectively, against SARS-CoV-2 infection. The current results provide reassurance that people start to develop protection from the vaccine two weeks after their first dose. The greatest protection was seen among those who had received both recommended doses of the vaccine.
This CDC study was conducted through the HEROES-RECOVER network, a network of prospective cohorts that share a common protocol and methods. This network is part of a vaccine effectiveness surveillance system made possible by federal pandemic flu preparedness funding.
This study is the first of many planned COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness studies CDC is conducting to evaluate the benefits of COVID-19 vaccines in various populations and across different outcomes, such as preventing infections, doctor’s visits, hospitalizations, or deaths. Results from these studies assist the medical and public health experts on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and CDC to make important vaccine policy decisions aimed at saving lives.
March 29: The White House posted a Press Briefing titled: “White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials”. From the Press Briefing:
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Good morning. Thank you for joining us. Today, I’m joint by Drs. Walensky and Fauci. The cases of COVID-19 are once again on the rise. Dr. Walensky will highlight the public health consequences and strong public health recommendations in the next few weeks.
In the meantime, we are vaccinating the country as quickly as humanly possible, now averaging 2.7 million vaccinations over the last seven days. Yesterday, the U.S. reported 3.28 million vaccinations. This is significant progress toward the President’s now doubled vaccination goal of 200 million shots in his first 100 days in office and toward our ultimate goal of getting all Americans vaccinated as equitably and efficiently as possible.
As we said on Friday, vaccine manufacturers report to us that they remain on track to meet their targets by the end of the month. And Moderna announced that it had released its 100 millionth dose this morning.
As of today, 73 percent of seniors have now received their first dose. And 36 percent – more than 1 in 3 adults – have received their first dose. That’s 36 percent of adults. Overall, now more than 50 Americans – approaching 1 in 5 adults – are fully vaccinated.
The effort is an immensely complex endeavor, and pulling it off requires tens of thousands of people doing their part. And we are grateful to everybody on the frontlines of this pandemic.
This is good news. We’re headed in the right direction. But we can’t slow down. Millions remain unvaccinated and at risk.
We need to help increasing the supply, the number of vaccinators in the field, and adding more safe and convenient places for American to get vaccinated, especially a more states begin to open vaccine eligibility to all adults.
Now, today, as part of this ongoing effort to help meet the President’s goal of 200 million shots in his first 100 days, we’re announcing two new federally run mass vaccination sites.
The first is at America’s Center Convention Complex in St. Louis, Missouri, and the second is at Roosevelt High School in Gary, Indiana. Soon, local residents will be able to get a shot at both of these sites. And together, they will be capable of administering 6,000 shots per day.
We now have 21 operational sites that have already administered a combined 1.7 million shots. These sites are run by the federal government in close partnership with state and local officials. And they are placed in communities with high risk, according to CDC’s social vulnerability index, with a direct goal of ensuring we’re equitably distributing vaccines and reaching communities that have been hurt the most by the pandemic.
Before I turn it over to Dr. Walensky, I want to close by reiterating what the President said last Thursday: Help is here, and hope is around the corner. But we’re not there yet, as Dr. Walensky will report. The worst thing we could do now would be to let up. We cannot get complacent. We cannot let our guard down.
It’s imperative for us to stick to the science and follow public health guidance. That means continuing to wear masks; masks save lives. It means continuing to social distance; socially distancing saves lives. And it means getting vaccinated when it’s your turn, because getting vaccinated saves lives – not just your own, but your family and friends and neighbors too.
With that, I’m going to turn this over to Dr. Walensky and then to Dr. Fauci for some important updates.
Dr. Walensky: Thank you, Andy. I’m glad to be back with you all today. I want to begin with an overview of the continuing concerning trends in the data. Yesterday, we in the United States surpassed 30 million cases of COVID-19. CDC’s most recent data shows that the seven-day average of new cases is slightly less than 60,000 cases per day. This is a 10 percent increase compared to the prior seven-day period.
Hospitalizations have also increased. The most recent seven-day average, about 48 admi- – 4,800 admissions per day is up from 4,600 admissions per day in the prior seven-day period. And deaths, which typically lag behind cases and hospitalizations, have now started to rise, increasing nearly 3 percent to a seven-day average of approximately 1,000 deaths per day.
When I first started at CDC about two months ago, I made a promise to you: I would tell you the truth, even if it was not the news we wanted to hear. Now is one of those times when I have to share the truth and I have to hope and trust that you all listen.
I’m going to pause here. I’m going to lose the script. And I’m going to reflect on the recurring feeling I have of impending doom. We have so much to look forward to, so much promise and potential of where we war, and so much reason for hope. but right now, I’m scared. I know what it’s like as a physician to stand in that patient room – gowned, gloved, masked, shielded – and to be the last person to touch someone else’s loved one because their loved one couldn’t be there.
I know what it’s like when you’re the physician, when you’re the healthcare provider and your worried that you don’t have the resources to take care of the patients in front of you. I know that feeling of nausea when you read the crisis standards of care and you wonder whether there are going to be enough ventilators to go around and who’s going to make that choice. And I know that it is like to pull up to your hospital every day and see the extra morgue sitting outside.
I didn’t know at the time when it was – when it would stop; we didn’t have the science to tell us. We were just scared. We have come such a long way. Three historic scientific breakthrough vaccines, and we ware rolling them out so very fast.
So I’m speaking today not necessarily as your CDC director – not only as your CDC director but as a wife, as a mother, as a daughter to ask you to please hold on a little while longer. I so badly want to be done. I know you all so badly want to be done. We are just almost there but not quite yet. And so I’m asking you to just hold on a little longer, to get vaccinated when you cans that all of those people that we all love will still be here when this pandemic ends.
The trajectory of the pandemic in the United States looks similar to many other countries in Europe, including Germany, Italy, and France looked like just a few weeks ago. And since that time, those countries have experienced a consistent and worrying spike in cases. We are not powerless; we can change this trajectory of the pandemic. But it will take all of us, recommitting to following the public health prevention strategies consistently, while we work to get the American public vaccinated.
I’m calling on our elected officials, our faith-based communities, our civic leaders, and our other influencers in communities across the nation, and I’m calling on every single one of you to sound the alarm to carry these messages into your community and your spheres of influence. We do not have the luxury of inaction. For the health of our country, we must work together now to prevent a fourth surge.
And after that honest plea, I want to reflect on so many reasons we have to be hopeful and why your actions today can get us out of this soon. As I shared last week, we continue to get more and more real-world evidence on the protection of COVID-19 vaccines provide. And CDC scientists have been working since these vaccines were first authorized to expand the evidence supporting their effectiveness.
Today, I’m excited to share information about a new CDC-led study that’s being published in the MMWR. This study assesses the real-world effectiveness of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines in preventing infections among nearly 4,000 healthcare personnel, first responders, and other essential workers in six states from mid-December to mid-March.
The study found that the risk of infection was reduced by 90 percent after individuals received the two recommended doses of the vaccine. The study also found that people starting to get a protective effect, even after the first dose, the risk of infection decreased by 80 percent after two weeks. Findings of this are all consistent with the clinical trial data.
Importantly, people in the study received self-collected nasal swabs each week for laboratory testing, allowing CDC to look at evidence of COVID-19 infection whether or not people had symptoms.
A small number of infections were asymptomatic; however, most infections occurred among people whose infections were identified by testing before they developed symptoms or knew they were infected. This study also demonstrates that two vaccines can reduce the risk of COVID-19 infections, not just in symptomatic infections but also in asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic infections.
This study is tremendously encouraging and complements other recent studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine, and discussed by Dr. Fauci last week, among similar populations at a high risk of exposure to COVID-19 because of their occupations. These findings also underscore the importance of getting both of the recommended doses of the vaccine in order to get the greatest level of protection against COVID-19, especially as our concerns about variants escalate.
Our national vaccination efforts are working. As of yesterday, over 93 million people have received one or more doses of vaccine, and over 51 million people have been fully vaccinated. And CDC is collaborating across the government with our state, territorial, local and tribal partners to get vaccines to communities and to get vaccinations into arms as quickly as possible through a multitude of channels, including the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, through FEMA’s community vaccination centers and mobile clinics, and through HRSA’s Community Health Center Program.
These efforts are rapidly advancing our goal to getting 200 million shots in arms during the first 100 days of this administration. Over one in three adults in this country have already received one dose.
Finally, I want to share today that CDC is making important updates to the list of underlying medical conditions that can increase risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes. This update is keeping in – up with my commitment to lead with science, to have clear information on our website, and to better describe the science underlying these conditions.
After a thorough review of the evidence, we have simplified the list of underlying conditions for consumers and created a new page for healthcare providers. This will make it easier for patients and the public and providers to understand medical conditions and its potential impact on COVID-19 severity.
We’ve also updated the list of underlying medical conditions to include substance use disorders, based on evidence that having these conditions can increase risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19.
You can now visit the CDC website to learn more about these underlying medical conditions and the science evidence used to support their inclusion on the list.
I reach out you both with my concerns – my concerns and also my hopes that you can all be here to hear this message healthy and vaccinated in the months ahead.
Thank you. I will now turn things over to Dr. Fauci.
Dr. Fauci: Thank you very much, Dr. Walensky. I’d like to make a few comments over the next couple of minutes that extend what you just heard from Dr. Walensky, and that is the importance of vaccination to prevent severe disease and why we cannot pull back on our mitigation efforts. This is a paper from the Annals of Internal Medicine from some time ago which showed that about one third of people with SAR-CoV-2 infection never develop symptoms That’s the good news.
Next slide.
Of those who do develop symptoms, about 80 percent have mild to moderate symptoms, but about 20 percent or more have severe disease with case fatality rates varying from a few percent to up to 20 percent for those requiring mechanical ventilation.
Now let me show you something that is very dramatic. If you look at the multi-system manifestations of COVID-19, they are multitudinous, the most important and common of which is acute respiratory distress syndrome. But we know now there are neurological disorders, cardiac dysfunction, acute kidney injury, hypercoagulability. Bottom line: This is a very serious disease, which has already led to the death of about 550,000 people in the United States.
Next slide.
This slide is very dramatic. If you look on the left-hand part of the slide, it’s a normal CT scan of the lung – the area that looks black and dark on normal lung because there are air spaces. On the right hand side of the slide, is a patient that I made rounds on at the NIH Clinical Center last week. If you look at this, even a non-physician, non-radiologist can determine that there’s something very, very wrong with the lungs on the right-hand side, with the white blotches being infiltration of the lung; that even with the patient being under the top medical care that we’re giving them at our hospital still may very likely have residual scarring of the lung after improvement.
Next slide.
This is another patient we serve at the Clinical Center who developed a brain infarct, as shown on the left-hand part of the slide, with the arrow pointing to the infarcted part of the brain.
Bottom line, as Dr. Walensky said in her experience at Mass General, the same at the NIH Clinical Center: This is a very, very bad disease.
The fundamentals to prevent acquiring this are the public health measures that Dr. Walensky mentioned but also vaccination. Absolutely critical.
Next slide.
If you look at the prevention of hospitalization and death among the five vaccines on the left-hand part of the slide, with one exception of a hospitalized patient in the vaccine arm of the Moderna study, virtually 100 percent protection against hospitalizations and death. In other words, you can prevent what I showed you on the previous two slide by getting vaccinated.
And on the last slide, what you see in red is hospitalizations going down, as in the blue bars vaccinating people going up.
The bottom line: Hang in there, as Dr. Walensky said. We really need to hold on to the public health measures as we get more and more people from two-to three-plus million people vaccinated every day. It will be a race between the vaccine and what’s going on with the dynamics of the outbreak. And we can win this just by hanging in there a bit longer.
Back to you, Andy.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Thank you, Dr. Fauci and Dr. Walensky. Let’s go to questions.
MODERATOR: The first question will go to Ed O’Keefe at CBS.
Q: Thank you, guys, for doing this again as always. I had one other question, but given what the Director just said, I guess I want to follow up a little bit and ask – if I heard you correctly, you said you’re concerned about “impending doom.” What is it that you saw in the data that is causing you to sort of start to feel this way again?
And then was curious if you guys can discuss what is the government or the administration’s current role in issuing these so-called “passports” or “certificates”? And why is it taking a little while longer for the U.S. to do that when places like Japan and China and the EU are further along?
Acting Administrator Slavitt: So, Dr. Walensky, why don’t you take the first question, and I’ll endeavor to take the second?
Dr. Walensky: When we were stagnating at around 40- to 50,000 cases a day for a couple of weeks there, we didn’t see trends going down anymore, but things were sort of holding steady. What we’ve seen over the last week or so is a steady rise in cases. We’re now in the 60-70,000 range. And when we see that uptick in cases what we have seen before is that things really have a tendency to surge and surge big.
We know that cases sometimes can be a week or two behind the behaviors that lead to those cases, the mixing that leads to those cases. We know that travel is up, and I just worry that we will see the surges that we saw over the summer and over the winter again.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Thank you. And I’ll take your second question. Let me begin with this: We recognize this is a tricky and important subject, but the core here is that Americans, like people around the world, who are vaccinated will want to be able to demonstrate that vaccination in various forms.
This is going to hit all – all parts of society. And so, naturally, the government is involved. But unlike other parts of the world, the government here is not viewing its role as the place to create a passport, nor a place to hold the data of citizens.
We view this as something that the private sector is doing and will do. What’s important to us – and we’re leading an interagency process right now to go through these details – are that some important criteria be met with these credentials.
Number one, that there is equitable access; that means whether or not people have access to technology or whether they don’t. It’s also important that we recognize that there are still many, many millions and millions of Americans that have not yet been vaccinated. So that’s a fundamental equity issue.
Privacy of information, security of the information, and a marketplace of solutions are things that are part of what we believe in, as is the ability for people to access this free and in multiple languages.
So I think you will see more from us as we complete our interagency process. But this is not slowing down the process in any way, even though the government has its own needs and so does the private sector. And the private sector and other groups working together are marching in that direction.
It is important for us, and it will be – we will every clear about how that will happen, that the guidelines that I just talked about process.
Next question.
MODERATOR: Next we’ll go to Chris Megerian at the Los Angeles Times.
Q: Hi, everybody. I wanted to see if you can specifically speak to why this rise is happening. Are you seeing it in restaurants? Are you seeing it in people’s homes? Are you seeing it in the workplaces? And also, the administration has been urging people to be careful, you know, since the new president took office in January. Why is the administration’s efforts not working in this situation?
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Let’s go around here, maybe start with you, Dr. Walensky, and then Dr. Fauci, you can come after that.
Dr. Walensky: Yeah, I think we’re investigating some of these outbreaks at a local level with individual states. I think we are seeing that many of these states are opening up at levels that we wouldn’t necessarily recommend. I am working with the governors. I will be speaking with them tomorrow to try and buckle down on trying to refrain from opening up too fast, you know, in the context of the fact that we’re scaling up these vaccines.
I think we’ve seen an uptick in travel. We have sen an uptick in travel. Much more travel is happening. I think people want to be done with this. As I mentioned, I too want to be done with this. The thing that’s different this time is that we actually have it in our power to be done with the scale of the vaccination. And that will be so much slower if we have another sue to deal with as well.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Dr. Fauci, anything you want to add to that?
Dr. Fauci: Yeah. I think everyone really needs to appreciate that we really do want to get back to normal as quickly as we possibly can. But I think one of the explanations, in answer to the question that we just heard, is that if we open up completely now, that is premature given the level of infection that Dr. Walensky described in her formal presentation.
So that’s the reason why we’re essentially pleading with people, even though we have – all of us – an urge particularly with the warm weather coming, to just cut loose. We’ve just got to hang in there a bit longer.
And I think the reason we’re seeing this plateauing and a bit of an little increase that we hope doesn’t turn into a surge is because we are really doing things prematurely right now with regard to opening up.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Chris will you –
Dr. Walensky: Perhaps one other –
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Please, Dr. Walensky.
Dr. Walensky: Perhaps one other comment on that, and that is our concern about variants. We’ve been watching the variants really carefully. We know about 26 percent of all sequenced virus is now the B117 variant. It is more transmissible than the wild-type variant. So we’re watching that carefully, and that may be one of the reasons in terms – if people are not doing the things – masking, distancing – to protect themselves, this variant is probably less forgiving, and more infections will occur.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Chris, we recognize that it’s difficult for people to both feel optimism and display caution at the same time. We believe one of the most important pieces of this formula – and that the public tells us – is just clear, consistent, honest, direct, straightforward information.
That’s why in these briefings is you’ll see Dr. Fauci talks very directly and shows data very directly, and Dr. Walensky presents information and recommendations very clearly. It’s not always what people want to hear, but it’s always directly what people, for the most part, say that they’re looking for, which is just the straight story that they can assimilate and help them make decisions.
We hope that they’re hearing quite clearly a consistent message today, which is that we don’t have a long time, necessarily, to be in this state with, but we are not out of this pandemic yet. If we do our jobs, it can be short as possible.
Next question.
MODERATOR: Next we’ll go to Zeke Miller at the AP.
Q: Thank you all for doing the call. Just a couple of quick follow-ups on all these points. Can you speak to specifically why you don’t think the federal government is the right place to have set up a vaccination passport? I mean, given the data privacy concerns and widespread adoption and equity concerns that you’ve just raised, Andy, should – wouldn’t the federal government be best positioned to respond to those?
In the case of – and then, separately, when it comes to the travel and the virus guidance, Dr. Walensky, Dr. Fauci, should we expect to be hearing more from the President about the need for people to double down on these restrictions? We’ve heard him (inaudible). We have not heard the President, sort of, lead the charge on that.
And then finally – Andy, sorry – and sorry Kevin, for the third question here – can you speak to how the 11 million doses of J&J vaccine that are expected to be shipped this week will be sent? Will they be allocated to the existing formula or will they be deployed in a different – in a different way?
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Okay, so we have vaccine passport; we have travel guidelines, which I will route to you, Dr. Walensky; and then we have 11 million J&J doses. Usually, I forget the third question if there’s a third question by the time we get to it.
You know, relative to the vaccine passport, we think its very important for the public – job one is for the public to become comfortable if they’re considering taking a vaccine – why that is in their best interest. And we think all of the data and all of the result and all the impact in the slide that Dr. Fauci showed are the preponderance of the reason we’re just so fortunate to be in this position relative to these vaccines.
We do know that there is a segment of the population that is concerned that the government will play too heavy-handed a role in monitoring their vaccinations and that mandates will be coming from the federal government and important – in point of fact, it would discourage people to feel like that was the role we’re playing.
So we can think we have the best of all worlds. We think we can essentially put forward guidelines and guidance. And given the federal government’s source and role in society for everything from TSA, to the VA, to Departments of Health and Human Services, the CDC – I could go on and on – you know, we have a major impact in what we’ll get done.
So we’re putting forward our principles very clearly. We will be even more clear in the time ahead. And we believe, based on everything we know, that that will influence the outcome in the way we describe.
So, with that, let me ask you, Dr. Walensky, to – if you can address the travel question.
Dr. Walensky: Yeah, our recommendations have been very consistent with travel. You should have a pre-travel test. You should quarantine for seven days. You should have a post-travel test. And then you should monitor for symptoms between 7 and 14 days. We have been consistently discouraging travel, saying, “Please keep it limited to only essential travel.”
And what we’re seeing now is more travel than we saw – than we saw throughout the pandemic, including the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. I think people have taken advantage of what they perceived as a relative lull where we were, to take advantage of their time of spring break, of holiday travel. And what I would just say is, you know, July 4th, Labor Day, Christmas. And we’re seeing the uptick of that right now.
So I would just sort of reiterate the recommendations from CDC, saying please limit travel to the essential travel for the time being.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Your final question was about Johnson & Johnson doses. And indeed, let me – to the premise of your question, Johnson & Johnson’s due to deliver 11 million doses. And as a single-dose regimen, that’s an enormous step forward for the country.
My message to the states, Tribes, and territories, and everyone else is: Get ready. This is an enormous opportunity to vaccinate more people. And tomorrow, we will be talking with the governors and others about how we’re going to split that up.
Next question.
MODERATOR: Next, we’ll go to Kaitlan Collins with CNN.
Q: Thanks very much. I have two questions. One, if each of you could answer this: With the release of the World Health Organization report, can each of you say whether or not you trust the findings of this report? Maybe “yes” or “no” or – to keep it short.
And then, secondly, to CDC Director Dr. Walensky, thank you for speaking so candidly about the data that you’re seeing, but of course that raises questions about restrictions that we are seeing be loosened in a lot of states. And also, on the President’s call for 100 days of mask wearing, do you expect him to re-up that call or extend it past the 100 days given the numbers that you’re seeing?
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Okay, Dr. Fauci, do you – would you like to go first on the WHO question?
Dr. Fauci: Yeah, Kaitlan, I’d like to see that report first, and I also would like to inquire as to the extent in which the people who were on that group had access directly to the data that they would need to make a determination.
Once I get that information, I’ll be able to more adequately answer whether I trust it or not. But I want to read the report first, and then get a feel for what they – what they really had access to or did not have access to.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Dr. Walensky.
Dr. Walensky: Yeah, I don’t have much to add to what Dr. Fauci said with regard to the report. And simply to say as I, too, have not yet had an opportunity to see it.
With regard to the surging, we are working closely with the states. I will be speaking with the governors tomorrow to try and reinforce the need for these – for current restrictions to not open up. I think what we do with masking will really depend on where we are 40 days from now.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Yep. And I would just add – it got to my inbox this morning, so I’m going to reserve judgement as well.
Next question.
MODERATOR: We have time for one more question. We’ll go to Shannon Firth with MedPage Today.
Q: Hi, thank you for taking my question. Dr. Walensky, I wondered if you could expand on what you said regarding substance use disorders and the concerns around exacerbating the risk of COVID-19 among those people. Are there other groups that there’s increased risk of COVID outcomes, and are there any people that your taking off the list? And how would that change any policies or recommendations going forward?
Dr. Walensky: Yeah, thank you for that. I would invite you to, sort of, visit the list. It’s sort of a more – a comprehensive review. We do know that – we’ve seen data that folks who have substance use disorders have increased risk of severe disease. There’s a medical review – a scientific review with that as well and an updated list of the scientific review of all the disorders that are – or the underlying conditions that may exacerbate COVID-19.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Thank you, Thanks for those questions. I invite everybody to turn into the President’s remarks later today. And we will be doing this briefing again later in the week. Thank you.
March 29: The White House posted a Statement titled: “FACT SHEET: President Biden Announces 90% of the Adult U.S. Population will be eligible for Vaccination and 90% will have a Vaccination Site Within 5 Miles of Home by April 19”. From the Statement:
The President to Outline New Actions to Accomplish Goal: Expanding Pharmacy Program and Launching a New Program to Transport the Most Vulnerable Seniors and People with Disabilities to Vaccination Sites
Today, President Biden will unveil new actions to get more people vaccinated quickly and announce that by April 19, 90% of adults in the U.S. will be eligible for vaccination and 90% will have a vaccination site within 5 miles of where they live. The President will announce that the Administration is increasing the number of pharmacies in the federal pharmacy vaccination program from 17,000 to nearly 40,000 across the country and will stand up a dozen more vaccination sites by April 19. He will also announce a new effort to fund community organizations to provide transportation and assistance for the nation’s most at-risk seniors and people with disabilities to access vaccines. This builds on last week’s historic $10 billion investment to expand access to COVID-19 vaccines in the hardest hit and highest-risk communities.
President Biden called for all states, Tribes, and territories to make all U.S. adults eligible for vaccination no later than May 1 and is working closely with state and local leaders to make this happen as quickly as possible. To date, 31 states have said they will open up eligibility all adults by April 19. With today’s actions to expand access, that means in just three weeks, 90% of all U.S. adults will be eligible for vaccination and 90% will have a vaccination site within 5 miles of where they live.
The President will also remind Americans about the importance of taking preventative measures to stop the spread of COVID-19, as variants continue to spread and cases are on the rise. He will call for continued masking and social distancing as work to get more people vaccinated as quickly as possible.
Today’s announcements include:
Expanding Vaccines to 20,000 More Local Pharmacies, Bringing the Total to Nearly 40,000 Pharmacies Across the Country by April 19: The President will announce that the Administration is expanding the Federal Retail Pharmacy program from 17,000 to nearly 40,000 stores within the next three weeks. This means that by April 19, there will be a vaccine site within 5 miles of 90% of all Americans. The participating pharmacies in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program are located in communities across the country – including 45% currently in the highest-need neighborhoods.
Launching New Effort to Get the Nation’s Most Vulnerable and At-Risk Seniors and People with Disabilities Vaccinated: The President will announce nearly $100 million in funding to help vaccinate vulnerable and at-risk older adults and people with disabilities. This new effort will expand the senior and disability services funded by the Department of Health and Human Services to provide the high-intensity assistance needed to get these individuals scheduled for and transported to vaccinations. It will also fund community organizations to transport them to appointments, which can involve extra time, assistance with mobility, and supporting people during wait times. Funding will be available starting within two weeks. The Administration has made tremendous progress on vaccinating seniors, with over 70% of people over 65 years old, receiving at least one shot, and this new program will help vaccinate our most vulnerable and at-risk seniors and people with disabilities who have yet to be vaccinated, including those who need assistance leaving their home or are socially isolated.
Expanding the Number of Mass Vaccination Centers Across the Country: The President will announce that the Administration will stand up a dozen more federally-run mass vaccination sites across the country, including two new sites in Gary, Indiana and St. Louis, Missouri announced earlier today. Equity and access are prioritized in the design of the federal community vaccination centers, with some featuring weekend and extended daytime hours, reserved slot for registration through faith-based and community based organizations, and deployment of mobile vaccination units to help vaccinate surrounding communities. This is in addition to the over $4 billion federal funding obligated to date and thousands of federal personnel deployed to support state- and locally-run community vaccination centers. In partnership with states, FEMA has launched 21 sites in communities across the country. Together, these sites have the ability to administer a total of 79,000 shots per day at full capacity.
March 29: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) posted News titled: “HHS to Expand Access to COVID-19 Vaccines for Older Adults and People with Disabilities”. From the News:
CDC and ACL Will Provide Nearly $100 Million in Grants to Aging and Disability Networks in Every State and Territory
As part of President Biden’s announcement today that the administration will take further action to expand access to COVID-19 vaccines, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through a partnership between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Administration for Community Living (ACL), will provide nearly $100 million to help increase vaccinations among older adults and people with disabilities. This effort will help advance the key goals of protecting those most vulnerable and advancing equity within President Biden’s National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness.
With funding from CDC, ACL will issue nearly $93 million in grants to the aging and disability networks in every state and territory. These funds will help provide critical services to overcome barriers that are preventing millions of those most at risk for serious illness and death from COVID-19 from receiving vaccines. This partnership also will provide an additional $5 million in funding for national hot miles to assist older adults and people with disabilities in registering for a vaccination and to connect them with local disability and aging agencies that can provide services and supports necessary to access them.
“The Biden Administration is committed to expanding access to vaccines, with a unique focus on ensuring those hit hardest by COVID-19 and at highest risk for severe illness or death get vaccinated,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “Through this unique, exciting new partnership between ACL and CDC, HHS will work will work alongside advocates to help older adults and people with disabilities get the services and assistance they need in order to get vaccinated and have the security of knowing they are protected from COVID-19.”
These grants will provide assistance with scheduling vaccine appointments, transportation to vaccine sites, direct support services needed to attend vaccine appointments, connection to in-home vaccination options, and education about the importance of receiving the vaccine to older adults and people with disabilities. In addition, these grants will enable the aging and disability networks to identify people who are unable to independently travel to vaccination sites and provide technical assistance to health departments on improving access to vaccines for people with disabilities and older adults.
Approximately $5 million will help fund national hotlines to connect older adults and people with disabilities with local disability and aging agencies that can assist with vaccine registration and provide services and supports necessary to get the vaccine. This funding will increase the capacity of the Eldercare Locator, a nationwide service funded by ACL that connects older Americans and their caregivers with trustworthy local support resources. It also will leverage the infrastructure of the Eldercare Locator to provide, for the first time, a similar service for people with disabilities.
An additional $93 million in funding will be distributed as follows:
State Units on Aging and Area Agencies ($50 million)Aging and Disability Resource Centers ($26 million)Centers for Independent Living that receive federal funding directly from ACL ($5 million)University Centers of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities ($4 million)Protection and Advocacy systems ($4 million)State Councils on Developmental Disabilities ($4 million)
Background: Vaccine Barriers for Older Adults and People with Disabilities
Older adults are more likely to have a severe illness, be hospitalized, or die from COVID-19; adults 65 and older account for 8 out of every 10 COVID-19-related deaths. People with disabilities also often are at increased risk; in fact, a recent study found that intellectual disability is the greatest risk factor after age. Many people with disabilities have additional conditions that increase risk for severe illness due to COVID-19, and many others are at increased risk because they live in group settings, require close contact with direct service providers who help with activities of daily living, and/or have difficulty complying with mitigation protocols.
Although vaccination is particularly important for these populations, many people with disabilities and older adults also have difficulty:
Finding information about their eligibility and where to go for the vaccine and scheduling appointments. (Approximately one in four older adults does not have a computer or internet service to find information about how to get vaccinated and how to schedule appointments. Many live alone and do not have family who can help them.)
Obtaining accessible transportation
Navigating mass vaccination sites
In addition, about one in five older adults and many people with disabilities may be unable to easily leave their homes and require either in-home vaccination or specialized arrangements to receive the vaccine.
The funding announced today will help address these barriers and ensure that older adults and people with disabilities can equitably access vaccines. More information and resources on COVID-19 and older adults and people with disabilities can be found on ACL’s COVID-19 webpage.
March 29: The White House posted a Press Briefing titled: “Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, March 29, 2021”. From the Press Briefing:
Ms. Psaki: Hi, everyone.
Q: Hello.
Ms. Psaki: Hello. Okay, a couple of items for all of you at the top. First, welcome Andrew Bates, our new deputy press secretary. Anyone who covered the Biden campaign knows Andrew well. And he just joined our team after being – staying on the transition for the last two months.
Okay, this Wednesday, the President will be laying out the first of two equally critically – critical packages to rebuild our economy and create better-paying jobs for American workers. He’ll talk this week about investments we need to make in domestic manufacturing, R&D, the caregiving economy, and infrastructure.
In the coming weeks, the President will lay out his vision for a second package that focuses squarely on creating economic security for the middle class through investments in childcare, healthcare, education, and other areas. Throughout this process, we look forward to working with a broad coalition of members of Congress to gather their input and ideas, and determine the path forward, create good jobs, and make American more competitive.
I’l also note that he’s doing this in Pittsburgh, where he launched his campaign for the presidency just two years ago.
Today, the CDC also announced a 90-day extension of the federal evection moratorium. The news was out earlier today. The moratorium was scheduled to expire on March 31st and is now extended through June 30th. The President is committed to supporting renters and small landlords through the COVID-19 crisis.
Essential to that effort is, of course, the American Rescue Plan, which delivers an additional $21.5 billion in emergency rental assistance to help millions of families keep up on rent and remain in their homes. This, of course, is an act that included coordination from the Treasury Department, from HUD, from the USDA, the CFPB, and the FTC. They’re all coordinating efforts.
Today, the White House convened leaders from across the administration and is taking coordinated steps to announce a set of bold actions that will catalyze offshore wind energy and create good-paying union jobs. The President recognizes that a thriving offshore wind industry will drive new jobs and economic opportunity up and down the Atlantic Coast, in the Gulf of Mexico, and in Pacific waters.
We just released a factsheet on this announcement – pretty detailed. The Department of Interior – Interior, Energy, and Commerce announced a shared goal to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind in the United States by 2030, while protecting biodiversity and protecting ocean co-use. Meeting this target will trigger more than $12 billion per year in capital investment in projects on both U.S. coasts, create tens of thousands of good-paying union jobs with more than 44,000 workers employed in offshore wind by 2030, and nearly 33,000 additional jobs in communities supported by offshore wind activity.
It will also generate enough power to meet the demand of more than 10 million American homes and avoid 78 million metric tons of carbon emissions.
Additionally, the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Maritime Administration today is announcing a Notice of Funding Opportunity for port authorities and another applicants to apply for $230 million for port and intermodal infrastructure-related projects through the Port Infrastructure Development Program.
Last item is, I have a – some – an update for you on the flooding that has occurred in the Tennessee Valley. The Department of Homeland Security and media sources report four fatalities and over 150 rescued in the Tennessee Valley as heavy rainfall swamped the area, flooding homes and roads, including parts of Nashville. The President and the White House continue to monitor the situation very closely and stand at the ready, should any federal – federal assistance be requested or required. At this time, no request for federal assistance have come in.
The National Weather Service reports over nine inches of rain has fallen over the past 24 hours, of course cousin this massive flooding.
Jonathan, why don’t you kick us off?
Q: Thank you, Jen. The CDC director today delivered an impassioned warning against a rise in COVID cases and said it filled her with a sense of, quote, “impending doom.” We’re seeing cases rise in many states. My question is: Does the President plan out to reach directly to governors, including the Democratic governors in states like New York, New Jersey, in Michigan, that are seeing real rises? And does he plan to ask them to slow down or pause them reopening their states?
Ms. Psaki: Well, Jonathan, we are in very close touch with governors of those states and states across the country, not only through our weekly governors call that is led by our COVID coordinator, but through calls and engagements that happen through the course of the week and through the course of every day.
And the President has not held back in calling for governors, leaders, the American people to continue to abide by the public health guidelines, whether they are mask mandates on federal land and buildings or on interstate travel; whether it’s, you know, encouraging people to hand wash and abide by social distancing. He will continue to do that through all of his engagements and, of course, through calls he has with local officials. But we are in very close touch with leaders across the country.
Q: So, my follow-up to that is – but this is probably the most precarious moment the country has had, in terms of the virus, since the President took office. This was according to the CDC direct- CDC director today. Will the President not take that additional step to get – to talk to governors and ask them to slow down reopenings?
Ms. Psaki: Well, Jonathan, the President uses every opportunity he can, whether it’s public – publicly, through every interview, through every public engagement he has. He has remarks later this afternoon, as you know, on COVID, providing an update on our effort to defeat the virus. He also does that through private engagements as well.
But there are a range of officials at very high levels who are in touch with governors and leaders across the country who will continue to emphasize the need to abide by public health guidelines…
…Q: And then finally, on the vaccine, Andy Slavitt talked about the idea of a “vaccine passport” in the COVID briefing this morning. He said it’s primarily going to be spearheaded by the private sector. But what’s the President’s position on whether, once the vaccine is more readily available, businesses should be able to tell employees who don’t want to get the vaccine for whatever reason that they can’t come back into the workplace, or that airlines could reject people from getting on the plane if they have decided not to get a vaccine?
Ms. Psaki: Well, we’re going to provide guidance, just as we have, through the CDC. There’s currently an interagency process that is looking at many of the questions around vaccine verification. And that issue will touch many agencies as verification is an issue that will potentially touch many sectors of society’s you have certainly alluded to. That’s guidance we’ll provide.
We expect – as Andy Slavitt, I think, alluded to – that a determination or development of a vaccine passport, or whatever you want to call it, will be driven by the private sector. Ours will be more focused on guidelines that can be used as a basis. And there are a couple key principles that we are working from. One is that there will be no centralized, universal federal vaccinations database and no federal mandate requiring everyone to obtain a single vaccination credential.
Second, we want to encourage an open marketplace with a variety of private sector companies and nonprofit coalitions developing solutions.
And third, we want to drive the market toward meeting public interest goals. So we’ll leverage our resources to ensure that all vaccination credential systems meet key standards, whether that’s universal accessibility, affordability, availability – both digitally and on paper.
But those are our standards. It’s currently going through an interagency process. We’ll make some recommendations, and then we believe it will be driven by the private sector.
Q: And when do you anticipate those guidelines will come out?
Ms. Psaki: I don’t have a timeline to provide you at this point, but it’s obviously something we’re working through. And we want to provide that clarity to the public…
…Q: And very last one – also a follow up to the CDC and White House briefing this morning on COVID: They made it very clear that they’re urging Americans to continue to take action to prevent a fourth surge, including nonessential travel. Is the warning against nonessential travel something that the White House is taking into consideration with regard to upcoming travel by the President and Vice President, both for business and for personal reasons?
Ms. Psaki: Well, I would say the President travels, as does the Vice President, on a private plane. That is the purview of every President and Vice President throughout American history. That is, of course, different than traveling on a commercial flight and going to mass events. As you know, we don’t – the President is not hosting rallies, nor is the Vice President. We take the role of sending – being models quite seriously. But I think most Americans would recognize the difference…
…Q: There was an op-ed in the New York Times today by a well-known virologist with the title, “We Can’t End the Pandemic Without Vaccinating Kids.” The argument is basically that, over time, there’ll be mutations that can be more dangerous for children, What is the administration doing to prepare for the possibility of vaccinating children? And does the President have a specific time period for when he would like to see children begin to get the vaccine?
Ms. Psaki: Well, we leave that to our health and medical experts and the FDA process – and CDC, I should say, process of outlining guidelines for when it is safe to utilize the three approved vaccines, or which one is the best for children. So we will rely on the advice and council of our health and medical experts on that front…
March 29: The White House posted a Speech and Remarks titled: “Remarks by President Biden on the COVID-19 Response and the State of Vaccinations”. From the Speech and Remarks:
The President: Good afternoon. Last week, we set a goal of 200 million shots by day 100 of our administration – double the original goal that I had set. And to make that progress over the last three days, we’ve had a record number of shots in arms with over 10 million shots recorded in the weekend. Over 10 million shots in three days – that would have been inconceivable in January.
The progress we have made on vaccinating this country is a great American story. The federal government has stepped up, taken responsibility, and launched a massive federal vaccination program. Governors and mayors of both political parties – Republicans and Democrats – have stepped up as well. Our military, our National Guard, FEMA – they have all been incredible. Healthcare providers, community volunteers of all ages and backgrounds stepped up as well. And my fellow Americans, look at what we have done in the past 10 weeks. No other country has come close: 100 million shots in less than 60 days, and now we’re moving on to the next 100 million shots in just 40 days.
You’ve heard me say it many times before: Our progress on vaccination is a stunning example that there is nothing – nothing this country cannot do if we put our minds to it and we do it together.
But as I’ve also said, I will always give you it straight – straight from the shoulder. Our work is far from over. The war against COVID-19 is far from won. This is deadly serious.
We share the sentiment of Dr. Walensky, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC expressed earlier today: This is not the time to lessen our efforts. That’s what she said. We could still see a setback in the vaccination program. And most importantly, if we let our guard down now, we could see a virus getting worse, not better.
You know, as many people as we have vaccinated, we still have more Americans left to go. You know, we will administer more shots in March than any country on Earth. But even so, we have to give more shots in April than we did in March. Because we’re in the life and death race for the virus that is spreading quickly and with cases rising again. New variants are spreading. And sadly, some of the reckless behavior we’ve seen on television over the past few weeks means that more new cases are to come in the weeks ahead.
With vaccines, there’s hope, which is a – which is a very good thing, to state the obvious. But people are let – are letting up on precautions, which is a very bad thing. Look, to this point, cases have fallen two thirds since I took office. Deaths have also fallen two thirds. But now cases are going back up and, in some states, deaths are as well. You know, we’re giving up hard-fought, hard-won gains. And as much as we are doing, America, it is time to do even more. All of us have to do our part, every one of us.
So, let me start here: First, this week, thanks to my administration’s intensive work with vaccine manufacturers and distribution efforts, the amount of vaccines that are going to be available for vaccinators – vaccination sites will be a new record: 33 million doses of vaccine this week.
By getting more vaccine supply to states, community health centers, and pharmacies, we can vaccinate the highest-risk Americans more quickly than we already are. And then – and then we make it possible to open up supplies for all adults and to try to beat the renewed spread of this virus.
As a result, I’m also pleased to announced that we’re on track this week – just 10 weeks after I became President – to achieve nearly 75 percent of Americans over the age of 65 getting at least one vaccination shot. When I took office on January 20th, that number was 8 percent. It’s going to 75 percent. That’s a lot of grandparents who are now able to safely hug their grandchildren, and they couldn’t do so just a short time ago.
And with the supply we’re releasing this week – just this week alone – there are more doors – there are more doses of vaccine available for seniors this week than any week thus far. So, seniors, please, if you have not gotten your shot yet, get it this week. Get it.
Second, I’m reiterating my call for every governor, mayor, and local leader to maintain and reinstate the mask mandate. Please, this is not politics. Reinstate the mandate if you let it down. And business should require masks as well. The failure to take this virus seriously – precisely what got us in this mess in the first place – risks more cases and more dests – deaths.
Look, as I do my part to accelerate the vaccine distribution and vaccinations, I need the American people to do their part as well. Mask up. Mask up. It’s a patriotic duty. It’s the only way we ever get back to normal – to cheer together in stadiums full of fans; to gather together on holidays again safely; go to graduations, weddings.
Third, I announced on March 11th I’d direct every state, territory, and Tribe to open up their vaccinations to all adults no mater than May 1.
I issued that order because moving beyond priority groups to enable all adults to get vaccinated is critical to having a July 4th that’s closer to normal. I want this to come as quickly as possible.
And I want to thank the governors – Democrats and Republicans – who have responded to this directive. In fact, the vast majority of governors have set open access dates even earlier than the deadline of May 1st. But in this race against a rapidly spreading virus, as fast as we are going, we need to go faster.
So to make it easier for Americans to get vaccinated as the supply grows and vaccination eligibility expands, I’m directing my COVID team to ensure there is a vaccine site within 5 miles of 90 percent of all Americans by April 19th – three weeks from today.
Look, we’re going to do this by growing from having 17,000 pharmacies giving out vaccination shots to nearly 40,000 pharmacies doing it within the next three weeks. That will more than double the number of pharmacies where you can go get vaccinated. But we aren’t stopping there.
In the next three weeks, we’ll add 12 more federally run mass vaccination sites. Every day at these sites, tens of thousands of people are able to drive up, get a vaccine shot while in their car, and leave in less than an hour. And over 60 percent of the shots given at these sites goes to minority communities because they’re in minority communities. We have to reach out. They’re the ones most affected by the vacci– both by the vaccine, but also by the pandemic.
We’re also going to send more aid to states to expand the opening of more community vaccination sites – more vaccines, more sites, more vaccinators – all designed to speed our critical work.
But we also need to make it easier for those who want shots but cannot access vaccination sites to get vaccinated. This is also were we’re focused on the seniors most immediately.
While we have made incredible progress in starting to vaccinate nearly three quarters of our seniors and now putting vaccination sites within 5 miles of 90 percent of all Americans, that still isn’t enough as far as we’re concerned.
We know that there are a number of seniors and people with disabilities who may be isolated and have a lack of access to transportation, and there are community groups that can help. They’re trying to help now.
So, our fourth announcement today is that I’m sending out millions of dollars, through the Department of Health and Human Services, to provide assistance, including transportation, so more vulnerable seniors and people with disabilities can get their shots because they get help to physically get there, to get the shot. Neighbors helping neighbors: What a truly American effort. We cannot let transportation be a barrier to any senior getting a vaccination.
And so where does this put us? We’re making progress on vaccinations, but cases are rising and the virus is spreading in too many places still.
That’s why, today, I’m taking these steps to make our American turnaround story a vac – – our vaccination program – move even faster. Thanks to all the work we’ve done these past 10 weeks, the added steps I’m announcing today – with them – I’m pleased to announce that at least 90 percent of all adults in this county will be eligible to be vaccinated by April the 19th, just three weeks from now, because we have the vaccines.
For the vast, vast majority of adults, you won’t have to wait until May 1. You’ll be eligible for your shot on April 19th. Finally, 10 percent will be eligible no later than – the final 10 percent will be eligible no later than May 1.
And as I just said, due to the steps we’re taking today, 90 percent of Americans will be within five miles of a location where they can get a shot as of April the 19th.
So we’re moving toward “90/90” by April 19th. That is, by April 19th, three weeks from today, 90 percent of adults – people over 18 and over – will be eligible to get vaccinated. Ninety percent of all Americans will be living within five miles of a place they can get a shot.
And, of course, it will take time for everyone to get their appointment. It’s a big country. And as fast as we’re going, and we still have a long way to go to finish this vaccination effort. In fact, we aren’t even there – we aren’t halfway yet. But being at 90/90 just three weeks from today should give hope to the country.
Let me close with this: The progress we’re making is a significant testament to what we can do when we work together as Americans. But as I’ve always said, we still need everyone to do their part.
We still are in a war with this deadly virus. And we’re bolstering our defenses, but this war is far from won.
Together, we have so much to be proud of in the past 3 weeks – past more than 3 weeks; past 10 weeks.
We also have much to be sorrowful about. Nearly 1,000 Americans a day are still dying from COVID-19 as we approach 550,000 deaths in a single year.
Until this country is vaccinated, each of us has to do our part. We have an obligation – a patriotic obligation: Wash your hands, stay socially distanced, wear a mask as recommended by the CDC, and get vaccinated. Get your friends and family vaccinated when you can help.
Now is not the time to let down. Now is not the time to celebrate. It is time to do what we do best as a country; our duty, our jobs; take care of one another; and fight this to the finish.
We can and will do this, but don’t let up now. Don’t let up now.
Thank you. And may God protect our troops. Thank you very much.
Q: Mr. President, Dr. Walensky said she’s scared of an “impending doom” with COVID cases on the rise. Are you?
The President: I just explained that, I think, thoroughly. I hope I did anyway. Thank you.
Q: Mr. President, do you believe that some states should pause their reopening efforts?
The President: Yes.
March 30: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted a News Release titled: “Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: March 30, 2021” From the News Release:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced the following actions taken in its ongoing response effort to the COVID-19 pandemic:
The agency has updated its FDA COVID-19 Response At-A-Glance Summary, which provides a quick look at facts, figures and highlights on the FDA’s response efforts.
On March 29, the FDA approved an abbreviated new drug application for succinylcholine chloride injection USP 200 mg / 10 mL, which is indicated, in addition to general anesthesia, to facilitate tracheal intubation and to provide skeletal muscle relaxation during surgery or mechanical ventilation. Side effects if succinylcholine chloride injection include anaphylaxis, hyperkalemia, and malignant hyperthermia. The FDA recognizes the increased demand for certain products during the COVID-19 public health emergency, and we remain deeply committed to facilitating access to safe and effective medical products to help address critical needs of the American public.
Testing updates:
As of today, 349 tests and sample collection devices are authorize by the FDA under emergency use authorizations (EUAs). These include 258 molecular tests and sample collection devices, 74 antibody and other immune response test, and 17 antigen tests. There are 42 molecular authorizations that can be used with home-collected samples. There is one molecular prescription at-home test, two antigen prescription at-home test, one over-the-counter (OTC) at-home antigen test, and one OTC molecular test.
March 30: The White House posted “Bill Signing: H.R. 1799”. From the post
On Tuesday, March 30, 2021, the President signed into law:
H.R. 1799, the “PPP Extension Act of 2021,” which extends the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) application deadline to May 31, 2021; and extends the PPP authorization through June 30, 2021 to provide the Small Business Administration additional time to process applications received by the application deadline.
March 30: The White House posted a Briefing titled: “Remarks by President Biden at Signing of the PPP Extension Act of 2021”. From the Briefing:
The President: Hello, everyone. How are you? I want to thank Administrator Guzman, who’s running the show for us. And we’re really starting to move here.
And the Vice President, thank you –
The Vice President: Of course.
The President: – for your focus on small business.
We’re pushing lenders to raise their game and provide more help to small – many small businesses. As you know, particularly Hispanic, as well as African American small businesses are just out of business because they got bypassed the first time around.
Today, I’m proud to sign the extension, which I’m going to do in a second, of the Paycheck Protection Program. It is a bipartisan accomplishment.
Nearly 90,000 business owners are still in line, and there’s money left. Without somebody signing this bill today, there are hundreds of thousands of people who could lose their jobs, and small and family businesses that might close forever. And, as you know, small business is the backbone of our economy, representing almost 50 percent of all the employees in America.
And I want to thank Senators Cardin, Shaheen, Rubio, and Collins for their work in the Senate – it was a bipartisan effort – and Young Kim and Velazquez, as well as Luetkemeyer for their work in the House to make sure this happened.
And in the last two months, we’ve approved forgivable loans for three thousand – excuse me, three million six hundred small businesses – six hundred thousand small businesses. And three million three hundred of those small businesses were less than – higher – had fewer than 20 employees, which is the backbone of most of the communities.
So with that, I’m going to sign this. And thank you all for coming.
(The bill is signed.)
Thanks folks. Enjoy yourselves.
March 30: National Institutes of Health (NIH) posted a News Release titled: “T cells recognize recent SARS-CoV-2 variants”. From the News Release:
What
When variants of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) emerged in late 2020, concern arose that they might elude protective immune responses generated by prior infection or vaccination, potentially making re-infection more likely or vaccination less effective. To investigate this possibility, researchers from the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, and colleagues analyzed blood cell samples from 30 people who had contracted and recovered from COVID-19 prior to the emergence of the virus variants. They found that one key player in the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 – the CD8+ T cell – remained active against the virus.
The research team was led by NIAID’s Andrew Redd, Ph.D., and included scientists from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Immunomics-focused company, ImmunoScape.
The investigators asked whether CD8+ T cells in the blood of COVID-19 patients, infected with the initial virus, could still recognize three SARS-CoV-2 variants: B.1.1.7, which was first detected in the United Kingdom; B.1.351, originally found in the Republic of South Africa; and B.1.1.248, first seen in Brazil. Each variant has mutations throughout the virus, and in particular, in the region of the virus’ spike protein that it uses to attach to and enter cells. Mutations in this spike protein region could make it less recognizable to T cells and neutralizing antibodies, which are made by the immune system’s B cells following infection or vaccination.
Although details about the exact levels and composition of antibody and T-cell responses needed to achieve immunity to SARS-CoV-2 are still unknown, scientists assume that strong and broad responses from both antibodies and T cells are required to mount an effective immune response. CD8+ T cells limit infection by recognizing parts of the virus protein presented on the surface of infected cells and killing those cells.
In their study of recovered COVID-19 patients, the researchers determined that SARS-CoV-2-specific CD8+ T cell responses remained largely intact and could recognize virtually all mutations in the variants studied. While larger studies are needed, the researchers note that their findings suggest that the T cell response in convalescent individuals, and most likely in vaccinees, are largely not affected by the mutations found in these three variants, and should offer protection against emerging variants.
Optimal immunity to SARS-CoV-2 likely requires strong multivalent T-cell responses in addition to neutralizing antibodies and other responses to protect against current SARS-CoV-2 strains and emerging variants, the authors indicate. They stress the importance of monitoring the breadth, magnitude and durability of the anti-SARS-CoV-2 T-cell responses in recovered and vaccinated individuals as part of any assessment to determine if booster vaccinations are needed.
Article
AD Redd et.al. CD8+ T cell responses in COVID-19 convalescent individuals target conserved epitopes from multiple prominent SARS-CoV-2 circulating variants. Open Forum Infectious Diseases DOI: 10.1093/ofab143 (2021).
Who
Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., NIAID Director and Chief, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, is available to comment on this research. Dr. Andrew Redd, staff scientist in the Laboratory of Immunoregulation, is also available.
This work was supported in part by NIAID grands R01AI120938, R01AI1209851 and R01AI128779 and by National Heart Lung and Blood Institute grant 1K23HL151826-01.
March 30: The White House posted a Press Briefing titled: “Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, March 30, 2021”. From the Press Briefing:
Ms. Psaki: Okay. I have a couple of items of good news for the American people today to kick us off.
Today, the President will sign an extension of the Paycheck Protection Program which passed both the House and the Senate with wide bipartisan majorities. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 400,000 small businesses have closed for good and millions more are struggling to stay open.
In December, Congress provided an additional $284 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program. In just two months, we’ve approved over $200 billion worth of forgivable loans to more than 3 million small businesses. And in this round, we’ve distributed a greater share of relief to very small businesses.
So today, the President will sign the Extension Act into law. We want small businesses to know that help is here, and that now have until May 31st to apply.
As we do every week, Jeff Zeints hosted a call with governors from across the country. He, of course, provided them an update on what the President announced yesterday: that, by April 19, 90 percent of adults in the U.S. will be eligible for vaccination and 90 percent will have a vaccination site within five miles of where they live.
This will be made possible by increasing the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program from 17,000 to nearly 40,000 stores nationwide – a program that started out as a pilot and has been very successful.
He also announced there will be an increase of supply to over 33 million vaccine doses across all of our channels, which is going to help meet the needs with the – moving forward – of the eligibility timeline.
Another update in terms of our – getting the checks out to people: There have been – there are a significant number of Social Security recipients who do not file taxes. As we noted earlier – or a couple weeks ago, I should say – direct payments went out very quickly to those who file taxes every year, who do it via direct deposit. And thanks to collaboration between the IRS and the Social Security Administration, they will soon announce that we are on track to send those payments out this weekend. The majority of people should see them in the bank account – in their bank accounts on Wednesday, April 7th, which is obviously a very positive step forward.
Finally, as many of you saw earlier this morning, the President announced his historic slate of judicial nominees of his administration – the first historic slate, I should say – with 11 candidates overall. This is an unprecedented fast start or any President in the U.S. history on judicial nominations.
This is also a groundbreaking slate in many ways. It include four nominees who have served as public defenders; four nominees who are members of the AAPI community; a nominee who, if confirmed would be the first Muslim-American federal judge in history; nine of the eleven nominees are women,
And overall, this group represents a paradigm shift in the type of people who can see themselves on the federal bench while still maintaining the President’s absolute highest standards for the qualifications, integrity, and fairness of each individual being considered.
So, lots of news. Go ahead, kick us off.
Q: Thank you Jen. I wanted to start by asking on guns. It has been noted, actually, that 40 years ago was the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan. But some gun safety groups have expressed disappointment in the President’s sidestep of the issue in his news conference last week. Can you give an update on what is in the words in terms of a possible executive actions on guns?
Ms. Psaki: Well, first, let me say the President understands their frustration. He is somebody who has fought for gun safety measures since he was in the Senate himself. He did that in his effort to fight for the Brady Bill, in his effort to fight for a ban on assault weapons, and in his leadership getting – putting in place almost two dozen executive actions on gun safety when he was in the Biden – Obama-Biden administration.
Right now, we’re working on a couple of levers. One is working with Congress. There are two background check bills that have moved their way through the House. Many of you may have seen, this weekend, Senator Chris Murphy – clearly a leader on these issues, somebody who has been a leader since Newtown and even before – has – sees a path forward. We’ve seen an openness by even some Republicans to having a debate and a discussion. We’ll take that.
While that is moving, while there are discussions on that front – and the President will certainly be engaged in those – we are also continuing to review and consider what the options are for executive actions. We hope to have an update on that soon. I don’t have an exact day for you at this point in time.
Q: Okay. And a follow-up on that and then one other matter. On the – on guns, does the President still plan to go to Colorado after the mass shootings there? And if so, when?
Ms. Psaki: I don’t have an update on a trip to Colorado. Obviously, that trip would be done in coordination with the leaders in the state community that was impacted by this terrible tragedy, but I don’t have any plans to preview for a trip to Colorado at this point….
…Go ahead…
…Q: And one other topic. Twenty-three countries have signed on to the idea of a WHO treaty that would improve information sharing during future pandemics. Why hasn’t the U.S. signed on to that?
Ms. Psaki: Well, we believe it’s vital in working with international partners and other countries and, of course, strengthening and reforming our international efforts as it related to addressing pandemics and future pandemics.
We do have some concerns primarily about the timing and launching into negotiations for a new treaty right now, and we believe that could divert attention away from substantive issues regrind the response, preparedness for future pandemic threats. And we believe that should be our focus currently, but we’re certainly open to and looking for continued collaboration with the global community.
Go ahead.
Q: Does President Biden believe that the millions of Americans who lost loved ones to COVID-19 deserve a better response than the one that they’ve gotten from the WHO?
Ms. Psaki: In terms of looking into –
Q: In terms of the origins for COVID-19.
Ms. Psaki: Well, I think he believes that the American people, the global community, the medical experts, the doctors – all of the people who have been working to save lives – the families who have lost loved ones – all deserve greater transparency. They deserve better information. They deserve steps that are taken by the global community to provide that.
So there was an extensive statement put out by a number of countries, including the U.S. But let me highlight – and we’re still reviewing the report, but let me highlight some of the concerns that have come up to date.
The report lacks crucial data, information, and access. It represents a partial and incomplete picture. There was also a joint statement, as I noted, that was put out. We also welcome a similar statement from the EU and EU members, sending a clear message that the global community shares these concerns.
There are steps from here that we believe should be taken. There’s a second stage in this process that we believe should be led by international and independent experts. They should have unfettered access to data. They should be able to ask questions of people who are on the ground at this point in time, and that’s a step the WHO could take.
Q: And that statement says that the U.S. joins these countries in expressing shared concerns. But the statement, quite frankly, is pretty bureaucratic and perhaps does not meet the moment of seriousness of the crisis here in this country in terms of the death toll. So what is the White House’s actual reaction to this report from the WHO? Was it simply inadequate?
Ms. Psaki: Well, the report is still being reviewed by our team of experts; 17 experts are reviewing it.
Q: But you know the headline of it, and it’s not sufficient, you said. So –
Ms Psaki: We agree. And we have long said, as I just stated, it lacks crucial data, information. It lacks access. It lacks transparency. It certainly – we don’t believe that, in our review to date, that it meets the impact that this pandemic has had on the global community. And that’s why we also have called for additional forward-looking steps.
And I will tell you that negotiating between 20 countries or so to get a statement out, sometimes appears bureaucratic, but well-intentioned.
Q: When will the President speak on this?
Ms. Psaki: On the WHO report? I expect we’ll let our review conclude, and then we’ll look for an opportunity for him to speak to it. But I can certainly confirm for you that he shares these concerns. They are coming directly from him and directly from our national security team, who has looked at what the report has presented to date. They’re still reviewing and share the concerns issued in that statement that made those concerns clear.
Q: Thanks, Jen. I just want to piggyback off of that as well. World Health Organization Director General Tedros – one of his primary concerns was that the report may have glossed over, if you will, the possibility that the – that the virus escaped from a lab. Is that a central concern for the White House as well? And then, when you talk about corporation, has China not cooperated enough, in the White Hous’s opinion?
Ms. Psaki: Well, they have not been transparent. They have not provided underlying data. That certainly doesn’t qualify as cooperation. You know, the analysis performed to date from our experts – you know, their concern is that there isn’t any additional support for one hypothesis. It doesn’t lead us any closer of an understanding or greater knowledge than we had six to nine months ago about the recommend steps on how we should prevent this from happening in the future. And those are imperative.
Q: And so that centers on the hypothesis that would involve the lab?
Ms. Psaki: Again, it doesn’t – it doesn’t lead to – it doesn’t – it doesn’t provide us greater understanding of the origin of the virus….
…Q: …I’d like to find out what the White House thinks about what’s happening in San Diego, where some public school teachers are providing in-person instruction at the San Diego Convention Center to migrant children before their own public school students. And these kids, of course – about 130,000 of them – have been at home doing online learning for about a year now. So what does the White House think about that.
Ms. Psaki: Well, I know you guys have done a fair amount of reporting on this, so maybe you’ll have more details. As I understand it, San Diego Public Schools are opening in early April.
Q: April 12th, to hybrid learning.
Ms. Psaki: Okay. And students will be back in the classroom. And as I understand is, this is related –
Q: Part-time.
Ms. Psaki: Part-time. And certainly, you know our objective from the White House – opening up five days a week, a majority of schools across the country. And they’re on spring break right now. And this is related to volunteering or being paid – I’m not even sure; you’d have to ask the local school district – during spring break for these migrant kids?
Q: Yeah, so the San Diego County Supervisor, Jim Desmond, he says, you know, “I think it’s great that there’s in-person learning for unaccompanied minors from Central American, but I wish every child in San Diego County was allowed the same opportunity for in-person teaching.”
So I guess the question is, you know: Does the White House think that this sends the right message to these 130,000 kids in San Diego and their parents, who’ve been stuck at home for the last year?
Ms. Psaki: Well, I’m just saying that context is important. And these kids are going back to school for hybrid learning. We, of course, want that to be five days a week, and we’re confident we’ll get there early next month. And I believe they’re also on spring break right now, so these teachers are – would be vo- – I’m not sure if it’s volunteer or paid; you’d have to ask the school district – while the kids are on spring break, which I think the context is pretty important. Okay…
…Go ahead
Q: Yes, one more follow-up on the WHO. Is the President disappointed with the WHO? Does he believe they’re not up to the task?
Ms. Psaki: I think what the statement makes clear is that we remain – that – that was issued by the State Department today – is that we remain confident in the role of the WHO. We look to be a contributing member of the WHO. We have some concerns as we – as I’ve expressed about the analysis that’s been done so far about the report, and I think that steps can be taken moving forward in the second stage of the review to ameliorate some of those…
…Q: And a quick follow-up on a question asked last week about the White House and the marijuana policy that impacted some fired staffers. You indicated that things might be different if marijuana was federally legal. Actually, the Democrats in the Senate, led by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, are preparing the bill to end federal prohibition of marijuana. Does President Biden support that?
Ms. Psaki: He spoke about this on the campaign. He believes in decriminalizing the use of marijuana, but his position has not changed.
Q: Descheduling them – federally descheduling and an end to the federal prohibition?
Ms. Psaki: That’s been his position. Nothing has changed.
Q: And regarding the WHO, former President Donald Trump has accused the WHO of being, quote, “a puppet of China.” Does this report confirm that claim?
Ms. Psaki: Well, I think we’ve expressed our concerns about the role – the lack of transparency, the lack of data that has been provided broadly to the global community. We believe there are steps that can be taken moving forward to ensure that an independent investigation – that global experts are involved in the next stage of this process. But we also believe that the WHO is a body that the United States should be a part of – that in order to make changes happen, we need to have a seat at the table, and that’s why we rejoined the WHO…
…Q: In speaking with several governor’s offices that were on the call with the White House this morning, it’s come to our attention that there were not a lot of questions, or, really, any questions or pushback on the comments yesterday from both the President and Dr. Walensky, you know, advising state and local governments against rolling back mask mandates.
Just given the fact that there were no questions or really any dialogue- at least according to our reporting right now – what is the level of concern from the White House at the effect 24 hours after the President raising his voice on this? Dr. Walensky is certainly raising he voice on this. I mean, are governors sort of going their own way and ignoring you all?
Ms. Psaki: I don’t think we see it that way, Jeff, but I would say that one of the ways we can impact people across the country is by acknowledging this is hard. We’ve been at war with this virus for a long time. And to reiterate, as the President did yesterday, as Dr. Walensky did yesterday, that we continue to be at war with the virus. But the way we feel we can be most impactful is not just through words but through actions,
And so, as we have seen an uptick – we’ve also taken an accelerating threat, I should say – we’ve also accelerated our response, and we’ve moved up the universal shot date for most Americans by two weeks, increased vaccine supply to states, doubled the number of pharmacies getting supply – more than doubled – opened more vacc- -mass vaccination centers. We know that the more people who can get vaccinated, the more accessible it is, the more effective we are going to be, and that’s where we’re putting our efforts.
Q: Is there enough concern from governors, based on the call this morning, do you believe?
Ms. Psaki: I was not on the call this morning. I think the President is speaking not just to governors but to people across the country, to business owners, to local elected officials. There are – even in some states where governors have been pulling back the restrictions, there are local leaders and local businesses or bigger businesses who have kept them in place.
And it’s important for people – it’s a tough message. Important for people to hear that we’re still in a war with this virus, and people still need to be vigilant in order to return to normal.
Go ahead.
Q: Thanks, Jen. Today, Canada halted delivery of the AstraZeneca vaccine. What does this mean for this administration’s posture toward that particular vaccine and the vaccine’s prospects of approval here in the U.S.?
Ms. Psaki: Well, approved would, of course, be through the FDA, and they have a rigorous and thorough process for doing that. So I will leave that to them to undergo that process. And I don’t have anything to predict about the approval likelihood.
Q: Thank you, Jen.
Ms. Psaki: Thank you. Want to go one more?
Q: Sure. One more vaccine question.
Ms. Psaki: Okay.
Q: Given the increased urgency and the fact that millions of Johnson & Johnson vaccines are on the near-term horizon, is the White House considering changing the way it deploys those vaccines, since those kick in so much quicker than the other vaccines out there?
Ms. Psaki: The Johnson & Johnson vaccine?
Q: Yeah. Are you sticking to the same per capita distribution, or is there any thought about changing the way those are distributed?
Ms. Psaki: Well, we think a lot about how to ensure vaccines are distributed equitably across the country. But our message continues to be: You should take any vaccine that is available to you. There are three approved. They’re all safe; they’re all effective. So we are not changing our approach at this point in time.
Thank you, everyone.
March 30: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted a News Release titled: “FDA Allows for First Point-of-Care Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Test to be Used in More Near-Patient Care Settings”. From the News Release:
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it is allowing use of the Binx Health IO CT/NG Assay at point-of-care settings, such as in physician offices, community-based clinics, urgent care settings, outpatient health care facilities and other patient care setting, operating under a CLIA Certificate of Waiver, Certificate of Compliance or Certificate of Accreditation. This action is the result of FDA granting a waiver under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (“CLIA”) for the Binx Health IO CT/NG Assay.
“The ability to diagnose at a point-of-care setting will help you more quickly and appropriately treating sexually-transmitted infections, which is a major milestone in helping patients,” said Tim Stenzel, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Office of In Vitro Diagnostics and Radiological Health in the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health. “More convenient testing with quicker results can help patients get access to the most appropriate treatment. According to the CDC, one in five Americans are diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections every year, which is why access to faster diagnostic results and faster, more appropriate treatments will make significant strides in combatting these infections.”
Following clearance for use by individuals trained in the test procedure and under the oversight of a CLIA certified laboratory that meets the requirements for high or moderate complexity testing, Binx Health applied for a CLIA Waiver by Application based on data demonstrating that the test meets the criteria for a CLIA waiver. The waiver granted today broadens its use to point-of-care settings operating under a CLIA Certificate of Waiver.
The test, which uses female vaginal swabs and male urine specimens, can detect the presence of the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which cause sexually transmitted infections chlamydia and gonorrhea, respectively.
The test is performed while the patient is present, providing an actionable result in approximately 30 minutes. The test’s performance was evaluated in females 16 years and older males 17 years and older was demonstrated to be comparable to tests performed in a CLIA certified laboratory that meets the requirements for high or moderate complexity testing.
March 31: The White House posted a Press Briefing titled: “Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials”. From the Press Briefing:
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Good morning, and thank you for joining us. I’d like to begin this briefing where the President left off in his remarks on Monday afternoon. As he said, we are in a “life-and-death race” against the virus. We are facing an accelerating threat. And faced with an accelerating threat, this administration is accelerating our response even further.
The most powerful way to do this is to accelerate the pace of vaccinations. Starting on day one, we began working to accelerate and increase vaccine purchases and manufacturing to have enough vaccines to vaccinate all adults by the end of July. We then accelerated that to have enough vaccine for all adults by the end of May. The President then directed states to open up vaccinations to all adults by the beginning of May,
But as we have seen this virus continue to spread, President Biden has ordered that his national vaccination effort accelerate to the next level. Within three weeks – by April 19th – 90 percent of adult Americans will be eligible for a vaccine and 90 percent of American will live within five miles of a vaccination site.
Already, there are more than 50,000 vaccine sites across the country. Within three weeks, there will be about 70,000 locations as we nearly double the number of pharmacies that are vaccinating Americans. More Americans will get more appointments in more convenient locations.
The President also committed to opening at least 12 more federally run mass vaccination sites. And today, we’re announcing three new sites that will open next week, in addition to the two we announced on Monday in St. Louis, Missouri, and Gary, Indiana.
The first is in Memphis, Tennessee, at the Pipkin Building at the Library Bowl Memorial Stadium. The second is in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, at the Wisconsin Center. And the third is in Greenbelt, Maryland, at the Greenbelt Metro Station.
Each of these sites is the first federally run mass vaccination site in its respective state. And each is capable of administering 3,000 vaccinations a day.
I can also report that previously announced sites in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Virginia, and Washington are now all open and fully operational.
In total, we’ve opened 25 mass vaccination sites, which have a combined capacity to administer over 95,000 shots per day. These sites are run by the federal government in close partnership with state and local officials, and they’re part of our work to equitably distribute vaccines and reach communities that have been hurt the most by the pandemic.
Through these mass vaccination sites, we have administered more than 2 million shots in some of America’s most at-risk and underserved communities. More than 60 percent have been administered to racial minorities.
All of these efforts are on behalf of one thing: saving lives. We need to keep case numbers down so we can save lives and give people the chance to get vaccinated in April, May, and June so we can enter the summer on the strongest footing possible.
Now, in the weeks ahead that it will take to get everyone vaccinated, for all of this effort, we need a simple thing of every governor, mayor, and local leader – and that is to heed what the President is asking in return: simply to maintain or to reinstate mask mandates. And we need every American to do their part.
Together, we can win this race and save lives. If we’re acting on our own, we will lose even more people. If we’re acting together, we can defeat this.
And with that, I’m going to turn it over to Dr. Walensky and then to Dr. Fauci for some important updates from them.
Dr. Walensky: Thank you so much, Andy. I’m glad to be back with all of you today. As per usual, I will begin with an overview of the state of the pandemic.
CDC’s most recent data show that the seven-day average of new cases is slightly less than 62,000 cases per day. We continue to see an increase, and this is almost a 12 percent increase from the seven-day period prior.
Hospitalizations also continue to increase. The most recent seven-day average – about 4,900 per admissions per day – is up from 4,600 admissions per day in the prior seven-day period.
And the seven-day average of deaths remains slightly above 900 deaths per day.
As I said on Monday, this is a critical moment in our fight against the pandemic. As we see increases in cases, we can’t afford to let our guard down. We are so close – so very close to getting back to the everyday activities we all miss so much, but we’re not quite there yet.
We need to keep taking mitigation measures, like wearing a mask and social distancing, as we continue to get more and more Americans vaccinated every single day.
Since early in the pandemic, COVID-19 has disproportionately affected certain groups in the United States, particularly Blacks, Hispanic and Latino, and Native American communities.
In mid-February, CDC released its estimates of life expectancy in the United States in the first six months of 2020, which showed a profound impact on communities of color with a drop in life expectancy of 2.7 years among non-Hispanic Blacks and 1.9 years among Hispanics – historic and tragic declines in these populations.
Today, CDC is releasing an MMWR that provides additional detail on provisional mortality in the United States for all of 2020 with a focus on deaths associated with COVID-19.
In 2020, about 3.3 million deaths occurred in the United States overall. This represents a 16 percent increase in deaths from 2019. COVID ranked as the third leading cause of underlying death – underlying cause of death after heart disease and cancer, with approximately 378,000 COVID-19 deaths, accounting for roughly 11 percent of all deaths in the United States in 2020.
COVID-19 deaths were far – were highest for older adults and males, and were higher, as we previously saw, among American Indian and Alaska Natives, Hispanics, non-Black – non-Hispanic Blacks, and non-Hispanic Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander persons compared to non-Hispanic whites. In fact among nearly all of these ethnic and racial minority groups, the COVID-19-related deaths were more than double the death rate of non-Hispanic white persons.
Sadly, based on the current state of the pandemic, these impacts have remained in 2021, where we continue to see that communities of color account for an outsize portion of these deaths. The data should serve, again, as a catalyst for each of us to continue to do our part to drive down cases and reduce the spread of COVID-19 and get people vaccinated as quickly as possible.
I know this is not easy and so many of us are frustrated with the disruption this pandemic has had on our everyday lives, but we can do this as a nation working together. There is reason to be hopeful because we now Know so much more about this virus – how to stop its spread; and we now have three historic, safe, and effective vaccines that we didn’t have just four months ago; and we are distributing billions of dollars into communities disproportionately affected to help mount the most aggressive, equitable vaccination campaign of modern times.
Million more people are getting vaccinated every single day. This week, we will cross the 100 million people who have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in the United States – a remarkable feat in such a short period of time. Further, over 70 percent of people over age 65, our most vulnerable group, have reached at least one vaccine dose.
I’m proud the CDC stands with others leading the way to scale up our national vaccine effort as quickly as possible. As the President mentioned on Monday afternoon, we are working quickly to expand our Federal Retail Pharmacy Program from about 17,000 to 40,000 stores in communities across this nation to help everyone have ready access to vaccines.
With this expansion and additional efforts in partnership with FEMA and states across the country, we will be able to reach the administration’s goal of making sure that 90 percent of Americans will be within five miles of a vaccination site by April 19th. And we recognize that five miles is still to far for many Americans, and that is why we are activating resources, such as mobile units and clinics, to those communities where this is the case to ensure they can get access to vaccinations.
CDC is also excited to partner with the Administration for Community Living to support their efforts to get older, at-risk adults and those with disabilities vaccinated. This is helping to provide critical access to COVID-19 vaccines to these individuals.
Finally I want to briefly share that, today, CDC is updating COVID-19 guidance for adult day service centers. These centers provide important social and health services to community-dwelling adults aged 65 and older, as well as to adults of any age living with disability. We know these populations are at high risk for severe COVID-19 disease, and this guidance will help center administrator and staff to protect themselves and adults receiving their service by promoting and engaging in preventative behaviors that reduce COVID-19 spread and help maintain healthy operations and environments of these facilities. You can find the updated guidance and resources for center administrators and staff on the CDC website.
It’s up to us. It’s up to all of us to be part of this solution. Thank you for hanging in there with us for just a little bit longer and for doing your part to help others.
Thank you. I’ll now turn things over to Dr. Fauci.
Dr: Fauci: Thank you very much, Dr. Walensky. I’d like to spend the next couple of minutes talking to you about the subject of the potential role of vaccinations that we are currently giving in handling the variants that we see emerging in our society.
Can I have the first slide?
This is a slide which schematically diagrams the immune response to SARS-CoV-2. On the left-hand part of the slide is what happens when you get acutely infected. Multiple components of the immune response are operative: antibodies, but also something we don’t pay much attention to, and that is the cell-mediated response of what’s called CD4 and CD8 cells. On the right-hand part of the slide, is what happens when you recover, which is the state you try to mimic when you vaccinate an individual. In other words, you want to induce immune memory in the form of antibodies – CD4, and CD8-positive T cells, or what we call “cell-mediated immunity” – as well a memory B cells.
Okay. Next slide.
So what I want to talk about in the next two minutes or three minutes is that the immune protection against COVID-19 variants, which is of obvious concern to us – when you are vaccinated against a wild-type viral strain, namely the common virus in society, there are two potential mechanisms that protect you against variants:
One, a high titer of antibody that, although it’s specific against the wild-type strain, it is high enough there’s a spillover effect against the variant.
And the second, which I’d like to emphasize right now, is the T-cell response that although it’s specific against the wild-type strain, there is a considerable degree of cross-reactivity against the range of variants, which is characteristic of T cells.
This slide here shows the high level of antibody against a prime and a boost of the Pfizer vaccine. The point I was making a moment ago is that the level is so high that even when you diminish it by multifold, which is the case with the variant, you still have a good degree of protection.
Next slide.
But the other thing that we want to concentrate on is that now we’re learning more and more that these CD4 and CD8 cells are very important in that they cross-react against certain viral variants and they last for a long time.
Next slide.
This slide is in individuals who are actually infected, showing that immune memory response lasts for several months, but it also includes – beside antibody – what I mentioned: the very important T cells, which can help against the variants.
Next slide.
When you look at vaccinated individuals, as shown on this slide, you get T-cell memory response, again, against the variants – not only against the virus to which you were vaccinated against, but as shown in this report, against a number of variants.
Next slide.
And finally, in a paper that came out just yesterday, it was shown very clearly that in individuals who recover from infection, if you look at their CD4 and CD8 positive T cells, they recognize virtually all of the variants of concern.
So on the final slide – next slide – getting back to what I said in the beginning, we are seeing now immune protection against COVID-19 variants when individuals are vaccinated against the wild-type strain on two mechanisms: the antibody response that has a spillover effect, as well as the cross-reactivity.
The bottom-line message to everyone is: Why it’s so important to get vaccinated? Because vaccination is not only going to protect us against the wild type, but it has the potential to a greater or lesser degree, to also protect against a range of variants.
So when vaccination becomes available, get vaccinated.
Back to you, Andy.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Thank you. That’s great news.
All right, let’s take questions.
MODERATOR: First question will go to Tamara Keith at NPR.
Q: Thank you. Thank you so much for taking my question.
What we’re wondering about at NPR today is whether there might at some point – and I don’t know that this point is yet – but whether at some point there might be a shift in the allocation of vaccine doses based on demand rather than simply on population size. If there are, you know pockets of the country where demand is a little bit more slack and there are other areas where there’s a lot of demand and not enough supply, whether there might be a calibration that you guys are now starting to consider.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: That’s a great question, Tamara. And without signaling anything specific, I want to answer that question at a high level. I think you’re exactly right: We’re going to go through stages, as we vaccinate higher and higher portions of populations where it will make sense for us to continue to watch where vaccines are needed, how vaccines are distributed, the best way to reach more people. And we will be in a situation, unlike one we’re familiar with over the last couple of months, where we have an abundance of vaccines.
So I might not think of it as much as shifting as much as I might think of making sure that we’re putting enough vaccines in all the places where they’re needed, including doctor’s offices, including regions – including places that might have been inefficient to do at the beginning while we had a surplus.
So it is absolutely how you should be thinking about our approach going forward.
Next question.
MODERATOR: Stephanie Baker at Bloomberg.
Q: Thank you. Yes, this is a question for Dr. Fauci. Can you explain why you decided to issue a public statement questioning the AstraZeneca interim results? And do you think that their updated results will enable them to secure emergency use authorization? Because I think many countries around the world that are relying on the AstraZeneca vaccine will be taking their lead from the FDA, even if Astra doses are not used in the U.S.
And then, just another quick question: When do you expect the UK variant to become the dominant variant in the U.S? Thank you.
Dr. Fauci: Well, with regard to your first question, I believe you’re referring to the NIH statement that followed the letter that was sent by the DSMB to AZ, as well as with a copy to me. I did not have a statement questioning their data at all. I urged them to make sure that their data was up to date in the sense that the DSMB had written to them a rather harsh note saying they did not believe that the data that was in their press conference was the most recent, updated data.
The only statement that we made in our release was to encourage them to work closely with the DSMB to make sure that the data that they put into their press release is the most update and accurate data.
So I didn’t question their data at all. I just urged them to work closely with the DSMB.
And, I’m sorry, your second question?
Dr. Walensky: I think the second question was related to variants, and I can just sort of fill you in. B117, we know from our most recent data, is about 26 percent of circulating virus right now. We are looking at it by region. It varies in region from 4 to 36 – 35 percent. And so we’re watching this very carefully. But it is starting to become the predominant variant in many U.S. regions.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: I think you final question is – was asking us to consider whether the FDA was going to grant an EUA. Obviously, we’re going to leave that to the FDA, but I’m wondering if, Dr. Fauci, you have any additional comments, given the data that you have seen relative to the AstraZeneca release.
Dr. Fauci: Well, the data that they made public, most recently, indicates to me that this is a good vaccine that is going to have a very important role in the global response to this outbreak.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Thank you. Next question.
MODERATOR: Next we’ll go to Lauren Class at CQ Roll Call.
Q: Hi, thank you. First, given the rise in cases in a number of schools in states that are reopening, how important is it to have a national testing strategy? And when should we expect to see that?
And then, secondly, are you anticipating any medical supply chain disruptions stemming from the backlog in the Suez Canal? Thank you.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Okay, the first question on schools and testing – Dr. Walensky, do you want to provide some input into that?
Dr. Walensky: Yeah. What I will say is we’re watching obviously the cases by jurisdiction. Our school-based reopening strategy does look at community transmission and is guided based on community transmission.
We have five mitigation strategies and, of course, ancillary mitigation strategies related to teacher vaccination and testing, as you note. And we’re working closely with the Department of Ed and others to input – to put forward a national testing strategy for schools.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: In terms of your question about medical supplies in the Suez Canal, we’ll get back to you if we hear differently, but none of that I’m aware of, and we didn’t have to send people over to dig the ship out. So we were able to get people – to keep them focused on getting people vaccinated.
Let’s go to the next question.
By the way, let me just add one thing about the schools and the testing before I forget. I should remind everybody that last week we announced $10 billion in new testing dedicated directly to schools. So we now have the resources, thanks to the Congress and the bill signed by the President, to be able to vaccinate the children on a weekly basis across the country.
So, that testing capability is there, the testing resource centers are developed and available, and the testing is quite there. So, in addition to what Dr. Walensky said.
Next question.
MODERATOR: Sharon LaFraniere, New York Times.
Q: Thank you for taking my question. I wanted to follow up with Dr. Fauci. What do you think, Dr. Fauci, about the decision yesterday by the German regulators to restrict the use of AstraZeneca’s vaccine in people under 30 because of a rise in the number of cases of unusual blood clots? I think it’s sinus vein thrombosis. Does that give you fresh concern?
Dr. Fauci: Well, you know, I only have to go back to the European Medicines Agency, the EMA, which again have made the statement that it is their opinion that the clotting issues that we’re seeing with the AZ, the frequency of that was no more than in the general population not associated with vaccines.
So, I mean, I don’t have any further opinion on that except to say that you’re talking about a situation in the European Union, and the regulatory agency that’s responsible for what goes on in the European Union feels that it is not an issue; that it is, in fact, the same level as you’d expect in the general population.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: And let me just pile on to assure the public of the following: The FDS will conduct a completely thorough analysis of the application that’s submitted in all the data from the AstraZeneca, and Dr. Fauci, as he always does, will help the public interpret whatever comes out of the FDA when they review that data.
So people should be very assured that we have the best regulatory bodies who study these matters in the world – will be looking at this data. And the best scientists in the world will help people understand whatever comes out of that. So I think we should wait until we see what happens with that process before anybody jumps to conclusions.
Next question.
MODERATOR: Jeremy Diamond, CNN
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Should we go to another question, Kevin?
MODERATOR: We’ll go to another question.
Q: Hey. It wasn’t letting me unmute, but it just did. Can you hear me?
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Yes, Jeremy.
Q: Okay, thank you. So two questions. First of all, you said that you expected the B117 variant to be dominant in the U.S. by the end of March, early April. Is it now the dominant strain? And how much of the increasing cases do you attribute to that variant?
And then, secondly, we’ve heard a lot from you about the importance of governors keeping or reinstating mask mandates, but several of the states experiencing the worst surges haven’t done away with their mask mandates; instead, it’s been loosening of other restrictions like indoor dining and gathering.
So my question is: What are you telling states about which restrictions they should be implementing, and why haven’t you published uniform gating criteria to lay out a roadmap that states should be following? Thank you.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Great. Dr. Walensky, do you want to take these?
Dr. Walensky: Yeah. As I mentioned earlier, we now have B117 as 26 percent of the circulating variant across the United States, and it is the predominant strain in at least five regions of the United States. So we’re starting to see it creep up.
We do know it’s more transmissible – somewhere between 50 and 70 percent more transmissible than the wild-type strain. So to the extent that people are not practicing those standard mitigation strategies, we do think that more infections will result because of B117. We believe that the current mitigation strategies of masking and distancing would work just as well against the current – the wild-type strain as they do against the B117 strain.
I think we’ve been pretty clear with regard to our guidance and strategies and setting specific strategies as to how people can remain safe in these settings. And we continue to articulate in these press conferences and others the importance of masking, distancing, not traveling, and decreasing crowds.
Acting Administrator Slavitt: Yeah, I mean just – just to reiterate: I think, three times a week for the last 10 weeks, Dr. Walensky has made the same points over and over again because repetition is good and is important. People want to know that they’re getting consistent answers. And consistently, three times a week for 10 weeks, Dr. Walensky has said, “Wear a mask, avoid crowds, socially distance, and don’t travel unless it’s absolutely essential.” Three times a week for 10 weeks.
We repeat all of that in our conversations with governors. We repeat that in all our conversations with local officials. And we’re not the only one saying it; public health officials from departments and agencies across the country make the same points. So the people who are in violation of that they are choosing to do that. They – they – they’re not confused about where we stand.
And to your point, Jeremy, that’s not the only factor that drives case growth. And even where there are mandates that everyone complies by them – but there are – where the variants are at any given time is obviously also another important factor.
Next question.
MODERATOR: We’re going to get one more question in. We’ll go to Nissan Akpan at New York Public Radio.
Q: Hi, thank you for taking my question. So New York health – health officials continue to voice concerns about the B1526 variant. You know, early studies suggest this variant was first detected last November, and it now represents a large proportion of cases in New York City and New Jersey, and namely in counties undergoing surges.
Yet the CDC still classifies B1526 as a “variant of interest” rather than a “variant of concern.” I’m wondering what additional evidence is needed before B1526 is classified as a variant of concern. Does the CDC plan to release state-by-state case numbers on the New York variant rather than just a rough proportion? And what’s the national tally of B1526 cases so far?
Dr. Walensky: Thank you for that question. I’m going to have to get back to you on the details on the national tally.
What I will say is that there is an interagency group that looks at these variants and classifies them, and that it is that interagency group – CDC is a part of that – that is actually looking at this question right now.
March 31: U.S. Food & Drug Administration posted a News Release titled: “Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Continues to Advance Over-the Counter and Other Screening Test Development”. From the News Release:
Following recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration actions to support test development, the FDA took swift action this week to get more tests for screening asymptomatic individuals on the market. Today, the agency authorized several tests for over-the-counter (OTC) use without a prescription when used for serial screening. In addition to the tests authorized for OTC use, one serial screening test was authorized for use in a point-of-care (POC) setting without a prescription, and an additional screening test was authorized for POC use with a prescription. The additional of the OTC and POC tests for screening will give schools, workplaces, communities and others several options for serial screening tests that are accurate and reliable
March 31: National Institutes of Health (NIH) posted a News Release titled: “Preventative treatment reduces diabetic retinopathy complications” From the News Release:
In a clinical trial, early treatment with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injections slowed diabetic retinopathy, a complication of diabetes that causes damage to the blood vessels of the light-sensitive tissue in the retina. However, two years into the four-year study, the early treatment’s effect on vision – including changes in visual acuity and vision loss – was similar to standard treatment, which usually only begins after the onset of late disease. The intermediate findings from the DRCR Retina Network (DRCR.net) published today in JAMA Ophthalmology. The study was supported by the National Eye Institute (NEI), a part of the National Institutes of Health.
“While it is possible the preventive injections of anti-VEGF drugs may help protect vision in the longer-term, we so no effect on vision at two years,” said Raj Maturi, M.D., Indiana University, Indianapolis, the protocol chair for the study. “These two-year results suggest that close monitoring and routine treatment when complications develop are key to preventing vision loss from diabetic retinopathy.”
An estimated 30 million Americans have diabetes, which can cause blood vessel abnormalities, including the growth of new blood vessels in the eye. In early stages of diabetic retinopathy, called non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, changes in the eye’s blood vessels are visible to clinicians, but generally do not affect sight. In the advanced stages, people can develop proliferative diabetic retinopathy, where retinal blood vessels grow abnormally, and/or diabetic macular edema, where fluid leads out of the retinal blood vessels. Both can lead to vision loss and blindness. Treatment, such as with anti-VEGF drugs, can slow or prevent vision loss in people with proliferative diabetic retinopathy or diabetic macular edema, if treatment occurs promptly.
In this study, participants with non-proliferate diabetic retinopathy were randomly assigned at baseline to receive either injections of Eylea (afilbercept) or a sham injection at each visit. The researchers tracked their visual acuity and the severity of their diabetic retinopathy. If disease progressed, regardless of whether they were in the treatment or sham group, participants were given Eylea more frequently as is given in standard practice. If their condition did not improve with additional anti-VEGF treatment, participants could be given treatments such as laser photocoagulation or surgery if necessary.
The study included 328 participants (399 eyes). In two years, the rate of proliferate diabetic retinopathy development was 33% in the control group, compared with 14% in the treatment group. Likewise, the rate of development of diabetic macular edema affective vision was 15% in the control group, compared with 4% in the treatment group. However, loss of visual acuity was essentially the same between the two groups at two years, suggesting that standard treatment at the appearance of proliferative diabetic retinopathy or diabetic macular edema affecting vision is sufficient to prevent fur.ther vision loss at this time point.
“We have a really good treatment for these diseases, so we can manage vision complications that may arise as disease progresses for many eyes,” said Adam Glassman, Jaeb Center for Health Research, Tampa, Florida, director of the DRCR.net coordinating center. “When evaluating new preventative treatment strategies, it is important to compare them directly to the standard treatment after disease worsens, as we have done in this study.”
“Although we did not see any differences in visual outcomes at two years, the four-year follow-up is going to be very important,” said Jennifer Sun, M.D., Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, chair of Diabetes Initiatives for the Network. “We look toward the four-year data to see whether reducing rates of diabetic retinopathy worsening will lead to long-term improvement in visual outcomes.”
The Clinicaltrials.gov identifier for this study is NCT02634333. The study was supported by NEI and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, with funding through the Special Diabetes Program, through a cooperative agreement (EY14231). Regeneron provided afibercept for the study and funds to DRCR Retina Network to defray the study’s clinical site costs. JDRF also provided funds to defray clinical site costs.
March 31: The White House posted “A Proclamation on National Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Month, 2021”. From the Proclamation:
Sexual assault, at its core, is a devastating abuse of power – one that affects people of every age, race, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, socioeconomic background, and religion. It is the responsibility of each of use to stand up and speak out against it, not only to improve the laws and services available to survivors, but also to change the culture and attitudes that allow sexual assault to proliferate. Together, we must work toward a society that upholds every person’s right to live free from sexual violence – where our institutions and communities commit to preventing sexual assault and sexual harassment, supporting survivors, and holding offenders accountable.
The pandemic has exacerbated the already harrowing challenges facing sexual assault survivors by making it more difficult or risky for them to seek help. Victims may be reluctant to go to the hospital for medical forensic exam because of the risk of COVID-19 exposure; rape crisis centers and other social service providers have struggled to maintain their services while adopting necessary public health protocols; and survivors are often isolated from loved ones, friends, or co-workers who might be in the best position to provide support. As we race to stop the spread of this devastating virus, we must strengthen our efforts to support sexual assault survivors whose suffering may be compounded by this pandemic, as well as by the economic crisis that has further undermined their economic security and taken a toll on service providers.
We must also recognize that sexual assault was already a public health crisis even before the pandemic struck. According to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey done by the CDC, one in five women has been a victim of a completed or attempted rape at some point in her lifetime. Research has revealed a strong link between sexual violence and chronic disease, as well as a greater long-term economic burdens on survivors of sexual assault. The trauma of assault is further compounded by the high costs of medical and mental health care, navigating the criminal justice system, and lost productivity.
My Administration stands with survivors, and is committed to alleviating the public health crisis of sexual assault. As part of the American Rescue Plan (ARP), we included $450 million in supplemental funding for domestic violence and sexual assault services, including rape crisis centers. Recognizing the added barriers faced by survivors from historically marginalized communities – particularly survivors who are Black, Indigenous, Latino, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other people of color, the ARP includes new funding to support community-based organizations to provide culturally-specific services for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence.
I am also proud to have created the first-ever White House Gender Policy Council, through an Executive Order that I signed on National Women’s Day. In addition to its work to bring a whole-of-government approach to gender equity in every policy we pursue, this Council will help coordinate Federal agencies to develop a National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence. I have also established an independent review commission that will provide recommendations to help guide the development of new policies and enforcement measures in keeping with my Administration’s unwavering commitment to improving the response to, and prevention of, sexual assault and sexual harassment in the military.
To strengthen our national commitment to end gender-based violence, we must also renew and further improve the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Writing and championing the passage of VAWS as a Senator is one of my proudest legislative accomplishments – it is a law that has transformed the way our country responds to sexual assault and intimate partner violence. With each reauthorization, I have worked with Congress to expand VAWA’s provisions on a bipartisan basis to improve protections, including for Native American women, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, as well as immigrant survivors and survivors from communities of color and other underserved groups. I applaud the House of Representatives for recently passing the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2021 with bipartisan support, and I urge the Senate to follow their lead to renew and strengthen this landmark law immediately. Through this legislation, we can continue to support Federal programs with a proven track record of helping survivors heal, strengthen the coordinated community response, improve the response of the criminal justice system, and provide additional pathways to safety by supporting innovative programs and prevention efforts.
We have made important strides thanks to courageous survivors and dedicated advocates. This month, we honor the strength and resilience of sexual assault survivors, and we recommit ourselves to standing with them for safety, dignity, and justice. There is still much work to do, and it will take all of use to do it. This year’s Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month is an opportunity for every person, employer, school, sports team, faith-based organization, and institution to come together and commit to being part of the solution. We must rededicate ourselves to creating a society where sexual violence – including sexual assault and sexual harassment – is not tolerated, where survivors are supported, and where all people have an opportunity to thrive without fear of abuse or assault.
NOW THEREFORE I, JOSEPH BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 2021 as National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. I urge all Americans to support victims when they reach out and disclose abuse.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-one, and the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-fifth.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
March 31: National Institutes of Health (NIH) posted a News Release titled: “NIH clinical trial evauating Moderna COVID-19 variant vaccine begins” From the News Release:
Early-stage trial to evaluate safety and immunogenicity.
This trial is enrolling volunteers in the Atlanta, Cincinnati, Nashville and Seattle areas. At this time, the research sites anticipate they will have an adequate number of volunteers for this study. People who live outside these regions will not be eligible to participate in this trial. If you are interested in joining the trial or learning more, please visit clinincaltrials.gov and search identifier NCT04785144 for more information.
An investigational vaccine designed to protect against the B.1.351 SARS-CoV-2 variant has been administered as part of a new Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating the vaccine candidate’s safety and immunogenicity in adult volunteers. The vaccine, known as mRNA-1273.351, was developed by the biotechnology company ModernaTX, Inc., based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The trial is led and funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. The trial will enroll approximately 210 healthy adult volunteers at four clinical research sites in the United States that are part of the NIAID-funded Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Consortium (IDCRC).
“The B.1.351 SARS-CoV-2 variant, first identified in the Republic of South Africa, has been detected in at least nine states in the United States,” said NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. “Preliminary data show that the COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the United States should provide an adequate degree of protection against SARS-CoV-2 variants. However, out of an abundance of caution, NIAID has continued its partnership with Moderna to evaluate this variant candidate should there be a need for an updated vaccine.”
Investigators from NIAID and Moderna co-developed the mRNA-1273 vaccine, which is currently authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for emergency use in the United States for the prevention of COVID-19 in adults 18 years of age and older. The vaccine is administered as two 100-microgram (mcg) doses 28 days apart. The vaccine uses lipid nanoparticles to deliver instructions to the body’s cells for making a stabilized version of the spike protein found on the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The variant vaccine candidate developed by Moderna, mRNA-1273.351, differs from the currently-authorized Moderna vaccine in that it delivers instructions for making the SARS-CoV-2 spike that incorporates key mutations in the B.1.351 virus variant. In addition to the Phase 1 clinical trial, investigators at NIAID’s Vaccine Research Center are collaborating with Moderna to evaluate mRNA-1273.351 in animal models.
The trial will enroll people ages 18 and older who already have received the mRNA-1273 vaccine, as well as people ages 18 through 55 years who have not received any COVID-19 vaccine. Approximately 60 volunteers who previously received mRNA-1273 as a participant in NIAID’s Phase 1 trial of mRNA-1273 (which began in March 2020) will enroll in the new variant Phase 1 trial. Approximately one year ago, these volunteers received two vaccinations of mRNA-1273 28 days apart at varying doses: 50 mcg, 100 mcg or 250 mcg. As part of the variant vaccine trial, these volunteers will be randomized to receive either a single booster vaccination of 50 mgc of mRNA-1273.351 (group A) or a single vaccination containing one 25-mcg dose of mRNA-1273 and one 25-mcg dose of mRNA-1273.351 (group 1B). The remaining participants from the March 2020 trial will be offered a booster shot of mRNA-1273 as part of a separate clinical trial protocol (for more information see clinicaltrials.gov: NCT04283461.
The Phase 1 variant vaccine trial also will enroll approximately 150 volunteers 18 through 55 years who have not received any COVID-19 vaccine, have no known history of COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 infection, and do not have health conditions that are associated with an increased risk of severe illness from SARS-CoV-2 infection, such as cancer, heart conditions, type 2 diabetes mellitus, severe obesity or chronic kidney disease. These volunteers will be randomly assigned to one of eight cohorts:
Group 2A (15 participants) will receive three vaccinations 28 days apart: 100 mcg of mRNA-1273, followed by 100 mcg of mRNA-1273, followed by 50 mcg of mRNA-1273.351Group 2B (15 participants) will receive three vaccinations 27 days apart: 59 mcg of mRNA-1273, followed by mRNA-1273, followed by 50 mcg of mRNA-1273.351.Group 2C (20 participants) will receive two vaccinations 28 days apart: followed by 100 mcg mRNA-1273.351.Group 2D (20 participants) will receive two vaccinations 28 days apart: 50 mcg of mRNA-1273.351, followed by 50 mRNA-1273.351.Group 2E (20 participants) will receive two vaccinations 28 days apart: 100 mcg of mRNA-1273, followed by 100 mcg of mRNA-1273.351Group 2F (20 participants) will receive two vaccinations 28 days apart: 100 mcg of mRNA-1273, followed by 50 mcg of mRNA-1273.351Group 2G (20 participants) will receive a single vaccination at their initial visit which combines 50 mcg of mRNA-1273 plus 50 mRNA plus 50 mcg of mRNA-1273.351. Twenty-eight days later, they will receive another single vaccination of the same dose and combination.Group 2H (20 participants) will receive a single vaccination at their initial visit which combines 25 mcg of mRNA-1273 plus 25 mcg of mRNA-1273.351. Twenty-eight days later, they will receive another single vaccination of the same dose and combination.
The trial will evaluate the safety and reactogenicity of the vaccine candidate as well as its ability to induce an immune response. Reactogenicity can include injection site reactions like redness and pain as well as systemic reactions such as fever, headache, fatigue or muscle aches. Participants will be closely monitored for safety and will be asked to return to the study clinic for multiple follow-up visits between vaccinations and for additional visits during the year after their last vaccination. Participants also will be asked to provide blood samples at specified times throughout the trial. Scientists will use these samples to measure the immune response against circulating strains of SARS-CoV-2, including the B.1.351 variant.
An independent safety monitoring committee (SMC) will oversee the trial by regularly reviewing safety reports. The SMC can make a recommendation to the sponsor (NIAID) whether the trial should be halted, modified, or terminated at any point.
The Phase 1 clinical trial will enroll participants at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI) in Seattle, Emory University in Atlanta, Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) in Nashville, Tennessee, and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC). The trial is led by investigators Lisa A. Jackson, M.D., M.P.H., senior investigator at KPWHRI; Evan Anderson, M.D., professor of pediatrics and medicine at Emory; Nadine Rouphael M.D., professor of medicine at Emory; C. Buddy Creech, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Vanderbilt Vaccine Research Program and associate professor of pediatrics at Vanderbilt; and Paul Spearman, M.D., director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at CCHMC. These clinical research sites are four of the ten Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Units (VTEUs) comprising of the IDCRC. The IDCRC’s Leadership Group also provides scientific oversight and operational support for this trial.
Investigators anticipate the trial will be fully enrolled by the end of April 2021. The results will inform further evaluation of vaccine variant strategies should an updated vaccine be required. The FDA recently issued guidance for vaccine developers seeking to amend Emergency Use Authorization to address new variants. For more information about the study, visit ClinicalTrials.gov and search identifier NCT04785144.
NIAID conducts and supports research – at NIH, throughout the United States and worldwide – to study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets, and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID website.
March 31: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a press release titled: “CDC and NIH bring COVID-19 self-testing to residents in two locales”. From the press release:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has launched an innovative community health initiative called “Say Yes! COVID Test” starting in Pitt County, North Carolina, and coming soon to Chattanooga/Hamilton County, Tennessee. As many as 160,000 residents across the two communities will have access to free, rapid antigen tests that they can administer themselves to use three times a week for one month. NIH will provide the tests (also called a home-test or at-home test) and evaluate the effectiveness of the initiative, which aims to determine if frequent or self-administered COVID-19 testing helps residents reduce community transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease.
“Reliable and widely available testing is a critical part of our efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19. Regular screening with at-home COVID-19 tests can strengthen our prevention efforts,” said CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, M.D, M.P.H. “Combined with efforts to increase vaccinations, this important initiative will help us understand how best to utilize these new at-home tests to reduce viral transmission rates in communities.”
The opportunity to participate in the testing program will be offered by local health departments. Participants will be able to order their test kits online for home delivery or pick them up at a local distribution site. A free online tool that also is available as a phone app will be offered to provide testing instructions, information to help understand test results and text message reminders about testing. Strong community engagement efforts are underway to ensure that vulnerable and underserved populations are aware and able to benefit from the opportunity.
“This testing initiative is the first of this scale to attempt to make free, rapid, self-administered tests available community-wide in order to determine their effectiveness in our nation’s comprehensive response to the COVID-19 pandemic.” said NIH Director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D. “We hope to gain foundational data that can guide how communities can use self-administered tests to mitigate viral transmission during this and future pandemics.”
Participants in the “Say Yes! COVID Test” initiative will also have the option to volunteer in an NIH-supported research study that will collect additional data through surveys. The survey questions are designed to determine whether frequent self-administered testing has made a difference in behavior, knowledge, on preventing the spread of the virus and thoughts about COVID-19 vaccination.
Selection of the two communities was based on local infection rates, public availability of accurate COVID-19 tracking data, existing community relationships through NIH Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics Underserved Populations (RADx-UP)(link is external) and local infrastructure to support the project.
Researchers at NIH-supported University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Duke University and the Duke Clinical Research Institute, both in Durham, North Carolina, will work with the CDC and NIH to use publicly available COVID-19 case surveillance data on test positivity rates, COVID-19-related illness and hospitalizations and measurements of viral particles in sewage wastewater to evaluate viral transmission in the community. At the same time, publicly available data will be reviewed from other communities of similar size that have not received widespread self-administered tests to evaluate the impact of frequent self-administered testing.
“If self-testing is shown to effectively reduce viral spread in the selected communities, the hope is that it will lead to wider distribution and acceptance of frequent home testing across the country – ultimately providing an easy and accessible new means of stemming the spread of the virus,” said Elizabeth A. Dinenno, PhD., an associate deputy director for surveillance, epidemiology, and laboratory sciences at the CDC.
The test being supplies through the NIH Rapid Accelerations of Diagnostics (RADx sm) initiative is the QuickVue test developed by San Diego-based diagnostic company Quidel. The test received emergency use authorization for at-home use with a prescription by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on March 1, 2021. The test is performed with a nasal swab and detects the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 viral antigen within 10 minutes. The companion online tool was developed by CareEvolution, LLC, Ann Arbor, Michigan, with funding support from NIH, and is customized to be used with the QuickVue test.
In a recent study by the NIH RADx initiative, researchers found that rapid antigen testing at least three times per week achieves a viral detection level on par with PCR-based COVID-19 testing processed in a lab. However, a self-administered rapid test produces confidential results at home in minutes, while laboratory processing takes longer and increases cost. The hope is that easier access to tests and faster test results will make frequent testing more desirable and encourage people to protect themselves and others in the community.
“COVID-19 testing has undergone a transformation over the past year to provide optimal approaches for varied circumstances, including self-testing within people’s homes,” said Bruce J. Tromberg, Ph.D., director of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), part of the NIH, and leader of the RADx Tech program. “These advances allow more accessible screening and surveillance testing, a powerful approach that complements vaccination and helps prevent infection as the virus mutates.”
“Say Yes! COVID Test” is being conducted in a collaboration with the CDC, state and local public health departments in North Carolina and Tennessee, NIH, research institutions including Duke University, the University of North Carolina, North Carolina Central University, test manufacturer Quidel, healthcare technology company CareEvolution, community engagement partners from RADx-UP, and Community-Campus Partnerships for Health.
March 31: The White House posted “A Proclamation on National Child Abuse Prevention Month, 2021”. From the Proclamation:
As we begin to emerge from a year of unprecedented stress and hardship, children and families need our support more than ever. The confluence of a devastating pandemic and the worst economic crisis in nearly a century have increased the risk for child abuse and neglect as Americans grapple with the compounding challenges of school and child are facility closures, social isolation, and increased financial instability. Children and families of color – who so often across our history have been underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality – face even greater adversity today as they disproportionately carry the burdens of the COVID-19 crisis. During National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and throughout the entire year, it is imperative that we join together as one Nation to combat child abuse in all of its forms – through neglect, mistreatment, or physical, emotional, or sexual abuse.
Community-based child abuse prevention programs are a critical tool for preventing the mistreatment of children and advancing equity. Authorized by Title II of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, the purpose of community-based child abuse prevention programs is to support local efforts that strengthen and support families to reduce the likelihood of child abuse. These programs offer comprehensive assistance that improves family stabilization, while also fostering meaningful engagement with diverse populations to promote effective prevention strategies.
Across our country, a vast network of frontline workers, court and legal professionals, faith leaders, volunteers, teachers, and helpful loved ones and neighbors work every day to support the wellbeing of our children. They deserve our recognition and our sincere gratitude, particularly in the midst of this difficult year. Though the pandemic has changed in ways that they interact with the families they serve, they have shown remarkable resilience, and their dedication to prevention child abuse continues to transform lives.
We recognize that within the larger context of addressing child abuse, there is a need to specifically address issues of sexual violence against children and adolescents. My Administration is committed to expanding efforts to improve prevention initiatives, enhance trauma-informed sexual violence, and work toward healing and justice. It is an imperative not only in the United States, but also in galvanizing global action to end sexual violence against children and adolescents.
National Child Abuse Prevention Month is a time for us to not only honor those who work to support children and strengthen families, but to shine a light on the many ways we can all play a role in preventing children from being harmed. The Prevention Resource Guide, an annual publication by the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families Children’s Bureau outlines actions that can be taken by communities, organizations, families, and individuals to address the root causes of child abuse and provide meaningful and equitable support to families. You can access the Prevention Resource Guild and other resources at the Child Welfare Information Gateway’s Child Abuse Prevention Month website. By increasing efforts to prevent child abuse, we will help children, families, and communities thrive.
NOW THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 2021 as National Child Abuse Prevention Month. I call upon all Americans to protect our Nation’s greatest resource – its children – and to take an active role in supporting children and parents and creating safe communities filled with thriving families.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-one, and of the Independence of the United States of American the two hundred and forty-fifth.
March 31: The White House posted: “A Proclamation on National Donate Life Month, 2021” From the Proclamation:
April is National Donate Life Month, a time for all Americans to celebrate the generosity of those who have saved lives by becoming organ, eye, tissue, marrow, and blood donors — and to encourage more Americans to follow their example. We also honor the families and friend of donors who have supported their loved one’s decision to donate, as well as the caring and committed professionals who serve the transplantation community. This month-long observance also encompasses National Pediatric Transplant Week from April 18-24, a week dedicated to ending the pediatric waiting list.
Despite the extraordinary challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 saw organ transplants from deceased donors set an annual record for the 10th consecutive year – a testament to Americans’ generosity and selflessness even in times of unbearable loss. Thanks to the resilience of our organ donation and transplantation professionals and the caring nature of the American people, more than than 39,000 life-saving or life-enhancing organ transplants were performed in the United States last year from both living and deceased donors.
While thousands of Americans receive the gift of live each year through organ transplantation, the number of people in need of life-saving organs remains staggeringly high. There are more than 107,000 people currently on the national transplant waiting list, and another person is added every nine minutes. Sadly, the waiting list currently contains more than 1,900 children under the age of 18 who are awaiting a life-saving organ transplant. While very small children most often must receive donations from other young children due to size constraints, older children and adults can often match. In many cases, that means generous American adults can contribute to our goal of ending the pediatric transplant waiting list.
Current statistics show that Americans belonging to minority groups make up nearly 60 percent of those waiting for an organ transplant. Although a transplant can be successful regardless of the race or ethnicity of the donor and recipient, there is a greater chance of longer-term survival if the genetic background of the donor and recipient are closely matched. Americans from every community are needed to help make a life-saving difference.
Nearly 18,000 people are diagnosed each year with illness for which blood stem cell transplantation – requiring marrow or cord blood – is the best treatment option. Over 65 percent of these individuals require donors from outside their own family. Although some 30 million adults are currently registered as blood stem cell donors, many individuals still have difficulty finding a suitably matched donor, meaning that we need many more registrants to fill this life-saving need.
Every day, 17 people in American die while waiting for a transplant. Yet, all of us have the power to help: one donor can save up to eight lives through organ donation, and can improve another 75 lives through eye and tissue donation. If you have not signed up as an organ donor, we need your help to fill the gap between the availability of organs and people who need them. I encourage all Americans to give hope to those awaiting a match by visiting organdonor.gov for organ, eye, and tissue donation, and bloodstemcell.hrsa.gov for marrow donation.
NOW, THEREFORE I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 2021 as National Donate Life Month. I call upon every person to share the gift of life and hope with those in need of a life-saving or life-enhancing transplant by becoming organ, eye, tissue, marrow, and blood donors.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-fifth.
March 31: The White House posted a Proclamation titled: “A Proclamation on National Cancer Control Month”. From the Proclamation:
Despite the incredible advancements we have made in recent years, cancer remains the second leading cause of death in the United States. Behind this statistic are millions of Americans who know the distress of receiving a cancer diagnosis, and millions more who watch family members or friends courageously fight this disease and too often succumb to it. Cancer is brutal and cruel, and I intimately understand the incalculable human toll that this disease inflicts on patients and their loved ones – a toll that strikes communities of color at disproportionately high rates.
During National Cancer Control Month we celebrate the progress made against this disease, and we reaffirm our national commitment to preventing cancer, improving treatments and the delivery of care, and finding a cure. This includes efforts to improve cancer prevention, promote early detection, enhance treatment, and support the needs of cancer survivors and caregivers. This issue is deeply personal for me – and as President, I am committed to ending cancer as we know it.
Progress begins with helping people to take steps to lower their risk for many kinds of cancer. Tobacco use remains the top cause of cancer deaths in the United States. By helping people quit smoking and limiting exposure to secondhand smoke, we can reduce cancer risk and save lives. Resources to help quit smoking can be found at SmokeFree.gov or by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW. Eating healthy, getting regular physical activity, limiting alcohol consumption, and reducing sun exposure when the sun is at its peak can also help reduce the risk of getting cancer.
My Administration supports efforts like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Comprehensive Cancer Control and the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Programs, which help Americans in communities throughout the country get recommended cancer screenings. You can read more about these programs at cdc.gov/cancer.
My Administration is also a proud supporter of ClinicalTrials.gov, the world’s largest public clinical research database that gives patients, families, health care providers, researchers, and others easy access to information on clinical studies relating to a wide range of diseases and conditions, including cancer.
This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the National Cancer Act of 1971. This landmark legislation cemented our Nation’s commitment to cancer research, establishing networks of cancer centers, clinical trials, data collection, and advanced research, without which many breakthroughs against cancer in recent years would not have occurred.
In addition, the Cancer Moonshot, which former President Obama and I initiated in 2016, accelerated progress in cancer prevention, treatment, and cures, including by funding six Implementation Science Centers in cancer control. These centers were created to expand the use of proven cancer prevention and early detection strategies, especially among underserved, rural, and minority populations, which often have lower rates of cancer screening and thus fund cancer at more advanced stages. You can read about these important research programs and breakthroughs by visiting cancer.gov.
This year, we must be especially mindful of the significant disruptions the COVID-19 pandemic is bringing to cancer care – delaying routine screening, diagnosis, and therapy. I urge Americans not to delay recommended screenings, doctor’s visits, and treatments. Because of the Affordable Care Act, most health insurance plans must cover a set of preventative services with no out-of-pocket costs, including many cancer screenings. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, my Administration also announced a special enrollment period for the Health Insurance Marketplace, allowing uninsured individuals and families to sign up for health coverage and gain these protections through August 15th. I encourage to visit healthcare.gov to explore your eligibility and get covered today.
Our Nation has made extraordinary advances in the fight against cancer. Still, much work remains to be done. We owe it to every person who has lost their battle with this disease, every person living with this disease, and every person who may one day contract it, to continue to work tirelessly to defeat it. During National Cancer Control Month, let us renew our efforts to save lives and spare suffering by accelerating our work to end cancer as we know it.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim April 2021 as National Cancer Control Month. I encourage citizens, government agencies, private businesses, nonprofit organizations, and other interested groups to join in activities that will increase awareness of what Americans can do to prevent and control cancer.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-fifth.
Heath Care Under Biden-Harris – March 2021 is a post put together by Jen Thorpe from official press releases from various departments of the U.S. Government.
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May 7, 2022Out of Spoons / Public HealthPhoto of Supreme Court by Clare Anderson on Unsplash
I wrote this poem in 2014, in response to a decision made by the Supreme Court. The majority of the Court struck down the buffer zone around clinics in Massachusetts that provide abortion. The decision was issued from inside the Supreme Court’s buffer zone.
Because of the Supreme Court…
So called “sidewalk counselors”
Can harass women who want to enter a clinic.
They can walk right up to women
Who are on their way to see a doctor
And try to hand them “literature”
That is filled with lies and misinformation
They can claim they are providing “counseling”
Even though they don’t have a degree
In psychology or social work
And despite the fact that no one
Who comes to the clinic
Has asked for their “help”
Because of the Supreme Court…
People who enjoy carrying signs
With images of bloody fetuses
And screaming at the top of their lungs
At women
In an attempt to shame them
For the decision they have carefully and thoughtfully made
In an attempt to terrify them so badly
That they are afraid to come to the clinic
To get the health care they need
In an attempt to make it even harder
For women to access a medical procedure
That the Supreme Court itself
Decided it was legal decades ago
Can go ahead and use
Their so-called “freedom of speech”
Which they think means
“freedom to harass and terrorize women”
To prevent women from their own right
To access health care
Because of the Supreme Court…
The “buffer-zone” that protected women
Who need to go to a clinic
And the staff and doctors
Who work in a clinic
And the clinic escorts
That bravely wade through the protestors
In order to help women
Access the clinic
Are no longer protected
From the people who want to repeat history
By bringing their guns
And shooting at people
Who are at the clinic
Because of the Supreme Court…
People who think that
The way to provide “counseling”
Is to yell
“Don’t kill your baby!”
Is to invade a woman’s personal space
Is to stand in front of cars
That are trying to enter the clinic’s parking lot
Is to block the door of the clinic
With their bodies
Have absolutely nothing
Legally stopping them
From behaving in
An ungodly manner
While believing their despicable
words and actions
Are what their god desires
Because of the Supreme Court…
People who have nothing
But hate in their hearts
And a deep desire
To control the lives of complete strangers
Can harass women
Who have miscarried
Or whose babies are stillborn
Because of the Supreme Court…
Women across the United States
Will worry about
Having to push through protestors
In order to see a doctor
About birth control, Pap tests, and cancer screenings
Because of the Supreme Court…
Women seeking birth control
Will consider ones
That last for three or more years
Attempting to lessen the danger
Of multiple trips to a clinic
Because of the Supreme Court…
It is now that much more dangerous
To be a woman in the United States
And for women
To make their own decisions
Regarding their bodies, their health, their lives
Because the Supreme Court…
Made and announced their decision
From safely inside a courthouse
That is protected
By a “buffer zone”
Because of the Supreme Court… is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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November 25, 2021health insurance / Out of SpoonsPhoto by Glen Carrie on Unsplash
The Biden-Harris Administration has put in effort to make it easier for people to receive the health care they need. There is an emphasis on making sure that minority and/or vulnerable groups of people are protected. This is a huge difference from the Trump-Pence Administration, that greatly restricted access to health care.
In this blog post, I have provided a collection of information about what the Biden-Harris Administration did regarding access to health care. This includes physical and mental health care. I also included information from outside of the Administration.
February 1, 2021 – February 28, 2021
February 1, 2021: Center for Reproductive Rights posted News titled: “Biden Administration Rescinds Global Gag Rule”. From the News:
President Joseph Biden has rescinded the “Global Gag Rule” – a devastating anti-abortion policy that has undermined the health and rights of women around the world. The rule denied funding for foreign organizations providing abortion information or services.The president took the action as part of a series of executive orders aimed to improve access to affordable health care in the U.S. and around the world. Other measures included reopening the Health Insurance Marketplace, taking steps to restore Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, and directing the Department of Health and Human Services to consider rescinding regulations that limited the Title X family planning program.“Today the Biden Administration took an important first step towards righting the Trump administration’s tremendous wrongs impacting access to reproductive health, rights, and justice,” said Nancy Northup, President and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights. “In revoking the Global Gag Rule and acting to rescind the Domestic Gag Rule, President Biden is stopping policies that were intended to force reproductive health centers, in the U.S., and around the world, to stop providing and referring for abortion services.”……What has been the Global Gag Rule’s impact?The Gag Rule’s impacts have been many: It has decreased access to abortion care and information as well as to contraceptive care. It has interfered in the patient-provider relationship and caused cuts to family planning programs. It has silenced advocates of reproductive health and rights and reduced community outreach by health workers……In imposing the policy, the U.S. also abdicated its important role in advancing human rights, while infringing on other nations’ sovereignty. The Gag Rule undermines the U.S.’s commitments to international health and rights initiatives such as the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.The rule also infringes on many of the human rights enumerated in international human rights treaties, including the rights to health, life, information, privacy, and equality. As the Center’s report notes, “Denying women access to services only needed by women, such as abortion, is a form of discrimination against women.”..…The U.S. is the world’s largest single donor to global health efforts. many nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) depend on U.S. funding – to the tune of some $12 billion per year, according to a March 2020 report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) – and thus have been forced to comply with the Gag Rule. But many health care organizations opted to decline U.S. funding rather than comply. The GAO documented 54 such organization which were then forced to reduce programs that worked to improve health outcomes in countries around the world.Along with family planning and reproductive health, many organizations impacted by the rule provide services pertaining to HIV and AIDS, tuberculosis, nutrition, water and sanitation, and maternal and child health care among other service. By forcing a choice between denial of funding or a reduced scope of care, the rule has resulted in increases in maternal deaths, unsafe abortions, and incidents of HIV and AIDS, as well as the breakdown of coalitions and partnerships that provide reproductive health care in poor and rural regions. Rescinding the harmful Global Gag Rule is a vital first step in restoring the U.S.’s commitment to the health and human rights of women and girls around the world.Center for Reproductive Rights
February 1, 2021: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi posted a Press Release titled: “Pelosi, Schumer File Joint FY2021 Budget Resolution to Give Congress Additional Legislative Tool to Pass Urgently-Needed COVID Relief”. From the Press Release:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer today announced they have filed a joint budget resolution for Fiscal Year 2021 that gives Congress an additional legislative tool to pass the urgently-needed bipartisan COVID relief legislation that enacts President Biden’s comprehensive American Rescue Plan which helps defeat the virus and provide workers and families the resources they need to survive the pandemic while the vaccine is distributed to every American.
Introduction of a joint budget resolution is the first step to potentially enacting a Budget Reconciliation bill, one legislative tool available to Congress to quickly pass bipartisan COVID relief legislation. The Resolution outlines the “reconciliation instructions” for each House and Senate committee, or how much can be spent in their jurisdiction. If both the House and the Senate pass identical Budget Resolutions (which do not require a Presidential signature), both chambers can begin work on the Reconciliation bill that is signed by the President. According to an analysis of research from the Congressional Research Service, reconciliation bills have been passed by the Senate on a bipartisan basis 17 times in recent years, including to pass the bipartisan Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in 1997…
Specifically, the Joint Budget Resolution Speaker Pelosi and Leader Schumer filed offers instructions to the relevant Congressional Committees to provide relief including but not limited to:
Immediate relief for individuals and families throughout 2021 including $1,400 per-person and per-child direct payments, an extension of Unemployment Insurance programs through September 2021 with a $400/week federal enhancement and $350 billion in critical state, local, Tribal, and territorial fiscal relief. The resolution would also provide funds to greatly increase health care coverage to Americans that have lost it through no fault of their own during the pandemic.
Funding to help defeat the coronavirus including through support for vaccines, testing and public health programs. It also includes funding to help K-12 schools safely re-open and provides cricial support for the child care system.
Relief funds for the millions of Americans struggling to make rent and mortgage payments, as well as those experiencing homelessness. The resolution also includes funding for transit agencies deeply impacted by the pandemic and support for the use of the Defense Production Act to expand domestic production of supplies critical to beating the coronavirus.
Additional relief for our nation’s small businesses and hard-hit industries through increased funding for EIDL Advance grants, the creation of a dedicated grant relief program for restaurants, expanded PPP assistance for nonprofits and digital media services, more funds for Save Our Stages grants to independent live venues, independent movie theaters and cultural institutions and new community navigator technical assistance to help connect underserved communities.
Funding for crucial unvestments in broadband and distance learning and relief for Amtrak and the aviation sector struggling with declining revenues and volumes due to COVID-19.
Funding for the FEMA Disaster Relief Fund to ramp up the President’s national vaccination program and provide flexible, targeted assistance to state, local, Tribal, territorial and the District of Columbia governments, as well as those individuals hit hardest by the pandemic.
Support for hungry families through programs like SNAP, WIC, and Pandemic-EBT. This also includes critical funding for the food supply chain and the Agricultural Depatment’s lending and financial assistance programs to support farmers across the country.
Health care and other support to meet the needs of veterans during the coronavirus pandemic. These funds will support vaccine distribution, expanded mental health care, enhanced telehealth capabilities, extended support for veterans who are homeless or in danger of becoming homeless, PPE and suppliesfor clinical employees, and improved supply chain management.
Critical funding for the Indian Health Service, Administration for Native Americans, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Indian Education and Native American housing programs to maintain essential health, education and social services and mitigate the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Native communities.
Funding to the Economic Development Administration and environmental justice grants to help low-income, minority communities who have been hardest hit by COVID.
Funding for critical programs to aid in the global response to and recovery from the pandemic. These instructions include significant funding for humanitarian assistance and Global Health programs.
February 2, 2021: The White House posted a FACT SHEET titled: “President Biden Announces Increased Vaccine Supply, Initial Launch of the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, and Expansion of FEMA to Reimbursement to States”. From the FACT SHEET:
As the U.S. surpasses 26 million COVID-19 infections, President Biden took additional steps today to implement his comprehensive National Strategy to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. These steps include increasing the vaccine supply to states, Tribes, and territories and increasing funding to jurisdictions to help turn vaccines into vaccinations. And, the President announced that starting next week, the first phase of the federal pharmacy program will launch and select pharmacies nationwide will start offering vaccinations for their communitiesThese new steps will help meet the President’s goal of administering 100 million shots in 100 days and expand access to vaccines to more Americans in the coming weeks.The President is taking the following actions today:Expanding Vaccine Supply: Building on last week’s announcement, the Biden-Harris Administration will increase overall, weekly vaccine supply to states, Tribes, and territories to 10.5 million doses nationwide beginning this week. This is a 22% increase since taking office on January 20. The Administration is committing to maintaining this as the minimum supply level for the next three weeks, and we will continue to work with manufacturers in their efforts to ramp up supply.Launching First Phase of the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program for COVID-19 Vaccination: As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to increase access to COVID-19 vaccines, starting on February 11, those eligible for the vaccine will have the opportunity to be vaccinated at select pharmacies across the country through the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program for COVID-19 Vaccination. This program is a public-private partnership with 21 national pharmacy partners and networks of independent pharmacies representing over 40,000 pharmacy locations nationwide… …It is a key component of the Administration’s National Strategy to expand equitable access to vaccines for the American public.As the first phase of this program launches, select retail pharmacies nationwide will receive limited vaccine supply to vaccinate priority groups at no cost. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) worked with states to select initial pharmacy partners based on a number of factors including their ability to reach some of the populations most at risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Americans should check their pharmacy’s website to find out if vaccine is available as supply will be limited in the initial phase. More information is available at cdc.gov/covid19.Increasing Reimbursements to States: Central to the Biden-Harris Administration’s COVID-19 National Strategy is ensuring states, Tribes, territories, and jurisdictions have the resources they need to defeat the virus. That’s why, in his second day in office, President Biden directed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to fully reimburse states for the cost of National Guard Personnel and emergency costs. Today, President Biden is announcing that the administration will go even further, retroactively reimbursing states for fully FEMA-eligible services – including masks, gloves, emergency feeding actions, sheltering at risk populations, and mobilization of the National Guard – back dated to the beginning of the pandemic in January of 2020. This reimbursement is estimated to total $3.5 billion and is only a small share of the resources to that states need to fight this pandemic – including for testing, genomic sequencing, and mass vaccination centers. To fully support states, Tribes, and territories’ needs to contain the pandemic and vaccinate their populations, President Biden is requesting $350 billion from Congress in American Rescue Plan… White House
February 2, 2021: Center for Reproductive Rights posted News titled: “Center Cheers Reintroduction of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act in U.S. Congress”. From the News:
The Center for Reproductive Rights joined partner organizations to support today’s reintroduction of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021 – a package of 12 bills to advance inclusive and accessible maternal health care, especially for Black and Indigenous people who are most impacted by the U.S. maternal health crisis.The Center was deeply involved in the coalition effort to create and advance the Momnibus, providing legal expertise, analysis, and technical assistance in crafting the legislation. Through its Maternal Health & Rights Initiative, the Center advocates for laws and policies to improve access to safe and respectful maternal health care, like the Momnibus.“This bill package is critical and long overdue. It’s unacceptable that mothers in the U.S. are dying at the highest rate of any developed country, and those mothers are largely Black and Indigenous,” said Jennifer Jacoby, Federal Policy Council at the Center for Reproductive Rights. “The Momnibus signals to Black and Indigenous birthing people that they will not be left behind any longer – not in this pandemic, not ever. Congress must act now to pass this much-needed legislation.”The U.S. is facing a worsening maternal health crisis marked by high rates of maternal mortality and morbidity, especially for Black and Indigenous birthing people who experience far higher rates of pregnancy-related death and complications than their white counterparts.The Momnibus of 2021 is being introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by members of the Black Maternal Health Caucus, including Representatives Lauren Underwood (D-IL) and Alma Adams (D-NC), and in the Senate by Cory Booker (D-NJ). The Momnibus was first introduced in 2020 with Vice President Kamala Harris as the lead sponsor in the Senate.Maternal Health Crisis in the U.S.The bills in the Momnibus and other maternal health legislation – like proposed bills requiring states to extend Medicaid coverage up to at least one year postpartum – seek to address racial disparities in maternal health care.The U.S. has the highest maternal mortality ration in the developed world and is one of only 13 countries where maternal mortality is rising. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Black and Indigenous women are approximately three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women and twice as likely to suffer from serious pregnancy complications.The racial disparities in pregnancy outcomes are linked to discrimination and social and economic inequalities that Black and Indigenous birthing people are more likely to face, including poverty, structural racism, lack of access to health care, and implicit biases. Lack of basic health care services for people who are working to make ends meet contributes to this disparity particularly in states that have opted out of Medicaid expansion.The COVID-19 pandemic is putting additional strain on the health care system and further exacerbating the U.S. maternal health care crisis. Pregnant people may be at greater risk for experiencing severe illness from COVID-19 and there is a growing concern that overburdened health systems have even less capacity to meet maternal health needs, especially in Black and Indigenous communities where people are experiencing much higher rates of severe COVID-19 infection and death…Center for Reproductive Rights
February 2, 2021: President Biden issued a Presidential Action titled: “Executive Order on Restoring Faith in Our Legal Immigration Systems and Strengthening Integration and Inclusion Efforts for New Americans“. Here is a portion of the Executive Order:
…Sec. 4. Immediate Review of Agency Actions on Public Charge Inadmissibility.
The Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the heads of other relevant agencies, as appropriate, shall review all agency actions related to the implementation of the public charge ground of inadmissibility in section 212(a)(4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8. U.S.C. 1182(a)(4), and the related ground of deportability in section 237(a)(5) of the INA, 8. U.S.C. 1227(a)(5). They shall, in considering the effects and implications of public charge policies, consult with the heads of relevant agencies, including the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
(a) This review should:
(i) consider and evaluate the current effects of these agency actions and the implications of their continued implementation in light of the policy set forth in section 1 of this order;
(ii) identify appropriate agency actions, if any, to address concerns about the current public charge policies’ effect on the integrity of the Nation’s immigration system and public health;and
(iii) recommend steps that relevant agencies should take to clearly communicate current public charge policies and proposed changes, if any, to reduce fear and confusion among impacted communities.
(b) Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall each submit a report to the President describing any agency actions identified pursuant to subsection (a)(ii) of this section and any steps their agencies intend to take or have taken, consistent with subsection (a)(iii) of this section…
What does this mean?
The short answer is, this section of this executive order is an attempt to remove the Trump Administration’s harmful public charge rule.
CBS News posted an article about it in February of 2020. The article was titled: “Trump’s controversial “public charge” rule takes effect, reshaping legal immigration”. The article was written by Camilo Montoya-Galvez. From the article:
The Trump administration on Monday began enforcing stringent income-based requirements for green cards and certain visas, instituting the most ambitious unilateral effort in recent history to change the nation’s legal immigration system.After multiple legal barriers blocking the implementation of the new requirements were cleared by the conservative-leaning Supreme Court, most green card applicants in the U.S. and abroad will now be subjected to a redefined “public charge” test. Under the rules by the Departments of State and Homeland Security, immigration officials have more power to deny applications from petitioners they deem are, or could become, an economic burden on the country.The sweeping policy change, one of the administration’s top immigration priorities, is expected to block the entry of hundreds of thousands of people, disproportionately affecting prospective immigrants from Asia, Africa and Latin America, according to experts….…Under the new regulation, caseworkers would consider enrollment in the widely used Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), certain federally funded Medicaid benefits and a variety of forms of government-subsidized housing, including the popular Section 8 vouchers.Officials would deem an immigrant a “public charge” and deny the application if they determine he or she is more likely than not to use one of the considered benefits for 12 months or longer over the span of three years. On certain occasions, those deemed a “public charge” could post a bond for an amount no less than $8,100.To determine whether prospective immigrants are likely to become a “public charge”, caseworkers would also take into account their income, assets, age, educational skills, English language proficiency, health and other factors. Since those expected to be affected by the rule are not eligible for most public benefits because they are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents, critics of the regulation say it is designed to severely restrict immigration based on those factors… CBS News
February 2, 2021: National Organization for Women (NOW) posted a Press Release titled: “NOW Calls for Boycott of South Carolina in Response to Abortion Ban. From the Press Release:
The National Organization for Women (NOW) has called for a boycott against the state of South Carolina in the wake of the state Senate passage of legislation that would ban abortions when a fetal heartbeat is detected. The call is joined by the State President of NOW in South Carolina, Annette Bethel, and members of the Columbia NOW Chapter.The Columbia Chapter of NOW, under the leadership of Bethel, won the bid in 2019 to host the National NOW Conference in Columbia in 2022. Bethel notes that a significant economic impact due to the loss of a national conference – and perhaps with other organizations and companies joining in the boycott – would be felt. NOW is the largest grassroots feminist activist organization in the country, with hundreds of chapters in every state and the District of Columbia, and with hundreds of thousands of members and contributing supporters.The fetal heartbeat bill is designed to virtually ban abortion in the State of South Carolina – it is unconstitutional. Many women do not know they are pregnant when a fetal heartbeat can first be detected; this generally occurs between six and eight weeks after conception. The Legislation would also make it a felony crime if a doctor performs an abortion after a heartbeat has been detected, carrying with it a two-year prison sentence. Similar legislation in other states has been permanently enjoined or found unconstitutional. This bill, should it become law, in all likelihood will be challenged in court.The South Carolina House is reported to be likely to approve the legislation and the Governor, a Republican, has vowed to sign it into law. A majority of Americans support abortion rights and have done so for decades. The 1973 U.S. Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade protects access to abortion care as a matter of privacy under the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. A woman may obtain an abortion during the first three months of pregnancy without government interference. Under Roe, the right to decide is classified as fundamental, requiring a standard of strict scrutiny, the highest level of judicial review in any legal challenge. Fetal heartbeat laws do not hold up under strict scrutiny. NOW has long advocated for protecting the right of persons to decide whether or when to have children. This is a decision that should be made by the individual, not by legislators. And until the state of South Carolina takes action to reverse this unconstitutional act, NOW and the power of its grassroots network will be taking its financial support elsewhere.NOW
February 2, 2021: Planned Parenthood posted a press release titled: “Planned Parenthood Applauds Biden-Harris Immigration Executive Actions”. From the press release:
Today, President Biden signed executive actions to bring critical and long-overdue reforms to the immigration system. Included in these actions is beginning the process to end the so-called “public charge” rule – which forces many immigrants and their children to make the impossible choice between accessing health care and other lifesaving services or risking their status and their safety – and creating a task force charged with reuniting migrant families separated at the border. These actions are a critical continuation of the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to end the dehumanization and xenophobia that became central tenets of the Trump administration’s immigration policy……Under the “public charge” rule, people can be denied entry into the U.S. or an adjustment in their immigration status (i.e. obtaining a green card), simply because they have received certain public benefits in the past — including health care, nutrition assistance, and public housing — or were judged likely to use benefits in the future. It is designed to keep families separated, and to scare immigrants already in the U.S. and their families from accessing health care and other basic needs, including those to which they are legally entitled. The public charge rule cannot be stopped immediately, as the administration must go through the full regulatory process to roll it back, but it is starting the process while working to address its chilling effect and direct agencies to encourage immigrants and their families to use critical public benefits. The Trump administration separated more than 5,500 children from their families and ultimately deported 1,400 parents without their children. While the Biden-Harris administration formally ended the policy that allowed these horrors last week, the new task force has a critical mission: More than 600 separated parents have yet to be reached — and still more have been found but not reunited with their children… Planned Parenthood
February 3, 2021: President Biden issued a Presidential Action titled: “A Proclamation on National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, 2021“. From the Proclamation:
This February, during National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, we stand with those who have known the pain and isolation of an abusive relationship, and we recommit to ending the cycle of teen dating violence that affects too many of our young people.Together, it’s on all of us to raise the national awareness about teen dating violence and promote safe and healthy relationships.Dating violence transcends gender, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. It takes many forms, among them physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, bullying, and shaming, which can occur in person or through electronic communication and social media. The spiral of violent dating relationships can lead to depression, anxiety, drug and alcohol use, as well as suicidal thoughts. Victims, especially young women, transgender, and gender nonconforming youth who face higher rats of violence, may suffer lifelong consequences. Many young people do not report the abuse for fear of retribution or unwarranted embarrassment. The pattern of abuse often continues to future relationships.My Administration encourages all Americans to lead by example by promoting healthy relationships, protecting our teens from abuse, and ensuring they have access to good help and support.If you or someone you know is involved in an abusive relationship of any kind, immediate and confidential support is available by visiting loveisrespect.org, calling 1-866-331-9474 (TTY: 1-800-787-3224), or texting “loveis” to 22522. For additional information and resources on dating violence, please visit VetoViolence.CDC.gov.NOW, THEREFORE I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim February 2021 as National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month. I call upon all Americans to support efforts in their communities and schools, and in their own families, to empower young people to develop healthy relationships throughout their lives and to prevent and respond to teen dating violence. It’s on all of us…President Joseph R. Biden Jr.
February 3, 2021: The White House COVID-19 Response Team issued a Press Briefing titled: “Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials“. From the Press Briefing:
MR. ZIENTZ: Good morning everyone. A week ago, in our first COVID-19 response briefing, we committed to providing you with transparent science-based and up-to-date information about the pandemic. I hope that five briefings in, we’re starting to establish a pattern of providing the American people with the facts they need about the crisis and our response, driven by our experts and scientists.
We act every day based on the fact that we already have more than 440,000 fellow Americans who have died, 26 million Americans infected, and our ways of life totally upended.
In his first full day in office, President Biden laid out a comprehensive national strategy to defeat this virus and get back to our way of life. On vaccinations, President Biden put it simply when he said, “We need to increase vaccine supply and get it out the door as fast as possible. We need to mobilize more medical units to get more shots in people’s arms. And we need to create more places where Americans can get vaccinated.”
The President set a goal to deliver 100 million shots in his first 600 days. Today I want to give you an update on our execution against that goal.
We will also hear a state-of-the-pandemic update from Dr. Walensky and an update on the latest science from Dr. Fauci. We will then open it up for questions.
Since entering office two weeks ago, the Biden administration has taken aggressive steps to activate the full resources of the federal government to improve our vaccination supply. First, we have increased vaccine supply to states, tribes, and territories by over 20 percent. Second, we are providing visibility on supply on a rolling three-week basis so governors and local leaders have the ability to plan and maximize the number of needles in arms. Third, we secured the equipment required to extract a sixth dose from every Pfizer vial of vaccine. and fourth, we’re purchasing an additional 200 million doses to ensure that every American can get vaccinated.
And the data shows that we are making progress. As you can see on our vaccination progress report, our seven-day average daily doses administered is, as you can see in the dark blue bar on the right, now averaging over 1.3 million shots per day for the period from January 27th through February 2nd. We are on track to meet the President’s goal of 100 million shots in 100 days.
Notably, yesterday, the Department of Veterans Affairs delivered its one-millionth shot, ensuring those who served our country are among the first protected from this deadly virus.
We are encouraged by this progress to increase supply, but we will continue to push for every opportunity to do more. At the President’s directions, we have an all-of-government effort to provide all Americans with access to get more places to get vaccinated. Americans need more access to more places to get vaccinated.
Today I want to update you on establishing and supporting community vaccination centers across the country. These centers are helping to provide new, more efficient places for people to get vaccinated.
First, the federal government is expediting financial support to bolster community vaccination sites nationwide, including in states like Georgia, North Carolina, and Wisconsin. As of today, FEMA has provided more than $1.7 billion to 27 states, localities, tribes, and territories. This funding covers critical steps in the vaccination process, including transportation and storage equipment, supplies needed to administer vaccines, and safety equipment like PPE and masks.
Second, we’re deploying personnel to provide technical assistance to support vaccination sites nationwide and provide additional staff from the federal government. FEMA has already assigned over 600 staff to this effort, including experts in logistics, IT, and registration, with over 350 of these staff deployed directly to the vaccination sites across the country.
The federal government is now supporting thousands of National Guard members who are providing support to sites in 39 states, including 800 trained vaccinators. And CDC is providing on-the-ground technical assistance in jurisdictions across the country.
And, third, we are building new community vaccination centers across the country. The Department of Defense will dedicate substantial personnel and resources to help manage many of these new sites.
The profile of these community vaccination sites will vary by community need. You’ll see big centers and stadiums, sites in school gyms and community centers, mobile units in rural areas and outer boroughs, pop-up sites in parking lots and other locations.
We are working with state and local health departments to meet the communities they serve, where they are, in places they know, with people they trust. And we’ll encourage all vaccination centers to collaborate with community-based organizations and others who can help communities with the greatest need.
Today I’m pleased to announce the federal government will partner with the state of California to launch two new community vaccination centers: one in East Oakland and the second in the east side of Los Angeles — two of the communities most hard hit by this pandemic.
In the east side of Los Angeles, we’ll launch a large site on the campus of California University — California State University-Los Angeles. This is one of the most diverse public universities in the country, serving a large Latino community. And we’re opening a new center at Oakland Coliseum adjacent to the communities of Eastmont and Elmhurst, which have some of the lowest health scores in the state.
Both centers will be staffed primarily by a federal workforce from agencies such as FEMA, DOD, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and HHS. In all of this work, we’re advancing equity. FEMA has partnered with CDC to launch vaccination sites that use processes and are located in places that promote equity, deploying CDC’s Social Vulnerability Index.
These sites in California are just the beginning. We are working with — in partnership in states across the country to stand up new sites, and we’ll have more to say on that in the coming weeks.
So, across the first two weeks, we’ve activated a whole-of-government response. We have increased vaccine supply, and we are ensuring that all Americans in every community have more places to get vaccinated.
Now let me turn to Dr. Walensky — Dr. Walensky for a state of the pandemic.
Dr. Walensky.
DR. WALENSKY: Thank you very much. I’m delighted to be back with you today, and I want to make sure we have time for questions, so I will be brief in my remarks.
As I said Monday, cases and hospital admissions continue to decrease, and we now appear to be in a consistent downward trajectory for both of these important outcomes. COVID-19 cases have declined steadily since hitting a peak on January 8th, dropping 13.4 percent to an average of nearly 144,000 cases per day from January 26th to February 1st. Cases are now back to the level we were before Thanksgiving.
Similarly, new hospital admissions have continued to decline since they peaked on January 5th, decreasing 4.1 percent to an average of approximately 11,400 admissions per day from January 25 to January 31.
While deaths have continued to increase, their pace appears to be slowing, with the average number of deaths increasing 1 percent to slightly more than 3,100 deaths per day from January 26th to February 1st.
And the recent decline in hospitalizations gives us hope that the number of deaths should start to decrease in the coming weeks.
Although we have seen declines in cases and admissions and a recent slowing of deaths, cases remain extraordinarily high — still twice as high as the peak number of cases over the summer. And the continued proliferation of variants — variants that likely have increased transmissibility, that spread more easily — threatens to reverse these recent trends.
Based on contact tracing and recent — of recent variant cases, not wearing masks and participating in in-person social gatherings have contributed to the variant spread. We must take prevention, intervention seriously. Now is not the time to let our guard down. Keep taking steps to protect each other: Wear a mask; maintain social distancing; avoid travel, crowds and poorly ventilated spaces. And please get vaccinated when it is your turn.
And this Sunday, remember: Whichever team you’re rooting for and whichever commercial is your favorite, please watch the Super Bowl safely, gathering only virtually or with the people you live with. The CDC recently posted guidance on how to safely enjoy the game.
Thank you. I’ll turn it to Dr. Fauci.
DR. FAUCI:
Thank you very much, Dr. Walensky. I want to make just a couple of points related to questions and issues that have been brought up over the past couple of days to help clarify it, and I’ll be very brief.
We have heard from studies emanating out of the AstraZeneca platform that, in the UK, they’re talking about the possibility, since their data seems to show this, that if you prolong the interval between the first and second dose — in fact, even go with a single dose — you can get good results. And, in fact, the interval between the first and second dose can now be measured in months. With — according to their own data, that is actually a favorable response.
We certainly respect that the UK scientists and health officials are going by their data and letting their own data for their own platform dictate their policy. The question is asked often: “Then why don’t we do the same thing with our candidates that are now being distributed to people in the United States?” And the response is simple: We also are going very much by the data and the science that has emanated out of very large clinical trials. As you all are aware, the Moderna trial, with 30,000 people, and the Pfizer trial, with 44,000 people, indicate to us that maximum responses are given with a prime followed by a boost — 21 days with Pfizer and 28 days with Moderna.
Now, we know that sometimes, out of circumstances beyond the control of people, that they may not make it at exactly the day of 21 day and 28 day. And as we know from the CDC, under those special circumstances, that it is okay if you get the second dose in either four to six weeks later. That doesn’t mean that we want to do it at six weeks later. It means that under special circumstances, it’s better to delay that couple of weeks than not do it at all.
But we feel strongly that we will go by the science, which has dictated for us the optimal way to get the 94 to 95 percent response, which is, in fact, durable for the period of time that we’ve been following it.
One other thing I want to mention: We live in a global community, and it is encouraging to see that other countries are coming out with results from their own vaccine trial, such as the Russian trial that we heard about a day or two ago; the UK and European Union, which are now putting vaccines into people, according to the data that they’ve accumulated; the Chinese trials, et cetera.
We, in the United States, as I mentioned in a speech I gave a couple of weeks ago to the World Health Organization Executive Board, that we are back on the global scene. We reentered into our arrangement with the WHO, and we are part of COVAX.
So I just want to remind people that this is a global effort, and the more we get the virus controlled globally — and we will be part of that process as part of the global community — the better off we will be. Because I’ve said it many times, and I’ll close by saying it again: We have to be concerned about the mutants. Viruses will not mutate well if you don’t give them the opportunity to replicate in a very large way. Namely, if you have an open playing field for the virus, they will replicate, and they will mutate. The best way to prevent that is the implementation of the public health measures that Dr. Walensky just mentioned, both home and abroad, as well as the implementation of the administration of vaccines, as effectively and efficiently and as quickly as we possibly can.
So I’ll stop there and hand it back to Jeff.
MR. ZIENTS: Well, thank you, Dr. Fauci and Dr. Walensky. You have heard from our experts. I want to reiterate, we are at war with this virus. It is clearly a national emergency, and we are doing all we can. But it is critical that Congress does its part as well. We need Congress to quickly pass the American Rescue Plan to provide the funding we need to continue to scale up our vaccination program, as well as for more testing, more genomic sequencing, and more emergency supplies. And we must give families, schools, businesses, and state and local leaders the support they need to fight the pandemic.
This will not be easy. Vaccinating everyone in America is one of the greatest operational challenges we’ve ever faced, and we will not stop working until this mission is complete…
February 3, 2021: President Biden issued “A Proclamation on American Heart Month, 2021“. From the Proclamation:
Tragically, heart disease continues to be a leading cause of death in the United States. It affects Americans of all genders, races, and ethnicities. Yet despite being one of the country’s most constly and deadly diseases, it is among the most preventable. During American Heart Month, we recommit to fighting this disease by promoting better health, wellness, and prevention awareness in our communities.Heart disease can impact anyone, but risk factors such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, obesity, tobacco use, and alcohol abuse can increase the likelihood of developing the disease. By adopting a few healthy habits, each of use can reduce our risk. Avoiding tobacco, moderating alcohol consumption, making balanced and nutritious meal choices, and staying active can help prevent or treat conditions that lead to heart disease. Adults with heart conditions are also at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19, which makes it even more important to follow these suggestions.We have seen the death rate from heart attacks rise dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic because people are delaying or not seeking care after experiencing symptoms. It is important not to ignore early warning signs like chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, and sudden dizziness. And the symptoms of a heart attack can be different for men and women, an often-overlooked fact that can impact when people seek care. For more resources and information, follow your health care provider’s advice or visit www.CDC.gov/HeartDisease.My Administration is committed to supporting Americans in their efforts to achieve heart health. Under the Affordable Care Act, many insurance plans cover preventive services like blood pressure and obesity screening at no out-of-pocket cost to the patient. By protecting and expanding access to quality, affordable health care, we will work tirelessly to provide all Americans with the care they need to prevent and treat heart disease.We are also committed to closing the racial disparities in cardiovascular health. Despite an overall decline in death rates for heart disease, risk of heart disease death differs by race and ethnicity, and Black Americans continue to have the highest death rate for heart disease. Increased awareness and access to care will help reduce these staggering and unacceptable statistics.This month, we also honor the health care professionals, researchers, and heart health advocates who save our fellow Americans’ lives with their hard work. Every day, they put themselves on the front lines of our fight against heart disease, as well as the scourge of COVID-19……In acknowledgement of the importance of the ongoing fight against cardiovascular disease, the Congress, by Joint Resolution approved December 30, 1963, as amended (36 U.S.C. 101), has requested that the President issue an annual proclamation designating February as “American Heart Month.”…President Joseph R. Biden Jr.
February 3, 2021: The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) posted news titled: “Maternal Immunization Task Force and Partners Urge That COVID-19 Vaccine be Available to Pregnant Individuals”. From the News:
All pregnant individuals who choose to receive the COVID-19 vaccine must be allowed to do so in alignment with their state and local vaccination allocation plan. This includes the estimated 330,000 health care workers who are pregnant and should be allowed to receive the vaccine as part of vaccine distribution plans. Reports of pregnant individuals being refused vaccination are concerning.Pregnant individuals who otherwise meet the criteria for COVID-19 vaccines should not be denied the opportunity to be vaccinated, should they choose to do so. Although a conversation with a clinician may be helpful for patients to aid in their decision-making, it should not be required prior to vaccination.As the COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues, use must reflect the vaccines’ federal regulatory authorization as well as information and recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and expert healthcare organizations.Currently, available data demonstrate that pregnant individuals are at increased risk of more severe illness and death due to COVID-19 than their non-pregnant counterparts… Providing pregnant individuals with the opportunity to be vaccinated can be critical to allowing them to protect themselves, particularly if their occupation puts them at increased risk of contracting the virus or if they have underlying and comorbid conditions. When pregnant individuals are excluded from the opportunity to decide whether to be vaccinated, it not only violates their bodily autonomy, it also puts them at risk of severe outcomes and death related to COVID-19 illness. Excluding this critical population at increased risk of severe illness and death related to COVID-19 is unethical.In the interest of allowing pregnant individuals who would otherwise be considered a priority population for vaccines to make their own decisions regarding their health, our groups strongly recommend pregnant individuals should be free to make their own decision in conjunction with their clinical care team. All pregnant individuals must be supported in their decision about COVID-19 vaccination, whether they choose to receive the vaccine, or they opt to decline.ACOG
February 3, 2021: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi posted a Press Release titled: “Floor Speech on Senate-Passed Budget Resolution, A Key Step in Enacting the Urgently-Needed Biden COVID Relief Package”. From the Press Release:
…Madam Speaker, we just left a meeting with President Biden, where we had a discussion about how this legislation meets the needs of the American people. As our colleagues may be aware, early this morning, before 6:00 a.m., the Senate passed a budget bill which is identical in instruction to the bill we sent there. We had the debate on that bill on Wednesday. It passed with a strong vote in the House, and then went to the Senate. It will – it comes back to use now, and we’re addressing it.So, that’s what brings us to the Floor now. What brings us to the Floor now is the opportunity to crush the virus, to put vaccines in the arms of the American people, money in the pockets of the American people, children safely in schools, people back in their jobs. We an do that following the science and good governance to make it happen. We must do that in a way that addresses the disparities. It’s almost sinful to see how the disparity in access to some of the vaccines and everything that happened up until now.As I mentioned the other day in the debate on the budget bill, the GAO has put out a report that at least 90 percent of their recommendations to the Trump Administration on how to address the COVID crisis were ignored – 27 out of 31 were ignored. This legislation, again, based on science and knowledge and respct for all of the people in our society and in our country, addresses many of those concerns in a more current way as now we have more access to vaccines and people more willing to participate because they have hope. And that’s what this legislation does.It gives us hope. It is a reconciliation bill, which means we can pas it with just 51 votes in the Senate. It would be my hope that we don’t have to use it as a reconciliation bill, that we will be able to have bipartisanship, with a facing of the facts of what is needed to meet the needs of the American people, both in this body and in the United States Senate. But in order to have a guarantee that the people’s needs will be met, we’re passing this legislation today.So, I hope we will have a very strong vote in favor of crushing teh virus, money in the pockets, people back to work and children, children, children safely in school….Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
February 4, 2021: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) posted News titled: “Medical Experts Continue to Assert that COVID Vaccines Do Not Impact Fertility”
The following is a statement from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM):“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, patients have had questions about the impact of the virus on their health. Now, as the rollout of the COVID vaccines progresses, patients similarly have questions about whether the vaccine is right for their individual health needs.“As experts in reproductive health, we continue to recommend that the vaccine be available to pregnant individuals. We also assure patients that there is no evidence that the vaccine can lead to loss of fertility. While fertility was not specifically studied in the clinical trials of the vaccine, no loss of fertility has been reported among trial participants or among the millions who have received the vaccines since their authorization, and no signs of infertility appeared in animal studies. Loss of fertility is scientifically unlikely.”ACOG
February 4, 2021: American Medical Association posted a Press Release titled: “AHA, AMA, ANA release PSA urging Americans to take COVID-19 vaccine”. From the Press Release:
Together, the American Hospital Association (AHA), American Medical Association (AMA), and American Nurses Association (ANA) released a public service announcement today urging the American public to get the COVID-19 vaccination when it is their turn. The PSA stresses that COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective and help us all as we work together to defeat COVID-19. Today’s effort continues the work the three associations have done over the past year to increase public acceptance of the essential actions to curb the spread of COVID-19, which also include: wearing a mask, practicing physical distancing and washing hands frequently. The organizations have released several previous PSAs encouraging the public to adhere to these critical public health measures, which will be increasingly important as more communicable COVID-19 variants appear and spread in the U.S.As national associations representing physicians, nurses, and hospital health system leaders, the AHA, AMA, and ANA remain committed to supporting the rigorous scientific and regulatory process, establishing safe and effective processes for administering vaccines to all who are eligible and choose to get vaccinated, and to making critical information about vaccines available as it is released…AHA, AMA, ANA
February 8, 2021: The White House COVID-19 Response Team posted a Press Briefing titled: “Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials“. From the Press Briefing (up to the point where questions were asked and answered):
ACTING ADMINISTRATOR SLAVITT: Good morning, and welcome to the COVID Response update. Thank you for joining us. I’m Andy Slavitt, White House Senior Advisor for the COVID Response Team. Now, we’ve been battling this pandemic for the better part of a year. More than 450,000 Americans’ lives have been taken, we’ve separated from our friends and family, thousands of schools and businesses have been sitting empty, and Americans have had their lives turned upside down by the pandemic.
Meanwhile, millions of Americans are doing everything in their power to put the country and the world back on the right course. Millions of you are wearing masks, and the evidence Dr. Walensky has discussed here demonstrates that in communities where that happens, lives are being saved. That needs to continue and improve in the face of the threats we confront.
We know that millions of Americans are also waiting patiently to be vaccinated. Today, I want to begin the briefing by updating you on what is happening while you’re waiting. In the weeks and months that you are waiting, the nation’s efforts are being spent focused on many who are most at risk of hospitalization and death from this virus: the elderly, seniors, frontline health care workers, and many essential workers.
According to a recent CDC report, the Long-Term Care Program has administered now over 4.8 million doses to more than 3.7 million of our most vulnerable. Those who were dying in large number over the last year are now on a path to protection. And in skilled nursing facilities that have had at least one vaccination clinic, an estimated median of almost 80 percent of residents have received at least one dose of vaccine.
As vaccinations at these facilities are completed, that will mean that many more lives are saved, many more vaccines that can be moved into the inventory for the next priority groups. And in total, of the over 40 million doses that have been administered, over 17 million doses have been administered to people 65 or older.
Now, this is a great representation of the American spirit of generosity and American selflessness because our ability to vaccinate millions of the elderly, seniors, and healthcare workers is a testament to a society that has put our parents and grandparents, those who have served us, and those who continue to sacrifice for us on the frontlines of the healthcare system first.
Now at the same time, we need to step up efforts to increase vaccinations of racial and ethnic communities that have suffered disproportionately. Health equity is a cornerstone of all our work, and we’ll be talking more about progress there in upcoming briefings.
Even with that perspective in progress, we understand that the process moves more slowly than anyone would like. But each day, we are putting forth efforts to increase vaccine supply, including by use of the Defense Production Act; to create more places to get vaccinated, including new large community vaccination centers and retail pharmacies; and mobilize more vaccinators by allowing retired physicians and nurses and deploying the military.
This is a national emergency and the approach we are taking reflects this. We are putting every resource and tool that the federal government has into this battle, and we’re taking a whole-of-government – indeed, a whole-of-country approach. As soon as the Congress puts the American Rescue Plan on the President’s desk, we will be able to further increase this effort.
We understand this is a long journey, but thanks to the sacrifice of so many of you and the step-by-step plan we are executing, for many of our most vulnerable Americans, the risk of death is being reduced. And we are committed to leaving no stone unturned.
With that, I’ll turn it over to Dr. Walensky for a state-of-the-pandemic update and Dr. Fauci for the latest in science before we answer your questions.
Dr. Walensky.
DR. WALENSKY: Thank you so much, Andy. I’m so glad to be back and joining you today. Today, I’m going to give you a brief update on the pandemic. As I mentioned on Friday, despite trends moving in the right direction, we remain in a very serious situation. COVID-19 continue to affect too many people, as we continue to mourn all of those lives that have been lost.
Cases have continued to decline over the last four weeks. An average 119,900 new cases were reported between January 31st and February 6th. That’s a drop of nearly 20 percent from the prior week, but still dramatically higher than the last summer’s peak. We must continue to drive these cases down.
New COVID-19 hospital admissions also continued to decline. An average of 9,977 admissions per day were reported between January 30th and February 5th, a decline of nearly 17 percent from the week prior.
This is promising, but hospitalizations also remain incredibly high. Over 83,000 Americans are hospitalized right now with COVID-19 – much higher than the summer and fall.
Today, we are reporting that COVID-19 deaths increased 2.4 percent to an average of 3,221 deaths per day from January 31st to February 6th. As I mentioned on Friday, sometimes delays in reporting can lead to fluctuations in the data. This is the case for the average number of deaths reported today, which includes a delayed report of 1,570 confirmed deaths from one state. These deaths were reported last week, but actually had occurred over the prior several months. We may continue to see the variation in daily deaths for different reasons, including reporting delays.
We are continuing to watch these data closely. And although hospital admissions and cases consistently – are consistently dropping, I’m asking everyone to please keep your guard up. The continued proliferation of variants remains of great concern and is a threat that could reverse the recent positive trends we are seeing.
As of February 7th, 699 variant cases have been confirmed across 34 states, with 690 of these cases being the B117 variant, the variant first reported in the UK.
Please continue to war a mask and stay six feet apart from people you don’t live with. Avoid travels, crowds, and poorly ventilated spaces. And get vaccinated when it is available to you.
I recognize that the pandemic has taken an enormous toll on all of us. But if we all work together and take these preventative steps, we can finally turn the tide. Thank you. I look forward to your questions, and I will now turn things over to Dr. Fauci.
Dr. Fauci?
DR. FAUCI: Thank you very much, Dr. Walensky. I’d like to address, briefly, two issues that have come up for discussion over the last several days, and one is the question of: Given the fact that there is a greater demand than there is supply, should we be putting all our effort into getting the first dose into people, with less emphasis on the second dose?
Now, the reason for that – I have explained in the past – because the science has shown in both of the vaccines that we have currently available, the Moderna and the Pfizer – strong data indicates that a prime boost gives a maximum response of 94 to 95 percent efficacy. But the question has arisen, “Why not study in detail whether or not you can get away with a single dose?”
It is not an unreasonable thing to suggest a study. The only issue is that the practicality of that really makes that a situation that I don’t think is able to be done for the following reason: If you look at the number of people that would be required in a study to answer that question – again, one versus two – with the currently available vaccines, the time it took to get information on the phase three and the number of people – that that study, with all due respect, would take several months to get a meaningful answer. At that time, the amount of vaccine that would be available would almost be making that question somewhat of a moot point.
So then let’s ask ourselves – the question is: What do we know about one dose versus two dose? And the data, I think, are important to present. We know from the original studies that, following a single dose of either the Moderna or Pfizer, you had a response that gave you a neutralizing antibody above the threshold of protection. So it did give some degree of protection. And the question was: It was protection, clearly, against the wild type. However, the boost, either 21 or 28 days later, was tenfold higher. So it went, for example, from 1 to 100 to well over the 1,000 in the titer.
The reason that’s important: not only because of the height of the response and the potency of the response, but as you get to that level of antibody, you get a greater breadth of response. And by “breadth of response,” we mean it covers not only the wild type and currently circulating virus, but also the variants that we see circulating, particularly the 117 and the 351. So it’s not just a matter of potency; it’s a matter of the breadth of what you can cover.
The other theoretical issue that could be problematic with regard to only a single dose: that if you get a suboptimum response, the way viruses respond to pressure, you could actually be inadvertently selecting for more mutants by a suboptimum response. So, for that reason, we have continued to go by the fact that we feel the optimum approach would be to continue with getting as many people on their first dose as possible, but also making sure that people, on time, get their second dose.
And finally, one thing I want to emphasize: As we know, and we’ve heard, and it’s true, that the projection is that the 117 lineage would likely become dominant in the United States by the end of March. Please remember that the efficacy of the currently utilized vaccines — the two mRNA — are a quite effective against the 117 lineage. So, underscoring what Dr. Walensky just said, the two things that we can do is, A, make sure we adhere to the public health measures that Dr. Walensky just mentioned, and, B, get as many people vaccinated as quickly as we possibly can. That’s the best defense against the evolution of variants.
I’ll stop there, and back to you, Andy…
February 8, 2021: National Organization for Women posted a Press Release titled: “NOW is Proud to Support the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act” From the Press Release:
NOW is proud to endorse the Black Maternal Momnibus Act of 2021, a historic legislative package unveiled today by Representatives Lauren Underwood (IL-14) and Alma Adams (NC-12), Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), and members of the Black Maternal Health Conference.The Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021 will build on existing maternal health legislation, like policies to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage, with 12 bills to comprehensively address every dimension of America’s maternal health crisis. It makes investments in social determinants of health, community-based organizations, the growth and diversification of the perinatal workforce, improvements in data collection, and support for moms and babies exposed to climate change-related risks. In addition to direct efforts to improve Black maternal health outcomes, the Momnibus focuses on high-risk populations, including veterans, incarcerated people, Native Americans, and other women and birthing people of color. The United States has the highest pregnancy-related death rate in the developed world and the only rate that is rising. The maternal mortality rate is significantly higher among Black women, who are three to four times more likely than white women to die from pregnancy-related complications. Other birthing people of color, including Hispanic, Native American, and AAPI women, also suffer from disproportionate rates of adverse maternal health outcomes……The Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act is composed of 12 individual bills. The legislation will provide funding to community-based organizations working to improve maternal health outcomes and promote equity, invest in programs to support maternal mental health, and much more.NOW
February 9, 2021: The White House issued a FACT SHEET titled: “President Biden Announces Community Health Centers Vaccination Program to Launch Next Week and Another Increase in States, Tribes & Territories Vaccine Supply“. From the FACT SHEET:
As the U.S. surpasses 26 million COVID-19 infections, President Biden is taking additional steps today to speed up vaccinations across the country. The President announced the launch of the Federally Qualified Health Center program that will provide more vaccines for Community Health Centers that are reaching our underserved and most vulnerable communities. And, the administration will increase the vaccine supply to states, Tribes, and territories by 5% over last week, for a total of a 28% increase since President Biden came into office three weeks ago.These new steps will help meet the President’s goal of administering 100 million shots in 100 days and ensure that vaccines are administered equitably.The President is taking the following actions today:Launching First Phase of the Federally Qualified Health Center Program for COVID-19 Vaccination: As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to ensure that the nation’s hardest hit populations are receiving the vaccine, starting the week of February 15, Federally Qualified Community Health Centers (FQHCs) will begin directly receiving vaccine supply. Many people know these as Community Health Centers. Community Health Centers provide primary care services in underserved communities across the country. There are more than 1,300 Community Health Centers serving almost 30 million people across the country. Two-thirds of the population that these centers serve are living at or below the federal poverty line and 60% are racial and/or ethnic minorities. The program will be phased in, with the first centers able to start ordering vaccines as early as the week of February 15. The initial phase will include at least one Community Health Center in each state, expanding to 250 centers in the coming weeks.This program is part of a broader effort to ensure all communities are being reached in the national push to get people vaccinated. Community Vaccination Centers in underserved areas, the retail pharmacy program, mobile clinics, and efforts to increase vaccine confidence are also key tools to help states and communities vaccinate their most vulnerable populations. More information on this program is available at www.hrsa.gov/coronavirus/health-center-program.Expanding Vaccine Supply: Building on last week’s announcement, the Biden-Harris Administration will increase overall, weekly vaccine supply to states, Tribes, and territories to 11 million doses nationwide beginning this week. This is a 28% increase since taking office on January 20. The Administration is committing to maintaining this as the minimum supply level for the next three weeks, and we will continue to work with manufacturers in their efforts to ramp up supply.White House
February 9, 2021: A Press Briefing titled: “Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials” was issued. From the Press Briefing:
MR. ZIENTS: Thank you for joining us. I’m Jeff Zients, White House COVID Coordinator. I’m pleased to be joined today by Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, Chair of the Biden-Harris COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force. We’ve just completed our weekly call with governors from around the country who – where we provided updated on our efforts to defeat COVID-19.
President Biden has laid out a comprehensive national strategy to tackle this pandemic. The national strategy utilizes all of the powers and resources of the federal government, working closely with state and local leaders, tribal leaders, and those on the frontlines in communities across the country. Central to the strategy is getting all Americans vaccinated as quickly and equitably as possible.
Increasing vaccine supply, increasing the number of vaccinators, and providing more places for people to get vaccinated, including supporting local and state partners in their efforts to get needles in arms: all three are critical. Today, we’re taking new actions on vaccine supply and on the number of places for people to get vaccinated.
I’ll start with our efforts on vaccine supply. When we came into office three weeks ago, the weekly delivery was 8.6 million doses. And today we’re announcing that we will increase weekly vaccine doses going to states, tribes, and territories to 11 million. So that is a total of a 28 percent increase in vaccine supply across the first three weeks.
I know Americans are eager to get vaccinated, and we’re working with manufacturers to increase the supply of vaccines as quickly as possible. As supply ramps up, we’re also creating new convenient locations for vaccinations. These include standing up community vaccination centers, deploying mobile vaccine units, and launching new programs with pharmacies.
Today, we are announcing another step in this effort, focused on some of our hardest-hit populations. Starting next week, we will begin a new program with federally qualified health centers, or as many people know them, “community health centers.” Community health centers provide primary care services in underserved areas, reaching almost 30 million people. Under this new program we will begin directly sending vaccine supply to community health centers, enabling them to vaccinate the people they serve. Community health centers are an important part of our broader strategy to ensure we are reaching everyone with our response.
I will turn it over to Dr. Nunez-Smith to provide more information on the community health center program, but before I do, I want to mention another important point that we discussed in our governors meeting today.
Equity is core to our strategy to put this pandemic behind us, and equity means that we are reaching everyone, particularly those in underserved and rural communities and those who have been hit hardest by this pandemic. But we cannot do this effectively at the federal level without our partners on the state and local level sharing the same commitment to equity. They need to lead this work, as they know their communities better than anyone.
Through efforts like community vaccination centers located in the hardest-hit areas, mobile units, the community health center program we’re launching today, and efforts to build vaccine confidence, we are providing tools to communities around the country to do this work. And we look forward to partnering with them to ensure equity.
Over to Dr. Nunez-Smith, who will provide more information on the community health center program.
Dr. Nunez-Smith.
DR. NUNEZ-SMITH: Thanks so much, Jeff. You know, as Jeff said, we are providing a suite of tools to state and local leaders as they work to reach their underserved and hardest-hit populations. We are very excited about the announcement of this additional program today towards that effort.
So, as you just heard, we are very excited to be partnering with federally-qualified health centers, also known as community health centers. They do provide really substantial primary care services across many underserved areas. You know, in our country there are more than 1,300 community health centers spanning every U.S. state and territory, and serving over 30 million people. Two thirds of their patients live at or below the federal poverty line, and 60 percent of patients at community health centers identify as racial or ethnic minorities.
So, in addition to the doses that have already been allocated to states and then additionally through the pharmacy program, we will begin shipping doses directly to these community health centers. We will be starting with a phased approach and will ramp up over time. But we anticipate a subset of FQHCs or community health centers to be able to start ordering vaccines as soon as next week.
Ultimately, in this initial program phase, we plan to reach 250 community health centers. And again, across this initial phase, our goal is to allocate 1 million doses during this phase. That’s 500,000 first doses and 500,000 second doses.
You know, to Jeff’s point, equity is our North Star here. This effort that focuses on direct allocation to the community health centers really is about connecting with those hard-to-reach populations across the country. So this includes people who are experiencing homelessness, you know, agricultural and migrant workers, residents of public housing, and those with limited English proficiency. And as always, we plan to be very inclusive across jurisdictions. So in this initial phase, we will include at least one community health center in each state and territory.
You know, as the program further scales, vaccines will become available to all 1,400 community health centers across states and territories should they want to participate.
So as we said, this new community health center program is just one tool to reach underserved communities, and it really does build on other efforts like the community vaccination centers, mobile clinics, and the pharmacy program. And a really critical part of this work is also addressing vaccine confidence, which we know is lower in underserved communities than it is for the national average.
So the tools that we are deploying at the federal level are meant to aid state and local leaders, but are in no way a substitute for the important work that they must lead on the ground to address equity. So we look forward to continue to work hand in hand with our partners and provide the federal resources necessary to ensure that everyone gets vaccinated.
So thank you for your time. With that, I’ll turn it back over to you, Jeff…
February 10, 2021: A Press Briefing titled: “President Biden Announces Members of the Biden-Harris Administration COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force“. From the Press Briefing:
The COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force will provide recommendations for addressing health inequities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and for preventing such inequities in the future.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to plague the country, it has had a disproportionate impact on some of our most vulnerable communities. Shortly after COVID-19 was first identified in the United States, disparities in testing, cases, hospitalizations, and mortality began to emerge. These inequities were quickly evident by race, ethnicity, geography, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and other factors.
President Biden and Vice President Harris have released a National Strategy to combat the pandemic that has equity at its core. To help ensure an equitable response to the pandemic, the President signed an executive order on January 21 creating a task force to address COVID-19 related health and social inequities. This Task Force is chaired by Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith.
Today, President Biden and Vice President Harris announced the following individuals to serve as non-federal members of the Biden-Harris COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force. Individuals selected by the President are:
Mayra Alvarez of San Diego, CAJames Hildreth of Nashville, TNAndrew Imparato of Sacramento, CAVictor Joseph of Tanana, AKJoneigh Khaldun of Lansing, MIOctavio Martinez of New Braunfels, TXTim Putnam of Batesville, INVincent Toranzo of Pembroke Pines, FLMary Turner of Plymouth MNHomer Venters of Port Washington, NYBobby Watts of Goodlettsville, TNHaeyoung Yoon of New York, NY
The twelve Task Force members represent a diversity of backgrounds and expertise, a range of racial and ethnic groups, and a number of important populations, including: children and youth; educators and students; health care providers, immigrants; individuals with disabilities; LGBTQ+ individuals; public health experts; rural communities; state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments; and unions.
As Chair, Dr. Nunez-Smith will also ask six additional Federal agencies to be represented on the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force as federal members. This includes the United States Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Justice, and Department of Labor.
The Task Force is charged with issuing a range of recommendations to help inform the COVID-19 response and recovery. This includes recommendations on equitable allocation of COVID-19 resources and relief funds, effective outreach and communication to underserved and minority populations, and improving cultural proficiency within the Federal Government. Additional recommendations include efforts to improve data collection and use, as well as a long-term plan to address data shortfalls regarding communities of color and other underserved populations. The Task Force’s work will conclude after issuing a final report to the COVID-19 Response Coordinator describing the drivers of observed COVID-19 inequities, the potential for ongoing disparities faced by COVID-19 survivors, and actions to ensure that future pandemic responses do not ignore or exacerbate health inequities…
February 10, 2021: Lambda Legal posted news titled: “Foster Youth and LGBTQ Advocacy Groups Celebrate Biden Administration’s Agreement to Halt Discriminatory HHS Rule Change in Response to Legal Challenge“. From the news:
Lawsuit Challenges Trump-Era Regulation Axing Prohibition on Basis of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Religion by Service Providers in HHS’s $500 Billion Grant Programs.In response to a lawsuit filed by a foster youth alumni group as well as LGBTQ service and advocacy organizations, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has agreed to a court order that immediately stayed the effective date of a discriminatory Trump-era rule. If it were to go into effect, that rule would have eliminated essential protections preventing service providers from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, and other characteristics when providing HHS grant-funded services.In response to the plaintiff groups’ motion to stay or enjoin the rule, the Biden-Harris administration agreed to postpone the rule’s effective date, stated that the Trump-era policy is under review, and agreed to advise the court on its progress. The court order – issued on Tuesday – postpones the effective date of the rule for 180 days, until August 2021.“We are thrilled to see this Administration taking immediate steps to prioritize the safety and wellbeing of the communities that HHS is charged with protecting, particularly when it comes to their ability to access the critical services that HHS funds. If this Trump administration rule were to ever become law, our plaintiffs – youth and alumni in foster care and advocacy organizations dedicated to safety and equity for LGBTQ children and families, LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness, and LGBTQ seniors – would be harmed, along with other youth and families who would face potential denial of services and discrimination.” said Currey Cook, Lambda Legal Senior Counsel and Youth In Out-Of-Home Care Project Director.The lawsuit was filed on February 2 by Lambda Legal, Democracy Forward, and Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP on behalf of foster youth and alumni group, Facing Foster Care in Alaska (FFCA) and three LGBTQ advocacy organizations – Family Equity, True Colors United, and SAGE.In response to the agreed stay of the rule, the groups issued the following joint response:“There was simply no excuse for the Trump administration’s unlawful policy sanctioning taxpayer-funded discrimination against people who receive services from HHS grant programs, including youth and families in the child welfare system, youth experiencing homelessness and older adults, among vulnerable populations.We commend the Biden-Harris administration for hitting pause on this harmful and unlawful Trump-era rule, and hope that it will move forward expeditiously to ensure that all persons receive equal treatment under the law.”Lambda Legal
February 10, 2021: A Press Briefing titled: “Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials“. From the Press Briefing:
MR. ZIENTS: Good morning. Three weeks ago, the President launched his comprehensive whole-of-government strategy to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. Central to that strategy is getting shots into the arms of the American people. We’ve been making steady progress over the past few weeks, getting more vaccine supply, getting more vaccinators on the ground, and creating more places to get vaccinated. We are on track to meet the President’s goal of delivering 100 million shots in his first 100 days in office.
Today I want to give you an update on our execution against that goal. We’ll also hear from Dr. Nunez-Smith, get a state-of-the-pandemic update from Dr. Walensky, and an update on the latest science from Dr. Fauci. We’ll then open it up for questions.
The President has made clear that we’re not going to solve this crisis overnight, but we are using every tool at our disposal to make progress in our effort to put this pandemic behind us.
First, we continue to take steps to increase the vaccine supply and get it out the door as fast as the manufacturers can make it. Yesterday we announced another increase in the weekly allocations of vaccine doses to states, tribes, and territories. We have achieved a 28 percent increase in the first three weeks of the administration.
We’re helping states administer the supply more efficiently and equitably by providing them with visibility into the supply they will receive over the coming three weeks.
Second, we’re mobilizing teams to get shots in arms. At the President’s direction, we’re moving quickly to get more vaccinators on the ground, including retired doctors and nurses. We’ve deployed hundreds of personnel across the federal government, from FEMA to USDA to HHS and other federal agencies, to support vaccination operations nationwide. And we have plans to deploy thousands more.
Third, we’re creating more places where Americans can get vaccinated. To do so, we’ve expedited financial support to bolster community vaccination centers nationwide, with over $3 billion in federal funding across 35 states, tribes, and territories. We’re putting equity front and center, partnering with states to increase vaccinations in the hardest-hit and hardest-to-reach communities. We’ve launched efforts to get more vaccines to pharmacies and community health centers.
And we’re building new vaccination centers from the ground up, in stadiums, community centers, school gyms, and parking lots across the country.
And the data show that these efforts are working. As you can see in our vaccination progress report, our seven-day average daily doses administered is now 1.5 million shots per day, up from 1.1 million only two weeks ago.
But let me be very clear: We have much more work to do. This is just the start.
Today we have two updates on how we continue to increase the number of places to get vaccinated and ensure our response is equitable.
First, we are building new vaccination sites. Last week, we announced new mass vaccination centers in California. And today I’m pleased to announce that we’ll partner with the state of Texas to build three new major community vaccination centers in Dallas, Arlington, and Houston — communities hit hard by the pandemic. In Houston, we’re building a major site at NRG Stadium; in South Dallas, a new site at Fair Park; and in Arlington, a site at AT&T Stadium. Together, these sites will be capable of administering more than 10,000 shots in arms a day.
We are deploying federal teams immediately to work hand in hand with the state and local jurisdiction.
We appreciate Governor Abbott, Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, Representative Mark Veasey, and Representative Ron Wright. Local mayors and county leaders are also part of this partnership.
We expect these sites to start getting shots in arms beginning the week of February 22nd.
Importantly, FEMA has partnered with CDC to launch these and other vaccination sites that use processes and are in locations that promote equity, deploying CDC’s social vulnerability index.
Second on this point, we continue to put equity at the center of our work more broadly, guided by Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith.
Today we’re pleased to announce the members of our Health Equity Task Force. Ensuring that we reach every person in our response is something that the President and Vice President feel very strongly about.
On his second day in office, President Biden signed an executive order to create this task force. And we could not have picked a better leader in Dr. Nunez-Smith to help drive this work.
I also want to note that Vice President Harris’s work in the Senate informed the development of the mission and work of the Health Equity Task Force. Then, Senator Harris introduced the COVID-19 Racial and Ethnic Disparity Task Force Act to gather data about disproportionally affected communities and provide recommendations combat the racial and ethnic disparities in the COVID-19 response. Today, that vision becomes a reality as we create this task force to help lead our national response.
So now I’ll turn it over to Dr. Nunez-Smith.
Dr. Nunez-Smith…
…DR. NUNEZ-SMITH:
So, thank you, Jeff. And good morning to everyone. You know, shortly after COVID-19 was first identified in the United States, we began to see disparities in testing, in cases, and in rates of hospitalization and mortality. And these inequities were quickly evident by race, ethnicity, geography, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and other factors.
You know, as the pandemic has progressed over the past year, so too have the inequities. And over the fast — the past few months, we’ve seen new disparities emerge — you know, most notably with regards to access to therapeutics and vaccines.
So, absolutely, make no mistake about it: Beating this pandemic is hard work. And beating this pandemic while making sure that everyone in every community has a fair chance to stay safe or to regain their health, well, that’s the hard work done the right way.
So President Biden and Vice President Harris have made it clear since the beginning that they are committed to centering their administration’s COVID-19 response on equity. And as Jeff mentioned, Vice President Harris set a blueprint for how to advise this commitment during her time in the Senate. And President Biden not only agreed with the necessity of such a task force — you know, as Jeff said, he signed an executive order requiring its formation in his first full day in office.
Next slide, please.
And today, that vision for our federal COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force officially becomes a reality. Not only am I humbled and honored that President Biden has asked me to serve as the chair of this COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force, but I am truly excited to share that the President has announced the 12 individuals he has selected to serve as non-federal members.
These individuals were identified through conversations with stakeholder groups, on recommendation by organizations and individuals, and through the visible effort and expertise they have lent to their communities in the fight against COVID-19. And their bios are available on the Department of Health and Human Services website.
But in addition to their noteworthy backgrounds and expertise, these individuals represent a range of racial and ethnic groups and also key constituencies, including children and youth; educators and students; healthcare providers; immigrants; individuals with disabilities; LGBTQ-plus individuals; public health experts; rural communities; state, local, territorial, and tribal governments; and unions.
And in my discretion as chair of this task force, I will be asking representatives from the Departments of Agriculture, Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Justice, and Labor to sit on this task force, as well, to offer their critical perspective on some of the most effective levers we can pull in our efforts for COVID-19 health equity.
Next slide, please.
Just a quick word on the actual work of this task force. This advisory body is charged with issuing a range of recommendations to help inform the COVID-19 response and recovery. So this includes thinking about the equitable allocation of COVID-19 resources and relief funds; you know, effective outreach and communication to underserved and minoritized populations; and improving cultural responsiveness within the federal government.
You know, additional recommendations will advise on efforts to improve our data collection and use, as well as a long-term plan to address data shortfalls regarding communities of color and underserved populations.
And the work of the task force will conclude after issuing a final report to the COVID-19 response coordinator on the drivers of observe (inaudible) COVID-19 inequities, the potential for ongoing disparities facing COVID-19 survivors, and actions to ensure that future pandemic responses do not ignore or exacerbated health inequities.
We want everyone to feel connected to this work. So, in addition to this COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force, the administration has already begun — will, of course, continue. And that will include the launch of a series of constituent listening sessions to engage with key communities whose voices we know are so important to (inaudible) conversation about equity. We will always, always (inaudible) endeavor to engage with every community to inform (inaudible) necessary to drive positive change…
…MR. ZEINTS: We’re having a bit of technical difficulty. Why don’t we do this: Why don’t we go to Dr. Walensky, sort through those technical difficulties. We’ll come back to you at the end for you to complete your remarks.
So let’s go to Dr. Walensky on the state of the pandemic.
Dr. Walensky.
DR. WALENSKY:
Great, thank you so much, Jeff. And thanks to all of you again for being with us today. Cases and new hospital admissions continue to fall. Deaths have decreased slightly in the most recent seven days. And we are watching these data closely. Because cases, hospitalizations, and deaths remain high, and because we are still losing more than a thousand Americans daily to this disease, we must continue to take every action we can to protect our loved ones and our communities.
One of the simple things we can all do, one thing that will make the biggest difference, is to wear a mask. I know some of you are both tired of hearing about masks, as well as tired of wearing them. Masks can be cumbersome. They can be inconvenient. And I also know that many of you still have questions about masks. You may be unsure if they work, what kind is best, and whether two masks are better than one.
We’ve learned a lot about masks over the past year. Today, I want to share with you some new science that is emerging about masks and what we know now that we didn’t know when the pandemic started.
The science is clear: Everyone needs to be wearing a mask when they are in public or when they’re in their own home but with people who do not live in their household. This is especially true with our ongoing concern about new variants spreading in the United States.
Masks offer two kinds of protection. When I wear a mask, it protects you and it protects me. But to get the most protection possible, we all have to wear them.
Research has demonstrated that COVID-19 infections and deaths have decreased when policies that require everyone to wear a mask have been implemented. So with cases, hospitalizations, and deaths still very high, now is not the time to roll back mask requirements.
I have also seen very — many well-meaning people wearing masks that do not fit well or fit incorrectly. In fact, recent survey data from Porter Novelli found that among adults who reported wearing masks in the past week, half said they wore their masks incorrectly in public.
New data released from CDC today underscore the importance of wearing a mask correctly and making sure it fits closely and snugly over your nose and mouth.
In this new study, researchers used experiments in the laboratory, not the real world, to assess how different strategies to improve the fit of masks impacts masks’ ability to block aerosolized particles emitted during a simulated cough, as well as to reduce exposure to aerosol particles emitted during simulated breathing.
The size of the aerosol particles in the experiment were designed to mimic the respiratory droplet particles most important for person-to-person transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
Specifically, the experiments compared the performance of no mask, a single cloth face mask, and a single medical procedure mask with two approaches to improve the mask fit of the surgical mask: wearing a cloth mask over the procedure mask, and knotting and tucking the ear loops of the medical procedure mask.
In the study, wearing any type of mask performs significantly better than not wearing a mask, and well-fitting masks provided the greatest performance both at blocking emitted aerosols and exposure of aerosols to the receiver.
In the breathing experiment, having both the source and the receiver wear masks modified to fit better reduced the receiver’s exposure by more than 95 percent, compared to no mask at all.
These experimental data reinforce CDC’s prior guidance that everyone two years of age or older should wear a mask when in public and around others in the home — in the home, not living with you.
We continue to recommend that masks should have two or more layers, completely cover your nose and mouth, and fit snugly against your nose and the sides of your face.
I want to be clear that these new scientific data released today do not change the specific recommendations about who should wear a mask or when they should wear one, but they do provide new information on why wearing a well-fitting mask is so important to protect you and others.
Based on this new information, the CDC is updating the mask information for the public on the CDC website to provide new options on how to improve mask fit. This includes wearing a mask with a moldable nose wire, knotting the ear loops on your mask, or wearing a cloth mask over a procedure or disposable mask.
There are also new options available to consumers, called “mask fitters” — small, reusable devices that cinch a cloth or medical mask and that can create a tighter fit against the face and thus improve mask performance.
The bottom line is this: Masks work, and they work best when they have a good fit and are worn correctly.
Importantly, as per our usual guidance, masks should be used in combination with other prevention measures to offer you and your community the most protection from COVID-19. Stay at least six feet apart from other people you don’t live with, avoid crowds and travel, and wash your hands often.
When we take all of these prevention steps and wear masks that fit well, we protect ourselves and we take care of each other.
I also want to follow up on a question I received during Monday’s briefing from Kaitlan Collins. I was asked about CDC’s best estimate on the prevalence of variant cases in the United States based on current case data and volume of sequencing.
Our latest estimate nationally is that between 1 and 4 percent of cases in the United States are due to the B117 variant, the variant most frequently found in the United States.
It’s important to note that some states have seen higher numbers of variant cases, and thus the proportion attributable to B117 in these states is likely to be higher than in other states. We do not believe the variants are distributed equally across the country at this time.
And with that, I will say thank you, and I will look forward to your questions and pass it back to Dr. Fauci.
Dr. Fauci?
DR. FAUCI:
Thank you very much, Dr. Walensky. I would like to just take a couple of minutes to preemptively answer three types of questions that I have been asked over the last several days that I believe are important to address preemptively because they will come up.
The first relates to the fact that many states, cities, and locations, who have gone from 1A to 1B, will soon or already — or have already gone into the 1C of the phase.
Within 1C are persons 16 to 64 years of age with underlying conditions, including those that might be immunosuppressed because of certain drugs such as glucocorticoids or corticosteroids for diseases like autoinflammatory diseases or allergic diseases.
There has been a number of individuals who feel that they should not get vaccinated because of those underlying conditions. I want to set the record straight for these individuals because they are more vulnerable to the more severe effects of if they do get infected. Therefore, they are the very people who should get vaccinated.
When you think in terms of having an immunosuppressed state — for example, if you’re on glucocorticoids for rheumatoid arthritis or you’re on some of the monoclonal antibodies that block the markers of inflammation — that under those circumstances, if that’s where you are, there is not a safety issue with regard to the vaccine. Safety issues in immunosuppressed individuals relate to live, attenuated vaccines which are contraindicated in people who are immunosuppressed. There is no safety reason not to get vaccinated.
So for those who are thinking of getting vaccinated or soon will come up for vaccination, this is something that would be beneficial to you. The only potential downside might be that you might not have as robust a response to the vaccine as if you had a normal immune response.
But clearly, getting a less-than-optimal response is much better than no response at all. And I’m sure we’ll be getting back to this question as more vaccines become available and more people in that category will be ready to get vaccinated.
The next is the question of the vaccination of children, namely pediatrics and pregnant women. As we all know, these were not included in the original clinical trials that led to the EUA for the two vaccines that are currently available.
But I want to point out that since the EUA and under the EUA, approximately 20,000 pregnant women have been vaccinated with no red flags, as we say, and this is being monitored by the CDC and the FDA. So that’s where we’re going there.
With regard to children and pregnant women, as I mentioned on a prior discussion with this group, the fact remains that we will be starting clinical trials, and some have already started. We will not need to do tens of thousands of people; we will need just enough measured in hundreds to thousands for safety and whether or not we induce an immune response that is equivalent to the immune response that has been proven to be protective under the trials that have now shown to be 94 to 95 percent effective.
And finally, the last issue relates to something that Dr. Walensky just said about the prevalence of the B117 or UK variant. The models tell us that this very well might become dominant in the United States by the end of March. That being the case, we should not despair at that because there are things that we can do to prevent that. It is not outside of our power to do that.
For example, the vaccines that we are using clearly are effective against this. We know that from in-vitro correlate studies, as well as for vaccines that are other candidates.
So the two things that we can do are some of the things that Dr. Walensky just mentioned: wearing of masks, avoiding congregate settings, keeping your distance, and washing your hands — together, when vaccine becomes available to you, to please get vaccinated.
So I’ll hand it back to you, Jeff.
MR. ZIENTS: Well, thank you, Dr. Fauci. And, Dr. Nunez-Smith, I understand that you were at the end of your comments. So hopefully the technical issues are behind us and you’ll be available for questions.
I just want to pick up where you left off, and that is that equity is core to our strategy to put this pandemic behind us. And we’re grateful to you for your expertise and leadership. Through efforts like community vaccination centers located in the hardest-hit areas, mobile units, the community health center program we announced yesterday, along with efforts to build vaccine confidence, we are providing tools to communities around the country to do this work.
After this briefing, Dr. Nunez-Smith and I will join Governor Cuomo to announce two new community vaccination centers in underserved communities in the state of New York, another example of this work coming to life on the ground.
With that, let me open it up for questions…
February 10, 2021: American Medical Association posted a Press Release titled: “Health care, employer groups announce principles for universal coverage”. From the Press Release:
Today, a broad coalition of health care and employer groups called for achieving universal health coverage by expanding financial assistance to consumers, bolstering enrollment and outreach efforts, and taking additional steps to protect those who have lost or are at risk of losing employer-based coverage because of the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.The Affordable Coverage Coalition encompasses groups representing the nation’s doctors, hospitals, employers and health insurance providers that collectively serve hundreds of millions of American patients, consumers, and employers. The joint commitment by such a broad array of interests is a significant milestone on the path toward universal coverage which has remained an elusive goal within the U.S. healthcare system.“While we sometimes disagree on important issues in health care, we are in total agreement that Americans deserve a stable health care market that provides access to high-quality care and affordable coverage for all,” the organizations said in a joint statement of principles. “Achieving universal coverage is particularly critical as we strive to contain the COVID-19 pandemic and work to address long-standing inequities in health care access and outcomes.”Kim Keck, president and CEO of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association said, “While the country has made enormous strides in expanding coverage over the past decade, we must close the remaining gaps. Having health coverage means people can get the care they need, when they need it, so they can live healthier, more secure lives.” The groups included in the coalition are: America’s Health Insurance Plans, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Benefits Council, American Hospital Association, American Medical Association, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Federation of American Hospitals, and U.S. Chamber of Commerce.AMA
The organizations support the following steps to make health coverage more accessible and affordable:
Protect Americans who have lost or are at risk of losing employer-provided health coverage from becoming uninsured.Make Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions more generous, and expand eligibility for them.Establish an insurance affordability fund to support any unexpected high costs for caring for those with serious health conditions or to otherwise lower premiums or cost-sharing for ACA marketplace enrollees.Restore federal funding for outreach and enrollment programs.Automatically enroll and renew individuals eligible for Medicaid and premium-free ACA marketplace plans.Provide incentives for additional states to expand Medicaid, in order to close the low-income coverage gap.
February 11, 2021: Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) posted a Press Release titled: “Biden Administration purchases additional doses of COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna“. From the Press Release:
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Defense (DOD) have purchased an additional 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from both Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc. to help meet demand for COVID-19 vaccines in the United States.
The orders placed today bring the vaccine purchased by the U.S. government from these two companies to a total of 600 million doses, enough to vaccinate 300 million people. Each company is delivering 300 million doses in regular increments through the end of July 2021. Each company will leverage U.S.-based manufacturing capacity to fill, finish and ship vials as the bulk material is produced.
“As the President directed, we are expanding our supply of COVID vaccines to protect people as quickly as possible,” said Acting HHS Secretary Norris Cochran. “These purchases will allow us to accelerate our vaccination efforts to get shots into the arms of the American people. While we rapidly ramp up the pace of vaccinations, I encourage everyone to take actions now to protect themselves and their families: wear a mask, wash your hands often, and practice physical distancing.”
The companies began manufacturing doses of their vaccines at the same time that clinical trials were getting underway last year. Beginning the complex process of scaling up to large-scale manufacturing in parallel with clinical trials expedited the traditional vaccine development timeline so that initial doses could begin shipping when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted emergency use authorization.
The vaccine is available at no cost. Vaccine administration costs for private-sector administration partners are being covered by healthcare payers: private insurance, Medicare or Medicaid, and an HHS program to cover COVID-19 costs for the uninsured which is reimbursing providers at Medicare rates from the Provider Relief Fund.
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, collaborated with the DOD Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND ) and Army Contracting Command to provide approximately $2 billion for the additional doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, bringing the total purchase from Pfizer to approximately $6 billion.
BARDA, JPEO-CBRND and Army Contracting Command also collaborated to provide up to approximately $1.65 billion to Moderna, bringing the total federal investment in Moderna’s vaccine development, clinical trials, manufacturing and purchase to approximately $5.75 billion. Moderna’s vaccine was co-developed with scientists from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, with NIAID also supporting the vaccine’s nonclinical studies and clinical trials. BARDA supported phase 2/3 clinical trials, vaccine manufacturing scale up and other development activities for this vaccine.
Moderna’s Phase 3 clinical trial began July 27 as the first government-funded Phase 3 clinical trial for a COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S. and enrolled approximately 30,000 adult volunteers who did not have COVID-19. An independent data safety monitoring board overseeing the Phase 3 clinical trial reviewed the trial data and concluded that the vaccine was safe, prevented disease in 94 percent of the volunteers who received the vaccine, reduced the severity of illness in the small percentage of volunteers who contracted COVID-19, and was generally well tolerated.
The Phase 3 clinical trial for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine enrolled approximately 43,000 adult volunteers in the U.S. who did not have COVID-19. The clinical trial showed that the vaccine was safe, prevented disease in approximately 95 percent of the volunteers who received the vaccine, reduced the severity of illness in the five percent of volunteers who contracted COVID-19 and was generally well-tolerated.
The clinical studies of both vaccines are ongoing to gather additional data such as the vaccines’ efficacy in younger populations, the duration of immunity after vaccination, and the impact of vaccination on transmissibility of the virus.
Messenger RNA vaccines take advantage of the process that cells use to make proteins in order to trigger an immune response and build immunity to a virus. In contrast, most vaccines use weakened or inactivated versions or components of a disease-causing virus to stimulate the body’s immune response to create antibodies.
HHS and DOD have contracted with four other companies to expedite development and production of vaccines that use a variety of vaccine platform technologies and are manufacturing COVID-19 vaccine doses while clinical trials are underway. If any of these other vaccine candidates are authorized by the FDA for emergency use, HHS and DOD can negotiate agreements with the respective companies to purchase additional vaccine doses to meet the demand in the United States.
HHS
February 12, 2021: Department of Health and Human Services posted a Press Release titled: “2021 Special Enrollment Period for Marketplace Coverage Starts on Healthcare.gov Monday, February 15“. From the Press Release:
SEP allows consumers to enroll in health coverage during the COVID-19 Public Health EmergencyToday, in accordance with the Executive Order signed by President Biden, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is announcing that the Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for the Health Insurance Marketplace® will officially be available to consumers in the 36 states that use the HealthCare.gov platform on Monday, February 15, and will continue through Saturday, May 15. At least 13 States plus the District of Columbia, which operate their own Marketplace platforms, have decided to offer a similar opportunity.The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency has affected millions of people throughout the country, and many Americans remain uninsured or underinsured and need access to affordable health coverage. The SEP will allow individuals and families to enroll in the health coverage they need. Consumers who are uninsured can take this opportunity to look for coverage and find out if they qualify for financial assistance to help pay for health insurance. Currently 9 out of 10 consumers enrolled in coverage through HealthCare.gov receive financial help and 75 percent of consumers can purchase a plan for $50 or less per month after financial assistance. In addition, all of the plans at HealthCare.gov cover essential health benefits, such as primary care visits, and cover many preventive care services with no out-of-pocket costs to the consumer.“President Biden was clear: we need to strengthen the Affordable Care Act and give more Americans access to health care, especially during this pandemic, which has further demonstrated the importance of having the right coverage. This Special Enrollment Period will give Americans who need affordable, quality health insurance an opportunity to get covered, and we encourage folks to head to HealthCare.gov starting on Monday to explore their options,” said HHS Acting Secretary Norris Cochran.Beginning today, CMS is launching outreach efforts through stakeholders and partners to get ready and amplify education and awareness across communities. A consumer-facing education campaign will launch on Monday, February 15, including broadcast, radio and digital advertising. The campaign will focus most on increasing awareness among the uninsured that there is an SEP available now and raise awareness among the uninsured about affordable options for coverage and the availability of assistance to pay for premiums for those that qualify. CMS will communicate with current enrollees to let them know they can also take advantage of this opportunity.This SEP is one of the Biden Administration’s first steps in pursuing health equity across the country. Collaborating closely with community partners, CMS will focus its outreach and education efforts on reaching groups that historically have experienced lower access to health coverage and greater disparities in health outcomes. These efforts include placing advertisements in media used by targeted audiences as well as developing partnerships with media outlets that engage communities of color. CMS is working with several organizations, including those that focus on helping the uninsured and other vulnerable communities, to ensure consumers get timely and accurate information about the SEP.CMS intends to release data on consumer activities during the SEP for each month as consumers apply and enroll in coverage. The first report is anticipated in early March, which will cover consumers who applied and enrolled through this SEP in February and have coverage starting March 1. CMS intends to release a report for each month, February, March, and April shortly after the month ends and then a final report after May 15 covering the full period…HHS
February 12, 2021: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi posted a Press Release titled: “Pelosi Statement on the CDC’s School Reopening Guidance”. From the Press Release:
“The CDC’s new and welcomed school re-opening guidance accelerates the urgency for Congress to pass President Biden’s American Rescue Plan.“There is no higher priority than ensuring that our children and teachers can return safely to school, as soon as possible. But without strong assistance from Congress, our schools cannot afford to enact the science-based safety precautions required – particularly in low-income, under-resourced communities that were already struggling before the pandemic. Yet, Republicans in Congress are attempting to block and hold this funding hostage.“Our House Committees are working expeditously to draft and pass by the end of the month President Biden’s American Rescue Plan legislation, which makes a strong and necesary $130 billion investment for safe school re-opening and for our K-12 students. The funding will be used to repair ventilation systems, reduce class sizes and implement social distancing, purchase PPE, hire support staff and take robust meaures to help students make up for lost classroom time. At the same time, the legislation secures an additional $7 billion to close the digital divide, especially important for students and teachers in communities at high risk – which the Republicans oppose.“The Democratic Congress and Biden-Harris Administration are united in our mission to keep our students, educators and their families safe from the vicious coronavirus, while ensuring equity for all children to get the education and the support that they need and deserve.”Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
February 13, 2021: National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan posted a Statement titled: “Statement by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan“. From the Statement:
The mission of the World Health Organization (WHO) has never been more important, and we have deep respect for its experts and the work they are doing every day to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and advance global health and health security. That is why President Biden rejected and reversed the Trump Administration’s decision to disengage from the WHO. But re-engaging the WHO also means holding it to the highest standards. And at this critical moment, protecting the WHO’s credibility is a paramount priority. We have deep concerns about the way in which the early findings of the COVID-19 investigation were communicated and questions about the process used to reach them. It is imperative that this report be independent, with expert findings free from intervention or alteration by the Chinese government. To better understand this pandemic and prepare for the next one, China must make available its data from the earliest days of the outbreak. Going forward, all countries, including China, should participate in a transparent and robust process for preventing and responding to health emergencies — so that the world learns as much as possible as soon as possible.National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan
February 16, 2021: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) posted News titled: “Medicaid Coverage Extension Fast-Tracked Through House”. From the News:
On February 12, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce advanced fast-track legislation to enable states to more easily extend Medicaid coverage to 12 months postpartum. This critical step for women’s health comes after years of passionate and vocal advocacy from ACOG members and staff and works toward ACOG’s key goals of reducing maternal mortality in the United States.The United States is the only industrialized nation in which maternal mortality rates are increasing; approximately 700 maternal deaths occur in the United States each year, of which an estimated 60% are preventable. With over 30% of maternal deaths occurring between one week and one year postpartum, extending Medicaid coverage up to 12 months postpartum is an invaluable step toward reducing preventable maternal deaths and increasing access to care.The fast-tracked legislation would create a state plan option under the Medicaid program that would enable states to provide 12 months of postpartum coverage for individuals with a Medicaid-covered birth. This is a welcome and necessary change from the current federal mandate of 60 days of coverage after the end of pregnancy, as one year of postpartum coverage is a leading recommendation of state maternal mortality review committees and has been endorsed by more then 275 national and state-based organizations. The state plan option would create an easier glidepath for implementation, eliminating the need for a Section 1115 waiver… ACOG
February 15, 2021: President Joseph R. Biden posted a Statement titled: “Statement by President Joe Biden on the 2021 Special Health Insurance Enrollment Period Through HealthCare.gov“. From the Statement:
Health care is a right, not a privilege. No one should have to lay awake at night staring at the ceiling wondering what they are going to do to get the care they need or to pay the bills if a family member gets sick. That is why I will do everything in my power to ensure that all Americans have access to the quality, affordable health care they deserve – and the peace of mind it brings.That is especially critical in the midst of a deadly pandemic that has already taken the lives of more than 470,000 of our fellow Americans and infected more than one out of every 12 additional Americans, often with devastating consequences to their health.Starting today and running through May 15, 2021, we are opening HealthCare.gov for all Americans to have the opportunity to sign up for health insurance. Now, everyone will be able to use a special enrollment period to help secure some peace of mind as we work to beat the pandemic and strengthen and build on the Affordable Care Act.As more Americans get covered, it is encouraging to see Congress moving quickly to pass the American Rescue Plan, which will ramp up testing, tracing, and our national vaccination program to get shots into as many arms as possible as quickly as we can. The American Rescue Plan will also take big steps to lower health costs and expand access to care for all Americans, including those who have lost their jobs. It will increase federal subsidies and decrease premiums in order to ensure that no one pays more than 8.5 percent of their income to purchase meaningful and comprehensive health coverage. And it incentivizes states to expand coverage to an additional four million people with low incomes, and provides states the opportunity to extend coverage for a year to low-income women who have recently given birth.I encourage everyone who needs health insurance to go to HealthCare.gov from today through May 15. If you already have coverage, then help your family and friends to sign up and enroll.We will get through this crisis if we look out for one another and work together to expand coverage, lower cost, and ensure that health care truly is a right for all Americans.President Joseph R. Biden Jr.
February 15, 2021: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi posted a Press Release titled: “Pelosi Statement on President Biden Expanding Access to Health Care”. From the Press Release:
Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued this statement on President Biden’s opening of a special enrollment period through the Affordable Care Act for Americans to access health care during the pandemic:“Access to health care is a matter of life-or-death, as our nation has tragically seen during the devistation of the coronavirus pandemic and economic crisis. President Biden’s actions to expand access to health care through the Affordable Care Act will be a lifeline for potentially millions during their time of need, protecting the health and financial security of those who have lost their health insurance through no fault of their own.“At the same time, our House Committees are advancing and preparing to pass Biden American Rescue Plan, which will take the action needed to defeat this pandemic, putting shots in people’s arms, money in their pockets, children back to school and people back to work. With nearly half a million Americans having died, over 27 million having been infected and tens of millions without jobs, it is imperative that we send this legislation to President Biden’s desk to be signed as soon as possible.“Together with the Biden-Harris Administration, the Democratic Congress will continue to work to save lives and livelihoods, and to protect the right of all Americans to affordable, quality health care.”Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
February 16, 2021: White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki posted a Statement titled: “Statement by White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Cases of Ebola“. From the statement:
Infectious diseases are transnational health and national security threats. While the world is reeling from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Ebola has again emerged, simultaneously, in both Central and West Africa. The world cannot afford to turn the other way. We must do everything in our power to respond quickly, effectively, and with commensurate resources to stop these outbreaks before they become largescale epidemics.President Biden has been briefed on the situation in both Central and West Africa, and his prayers are with the families of those who have died and those who are impacted by Ebola, COVID-19, and other ongoing global health challenges. The Biden Administration will do everything in its power to provide U.S. leadership to stop these outbreaks, working with the affected governments, the World Health Organization, the African Union and the African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, and neighboring states.On February 16, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke with the Ambassadors of Guinea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, and Liberia to the United States to convey the United States willingness to work closely with the governments of affected countries, and neighboring countries whose citizens would be at risk of the current outbreak spread. Mr. Sullivan emphasized President Biden’s commitment to provide U.S. leadership to strengthen health security and create better systems for preventing, detecting, and responding to health emergencies.Outbreaks require swift and overwhelming response in order to avoid catastrophic consequences. Since the 2014 Ebola epidemic in West Africa, the United States has endeavored to elevate and prioritize health security assistance with partners through the Global Health Security Agenda and with strong support from Congress. We cannot afford to take our foot off the gas – even as we battle COVID, we must ensure capacity and financing for health security worldwide. President Biden’s first National Security Memorandum directed that U.S. leadership in health security and global health be elevated, prioritized, and strengthened. The United States stands ready to do everything in its power to ensure a robust global response and to stop these outbreaks.White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki
February 17, 2021: The White House posted a FACT SHEET titled: “FACT SHEET: President Biden Announces New Actions to Expand and Improve COVID-19 Testing“. From the FACT SHEET:
As part of his National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness, President Biden announced today a series of new actions to expand COVID-19 testing, improve the availability of tests, and better prepare for the threat of variants. As the Administration is working around the clock to vaccinate the population, we need to continue what we know works to protect public health: universal masking, physical distancing, and robust testing. These down payments will serve as a bridge to comprehensive testing investments in the American Rescue Plan.Today, President Biden announced that the Biden-Harris administration will:Expand COVID-19 Testing for Schools and Underserved Populations: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in partnership with the Department of Defense (DOD), will make a $650 million investment to expand testing opportunities for K-8 schools and underserved congregate settings, such as homeless shelters. HHS will establish regional coordinating centers to organize the distribution of COVID-19 testing supplies and partner with laboratories across the country, including universities and commercial labs, to collect specimens, perform tests, and report results to the relevant public health agencies. Too often, testing can be hard to implement in non-medical settings or it can be hard for schools or other congregate settings to find the right partner to make testing work. These coordinating centers will identify existing testing capacity, match it up to an area of need, and fund that testing.Increase Domestic Manufacturing of Testing Supplies:The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will invest nearly $200 million to identify, track, and mitigate emerging strains of SARS-CoV-2 through genome sequencing. This down payment will increase CDC’s sequencing more than threefold from about 7,000 samples per week to approximately 25,000. Increasing samples will improve our ability to detect emerging variants and understand their spread with greater precision. Expanded testing is critical to support more genomic sequencing, because sequencing only occurs after a COVID-19 test comes up positive.These investments are only the beginning of what is needed to expand testing nationwide and get the pandemic under control. The American Rescue Plan will invest $50 billion to expand and support testing, including in priority settings like schools and shelters, and invest in U.S. testing capacity so that public health officials can track the virus in real time and Americans can efficiently get results.White House
February 17, 2021: A Press Briefing titled: “Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials“. From the Press Briefing:
MR. ZIENTS: Good morning, everybody. It’s been 27 days since the President launched his comprehensive whole-of-government strategy to beat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Central to the strategy is vaccinating all Americans. When we started this work 27 days ago, we inherited many challenges: There was not enough vaccine supply. There were not enough vaccinators to help get shots in arms. And there were not enough places to get vaccinated.
And 27 days later, while we’ve made a lot of progress, there is a long road ahead. We’re executing our strategy across multiple fronts, and that execution is yielding results. Today I will give you the latest update on our execution in those three key areas: vaccine supply, number of vaccinators, and places to get vaccinated.
We’ll also hear from Dr. Walensky on the state of the pandemic, Dr. Fauci on the latest science, Dr. Nunez-Smith on our equity work, and Carole Johnson, White House Testing Coordinator, will discuss important progress on testing.
First, I’ll start with vaccine supply. We’ve acted aggressively to increase the vaccine supply. Yesterday we announced another increase in the weekly allocations of vaccine doses to states, tribes, and territories from 11 million doses last week to 13.5 million doses this week. That’s an increase in vaccine allocations of 57 percent during the first four weeks of the Biden-Harris administration.
In addition, we’re doubling the weekly vaccine supply to local pharmacies from 1 million to 2 million doses. And thanks to the President’s leadership, we’re on track to have enough vaccine supply for 300 million Americans by the end of July.
Second, we’re mobilizing teams to get shots in arms. We signed an order to allow retired doctors and nurses to give shots. Today we’ve deployed over 700 federal personnel as vaccinators. The federal government is funding 1,200 National Guard members who are serving as vaccinators. For the first time, we have activated over 1,000 members of the military to support community vaccination sites, and we’ve deployed an additional 1,000 federal personnel to support community vaccination sites in operational roles. We continue to take action to increase the number of vaccinators and federal support teams.
Third, we’re creating more places where Americans can get vaccinated. We’ve expanded financial support to bolster community vaccination centers nationwide, with over $3 billion in federal funding across 40 states, tribes, and territories. We’re bringing vaccinations to places communities know and trust — community centers, high school gyms, churches, and stadiums nationwide. And we’re standing up innovative, high-volume, federally run sites that can give over 30,000 shots a week. We’ve also launched efforts to get vaccines to pharmacies and community health centers.
And the data shows that we’re making progress. As you can see in our weekly vaccination progress report, our seven-day average daily dose administered is now 1.7 million average daily shots per day, up from 1.1 million only four weeks ago. Our seven-day daily average of 1.7 million compares to an average of 892,000 the week before President Biden took office. That is almost double in just four weeks.
Throughout this work, we’re putting equity front and center, partnering with states to increase vaccinations in the hardest-hit and hardest-to-reach communities; increasing supply to convenient and trusted locations like community health centers; deploying mobile units; and improving data collection so that we have a better understanding of the inequities currently experienced.
Let me be very clear: We have much more work to do on all fronts, but we are taking the actions we need to beat this virus. There is a path out of this pandemic. But how quickly we exit this crisis depends on all of us. That’s why I encourage everyone to take the advice of Dr. Walensky, Dr. Fauci, and Dr. Nunez-Smith. Follow the public health guidance. Wear masks, social distance, and get vaccinated when it’s your turn.
We will do everything we can as a federal government to defeat this virus, but it will take all of us stepping up to do our part.
With that, let me turn it over to Dr. Walensky. Dr. Walensky.
DR. WALENSKY: Thank you. I’m so glad to be back with you today to share the latest information on the status of the pandemic.
Let’s first begin with an overview of the data, and then I want to briefly discuss with you what CDC knows about recently detected COVID-19 variants and what we’re doing in response.
COVID-19 cases have now been declining for five weeks. The seven-day average in the past week — cases have decreased nearly 22 percent to an average of slightly more than 86,000 cases per day. Similarly, new hospital admissions have been consistently declining since early January, with a 21 percent decline in the seven-day average over the past week, averaging approximately 7,700 cases per — admissions per day.
We continue to see the daily number of reported deaths fluctuate. The latest data indicate deaths declined by 0.6 percent to an average of 3,076 deaths per day from February 9th to February 15th. These numbers are a painful reminder that we have — of all those we have lost and continue to lose — our family members, our friends, our neighbors, and our co-workers — to this pandemic.
While cases and hospitalizations continue to move in the right direction, we remain in the midst of a very serious pandemic, and we continue to have more cases than we did, even during last month’s — last summer’s peak.
And the continued spread of variants that are more transmissible could jeopardize the progress we have made in the last month if our — if we let our guard down. As of yesterday, we have confirmed 1,277 cases of the B117 variant across 42 states, including the first case of the B117 variant with the E484K substitution that had previously been found in the UK. Nineteen cases of B1351 variant have been found across 10 states, and three cases of the P1 variant has been found in two states.
Reflective of our commitment to communicate openly and often about the latest science on variants today, CDC is releasing two studies in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, as well as a commentary in the Journal of the American Medical Association, on variants specifically.
In the MMWR reports, one study describes the different ways eight people in Minnesota were infected with the B117 variant that emerged late last year in the UK. None of the eight individuals had traveled to the UK, but three of them appeared to have been infected during international travel to other destinations, and three during travel to California. One person was exposed to the virus in their home and another in their community.
The second report examines the initial spread of the B1351 variant in Zambia, where the average number of daily confirmed COVID-19 cases increased sixteen fold from December to January, which coincided with the detection of the B1351 variant in specimens collected in December.
The B1351 variant was first detected in South Africa. And Zambia shows substantial commerce and tourism linkages with South Africa, which may have contributed to the transmission of this variant across the two countries.
In the JAMA viewpoint, co-authored by Dr. Fauci, we provide a synopsis of what we know about the primary variants circulating in the United States and the interagency steps the federal government is taking to address these variants. I know these variants are concerning, especially as we’re seeing signs of progress. I’m talking about them today because I am concerned too.
Fortunately, the science to date suggests that the same prevention of actions apply to these variants. This includes wearing a well-fitting mask that completely covers your nose and mouth; social distancing when around others who don’t live with you; avoiding travel, crowds, and poorly ventilated spaces; washing your hands often; and getting vaccinated when the vaccine is available to you.
It is more important than ever for us to do everything we can to decrease the spread in our communities by increasing our proven measures that prevent the spread of COVID-19. Fewer cases means fewer opportunities for the variant to spread and fewer opportunities for new variants to emerge.
Finally, a quick comment on masking. As I stated last week, the science is clear: Consistently and correctly wearing a mask is one of the most effective tools we have to stop the spread of COVID-19. For reasons supported by science, comfort, cost, and practicality, the CDC does not recommend routine use of N95 respirators for protection against COVID-19 by the general public. Abundant scientific laboratory data, epidemiologic investigations, and large population-level analyses demonstrate that masks now available to the general public are effective and are working. And there is little evidence that, when worn properly, well-fitting medical and cloth masks fail in disease transmission.
CDC continues to recommend the use of masks that have two or more layers, that completely cover your nose and mouth, and that fit snugly and comfortably over your nose and the side of your face.
Thank you, and I look forward to your questions. I will now turn it over to Dr. Fauci. Dr. Fauci?
DR. FAUCI: Thank you very much, Dr. Walensky. I’d like to spend the next couple of minutes addressing an issue that we have been asked about continually since the successful demonstration of the high efficacy of the vaccines that are currently being implemented right now in our country: the mRNA vaccines of Pfizer and of Moderna.
And the question is — we do know now that we have a 94 to 95 percent efficacy in preventing clinically recognizable disease, but the looming question is: If a person gets infected, despite the fact that they’ve been vaccinated — we refer to that as a “breakthrough infection” — does that person have the capability of transmitting the infection to another person? Namely, does vaccine prevent transmission?
And I had mentioned to you that we, together with the Moderna company — and the Pfizer group is going to do it also — are also going to be looking at the viral load in the nasal pharynx to determine if, in fact, a person who’s vaccinated but has a breakthrough infection, compared to a person who’s unvaccinated and has an asymptomatic infection, is there a difference in the viral load? That will be very important.
What has happened over the past couple of weeks is there have been some studies that are pointing into a very favorable direction that will have to be verified and corroborated by other studies.
But let me spend a minute to just describe it to you. The real question is: Is there a relationship between viral load and transmissibility? We know from ample studies over many years with HIV is that there’s a direct correlation between the viral load that an individual has — usually measured in the blood — and the likelihood that they will or will not transmit their infection, for example, to a sexual partner. The lower the viral load, the less likelihood of transmissibility. The higher the viral load, the higher the likelihood of transmissibility.
Well, when you’re dealing with COVID-19, you’re talking about viral load in the nasopharynx. So a study has just come out about a week and a half ago from Spain that directly looked at it with a group of 282 clusters of infections. And what it showed, in a Lancet article that came out on February the 2nd, was something that we were hoping we would see: that there was a direct correlation with the viral load and the efficiency of transmission, very much the same as what we’ve seen in diseases like HIV, only now it’s in the nasopharynx. In other words, higher viral load, good transmissibility; lower viral load, very poor transmissibility.
Now, together with that is another study that came out on February the 8th on an online journal, which I believe is worthy of being noted here — even though, as I mentioned, you want corroboration with other studies. It was a study from Israel. It looked at the following question: If, in fact, you assume that decreased viral load is due — will result in a decreased transmission, when you follow breakthrough infections in the individuals in Israel who had been vaccinated, compared to infections in individuals who were not, there was a markedly diminished viral load in those individuals who were vaccinated but had a breakthrough infection, compared to individuals who were not.
It’s very interesting the Israelis were able to do that study. It is noteworthy that when you look at the amount of vaccinations per hundred people — mainly how many vaccinations were given per hundred people — Israeli — Israel is way up there, with 78 doses per 100 people, compared to the United States, which is 16.7 doses per 100 people. So we have been hearing and seeing in the press that Israel has a remarkable diminution in cases associated with the efficiency of their vaccine.
The reason I bring this out to you is that it is another example of the scientific data starting to point to the fact that vaccine is important not only for the health of the individual — to protect them against infection and disease, including the variants that Dr. Walensky has mentioned just a moment ago — but it also has very important implications from a public health standpoint for interfering and diminishing the dynamics of the outbreak.
So the bottom-line message is one that you just heard from Dr. Walensky that I said the last few times that we had these press briefings, and that is: When your turn to get vaccinated comes up, get vaccinated. It’s not only good for you and your family and your community, it will have a very important impact on the dynamics of the outbreak in our country. And with that, I’ll hand it over to Dr. Nunez-Smith.
DR. NUNEZ-SMITH:
DR. NUNEZ-SMITH: Thank you so much, Dr. Fauci. So, over these past few weeks, you know, I’ve been — it’s been a great pleasure to be here giving updates in how we’re centering equity in our response. You know, spent time describing the critical need for data, in particular from states and localities, you know, to guide an equitable response.
And last week, I introduced you to the individuals selected for the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force, a group that will convene to develop recommendations to inform the work.
So today, just very briefly, I wanted to zoom out a little bit and, just at a high level, describe some of the elements of an equitable COVID-19 response that we’ve built and that we are building so far.
So in terms of the federal COVID-19 response, we have developed robust efforts in three key areas on the continuum of COVID-19 impact, and that’s vaccination, treatment, as well as testing.
So first, vaccination, as we’ve been discussing so far today, is just critical. And the federal programs — those include the community health center partnerships, retail pharmacy program, the community vaccination centers, and the mobile vaccination sites — those are being executed to make sure we also reach the hardest hit. And we’re working directly with state and local leadership on these programs.
So second, I want to spend a little time today discussing equity in COVID-19 treatment options. We have been working very closely with the Food and Drug Administration to discuss the promise and the potential of three antibody therapies authorized for emergency use. And in brief, these therapies have been shown to reduce hospitalization and improve outcomes for high-risk patients diagnosed with COVID-19.
You know, the potential for these therapies is especially high in the communities that have been most affected by the pandemic. And in fact, the 25 locations currently participating in the administration’s rollout of these therapies include 32 percent of the American population, and also includes significant racial and ethnic diversity. You know, from Houston, to Detroit, L.A., to Atlanta — in coordination with community leaders in these areas, we have the ability to reach 38 percent of the black community, 42 percent of the Hispanic/Latino community, and 41 percent of the Asian community in the country. And we also have reached into rural populations. So with regard to these therapies in particular, we will continue to keep you updated.
And then third, we have been hard at work developing robust efforts in COVID-19 testing as well.
And so, with that, I want to pass it over to my colleague, Carole Johnson, to describe the latest developments in the efforts to streamline and increase COVID-19 testing. Carole.
MS. JOHNSON:
Thank you, Dr. Nunez-Smith, for your leadership on testing, on equity, and on so much more. I’m really delighted to be here with you today. I’m Carole Johnson, the COVID Response Team Testing Coordinator.
For the last three years, I served as a Human Services Commissioner for the state of New Jersey, providing healthcare and social services for our most vulnerable residents. So when COVID came early and quickly to our state, I experienced firsthand the difference access to accurate, affordable testing could make in slowing the spread.
I’m here today because while we’re working around the clock to vaccinate folks, we also need to continue doing what we know works to protect public health, and that includes robust testing. We need to test broadly and rapidly to turn the tide of this pandemic. But we still don’t have enough testing and we don’t have enough testing in all the places it needs to be.
Today, we’re taking a critical step along that path. Thanks to Pre- — President Biden’s leadership and his commitment to testing, we’re announcing that the federal government will invest $1.6 billion in three key areas: supporting testing in schools and underserved populations, increasing genomic sequencing, and manufacturing critical testing supplies.
First, we’ll invest $650 million for testing to begin to help schools with reopening and to reach underserved populations. While this funding will serve as a — only as a pilot until the American Rescue Plan is enacted, we want to act quickly to help get support underway in these priority settings. The Department of Health and Human Services will use these funds to create regional coordinating centers that will partner with labs to leverage their underutilized testing capacity. They’ll use that capacity to support schools, underserved communities, and congregate settings.
Too often, testing can be hard to implement in non-medical settings or it can be hard to find the right partner to make testing work. These coordinating ceters — centers will help match lab capacity with demand from schools, congregate settings like homeless shelters or other underserved populations. These are places that typically don’t have the resources or the bandwidth to build partnerships with academic or commercial testing labs, and that’s where the government can be a facilitator. We’ll identify existing testing capacity, match it to an area of need, and support and fund that testing.
Second, we’ll invest almost $200 million to rapidly expand genomic sequencing to identify, track, and stop the COVID-19 variants that we’ve all heard and talked much about. Essentially, genomic sequencing is the process that tells us which COVID variants are in the country. And this surge in funding will result in a threefold increase in CDC’s genomic sequencing capacity to get us to 25,000 samples a week.
As a result, we’ll identify COVID variants sooner and better target our efforts to stop the spread. We’re quickly infusing targeted resources here because the time is critical when it comes to these fast-moving variants.
Finally, we’ll address the shortage in testing supplies. Talk to anyone who has focused on COVID testing over the last year, and they’ll tell you the same thing: Our nation faces a shortage of critical supplies and raw materials, including pipette ti- — tips; the specialized paper used in antigen tests; and the specialized molded plastics needed to house testing reagents, as a couple of examples.
So our administration will invest $815 million in building and surging domestic manufacturing capacity of these critical testing supplies. We need to build — to build the capacity to produce these materials or we’ll continue to face shortages that will sidetrack our work in expanding access to testing.
To be clear, these resources are a significant help in the short term, but they are far from what’s necessary to meet the need for testing in communities across the country. They are merely a bridge until Congress passes the American Rescue Plan to fully expand testing and ensure that any American can get a test when they need one.
With that, I’ll turn it back over to Jeff.
MR. ZIENTZ: Well, thanks, Carole, and thanks, team. I want to emphasize the importance of testing. Carole just laid out the case, but I just want to add my two cents here. We have too little capacity for diagnostic screening and genomic sequencing. It can take way too long to get a test and there are too many barriers to widespread testing and screening.
Quality, affordable testing can be important to reopening our businesses and schools, and keeping them open. And genomic sequencing testing is how we will spot variants early, before they spread. So we need to make a significant investment and ramp up testing across the country.
We’re using available funds, so we can pilot programs and make progress. But make no mistake: We need the American Rescue Plan to double testing capacity, promote innovation, and drive down costs per tests.
Finally, before we open it up for Q&A, I want to make one last point. We know that millions of Americans have lost their health insurance as a result of this pandemic. This week, the administration opened a Special Enrollment Period to get more people covered. Between now and May 15th, Americans can go to Healthcare.gov and enroll in quality, affordable healthcare.
We encourage people to check out their options and to take steps to protect you and your family.
With that, let’s open it up to questions.
Press Briefing
February 17, 2021: Department of Health and Human Services posted a Press Release titled: “Biden Administration Announces Actions to Expand COVID-19 Testing“. From the Press Release:
As part of President Biden’s National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness – PDF, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is announcing new actions to expand COVID-19 testing capacity across the country. These actions will improve the availability of tests, including for schools and underserved populations; increase domestic manufacturing of tests and testing supplies; and better prepare the nation for the threat of variants by rapidly increasing virus genome sequencing.First, the Administration will expand COVID-19 testing for schools and underserved populations. HHS will partner with the Department of Defense (DOD) to make a $650 million investment to expand testing opportunities for K-8 schools and underserved congregate settings, such as homeless shelters, directly through new coordination “hubs.” HHS and DOD will establish regional coordinating centers to organize COVID-19 increased testing capacity, and to partner with laboratories, including universities, across the country to collect specimens, perform the tests, and report results to the relevant public health agencies for up to 25 million additional tests per month. This effort will bring more testing to teachers, staff, and students—an important step to support President Biden’s plan to re-open schools for in-person learning.Second, the Administration will ramp up the domestic manufacturing of testing supplies and raw materials to address testing shortages. HHS and DOD will make an $815 million investment to increase domestic manufacturing of testing supplies and raw materials, including filter pipette tips, nitrocellulose used in antigen point-of-care tests, and specific injected molded plastics needed to house testing reagents. These investments will help create more domestic sources and expand existing facilities to increase production capacity.Third, the Administration, through Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), will rapidly increase genomic sequencing of the virus to better prepare for the threat of variants and slow the spread of disease. CDC will invest nearly $200 million to expand genomic sequencing capabilities, including bioinformatics, reporting, and modeling, to increase sequencing three-fold per week. This is integral to identifying new variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and preventing and mitigating their spread. CDC will leverage large commercial laboratories, academic and research institutions, small-to-medium commercial laboratories, and federal laboratories to increase sequencing capacity to-scale and as needed, based on the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic.“The Department of Health and Human Services is committed to ensuring that we expand COVID-19 testing capabilities and invest in a diverse array of testing technology, capacity, and human resources to identify and contain the spread of the virus. As part of the President’s national strategy to combat COVID-19, we will deploy every available resource to ensure that more individuals and families have access to testing options during this unprecedented time and that our nation is prepared to contain and prevent the spread of possible variants,” said HHS Acting Secretary Norris Cochran.HHS
February 17, 2021: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi posted a Press Release titled: “Coronavirus Relief Checks Boosted Economy, Republicans Want to Stop it From Happening Again”. From the Press Release:
Retail Sales Surged in January as a Direct Result of the $600 Stimulus Checks
After months of troubling economic reports, January finally saw a glimmer of hope: a surge in retail sales as a result of the $600 direct payments to the American people. These strong retail numbers prove once again that direct payments not only provide urgently-needed relief, they also boost our economy.
It is critical that we build on this boost by putting $1,400 stimulus checks in the pockets of struggling Americans – an essential part of the Biden Administration’s American Rescue Plan. The country is looking for action, for progress, and for solutions to the crises we are facing. Unfortunately, Congressional Republicans “overwhelmingly oppose” proposed relief plans and, instead of proposing ideas to help our country out of this crisis, Republicans have been attempting to cut benefits for millions of Americans.
Through their relentless opposition to additional help for hardworking American families and small business owners across the country, Republicans are disregarding economic experts and ignoring the will of the American people. But, this is not a moment in the country when obstructionism from the GOP will be rewarded.
Experts Across the Political Spectrum Agree: Trump’s own Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers told CNN he “absolutely” supports the framework of President Biden’s stimulus plan and Moody’s Analytics found the plan will create 10 million additional American jobs between 2021 and 2022.
The American People Support Additional Relief: More than 75% of Americans support an additional round of $1,400 stimulus checks and more than 65% support a comprehensive package including state and local aid, expanded unemployment insurance, and more.
If Republicans won’t listen to experts or to their own constitutients, perhals they can follow common sense. The American people and small businesses across the country are struggling to make ends meet. A survey from the Federal Reserve foudn that 9 million small business owners fear their businesses won’t survive the pandemic without more government relief. The direct payments have proven time and again their efficacy in supporting the American people while also stimulating our economy and helping businesses in need.
The $1,400 direct relief payments included in the American Rescue Plan will help families, small businesses and local economies, and it is supported by a bipartisan majority of the country. It’s time for Republicans to listen to reason and get out of the way.
February 18, 2021: White House posted a Fact Sheet titled: “President Biden to Take Action on Global Health through Support for COVAX and Calling for Health Security Financing“. From the Fact Sheet:
As the virus continues to spread throughout the world, and with new variants emerging, the facts are clear that it is critical that we vaccinate as many people as possible, as quickly as possible. Tomorrow at the G7, the President will announce that he is taking concrete steps to improve the health and the safety of Americans by protecting vulnerable populations worldwide. He will also call on G7 partners to prioritize a sustainable health security financing mechanism aimed at catalyzing countries to build the needed capacity to end this pandemic and prevent the next one.COVID has shown us that no nation can act alone in the face of a pandemic. Today, President Biden is taking action to support the world’s most vulnerable and protect Americans from COVID-19.Using money appropriated by a bipartisan Congressional vote in December 2020, the United States will provide an initial $2 billion contribution to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance for the COVAX Advance Market Commitment, the innovative financing instrument of the COVAX Facility, which supports access to safe and effective vaccines for 92 low- and middle-income economies.The United States will also take a leadership role in galvanizing further global contributions to COVAX by releasing an additional $2 billion through 2021 and 2022, of which the first $500 million will be made available when existing donor pledges are fulfilled and initial doses are delivered to AMC countries. In close cooperation with Gavi, this additional $2 billion in funding will serve to expand COVAX’s reach. We also call on our G7 and other partners to work alongside Gavi, to bring in billions more in resources to support global COVID-19 vaccination, and to target urgent vaccine manufacturing, supply, and delivery needs.Finally, at the G7 President Biden will reaffirm the U.S. commitment to global health security and advancing the Global Health Security Agenda. All countries should have the capability to prevent, detect, and respond to outbreaks. The COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing outbreaks of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Guinea highlight the need for sustainable health security financing to catalyze country capacity to prevent biological catastrophes.Today, the President is announcing that he will:Protect the most vulnerable, protecting America: The United States’ contribution is designated to help Gavi prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus through vaccine procurement and delivery for the world’s most vulnerable. In partnership with Gavi, the bulk of these funds will be targeted to support direct vaccine procurement, and a portion will also support broader country readiness and vaccine service delivery. Encourage the global community to action: Under President Biden, the United States will take a leadership role in galvanizing new donor commitments toward the COVAX Facility. The next $2 billion of support from the US government, which will be additional to today’s initial $2 billion contribution, will be released as we work with other donors to elevate pledge commitments. The goal is clear: vaccinate vulnerable populations, and reach those without other options. This funding from the Administration will enable Gavi to address urgent needs, while also supporting efforts to diversify and increase contributions from other donors in 2021.Fact Sheet
February 18, 2021: Lambda Legal posted news titled: “Lambda Legal Hails Introduction of the Equality Act“. From the news:
“e need the absolute clarity of the Equality Act, and we need it now: nearly 50 years of waiting for federal action is long enough.”Today, U.S. Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) and U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) announced the introduction of the Equality Act, federal legislation that will update existing federal nondiscrimination laws, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Fair Housing Act, to confirm that discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity is unlawful discrimination based on sex. The Equality Act clarifies that sex discrimination laws to prohibit LGBTQ discrimination in employment, housing, credit, education, and other areas, explicitly extends sex discrimination protections to public accommodations and federally funded programs.Lambda Legal CEO Kevin Jennings issued the following statement:“Lambda Legal applauds the re-introduction of the Equality Act, long past-due federal legislation which provides clear, comprehensive, and explicit protections for LGBTQ people in federal law. Coupled with President Biden’s early action applying the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County to all federal laws currently prohibiting sex discrimination, we can see true equality on the horizon. And it can’t happen soon enough: the LGBTQ community has been asking Congress for protections since Reps. Bella Abzug and Ed Koch first introduced the Equality Act of 1974 years ago, and nearly fifty years of waiting is long enough.“LGBTQ people across the country remain vulnerable to discrimination on a daily basis and too often have little recourse. Without comprehensive federal protections the basic rights of LGBTQ people vary state to state. In some instances, individuals lose rights and protections the moment they cross into a neighboring state, underscoring that the current patchwork of protections for LGBTQ people is inadequate. In addition, as evidenced by the thousands of phone calls to our Help Desk we receive every year, many employers, landlords and lenders still haven’t gotten the message that discrimination is just wrong, which is why we need the absolute clarity of the Equality Act, and we need it now.”The Equality Act makes clear that federal law comprehensively prohibits discrimination based on an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity. It also updates the public accommodations law to add protections from discrimination in public places and services on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, and religion where those protections are not already in existing law, such as for retail stores, transportation services like airports, taxis and bus stations, and service providers like accountants.The Equality Act was first introduced in 2015 by U.S. Representatives David Cicilline (D-RI) and John Lewis (D-GA) and Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Cory Booker(D-NJ)…Lambda Legal
February 18, 2021: Planned Parenthood posted a press release titled: “BREAKING: South Carolina Passes First Abortion Ban of 2021; Lawsuit Filed”. From the Press Release:
South Carolina politicians ignore dire need for COVID-19 pandemic relief, passing abortion ban that includes provisions targeting sexual assault survivorsMoments ago, South Carolina politicians passed the first abortion ban of 2021 – a ban on abortion at six weeks of pregnancy. A legal challenge and request for emergency relief is imminent. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic and Greenville Women’s Clinic, represented by Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the Center for Reproductive Rights, and the law firm Burnette Shutt & McDaniel, P.A. intend to sue in federal court by the end of today, as this abortion ban is to take effect as soon as Gov. Henry McMaster signs int into law. By banning abortion at just six weeks of pregnancy, before many people know they’re pregnant, the law targets South Carolinians who already struggle to access health care.This legislation could ban almost all abortions for the nearly 1 million South Carolinians of reproductive age. Under this law, even sexual assault survivors will be barred from having an abortion after approximately six weeks of pregnancy unless doctors report their names to law enforcement, potentially over the survivor’s objection. It is the latest in a concerning trend of state politicians passing extreme abortion bans and restrictions aimed at eliminating abortion access and overturning the constitutional right to abortion established by Roe v. Wade.In less than two months, state politicians have introduced or filed abortion bans and restrictions at a staggering pace— more than 200 bills to restrict or ban abortion and counting, more than 40 percent seeking to ban abortion at various points of pregnancy…Planned Parenthood
February 18, 2021: Center for Reproductive Rights posted News titled: “South Carolina Passes First Abortion Ban of 2021; Lawsuit Filed”. From the News:
South Carolina politicians ignore dire need for COVID-19 pandemic relief, passing abortion ban that includes provisions targeting sexual assault survivors.Moments ago, South Carolina politicians passed the first abortion ban of 2021 – a ban on abortion at six weeks of pregnancy. A legal challenge and request for emergency relief is imminent. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic and Greenville Women’s Clinic, represented by Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the Center for Reproductive Rights, and the law firm Burnette Shutt & McDaniel, P.A. intend to sue in federal court by the end of today, as this abortion ban is set to take effect as soon as Gov. Henry McMaster signs it into law. By banning abortion at just six weeks of pregnancy, before many people know they are pregnant, the law targets South Carolinians who already struggle to access health care.This legislation could ban almost all abortions for the nearly 1 million South Carolinians of reproductive age. Under this law, even sexual assault survivors will be barred from having an abortion after approximately six weeks of pregnancy unless doctors report their names to law enforcement, potentially over the survivor’s objection. It is the latest in a concerning trend of state politicians passing extreme abortion bans and restrictions aimed at eliminating abortion access and overturning the constitutional right to an abortion established by Roe v. Wade.In less than two months, state politicians have introduced or filed abortion bans and restrictions at a staggering pace – over 200 bills and counting to restrict or ban abortion, have of which seek to ban abortion…Center for Reproductive Rights
February 18, 2021: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) posted News titled: “ACOG Releases Guidance on Health Care for Transgender and Gender Diverse Individuals”. From the News:
Obstetrician-gynecologists should be aware of the unique needs of transgender individuals and should be prepared to assist them with preventative health care in safe and affirming environments, according to a new Committee Opinion released by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Heath Care for Transgender and Gender Diverse Individuals was prepared jointly by ACOG’s Committee on Gynecologic Practice and Committee on Health Care for Underserved Women. This document provides clinical guidance for caring for transmasculine and transfeminine patients and information to assist obstetrician-gynecologists in offering inclusive patient care.
The Committee Opinion notes that the majority of medications used for gender transition are common and can be safely prescribed by a wide variety of health care professionals with appropriate training and education, including, but not limited to, obstetrician-gynecologists, family or internal medicine physicians, endocrinologists, psychiatrists, and advanced practice clinicians.
“With at least 1.4 million adults and 150,000 youths living in the United States who identify as transgender, obstetrician-gynecologists should work to make their offices open and inclusive to all patients, and should be prepared to provide all individuals with compassionate, evidence-based care,” said Beth Cronin, MD, FACOG, one of the authors of the Committee Opinion.
Additional findings of the Committee Opinions include:
Fertility and parenting desires should be discussed early in process of transition, before the initiation of hormone therapy or gender affirming surgery.Gender-affirming hormone therapy is not effective contraception. Sexually active individuals who do not wish to become pregnant or cause pregnancy in others should be counseled about the possibility of pregnancy if they are having sexual activity that could result in pregnancy.To guide preventative medical care, any anatomical structure present that warrants screening should be screened, regardless of the patient’s gender identity.
The Committee Opinion notes that pregnancies are still possible during and after transitioning, so contraceptive counseling is crucial to prevent unintended pregnancies.
In addition, acknowledging that transmasculine individuals may pursue and achieve pregnancy, the Committee Opinion notes that pregnancy can be a gendered experience and may lead to feelings of dysphoria or isolation for some patients. Obstetrician-gynecologists caring for these patients should be aware of language used, should be prepared to counsel patients about when to restart testosterone therapy, and should consider referrals for mental health support if needed.
Recognizing the importance of clinical guidance to assist in the delivery of care to transgender and gender diverse individuals, the Committee Opinion also discusses the many barriers to health care that this population commonly faces and the steps that obstetrician-gynecologists can take to create a welcoming, inclusive environment…
…ACOG opposes discrimination on the basis of gender identity, urges public and private health insurance plans to cover necessary services for individuals with gender dysphoria; and advocates for inclusive, thoughtful, and affirming care for transgender individuals.
February 19, 2021: The White House posted a Press Briefing titled: “Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials“. From the Press Briefing:
ACTING ADMINISTRATOR SLAVITT: Good morning.
Thank you for joining our COVID-19 Response briefing. First, I want to start by saying that our hearts go out to the people in Texas, Louisiana, and across the country who have been impacted by the severe weather this week.
Now, I want to give an update on how severe weather across the country has impacted vaccine deliveries and administration, and how we intend to catch up. As of now, we have a backlog of about 6 million doses due to the weather. All 50 states have been impacted. The 6 million doses represents about three days of delayed shipping, and many states have been able to cover some of this delay with existing inventory.
So let me first walk you through the situation and then tell you how we, as an entire nation, will have to pull together to get back on track. There are three places along the distribution chain that have been impacted by the weather. First, FedEx, UPS, and McKesson — our logistics and distribution teams — have all faced challenges as workers have been snowed in and unable to get to work to package and ship the vaccines, kits, and the required diluent.
Second, road closures have held up delivery of vaccines at different points in the distribution process, between manufacturing sites to distribution, and to shipping hubs.
Third, more than 2,000 vaccine sites are located in areas with power outages, so they’re currently unable to receive doses. General Perna’s guidance to the team was to ensure safety of personnel, preservation of the vaccines and supplies, and constant communication with the states. Because of 72-hour cold chain constraints, we don’t want to ship doses to those locations and have them sitting at a site where they might expire. So the vaccines are sitting safe and sound in our factories and hubs, ready to be shipped out as soon as the weather allows.
Now, as weather conditions improve, we’re already working to clear this backlog. 1.4 million doses are already in transit today, and we anticipate that all the backlog doses will be delivered within the next week, with most being delivered within the next several days. And we expect we will be able to manage both this backlog and the new production coming online next week.
With everybody’s hard work and collective effort, we will be able to catch up, but we understand this will mean asking more of people. UPS and FedEx both will support Saturday deliveries tomorrow. We are working with the jurisdictions to see which ones are able to take Saturday deliveries. The packaging plant for Moderna vaccines is just now coming online. Roads are being cleared for the workforce to leave their homes. They’re working today through Sunday to package the backlogged orders, and will put the vaccines and ancillary supplies on aircraft on Sunday night for Monday-through-Wednesday delivery.
As we get back on track, we’re asking states, sites, and ventilate — and vaccinators to help us catch up and to get Americans vaccinated. We know many Americans are awaiting their second dose, and many more, their first dose. We’re asking vaccine administration sites to extend their hours even further and offer additional appointments, and to try to reschedule the vaccinations over the coming days and weeks as significantly more supply arrives. States and vaccination sites are going to want to be prepared for the additional volume.
Whatever reduction we see in our seven-day average this week in vaccinations from the weather, if we all work together — from the factory, all the way to the vaccinators — we will make up for it in the coming week.
I want to personally thank the men and women who have continued to keep our operations up and running throughout this storm and have been working 24 by 7 with the states, and with local vaccination sites. And my thoughts remain with all of those impacted.
I’ll be happy to answer any questions about this topic.
But before we turn it over to Dr. Walensky and Dr. Fauci, I do want to briefly touch on our work to stand up more federally run sites. Even as we manage the weather, on the one hand, we are pushing ahead with plans to get more vaccines to more places to get more Americans vaccinated.
Today, I’m pleased to announce we’ll be opening five additional vaccination centers: one in Pennsylvania and four in Florida. In Florida, we will stand up four major new community vaccination centers, in partnerships with the state, in Orlando, Miami, Jacksonville, and Tampa. These sites will have the capacity to vaccinate a total of 12,000 individuals per day in total.
In Pennsylvania, we’re announcing a major new community vaccination center at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. This site will have the capacity to deliver 6,000 doses per day.
Selection of all of these sites is based on a CDC-FEMA framework that has been developed to target vaccinations to those who are most vulnerable. The goal is to launch vaccination sites that use processes and are in locations that promote equity and deploy the CDC’s Social Vulnerability Index.
The federal government will be deploying teams immediately to work hand in hand with state and local jurisdictions to get these sites set up, and we expect both — we expect them all to be up and running in the next two weeks.
So that’s a brief status from the White House COVID Response Team here. We’ll have more announcements to come next week.
Now, with that, I will turn it over to Dr. Walensky to overview a state of the pandemic and public health.
Dr. Walensky.
DR. WALENSKY:
Thank you so much. I’m delighted to be back with you today.
I have new information to share from CDC regarding ongoing safety monitoring of the COVID-19 vaccines. But before I go into those findings, I want to provide a brief overview of the latest data on the pandemic.
We continue to see a five-week decline in COVID cases, with cases decreasing 69 percent in the seven-day average since hitting a peak on January 11th. The current seven-day average of approximately 77,000 cases is the lowest recorded since the end of October but still higher than the height of last summer’s peak.
Like new COVID-19 cases, the number of new hospital admissions continues to drop. The seven-day average of new admissions on February 16th, approximately 7,200, represents a 56 percent decline since the January 9th peak.
As I reported on Wednesday, the number of deaths continues to fluctuate. The latest data indicate that deaths have declined modestly in the past week to an average of approximately 2,700 per day. These numbers are a stark reminder of the thousands of lives lost to this pandemic.
Another reminder of the devastating impact of the pandemic has had on our country was brought into clear view yesterday in a report released by the CDC on the provisional life expectancy in the first half of 2020. The report found that life expectancy was at its lowest level in 15 years, dropping by a full year compared to the life expectancy in 2019. This represents a substantial decline in life expectancy in our nation.
Importantly, like the populations most heavily affected by this pandemic, the declines in life expectancy were again most pronounced in certain racial and ethnic minority groups. The largest declines in life expectancy occurred in non-Hispanic black persons, dropping 2.7 years — levels not seen since 2001. And Hispanic persons had lost the second largest life expectancy, dropping 1.9 years.
These findings, though not surprising, are sobering and representative of the continued need to take this pandemic, and actions to stop the spread of COVID-19, seriously.
Now more than ever, with continued spread of variants that stand to threaten the progress we are making, we must recommit to doing our part to protect one another: wear a well-fitting mask, social distant, avoid travel and crowds, practice good hand hygiene, and get vaccinated when the vaccine is available to you.
I also want to spend a moment talking about vaccine safety. To date, more than 41 million people in the United States have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, but we continue to hear that people might be reluctant to roll up their sleeve because they are worried about adverse effects.
I will reiterate: The CDC is committed to monitoring vaccine safety and frequently reporting on what we know. Today, CDC is releasing a study in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report that describes findings from our COVID-19 vaccine safety monitoring in the United States from December 14th through January 13th, 2021.
During the first month of vaccinations, approximately 1.6 million people enrolled in V-safe, CDC’s new phone-based COVID-19 vaccine safety monitoring system. Among those enrolled, 71 percent reported pain where the shot was given, 34 percent reported fatigue, and 30 percent reported a headache. These are common with most vaccines, and they typically resolve within a day or two of vaccination.
It’s important to know that about half the people don’t feel very well after getting their second dose. This should not deter you from getting your second dose, but you need to have a light day of activity after getting vaccinated.
There were also rare reports of severe allergic reactions like anaphylaxis, a serious but treatable reaction. In fact, there were 4.5 cases of anaphylaxis per 1 million doses given during this time — a rate similar to what we’ve seen in other commonly used vaccines.
In the first month of experience, a total of 113 deaths were reported of which approximately 65 percent were among long-term care facility residents. A thorough review of the available data indicated that these deaths were not related to the COVID-19 vaccine. And the death rate in this population, though truly sad and unfortunate, was consistent with the expected background death rate in this demographic.
I want to emphasize that we’ve implemented the most comprehensive vaccine safety monitoring system program in our history, and the data released from the CDC today are reflective of this effort. We will continue to closely monitor these events and report back as further data emerge.
I want to be sure that you know the facts and not the myths about the vaccine safety — about vaccine safety. The fact is they are safe and they will save lives. And that is why we are committed to working with state and local public health partners, as well as partners in the private sector, to support getting people vaccinated and quickly and as safely as possible.
To help advance our collective efforts to scale up vaccines in communities, on Monday, CDC is convening a three-day virtual National Forum on COVID-19 Vaccine. The forum will bring together a broad range of governmental and non-governmental partners to share information and best practices on how to build trust and confidence in COVID-19 vaccines; how to use data to optimize vaccine implementation; and how to provide practical, real-world experience on how to increase vaccination capacity in communities, especially for those at increased risk of COVID-19 and for those who may face barriers to vaccination.
I’m excited about this forum and the rich dialogue it will stimulate. And I invite those who are involved in vaccine efforts to register and attend this important meeting. Thank you. As always, I look forward to your questions. But before that, I’ll turn it over to Dr. Fauci.
Dr. Fauci.
DR. FAUCI:
Thank you very much, Dr. Walensky. What I’d like to do is to just take a couple of minutes, very briefly, reviewing the status of the vaccines and vaccine trials that we have, but then to, as I’ve done in the past, pick out a question that I believe is being asked more frequently to try and preemptively address it and perhaps generate some discussion.
With regard to the trials that we have: As you know, the U.S. government had been involved in the development of and/or facilitation of the testing of three separate platforms represented by six different companies. You’re all aware of the data of the Moderna and the Pfizer-BioNTech, which have their EUA now, having shown a 94 to 95 percent efficacy.
Right now, as we speak, the data from the Johnson study — which, as you know, showed a 72 percent efficacy in the United States, but was also done in South Africa and Latin America and showed a diminished efficacy against the variant, but very good against severe disease — that is being reviewed at the FDA for the U.S. data. And on February the 26th, the FDA will consult with their independent Advisory Committee, their VRBPAC, and we should be hearing from them soon.
With regard to the AstraZeneca and the Novavax, those trials are both fully enrolled. These are event-driven decisions, so when they reach a certain amount of events, they will then look at the data and make decisions as to whether or not to go ahead with a request for an EUA.
So, having said that, let me just now, very briefly, address a question that is a very relevant question that we are now more commonly being asked: If you look at the existing trials — those that have already gotten an EUA, and those that we anticipate and hope will get and EUA — when will we be able to say we can vaccinate children — children in the high school range and children in the elementary school range?
You know from Pfizer that they started off with the trial of 44,000 individuals, down to 16-year-olds and then progressed it down to 12-year-olds. So what they’re going to be doing in April — starting in April, they are going to be studying 12-year-olds down to five- to six-year-old. That will take likely one year to get the information on that — likely not until the first quarter.
However, we anticipate data on high-school-age individuals, namely individuals 12 years old to 17 years old, by the beginning of the fall. Maybe not exactly coinciding with the first day of school, but sometime in the fall, we will have that. Moderna, as you know, started off with already 18-year-old. They are now currently enrolling 12- to 17-year-olds.
So let me take a moment to explain the process of how you get relevant information regarding these younger individuals. This is a representative trial, which very likely will reflect other trials. It’s a 3,000-person trial. So, right off, you’re not dealing with the 30,000- and 44,000-person trial that gave the efficacy signal in the original Moderna and Pfizer study.
What the trial is, is the trial is what’s called a “non-inferiority by immunogenicity,” which is a lot of big words to really mean what they’re asking: Is it safe in the children, and does it induce an immune response that’s comparable or not inferior to the immune response that we know is associated with efficacy in the other trials? And that’s the way that trial will go.
And then, we’re starting, by the end of March, they will do what’s called an “age de-escalation study.” We’re already enrolling on the 12 to 17. They will go to the 6 to 12, then 2 to 6, then 6 months to 2 years. Again, we will likely get information for high schoolers at some time in the fall, but it is, I would say, more than unlikely we will not have data on elementary school children until at least the first quarter of 2022.
Similar types of approaches are being taken by the other candidates, the other companies, namely J&J, Novavax, and AZ.
So, the bottom line of all of this is as follows: It is highly likely that sometime in the fall, we will have data that will give us the capability of saying the safety and comparable efficacy in children 12 to 17, 18 years old. Again, the final decisions we always leave to the FDA. I’m trying to give you a roadmap of what likely will happen. But then also, with the studies that I just mentioned, to getting the information to make the decision in elementary school children almost certainly will not be firmed down until the first quarter of 2022.
I will stop there and hand it back to Andy…
Press Briefing
February 19, 2021: Planned Parenthood posted a Press Release titled: “Court Will Block South Carolina Abortion Ban One Day After Gov. McMaster Signed It Into Law”. From the Press Release:
Today, a federal district court announced that it will temporarily block a law passed yesterday in South Carolina that bans abortion before many people know they’re pregnant. The law took effect yesterday after Gov. Henry McMaster signed it into law. If this abortion ban had been allowed to stay in effect, abortion would have essentially been banned for nearly 1 million South Carolinians of reproductive age. The emergency lawsuit was filed by Planned Parenthood South Atlantic and Greenville Women’s Clinic, represented by Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the Center for Reproductive Rights, and the law firm Burnette Shutt & McDaniel.This ban is the latest in a worrisome trend of state politicians passing extreme legislation like abortion bans aimed at eliminating abortion access and overturning the constitutional right to abortion established in Roe v. Wade. In fewer than two months, state politicians have introduced abortion bans and medically unnecessary restrictions at a staggering pace – more than 200 bills and counting to restrict or ban abortion, with more than 40% seeking to ban abortion at various points of pregnancy…Planned Parenthood
February 19, 2021: Center for Reproductive Rights posted News titled: “Court Will Block South Carolina Abortion Ban One Day After Gov. McMaster Signed It Into Law”. From the News:
Today, a federal district court announced that it will temporarily block a law passed yesterday by South Carolina that bans abortion before many people know they’re pregnant. The law took effect yesterday after Gov. Henry McMaster signed it into law. If this abortion ban had been allowed to stay in effect, abortion would have essentially been banned for nearly 1 million South Carolinians of reproductive age. The emergency lawsuit was filed by Planned Parenthood South Atlantic and Greenville Women’s Clinic, represented by Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the Center for Reproductive Rights, and the law firm Burnette Shutt & McDaniel.This ban is the latest in a worrisome trend of state politicians passing extreme legislation like abortion bans aimed at eliminating abortion access and overturning the constitutional right to abortion established in Roe v. Wade. In fewer than two months, state politicians have introduced abortion bans and medically unnecessary restrictions at a staggering pace – more than 200 bills and counting to restrict or ban abortion, with more than 40% seeking to ban abortion at various points of pregnancy…Center for Reproductive Rights
February 19, 2021: Planned Parenthood posted a Press Release titled: “Planned Parenthood Federation of America Applauds President Biden’s Historic Choice to Head CMS“. From the Press Release:
Today, President Biden announced his intent to name Chiquita Brooks-LaSure as administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), who would make history as the first Black woman to lead the agency. This news follows previous announcements of Xavier Becerra, Dr. Vivek Murthy, and other experienced public health champions to lead the country’s health and COVID-19 efforts. After years of Trump administration attacks, the CMS administrator role will be critical to protect and advance sexual and reproductive health care and rights for all people in this country……CMS is the office within the Department of Health and Human Services that directly oversees Medicaid and Medicare, and implements the Affordable Care Act. Medicaid is a crucial women’s health program. Women compromise the majority of adult Medicaid enrollees, and women of color comprise the majority of women enrolled in Medicaid. Two-thirds of women covered by Medicaid are in their reproductive years.Planned Parenthood
Through CMS, the Biden-Harris administration must:
Fully roll back harmful policies from the Trump administration, including by affirming Medicaid patients’ right to access care from providers they know and trust – like Planned Parenthood health centers – and eliminating discriminatory work and cost-sharing requirements that make it harder for enrollees to gain and maintain coverage.
Go beyond stopping harm and start making progress for sexual and reproductive health and rights by incentivizing the remaining states to expand Medicaid, strengthening the safety net provider network, and more.
Help protect people against the physical, emotional, and economic consequences of COVID-19 with comprehensive relief that invests in public health care programs and safety net providers.
Help reckon with systemic racism, injustice, and state-sanctioned violence in this country, including making progress on the Black maternal health crisis through expanding comprehensive Medicaid coverage to 12 months postpartum.
The Biden-Harris administration has already taken some important first steps. In their initial days, they issued an executive order to strengthen Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA), directing HHS to review and consider whether to rescind approvals of harmful Medicaid programs that cut off access to care, setting in motion the process for relevant agencies to start rolling back harmful policies like the Trump administration’s birth control rules and more. They recently reaffirmed their commitment to protect patients’ right to choose the provider they know and trust by publicly opposing Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s attempt to block Texas Medicaid patients from accessing care at Planned Parenthood health centers. They have also taken steps toward rescinding discriminatory Medicaid work requirements that have caused thousands to lose health coverage and make it harder for people to access the care they need.Chiquita Brooks-LaSure has a long history of working to expand access to health care as a policy expert and thought leader, and her work will be critical to advancing this mission. She has spent more than two decades honing her health policy expertise and has previously served the nation in the White House, in Congress, and at CMS. Planned Parenthood Federation of America is ready to work with Brooks-LaSure and the entire Biden-Harris team — in the days, weeks, and years ahead — to advance the health and rights of all communities…Planned Parenthood
February 21, 2021: American Medical Association posted a Statement titled: “AMA, AHA, ANA urge continued vigilance as U.S. exceeds 500,000 COVID-19 deaths”. From the Statement:
The following statement is attributable to: American Medical Association, American Hospital Association, American Nurses Association.
“Today’s milestone is a grim one – but one we, as leaders in health care, urge you to recognize. In three months, the number of Americans who have died of COVID-19 has doubled. We mourn the loss of 500,000 people in this country, a toll that has left gaping holes in the lives of those they left behind. We also recognize the significant declines in life expectancy (PDF) our country has experienced, largely as a result of the pandemic. We urge you to remain vigilant in taking precautions to limit the spread of COVID-19. With new, more contagious variants of the virus circulating throughout the U.S., now is not the time ti let your guard down and scale back on the measures that we know will work to prevent further illnesses and death – wearing masks, practicing physical distancing, and washing hands.“Though we’re face-to-face with the grim toll that COVID-19 is taking on our lives and loved ones, there’s also hope for the future as millions of people across the country are getting vaccinated and additional vaccines are on the way. We encourage everyone to get the COVID-19 vaccine when it’s your turn. Vaccines are safe, effective, prevent illnesses and safe lives, and are key to protecting you from COVID-19 and ending the pandemic.”AMA
February 22, 2021: American Medical Association posted a Press Release titled: “Joint statement on Supreme Court decision to review Title X ‘gag rule'”. From the Press Release:
Joint statement from: American Medical Association, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association, American Civil Liberties Union, Essential Access Health
“We welcome the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to review the Ninth Circuit’s erroneous opinion upholding a Trump administration rule that imposed drastic changes on the Title X federal family planning program. This rule continues to bring immense harm to people across the country who depend on affordable reproductive health care like birth control, breast and cervical cancer screenings, and STI testing and treatment, among other essential health services that Title X provides. Tragically, but predictably, this disproportionately impacts Black and Brown patients who are more likely to face the worst health and economic impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic.“In a petition, to the high court last fall, we urged a review of the Title X ‘gag rule,’ which, among many harmful restrictions, inappropriately interferes with the patient-physician relationship and conflicts with the ethical obligations of physicians and other health care providers—ultimately jeopardizing patient access to safe care.“Title X has an essential role in ensuring that all Americans—regardless of where they live or how much money they make—have access to comprehensive reproductive health care. We remain committed to securing a swift outcome, whether from the Court or the Biden administration, that will protect Title X patients, physicians, providers, and the health of the nation from further irreparable harm imposed by the current rule.”AMA
February 22, 2021: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services posted a Press Release titled: “CMS Offers Comprehensive Support to the State of Texas to Combat Winter Storm”. From the Press Release:
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced today that efforts are underway to support Texas in response to severe winter storms that have affected the state over the past several days. On February 17, 2021, Health and Human Services Acting Secretary Norris Cochran declared a public health emergency (PHE) for Texas retroactive to February 11, 2021. CMS is working to ensure hospitals and other facilities can continue operations and provide access to care despite the effects of the storm. Below are key administrative actions CMS is taking in response to the PHE declared in Texas:Waivers and Flexibilities for Hospitals and other Healthcare Facilities: CMS has already waived many Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP requirements for facilities because of the pandemic. The CMS Dallas Survey & Enforcement Division, under the Survey Operations Group, will consider other provider-specific requests for healthcare facilities in Texas.These waivers work to provide continued access to care for beneficiaries. CMS announced last month a new web-based tool that streamlines access for providers in documenting and submitting waiver requests and PHE-related inquiries. Access to that web-based tool can be found at https://cmsqualitysupport.servicenowservices.com/cms_1135Dialysis Care: CMS is helping patients obtain access to critical life-saving services. The Kidney Community Emergency Response (KCER) program has been activated and is working with the End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Network: Network 14 –Texas to assess the status of dialysis facilities in potentially impacted areas. The program will assess issues such as generators, alternate water supplies, education and materials for patients, and more. Patients are educated to have an emergency supply kit on hand including important personal, medical, and insurance information; contact information for their facility, the ESRD NW hotline number, and contact information of those with whom they may stay or for out-of-state contacts in a waterproof bag. They have also been instructed to have on hand supplies to follow a three-day emergency diet……Ensuring Access to Care in Medicare Advantage and Part D: During a PHE, Medicare Advantage Organizations must take steps to maintain access to covered benefits for beneficiaries in affected areas. These steps include allowing Parts A and B and supplemental Part C plan benefits to be furnished at specified non-contracted facilities and waiving, in full, requirements for gatekeeper referrals where applicable. Part D plan sponsors are allowed to take certain actions to ensure pharmacy access during a disaster or state of emergency.Special Enrollment Opportunities: CMS encourages people who are seeking health insurance coverage to take advantage of the Federal Health Insurance Exchange special enrollment period currently available now through May 15 on HealthCare.gov…Additionally, individuals who were eligible for another special enrollment period during the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)-declared emergency period may also qualify for another SEP to gain coverage based on when their coverage could have started if they had been able to enroll sooner……Medicare regulations provide a special enrollment period for certain Medicare beneficiaries who reside in the area where an emergency/disaster declaration has been made (or rely on help making health care decisions from someone who lives in the affected area). Medicare beneficiaries who were eligible for another enrollment period, but did not make an election as a result of the emergency, will be able to make the missed enrollment election during the declared emergency/disaster or up to two months after the end of the emergency/disaster.Medical equipment and supplies replacements: Under the COVID-19 waivers, CMS suspended certain requirements necessary for Medicare beneficiaries who have lost or had damage to their durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies because of the PHE. This will help to make sure that beneficiaries can continue to access the medical equipment and supplies they rely on each day. Medicare beneficiaries can contact 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) for assistance.Current COVID-19 Waivers: CMS has compiled a list of current Waivers already available for health care providers to use during the COVID-19 PHE. These waivers remain available to providers in the State of Texas who have been affected by the consequences of the winter storm. The New 1135 Emergency Waiver and Public Health Emergency (PHE)-related Inquiries Web Tool launched on the CMS Waiver and Flexibilities webpage: https://www.cms.gov/about-cms/emergency-preparedness-response-operations/current-emergencies/coronavirus-waiversDisaster Preparedness Toolkit for State Medicaid and CHIP Agencies: CMS developed an inventory of Medicaid and CHIP flexibilities and authorities available to states in the event of a disaster. CMS will provide technical assistance to the state upon request in accessing any needed flexibilities. The Toolkit also includes resources for Medicaid beneficiaries to assist them connect to helpful resources during the emergency. Nursing home reporting to the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN): CMS expects that nursing home providers will continue to accurately report COVID-19 cases to the NHSN. However, in light of the public health emergency in Texas, CMS will not impose civil money penalties for non-reporting through March 4, 2021, as residents continue to be displaced amid power and water concerns. Any facility that requires extended repairs or arrangements should contact its State Survey Agency to ensure proper coordination with CMS.3-Day Prior Hospitalization: Using the authority under Section 1812(f) of the Act, CMS is issuing a separate waiver of the statutory requirement for a 3-day prior inpatient hospitalization for coverage of a Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF) Part A stay, which provides temporary emergency coverage of SNF services without a qualifying inpatient hospital stay, for those people who experience dislocations, or are otherwise affected by the public health emergency.Emergency Preparedness Requirements: Providers and suppliers are expected to have emergency preparedness programs based on an all-hazards approach. CMS has prepared webinars on emergency preparedness requirements, including topics such as emergency power supply; 1135 waiver process; Best Practices & Lessons Learned from past disasters; Helpful Resources; and more…CMS
February 22, 2021: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi posted a Press Release titled: “Pelosi Statement on Biden Executive Actions on Relief for Small Businesses”. From the Press Release:
Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued this statement on executive actions taken by the Biden-Harris Administration to increase equitable assistance for small businesses:“Today, President Biden has extended a lifeline that will make a difference for struggling small businesses, save American jobs and power the American economy, while promoting equity and fairness across Main Street.“These vital reforms will expand access to the Paycheck Protection Program to the hardest-hit businesses that anchor our low and middle-income and communities of color. Importantly, they will ensure that sole proprietors, which are overwhelmingly women and minority-owned and also serve our immigrant communities, are not left behind. The Biden Administration’s reforms will also build on recent PPP successes in increasing assistance to businesses with ten or fewer employees in underserved and rural areas and through community-based lenders that specialize in serving those markets.“As President Biden advances these actions, the House is preparing this week to pass the President’s American Rescue Plan: transformative legislation to crush the virus and deliver urgently needed relief. We urge Republicans in Congress to join us in support of this necessary relief package for families and small businesses in their communities and throughout the country.”Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
February 22, 2021: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi posted a Press Release titled: “Pelosi Statement on 500,000 American Coronavirus Deaths”. From the Press Release:
Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued this statement after our nation passed the tragic milestone of having lost half a million American lives to the coronavirus:“The loss of 500,000 American lives from the coronavirus is an horrific human toll of staggering proportions and incomprehensible sadness. Every life lost is a profound tragedy that we mourn and that breaks America’s heart.“Members of Congress join Americans in prayer for the lives lost or devastated by this vicious virus. As we pray, we must act swiftly to put an end to this pandemic and to stem the suffering felt by so many millions. “With the passage of President Biden’s American Rescue Plan this week, the American people will know that Help Is On The Way.”Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
February 23, 2021: National Organization for Women posted a Press Release titled: “Pass the Equality Act NOW”. From the Press Release:
This week’s anticipated vote on the Equality Act brings the federal government one step closer to codifying something that an overwhelming majority of Americans believe is long overdue. Discrimination against LGBTQIA+ people in employment, housing, credit, education, public spaces and services, federally funded programs and jury service must be against the law. Until all of us are equal, none of us are equal. From Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg making history as the first openly gay Cabinet member to the nomination of Rachel Levine for assistant secretary of health, who if confirmed would become the first openly transgender federal official – this administration is demonstrating the value of the LGBTQIA+ community by placing them in some of the highest roles in government. It’s time for Congress to step up to the plate by passing the Equality Act. Polls show support for the Equality Act at more than 70 percent, but after passing the House in 2019, it stalled in the Republican-controlled Senate. Now, with Democrats in the majority, and the tie-breaking vote cast by Kamala Harris, who co-sponsored the bill for years, we expect a different outcome. The Equality Act will fix a broken patchwork of current laws that haphazardly protects some people from some discrimination in some places—leaving millions of LGBTQIA+ people without protection, essential services, and access to justice.In 29 states, Americans can still be evicted from their homes, denied service in a restaurant or a wedding cake in a bakery, or be turned down for a loan because of their gender identity. And a future administration could refuse to apply existing civil rights law to the wide range of areas where discrimination occurs, including education, housing, and health care. NOW calls on Republicans to join House Democrats in voting for the Equality Act, and for a similar bipartisan majority to rise up in the Senate. We must repair the flaw in our legal system that perpetuates discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Pass the Equality Act—NOW.NOW
February 24, 2021: The White House posted a FACT SHEET titled: “FACT SHEET: President Biden Announces New Actions to Deliver Masks to Communities Hit Hard by the Pandemic“. From the FACT SHEET:
As part of his National Strategy to defeat COVID-19, President Biden announced a new effort to make masks more easily available to communities hard hit by the pandemic. The Administration will deliver more than 25 million masks to over 1,300 Community Health Centers across the country as well as 60,000 food pantries and soup kitchens, reaching some of the nation’s most vulnerable populations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends mask wearing as a critical step to help slow the spread and protect people from getting COVID-19, but many low-income Americans still lack access to this basic protection.Today, President Biden is announcing that, over the next few weeks, the Biden-Harris Administration will:Deliver masks to community health centers. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in partnership with the Department of Defense (DoD), will deliver millions of masks to Federally Qualified Community Health Centers across the country. These approximately 1,300 health centers will be eligible to receive high-quality masks for free. Two-thirds of the people served by Community Health Centers are living in poverty, 60% are racial and/or ethnic minorities, and nearly 1.4 million are unhoused. Anyone in the community will be eligible to pick up masks from their local Community Health Center. Recipients will be encouraged to take an individually wrapped package of two masks for each person in their household. The staff of the Community Health Centers will distribute the masks to recipients.Distribute masks through the nation’s food bank and food pantry system. The Department of Defense (DOD), working with the Department of Agriculture (USDA), will deliver masks to many of the nation’s roughly 300 food banks. These food banks reach a vast network of 60,000 food pantries, soup kitchens, and other food distribution points where masks will be distributed to individuals and families. Recipients will be encouraged to take an individually wrapped package of two masks for each person in their household.About the masks:These masks will be no cost, high-quality, washable, and consistent with the mask guidance from the CDC. All of these masks will be made in America, and will not impact availability of masks for health care workers.The masks will be available beginning in March and into May. As a result of these actions, an estimated 12 to 15 million Americans will receive masks. More than 25 million masks total will be distributed.White House
February 24, 2021: A “Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials” was posted on the White House website. From the Press Briefing:
MR. ZIENTZ: Thank you for joining us. I want to begin by acknowledging that we have passed a grim milestone in this pandemic: Half a million people dead from COVID-19. This pandemic has touched each of us. So many have lost loved ones. We’ve been separated from our friends and families. Too many of our businesses and schools have been closed for way too long.
President Biden is clear: We are at war with this virus, and we’re using every resource at our disposal to defeat it.
We’re keeping equity at the front and center of our response, partnering with states, tribes, and territories to increase vaccinations in the hardest-hit and hardest-to-reach communities – increasing supply to convenient and trusted locations, like community health centers; deploying mobile units to meet people where they are; and improving data collection so that we have a better understanding of the inequalities currently experienced.
Today we’re announcing action we’re taking ti ensure an equitable response. In the month of March, we will begin to deliver masks to food banks and community health centers around the country. These are nationwide networks that serve populations hit hard by the pandemic. While masks are widely available in many different shapes and sizes, many low-income Americans still lack affordable access to this basic protection. That’s why we’re taking this important action to keep Americans safe.
We will deliver more than 25 million masks across the country. These masks will be available at more than 1,300 community health centers and at 60,000 food pantries nationwide. Any American who needs a mask will be able to walk into these health centers or food pantries and pick up high-quality, American-made masks. These masks will be available at no cost. They’ll be well-fitting cloth masks available in children’s and adult sizes, and they can be washed for reuse — all consistent with CDC guidance, and all made in the USA.
Once again, our decisions here have been made with equity at the center. Not all Americans are wearing masks regularly. Not all Americans have access. And not all masks are equal. With this action, we are helping to level the playing field, giving vulnerable populations quality, well-fitting masks.When President Biden delivered his inaugural address, he made a very clear request to the country: Mask up. And he’s taken action to require masks in federal buildings, on federal lands, and on public transportation, like planes, trains, and buses.The action we’re announcing today is a targeted step to help Americans respond to the President’s challenge to mask up to protect themselves and their fellow Americans.As we encourage people to continue to mask up, we’re focused on vaccinating people quickly and equitably. Today, I will give you the latest update on our execution on vaccinations in the three key areas that we’re focused on: more vaccine supply, more vaccinators, and more places to get vaccinated.First, on vaccine supply: Yesterday, we announced the fifth consecutive week of supply increases to states, tribes, and territories, from 8.6 million doses when we took office to 14.5 million doses this week. That’s an increase in vaccine allocations to states of nearly 70 percent during the Biden-Harris administration.The Retail Pharmacy Program we launched a few weeks ago has performed well so far. And this week, we will increase the allocation to pharmacies to 2.1 million doses. So, with 14.5 million doses allocated to states, tribes, and territories and 2.1 million through the federal Retail Pharmacy Program, we’ve nearly doubled weekly supply of doses in just five weeks.Second, we’re mobilizing teams to get shots in arms. We’ve deployed over 800 federal personnel as vaccinators. And the federal government is now funding 1,200 National Guard members to serve as vaccinators. We’ve also deployed 1,000 federal personnel to support community vaccination sites in operational and support roles.Third, we continue creating more places where Americans can get vaccinated. We’ve now expanded financial support to bolster community vaccination centers nationwide, with over $3.6 billion in FEMA funding to 44 states, tribes, and territories for vaccination efforts. We’re bringing vaccinations to places communities know and trust: community centers, high school gyms, churches, and stadiums nationwide.And we continue to work with states to set up innovative, high-volume, federally run sites that can each give over 30,000 shots a week. These sites are up and running in California and are ramping up in Texas, Florida, and Pennsylvania.We’ve also launched federal programs to get vaccines to pharmacies and local community health centers. As we’ve always said, we’re committed to providing clarity on our progress, and that includes when we hit bumps in the road.Last week, we got hit with the very severe weather, which impacted the vaccination supply chain — from manufacturing, to shipping, to the ability to get shots in arms. The manufacturers, the shipping firms, the states, the tribes, the territories, and pharmacies worked to overcome these challenges.And despite all the temporary weather-related delays, our seven-day average daily doses administered is at 1.4 million. And we’ve already caught up on the weather-related shipping backlog.Teams worked throughout last weekend to pack and ship doses. On Monday, yesterday, 7 million doses — two days ago — 7 million doses were delivered. That, coupled with the 14.5 million doses allocated this week, results in record supply going to the states. We’ve encouraged states to get needles into arms by extending vaccine clinic hours, offering services 24 hours a day where possible, adding weekend appointments, and having more staff on hand.On this point, I want to stress that if states do not have the staff to work around the clock and on the weekends, the federal government stands ready to help. I also want to spend a couple minutes on our plans for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which is currently pending approval for emergency use authorization by the FDA. Yesterday, I again updated and reviewed with our nation’s governors our plans to distribute the Johnson & Johnson vaccine if the EUA is granted.
The governors are carefully planning their efforts and getting ready for the possible new vaccine. If authorized, we are ready to roll out this vaccine without delay. Our distribution approach will mirror the current allocations process across jurisdictions, pharmacies, and community health centers.If an EUA is issued, we anticipate allocating 3 to 4 million doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine next week. Johnson & Johnson has announced it aims to deliver a total of 20 million doses by the end of March. We’re working with the company to accelerate the pace and timeframe by which they deliver the full 100 million doses, which is required by contract by the end of June.While we await the FDA’s decision, we want the American people to know that we’re doing the work so that if the EUA is granted, we will waste no time getting this lifesaving vaccine into the arms of Americans.With that, let me turn it over to Dr. Walensky to talk about the state of the pandemic.Dr. Walensky.DR. WALENSKY: Thank you, Jeff. I’m again delighted to be with you today. We continue to see trends heading in the right direction. In the past week, average daily cases declined 25 percent to approximately 64,000 cases per day. This is slightly less than the summer peak of 67,000 daily cases reported last July. While this is good news, cases still remain high, and we continue to watch these data closely. We also see continued declines in new hospital admissions for the most recent week. An average of 6,500 patients with COVID-19 were admitted per day, a decrease of 16 percent from the week prior. The number of reported deaths is also dropping with a seven-day average of slightly less than 2,000 per day. This represents a 35 percent decline compared to the prior week.On Monday, I announced that we were kicking off our three-day National COVID-19 Vaccine Forum, and since that time, we’ve had an extraordinary few days.Our final tally — we’ve virtually assembled over 12,000 participants from across the United States, representing state, tribe, local, and territorial governments, private sector partners, medical and public health institutions, community-based organizations, faith-based groups, and educators, among others.The discussions and presentations from over 100 speakers showcased promising practices and critical scientific information for those involved in vaccination efforts in communities across the nation. I’d like to share a few examples of what we’ve learned over the last three days. First, trust and community confidence are cornerstones of our national vaccine efforts. Trusted voices are critical to building confidence in vaccines and addressing misinformation. Our community leaders are often those trusted voices. We heard from national, state, and local health leaders about communication and public education campaigns they are deploying to combat myths and disinformation, and instill confidence and interest in COVID-19 vaccines, as well as tools and strategies healthcare providers can use when talking with their patients about COVID-19 vaccination. For example, we learned about a new communications campaign in New Orleans that is grounded in the local flavor and culture as a way to resonate with the city’s residents.Second, one of the most powerful benefits of the forum was learning about on-the-ground experiences and new innovations to expand vaccination efforts. We heard about creative ways providers and volunteers have been getting vaccinations into communities using boats, ferries, and snowmobiles in Alaska; leveraging emergency medical services to provide vaccinations to homebound individuals in Indiana; and using awareness campaigns, featuring trusted elders and healthcare workers, in the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma.Finally, forum sessions taught us that every person, community, faith-based organization, governmental and non-governmental partner, and business has a role to stop — to play in supporting our nation’s COVID-19 vaccination strategy.We learned about faith-based efforts, like the outreach to people of color being led by the Metropolitan International Church in Nashville, Tennessee, where faith ambassadors engage with local clergy to help spread accurate information on COVID-19 vaccines to these high-risk communities.We also heard about successful public-private partnerships, like in San Diego, where vaccination “super sites,” like the one in Petco Park Stadium, are vaccinating thousands of people a day; and in Colorado, where there is a government-private partnership — the Champions for Vaccine Equity task force — where the health department and 10 medical Champions of color are working with and through community-based organizations to create opportunities for listening and sharing information about COVID-19 vaccines.These are just a few of many practical innovations and solutions shared during the forum. And I want to let you know that all of these sessions, as well as resources and materials, will be posted on the CDC website following the forum. I encourage you to check it out when you’re able.Next, I would like to take a moment to highlight the progress made so far in our efforts to rapidly expand and open sequencing nationally, including through our $200 million investment announced last week. This work is more important than ever, given the continued spread of COVID-19 variants in the United States. As of February 23rd, we now have identified nearly 1,900 cases of B117 variant in 45 states, 46 cases of B1351 variant in 14 states, and 5 cases of the P1 variant in four states.The pace of our genomic sequencing has scaled up from about 400 samples a week, when I started as CDC Director, to now more than 9,000 samples as of the week of February 20th. We are continuing to increase this pace with our state public health and private lab partners with a goal of 25,000 samples per week in the coming weeks. The increased volume of sequence information is helping us to better understand the diversity of variants circulating in the United States, where they are located, and how they are spread. With the samples in hand, we can then scientifically examine how variants impact vaccines and therapeutics moving forward.Finally, I want to say that we are proud to be partners in the announcement made today about sending masks to underserved and vulnerable populations. One of the most impactful things we can do is wear a mask, and this is so important during this critical period where cases are declining but variants that spread more easily are increasing throughout our country.CDC continues to recommend that everyone two years of age or older wear a mask when in public and around others in the home not living with you. The mask you should wear should have two or more layers, completely cover your nose and mouth, and fit snugly against your nose and the sides of your face. It’s essential that you wear your mask correctly and that it fits well in order to get the most protection. By wearing masks in combination with social distancing, washing your hands, avoiding crowds and travel, and getting vaccinated when it’s available, we can bring an end to this pandemic.Thank you. I, of course, look forward to your questions, but I’ll first turn things over to Dr. Fauci.Dr. Fauci.DR. FAUCI: Thank you very much, Dr. Walensky. What I’d like to do over the next couple of minutes is just update you on an important component of the spectrum of COVID-19 disease. If I can have the first slide.Many of you are now aware of what had long been called “long COVID.” But actually, what that really is is post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection, which we’re now referring to as “PASC,” or P-A-S-C. The reason I’m bringing it up with you today will become apparent in just a minute or two. Just to refresh your memory, the symptoms of this include fatigue, shortness of breath, sleep disorders, fevers, GI symptoms, anxiety and depression, and what some have been referring to as brain fog, or an inability or a difficulty in concentrating or focusing. Remember, these are post-acute sequelae — after the virus essentially has been cleared from the body. And actually, new symptoms sometimes arise well after the time of infection, or they evolve over time and they may persist, as I’ll get to in a moment, for months and can range from mild annoying to actually quite incapacitating. The magnitude of the problem is not yet fully known.Next.There have been a number of papers that have described in some detail large cohorts. Here is one from China, which was published online on January 8th, in more than 1,700 patients who actually had been hospitalized. I point out that you can get this post-acute syndrome even in individuals who did not require hospitalization. The six-month follow-up showed a variety of signs and symptoms, shown here, with many having fatigue and weakness — as I mentioned on the prior slide — sleep difficulties, anxiety or depression. And the greater proportion of patients with more severe illness had impaired lung diffusion capacity. Next.Most recently, in a study from the University of Washington that appeared just a few days ago, it was found really now something alarming: that approximately 30 percent of the patients who are enrolled at the University of Washington reported persistent symptoms for as long as nine months after illness. Fatigue was the most common reported symptom, and persistent symptoms were reported by one third of outpatients with mild disease. Next slide. What we did — “we” being an interagency group: the NIH, the CDC, and others — put together a workshop in Rockville, just a little bit north of Washington, D.C., on December the 3rd and the 4th of last year, in which we looked at various organ systems and brought in experts in all of these areas — cardiovascular, pulmonary, renal, neurologic, immunologic, and pediatrics — to scope out the kinds of things that we would need to be looking at with this puzzling syndrome. Now, the reason I’m bringing it up at this press conference — next slide — is that just yesterday, on February the 23rd, the NIH launched a new initiative to study this PASC, or post-acute sequelae. Now, looking back a bit in December of last year, the Congress provided $1.15 billion in funding over four years for the NIH to support research looking into this. And I’m happy to say that yesterday there was the first in what will be a series of research opportunity announcements released for NIH initiative on this puzzling syndrome. The research studies will be looking at SARS-CoV-2 recovery cohorts, some that are already established and some that will be established. They’ll be looking at large data banks from resources, such as electronic health records and health symptoms. And they’ll be studying a number of biological specimens.And finally, on the last slide, there are selected questions that this initiative hopes to answer, and they are important:
What does the spectrum of recovery from this infection look like across all the entire population — young individuals, middle-aged, elderly? How many people continue to have symptoms of COVID-19 or even, as we’ve seen, develop new symptoms that they did not have even as part of their acute infection? Importantly, what is the underlying biological cause of these prolonged symptoms? We refer to that as pathogenesis. What makes certain people vulnerable, while others recover fully and quickly and have no sequelae? And finally, does SARS-CoV-2 infection trigger changes in the body that actually increase the risk, later on, of such abnormalities, such as chronic heart or brain disorders?
A lot of important questions that are now unanswered that we hope, with this series of initiatives, we will ultimately answer. So I’ll stop there and hand it back to Jeff. MR. ZIENTS: Well, thank you, Doctors Fauci and Walensky. Why don’t — why don’t we open it up for questions…
February 24, 2021: President Joseph R. Biden Jr. posted a Notice titled: “Notice on the Continuation of the National Emergency Concerning the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic“. From the Notice:
CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY CONCERNING THE CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 (COVID-19) PANDEMICOn March 13, 2020, by Proclamation 9994, the President declared a national emergency concerning the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause significant risk to the public health and safety of the Nation.For this reason, the national emergency declared on March 13, 2020, and beginning March 1, 2020, must continue in effect beyond March 1, 2021. Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing the national emergency declared in Proclamation 9994 concerning the COVID-19 pandemic.This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress.President Joseph R. Biden Jr.
February 24, 2021: President Joseph R. Biden Jr. posted an Executive Order titled: “Executive Order on the Revocation of Certain Presidential Actions“. From the Executive Order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows: Section 1. Revocation of Presidential Actions. The following Presidential actions are revoked: Executive Order 13772 of February 3, 2017 (Core Principles for Regulating the United States Financial System), Executive Order 13828 of April 10, 2018 (Reducing Poverty in America by Promoting Opportunity and Economic Mobility), Memorandum of January 29, 2020 (Delegation of Certain Authority Under the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute), Executive Order 13924 of May 19, 2020 (Regulatory Relief To Support Economic Recovery), Memorandum of September 2, 2020 (Reviewing Funding to State and Local Government Recipients of Federal Funds That Are Permitting Anarchy, Violence, and Destruction in American Cities), Executive Order 13967 of December 18, 2020 (Promoting Beautiful Federal Civic Architecture), and Executive Order 13979 of January 18, 2021 (Ensuring Democratic Accountability in Agency Rulemaking)…
Here is some context about why one of those Presidential Actions was revoked:
Executive Order 13828 “Reducing Poverty in America by Promoting Opportunity and Economic Mobility” was issued by (then) President Trump on April 10, 2018.
On April 11, 2021, CBS News posted an article titled: “Trump signs executive order pushing work requirements for welfare recipients”. From the article:
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Tuesday that aims to add and strengthen work requirements for public assistance and other welfare programs.The order, signed in private, promotes “common-sense reforms” that policy adviser Andrew Bremberg said would reduce dependence on government programs……The order focuses on looking for ways to strengthen existing work requirements and exploring new requirements for benefits such as food stamps, cash and housing assistance programs.…Most people who use the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, who are able to hold jobs do work, but they don’t earn enough to pay for food and cover other expenses. According to 2015 data from the Department of Agriculture, 44 percent of the total households using the SNAP program had someone in the family earning money……In January, officials announced that states would be able to impose work requirements for Medicaid. And they’ve proposed tightening the existing requirements that able-bodied adults who want to receive SNAP benefits for more than three months at a time must work in some capacity……The administration has also been exploring more stringent work requirements for those who receive assistance under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, as well as minimum weekly work hours for those who receive housing assistance……Such requirements could have dire consequences for those already experiencing barriers to finding, and keeping, a job, including single mothers who can’t afford child care, people who lack access to transportation and those who suffer from mental illness…CBS News
February 25, 2021: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi posted a Press Release titled: “Floor Speech on the Equality Act”. From the Speech:
Speaker Nancy Pelosi delivered remarks on the Floor of the House of Representatives in support of H.R. 5, the Equality Act, which will extend federal anti-discrimination protections for sexual orientation and gender identity. Below are the Speaker’s remarks:
…Mr. Speaker, I rise to join our entire Caucus in saluting Congressman David Cicilline, our long-time champion of the Equality Act, who has been courageous, relentless and persistent in his leadership on this legislation.
We are proud to bring this important legislation to the House Floor under the leadership of the most diverse House Democratic Majority, nearly 70 percent women, people of color, and LGBTQ, with 224 co-sponsors on this legislation. Mr. Speaker, many of use were gathered together nearly five years ago to first introduce the Equality Act. That day in the LBJ Room on the Senate side, named after the President who fought for and signed the Civil Rights Act, we stood with an icon of the civil rights struggle, our colleague, John Lewis, the Conscience of the Congress.
The Civil Rights Act is a sacred pillar of freedom in our country. It is not amended lightly. So, how proud were we to be with our beloved John Lewis and the Congressional Black Caucus, many of whom are here now, Maxine Waters, and others, Mr. Green, thank you, as they gave their imprimature to the opening of the Civil Rights Act to end discrimination against LGBTQ Americans.
As we remember John Lewis’s life, we remember his words, spoken at the Pride parade in Atlanta shortly before being diagnosed with cancer. He said, “We are one people and one family. We all live in the same house.”
As we prepare to pass this landmark legislation, we must salute the countless advocates, activists, outside organizers and mobilizers who have, for decades, demanded the full rights of all Americans.
Personally, my thoughts are with my friends, the late Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin, who shared their lives together for decades. I have spoken of them with their photo here on the Floor year in and year out. They were mentors of so many of us in San Francisco who for decades were engaged in civic engagement on many issues related to LGBTQ rights. They were an inspiration, teaching us to take pride, and I say that with pride.
When people say to me, ‘It’s easy for you to support LGBTQ equality because you’re from San Francisco where people are so tolerant’ Tolerant, to mean, that’s a condescending word. This is not about tolerance. This is about respect. This is about taking pride. For Phyllis and Del and the older LGBTQ couples, for the LGBTQ workers striving to provide for their families, and for LGBTQ youth struggling to find their place, this is a historic, transformative moment of pride.
Here in the House, this pride goes – this pride goes back many years. When we first got the Majority in 2006 and 2007, as we took office, House Democrats had four goals relating to equality. Passing a comprehensive hate crimes bill, and when I say comprehensive, I mean LGBTQ T. People said to us at the time ‘Take out the “T” and you can pass this bill in a minute.’ I said take – ‘if we take out the “T” we are not going to pass this bill in 100 years, because we are not bringing it up without the word transgender in the bill.’ We passed the bill with the help of – the lead of Barney Frank, our former colleague, and the family of Matthew Shepard, who came here, touched our hearts, got the votes to help us pass the legislation.
Then, we had ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and under the leadership of President Obama and the courage of so many Members, Patrick Murphy, our former colleague, an Iraq combat vet leading the way here, we repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”. Thank you, President Obama.
Securing marriage equality was done for us by the courts. I took great pride in attending the oral arguments that day when it was argued in the courts and what a victory it was for libery and justice in our country when that decision came down.
Next on the agenda was somethign called ENDA, ending discrimination in the workplace. Well, it’s really called the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, hence ENDA. But then, with the successed that we had, it was why are we just talking about the workplace? Why aren’t we talking about every place in our society? And hence came forth – ENDA became the Equality Act, finally, fully ending anti-LGBTQ discrimination on employment, education, housing, credit, jury service and public accomodations. It removes all doubt that sexual orientation and gender identity warrant civil rights protection in every arena of American life, codifying the recent decision made by the U.S. Supreme Court Bostock case. It takes a momentous step towards full equality that brings our nation closer to the founding promise of liberty and justice for all, enshrined in the Preamble of our Constitution by our Founders in their great wisdom, also in our pledge to the flag.
And it is sadly necessary. I wish that it weren’t. Sometimes I just wonder why it is, but it is sadly necessary because many members of the national LGBTQ community we live in states where, though they have a right to marry, they have no state-level non-discrimination protections in other areas of life. In more than 20 states, Mr. Speaker, LGBTQ Americans do not have specific protections against being denied housing because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, and over 30 states lack protections regarding access to education. And nearly 40 states lack protections regarding jury service.
Passing the Equality Act in the last Congress was historic, a day for hope and happiness for millions. Now, with a Democratic Senate Majority and President Biden in the White House and Vice President Harris there as well, we will oass it once more and we will not stop fighting until it becomes a law. We will never stop fighting until the Equality Act becomes law.
Let me conclude by returning to John Lewis and recalling his words spoken on this House Floor on the passage of the Equality Act for the first time. John Lewis said, “We have a decision to end discrimination and set all of our people free,’ and set all of our people free. today with this legislation, we have an opportunity to set all of our people free and to advance the future of justice, equality and dignity for all.
With that, I urge a strong bipartisan vote for the Equality Act, salute Mr. Cicilline and Senator Merkley on the Senate side for their leadership, commend the distinguished Chair of the Judiciary Committee for, once again, bringing this to the Floor. Thank you, Congresswoman for your leadership on this issue as well…
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
February 25, 2021: Planned Parenthood posted a Press Release titled: “U.S. House Approves Historic Legislation to Halt LGBTQ+ Discrimination”. From the Press Release:
Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 224-206 to approve the historic Equity Act (H.R.5). As an inclusive and compassionate sexual and reproductive health care provider, Planned Parenthood applauds this historic legislation to protect and strengthen the civil rights of LGBTQ+ people across the country.Currently, our federal civil rights do not explicitly protect LGBTQ+ people in the United States, leaving people vulnerable to discrimination in health care, employment, housing, credit, public spaces and services, education, federally assisted programs, and jury service. In 30 states, LGBTQ+ people can be fired, refused housing, or denied services simply because of who they are. The Equality Act – which was introduced by Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) and passed today with bipartisan support – can begin to change that……The Equality Act will prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex stereotypes, pregnancy and childbirth across many systems, including health care. People do not live single issue lives and the Equality Act recognizes that a single instance of discrimination may have more than one basis. By expanding some of our civil rights laws to include protection on the basis of sex for the first time and including additional public spaces and services where discrimination is prohibited, all people will be better protected from the myriad and insidious forms of sex discrimination.Planned Parenthood is proud to provide health care to LGBTQ+ people across the country, including services such as breast and cervical cancer screenings, STI testing and treatment, birth control, and abortion. Planned Parenthood is an essential and irreplaceable provider of gender-affirming hormone therapy and health care for transgender and nonbinary patients, especially in areas outside of major cities, where Planned Parenthood health centers we are often the only provider of these services. Over 300 Planned Parenthood health centers in 39 states and the District of Columbia currently offer gender-affirming hormone therapy for transgender patients, and some also provide puberty blockers. Many health centers also offer pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) a daily pill that can help reduce transmission for people who are at high risk for HIV – and post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) – a series of pills that, if taken within 72 hours of being exposed to HIV, can lower your chances of getting it.We know that LGBTQ+ people experience high rates of discrimination from medical providers: In a 2017 survey, nearly 30% of transgender people surveyed said a doctor or health care provider refused to treat them due to their gender identity. LGBTQ+ people also experience discrimination when interacting with police, applying for jobs, and more; LGBTQ+ people of color report discrimination at twice the rates of their white counterparts across these kinds of situations. The frequent harms experienced by LGBTQ+ people of color are compounded because they face multiple forms of discrimination at the same time.While the Biden-Harris administration must continue to undo the harm done by the previous administration – by rescinding the refusal of care rule, for example – the Equality Act will help us move forward by making clear that these kinds of attacks are not acceptable. Planned Parenthood
February 26, 2021: White House posted a Press Briefing titled: “Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials“. From the Press Briefing:
ACTING ADMINISTRATOR SLAVITT: Thank you for joining us for our White House COVID Response briefing. I have a few important updates for you this morning, and then I will turn to Doctors Fauci and Walensky.
FIrst, on our efforts to mobilize the country to defeat COVID-19, and second, on our progress in supporting 100 community vaccination centers nationwide to vaccinate more people, more quickly, and more equitably.
Before I get there, let me begin by taking stock of where we are. Even as we have crossed the grimmest of milestones – the loss of over 500,000 American lives – we are pulling together as a country. In the time since the President has taken office, we’ve now double the pace of vaccinations and are rapidly on our way to vaccinating many of the people most at risk of dying or being hospitalized from COVID-19, with nearly one in five adults and nearly half of Americans over 65 having received their first shot.
What is important and what I want to cover today is that any progress is a result of the hard work of many – people and entities working together for the greater good: vaccine manufacturers, Pfizer and Moderna; distribution partners at McKesson, FedEx, and UPS; governors, mayors, county officials, and their health departments; the thousands of providers, pharmacies, and members of the military; FEMA; and other states and federal employees that had been part of this vaccination effort. And, of course, all the people in science in the NIH, NIAID, the CDC, BARDA, and FDA.
This is all one effort. There is so much more to do, but one thing that has become clear is that while none of us on our own could defeat COVID-19, all of us working together can. And today I want to highlight what people across America can contribute to this cause at this critical time.
From day one, President Biden has been pulling the country together to unify against the virus. This begins with Congress. We cannot defeat this virus as rapidly as we need to without action from Congress.
Today, the House will start the vote process on the American Rescue Plan. This legislation will enable Americans across the country to defeat COVID-19 and get back to normal life more quickly. The bill is critical to allowing us to do some things that we all need to do to defeat this virus: needed funding to make schools safer to open; the ability to stay ahead of the virus as it mutates by funding greater sequencing; testing and tracing to contain outbreaks and stay ahead of new variants; addressing supply shortages; investing in high-quality treatments for people with COVID-19; providing paid sick leave and other support to contain the spread of the virus; and providing relief to the communities hardest hit by the disease.
We urge the Senate to quickly follow and pass this legislation. Just as Congress is taking action, so too are the nation’s private and civil sectors and the small and large companies that are at the heart of our economy and provide jobs to so many.
One of the benefits of being and providing honest and clear communication with the public about the challenges we face are all of the people who raise their hands and offer to help.
Since the President’s first day on the job 37 days ago, he’s called us to come together and defeat this as a nation.
Since January 20th, we have been engaging in literally hundreds of conversations with hundreds of companies who are eager to help put an end to COVID-19, get people safely back to work, rehire workers, and grow the economy, as the President outlined in his national strategy to defeat COVID-19.
So today, the administration is announcing a new partnership with America’s leading business organizations to enlist the full force of the private sector to defeat COVID-19 with a call to action. The Biden administration is joining with the Chamber of Commerce; leaders of the black, Latino, and Asian business community; the National Association of Manufacturers; and the Business Roundtable to call on businesses, big and small, to promote three critical efforts across the country.
Our call asks three things of America’s businesses to increase the safety of employees, customers, and the community, and will help us put a more rapid end to this pandemic.
First, require masking and social distancing to protect workers, customers, and others on their premises.
Second, reduce barriers to vaccinations. Make a plan to get employees vaccinated and make it easier for employees to get vaccinated by providing incentives, like paid time off or compensation for employees to get vaccinated when it’s their turn.
Third, communicate with customers and educate the public about the benefits of masking and vaccinations. We are asking businesses to amplify CDC messages about masking and vaccinations on their products, properties, and websites.
Through these partner organizations, step-by-step resources to help businesses operate safely will be available. HHS and CDC are collaborating with them so they can take advantage of our research and approaches to talking about vaccines and vaccinations most effectively.
Together, we hope to reach hundreds of thousands of businesses, representing over 100 million people, to promote efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19.
This afternoon at 4:00 p.m., I will be hosting a call with thousands of business owners to lay out this call to action and ask for their help and participation.
But the work has already begun. Since we’ve arrived, we have had over 250 conversations with business leaders in sectors as diverse as technology, retail, social media, medical products, airlines, health insurance, hospitals, utilities, and we’re having more every day. Each of them has something valuable to add.
Ford and The Gap are producing and donating millions of masks. Professional sports leagues and the live events industry have offered their more than 100 stadiums and venues to local communities to be used as vaccination sites. Retailers like Best Buy, Target, and Dollar General all are giving more than a half a million workers paid time off or compensating employees who get vaccinated. Uber, PayPal, and Walgreens are teaming up to provide $10 million worth of free rides to vaccination sites. And Lyft is partnering with CVS and the YMCA to provide 60 million free or discounted rides to vaccination sites.
In both of these efforts, we are encouraging organizations to target the benefits to people who need them the most so communities hit hardest bounce back. CVS has also agreed to improved access and appointment times for people looking for vaccines and special efforts to reserve vaccine appointments. This is critical to health equity.
The utility company, Avangrid, has committed to include more — to include public health information in more than 3 million paper bills.
These are examples, but examples that others can replicate in addition to their own unique efforts.
Our call to action today will ask companies to make similar, unique commitments that bring their unique skills and resources to the problem of keeping Americans safe and ending the pandemic as quickly as possible while also following the lead of these other companies.
Over the coming weeks, the Biden administration will highlight more innovative ways, and America’s private sector is rising to the challenge as we put this crisis to bed by working together.
Let me talk now about the progress we’re making to reach the President’s goal — to reach the President’s goal of 100 community vaccination centers within the next — within his first month in office.
Thanks to the incredible work of FEMA, the Department of Defense, and colleagues across the government, since January 20, the Biden-Harris administration has already supported the establishment or expansion of 441 community vaccination centers across 37 states, territories, and the District of Columbia.
Over the past month, we’ve provided 171 sites with federal personnel. We’ve deployed nearly 3,500 total personnel nationwide to support vaccination operations, including expert logisticians, vaccinators, greeters, clerks, and others in support roles. Personnel are assigned from agencies across the federal government, including FEMA, CDC, DOD, National Guard, and the Forest Service, Department of Interior, Veterans Affairs Department, and the Army Corps of Engineers.
A hundred and seventy-seven sites have received federal funding, and the President — and at the President’s direction, FEMA is reimbursing 100 percent of costs for vaccination operations. This funding covers critical supplies, staffing, training, and transportation needs that support increased vaccination distribution and administration.
Sixty-two sites have received federal equipment, from folding chairs to containers to dry ice. The federal government has provided a range of equipment to meet state, tribal, territory, and local needs, and help establish and expand sites. This will get done in the details. Thank you to everyone involved in these efforts.
The President is visiting a federally established community vaccination site today in Houston, Texas. This site opened yesterday and has the capacity to vaccinate 6,000 people per day. And today we’re announcing two new federal vaccination sites, one in North Carolina and the other in Illinois. Starting in two weeks, the United Center in Chicago will be used to vaccinate up to 6,000 people per day. And in North Carolina, a new site in Greensboro will have the capacity to vaccinate 3,000 people per day.
The selection of both of these sites was based on a CDC-FEMA framework developed to target those most vulnerable. The goal is to launch vaccination sites that use processes and are in locations that promote equity, deploying the CDC’s Social Vulnerability Index.
In closing, I want to come back to the important milestone of where we are this week, with over 50 million shots that have been administered since President Biden took office — 50 million shots in 37 days. That’s ahead of our target, even with the setbacks we faced during the recent winter storm, which devastated millions of people in the Midwest and in the South.
As the President has said, if we do the right things and we have the right plan, we will get things moving. We’ve doubled the pace of administering shots in six weeks. We’ve increased vaccine distribution to near — to nearly — to states by nearly 70 percent. And nearly 60 percent of people over 75 now have received at least one shot; that was 14 percent six weeks ago. Close to 50 percent of people over 65 have at least one shot now; that was 8 percent six weeks ago.
I want to repeat that: 8 percent of people over 65 and now 50 per- — six weeks ago had received their first shot. Now that’s close to 50 percent. That’s important because people over 65 accounted for 80 percent of COVID-19 deaths, and 75 percent of people who live in long-term care facilities have gotten their first dose, and those cases are at the lowest level since reporting began in May.
So, yes, we are making progress, but we are not there yet, and there’s lots of hard work to do. But I want to thank everybody — everybody across the country that’s been involved in helping us make this progress.
And with that, I will turn it over to Dr. Walensky.
DR. WALENSKY: Thank you so much, Andy. I’m glad to be back with you today. Let’s get started on an overview of the pandemic.
Over the last few weeks, cases and hospital admissions in the United States had been coming down since early January, and deaths had been declining in the past week.
But the latest data suggests that these declines may be stalling, potentially leveling off at, still, a very high number.
We at CDC consider this a very concerning shift in the trajectory. The most recent seven-day average of cases — approximately 66,350 — is higher than the average I shared with you on Wednesday. In fact, cases have been increasing for the past three days compared to the prior week.
And while deaths tend to fluctuate more than cases and hospital admissions, the most recent seven-day average — approximately 2,000 per day — is slightly higher than the seven-day average earlier in the week.
We are watching these concerning data very closely to see where they will go over the next few days. But it’s important to remember where we are in the pandemic. Things are tenuous. Now is not the time to relax restrictions.
Although we have been experiencing large declines in cases and admissions over the past six weeks, these declines follow the highest peak we have experienced in the pandemic.
So I want to be clear: Cases, hospital admissions, and deaths all remain very high, and the recent shift in the pandemic must be taken extremely seriously.
CDC has been sounding the alarm about the continued spread of variants in the United States, predicting that variants such as the B117 variant, which is thought to be about 40 percent — 50 percent more transmissible than the wild-type strain, would become the predominant variant of COVID-19 by mid-March. We may now be seeing the beginning effects of these variants in the most recent data.
Our estimates now indicate that B117 accounts for approximately 10 percent of cases in the United States — up from 1 to 4 percent a few weeks ago — and prevalence is even higher in certain areas of the country.
And earlier this week, new research came out about additional emerging variants in New York — the B1526 variant — and in California — the B1427 variant — that also appear to spread more easily and are contributing to a large fraction of current infections in those areas, adding urgency to the situation.
We may be done with the virus, but clearly, the virus is not done with us. We cannot get comfortable or give in to a false sense of security that the worst of the pandemic is behind us — not now; not when mass vaccination is so very close — when what we need to prevent this is truly imminent.
We must continue to be vigilant and committed to consistently taking the steps we — work to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Where the pandemic goes from here is dependent on our collective behavior and resolve to do our part to protect ourselves, our families, and our communities.
Together, we have the capacity to avoid another surge in our nation. I know people are tired; they want to get back to life, to normal. But we’re not there yet. Give us time we need to get more vaccines into our communities and to get more people vaccinated. This is our path out.
Here in the United States, over 46 million people, or 14 percent of the population, have already received at least one dose of the vaccine. And so many more of you are ready to roll up your sleeves as soon as vaccine becomes available to you, and, indeed, more vaccine is on the way. We are at the precipice of having another vaccine in our toolboxes: the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.
Like many of you, I’m excited about news that another safe and effective vaccine option could be coming as quickly as next week. We are closely watching FDA’s advisory committee today and the actions they may take today and tomorrow on this vaccine.
Following FDA’s actions, CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, is prepared to meet over the weekend and continue — the same data being discussed at FDA’s advisory meeting. Then, ACIP will make recommendations for the use of the vaccine, and I will stand by to review them and ready to sign.
Having an additional safe and effective vaccine will help protect more people faster. I look forward to the ACIP discussion, receiving their recommendations, and sharing with you about ACIP’s recommendations and our next steps moving forward.
Thank you. I look forward to your questions. And with that, I will turn things over to Dr. Fauci.
DR. FAUCI: Thank you very much, Dr. Walensky. I’m going to give now a brief update on the science, particularly focusing on the vaccine.
If I can go to the first slide.
This is the slide that I’ve shown to this group before. But just building on what Dr. Walensky just said, we really are looking forward with the very positive anticipation to the final determination of the VRBPAC and the FDA concerning the Johnson & Johnson or Janssen vaccine.
What this means from the data we looked at: that we now have three highly effective vaccines. Importantly, each of them are very effective against severe disease, and virtually all of them say that you look at the data, and it’s clear that you get essentially no hospitalizations or deaths in any.
This is very good news. So, again, we have three candidates now that are in play. We look forward to the results, as Dr. Walensky said. This should be forthcoming, hopefully within the next day or two, together with the recommendations about how it is to be utilized.
In addition, on this particular slide, there are other candidates that have fulfilled enrollment, and we’re looking forward with them too.
The bottom line is that the more vaccines that have high efficacy that we can get into play, the better there is.
Next slide.
Now, one of the things that was mentioned by Dr. Walensky is the fact that we have variants that are in play. We have the 117 that is increasing in its prevalence now in the country, with modeling telling us that, by the end of March, it might be the overwhelming candidate for — not candidate, but the overwhelming strain that is actually spreading.
We also have the others that Dr. Walensky mentioned: the 427 in California, the 526 in New York. We must address these. There are a couple of ways of doing that.
Let’s take a look at the 351 that has attracted a lot of attention, which was originally in South Africa, is not dominant at all here in the United States, but we need to pay attention to it. One of the ways to do that is to make a version of the vaccine, which actually directly addresses the particular variant in question.
Could I have the next slide?
And what we’ve seen: that, just two days ago, that the Moderna company began the clinical trials to booster the — to provide booster shots for the variant from South Africa. What they did, actually, as the first step to beginning these trials, which will begin in mid-March, they sent material to the NIH for a phase one study.
Next slide.
Now, if you take a look at this, what this will be is that it’s a variant-specific vaccine candidate, which we’re referring to as mRNA 1273.351, with the 351 designated that is against specifically the variant which is a 351, which was first identified in South Africa. And as I mentioned, we will conduct a phase one study, which we will begin in mid-March, in both naive and previously vaccinated adults.
Next slide.
On this last slide, I show you the two cohorts to just give you an example of what the prototype model approach that is being taken when you want to directly address a specific variant. One of these studies — the cohort one — will be in previously vaccinated volunteers, namely looking at individuals — and again, this is a phase one study — not looking at efficacy, but looking at safety and immunogenicity. And that is the way things will likely go over the next several months as this company and others approve, namely taking a look at can you induce a level of antibodies specifically against the variant in question. In this case, it’s the 351.
And as you can see, the first cohort is in previously vaccinated volunteers, and the second cohort is in individuals who are either unvaccinated and not previously infected to determine if you were going to have a vaccine program that would be specifically directed against this particular variant, how would you design it. And this is the way to go.
I want to make one comment that I believe is important. One would ask: Are you going to have to do this with every variant? Because we cannot determine now where the 526 or the 427 or other variants will go. So there are two ways — actually three ways — one that’s common to both — that you address these variants.
First and foremost is to continue what Dr. Walensky mentioned at the close of her comments: to continue to double down on the public health measures that prevent the transmission. Because, as I’ve said often, and it’s true in virology, that viruses will not mutate if you don’t give them the opportunity to spread and replicate. So public health measures are paramount.
Secondly, you can go after the specific mutants, the specific variants, as I’ve shown here. But there’s another way to do it, and this has to do somewhat indirectly with what we heard yesterday from Albert Bourla, who is the CEO of Pfizer, when he was talking about the idea of maybe yet again another boost, meaning the higher the titer of antibody against even the wild type will have spillover effects in mitigating the problem that is created by the variants. And we know that from experience with the 351, in which the effect of vaccination was diminished by multiple fold, but it wasn’t obliterated because of the cushion of a high level of antibody.
So, a couple of things going on: A, you can directly address it specifically, or you can get as high a robust response from the vaccine in question that would have an effect on the variant.
So let me stop there and hand it back to Andy.
ACTING ADMINISTRATOR SLAVITT: Thank you. And before we turn to the — for questions, I want to maybe pose a question to Dr. Fauci. This — thank you for providing all of us with an overview of the strategy to stay ahead of and target variants as needed on an ongoing basis, but I want to ask a simple question: If you are someone who today is contemplating whether or not you should get a vaccination, should any of this cause you to delay your thinking about getting a vaccination until some of these developments occur, or should people go out and quickly and hastily get their vaccines?
DR. FAUCI: Overwhelmingly, the latter, Andy. Right now, get vaccinated. The vaccine that’s available to you, get that vaccine. It is important to get as many people vaccinated as quickly and as expeditiously as possible. A very firm answer to that question.
ACTING ADMINISTRATOR SLAVITT: Okay. Thank you for clarifying that.
All right, let’s go to questions.
February 26, 2021: Centers for Reproductive Rights posted News titled: “Tennessee’s Medically Unsound ‘Abortion Reversal’ Law Remains Blocked by Federal Courts”. From the News:
Today, a federal court in Tennessee issued a preliminary injunction, blocking a state law that would have forced doctors to provide false and misleading information to their patients about the potential to “reverse” a medication abortion; the unproven claim has no basis in credible medical research. This injunction comes after the court issued a temporary restraining order against the law last year.This law was an attempt by politicians to erode the trust between patients and their providers by forcing doctors to lie to patients and share misinformation that isn’t backed up by credible science. Had it gone into effect, providers would have been forced to share misinformation with patients – telling them it may be possible to “reverse” a medication abortion – at least 48 hours in advance of providing a medication abortion and again after the patient has taken the first medication, as well as post signs throughout their health centers informing patients about abortion “reversal” in large, bold print. Providers who refused to comply would have faced criminal prosecution for a Class E felony, punishable by up to six years in prison, and health centers would have faced a $10,000 daily fine for failure to display the required signs.“Reversal” laws are opposed by leading medical organizations, including the American Medical Association (AMA), the Society of Family Planning, and the American College for Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). In fact, the AMA is a party to a lawsuit in North Dakota challenging a similar “reversal” law.In today’s preliminary injunction, Judge William Campbell, Jr., U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee said: “In the Court’s view, misleading an undecided patient into beginning a procedure that may have unalterable consequences by suggesting she can ‘reverse’ it later is not a result desired by either side.”…Center for Reproductive Rights
February 26, 2021: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services posted a Press Release titled: “Biden Administration Strengthens Requirements that Plans and Issuers Cover COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing Without Cost Sharing and Ensures Providers are Reimbursed for Administering COVID-19 Vaccines to Uninsured”. From the Press Release:
In accordance with the Executive Order President Biden signed on January 21, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), together with the Department of Labor and the Department of the Treasury, (collectively, the Departments) issued new guidance today removing barriers to COVID-19 diagnostic testing and vaccinations and strengthening requirements that plans and issuers cover diagnostic testing without cost sharing.This guidance makes clear that private group health plans and issuers generally cannot use medical screening criteria to deny coverage for COVID-19 diagnostic tests for individuals with health coverage who are asymptomatic, and who have no known or suspected exposure to COVID-19. Such testing must be covered without cost sharing, prior authorization, or other medical management requirements imposed by the plan or issuer. For example, covered individuals wanting to ensure they are COVID-19 negative prior to visiting a family member would be able to be tested without paying cost sharing. The guidance also includes information for providers on how to get reimbursed for COVID-19 diagnostic testing or for administering the COVID-19 vaccine to those who are uninsured.This announcement clarifies the circumstances in which group health plans and issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage must cover COVID-19 diagnostic tests without cost sharing, prior authorization, or other medical management requirements to include tests for asymptomatic individuals without known or suspected exposure to COVID-19. In addition, the guidance confirms that plans and issuers must cover point-of-care COVID-19 diagnostic tests, and COVID-19 diagnostic tests administered at state or locally administered testing sites. The Departments have received many questions about plan and issuer responsibility to cover COVID-19 diagnostic testing for individuals who are asymptomatic and have no known or suspected recent exposure to COVID-19. Today’s guidance clarifies that plans and issuers generally must cover, with no cost sharing, COVID-19 diagnostic tests regardless of whether the patient is experiencing symptoms or has been exposed to COVID-19 when a licensed or authorized health care provider administers or has referred a patient for such a test. Additionally, plans and issuers are prohibited from requiring prior authorization or other medical management for COVID-19 diagnostic testing.This guidance also reinforces existing policy regarding coverage for the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine and highlights avenues for providers to seek federal reimbursement for costs incurred when administering COVID-19 diagnostic testing or a COVID-19 vaccine to those who are uninsured. One such existing program is through the Provider Relief Fund program, which has a separate effort for providers to submit claims and seek reimbursement on a rolling basis for COVID-19 testing, COVID-19 treatment, and administering COVID-19 vaccines to uninsured individuals (the HRSA COVID-19 Uninsured Program)… The HRSA Uninsured Program has already reimbursed providers more than $3 billion for the testing and treatment of uninsured individuals, and expects to see vaccine administration claims as states scale up their vaccination efforts. To further build awareness about the availability of this program, this announcement seeks comment on strategies to connect those without insurance to care from providers participating in this fund…CMS
February 27, 2021:The White House posted a Statement titled: “Statement by President Joe Biden on Emergency Use Authorization of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine“. From the Statement:
Today, after a rigorous, open, and objective scientific review process, the Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization for a third safe and effective vaccine to help us defeat the COVID-19 pandemic — the Janssen COVID-19 (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine. This is exciting news for all Americans, and an encouraging development in our efforts to bring an end to the crisis.We know that the more people get vaccinated, the faster we will overcome the virus, get back to our friends and loved ones, and get our economy back on track. Thanks to the brilliance of our scientists, the resilience of our people, and the eagerness of Americans in every community to protect themselves and their loved ones by getting vaccinated, we are moving in the right direction. I look forward to speaking more about today’s news and updating the American people on our progress this coming week.But I want to be clear: this fight is far from over. Though we celebrate today’s news, I urge all Americans — keep washing your hands, stay socially distanced, and keep wearing masks. As I have said many times, things are still likely to get worse again as new variants spread, and the current improvement could reverse. My Administration will not make the mistake of taking this threat lightly, or just assuming the best: that’s why we need the American Rescue Plan to keep this fight going in the months ahead.There is light at the end of the tunnel, but we cannot let our guard down now or assume that victory is inevitable. We must continue to remain vigilant, act fast and aggressively, and look out for one another — that is how we are going to reach that light together.White House
This blog post will be updated if and when additional relevant information is found.
Health Care Under Biden-Harris – February 2021 is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. If you enjoyed this blog post please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. Thank you! [...]
COVID Pandemic
February 2, 2023Photo by René DeAnda on Unsplash
This blog post is focused on the COVID-19 protections that the Biden-Harris Administration put in place during January of 2021. I am pulling some this information from a generalized health care post that can be found in the “Out of Spoons” section of Book of Jen. I also included relevant information from (then) Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
January 15, 2021
January 15: President-elect Biden posted “Fact Sheet: President-elect Biden Outlines COVID-19 Vaccination Plan” From the Fact-Sheet:
Effectively and equitably vaccinating the U.S. population will happen through stronger partnership with states and communities, increased supply, more vaccination sites, and more vaccinators.
The COVID-19 pandemic is getting worse by the day – more people are hospitalized with COVID-19 than ever before, the death rate is up almost 20 percent, and we’re nearing 400,000 deaths total. At the same time, there is a new, more contagious strain spreading across the country and we are woefully behind on vaccinating the U.S. population.
President-elect Biden will confront this historic challenge with the full strength of the federal government – working closely with local communities already in the trenches. He will lead an unprecedented, whole-of-society effort that mobilizes every resource available – across the public and private sectors. It will take every American doing their part.
As we move forward to get vaccines in arms as quickly as possible, we will not leave anyone behind. Communities across the country are counting on it. The health and economic security of our nation depend on it.
Today, the president-elect outlined key highlights of his plan to efficiently and equitably vaccinate the U.S. population. This includes taking action to:
Get more people vaccinated
Encourage states to allow more people to be vaccinated including individuals 65 and older as well as frontline workers. The process of establishing priority groups was driven by science, but the implementation has been too rigid and confusing. We now see doses of vaccines sitting in freezers unused while people who want the vaccine cannot get it. President-elect Biden’s plan encourages states to open up eligibility beyond healthcare workers and long-term care facility residents and staff, to include frontline essential workers like teachers, first responders, grocery store employees, and anyone who is 65 and older. It won’t mean that everyone in this groups will get vaccinated immediately, as supply is not where it needs to be. But it will mean that as vaccines become available, they will reach more people who need them. For states with the capacity and supply to further expand, we encourage that as well. The federal government will continue to look to the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) framework for an equitable, effective vaccination program.
Ensure equity throughout the vaccination process to reach those hard-to-reach, marginalized communities. We will ensure that there is equity in the vaccination process by using data to target resources to hard-hit communities, ensuring no out-of-pocket costs for vaccinations, and equitable access to vaccines in marginalized and medically-underserved communities. Partnerships with states local and community-based organizations and trusted health care providers, like community health centers, will be central to this effort.
Create more vaccination sites
Stand up new, federally-supported community vaccination centers across the country. Getting as many people as vaccinated as quickly as possible will require close coordination between the federal government and all states and territories. Knowing that not all states and jurisdictions have the resources to scale vaccinations at the pace this crisis demands, the Biden-Harris administration will leverage federal resources and emergency contracting authorities to launch new vaccination sites and to expand state and local efforts across the country. With the support of Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), these sites will mobilize thousand of clinical and non-clinical staff and contractors who will work hand-in-glove with the National Guard and state and local teams. The program will be scaled based on what is working best on the ground for state and local partners, and the communities they serve.
Fully reimburse state deployment of the National Guard to support vaccinations and provide additional FEMA assistance. Many states are planning to use their National Guard to support vaccine distribution efforts, including support critical transportation and logistics functions. To further support states, President-elect Biden’s plan fully reimburses states for the use of the National Guard and provides 100% cost match for state and local emergency costs through FEMA.
Launch mobile vaccination clinics and provider partnerships to reach underserved urban areas and rural communities. President-elect Biden will deploy mobile vaccination clinics in the most hard-to-reach communities and to support those who face challenges accessing vaccination sites, including individuals who live in underserved urban and rural areas. The federal government will partner with states and local providers, including primary care providers, to ensure that they have the resources needed to help get vaccines to the communities they serve. The federal government will launch targeted programs to engage community health centers, rural health clinics, critical access hospitals, and tribal health services to ensure that we can meet the needs of all communities.
Make vaccines available in pharmacies. Millions of Americans turn to their local pharmacies every day for their medicines, flu shots, and much more. Nearly 90 percent of Americans live within five miles of a pharmacy. President-elect Biden will quickly jumpstart efforts to increase capacity at chain and independent pharmacies across the country to get Americans vaccinated.
Launch a new partnership with Federally Qualified Health Centers nationwide. Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) serve more than 30 million patients each year – one in 11 people nationwide. Many are people of color and many live in rural communities. FQHC patients are often individuals struggling to make ends meet. Given the critical role that these providers play in their communities, President-elect Biden will launch new program to ensure that FQHCs can directly access vaccine supply where needed. At the same time, the administration will encourage jurisdictions to engage and work closely with health centers in their community vaccination planning. And to ensure that health centers have the resources they need to successfully launch vaccination programs, President-elect Biden has called on Congress to provide additional funds to support community health centers, and HHS will launch a new program to provide guidance, technical assistance, and other resources to prepare and engage the providers nationwide.
Launch new models to serve high-risk individuals. The administration will make programs available for high-risk congregate settings, including homeless shelters, jails, and institutions that serve individuals with intellectual and development disabilities.
Increase supply and get it out the door as quickly possible
Ensure a robust vaccine supply and spur manufacturing. To help people get vaccinated more quickly, the president-elect will maximize the manufacture of vaccine and vaccine supplies for the country, including using the Defense Production Act. This effort will prioritize supplies that could cause bottlenecks, including glass vials, stoppers, syringes, needles, and the “fill and finish” capacity to package vaccine into vials.
Be a reliable partner for states by providing actionable data on vaccine allocation timelines and delivery. To effectively plan and scale distribution, states and localities rely on both advanced understanding of they allocations and timely delivery other ordered doses. Under President-elect Biden’s plan, the federal government will provide regular projections of the allocations states and localities will receive. The federal government will build on the operational plans in place to ensure the effective distribution, storage, and transit of vaccines to states, including support for maintaining or augmenting the vaccine-specific required cold chain. The federal government will also fully leverage the Defense Production Act to fill any distribution gaps, including with respect to any needed refrigeration, transportation, or storage facilities.
Increase vaccine availability while maintaining a commitment to the two-dose schedule. President-elect Biden’s plan will release the vast majority of the vaccines when they are available, so more people can get vaccinated quickly, while still retaining a small reserve for any unforeseen shortages or delays. To continue ensuring second-dose availability on the timeline recommended by the FDA, the Biden-Harris administration will closely monitor development, production and release of vaccines, and use the DPA as needed to ensure adequate supply for second doses on the timeline recommended by the FDA.
Mobilize more personnel to get shots in arms.
Surge the public health workforce to support the vaccination effort. A diverse, community-based public health workforce is essential to an effective vaccination program. President-elect Biden will address workforce, including by expanding scope of practice laws and waiving licensing requirements as appropriate. The federal government, in partnership with sates, will provide appropriate training, including thorough use of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned The president-elect will also act swiftly to amend the current COVID-19 Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act declaration to permit certain qualified professionals, including retired medical professionals, that are not licensed under state law to administer vaccines to be able to do so without appropriate training in order to expand the number of qualified professionals able to administer the vaccine.
Mobilize a public health jobs program to support COVID-19 response. President-elect Biden has asked Congress to make an historic investment in expanding the public health workforce, funding 100,000 public health workers to nearly triple the country’s community health roles. These individuals will be hired to work in their local outreach and contact tracing in the near term, and transition into community health roles to build our long-term public health capacity that will help improve quality of care and reduce hospitalization for low-income and underserved communities.
Ensure the American people have the information and confidence they need to get vaccinated
Launch a federally led, locally focused public education campaign. The federal government will build public trust through increased transparency, communication and around progress and setbacks, and a public education campaign that addresses vaccine hesitancy and is tailored to meet the needs of local communities. The campaign will work to elevate trusted local voices and outline the historic efforts to deliver a safe and effective vaccine as part of a national strategy for beating COVID-19.
January 15: Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Democrat) posted a Press Release titled: “Pelosi Statement on Biden-Harris Administration National Vaccine Strategy” From the Press Release:
Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued this statement on the announcement from the incoming Biden-Harris Administration outlining their vaccine plan:
“The Biden-Harris Administration’s plan takes a giant leap forward to take our nation from vaccine to vaccination, so that we can crush the coronavirus – and do so in an equitable, effective way. With this plan, President-elect Biden is sending a powerful message to the American people: Help Is On The Way.
“The Biden-Harris vaccine plan is a 180-degree reversal from the disastrous vaccine distribution failure of the Trump Administration. Instead of the Trump Administration’s abandoning of state and local governments, the Biden plan works hand-in-hand with our partners to immediately stop the accelerating spread the virus, including by:
Getting more people vaccinated: encouraging states to allow more people to be vaccinated including individuals 65 and older as well as frontline workers and ensuring equity throughout the vaccination process to reach those in hard-to-reach, marginalized communities.
Creating more vaccination sites: creating new federally-supported community vaccination centers, fully reimbursing state deployment of the National Guard to support vaccination, launching mobile vaccination clinics and partnerships to reach underserved and high-risk communities, and making vaccines available in pharmacies.
Increasing supply and distribution: ensuring a robust vaccine supply and spur manufacturing, providing actionable data on vaccine allocation timelines and delivery, and increasing vaccine availability while maintaining a commitment to the two-dose schedule.
Mobilizing more personnel to get shots in arms: surging the public health workforce to support the vaccination effort and mobilizing public health jobs program to support COVID-19 response, all in a culturally competent way.
Ensuring that the American people have the information and confidence to get vaccinated: launching a federally led and locally focused public education campaign.
“The Democratic House stands ready to work with the Biden-Harris Administration to immediately launch this plan. As the vaccine is being made widely available, we must work to crush the virus with the testing, tracing, treatment, mask wearing and social distancing that are essential to preventing tens of thousands of needless deaths in the coming months.”
January 15: Senator Chuck Schumer posted a Press Release titled: “As NY Ramps Up Vaccination Efforts, Schumer, Gillibrand Demand Feds Immediately Address Significant COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Failures; Senators Urge HHS To Implement Comprehensive National Vaccine Plan & Work To Combat Health Inequities” From the Press Release:
Nationally, 2.6 Million Americans Have Been Vaccinated, Missing Initial 20-Million-By-End-Of-December Goal; In NY, Phase 1B Is Underway With Broadened Eligibility Criteria
Senators Say HHS Must Prove Resources, Support And Guidance To State, Local, Tribal, And Territorial Governments In Order to Efficiently Distribute And Administer Vaccines To People Across New York.
Schumer, Gillibrand: Feds Failure In COVID Vaccine Distribution Must Be Fixed To Get All New Yorkers Vaccinated ASAP
As New York embarks on phase 1B of its COVID-19 vaccination rollout, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today called out the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) failure to develop and implement a comprehensive national vaccine plan, despite having months to do so, and demanded the Department take immediate action to fix the significant failures of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution process. The senators said they have been requesting HHS work and communicate with state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, vaccine and PPE manufacturers, public health experts, and health care providers for months to develop a plan for COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration.
“The biggest thing we want to ensure about the coronavirus vaccine is access. The vaccine must be available to whoever needs and wants it,” said Senator Schumer. “By refusing to work with local governments to implement a national vaccine plan, HHS is failing New Yorkers who are earnestly waiting their turn for a vaccine, and they must step up to address the health inequities and distribution failures. In order to succeed in the collective goal of public health, I am demanding that HHS fix its broken distribution plan and work with municipalities to get New Yorkers vaccinated ASAP.”
“New York’s health systems have been stretched to the limits and as the virus surges across the state, federal support is necessary to effectively distribute and administer vaccines,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The Trump administration’s lack of leadership has hampered our nation’s vaccine distribution and resulted in doses of vaccine expiring before reaching Americans. Even in the final days of this administration, it’s crucial that they enact a robust federal plan to allow the incoming Biden administration to quickly reach every American in need of a vaccine. The Biden Administration should not have to start from scratch to form close partnerships with state and local governments in order to deliver detailed guidance and essential resources to speed up vaccine administration.”
Schumer and Gillibrand underscored that a successful plan must include guidance and best practices on taking the vaccine from distribution to administration, provide all necessary resources to state, local, Tribal, and territorial governments and other jurisdictions, account for the significant challenges jurisdictions face in scaling up their workforces, and act to ensure vaccine distribution efforts also combat health inequities. The senators also called for HHS to launch a massive public facing campaign to promote vaccine confidence and help people understand where, when and how to get vaccinated.
In the coming weeks, the senators emphasized that HHS must engage with states to proactively identify and address challenges to ensure COVID-19 vaccines are quickly and equitably distributed and administered across the country.
Additionally, Senator Gillibrand recently called for the passage of the Health Force, Resilience Force, and Jobs to Fight COVID-19 Act to address the nation’s lagging vaccine campaign by investing billions in local public health infrastructure and recruiting, training and employing hundreds of thousands of Americans to administer and distribute vaccines, particularly in underserved communities. Community-based public health jobs and resources, like those created by the Health Force, are known to improve local vaccine education, outreach, and vaccination rates. The Health Force proposal would ensure the federal government has a proactive and coordinated approach to vaccine distribution and administration – including delivering $40 billion a year, for the first two years, to meet the COVID-19 vaccine distribution needs and address the various public health challenges caused by the pandemic.
Senator Schumer and Senator Gillibrand’s letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar, signed alongside 43 other senators appears below:
Dear Secretary Azar:
We write to you with concerns about significant challenges in COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration across the country and to outline key actions the Trump Administration should have taken – and must now take – to address these challenges. With our health system and economy in crisis, and millions of lives at stake, we cannot afford for this vaccination campaign to continue to be hindered by the lack of planning, communication, and leadership we have seen so far.
President Trump tweeted on January 3rd that “the vaccines are being delivered to the states by the Federal Government far faster than they can be administered!” That should have been an indicator of a failed vaccine roll out, not a point of pride. It is the federal government’s role to ensure states, Tribes, localities, and the public are receiving the resources and support they need, rather than requiring every jurisdiction to manage on their own without the benefit of the national resources and perspective that only the federal government can provide.
Since July, we have been calling on the Trump Administration to work with states, Tribes, and localities, vaccine and PPE manufacturers, public health experts, congregate care settings, and other health care providers to develop a comprehensive, national plan for vaccines. Since September, when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Operation Warp Speed (OWS) first published their playbook and strategy for vaccine distribution, state, Tribal and local health departments have said that they need clear communication, transparent decision-making, evidence-based guidance, and financial resources to effectively implement vaccine administration plans.
Despite months to plan, the Trump Administration has failed to meet these needs or deliver promised doses to jurisdictions, and as a result of this lack of planning, only 36 percent of distributed vaccines have been administered. We hope the recently announced efforts to scale up vaccinations in pharmacies will help to turn the tide but it is clear much more is needed. States, Tribes, and localities, providers, and the public are being left without federal support or clear, complete information about what to expect in the future as nearly 300,000 Americans fall ill daily from this virus.
In order to avoid these failures, the Trump Administration should have issued and implemented a comprehensive national vaccines plan, including detailed guidance and an infusion of resources to support states. Federal responsibility does not end with the delivery of vaccines to states, as you have suggested. Vaccine administration must be a close partnership between the federal government and state, Tribal, and local governments, with the federal government stepping up to ensure that all needs are met. A vaccine allocated on a spreadsheet, or even a vaccine distributed and sitting on a shelf, is not enough to protect anyone. The metric that matters, and where we are clearly moving too slowly, is vaccines in arms. A comprehensive national plan should:
include robust guidance for states, Tribes, localities and health care providers including on personal protective equipment (PPE) usage, vaccine administration prioritization, and best practices for taking the vaccine from distribution to administration;
specify how the Federal government will support these entities with funding, supplies, information, and personnel – which thus far the Trump Administration has failed to do; and
account for the significant challenges jurisdictions face in scaling up their workforces while continuing other lifesaving public health work, which may include providing increased support for mass vaccination clinics and mobile testing units, as well as supplementing the vaccination workforce including vaccinators, logistical support, and more.
In the absence of this long-overdue national plan, it is all the more important that the Trump Administration actively engage with state planning efforts in the coming days, identify challenges across distribution and administration, and proactively address problems that arise in partnerships with jurisdictions.
In order to support the efforts outlined in a comprehensive, national plan, the Trump Administration must also quickly provide robust vaccine distribution to funding to States, Tribes, and localities. In advance of the vaccine distribution efforts commencing, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) had provided just $617 million in funding for vaccine efforts – this amount was woefully inadequate.
In fact, the Trump Administration falsely stated as recently as November that States did not need funding for vaccine distribution. Ultimately, Congress provided $8.75 billion for vaccine distribution efforts in the recently enacted COVID relief bill which will meaningfully help states execute their vaccine administration plans. The bill requires a portion of this funding to be sent to states within 21 days, and President Trump’s delay in signing this legislation should not further delay the distribution of these funds.
We recognize that the CDC announced the availability of $3 billion for states for vaccination activities, but we cannot afford a repeat performance of this Administration’s decision to sit on billions of dollars in testing funds when states urgently needed them. The Trump Administration must ensure strong support reaches jurisdictions as soon as possible to support their critical work. The challenges we are seeing in vaccine distribution also underscore the need for robust and permanent investments in public health infrastructure to get us out of this cycle of crisis and response.
The Trump Administration must act to correct the lack of transparency and communication from the federal government around COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration. Over the first two weeks of vaccine distribution, more than a dozen states found their actual vaccine allocations fell significantly below initial OWS allocation forecasts. For several days, OWS denied these discrepancies, before ultimately admitting officials had provided states with flawed numbers. Even now, states are given just one week of advanced notice about the number of doses they will receive and have been given no information about distribution projections after February.
Local health departments are largely excluded from planning calls with OWS and CDC, even though they often ultimately receive and administer vaccines. There is no federal plan to publicly release sufficient data on vaccinations in long-term care settings, where more than 133,350 residents have died, accounting for 37 percent of all deaths from COVID-19. The federal Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program, which states expected to rely on to support vaccination of these particularly vulnerable populations, has administered only 17 percent of the vaccines distributed to these facilities to date.
Jurisdictions and health care providers are not the only ones in the dark; members of the public do not know when, where, or how they will be able to be vaccinated. CDC already supports a national portal to provide information to the public on where they can receive flu vaccines and other vaccines; the public needs this and more information when it comes COVID-19 vaccines, which should be broadly publicized.
Furthermore, while some states are taking steps to educate providers and the public to improve communication and build trust, the Trump Administration has failed to meaningfully address vaccine confidence, after spending months directly undermining such confidence by casting doubt on our nation’s world-class scientists and scientific agencies. The Trump Administration should launch a long-overdue, large-scale public awareness campaign and work with leaders in communities across the country to provide science-based information to promote high vaccination rates. The federal government must play a proactive role in improving transparency and communication with public health departments and the American people.
Finally, the Trump Administration must also act to ensure vaccine distribution efforts combat rather than exacerbate health inequities that have been laid bare by the COVID 19 pandemic. A failure to plan strategically and proactively for vaccine distribution means communities of color, residents of congregate care facilities, rural communities, and other populations disproportionately at-risk will remain neglected in our pandemic response. This is especially true for the millions of health care workers of color who provide the daily care and support for residents of congregate care settings and who provide home health care. We have seen the toll this pandemic has taken on vulnerable communities, and the egregious health disparities that have resulted from this pandemic, and we must act to combat these inequities.
Since FDA granted the first emergency use authorization for a COVID-19 vaccine, only 2 percent of Americans have been vaccinated. In that same time, the United States passed 20 million cumulative cases of COVID-19 and saw a new record in daily deaths from COVID-19 when over 4,085 Americans died on January 7. Of the 20 million doses promised by the end of 2020, only 4 million doses were administered before the end of the year. In light of this failed vaccine rollout admits a surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths, we urge you to finally take the steps necessary to ensure COVID-19 vaccines are quickly and equitably distributed and administered across the country.
January 19, 2021
January 19: Senator Chuck Schumer posted a Press Release titled: “Continuing Their Steadfast Support For Higher Ed During The Pandemic, Schumer, Gillibrand Deliver $1.4 Billion For New York’s Colleges And Universities As Part Of COVID Relief Package; Senators Say Higher Ed Institutions Face Huge Budget Shortfalls Amid Ongoing COVID Crisis” From the Press Release:
Institutions Of Higher Education Are Eliminating Majors & Departments, Pausing Admissions, And Cutting Staff To Make Ends Met During Economic Crisis
Schumer Negotiated, Gillibrand Shepherded Into Passage, $1.4 Billion For NYS Colleges And Universities Into Recent COVID Relief Package, Supplementing Amount Already Disbursed From CARES Act
Schumer, Gillibrand: Additional Aid For Higher Ed Will Help Fight Economic Pandemic
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kristen Gillibrand today announced an additional $1.4 billion in federal funding for New York state’s private, public, and proprietary institutions of higher education, allocated to the U.S. Department of Education’s (DOE) Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II by the recently Schumer-negotiated, Gillibrand backed, Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA). The funding is in addition to federal funding already allocated from the CARES Act in March.
“Our universities have been navigating the ongoing global pandemic, ripping huge holes in their budgets to prioritize the health and safety,” said Senator Schumer. “Today’s funding I prioritized in negotiations for the recent COVID relief package will help to mitigate some of the financial devastation our colleges and universities face as the crisis continues log beyond what anyone imagined. We need to ensure that our world-class institutions of higher education right here in New York are equipped with the assistance they need to make it through this crisis and thrive.”
“New York’s universities have been hit hard by this pandemic and they’ve been forced to make tough budget cuts in order to prioritize the health and safety of their students and staff. Federal funding is critical to ensure students maintain access to a strong education throughout this crisis,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The funding that Leader Schumer and I fought to deliver will provide an essential lifeline for these institutions to support students, provide essential technology and infrastructure for online learning, and fund increased expenses due to the pandemic. I’m proud to have secured this funding and I will continue working to deliver resources that our higher education institutions need to weather the COVID-19 crisis.”
Schumer and Gillibrand said that public and non-profit schools will be able to use their awards for financial aid grants to students, student support activities, and to cover a variety of institutional costs, including lost revenue, reimbursement for expenses already incurred, technology costs associated with a transition to distance education, faculty and staff trainings, and payroll. Proprietary schools must use their awards exclusively to provide financial aid grants to students.
The DOE specified that allocations to institutions were based on a formula that includes the relative shares of Federal Pell Grant recipients, the relative share of non-Pell Grant recipients, and the relative share of Federal Pell and non-Pell Grant recipients exclusively enrolled in distance education prior to the coronavirus emergency…
January 19: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi posted a press release titled: “Pelosi Statement on 400,000 American Coronavirus Deaths” From the press release:
Washington D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued this statement on the tragic milestone of 400,000 American lives lost to the coronavirus:
“Today, the hearts of all Americans break for the 400,000 who have died from the coronavirus – an unfathomable human toll almost beyond comprehension. As one country, we pray for all lost to this vicious virus: children, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and friends. It is our hope that tonight’s National Memorial and Lighting Ceremony may be a comfort to all affected.
“Tomorrow, when President-elect Biden is sworn in, the American people can have confidence that ‘help is on the way.’ The Biden-Harris emergency coronavirus relief package delivers the big, bold and urgent action that Congressional Democrats have been fighting for – including swift and equitable distribution of the vaccine to crush the virus, bigger direct payment checks, support for state and local government, extended unemployment insurance, and more aid for small businesses, renters and others who are struggling.
“As we mourn this devastating milestone, we must come together to move past the failed Trump response to crush the virus and deliver robust, real relief now.”
January 19: Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) posted a Press Release titled: “OCR Announces Notification of Enforcement Discretion for Use of Online or Web-Based Scheduling Applications for the Scheduling of COVID-19 Vaccination Appointments” From the Press Release”
Today, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it will exercise its enforcement discretion and will not impose penalties for violations of the HIPPA Rules on covered health care providers or their business associates in connection with the good faith use of online or web-based scheduling applications (collectively, “WBSAs”) for the scheduling of individual appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency. This exercise of enforcement discretion is effective immediately, but has retroactive effect to December 11, 2020.
The Notification explains that the exercise of enforcement discretion applies to covered health care providers and their business associates, including WBSA vendors (as WBSA is defined in this Notification), when the WSBA is used in good faith and only for the limited purpose of scheduling individual appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency. Although OCR is exercising enforcement discretion, the Notification encourages the use of reasonable safeguards to protect the privacy and security of individuals’ protected health information (PHI), such a using only the minimum necessary PHI, encryption technology, and enabling all available privacy settings.
“OCR is using all available means to support the efficient and safe administration of COVID-19 vaccines to as many people as possible,” said March Bell, Acting OCR Director.
January 19: Senator Chuck Schumer posted a Press Release titled: As COVID Cases Rise Again In Update New York, Schumer Reveals Significant Portion of Livingston County Still Does Not Have Sufficient Access To Broadband; Senator, In First Meeting With President-Elect Biden’s USDA Nominee, Renews Fight To Get $11 Million In USDA Grant Funding To Address The County’s Internet Access Needs” From the Press Release:
COVID-19 Has Revealed Serious Disparities In Rural Communities Throughout Update New York, Especially Exacerbating The Digital Divide; As Livingston County Communities Are Encouraged To Stay At Home Amidst A Resurgence In Cases, Broadband Access Has Never Been More Vital.
Senator Fought For Additional $7B In Recent COVID Relief Package To Fund Federal Broadband Programs & Is Pushing To Ensure Broadband Access For Rural Communities Is Among Top Priorities For Incoming Administration.
Schumer To USDA Nominee: Time To Dial Up The Funding & Close The Digital Divide In Livingston County
After a personal visit to Livingston County last August to discuss with local officials the need for more federal funding to expand broadband access, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer last week, in a virtual meeting with President-Elect Biden’s nominee for U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack, urged the nominee to prioritize universal access to affordable broadband, starting with approval of Livingston’s request for $11 million from the USDA’s Rural Development Broadband ReConnect Program.
The Senator explained that the $11 million grant would cover most of the expenses of a $15 million project that will initially provide broadband to 305 miles of Livingston County. Once this project is finished, there are plans for subsequent buildout phases to provide internet for the rest of Livingston County living without access.
“The current public health crisis is making it all too clear that the digital gap in communities across Upstate New York is far too wide,” said Senator Schumer. “Livingston County families, businesses, farms and communities need and deserve top-notch high-speed broadband to help them stay connected during these difficult times and to be as competitive as the economy eventually recovers. As incoming Senate Majority Leader, I promise to continue fighting tooth and nail to secure funding that brings 21st century telecommunications technology to our rural economies across Upstate.”
Livingston County and local telecom provider Empire Access, formed a public-private partnership to build out the new infrastructure to bring robust broadband to now under-served and un-served households. Empire Access, which is a 100-year-old family-owned telecom provider based in Prattsburgh, NY with customers in the Finger Lakes, Southern Tier, and Northern Pennsylvania, will still own and operate the infrastructure.
Schumer has provided strong support for rural broadband access in Upstate New York in the past and throughout the COVID pandemic. Just last month, he helped to secure $7 billion in emergency benefits for broadband service to provide free or low-cost service to low-income families who have been recently laid off or furloughed due to the pandemic.
In August, Schumer met with leaders from Livingston County and Empire access in the Town of York to announce his push to secure this grant funding and the letter he sent to USDA Secretary Purdue in support of the Livingston County application. Additionally, in March of last year, Schumer prioritized additional funding for rural broadband during negotiations for the CARES Act and provided an extra $100 million for the USDA ReConnect Program, which he voted to create in the FY19 Appropriations bill.
January 20, 2021
January 20: The White House posted a press release titled: “Fact Sheet: President-elect Biden’s Day One Executive Actions Deliver Relief for Families Across American Amid Converging Crises” From the press release:
Actions Address the COVID-19 Pandemic, Provide Economic Relief, Tackle Climate Change, and Advance Racial Equity
Today, hours after taking the oath of office, President-elect Biden will take a historic number of actions to deliver immediate relief for families across America that are struggling in the face of converging crises. He will sign a combination of executive orders, memoranda, directives, and letters to take initial steps to address these crises, including by changing the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, providing economic relief, tackling climate change, and advance racial equity. President-elect Biden will take action – not just to reverse the gravest damages of the Trump administration – but also to start moving our country forward. These actions are bold, begin the work of following through on President-elect Biden’s promises to the American people, and, importantly, fall within the constitutional role for the president.
Below are more details about how President-elect Biden’s executive actions will deliver relief for American families and address the crises we face.
CHANGING THE COURSE OF THE COVID PANDEMIC AND PROTECTING PUBLIC HEALTH
Launch a “100 Days Masking Challenge” and Leading by Example in the Federal Government
Today, President-elect Biden is launching his “100 Days Masking Challenge,” asking the American people to do their part – their patriotic duty – and mask up for 100 days. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that masks “are a critical tool in the fight against COVID-19 that could reduce the spread of the disease.” President-elect Biden is also doing his part by issuing an Executive Order today requiring masks and physical distancing in all federal buildings, on all federal lands, and by federal employees and contractors. He is also asking the Department of Health and Human Services and Center for Disease Control to engage with state, local, Tribal, and territorial officials to implement masking, physical distancing, and other CDC public measures stop the spread of COVID-19.
Re-Engage with the World Health Organization (WHO) to Make Americans and the World Safer
Today, President-elect Biden will take action to cease the previous Administration’s process of withdrawing from the World Health Organization – an entity that is critical to coordinating the international response to COVID-19, advancing preparedness for future epidemics and pandemics, and improving the health of all people. The Biden-Harris Administration – with Dr. Tony Fauci as Head of Delegation – will participate in the WHO Executive Board meeting that is ongoing this week. Dr. Fauci will deliver remarks as Head of Delegation to the Executive Board on January 21. Once the United States resumes its engagement with the WHO, the Biden-Harris Administration will work with the WHO and our partners to strengthen and reform the organization, support the COVID-19 health and humanitarian response, and advance global health and health security.
Structure Our Federal Government to Coordinate a Unified National Response
The federal government must act swiftly and aggressively to combat COVID-19. President-elect Biden will sign an Executive Order creating the position of COVID-19 Response Coordinator, who will report directly to the President and be responsible for coordinating all elements of the COVID-19 response across government, including managing efforts to produce, supply and distribute personal protective equipment, vaccines, and tests. In addition, this Executive Order restores the NSC Directorate for Global Health Security and Biodefense to focus on domestic and global biological threats, play a critical role in stopping the COVID-19 pandemic, and prevent future biological catastrophes.
PROVIDING ECONOMIC RELIEF AND SUPPORT TO WORKING FAMILIES
Extend Eviction and Foreclosure Moratoriums
The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered an almost unprecedented housing and affordability crisis. Today, 1 in 5 renters and 1 in 10 homeowners with a mortgage are behind on payments. President-elect Biden is asking the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to consider immediately extending the federal eviction moratorium until at least March 31, 202, while calling on Congress to provide much needed rental assistance and extend it further. And, he will ask the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Agriculture and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, to consider extending foreclosure moratoriums for federally guaranteed mortgages and continuing applications for forbearance for federally guaranteed mortgages until at least March 31, 2021. On Tuesday, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) extended its foreclosure and eviction moratoriums until February 28, 2021. The president-elect will call on the agency to consider extending the foreclosure moratorium further and continue forbearance applications for all loans guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Extend Student Loan Pause
Currently, borrowers owe over $1.5 trillion in federal student loans. Borrowers of all ages are often faced with a tough tradeoff between making their student loan payments, investing in their long-term financial future, or paying their bills. The pandemic has only increased the economic hardship of the millions of Americans who have student debt. The president-elect is asking the Department of Education to consider immediately extending the pause on interest and principal payments for direct federal loans until at least September 30, 2021.
TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE, CREATING GOOD UNION JOBS, AND ADVANCING ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
Rejoin the Paris Agreement on Climate Change
The president-elect will sign the instrument to rejoin the Paris Agreement. The instrument will be deposited with the United Nations today, and the United States will officially become a Party again 30 days later. The United States will be back in position to exercise global leadership in advancing the objectives of the Agreement.
Roll Back President Trump’s Environmental Actions in Order to Protect Public Health and the Environment and Restore Science
Today, President-elect Biden will sign an Executive Order that takes critical first steps to address the climate crisis, create good union jobs, and advance environmental justice, while reversing the previous administration’s harmful policies.
The order jumpstarts swift, initial action to tackle the climate crisis by:
Directing all executive departments and agencies to immediately review and take appropriate action to address federal regulations and other executive actions taken during the last four years that were harmful to public health, damaging to the environment, unsupported by the best available science, or otherwise not in the national interest, including agency actions on the attached list;
Directing agencies to consider revising vehicle fuel economy and emissions standards, methane emissions standards, and appliance and building efficiency standards to ensure that such standards cut pollution, save consumers money, and create good union jobs;
Directing the Department of Interior to protect our nation’s treasures by reviewing the boundaries and conditions of the Grand Staircase-Escalante, Bears Ears, Northeast Canyons, and Seamounts Marine National Monuments and placing a temporary moratorium on all oil and natural gas leasing activities in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge;
Re-establishing the Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) and directing the issuance of an interim social cost of GHG schedule to ensure that agencies account for the full costs of GHG emissions, including climate risk, environmental justice and intergenerational equity; and
Revoking, revising or replacing additional Executive Orders, Presidential Proclamations, Memoranda, and Permits signed over the past 4 years that do not serve the U.S. national interest, including revoking the Presidential permit granted to the Keystone XL pipeline.
ADVANCING RACIAL EQUITY & SUPPORTING UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES
The president-elect’s equity agenda is grounded in advancing racial justice and building back better for communities who have been underserved, including people of color and Americans with disabilities, LGBTQ+ Americans, religious minorities, and rural and urban communities facing persistent poverty.
Everyone across America benefits when we take deliberate steps to become a more just society. Analysis suggests that closing racial gaps in wages, housing credit, lending opportunities, and access to higher education would amount to an additional $5 trillion in gross domestic product in the American economy over the next 5 years, and create millions of new jobs. We are a nation founded on principles equality and it is in the government be intentional in ensuring that its policies reach all of us in an equitable way. By advancing such equity, the federal government can build pathways so that everyone across America has the opportunity to reach their potential.
President-elect Biden will sign executive actions today to:
Launch a Whole-of-Government Initiative to Advance Racial Equity
The president-elect will sign an Executive Order beginning the work of embedding equity across federal policymaking and rooting out systemic racism and other barriers to opportunity from federal programs and institutions. The Executive Order will define equity as the consistent and systemic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities, such as Black, Latino, Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and other persons of color; LGBTQ+ persons; people with disabilities; religious minorities, persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise affected by persistent poverty or inequality. The president-elect will:
Establish that advancing equity for all – including people of color and others who have been historically underserved and marginalized – is the responsibility of the whole of our government;
Direct every federal agency to undertake a baseline review of the state of equity within their agency and deliver an action plan within 200 days to address unequal barriers to opportunity in agency policies and programs;
Launch a new equitable data working group to ensure that federal data reflects the diversity of America;
Tasks the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) with working to more equitably allocate federal resources to empower the invest in communities of color and other underserved communities;
Improve the delivery of government benefits and services to ensure that families of all backgrounds across the country can access opportunity, for example by reducing language access barriers;
Study new methods that federal agencies can use to assess whether proposed policies advance equity;
Direct agencies to engage with communities who have been historically underrepresented, underserved, and harmed by federal policies
President-elect Biden has asked Ambassador Susan Rice, as Domestic Policy Advisor, to lead a robust interagency process to hold the federal government accountable for advancing equity for families across America.
In this Executive Order, the president-elect will also remind the Trump Administration’s 1776 Commission, which has sought to erase America’s history of racial injustice. And, he will revoke President Trump’s damaging executive order limiting the ability of federal government agencies, contractors and even some grantees from implementing important and needed diversity and inclusion training. Additional actions in the coming weeks will restore and reinvigorate the federal government’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
Reverse President Trump’s Executive Order Excluding Undocumented Immigrants from the Reapportionment Count
President-elect Biden will sign an Executive Order to revoke the prior Administration’s orders setting out an unlawful plan to exclude noncitizens from the census and apportionment of Congressional representatives. President-elect Biden will ensure that the Census Bureau has time to complete an accurate population count for each state. He will then present to Congress an apportionment that is fair and accurate so federal resources are efficiently and fairly distributed for the next decade.
Preserve and Fortify Protections for Dreamers
In 2012, the Obama-Biden administration adopted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) to provide temporary relief from deportation on a case-by-case basis to Dreamers, young people who were brought to this country as children. Since then, more than 700,000 young people have applied for this relief and met rigorous requirements and background checks. Many are serving our country in the armed services or as essential workers on the front lines of the pandemic.
The Trump administration has tried to terminate DACA since 2017, but the U.S. Supreme Court rejected that effort and required consideration of that decision. The program continues, accepting new applications and renewing DACA for those who qualify under the 2012 requirements. But those opposed to DACA continue to challenge the program threatening its continuance.
The president-elect is committed to preserving and fortifying DACA. Today, he will sign a Presidential Memorandum directing the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Attorney General, to take all appropriate actions under the law to achieve that goal. The Presidential Memorandum will also call on Congress to enact legislation providing permanent status and a path to citizenship for people who came to this country as children and have lived, worked, and contributed to our country for many years.
Reverse the Muslim Ban
The president-elect will sign an Executive Order putting an end to the Muslim Ban, a policy rooted in religious animus and xenophobia. It repeats Proclamations 9645 and 9983, which restrict entry into the United States from primarily Muslim and African countries, and instructs the State Department to restart visa processing for affected countries and to swiftly develop a proposal to restore fairness and remedy the harms caused by the bans, especially for individuals stuck in the waiver process and those who had immigrant visas denied. This is an important step in providing relief to individuals and families harmed by this Trump Administration policy that is inconsistent with American values. The Executive Action also provides for the strengthening of screening and vetting for travelers by enhancing information sharing with foreign governments and capacity building with our partners, and directs review of other Trump Administration “extreme vetting” practices.
Repeal of Trump Interior Enforcement Executive Order
President-elect Biden will sign an Executive Order revoking a Trump Executive Order that directed harsh and extreme immigration enforcement. This revocation will allow the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies to set civil immigration enforcement policies that best protect the American people and are in line with our values and priorities.
Stop Border Wall Construction
Bipartisan majorities in Congress refused in 2019 to fund President Trump’s plans for a massive wall along our southern border, even after he shut down the government over this issue. He then wastefully diverted billions of dollars to do that construction. By proclamation, President-Biden will today declare an immediate termination of the national emergency declaration that was used as a pretext to justify some of the funding diversions for the wall. The proclamation directs an immediate pause in wall construction projects to allow a close review of the legality of the funding and contracting methods used, and to determine the best way to redirect funds that were diverted by the prior Administration to fund wall construction.
Deferred Enforced Departure for Liberians Presidential Memorandum
The president-elect will sign a Presidential Memorandum to extend until June 20, 2022 the long-standing Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) designation for Liberians who have been in the United States for many years. Liberians with DED will also have their work authorization extended. This PM also directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to ensure that Citizen Immigration Services facilities ease of application and timely adjudication for Liberians applying for residency by the Liberian Relief and Fairness Act.
Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation
All persons should receive equal treatment under the law, no matter their gender identity of sexual orientation. The Biden-Harris Administration will prevent and combat discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation. To begin this work, President-elect Biden will sign an Executive Order that builds on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Bostock v. Clayton County (2020) and ensures that the federal government interprets Title VII of the the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as prohibiting workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. This Order will also direct agencies to take all lawful steps to make sure that federal anti-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, protecting the rights of LGBTQ+ persons.
ENSURING GOVERNMENT WORKS FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
Executive Branch Personnel Ethics Executive Order
President-elect Biden will sign an Executive Order to restore and maintain public trust in government, and ensure that we are a government for the people. The president-elect is ordering every appointee in the executive branch to sign an ethics pledge. The ethics pledge and related ethics rules in the Executive Order are designed to ensure that executive branch employees act in the interest of the American people and not for personal gain. And, the pledge commits federal employees to uphold the independence of the Department of Justice.
Regulatory Process Executive Order and Presidential Memorandum
Regulations are an important tool for the federal government to address the crises facing the nation. The Trump Administration unnecessarily hamstrung this critical tool by creating arbitrary obstacles to regulatory action. Today, the president-elect will issue a Presidential Memorandum withdrawing the Trump Administration’s regulatory process executives orders to remove those needless obstacles to regulating in the public’s interest. And, the president-elect will direct the Director of the OMB to develop recommendations for improving and modernizing regulatory review. These recommendations will create a process to advance regulations that promote public health and safety, economic growth, social welfare, racial justice, environmental stewardship, human dignity, equity, and the interests of future generations.
Today, the White House Chief of Staff will also issue a regulatory freeze memo that will pause any new regulations from moving forward and give the incoming Administration an opportunity to review any regulations that the Trump Administration tried to finalize in its last days. The memo directs all agencies to confer with the Director of OMB before renewing any regulatory activity. This action will allow the Biden Administration to prevent any detrimental so-called “midnight-regulations” from taking effect, while ensuring that urgent measures in the public’s interest can proceed.
As President-elect Biden works to aggressively tackle the simultaneous crises our country faces, he is focused on ensuring that the approaches he takes benefits working Americans and advance racial equity across our society. An assessment of how these day one actions further both of those fundamental goals of the Biden presidency is below.
THE PRESIDENT-ELECT’S EXECUTIVE ACTIONS ADVANCE RACIAL EQUITY
President-elect Biden’s executive actions to restore equal treatment under the law for people across America and to direct a whole-of-government approach to racial justice redirects the federal government to treat Americans fairly. These sweeping actions deliver on the president-elect’s commitments to equity and task agencies with taking immediate steps to redress injustices.
The COVID-19 crisis has claimed more than 400,000 American lives – but for Black and Brown Americans, it’s a mass casualty event. Because of structural racism, people of color are contracting COVID-19 at higher rates and dying from COVID-19 at higher rates. President-elect Biden’s orders to change the course of the virus, including establishing a coordinated national response and implementing a mask mandate on federal property, will help slow the spread of the virus in communities of color.
Extending the federal eviction moratorium and asking federal agencies to consider extending foreclosure moratoriums for federally guaranteed mortgages will provide relief to the families of color that face higher risks of eviction and housing loss.
The president-elect has also directed all executive departments and agencies to review actions taken over the last four years and revise those policies that run counter to his commitment to environmental justice, including undoing the harmful rollbacks of clean air and clean water protection that disproportionately impact low-income communities and communities of color.
THE PRESIDENT-ELECT’S EXECUTIVE ACTIONS SUPPORT AND PROTECT WORKERS
The president-elect’s day one executive actions will protect workers from COVID-19, including by ensuring that federal employees and contractors wear masks and follow other CDC guidelines, setting an example for employers around the country.
They will provide relief to American workers who have lost their jobs or had their hours or wages slashed through no fault of their own, by extending the pause on student debt and the eviction and foreclosure moratorium.
They will help spur the growth of American manufacturing and supply chains, competitiveness of our industries, and creation of good union jobs by directing agencies to consider revising vehicle fuel economy and emissions standards, methane emissions standards, and appliance and building efficiency standards.
And, they’ll take steps to prevent workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, and revoke President Trump’s damaging executive order which limited critical diversity and inclusion training in the workplace.
January 20: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Media Statement titled: “Media Statement from CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, on Extending the Eviction Moratorium” From the Media Statement:
As a protective public health measure, I will extend the current order temporarily halting residential evictions until at least March 31, 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a historic threat to our nation’s health. It has also triggered a housing affordability crisis that disproportionately affects some communities.
Despite extensive mitigation efforts, COVID-19 continues to spread in America at a concerning pace. We must act to get cases down and keep people in their homes and out of congregate settings – like shelters – where COVID-19 can take an even stronger foothold.
January 20: President Biden issued an executive order titled: “Executive Order on Protecting the Federal Workforce and Requiring Mask-Wearing”. From the executive order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 7902(c) of title 5, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of my Administration to halt the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by relying on the best available data and science-based public health measures. Such measures include wearing masks when around others, physical distancing, and other related precautions recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Put simply, masks and other public health measures reduce the spread of the disease, particularly when communities make widespread use of such measures, and thus save lives.
Accordingly, to protect the Federal workforce and individuals interacting with the Federal workforce, and to ensure the continuity of Government services and activities, on-duty or or on-site Federal contractors, and other individuals in Federal lands should all wear masks, maintain physical distance, and adhere to other public health measures, as provided in CDC guidelines.
Sec. 2. Immediate Action Regarding Federal Employees, Contractors, Buildings, and Lands. (a) The heads of executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall immediately take action, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to require compliance with CDC guidelines with respect to wearing masks, maintaining physical distance, and other public health measures by: on-duty or on-site Federal employees; Federal contractors; and all persons in Federal buildings or on Federal lands.
(b) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Director of the office of Personnel Management (OPM), and the Administrator of General Services, in coordination with the President’s Management Council and the Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator), shall promptly issue guidance to assist heads of agencies with implementation of this section.
(c) Heads of agencies shall promptly consult, as appropriate, with State, local, Tribal and territorial government officials, Federal employees, Federal employee unions, Federal contractors, and any other interested parties concerning the implementation of this section.
(d) Heads of agencies may make categorical or case-by-case exceptions in implementing subsection (a) of this section to the extent that doing so is necessary or required by law, and consistent with applicable law. If heads of agencies make such exceptions, they shall require appropriate alternative safeguards, such as additional physical distancing measures, additional testing, or reconfiguration of workspace, consistent with applicable law. Heads of agencies shall document all exceptions in writing.
(e) Heads of agencies shall review their existing authorities and, to the extent permitted by law and subject to the availability of appropriations and resources, seek to provide masks to individuals in Federal buildings when needed.
(f) The COVID-19 Response Coordinator shall coordinate the implementation of this section. Heads of the agencies listed in 31 U.S.C. 901(b) shall update the COVID-19 Response Coordinator on their progress in implementing this section, including any categorical exceptions established under subsection (d) of this section, within 7 days of the date of this order and regularly thereafter. Heads of agencies are encouraged to bring to the attention of the COVID-19 Response Coordinator any questions regarding the scope or implementation of this section.
Sec. 3: Encouraging Masking Across America. (a) The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), including through the Director of the CDC, shall engage, as appropriate, with State, local, Tribal and territorial officials, as well as business, union, academic and other community leaders, regarding mask-wearing and other public health measures, with the goal of maximizing public compliance with, and addressing any obstacles to, mask-wearing and other public health best practices identified by CDC.
(b) The COVID-19 Response Coordinator, in coordination with the Secretary of HHS, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the heads of other relevant agencies, shall promptly identify and inform agencies of options to incentivize, support, and encourage widespread mask-wearing consistent with CDC guidelines and applicable law.
Sec. 4 Safer Federal Workforce Task Force.
(a) Establishment. There is hereby established the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force (Task Force).
(b) Membership. The Task Force shall consist of the following members:
(i) the Director of OPM, who shall serve as Co-Chair;
(ii) the Administrator of General Services, who shall serve as Co-chair;
(iii) the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, who shall serves as Co-chair;
(iv) the Director of OMB;
(v) the Director of the Federal Protective Service;
(vi) the Director of the United States Secret Service;
(vii) the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency;
(viii) the Director of CDC; and
(ix) the heads of such other agencies as the Co-Chairs may individually or jointly invite to participate.
(c) Organization. A member of the Task Force may designate, to preform the Task Force functions of the member, a senior-level official who is a full-time officer or employee of the member’s agency. At the direction of the Co-Chairs, the Task Force may establish subgroups consisting exclusively of Task Force members or their designees, as appropriate.
(d) Administration. The General Services Administration shall provide funding and administrative support for the Task Force to the extent permitted by law and within existing appropriations. The Co-Chairs shall convince regular meetings of the Task Force, determine its agenda, and direct its work.
(e) Mission. The Task Force shall provide ongoing guidance to heads of agencies on the operation of the Federal Government, the safety of its employees, and the continuity of Government functions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Such guidance shall be based on public health best practices as determined by CDC and other public health experts, and shall address, at a minimum, the following subjects as they relate to the Federal workforce:
(i) testing methodologies and protocols;
(ii) case investigation and contact tracing;
(iii) requirements of and limitations on physical distancing, including recommended occupancy and density standards;
(iv) equipment needs and requirements, including personal protective equipment;
(v) air filtration;
(vi) enhanced environmental disinfection and cleaning;
(vii) safe commuting and telework options;
(viii) enhanced technological infrastructure to support telework;
(ix) vaccine prioritization, distribution, and administration;
(x) approaches for coordinating with State, local, Tribal and territorial health officials, as well as business, union, academic, and other community leaders;
(xi) any management infrastructure needed by agencies to implement public health guidance; and
(xii) circumstances under which exemptions might appropriately be made to agency policies in accordance with CDC guidelines, such as for mission-critical purposes.
(f) Agency Corporation. The head of each agency listed in 31 U.S.C. 901(b) shall, consistent with applicable law, promptly provided the Task Force a report on COVID-19 safety protocols, safety plans, or guidance regarding the operation of the agency and the safety of its employees, and any other information that the head of the agency deems relevant to the Task Force’s work.
Sec. 5. Federal Employee Testing. The Secretary of HHS, through the Director of the CDC, shall promptly develop and submit to the COVID-19 Response Coordinator a testing plan for the Federal workforce. This plan shall be based on community transmission metrics and address the populations to be tested, testing types, frequency of testing, positive case protocols, and coordination with local public health authorities for contact tracing.
Sec. 6. Research and Development. The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, in consultation with the Secretary of HHS (through the National Science and Technology Council), the Director of OMB, the Director of CDC, the Director of the National Institutes of Health, the Director of the National Science Foundation, and the heads of any other appropriate agencies, shall assess the availability of Federal research grants to study best practices for implementing, and innovations to better implement, effective mask-wearing and physical distancing policies, with respect to both the Federal workforce and the general public.
Sec. 7. Scope (a) For purposes of this order:
(i) “Federal employees” and “Federal contractors” mean employees (including members of the Armed Forces and members of the National Guard in Federal service) and contractors (including such contractors’ employees) working for the executive branch;
(ii) “Federal buildings” means buildings, or office space within buildings, owned, rented, or leased by the executive branch of which a substantial portion of occupants are Federal employees or Federal contractors; and
(iii) “Federal lands” means lands under executive branch control.
(b) The Director of OPM and the Administrator of General Services shall seek to consult, in coordination with the heads of any other relevant agencies and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, with the Sergeants at Arms of the Senate and the House of Representatives and the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts (or such other persons designated by the Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House, or the Chief Justice of the United States, respectively), to promote mask-wearing, physical distancing, and adherence to other public health measures within the legislative and judicial branches, and shall provide requested technical assistance as needed to facilitate compliance with CDC guidelines.
Sec. 8. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative purposes.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) Independent agencies are strongly encouraged to comply with the requirements of this order.
(d) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entitles, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 20: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Media Statement titled: “Media Statement from CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, on Extending the Eviction Moratorium” From the Media Statement:
As a protective public measure, I will extend the current order temporarily halting residential evictions until at least March 31, 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a historic threat to our nation’s health. It has also triggered a housing affordability crisis that disproportionately affects some communities.
Despite extensive mitigation efforts, COVID-19 continues to spread in America at a concerning pace. We must act to get cases down and keep people in their homes and out of congregate settings – like shelters – where COVID-19 can take an even stronger foothold.
January 20: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (Democrat-California) posted a press release titled: “Dear Colleague on President Biden’s Day One Executive Actions.” From the press release:
“Dear Democratic Colleague,
Today, when President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took the oath of office, it was a breath of fresh air for our democracy, for America and for our future. Happily, today, Senator Chuck Schumer became Majority Leader of the Senate.
Now, our Democratic House Majority will work to deliver progress For the People – to honor Joe Biden’s promise that “Help is On the Way.” Working with the Biden-Harris Administration and the new Democratic Majority in the Senate, we will ensure that our nation will recover from the coronavirus and economic crisis. And we will Build Back Better in a way that will advance justice, equality and progress for all Americans.
We must get to work immediately – which is why I am pleased to support President Biden’s Day One Executive Actions to meet the needs of the American people, which will start by addressing the coronavirus. These Executive Actions will:
Crush the coronavirus: by launching a unified, all-of-government response to increase mask-wearing and other science-based steps to stop the virus’s spread. It also takes specific action to address the disproportionate impact on communities of color, while recognizing the importance of re-engaging with the international community.
Deliver urgent economic relief: by extending moratoriums on evictions, foreclosures and student loan payments.
Combat the climate crisis: by rejoining the historic Paris Climate Agreement and rolling back Trump’s special interest, dirty energy Executive Actions.
Honor our nation’s diverse heritage: by protecting Dreamers and TPS and DED recipients, rescinding the Muslim ban and taking bold actions to end anti-LGBTQ discrimination.
Advance racial equality: by launching a whole-of-government initiative to promote racial equity.
January 20: The White House posted: “President Biden Announces American Rescue Plan” From the post:
Emergency Legislative Package to Fund Vaccinations, Provide Immediate, Direct Relief to Families Bearing the Brunt of the COVID-19 Crisis, and Support Struggling Communities
The COVID-19 pandemic and the corresponding economic crises are devastating families across the country. More than 20 million Americans have contracted COVID-19, and at least 370,000 have died. From big cities to small towns, too many Americans are barely scraping by, or not scraping by at all. And the pandemic has shined light on the persistence of racial injustice in our healthcare system and our economy. The need to act is clear in the lines at food banks, the small businesses that are closed closing, and the growing number of Americans experiencing housing insecurity. After nearly a year of the public health crisis, our nation remains in this dark winter of the pandemic and facing a deep economic crisis.
President Biden is laying out the first step of an aggressive two-step plan for rescue, from the depths of this crisis, and recovery, by investing in America, creating millions of additional good-paying jobs, combatting the climate crisis, advancing racial equity, and building back better than before.
While Congress’s bipartisan action in December was a step in the right direction, it was only a down payment. It fell far short of the resources needed to tackle the immediate crisis. We are in a race against time, and absent additional government assistance, the economic and public health crises could worsen in the months ahead; schools will not be able to safely reopen; and vaccinations will remain far too slow.
At last month’s jobs report underscored, the virus and our economy are intertwined. We cannot rescue our economy without containing the virus.
Today, President Biden is announcing the American Rescue Plan to change the course of the pandemic, build a bridge towards economic recovery, and invest in racial justice. The American Rescue Plan will address the stark, intergenerational inequities that have worsened in the wake of COVID-19. Researchers at Columbia University estimate that these proposals will cut child poverty in half.
Specifically, President Biden’s American Rescue Plan will:
Mount a national vaccination program, contain COVID-19, and safely reopen schools, including by setting up community vaccination sites nationwide, scaling up testing and tracing, eliminating supply shortage problems, investing in high-quality treatments, providing paid sick leave to contain spread of the virus, addressing health disparities, and making the necessary investments to meet the president’s goal of safely reopening a majority of K-8 schools in the first 100 days.
Deliver immediate relief to working families bearing the brunt of this crisis by sending $1,400 per-person checks to households across America, providing direct housing and nutrition assistance, expanding access to safe and reliable childcare and affordable healthcare, increasing the minimum wage, extending unemployment insurance, and giving families with kids and childless workers an emergency boost this year.
Support communities that are struggling in the wake of COVID-19 by providing support for the hardest-hit small businesses, especially small businesses owned by entrepreneurs of color, and protecting the jobs of the first responders, transit workers, and other essential workers we depend on.
In addition to addressing the public health and economic crises head on, the President’s plan will provide emergency funding to upgrade federal information technology infrastructure and address the recent breaches of federal government data systems. This is an urgent national security issue that cannot wait.
President Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan is ambitious, but achievable, and will rescue the American economy and start beating the virus. Congress should act expeditiously to help working families, communities, and small businesses persevere through the pandemic.
This legislative package is needed now to address the immediate crises. In the coming weeks, President Biden will lay out his economic recovery plan to invest in America, create millions of additional good-paying jobs, combat the climate crisis, and build back better than before.
Provide emergency relief and purchase critical supplies and deploy National Guard. Persistent supply shortages – from gloves and masks to glass vials and test reagents – are inhibiting our ability to provide testing and vaccination and putting frontline workers at risk. The president’s plan will invest $30 billion into the Disaster Relief Fund to ensure sufficient supplies and protective gear, and to provide 100% federal reimbursement for critical emergency response resources to states, local governments, and Tribes, including deployment of the National Guard. The president will call for an additional $10 billion investment in expanding domestic manufacturing for pandemic supplies. These funds will support President Biden in fulfilling his commitment to fully use the Defense Production Act and to safeguard the country by producing more pandemic supplies in the U.S.
Invest in treatments for COVID-19. Months into this pandemic, we still do not have reliable and accessible treatments. The federal government urgently needs to invest to support development, manufacturing, and purchase of therapies to ensure wide availability and affordability of effective treatments, as well as invest in studies of the long-term health impacts of COVID-19 and potential therapies to address them.
Protect workers against COVID-19. Millions of Americans, many of whom are people of color, immigrants, and low-wage workers, continue to put their lives on the line to keep the country functioning through the pandemic. They should not have to lie awake at night wondering if they’ll make it home from work safely the next day, or if they’ll bring home the virus to their loved ones and communities. The president is calling on Congress to authorize the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to issue a COVID-19 Protection Standard that covers a broad set of workers, so that workers not typically covered by OSHA, like many public workers on the frontlines, also receive protection from unsafe working conditions and retaliation. And, President Biden is calling on Congress to provide additional funding for OSHA enforcement and grant funding, including for the Susan Harwood grant program, for organizations to help keep vulnerable workers healthy and safe from COVID-19. These steps will help keep more workers healthy, reopen more businesses safely, and beat the virus.
Restore U.S. leadership and build better preparedness. Protecting the United States from COVID-19 requires a global response, and the pandemic is a grave reminder that biological threats can pose catastrophic consequences to the United States and the world. The president’s plan will provide $11 billion including to support the international health and humanitarian response; mitigate the pandemic’s devastating impact on global health, food security, and gender-based violence; support international efforts to develop and distribute medical countermeasures for COVID-19; and build the capacity required to fight COVID-19, its variants, and emerging biological threats.
Provide schools the resources they need to reopen safely. A critical plank of President Biden’s COVID-19 plan is to safely reopen schools as soon as possible – so kids and educators can get back in class and parents can go back to work. This will require immediate, urgent action by Congress. The COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented challenges for K-12 schools and institutions of higher education, and the students and parents they serve. School closures have disproportionately impacted the learning of Black and Hispanic students, as well as students with disabilities and English language learners. While the December down payment for schools and higher education institutions was a start, it is not sufficient to address the crisis. President Biden is calling on Congress to provide $170 billion – supplemented by additional state and local relief resources – for K-12 schools and institutions of higher education. These resources will help schools serve all students, no matter where they are learning, and help achieve President Biden’s goal to open the majority of K-8 schools within the first 100 days of his Administration.
Provide $130 billion to help schools to safely reopen. Schools need flexible resources to safely reopen and operate and/or facilitate remote learning. The president’s plan will provide $130 billion to support schools in safely reopening. These funds can be used to reduce class sizes and modify spaces so students can teacher can socially distance; improve ventilation; hire more janitors and implement mitigation measures; provide personal protective equipment; ensure every school has access to a nurse; increase transportation capacity to facilitate social distancing on the bus; hire counselors to support students as they transition back to the classroom; close the digital divide that is exacerbating inequities during the pandemic; provide summer school or other support for students that will help make up lost learning time this year; create and expand community schools; and cover other costs needed to support safely reopening and support students.
These funds will also include provisions to ensure entire states adequately fund education and protect students in low-income communities that have been hardest hit by COVID-19. Districts must ensure that funds are used to not only reopen schools, but also to meet students’ academic, mental health and social, and emotional needs in response to COVID-19, (e.g. through extended learning time, tutoring, and counselors), wherever they are learning. Funding can be used to prevent cuts to state pre-k programs. A portion of funding will be for a COVID-19 Educational Equity Challenge Grant, which will support state, local and tribal governments in partnering with teachers, parents, and other stake holders to advance equity- and evidence-based policies to respond to COVID-related educational challenges and give all students the support they need to succeed. In addition, schools will be able to access FEMA Disaster Relief Fund resources to get reimbursed for certain COVID-19 related expenses and will receive support to implement regular testing protocols.
Expand the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. The president’s plan will ensure colleges have critical resources to implement public health protocols, execute distance learning plans, and provide emergency grants to students in need. This $35 billion in funding will be directed to public institutions, including community colleges, as well as, public and private Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other Minority Serving Institutions. This funding will provide millions of students up to an additional $1,700 in financial assistance from their college.
Hardest Hit Education Fund. Provide $5 billion in funds for governors to use to support educational programs and the learning needs of students significantly impacted by COVID-19, whether K-12, higher education, or early childhood education programs.
Provide emergency paid leave to 106 million more Americans to reduce the spread of the virus. No American should have to choose between putting food on the table and quarantining to prevent further spread of COVID-19. And yet, nearly 1 in 4 workers and close to half of low-income workers lack access to paid sick leave, disproportionately burdening Americans of color. Lack of paid leave is threatening the financial security of working families and increasing the risk of COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and deaths. Congress did the right thing last year when it created an emergency paid leave program through the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. That action decreased daily infections by 400 cases per state per day in states that previously had no paid sick leave requirement. While the December down payment extended the Families First employer tax credits through March 2021, it did not renew the requirement that employers provide leave. President Biden is calling on Congress to:
Put the requirement back in place and eliminate exemptions for employers with more than 500 and less than 50 employees. He will also make it clear that healthcare workers and responders get these benefits, too. Closing these loopholes in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act will extend emergency paid lave to up to 106 million additional workers.
Provide expanded paid sick and family and medical leave. The president will provide 14 weeks of paid sick and family medical leave to help parents with additional caregiving responsibilities when a child or loved one’s school or care center is closed; for people who have or are caring for people with COVID-19 symptoms, or who are quarantining due to exposure; and for people needing to take time to get the vaccine.
Expand emergency paid leave to include federal workers. This measure will provide paid leave protections to approximately 2 million Americans who work for the federal government.
Provide a maximum paid leave benefit of $1,400 per-week for eligible workers. This will provide full wage replacement for workers earning up to $73,000 annually, more than three-quarters of all workers.
Reimburse employers with less than 500 employees for the cost of this leave. Extending the refundable tax credit will reimburse employers for 100 percent of the cost of this leave.
Reimburse state and local government for the cost of this leave.
Extend emergency paid leave measures until September 30, 2021. With so much uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, extending paid leave until the end of September will help to limit the spread of COVID-19 and provide economic security to millions of working families.
Deliver Immediate, Direct Relief to Families Bearing the Brunt of the Crisis
As a result of the COVID-19 crisis, millions Americans are hurting through no fault of their own. More than 10 million Americans are unemployed, and 4 million have been out of work for half a year or longer. The jobs crisis is particularly severe in communities of color, where 1 in 10 Black workers and 1 in 11 Latino workers are struggling to pay rent or their mortgages and put food on the table. And, last month, it only got worse: we lost 140,000 jobs in December, including 20,000 public educators, and nearly 400,000 jobs at restaurants and bars.
President Biden is calling on Congress to take urgent action to deliver immediate, direct relief to Americans bearing the brunt of this crisis. Altogether, this would devote about $1 trillion towards building a bridge to economic recovery for working families and, according to researchers at Columbia University, cut child poverty in half.
President Biden’s plan will:
Give working families a $1,400 per-person check to help pay their bills, bringing their total relief payment from this and the December down payment to $2,000. More than 1 in 3 households and half of Black and Latino households – are struggling to pay for usual household expenses like rent and groceries during the pandemic. In this crisis, working families need more than the $600 per person that Congress passed last year. President Biden is calling on Congress to increase that direct financial assistance to $2,000. An additional $1,400 per person in direct checks will help hard-hit households cover expenses, spend money at local businesses in their communities, and stimulate the economy.
President Biden’s plan will also expand eligibility to adult dependents who have been left out of previous rounds of relief and all mixed status households. And, his plan will ensure that the Treasury Department has the flexibility and resources it needs to deliver stimulus checks to the families that need them the most, including the millions of families that still haven’t received the $1,200 checks they are entitled to under the CARES Act.
Extend financial assistance for workers who have exhausted their regular unemployment compensation benefits. Extending and increasing the additional weeks provided under the emergency unemployment insurance program will ensure that approximately 5 million Americans continue to receive assistance in the months ahead.
Extend financial assistance for unemployed workers who do not typically qualify for unemployment compensation benefits. The president believes Congress should extend unemployment support for self-employed workers, like ride-share drivers and many grocery delivery workers, who do not typically qualify for regular unemployment compensation. And, he supports increasing the number of weeks the workers can receive the benefit to provide long-term financial security to the program’s approximately 8 million beneficiaries.
Fully fund state’s short-time compensation programs and additional weeks of benefits. Short-time compensation programs, also known as work-sharing, help small businesses stay afloat and economically vulnerable workers make ends meet by enabling workers to stay on the job at reduced hours, while making up the difference in pay. These programs avoid layoffs and pave the way for rapid rehiring and an accelerated recovery.
Help struggling households keep a roof over their heads. The economic fallout of COVID-19 has made it more difficult for working families, especially families of color, to cover their housing expenses. Across the country, 1 in 5 renters and 1 in 10 homeowners with a mortgage are behind on payments. Congress took an important step in the right direction by securing $25 billion in rental assistance and extending the federal eviction moratorium until January 31. However, American families already owe $25 billion in back rent, and the threat of widespread evictions will still exist at the end of January. Further, more than 10 million homeowners havef fallen behind on mortgage payments.
Failing to take additional action will lead to a wave of evictions and foreclosures in the coming months, overwhelming emergency shelter capacity and increasing the likelihood of COVID-19 infections. And Americans of color, who have on average a fraction of the wealth available to white families, face higher risks of eviction and housing loss without critical assistance.
President Biden is calling on Congress to take immediate action to forestall a coming wave of COVID-related evictions and foreclosures.
Ensure that families hit hard by the economic crisis won’t face eviction or foreclosure. The president is calling on Congress to extend the eviction and foreclosure moratoriums and continue applications for forbearance on federally-guaranteed mortgages until September 30, 2021. These measures will prevent untold economic hardship for homeowners, while limiting the spread of COVID-19 in our communities. The president is also calling on Congress to provide funds for legal assistance for households facing eviction or foreclosure.
Help renters and small landlords make ends meet by providing an additional $30 billion in rental and critical energy and water assistance for hard-hit individuals and families. While the $25 billion allocated by Congress was an important down payment on the back rent accrued during this crisis, it is insufficient to meet the scale of the need. That’s why President Biden is proposing an additional $25 billion in rental assistance to provide much-needed rental relief, especially for low- and moderate-income households who have lost jobs or are out of the labor market. The president is also proposing $5 billion to cover home energy and water costs and arrears through programs like the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program for struggling renters and small landlords, including those in disadvantaged communities that have suffered disproportionately in terms of pollution where they can’t cover their own housing expenses. This program includes a competitive set-aside of funding for states to invest in clean energy and energy efficiency projects that reduce electricity bills for families in disadvantage communities.
Deliver $5 billion in emergency assistance to help secure housing for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. This funding will allow states and localities to help approximately 200,000 individuals and families obtain stable housing, while providing a downpayment on the president’s comprehensive approach to ending homelessness and making housing a right for all Americans. Specifically, these funds will provide flexibility for both congregate and non-congregate housing options, help jurisdictions purchase and convert hotels and motels into permanent housing, and give homeless services providers the resources they need to hire and retain staff, maintain outreach programs, and provide essential services.
Address the growing hunger crisis in America. About 1 in 7 households nationwide, including more than 1 in 5 Black and Latino households and many Asian American and Pacific Islander households, are struggling to secure the food they need. While the December down payment provided $13 billion to strengthen and expand federal nutrition programs, it will not solve the hunger crisis in America. President Biden is calling on Congress to ensure all Americans, regardless of background, will have access to healthy, affordable groceries. The president’s plan will:
Extend the 15 percent Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit increase. Maintaining the increase through the summer – when childhood hunger spikes due to a lack of school meals – is a critical backstop against rising food insecurity. This is a critical backstop against rising food insecurity. This change will help keep hunger at bay for around 40 million Americans. The president is calling for this to be extended through September 2021. He is also committed to providing this boost for as long as the COVID-19 crisis continues, and will work with Congress on ways to automatically adjust the length and amount of relief depending on health and economic conditions so future legislative delay doesn’t undermine the recovery and families’ access to benefits they need.
Invest $3 billion to help women, infants and children to get the food they need.This multi-year investment in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is needed to account for increased enrollment due to growing hunger and to increase outreach to ensure that low-income families have access to high-quality nutritious food and nutrition education.
Partner with restaurants to feed American families and keep restaurant workers on the job at the same time. The FEMA Empowering Essential Deliveries (FEED) Act will leverage the resources and expertise of the restaurant industry to help get food to families who need it, and help get laid-off restaurant workers across the country back on the job.
Support SNAP by temporarily cutting the state match. The president is calling for a one time emergency infusion of administrative support for state anti-hunger and nutrition programs to ensure that benefits get to the kids and families that need it most.
Provide U.S. Territories with $1 billion in additional nutrition assistance for their residents. Bolstering the Nutrition Assistance Program block grant will help thousands of working families in Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands put food on the table for the duration of the pandemic.
Raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour. Throughout the pandemic, millions of American workers have put their lives on the line to keep their communities and country functioning, including the 40 percent of frontline workers who are people of color. As President Biden has said, let’s not jus praise them, let’s pay them. Hard working Americans deserve sufficient wages to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads, without having to keep multiple jobs. But millions of working families are struggling to get by. This is why the president is calling on Congress to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour, and end the tipped minimum wage and sub-minimum wage for people with disabilities so that workers across the country can live a middle-class life and provide opportunity for their families.
Call on employers to meet their obligations to frontline essential workers and provide back hazard pay. Essential workers – who are disproportionately Black, Latino, and Asian American and Pacific Islander – have risked their lives to stock shelves, harvest crops, and care for the sick during this crisis. They have kept the country running even during the darkest days of the pandemic. A number of large employers, especially in the retail and grocery sectors, have seen bumper profitability in 2020 and yet have done little or nothing at all to compensate their workers for the risks they took. The president believes these employers have a duty to do right by their frontline essential workers and acknowledge their sacrifices with generous back hazard pay for the risks they took across 2020 and up to today. He and the Vice President will call CEOs and other business leaders to take action to meet these obligations.
Expand access to high-quality, affordable child care. We are facing an acute, immediate child care crisis in America, which is exacerbating our economic crisis. Due to increased costs and lower enrollment, a recent survey, of child care providers expect that they will close in a few months without relief or are uncertain how long they can stay open. If left unaddressed, many child care providers will close – some permanently – and millions of children could go without necessary care, and millions of parents could be left to make devastating choices this winter between caring for their children and working to put food on the table. Early childcare providers are almost entirely women, among whom 40 percent are people of color, and so these closures could devastate engines of opportunity for minority- and women-owned businesses. President Biden is calling on Congress to take immediate actions to address this crisis by helping child care centers reopen and remain open safely, and by making that care affordable to families who need it.
In addition, too many families are unable to afford child care, while early educators earn wages so low that they can’t support their own families. This challenge existed before COVID-19 and the pandemic has exacerbated it. President Biden is calling on Congress to ease the financial burden of care for families, expand financial support for child care providers so that this critical sector can stay afloat during the pandemic and beyond, and make critical investments to improve wages and benefits for the essential sector. President Biden’s plan will:
Help hard-hit child care providers, including family child care homes, cover their costs and operate safely by creating a $25 billion emergency stabilization fund. This Emergency Stabilization Fund will help hard-hit child care providers that are in danger of closing and provide support to nearly half of all child care providers. It will also assist those that have had to shut down meet their financial obligations during the pandemic, so that they can reopen. It will help providers pay for rent, utilities, and payroll, as well as increased costs associated with the pandemic including personal protective equipment, ventilation supplies, smaller group sizes, and modifications to make the physical environment safer for children and workers.
Expand child care assistance to help millions of families and help parents return to work. Millions of parents are risking their lives as essential workers, whole at the same time struggling to obtain care for their children. Others have become 24/7 caregivers while simultaneously working remotely. Still more are unemployed, caring for their children full-time, and worrying about how they will make ends meet or afford child care when they do find a job. And, the limits access to child care during the pandemic has caused more women to leave the workforce. While the December down payment provides $10 billion in funding through the Child Care and Development Block Grant program, the president’s proposal expands this investment with an additional $15 billion in funding, including for those who experienced a job interruption during the COVID-19 pandemic and are struggling to afford child care. This additional assistance with child care costs will help the disproportionate number of women who left the labor force to take on caregiving duties reenter the workforce. And, this expanded investment will also help rebuild the supply of child care providers, and encourage states to take meaningful steps towards increasing the pay and benefits of child care workers.
Increase tax credits to help cover cost of childcare. To help address the childcare affordability crisis, President Biden is calling on Congress to expand child care tax credits on an emergency basis for one year to help working families cover the cost of childcare. Families willet back as a tax credit as much as half of their spending on child care for children under age 13, so that they can receive a total of up to $4,000 for one child or $8,000 for two or more children. The tax credit will be refundable, meaning that families who don’t owe a lot in taxes will still benefit. The full 50 percent reimbursement will be available to families making less than $125,000 a year. And, all families making between $125,000 and $400,000 will receive a partial credit so they can receive benefits at least as generous as those they can receive today.
Bolster financial security for families and essential workers in the midst of the pandemic.The lowest income families are particularly vulnerable in the midst of the pandemic, and President Biden is calling for one year expansions of key supports for families on an emergency basis. The Child Tax Credit should be made fully refundable for the year. Currently, 27 million children live in families with household incomes low enough that they didn’t qualify for the full value of the Child Tax Credit, and this measure would give these children and their families additional needed resources. The president is also calling to increase the credit to $3,000 per child ($3,600 for a child under age 6) and make 17 year-olds qualifying children for the year.
He is also calling for an expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit for the year to ensure that the lowest income workers get critical support including millions of essential workers. He is proposing to raise the maximum Earned Income Tax Credit for childless adults from roughly $530 to close to $1,500, raise the income limit for the credit from about $16,000 to $21,000, and expand the age range that is eligible including by eliminating the age cap for older workers and expanding eligibility for younger workers so that they can claim the credit they deserve. Expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit for childless adults would give a needed boost to the earnings of several million workers, including cashiers, home health aids, delivery people, and other people working in essential occupations. The president also is committed to making sure that Americans who see their earnings fall in 2021 due to the pandemic don’t see the Earned Income Tax Credit reduced as a result.
Lastly, the president is calling for an additional $1 billion for states to cover the additional cash assistance that Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) recipients needed as a result of the pandemic crisis. The pandemic has led to increased TANF caseloads generated higher costs for many TANF recipients – from higher utility costs to the need for internet access for remote schooling – and longer periods of joblessness given high unemployment. These funds will provide sorely needed relief.
Preserving and expanding health coverage. Roughly two to three million people lost employer sponsored health insurance between March and September, and even families who have maintained coverage may struggle to pay premiums and afford care. Further, going into this crisis, 30 million people were without coverage, limiting their access to the health care system in the middle of a pandemic. To ensure access to health coverage, President Biden is calling on Congress to subsidize continuation health coverage (COBRA) through the end of September. He is also asking Congress to expand and increase the value of the Premium Tax Credit to lower or eliminate health insurance premiums and ensure enrollees – including those who never had coverage through their jobs – will not pay more than 8.5 percent of their income for coverage. Together, these policies would reduce premiums of the uninsured by millions more.
Expanding access to behavioral health services. The pandemic has made access to mental health and substance use disorder services more essential than ever. The president is calling on Congress to appropriate $4 billion to enable the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to expand access to these vital services.
Ensure adequate funding for veteran’s health. COVID-19 has put enormous pressure in America’s veterans and on the Veteran’s Health Administration that is charged with providing and facilitating top-notch care for them. The president is committed to ensuring America delivers on its promise to the people who have served our country. To account for increased usage as many veterans have lost access to private health insurance, higher overall costs, and other pandemic-related impacts, the president is immediately requesting an additional $20 billion to make sure that veterans’ health care needs can be met through this crisis.
Combat increased risk of gender-based violence. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated domestic violence and sexual assault, creating a “shadow pandemic” for many women and girls who are largely confined to their home with their abuser and facing economic insecurity that makes escape more difficult. President Biden is calling for at least $800 million in supplemental funding for key federal programs that protect survivors.
Provide Critical Support to Struggling Communities
COVID-19 and the resulting economic crisis has devastated communities across the country. Schools remain closed, with students struggling with remote learning and parents – 1.6 million mothers this fall – leaving the workforce. Small businesses, the backbones their communities that employ nearly half of American workers, are unable to keep their doors open. And, some state and local essential workers are seeing their wages reduced or their jobs disappear. President Biden is calling on Congress to send a lifeline to small business; protect educators, public transit workers, and first responders from lay-offs; and keep critical services running at full strength. Altogether, his plan would provide approximately $440 billion in critical support to struggling communities. This is in addition to funds that President Biden is requesting for safely reopening schools throughout the country.
President Biden’s plan will:
Provide small businesses with the funding they need to reopen and rebuild. Small businesses sustain half of the private sector jobs in America, and they have struggled in the wake of COVID-19. Black- and Brown-owned small businesses, and those in hard-hit industries like restaurants, hotels, and the arts, have suffered disproportionately. Nationally, small businesses revenue is down 32 percent, and at least 400,000 firms have permanently closed. To help hard-hit firms survive the pandemic and fully recover, President Biden is calling on Congress to:
Provide grants to more than 1 million of the hardest hit small businesses. This $15 billion inflexible, equitably distributed grants will help small businesses get back on their feet, put the current disaster behind them, and build back better.
Leverage $35 billion in government funds into $175 billion in additional small business lending and investment. With a $35 billion investment in successful state, local, tribal, and non-profit small business financing programs, Congress can generate as much as $175 billion in low-interest loans and venture capital to help entrepreneurs – including those in the clean energy sector – innovate, create and maintain jobs, build wealth, and provide the essential goods and services that communities depend on.
In addition, the president wants to work with Congress to make sure that restaurants, bars, and other businesses that have suffered disproportionately have sufficient support to bridge to the recovery, including through the Community Credit Corporation at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Provide support for first responders and other essential workers. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, first responders, frontline public health workers, and countless other essential workers have risked their lives to keep our communities safe and functioning. Educators have worked tirelessly to keep our children learning and growing, coming up with new ways to reach and engage their students, often while balancing careers for their own children. Without these front line workers, we will not be able to effectively respond to the pandemic, administer the vaccine, or safely reopen our schools. President Biden is calling on Congress to provide $350 billion in emergency funding for state, local, and territorial governments to ensure that they are in a position to keep front line public workers on the job and paid, while also effectively distributing the vaccine, scaling testing, reopening schools, and maintaining other vital services.
The president is also calling on Congress to allocate $3 billion of this funding to the Economic Development Administration (EDA). Grants from EDA provide resources directly to state and local government entities, tribal institutions, institutions of higher education, and non-profits to fund initiatives that support bottom’s up economic development and enable good paying jobs. This funding – double the amount provided by the CARES Act – will support communities nationwide with a broad range of financial needs as they respond to and recover from COVID-19.
Protect the future of public transit. Safe and dependable public transit systems are critical for a robust and equitable economic recovery. The president is calling for $20 billion in relief for the hardest hit public transit agencies. This relief will keep agencies from laying off transit workers and cutting the routes that essential workers rely on every day while making these transit systems more resilient and ensuring that communities of color maintain the access to opportunity that public transportation provides.
Support Tribal governments’ response to COVID-19. COVID-19 has exacted an especially high toll in Indian Country. People living on reservations are four times more likely to have COVID-19 and American Indian and Alaska Natives are nearly twice as likely to die from COVID-19 than White Americans. While the December down payment had many beneficial provisions, it included little direct funding to help Tribal governments respond to COVID-19. President Biden is calling on Congress to give Tribes the resources they need to obtain sufficient personal protective equipment, increase access to clean water and electricity, and expand internet access so that children can learn remotely and more families can obtain basic health care through telemedicine. President Biden’s plan would invest $20 billion in Indian Country to support Tribal governments’ response to the pandemic. These resource will help reduce start and persistent inequities in COVID-19 transmission, hospitalization, and death, while improving economic conditions and opportunity.
Modernize federal information technology to protect against future cyber attacks.
In addition to the COVID-19 crisis, we also face a crisis when it comes to the nation’s cybersecurity. The recent cybersecurity breaches of federal government data systems underscore the importance and urgency of strengthening U.S. cybersecurity capabilities. President Biden is calling on Congress to launch the most ambitious effort ever to modernize and secure federal IT and networks. To remediate the SolarWinds breach and boost U.S. defenses, including of the COVID-19 vaccine process, President Biden is calling on Congress to:
Expand and improve the Technology Modernization Fund. A $9 billion investment will help the U.S. launch major new IT and cybersecurity shared services at the Cyber Security and Information Security Agency (CISA) and the General Services Administration and complete modernization projects at federal agencies. In addition, the president is calling on Congress to change the fund’s reimbursement structure in order to fund more innovative and impactful projects.
Surge cybersecurity technology and engineering expert hiring. Providing the Information Technology Oversight and Reform fund with $200 million will allow for the rapid hiring of hundreds of experts to support the federal Chief Information Security Officer and U.S. Digital Service.
Build shared, secure services to drive transformational projects. Investing $300 million in no-year funding for Technology Transformation Services in the General Services Administration will drive secure IT projects forward without the need of reimbursement from agencies.
Improving security monitoring and incident response activities. An additional $690M for CISA will bolster cybersecurity across federal civilian networks, and support the piloting of new shared security and cloud computing services.
January 20: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Media Statement titled: “Media Statement from CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, on Extending the Eviction Moratorium” From the Media Statement:
As a protective public health measure, I will extend the current order temporarily halting residential evictions until at least March 31, 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a historic threat to our nation’s health. It has also triggered a housing affordability crisis that disproportionately affects some communities.
Despite extensive mitigation efforts, COVID-19 continues to spread in America at a concerning pace. We must act to get cases down and keep people in their homes and out of congregate settings – like shelters – where COVID-19 can take an even stronger foothold.
January 20: The White House posted a “Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, January 20, 2021” From the press release:
Ms. Psaki: Good evening everyone. Thank you for joining us on this historic day. It’s an honor to be here with all of you.
When the President asked me to serve in this role, we talked about the importance of bringing truth and transparency back to the briefing room, and he asked me to ensure we are communicating about the policies across the Biden-Harris administration and the work his team is doing every single day on behalf of all American people.
There will be times when we see things differently in this room – I mean, among all of us. That’s okay. That’s part of our democracy. And rebuilding trust with the American people will be central to our focus in the Press Office and in the White House every single day.
So we had a very busy and active day today, as you all know, but I wanted to take a moment to go through the 15 executive actions – or highlights of them, I should say – and some of the steps that the President asked agencies to take today. You should have all received copies of the executive orders, as well as the accompanying fact sheets, but I want to take this moment to highlight them for the American public, who are watching at home.
To combat the deadly virus, the President launched his 100 Day Masking Challenge, asking Americans to do their part and mask up for 100 days. He’s doing his part, as well, issuing a mask mandate that will require anyone visiting a federal building or federal land or using certain modes of transportation to wear a mask.
He signed an executive order reversing Trump’s decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization. This will strengthen our own efforts to get the pandemic under control by improving global health. And tomorrow – we’re not wasting any time – Dr. Fauci will participate remotely in the meeting of the World Health Organization as the U.S. head of delegation.
President Biden also officially appointed a COVID-19 response coordinator – a position and team we had already previously announced, but made it official today – to create a unified national response to the pandemic. And he reestablished the national security team responsible for global health security and biodefense.
The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered an almost unprecedented housing affordability crisis. He took immediate action to confront the crisis and ask the relevant agencies to extend nationwide moratoriums on evictions and foreclosures. The pandemic has also increase the hardship on millions of Americans who owe federal student loans. In response, the President has asked the Department of Education to extend the pause on student loan payments and interest.
He rejoined the Paris climate agreement, putting the United States back in a position to exercise global leadership in advancing the objectives of the ambitious agreement.
Sorry, hope you’re comfortable. There’s a few more.
And a second broad executive order will roll back harmful regulatory reversals made by the previous administration to protect public health and the environment. This order protects our nation’s treasures by reviewing the boundaries for several national monuments, places a temporary moratorium on all oil and natural gas leasing in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and reestablishes the Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Greenhouse Gasses.
He also launched a whole-of-government effort to advance racial equity and root out systemic racism from federal programs and institutions.
He directed the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Attorney General, to take all appropriate actions to preserve and fortify DACA, which provides temporary relief from deportation to DREAMers, young people who are brought to this country as children.
The President also put an end to the Muslim ban, a policy rooted in religious animus and xenophobia.
He signed a proclamation, effective immediately, halting further funding or the construction of the previous administration’s border wall and terminating the so-called “national emergency use” to wastefully divert billions for wall construction.
Also today, President Biden sent an immigration bill to Congress. The U.S. Citizenship Act modernizes our immigration system. It provides hardworking people who’ve enriched our communities and lived here for decades an opportunity to earn citizenship. The President’s priority reflected in the bill rare to responsibly manage the border, keep families together, grow our economy, address the root causes of migration from Central America, and ensure that America can remain a refuge for those fleeing prosecution.
With that, I’d love to take your question, Zeke. Why don’t you kick us off?
Q: Thanks, Jen. First off, congratulations. And one question about your role. You touched on this a little bit at the top, but when you are up there, do you see yourself – your primary role as promoting the interests of the President, or are you there to provide us the unvarnished truth so that we can share that with the American people
MS. PSAKI: Well, let me first say, Zeke, that I come to this podium having served both in the White House and at the State Department, as the spokesperson there, and I traveled the world on trips to promote democracy, where I saw the power of the United States and, of course, the power of this podium, and the power of truth, and the importance of setting an example of engagement and transparency.
So I will just state – because you gave me the opportunity – I have deep respect for the role of a free and independent press in our democracy and for the role all of you play.
As I noted earlier, there will be moments when we disagree, and there will certainly be days where we disagree for extensive parts of the briefing even perhaps. But we have a common goal, which is sharing accurate information with the American people.
If the President were standing here with me today, he would say he works for the American people. I work for him, so I also work for the American people. But his objective and his commitment is to bring transparency and truth back to government – to share the truth, even when it’s hard to hear. And that’s something I hope to delve on in this role as well.
Q: And again, just one substantive one since I know we’re short on time. When will President Biden begin making some foreign leader calls? Who is on that initial list? And during the transition, he didn’t speak to President Putin. Does he plan on doing that? And is he going to discuss retaliation for the SolarWinds hack on the federal government?
MS. PSAKI: Sure. Let me try to get to those. And I’ll just note, since Zeke mentioned it, I know some of you have to get to another event this evening, because we’re not fully done with the day. So we will have longer briefings in the future, but we’ll try to get to as many questions as possible.
So his first call – foreign leader call will be on Friday with Prime Minister Trudeau. I expect they will certainly discuss the important relationship with Canada, as well as his decision on the Keystone Pipeline that we announced today.
He – I don’t have any plans – or any plans to read out to you, in terms of a call with President Putin. I will not for you that I would expect his early calls will be with partners and allies. He feels it’s important to rebuild those relationships and to address the challenges and threats we’re facing in the world.
On SolarWinds, we’ve spoken with this – about this previously a bit, prior to his inauguration, I should say, today. We are – of course, we reserve the right to respond at a time and in a manner of our choosing to any cyberattack. But our team is, of course, just getting onto their computers, so I don’t have anything to read out for you or to preview for you at this time.
Peter, go ahead.
MS. PSAKI: Jen, let me – I have a question for you on policy. First, a quick housekeeping question. A short time ago, President Biden said that he received a very generous letter from President Trump. Of course, he said it was private. He said, “I will not talk about it until I talk to him.” Is President Biden planning to call now former President Trump? And is this White House working in any way to put the two in touch?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I think, Peter, that was a reflection of President Biden’s view. And I was with him when he was reading the letter in the Oval Office right before he signed the executive actions – was that this a letter that was private, as he said to you all. It was both generous and gracious. And it was just a reflection of him not planning release the letter unilaterally, but I wouldn’t take it as an indication of a pending call with the former President.
Q: Let me ask you on policy, if I can quickly. You talk – obvious, your role is sort of in terms of delivering the best information to the American people on behalf of this White House. The battle for truth may be as tough a fight right now as the battle against coronavirus. How do you and President Biden plan to combat disinformation that, in many ways, led to that assault we witnessed two weeks ago today on the Capitol?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I think, Peter, there are a number of ways to combat misinformation. One of them is accurate information and truth and data, and sharing information even when it is hard to hear, and even when it is not meeting the expectations of people at home who are desperate for this crisis to be over.
We’ll have more to share with you in the next few days – hopefully before the weekend. But what we plan to do is not just return to these daily briefings, Monday through Friday – not Saturdays and Sundays; I’m not a monster – but on – but also to return briefings with our health officials and public health officials. We want to do those regularly, in a dependable way, with data, shared with all of you and the public so that they can also track progress we’re making on getting the pandemic under control.
Q: As it relates to the Cabinet, if I can, quickly: We know President Biden is beginning without a single member of his Cabinet confirmed. What is your understanding on how quickly those confirmations will happen? And when should we expect additional nominations and ambassadorships to be announced?
MS. PSAKI: Well, Peter, the desire to get his Cabinet in place and get his team confirmed is front and center for the President. It is an issue – a topic he discussed with members of Congress from both the Republican and Democratic Party today during the course of the day and the course of events.
I think, as we’re coming out here, Avril Haines should be on her way to confirmation, I don’t know if it’s officially votes – been – happened yet. But she’s on her way.
We have prioritized getting our national security team in place, given the crises we’re facing, given the importance of keeping the American people safe at this time. But we are eager for those to move forward quickly in the coming day, ideally tomorrow, by Friday. We’d like to move them quickly. It’s something that he is raising in his conversations, as we all are, with members of Congress and their teams.
Q: Thank you.
MS. PSAKI: Thank you. Karen.
Q: Jen, has President Biden invited congressional leaders to sit down and talk about the COVID relief measure that he introduced?
MS. PSAKI: Well, he has been discussing the COVID relief measures- the entire package that has, as you know, unemployment insurance; it has relief and assistance for the American people. It also has money to reopen schools, which I know, as a mother, impacts us all.
But he has been discussing that with Democrats and Republicans since long before he was sworn in today. Today was a day where he had conversations about working together in terms of getting his team in place, on his agenda moving forward. But I expect he will be picking up the phone in the coming days and having more of those conversations.
In terms of when he will meet in person, I will say soon, and we hope to have more of an update on that for you soon as well.
Q: What role do you expect him to play in these negotiations? There were a lot of comments today about his familiarity with the Senate. How involved will he be in that process?
MS. PSAKI: He will be quite involved. There is – the issue that he wakes up every day focusing on is getting the pandemic under control. The issue he goes to bed every night focused on is getting the pandemic under control.
This package is a pivotal step to doing that, and it has assistance for the American people to make that bridge, financially. It also has essential funding for vaccine distribution.
He will be very involved. He will not be the only one. We have a whole team here of senior staff, or course. But as you noted, he is not a stranger to the Senate; he served there for 36 years. Many of these people he – many of the members on both sides of the aisle he served with over that time, and I expect he will be quite involved in the process.
Go ahead, Jen.
Q: So, on this COVID relief package: Senator Romney was already saying to reporters that he doesn’t see a need for another virus relief package, and he’s the kind of Republican vote you’re likely going to be trying to get.
So, how long are you willing to work to get Republican support before you decide to go through the budget reconciliation process instead
MS. PSAKI: Well, as you know, because you all cover it and as I’ve stated a couple times here today, we are in the middle of an urgent crisis in this country. It’s not just impacting Democrats; it’s impacting Republicans. It’s impacting red states and blue states. And this plan is intended to address the suffering of the American people. She we hope – an frankly, we expect – Republicans in Congress and Democrats, too, will support assistance that will bring relief to the people they represent.
This is a conversation. He, of course, gave a primetime address, as you all know, last week – it seems like a long time ago, but it wasn’t – to announce his specifics, and he has already had a number of conversations with Democrats and the Republicans. Those will continue. His clear preference is to move forward with a bipartisan bill. There’s no question about it. But we’re also not going to take any tools off the table for how the Senate – House and Senate can get this urgent package done.
So, we are only – less than a day has he been President of the United States, but he’s going to continue to work with members of both parties to get it done.
Francesca, go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Jen. I have a – I do have a question about reopening schools, but I just want to pick up where she left off on that, and note that Republicans – including Lindsey Graham who is expected to be the Senate Budget Committee ranking member – have already said that the price tag on the President’s proposal is too high for them. So, is there any wiggle room on that number? And has he already begun negotiations with Mitch McConnell?
MS. PSAKI: Well, first, the package wasn’t designed with the number 1.9 trillion as a starting point; it was designed with the components that were necessary to give people the relief they needed.
So, what’s challenging is: What are you going to cut? Are you going to cut funding for vaccinations? Are you going to cut funding for unemployment insurance? Are you going to cut funding for reopening schools?
But it was laid out as his proposal based on recommendations from economists, recommendations from health experts. And as you’ve also seen, there have been also an outpouring of support from everyone from Bernie Sanders to the Chamber of Commerce for the package and the components in it. But this is a discussion. It’s a conversation. And he is no stranger to the process of bill making.
So we’re at the beginning of the process. And as we continue, there’ll be conversations with members of both parties of what will be in a final package, and rarely does it look exactly like the initial package that is proposed.
Q: With regards to reopening schools, what level of vaccination in teachers or students or level of testing does the administration think would be appropriate in order to meet the target date that the President has said?
MS. PSAKI: This is a great question. And as I noted at the beginning, as a mom myself, I want to know all the details as well. We’re going to have more to share from our health experts in the coming days, and I will venture to get them in here to give you all a briefing on the specifics. But we really want to lean into them on their expertise on that front.
Go ahead. I’ll come right to you, right next. Go ahead.
Q: So, President Biden promised to end all new oil and gas leasing on federal lands when he was a candidate. The order you just mentioned, that he signed today, was much narrower than that; it’s a temporary moratorium and it only applies to ANWR. And there is some debate about whether he has the legal flexibility to even follow through with his full promise. Does the administration still have that commitment today to (inaudible)?
MS. PSAKI: We do. And the leases will be reviewed by our team. We have only been in office for less than a day now, and I will just – since you gave me the opportunity, just also confirm for all of you: All of our executive actions that we released today were reviewed in advance of the OLC. We went through that process in advance of releasing them. That took a great deal of work from our policy teams, but that was a vital part of the process for us as well.
Q: And could you talk a little bit about the – kind of, the preparations for getting the White House ready and safe for the new president? It’s been reported that you did $500,000 worth of deep cleaning. Could you talk about the measures that you took to ensure that the President is safe?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the – I would refer you to the General Services Administration who oversees any steps like that. What I can speak to, if it’s of interest, of the steps we’re all taking to make sure that we are safe, that he is safe, you are all safe. Those include daily testing when we’re in the White House. It includes wearing N95 masks. I wore it out, of course, here today and I will continue to do that. It includes stringent rules about social distancing and abiding by that in the building. That keeps us safe, but we’re also – the President has asked us to also be models to the American people, and that’s vitally important to us as well.
So there are a number of new COVID steps, precautions that we’ve put in place as of today.
Go ahead, all the way in the back.
Q: Thank you so much, Jen. Thank you for doing this on a daily basis again.
So climate change being one of the priorities, how does President Biden plan to work with Brazil? During the campaign, Biden criticized Brazil on deforestation and then the Brazilian President criticized Biden back, and he was the last one to congratulate President Biden on his election. What is the expectation for their relationship? And does he plan to speak with the Brazilian President?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I don’t have anything to predict for you or advance for you in terms of a call or conversation. What I can convey on climate change, of course, and addressing the climate crisis – it’s one of the four crises that he’s identified will impact his administration; is impacting not just the American people, but the global community – is that rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement is a vital step towards doing that. The United States was one of the only countries in the world, as you all know that was – has not been – has not had a seat at the table the last few years.
A little technical step there is: We have submitted that to the U.S. Secretary General, and it will take approximately 30 days for that to take place. But I use that as an example because that’s one step, but we also know that we need to be models here at home as we are addressing an issue like this. The United States continues to be one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases, and we need to put in place policies and take steps here to address that as well.
But I’m sure we’ll have more to discuss on Brazil in the coming months.
Go ahead, right there.
Q: What are the next steps when it comes to Iran? And does the President have any plans to rejoin the nuclear deal?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the President has made clear that he believes that through follow-on diplomacy, the United States should seek to lengthen and strengthen nuclear constraints on Iran and address other issues of concern. Iran must resume compliance with significant nuclear constraints under the deal for that to proceed.
I will say, as I noted a bit earlier, we would expect that some of his earlier conversations with foreign counterparts or foreign leaders will be with partners and allies, and that we would certainly anticipate that this would be part of the discussion.
Q: And then, could you just give us some color about what it was like for him going into the Oval Office? He’s been waiting for this for so long. What was his reaction?
MS. PSAKI: Well, you know, I spend little time with him earlier, and he had an incredible sense of calm. And he – and a sense of some joy, of course. He spend the day with his family and his grandchildren and his children, and that always has an impact, I think.
But, you know, he also said he felt like he was coming home. Remember, he spent eight years here as the Vice President, playing an important role as a partner to President Obama. And, you know, that was the emotion that overtook him today.
He’s also eager to get to work. He was asking questions about policy and COVID and what’s next. And so, you know, that also reflects his desire to roll up his sleeves and get going.
Let’s see. I’m sorry, I told you I was going to ask you – I just skipped over you. Go ahead.
Q: That’s all right. I’ll take it now. So, if President Biden wants a theme of his presidency to be “unifying the country,” does he think that Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer should drop a potentially divisive Senate impeachment trial?
MS. PSAKI: Well, he spoke today, as you all saw, about unity in his inaugural address and the importance of unity and bringing the country together, and the resolve of the American people in helping to get through this moment.
You know, we are confident though that, just like the American people can, the Senate can also multi-task, and they can do their constitutional duty while continuing to conduct the business of the American people.
And his view is that the way to bring the country together is to address the problems we’re facing. And so that means getting this COVID relief package though, having Democrats and Republicans take a serious look at that and have conversations with each other about how to move it forward. And he’s going to leave the mechanics, the timing, and the specifics of how Congress moves forward on impeachment to them.
Q: And a quick-follow up: On President Trump’s Inauguration Day, he filed the paperwork to run for reelection — same day. Does President Biden have any plans to do that today, late, or on the coming days?
MS. PSAKI: I will say, having talked to him today, his focus is not on politics; it is on getting to work and solving the problems of the American people. So – and as he noted on the campaign, he will wait until sometime into his first term to speak more about his political plans moving forward.
Go ahead.
Q: Yeah. Thank you, Jen. The President pledged today to repair alliances. He has planned his first foreign trip yet?
MS. PSAKI: Well, we’re only seven hours in her. Your ready for the foreign trip.
Q: I’m looking ahead. (Laughter.)
MS. PSAKI: I’m ready, too. I don’t have any details on a foreign trip to lay out for you at this point in time. Hopefully we will at some point in time.
Go ahead, all the way in the back.
Q: Hi, congratulations on your new position. Owen Jensen with EWTN, Global Catholic Network. Two big concerns for pro-life Americans: the Hyde Amendment, which of course keeps taxpayer dollars, as you know, from paying for abortions – Medicaid abortions – and the Mexico City Policy, which, under previous administration, they expanded to keep tax dollars from overseas paying for abortions. So what are President – what is President Biden planning on doing on those two items right now?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I think we’ll have more to say on the Mexico City Policy in the coming days. But I will just take the opportunity to remind all of you that he is a devout Catholic and somebody who attends church regularly. He started his day attending church with his family this morning. But I don’t have anything more for you on that.
Go ahead.
Q: Yeah, as President-elect, he talked about the possibilities of using the Defense Production Act to ramp up production of vaccines.
MS. PSAKI: Well, stay tuned. We’ll do this again tomorrow, and there may be more specifics to share on plans on COVID tomorrow. I expect there will be, including more details on the Defense Production Act. He absolutely remains committed to invoking the Defense Act in order to get the supply and the materials needed to get the vaccine out to Americans across the country and remains committed to his goal of getting 100 million shots in the arms of Americans in the first 100 days.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you very much. The President talked movingly about unity today. And I’ve heard from people who say, “Well, that’s just talk.” They want to know what action they’re going to see to show that kind of unity. Can you – I mean Peter mentioned impeachment, right? Can you tell us what kind of action we can expect to see that will assure people that he wants to reach out to people who voted for him and people who did not?
MS. PSAKI: Sure. Well, first, I think anybody who has covered President Biden for some time or worked for him or spent time with him knows that he is somebody who always sees the optimistic side of working with people who may disagree with him, people across the aisle. And that has long been his commitment and desire through his many decades in public service. So his own history tells you how committed he is.
But, you know, part of it is his words, which he shared today with the American people on a quite large stage – also, his actions. He has reached out to not just Democratic members of Congress, but also to Republicans; not just to Democratic governors, but also to Republicans; not just Democratic mayors, but also to Republicans.
And he said today, in his speech – the biggest platform most Presidents have through the course of their presidency – that he will govern for all Americans. And, you know, that, of course, has to be backed up by actions, as you conveyed. But he’s going to venture to do that in – in every policy he pursues, every engagement he has, because he feels if we can come together, we’ll be a stronger country.
Go ahead.
Q: Jen, will we see a death penalty moratorium under this administration?
MS. PSAKI: The President, as you know, has stated his opposition to the death penalty in the past. He remains – that remains his view. I don’t have anything more for you in terms of future actions or mechanisms, though. I can – I’ll circle back if there’s more I can share with you.
Q: On a lighter note, will he keep Donald Trump’s Air Force One color scheme change?
MS PSAKI: This is such a good question. I have not had the opportunity to dig into that today, given the number of executive actions, orders, the inauguration – a few things happening. I will venture to get you an answer on that, and maybe we can talk about it in here tomorrow.
Q: Jen, just one quick one before we let you go. Just following up on Peter’s question: Does President – President Biden believe that President Trump needs to be held accountable for the Capitol insurrection a couple of weeks ago? And does that accountability require that President Trump be barred from holding future federal office?
MS. PSAKI: Well, Zeke, you know, he has spoken very firmly and fiercely, publicly, about his views of the horrific events – on the horrific events on January 6th. And he has also, of course, spoken with members of Congress about that, as you all know. But he is going to leave it to members of Congress to carry out their constitutional duty and determine what the path forward is – and what the mechanisms are going to be, what the process will be, and what the timeline will be.
And, certainly, he ran against Donald Trump because he did not think he was fit to serve in office, long before the events of January 6th. He is here today because he decided to run against him. But we’re focusing on moving forward. We’re focusing on addressing the – the issues facing the American public. And, as you know, that means we’re focused on our COVID package.
Go ahead.
Q: If I can follow up on that a little bit, Jen. Is the President being updated, first of all, on the progress of the FBI investigation? And we know the FBI is leading the investigation into the assault on the Capitol. Does President Biden have confidence in FBI Director Wray?
MS. PSAKI: Well, Peter, as you noted, there’s an ongoing investigation, which we certainly support. I’m not sure that he has received an update today on anything about the investigation, but we certainly support those ongoing. And we will, I’m sure, be receiving updates in the days ahead.
Go ahead.
Q: Does he have confidence in the FBI Director?
MS. PSAKI: I – I think – I have not spoken with him specifically FBI Director Wray in recent days, Peter, but I’ll circle back with you if there’s more to convey.
Q: Jen –
MS. PSAKI: Go ahead, Karen.
Q: The President did not mention the word “Trump” in his Inaugural Address today.
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hm.
Q: What was the intention behind not making any direct reference to his predecessor in that speech?
MS PSAKI: Well, I think the intention was to make the speech not about any individual elected official, any current President, former President, but make it about the American people and the moment we’re facing in history right now – the struggles that millions of Americans are facing who don’t have jobs, the fear people have about the health of their grandparents and their cousins and their brothers – and to make it more about the strength of the American people when they come together and not about any individual.
But as you saw in his speech, it was forward looking; it was not meant to look back on the past.
Q: Jen, one more.
MS PSAKI: Go ahead.
Q: How does President Biden plan to recover the United States’ image around the world, and what is his priority globally?
MS. PSAKI: Well, his priority is, first, rebuilding our partnerships and alliances around the world and regaining America’s seat at the global table. And you can see that as evidenced in his rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement, rejoining the World Health Organization; his plans to engage with partners an allies and work together to address many of the threats and issues we’re facing around the world.
But I think that is what you will see as his focus in the weeks ahead.
Q: Thank you, Jen.
MS. PSAKI: Thank you, Zeke.
Q: Thank you, Jen.
MS. PSAKI: Thank you, everyone. Let’s do this again tomorrow.
January 20: The White House posted “Letter to His Excellency António Guterres” From the letter:
His Excellency
Mr António Guterres
Secretary-General
United Nations
New York
Excellency:
This letter constitutes a retraction by the Government of the United States of the letter dated July 6, 2020, notifying you that the Government of the United States intended to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO), effective July 6, 2021. The United States intends to remain a member of the World Health Organization.
The WHO plays a crucial role in the world’s fight against the deadly COVID-19 pandemic as well as countless other threats to global health and health security. The United States will continue to be a full participant and a global leader in confronting such threats and advancing global health and health security.
Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 20: The White House posted “Executive Order on Revocation of Certain Executive Order Concerning Federal Regulation” From the Executive Order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered that:
Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of my Administration to use available tools to confront the urgent challenges facing the Nation, including the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, economic recovery, racial justice, and climate change. To tackle these challenges effectively executive departments and agencies (agencies) must be equipped with the flexibility to use robust regulatory action to address national priorities. This order revokes harmful policies and directives that threaten to frustrate the Federal Government’s ability to confront these problems, and empowers agencies to use appropriate regulatory tools to achieve these goals.
Sec. 2. Revocation of Orders. Executive Order 13771 of January 30, 2017 (Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs), Executive Order 13888 of February 24, 2017 (Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda), Executive Order 13875 of June 14, 2019 (Evaluating and Improving the Utility of Federal Advisory Committees), Executive Order 13891 of October 9, 2019 (Promoting the Rule of Law Through Transparency and Fairness in Civil Administrative Enforcement and Adjudication), and Executive Order 13893 of October 10, 2019 (Increasing Government Accountability for Administrative Actions by Reinvigorating Administrative PAYGO) are hereby revoked.
Sec. 3. Implementation. The Director of the Office of Management and Budget and the heads of agencies shall promptly take steps to rescind any orders, rules, regulations, guidelines, or policies, or portions thereof, implementing or enforcing the Executive Orders identified in section 2 of this order, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, including the Administrative Procedure Act, 5. U.S.C. 551 et seq. If in any case such recession cannot be finalized immediately, the Director and the heads of agencies shall promptly take steps to provide all available exemptions authorized by any such orders, rules, regulations, guidelines, or policies, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law. In addition, any personnel positions, committees, task forces, or other entities established pursuant to the Executive Orders identified in section 2 of this order, including the regulatory reform officer positions and regulatory reform task forces established by section 2 and 3 of Executive Order 13777, shall be abolished, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law.
Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented in a manner consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 20: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Media Statement titled: “Media Statement from Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH CDC Director and ATSDR Administrator” From the Media Release:
Today, Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, officially begins her post as the 19th director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the ninth administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). U.S. President Joe Biden selected Dr. Walensky to lead the agency in December. Dr. Walensky comes to CDC from Massachusetts General Hospital, where she served as Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases from 2017-2020; and Harvard Medical School, where she served as Professor of Medicine from 2021-2020. Additional biographical information is available on the CDC website.
Statement from Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
It is truly a privilege to join the world’s premier public health agency. For 75 years, CDC has carried out a mission to protect America’s safety, health, and security at home and abroad.
I am proud to join this agency, and I recognize the seriousness of the moment. The toll that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on America is truly heartbreaking – for the loss of our loved ones and our beloved ways of life. At Massachusetts General Hospital, I saw firsthand the many difficulties this pandemic brings to our frontline workers and first responders, hospitals, and public health systems, communities, and loved ones.
Better, healthier days lie ahead. But to get there, COVID-19 testing, surveillance, and vaccination must accelerate rapidly. We must also confront the longstanding public health challenges of social and racial injustice and inequity that have demanded action for far too long. And we must make up for potentially lost ground in areas like suicide, substance use disorder and overdose, chronic diseases, and global health initiatives.
America and the world are counting on CDC’s science and leadership. Just as it has since the beginning of the pandemic, CDC will continue to focus on what is known – and what more can be learned – about the virus to guide America. As part of that promise, CDC’s Principal Deputy Director Anne Schuchat will begin leading a comprehensive review of all existing guidance related to COVID-19. Wherever needed, this guideance will be updated so that people can make decisions and take action based on the best available evidence.
I am so proud to join CDC. Our 24/7 mission is truly more critical than ever.
January 20: The White House posted “Executive Order on Protecting The Federal Workforce and Requiring Mask-Wearing” From the Executive Order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 7902(c) of title 5, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of my Administration to halt the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by relying on the best available data and science-based public health measures. Such measures include wearing masks when around others, physical distancing, and other related precautions recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Put simply, masks and other public health measures reduce the spread of the disease, particularly when communities make widespread use of such measures, and thus save lives.
Accordingly, to protect the Federal workforce and individuals interacting with the Federal workforce,, and to ensure the continuity of Government services and activities, on-duty or on-site, Federal employees, on-site Federal contractors, and other individuals in Federal buildings and on Federal lands should all wear masks, maintain physical distance, and adhere to other public health measures, as provided in CDC guidelines.
Sec. 2. Immediate Action Regarding Federal Employees, Contractors, Buildings, and Lands. (a) The heads of executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall immediately take action, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to require compliance with CDC guidelines with respect to wearing masks, maintaining physical distance, and other public health measures by: on-duty or on-site Federal employees; on-site Federal contractors; and all persons in Federal buildings or on Federal lands.
(b) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and the Administrator of General Services, in coordination with the President’s Management Council and the Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator), shall promptly issue guidance to assist heads of agencies with implementation of this section.
(c) Heads of agencies shall promptly consult, as appropriate, with State, local, Tribal, and territorial government officials, Federal employees, Federal employee unions, Federal contractors, and any other interested parties concerning the implementation of this section.
(d) Heads of agencies may make categorial or case-by-case exceptions in implementing subsection (a) of this section to the extent that doing so is necessary or required bylaw, and consistent with applicable law. If heads of agencies make such exceptions, they shall require appropriate alternative safeguards, such as additional physical distancing measures, additional testing, or reconfiguration of the workspace, consistent with applicable law. Heads of agencies shall document all exceptions in writing.
(e) Heads of agencies shall review their existing authorities and, to the extent permitted by law and subject to the availability of appropriations and resources, seek to provide masks to individuals in Federal buildings when needed.
(f) The COVID-19 Response Coordinator shall coordinate the implementation of this section. Heads of agencies listed in 31 U.S.C. 901(b) shall update the COVID-19 Response Coordinator on their progress in implementing this section, including any categorical exceptions established under subsection (d) of this section, within 7 days of the date of this order and regularly thereafter. Heads of agencies are encouraged to bring to the attention of the COVID-19 Response Coordinator any questions regarding the scope or implementation of this section.
Sec. 3. Encouraging Masking Across America. (a) The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), including through the Director of CDC, shall engage, as appropriate, with State, local, Tribal and territorial officials, as well as business, union, academic, and other community leaders, regarding mask-wearing and other public health measures, with the goal of maximizing public compliance with, and addressing the goal of maximizing public compliance with, and addressing any obstacles to, mask-wearing and other public health best practices identified by CDC.
(b) The COVID-19 Response Coordinator, in coordination with the Secretary of HHS, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the heads of other relevant agencies, shall promptly identify and inform agencies of options to incentivize, support, and encourage widespread mask-wearing consistent with CDC guidelines and applicable law.
Sec. 4. Safer Federal Workforce Task Force.
(a) Establishment. There is hereby established the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force (Task Force).
(b) Membership. The Task Force shall consist of the following members:
(i) the Director of OPM, who shall serve as Co-Chair;
(ii) the Administrator of General Services, who shall serve as Co-Chair;
(iii) the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, who shall serve as Co-Chair;
(iv) The Director of OMB;
(v) the Director of the Federal Protective Service;
(vi) the Director of the United States Secret Service;
(vii) the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency;
(viii) the Director of CDC; and
(ix) the heads of other such agencies as the Co-Chairs may individually or jointly invite to participate.
(c) Organization. A member of the Task Force may designate, to preform the Task Force functions of the member, a senior-level official who is a full-time officer or employee of the member’s agency. At the direction of the Co-Chairs, the Task Force may establish subgroups consisting exclusively of Task Force members or their designees, as appropriate.
(d) Administration. The General Services Administration shall provide funding and administrative support for the Task Force to the extent permitted by law and within existing appropriations. The Co-Chairs shall convene regular meetings of the Task Force, determine its agenda, and direct its work.
(e) Mission. The Task Force shall provide ongoing guidance to heads of agencies on the operation of the Federal Government, the safety of its employees, and the continuity of Government functions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Such guidance shall be based on public health best practices as determined by CDC and other public health experts, and shall address, at a minimum, the following subjects as they relate to the Federal workforce:
(i) testing methodologies and protocols;
(ii) case investigation and contact tracing;
(iii) requirements and limitations on physical distancing, including recommended occupancy and density standards;
(iv) equipment needs and requirements, including personal protective equipment;
(v) air filration;
(vi) enhanced environmental disinfection and cleaning;
(vii) safe commuting and telework options;
(viii) enhanced technological infrastructure to support telework;
(ix) vaccine prioritization, distribution, and administration;
(x) approaches for coordinating with State, local, Tribal and territorial health officials, as well as business, union, academic, and other community leaders;
(xi) any management infrastructure needed by agencies to implement public health guidance; and
(xii) circumstances under which exemptions might appropriately be made to agency policies in accordance with CDC guidelines, such as for mission-critical purposes.
(f) Agency Corporation. The head of each agency listed in 31 U.S.C. 901(b) shall, consistent with applicable law, promptly provide the Task Force a report on COVID-19 safety protocols, safety plans, or guidance regarding the operation of the agency and the safety of its employees, and any other information that the head of the agency deems relevant to the Task Force’s work.
Sec. 5 Federal Employee Testing. The Secretary of HHS, through the Director of CDC, shall promptly develop and submit to the COVID-19 Response Coordinator a testing plan for the federal workforce. This plan shall be based on community transmission metrics and address the populations to be tested, testing types, frequency of testing, positive case protocols, and coordination with local public health authorities for contact tracing.
Sec. 6. Research and Development. The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, in consultation with the Secretary of HHS (through the National Science and Technology Council), the Director of OMB, the Director of CDC, the Director of the National Institutes of Health, the Director of the National Science Foundation, and the heads of any other appropriate agencies, shall assess the availability of Federal research grants to study best practices for implementing, and innovations to better implement, effective mask-wearing and physical distancing policies, with respect to both the Federal workforce and the general public.
Sec. 7. Scope. (a) For purposes of this order:
(i) “Federal employees” and “Federal contractors” mean employees (including members of the Armed Forces and members of the National Guard in Federal service) and contractors (including such contractors’ employees) working for the executive branch;
(ii) “Federal buildings” means buildings, or office space within buildings, owned, rented, or leased by the executive branch of which a substantial portion of occupants are Federal employees or Federal contractors.
(iii) “Federal lands” means lands under executive branch control.
(b) The Director of OPM and the Administrator of General Services shall seek to consult, in coordination with the heads of any other relevant agencies and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, with the Sergeants at Arms of the Senate and the House of Representatives and the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts (or such other persons designated by the Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House, or the Chief Justice of the United States, respectively), to promote mask-wearing, physical distancing, and adherence to other public health measures within the legislative and judicial branches, and shall provide requested technical assistance as needed to facilitate compliance with CDC guidelines.
Sec. 8. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) Independent agencies are strongly encouraged to comply with the requirements of this order.
(d) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party of the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 20: The White House posted “Executive Order on Organizing and Mobilizing the United States Government to Provide a Unified and Effective Response to Combat COVID-19 and to Provide United States Leadership on Global Health and Security” From the Executive Order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Purpose. The Federal Government must act swiftly and aggressively to combat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To that end, this order creates the position of Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President and takes other steps to organize the White House and activities of the Federal Government to combat COVID-19 and prepare for future biological and pandemic threats.
Sec. 2. Organizing the White House to Combat COVID-19. (a) In order to effectively, fully, and immediately respond to COVID-19, there is established within the Executive Office of the President the position of Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator) and that position of Deputy Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response. The COVID-19 Response Coordinator shall report directly to the President; advise and assist the President and executive departments and agencies (agencies) in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic; coordinate all elements of the COVID-19 response; and perform such duties as the President may otherwise direct. These duties shall include:
(i) coordinating a Government-wide effort to reduce disparities in the response, care, and treatment of COVID-19, including racial and ethnic disparities;
(ii) coordinating the Federal Government’s efforts to produce, supply, and distribute personal protective equipment, vaccines, tests, and other supplies for the Nation’s vaccines, tests, and other supplies for the Nation’s COVID-19 response, including through the use of the Defense Production Act, as amended (50 U.S.C. 4501 et seq.);
(iii) coordinating the Federal Government’s efforts to expand COVID-19 testing and the use of testing as an effective public health response;
(iv) coordinating the Federal Government’s efforts to support the timely, safe, and effective delivery of COVID-19 vaccines to the United States population;
(v) coordinating the Federal Government’s efforts to support the safe reopening and operation of schools, child care providers, and Head Start programs, and to help ensure the continuity of educational and other services for young children and elementary and secondary students during the COVID-19 pandemic; and
(vi) coordinating, as appropriate, with State, local, Tribal, and territorial authorities.
(b) The COVID-19 Response Coordinator shall have the authority to convene principals from relevant agencies, in consultation with the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy (APDP) on matters involving the domestic COVID-19 response, and in consultation with the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA) on matters involving the global COVID-19 response. The COVID-19 Response Coordinator shall also coordinate any corresponding deputies and interagency processes.
(c) The COVID-19 Response Coordinator may act through designees in performing these or any other duties.
Sec. 3. United States Leadership on Global Health and Security and the Global COVID-19 Response.
(a) Preparing to Respond to Biological Threats and Pandemics. To identify, monitor, prepare for, and, if necessary, respond to emerging biological and pandemic threats:
(i) the APNSA shall convene the National Security Council (NSC) Principals Committee as necessary to coordinate the Federal Government’s efforts to address such threats and to advise the President on the global response to and recovery from COVID-19, including matters regarding: the intersection of the COVID-19 response and other national security equities; global health security; engaging with and strengthening the World Health Organization; public health, access to healthcare, and the secondary impacts of COVID-19; and emerging biological risks and threats, whether naturally occurring, deliberate, or accidental.
(ii) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the APNSA shall, in coordination with relevant agencies, the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, and the APDP, complete a review of and recommend actions to the President concerning emerging domestic and global biological risks and national biopreparedness policies. The review and recommended actions shall incorporate lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and, among other things, address: the readiness of the pandemic supply chain, healthcare workforce, and hospitals; the development of a framework of pandemic readiness with specific triggers for when agencies should take action in response to large-scale biological events; pandemic border readiness; the development and distribution of medical countermeasures; epidemic forecasting and modeling; public health data modernization, bio-related intelligence; bioeconomic investments; biotechnology risks; the development of a framework for coordinating with and distributing responsibilities as between the Federal Government and State, local, Tribal, and territorial authorities; and State, local, Tribal and territorial preparedness for biological events.
(b) NSC Directorate on Global Health Security and Biodefense. There shall be an NSC Directorate on Global Health Security and Biodefense, which shall be headed by a Senior Director for Global Health Security and Biodefense. The Senior Director shall be responsible for monitoring current and emerging biological threats, and shall report concurrently to the APNSA and to the COVID-19 Response Coordinator on matters relating to COVID-19. The Senior Director shall oversee the Global Health Security Agenda Interagency Review Council, which was established pursuant to Executive Order 13747 of November 4, 2016 (Advancing the Global Health Security Agenda To Achieve a World Safe and Secure From Infectious Disease Threats), and is hereby reconvened as descried in that order.
(c) Responsibility for National Biodefense Preparedness. Notwithstanding any statements in the National Security Presidential Memorandum-14 of September 18, 2018 (Support for National Biodefense), the APNSA shall be responsible for coordinating the Nation’s biodefense preparedness efforts, and, as stated in sections 1 and 2 of this order, the COVID-19 Response Coordinator shall be responsible for coordinating the Federal Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sec. 4. Prompt Resolution of Issues Related to the United States COVID-19 Response. The heads of agencies shall, as soon as practicable, bring any procedural, departmental, legal, or funding obstacle to the COVID-19 response to the attention of the COVID-19 Response Coordinator. The COVID-19 Response Coordinator shall, in coordination with the relevant agencies, the APDP, and the APNSA, as appropriate, immediately bring to the President’s attention any issues that require Presidential guidance or decision-making.
Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR
Jan 20: The White House posted a Statement titled: “Letter to His Excellency António Guterres” From the statement:
His Excellency
Mr. António Guterres
Secretary-General
United Nations
New York
Excellency:
This letter constitutes a retraction by the Government of the United States of the letter dated July 6, 2020, notifying you that the Government of the United States intended to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO), effective July 6, 2021. The United States intends to remain a member of the World Health Organization.
The WHO plays a crucial role in the world’s fight against the deadly COVID-19 pandemic as well as countless other threats to global health and health security. The United States will continue to be a full participant and a global leader in confronting such threats and advancing global health and health security.
Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR
January 20: The White House posted a Statement titled: “Pausing Federal Student Loan Payments” From the Statement:
At the request of President Biden, the Acting Secretary of Education will extend the pause on federal student loan payments and collections and keep the interest rate at 0%. Too many Americans are struggling to pay for basic necessities and to provide for their families. They should not be forced to choose between paying their student loans and putting food on the table.
January 20: The White House posted a Statement titled: “Paris Climate Agreement”. From the Statement:
ACCEPTANCE ON BEHALF OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
I, Joseph R. Biden Jr., President of the United States of America, having seen and considered the Paris Agreement done at Paris on December 12, 2015, do hereby accept the said Agreement and every article and clause thereof on behalf of the United States of America.
Done at Washington this 20th day of January, 2021
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 21, 2021
January 21: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi posted a Press Release titled: “Transcript of Pelosi Weekly Press Conference Today” From the Press Release:
Speaker Nancy Pelosi held her weekly press conference today in the Capitol Visitor Center. Below are the Speaker’s remarks:
SPEAKER PELOSI: Good morning, everyone.
What a difference a day makes. Wasn’t that just the most beautiful inauguration, with the theme ‘America United’? It was so perfect in my view not only for the, shall we say, peaceful transfer of power, but the manner in which it happened: ‘America United’.
You know, I’ve said again and again that the arts will bring us together. When we laugh together, we cry together, we’re inspired together, we find our common ground more easily. And that was certainly given proof yesterday when Amanda Gorman made her, recited her beautiful – presented her beautiful poem about unity and about coming together, optimism.
And it was, of course, the complete theme of the inauguration, but also of the Vice President – excuse me, the now President, and he was President when he made his beautiful inaugural address about unity. It was when the day began, the inauguration began.
At the end of the day, I loved what was on TV at the end of one of the celebrations. You know, the President always loves to quote the Irish poets, Seamus Heaney being one of his favorites. So, as the end of the day, to see Lin Manuel Miranda reciting Seamus Heaney’s poem, and then at the end of the poem Joe Biden and coming together saying, ‘The longed for tidal wave of justice can rise up and hope and history can rhyme.’
It’s about trust. It’s about hope. It’s about optimism. That’s what the inauguration was about.
When the President said, ‘Today is America’s day, today is democracy’s day,’ that was really true. That inauguration was a breath of fresh air for our country. The inauguration of Joe Biden as President, Kamala Harris as Vice President of the United States, with all of the newness that that presented – first woman, first African American woman, first Asian American woman, the best. Not just about democracy, but about quality of leadership. So exciting.
So now with the Biden Harris Administration in place, a Democratic Majority that occurred later in the day, yesterday, when Chuck Schumer became the Majority Leader of the Senate, with the swearing in of three new Members. We’re very proud of Senator Padilla of California, just overwhelmed with joy about the two Senators from Georgia, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock. Three new Senators, a new Democratic Majority, now we can recover from the pandemic and get to work to Build Back Better.
Today, our nation marks the passing of the 400,000 people – that was , 400,000 people died. But today marks one year since our first knowledge of this pandemic. And what did we learn this morning? We learned this morning that the Trump Administration had no real plan for the production and distribution of the vaccine. Just another in a series of their terrible, ineffective approach to it from the start, in denial, delay, distortion, calling it a hoax, and now e vids that they don’t – they didn’t even have a plan.
As we go forward, though, we see immediately that Joe Biden has – President Biden has put forth a plan to crush the coronavirus. You know what it is. Yesterday, he talked about it in his Exclusive Actions when he talked about wearing masks, distancing, science based approaches.
Today, he’ll sign further orders, my understanding is, to use the Defense Production Act to speed up PPP – PPE delivery and to expand testing, treatment, and public health workforce that we need and launch a vaccination campaign. All of its is to more safely open up schools and businesses, improve health equity, something that the Republicans would just erase from any bill, addressing the disparity in treatment and testing and therefore the disparity in incidence of COVID 19 in communities of color.
As we salute these actions, we are getting ready for a COVID relief package. We’ll be working on that as we go.
As you probably have seen, Mr. Hoyer announced that as we work in these issues we won’t be back in session until the beginning of February, another week. February 1st, is it, or 2nd? And – but we’ll be doing our, we’ll be doing our committee work all next week so we are completely ready to go to the Floor when we come back.
And then, again, the COVID proposals from the Administration build on many of the initiatives that were in our package all along. It’s what the people need, what the country needs to crush the virus, put money in the pockets of the American people and honor our heroes.
We’re largely talking about Executive Actions, but I just mentioned that one bill, the COVID package. We also were pleased to see the President come forward – the Administration come forward with an immigration proposal. We are pleased that in the House, Linda Sanchez will be taking the lead, Senator Menendez in the Senate. It has the basic principles that we’ve talked about all along, and we’ll see what the timetable is on that.
Today, we are in session to vote on the Austin wavier. It is a wavier so that General Lloyd Austin can serve as Secretary of Defense. As I have said, General Austin is a highly qualified and well respected leader. With over 40 years of decorated service, he brings a great understanding of the challenges facing our nation’s defense and the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform and their families. Once the waiver is approved, I feel confident that the Senate will confirm the General as Secretary of Defense.
Civilian control of the military is not an issue for us, it is a value. It is a principle. And we are so pleased that, unlike the Trump Administration, the Biden Administration not only allow but encourage the General to come and present his views, which is happening right now, in the Armed Services Committee.
So, again, a very happy time. We are – I’m very proud of our Members. Right before I came here, I was in a session that was made available for Members and staff about the trauma of what happened on January 6th, talked about physical trauma, psychological trauma, vicarious trauma and the rest.
When the press came, saw may office and the rest, and asked about things that were stolen, glass that was broken, just violation of the property there, I really said, I don’t – that’s important, I respect the Speaker’s Office and the accoutrement of history that is there, but I’m more concerned about the damage that they did to our staff, to our colleagues in the Congress, to the custodial staff in the Capitol of the United States. That is damage. That is damage that must be addressed.
The resilience that we want to convey, we tried to do that night by coming right back, opening up the session of Congress, proceeding with the business at hand, the counting of the Electoral College votes to ascertain that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were President and Vice President of the United States.
But that was on aspect of resilience. So many Members felt their lives threatened. The uncertainty of it all contributed to the trauma. This is something that everyone in the country should take a measure of how they reacted to this. But let us all pray for the resilience that our country is famous for and that our people need to have as we go forward.
And one other part of that is that we will be, in another few days, when I’ll be talking with the managers as to when the Senate will be ready for the trial of the then-President of the United States for his role in instigating an insurrection on the House, on the Capitol of the United States, on our democracy, to undermine the will of the people.
It’s very clear he has been on this path for a while, but that – just that day he roused the troops, he urged them on to ‘fight like hell,’ he sent them on their way to the Capitol, he called upon lawlessness, he showed a path to the Capitol, and the lawlessness took place, a direct connection in one day over and above all of the other statements he had made before.
So, in any event, we – if somebody is asking – I’m not going to be telling you when it is going, but we had to wait for the Senate to be in session. They’ve now informed us they’re ready to receive. The question is – other questions about how a trial will proceed. But we are ready.
***
With that, I’m pleased to take any questions. What have you got, Chad?
Q: Madam Speaker, good morning. You were talking about security here at the Capitol, and I know you’re very concerned about that. Do you have any evidence or were you briefed in any capacity about these allegations of reconnaissance tours that some have talked about? And if there’s not proof to that – again some of your Members on your side have said that. Some of the Republican Members who were alleged to have given these have denied that they’d given them.
SPEAKER PELOSI: As with all of those things, as you indicate, you have to have evidence of what happened. There is no question that there were Members in this body who gave aid and comfort to those with the idea that they were embracing a lie, a like perpetrated by the President of the United States that the election did not have legitimacy. These people believed it. They believed the President. The President of the United States, his words have weight. They weigh a ton, in fact. So, that’s one thing.
In terms of what you suggest, everything has to be based on evidence, and that remains to be seen. In that regard, I’ve very pleased that we will have an after action review that will review many aspects of what happened. If people did aid and abet, there will be more than just comments from their colleagues here. There will be prosecution if they aided and abetted an insurrection in which people died. But again, Chad, as you rightfully ask, that is something that you have to collect the evidence for you as you proceed, A.
B, I’m very excited because you asked about security here, that General Russel Honoré has agreed to take a big view of the security here. We will have an after action review. There will be a commission, all of that. But immediately, actually before the weekend, he agreed to take a look at the security infrastructure, the interagency relationships, the fact that he is so familiar with the capital regional security aspects of it. We feel and we believe that we are in very good hands with his taking the look that he has and inviting experts in the field to give their views as well. So that’s where we are.
Yes, ma’am.
Q: Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Two things. If you can put any finer point on the timing for the Articles of Impeachment?
SPEAKER PELOSI: No.
Q: Okay.
SPEAKER PELOSI: It will be soon. As I said, you’ll be the first to know.
Q: Thank you. And also, you mentioned Leader Schumer becoming the Senate Majority Leader.
SPEAKER PELOSI: Yes. It’s very exciting.
Q: You have worked a long time with both Leader Schumer and Leader McConnell. What is your advice for Leader Schumer now that he is the Majority as he confronts Leader McConnell, who let us know yesterday he still sees, you know, that even though Democrats have a sweep of government now with the House, the Senate and White House, Leader McConnell still sees, you know, an important role for Republicans as – you know, in the Congress.
SPEAKER PELOSI: So, you’re asking me what advice I would give to Leader Schumer?
Q: Yes, ma’am.
SPEAKER PELOSI: You know him. I wouldn’t think of giving him any advice on how to deal with the Senate, not at all, nor does he give me advice on how to run the House.
Q: And in dealing with Leader McConnell?
SPEAKER PELOSI: No. Again, that’s a dynamic that is very different from the House. I would say though, for both of us, we have a responsibility to find bipartisanship where we can, to find our common ground where we can. We have that as not only a goal, but a responsibility. When we can’t, we must stand our ground. That’s Thomas Jefferson, standing the ground with that.
But it is – if we’re talking about what the country needs, the country needs to crush the virus. It hasn’t happened yet. The country needs to end the economic crisis that we’re in. We need to do more to that. And one way to do both is to help our heroes, our health care workers, our police and fire, our first responders, our sanitation, transportation, food workers, our teachers, our teachers, our teachers. They are on the front line, risking their lives to save lives in some cases and on the verge of losing their job. So, it’s about a case that we make for what the country needs that hopefully we can have a bipartisan agreement.
Yes?
Q: Thank you. You mentioned unity, the message of unity that came out yesterday.
SPEAKER PELOSI: Yeah.
Q: Are you at all concerned about moving forward that an impeachment trial could undercut that message and alienate Republican supporters of the President?
SPEAKER PELOSI: No. No, I’m not worried about that. The fact is, the President of the United States committed an act of insurrection. I don’t think it’s very unifying to say, ‘Oh, let’s just forget it and move on.’ That’s not how you unify. Joe Biden said it beautifully: If you’re going to unite, you must remember. And we must – we must bring this.
And look, that’s our responsibility, to uphold the integrity of the Congress of the United States. That’s our responsibility, to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, and that is what we will do.
And just because he’s now gone, thank God, that we – you don’t say to a President, “Do whatever you want in the last months of your Administration, you’re going to get a get out of jail card free,’ because people think we should make nice and forget that people died here on January 6th, that the attempt to undermine our election or to undermine our democracy, to dishonor our Constitution. No, I don’t see that at all. I think that would be harmful to unity.
Q: Madam Speaker, a year ago, in the context of the last impeachment trial, you said that you cannot have a trial without documents and witnesses.
SPEAKER PELOSI: That’s right.
Q: I’m wondering what kind of trial you’d like to see your impeachment managers put forward. And is that part of your what you’re waiting for, some kind of guidance from the Senate about how they’ll conduct themselves before you send that article over?
SPEAKER PELOSI: Well, let me just say this. We’re talking about two different things. We’re talking about a phone call that the President had as one part of it, that people could say, ‘I need evidence.’ This year, the whole world bore witness to the President’s indictment, to the execution of his call to action, and the violence that was used.
So I, believe it or not, don’t take part in the deliberations of delivering – of making the – preparing for the trial. That’s up to the managers. But I did see a big difference between something that we all witnessed versus what information you might need to substantiate an Article of Impeachment based on, large part, on a call the President made and described as ‘perfect.’ It was perfectly unconstitutional. This is different.
But, again, it’s up to them to decide how we go forward, when we go forward. It will be soon. I don’t think it will be long, But we must do it.
STAFF: Last question.
Q: Speaker Pelosi. Just a quick question. Whats the status of H.R. 1 right now?
SPEAKER PELOSI: H.R. 1 is – the status of H.R. 1 is that it is in an exalted position.
We – it is a priority for us. The Senate has S. , I think is what theirs is, S. .
This is very important, and I thank you for asking about it, because this is really central to the integrity of our government, to reduce the role of big, dark, special interest money in politics, to give more leverage to small donors and grassroots activists, to implement what John Lewis put forth in ending voter suppression. That is what January 6th was about as well, voter suppression, and the list goes on.
We have pulled out H.R. 4, which was part of H.R. 1, the Voting Rights Act, but that’s very much a part of the spirit of that. The reason why we are doing them separately is needs to have – and we have provided it with hearings all over the country. Marcia Fudge, now soon to be Madam Secretary, Terri Sewell, John Lewis, bless his heart, when he was here – all were part of establishing that record for H.R. 4, the Voting Rights Act, for now.
So, we’re optimistic we are going to pass both of them, and it will give confidence to the American people that their voice is as important as anyone’s, that big money, which suffocates the airways, is no longer going to be the order of the day.
And I thank John Sarbanes for his tremendous leadership over a long period of time. John Larson was doing it earlier, and now John Sarbanes, both of them. And what’s important about it is that it gives people the hope that, yes, we can have clean air and clean water and address the climate crisis because big, dark money will not dominate the policy; yes, we can have gun violence prevention because big, dark, special interest, gun lobbyist money will not dominate the process.
We in the Democratic Party have advanced these. They have been stopped, as you know, on the other side. But we hope now that the more the public knows the better we will be in terms of policy.
And I’d just – I’ll conclude by saying something you’ve heard me say again and again: ‘Public sentiment is everything. With it, you can accomplish almost everything, without it, practically nothing.” Abraham Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln.
And now that we have the bully pulpit and the President can explain to the public more clearly, because a President has a bigger audience, that the public will know what is at stake, how they can weigh in. And it won’t be a question of the press saying, ‘Oh, they’re bickering, or this or that.’ Now, we’re not. We’re not bickering. We have a very major difference of opinion as to what – how we honor the Constitution. We hope that we can find common ground on it because its very important.
And, again, I’ll further close, wasn’t it beautiful when President Biden quoted what Lincoln, President Lincoln, said when he signed the Emancipation Proclamation on New Year’s Day ? It was in his soul, it was in his being. And Biden, of course, said what he is setting out to do is, again, in his soul and in his being.
Thank you all very much. What a difference a day makes. Thank you.
January 21: The White House posted an executive order titled: “Executive Order on Promoting COVID-19 Safety in Domestic and International Travel” From the Executive Order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. Science-based public health measures are critical to preventing the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by travelers within the United States and those who enter the country from abroad. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),the Surgeon General, and the National Institutes of Health have concluded that mask-wearing, physical distancing, appropriate ventilation, and timely testing can mitigate the risk of travelers spreading COVID-19. Accordingly, to save lives and allow all Americans, including the millions of people employed in the transportation industry, to travel and work safely, it is the policy of my Administration to implement these public health measures consistent with with CDC guidelines on public modes of transportation and at ports of entry to the United States.
Sec. 2. Immediate Action to Require Mask-Wearing on Certain Domestic Modes of Transportation.
(a) Mask Requirement. The Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Secretary of Transportation (including through the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)), the Secretary of Homeland Security (including through the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard), and the heads of any other executive departments and agencies (agencies) that have relevant regulatory authority (heads of agencies) shall immediately take action, to the extent appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to require masks to be worn in compliance with CDC guidelines in or on:
(i) airports;
(ii) commercial aircraft;
(iii) trains;
(iv) public maritime vessels, including ferries;
(v) intercity bus services; and
(vi) all forms of public transportation as defined in section 5302 of title 49, United States Code.
(b) Consultation. In implementing this section, the heads of agencies shall consult, as appropriate, with interested parties, including State, local, Tribal, and territorial officials’ industry and union representatives from the transportation sector; and consumer representatives.
(c) Exceptions. The heads of agencies may make categorical or case-by-case exceptions to policies developed under this section, consistent with applicable law, to the extent that doing so is necessary or required by law. If the heads of agencies do make exceptions, they shall document all exceptions in writing.
(d) Preemption. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the heads of agencies shall ensure that any action taken to implement this section does not preempt State, local, Tribal, and territorial laws or rules imposing public health measures that are more protective of public health than those required by the heads of agencies.
(e) Coordination. The Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator) shall coordinate the implementation of this section. The heads of agencies shall update the COVID-19 Response Coordinator on their progress in implementing this section, including any categorical exceptions established under subsection (c) of this section, within 7 days of the date of this order and regularly thereafter. The heads of agencies are encouraged to bring to the attention of the COVID-19 Response Coordinator any questions regarding the scope or implementation of this section.
Sec. 3. Action to Implement Additional Public Health Measures for Domestic Travel.
(a) Recommendations. The Secretary of Transportation (including through the Administer of the FAA) and the Secretary of Homeland Security (including through the Administrator of the TSA and the Commandant of the Coast Guard), in consultation with the Director of CDC, shall promptly provide to the COVID-19 Response Coordinator recommendations concerning how their respective agencies may impose additional public health measures for domestic travel.
(b) Consultation. In implementing this section, the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall engage with interested parties, including State, local Tribal, and territorial officials; industry and union representatives from the transportation sector; and consumer representatives.
Sec. 4. Support for State, Local, Tribal and Territorial Authorities. The COVID-19 Response Coordinator, in coordination with the Secretary of Transportation and the heads of any other relevant agencies, shall promptly identify and inform agencies of options to incentivize, support, and encourage widespread mask-wearing and physical distancing on public modes of transportation, consistent with CDC guidelines and applicable law.
Sec. 5. International Travel.
(a) Policy. It is the policy of my Administration that, to the extent feasible, travelers seeking to enter the United States from a foreign country shall be:
(i) required to produce proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test prior to entry; and
(ii) required to comply with other applicable CDC guidelines concerning international travel, including recommended periods of self-quarantine or self-isolation after entry into the United States.
(b) Air Travel.
(i) The Secretary of HHS, including through the Director of CDC, and in coordination with the Secretary of Transportation (including through the Administrator of the FAA) and the Secretary of Homeland Security (including through the Administrator of the TSA), shall, within 14 days of the date of this order, assess the CDC order of January 12, 2021, regarding the requirement of a negative COVID-19 test result for airline passengers traveling into the United States, in light of subsection (a) of this section. Based on such assessment, the Secretary of HHS and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall take any further appropriate regulatory action, to the extent feasible and consistent with CDC guidelines and applicable law. Such assessment and regulatory action shall include consideration of:
(A) the timing and types of COVID-19 tests that should satisfy the negative test requirement, including consideration of additional testing immediately prior to departure;
(B) the proof of test results that travelers should be required to provide;
(C) the feasibility of implementing alternative and sufficiently protective public health measures, such as testing, self-quarantine, and self-isolation on arrival, for travelers entering the United States from countries where COVID-19 tests are inaccessible, particularly where such inaccessibility of tests would affect the ability of United States citizens and lawful permanent residents to return to the United States; and
(D) Measures to prevent fraud.
(ii) The Secretary of HHS, in coordination with the Secretary of Transportation (including through the Administrator of the FAA) and the Secretary of Homeland Security (including through the Administrator of the TSA), shall promptly provide to the President, through the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, a plan for how the Secretary and other Federal Government actors could implement the policy stated in subsection (a) of this section with respect to CDC-recommended periods of self-quarantine or self-isolation after a flight to the United States from a foreign country, as he deems appropriate and consistent with applicable law. The plan shall identify agencies’ tools and mechanisms to assist travelers in complying with such policy.
(iii) The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of HHS (including through the Administrator of the FAA), and the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall seek to consult with foreign governments, the World Health Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Air Transport Association, and any other relevant stakeholders to establish guidelines for public health measures associated with safe international travel including on aircraft and at ports of entry. Any such guidelines should address quarantine, testing, COVID-19 vaccination, follow-up testing and symptom-monitoring, air filtration requirements, environmental decontamination standards, and contact tracing.
(c) Land Travel. The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of HHS, the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of CDC, shall immediately commence diplomatic outreach to the governments of Canada and Mexico regarding public health protocols for land ports of entry. Based on this diplomatic engagement, within 14 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of HHS (including through the Director of CDC), the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the President a plan to implement appropriate public health measures at land ports of entry. The plan should implement CDC guidelines, consistent with applicable law, and take into account the operational considerations relevant to the different populations who enter the United States by land.
(d) Sea Travel. The Secretary of Homeland Security, through the Commandant of the Coast Guard and in consolation with the Secretary of HHS and the Director of CDC, shall, within 14 days of the date of this order, submit to the President a plan to implement appropriate public health measures at sea ports. The plan should implement CDC guidelines, consistent with applicable law, and take into account operational considerations.
(e) International Certificates of Vaccination or Prophylaxis. Consistent with applicable law, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of HHS, and the Secretary of Homeland Security (including through the Administrator of the TSA), in coordination with any relevant international organizations, shall assess the feasibility of linking COVID-19 vaccination to International Certificates of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) and producing electronic versions of ICVPs.
(f) Coordination. The COVID-19 Response Coordinator, in consultation with the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, shall coordinate the implementation of this section. The Secretary of State, the Secretary of HHS, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall update the COVID-19 Response Coordinator on their progress in implementing this section within 7 days of the date of this order and regularly thereafter. The heads of all agencies are encouraged to bring to the attention of the COVID Response Coordinator any questions regarding the scope or implementation of this section.
Sec. 6. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary administrative, or legislative proposals
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 21: The White House posted “Executive Order on Improving and Expanding Access to Care and Treatments for COVID-19” From the Executive Order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is nearby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of my Administration to improve the capacity of the Nation’s healthcare systems to address coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), to accelerate the development of novel therapies to treat COVID-19, and to improve all Americans’ access to quality and affordable healthcare.
Sec. 2. Accelerating the Development of Novel Therapies. To enhance the Nation’s ability to quickly develop the most promising COVID-19 interventions, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), in consultation with the Director of the National Institutes of Health shall:
(a) develop a plan for supporting a range of studies including large-scale randomized trials, for identifying optimal clinical management strategies, and for supporting the most promising treatment for COVID-19 and future high-consequence public health threats, that can be easily manufactured, distributed, and administered, both domestically and internationally.
(b) develop a plan, in consultation with non-governmental partners, as appropriate, to support research:
(i) in rural hospitals and other rural locations; and
(ii) that studies the emerging evidence concerning the long-term impact of COVID-19 on patient health; and
(c) consider steps to ensure that clinical trials include populations that have been historically underrepresented in such trials.
Sec. 3. Improving the Capacity of the Nation’s Healthcare Systems to Address COVID-19. To bolster the capacity of the Nation’s healthcare systems to support healthcare workers and patients:
(a) The Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of HHS, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the heads of other relevant executive departments and agencies, (agencies), in coordination with the Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator), shall promptly, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, provide targeted surge assistance to critical care and long-term care facilities, including nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, intermediate care facilities for individuals with disabilities, and residential treatment centers, in their efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19.
(b)The COVID-19 Response Coordinator, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of HHS, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the heads of other relevant agencies, shall review the needs of Federal facilities providing care to COVID-19 patients and develop recommendations for further actions such facilities can take to support active military personnel, veterans, and Tribal nations during this crisis.
(c) The Secretary of HHS shall promptly:
(i) issue recommendations on how States and healthcare providers can increase the capacity of their healthcare workforces to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
(ii) through the Administration of the Health Resources and Services Administration and the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, take appropriate actions, as consistent with applicable law, to expand access to programs and services designed to meet the long-term health needs of patients recovering from COVID-19, including through technical assistance and support to community health centers.
Sec. 4. Improving Access to Quality and Affordable Healthcare
(a) To facilitate the equitable and effective distribution of therapeutics and bolster clinical care capacity where needed to support patient care, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of HHS, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in coordination with the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, shall establish targets for the production, allocation, and distribution of COVID-19 treatments. To meet those targets, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of HHS, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall consider prioritizing, including through grants for research and development, investments in therapeutics that can be readily administered and scaled.
(b) To facilitate the utilization of exerting COVID-19 treatments, the Secretary of HHS shall identify barriers to maximizing the effective and equitable use of existing COVID-19 treatment and shall, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, provide support to State, local, Tribal, and territorial authorities aimed at overcoming those barriers.
(c) To address the affordability of treatments and clinical care, the Secretary of HHS shall, promptly and as appropriate and consistent with applicable law:
(i) evaluate the COVID-19 Uninsured Program, operated by the Health Resources and Services Administration within HHS, and take any available steps to promote access to treatments and clinical care for those without adequate coverage, to support safety-net providers in delivering such treatments and clinical care, and to make Program easy to use for patients and providers, with information about the Program widely disseminated; and
(ii) evaluate Medicare, Medicaid, group health plans, and health insurance issuers, and take any available steps to promote insurance coverage for safe and effective COVID-19 treatments and clinical care.
Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 21: Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) posted a Press Release titled: “Dr. Anthony Fauci Remarks at the World Health Organization Executive Board Meeting” From the Press Release:
“Director-General Dr. Tedros, distinguished representatives, friends, and colleagues:
It is an honor for me to be here, representing the United States of America, on behalf of the newly inaugurated Biden-Harris administration, and as the Chief Medical Adviser to President Biden.
I am also here to represent the scientists, public health officials and frontline healthcare workers, and community health workers who have worked so heroically this past year to fight COVID-19, developing medical countermeasures at truly phenomenal speed, adapting policy responses as we learn more about the virus, and courageously treating the millions of people who have been stricken by this historic scourge.
One year ago, to the day, the United States confirmed its first case of SARS-COV-1, in the State of Washington. Today, my country and around the world, we have surpassed 90 million cases, a devastating number that continues to grow.
I join my fellow representatives in thanking the World Health Organization for its role in leading the global public health response to this pandemic. Under trying circumstances, this organization has rallied the scientific and research and development community to accelerate vaccines, therapies and diagnostics; conducted regular, steamed press briefings that authoritatively track global developments; provided millions of vital supplies from lab reagents to protective gear to health care workers in dozens of countries; and relentlessly worked with nations in their fight against COVID-19.
I also know first-hand the work of WHO with whom I have engaged in a collaborative manner touching all aspects of global health over the past 4 decades.
As such, I am honored to announce that the United States will remain a member of the World Health Organization. Yesterday, President Biden signed letters retracting the previous Administration’s announcement to withdraw from the organization, and those letters have been transmitted to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and to you Dr. Tedros, my dear friend.
In addition to retracting of notification of withdrawal and retaining membership in the WHO, the United States will cease the drawdown of U.S. staff seconded to the WHO and will resume regular engagement of U.S. government personnel with the WHO both directly and through our WHO Collaborating Centers.
The United States also intends to fulfill its financial obligations to the organization. The United States sees technical collaboration at all levels as a fundamental part of our relationship with WHO, one that we value deeply and will look to strengthen going forward.
As a WHO member state, the United States will work constructively with partners to strengthen and importantly reform the WHO, to help lead the collective effort to strengthen the international COVID-19 response and address its secondary impacts on people, communities, and health systems around the world.
The Biden Administration also intends to be fully engaged in advancing global health, supporting global health security and the Global Health Security Agenda, and building a healthier future for all people.
I am also pleased to announce today that the United States plans to work multilaterally to respond and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. President Biden will issue a directive later today which will include the intent of the U.S. to join COVAX and support the ACT-Accelerator to advance multilateral efforts for COVID-19 vaccine, therapeutic, and diagnostic distribution, equitable access, and research and development.
The United States will also work with the WHO and Member States to counter the erosion of major gains in global health that we have achieved through decades of research, collaboration and investments in health and health security, including in HIV/AIDS, food security, malaria, and epidemic preparedness.
And it will be our policy to support women’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights in the United States, as well as globally. To that end, President Biden will be revoking the Mexico City Policy in the coming days, as part of his broader commitment to protect women’s health and advance gender equality at home and around the world.
We realize that responding to COVID-19 and rebuilding global health and advancing health security around the world will not be easy. And in this regard:
We are committed to transparency, including those events surrounding the early days of the pandemic. It is imperative that we learn and build upon important lessons about how future pandemic events can be averted. The international investigation should be robust and clear, and we look forward to evaluating it;
We will also work with the WHO and partner countries to strengthen and reform the WHO, improve mechanisms for responding to health emergencies across the United Nations, and strengthen the International Health Regulations;
We will commit to building global health security capacity, expanding pandemic preparedness, and supporting efforts to strengthen health systems around the world and to advance the Sustainable Development Goals;
We will work with partners to develop new international financing mechanisms for health security;
We will seek an improved, shared system for early warning and rapid response to emerging biological threats;
We will support robust and ethically sound collaborative science, research and research capacity building, as well as the rapid sharing of research results, pathogen samples and data essential to research progress;
We will look to strengthen pandemic supply chain networks;
And we will work with partners around the world to build a system that leaves us better prepared for this pandemic and for the next one.
And finally, given that a considerable amount of effort will be required by all of us moving forward, the United States stands ready to work in partnership and solidarity to support the international COVID-19 response, mitigate its impact on the world, strengthen our institutions, advance epidemic preparedness for the future, and improve the health and wellbeing of all people throughout the world”
January 21: The White House posted an executive order titled: “Executive Order on Ensuring a Data-Driven Response to COVID-19 and Future High-Consequence Public Health Threats” From the executive order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of my Administration to respond to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic through effective approaches guided by the best available science and data, including by building back a better public health infrastructure. This stronger public health infrastructure must help the Nation effectively prevent, detect, and respond to future biological threats, both domestically and internationally.
Consistent with this policy, the heads of all executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall facilitate the gathering, sharing, and publication of COVID-19-related data, in coordination with the Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator), to the extent permitted by law, and with appropriate protections for confidentiality, privacy, law enforcement, and national security. These efforts shall assist Federal, State, local, Tribal, and territorial authorities in developing and implementing policies to facilitate informed community decision-making, to further public understanding of the pandemic and the response, and to deter the spread of misinformation and disinformation.
Sec. 2. Enhancing Data Collection and Collaboration Capabilities for High-Consequence PublicHealth Threats, Such as the COVID-19 Pandemic. (a) The Secretary of Defense, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Secretary of Education, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Director of National Intelligence, the Director of the Office Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), and the Director of the National Science Foundation shall each promptly designate a senior official serve as their agency’s lead to work on COVID-19- and pandemic-related data issues. This official, in consultation with the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, shall take steps to make data relevant to high-consequence public health threats, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, publicly available and accessible.
(b) The COVID-19 Response Coordinator shall, as necessary, convene appropriate representatives from relevant agencies to coordinate the agencies’ collection, provision, and analysis of data, including key equity indicators, regarding the COVID-19 response, as their sharing of such data with State, local, Tribal, and territorial authorities.
(c) The Director of OMB, in consultation with the Director of OSTP, the United States Chief Technology Officer, and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, shall promptly review the Federal Government’s existing approaches to open data, and shall issue supplemental guidance, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, concerning how to identify COVID-19 related data; how to make data open the public in human- and machine-readable formats as rapidly as possible; and any other topic the Director of OMB concludes would appropriately advance the policy of this order. Any guidance shall include appropriate protections for the information described in section 5 of this order.
(d) The Director of the Office of Personnel Management, in consultation with the Director of OMB, shall promptly:
(i) review the ability of agencies to hire personnel expeditiously into roles related to information technology and the collection, provision, analysis, or other use of data to address high-consequence public health threats, such as the COVID-19 pandemic; and
(ii) take action, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to support agencies in such efforts.
Sec. 3. Public Health Data Systems. The Secretary of HHS, in consultation with the COVID-19 Response Coordinator and the heads of relevant agencies, shall promptly:
(a) review the effectiveness, interoperability, and connectivity of public health data systems supporting detection of and response to high-consequence public health threats, such as the COVID-19 pandemic;
(b) review the collection of morbidity data by State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments during high-consequence public health threats, such as the COVID-19 pandemic; and
(c) issue a report summarizing the findings of the reviews detailed in subsections (a) and (b) of this section and any recommendations for addressing areas for improvement identified in the reviews.
Sec. 4. Advancing Innovation in Public Health Data and Analytics. The Director of OSTP, in coordination with the National Science and Technology Council, as appropriate, shall develop a plan for advancing innovation in public health data and analytics in the United States.
Sec. 5. Privileged Information. Nothing in this order shall compel or authorize the disclosure of privileged information, law-enforcement information, national-security information, personal information, or information the disclosure of which is prohibited by law.
Sec. 6. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 21: The White House posted a Memorandum titled: “Memorandum to Extend Federal Support to Governors’ Use of the National Guard to Respond to COVID-19 and to Increase Reimbursement and Other Assistance Provided to States”. From the Memorandum:
MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE THE SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY
SUBJECT: Memorandum to Extend Federal Support to Governor’s Use of the National Guard to Respond to COVID-19 and to Increase Reimbursement and Other Assistance Provided to States
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42. U.S.C. 5121-5207 (the “Stafford Act”), and section 502 of title 32, United States Code, I hereby order as follows:
Section 1. Policy. Consistent with the nationwide emergency declaration concerning the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on March 13, 2020, it is the policy of my Administration to combat and respond to COVID-19with the full capacity and capability of the Federal Government to protect and support our families, schools, and businesses, and to assist State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments to do the same, to the extent authorized by law.
Sec. 2 Support of Operations or Missions to Prevent and Respond to the Spread of COVID-19. (a) The Secretary of Defense shall, to the maximum extent feasible and consistent with the mission requirements (including geographic proximity), request pursuant to 32 U.S.C. 502(f) that all State and territorial governors order National Guard forces to perform duty to fulfill mission assignments, on a fully reimbursable basis, that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issues to the Department of Defense for the purpose of supporting State, local, Tribal, and territorial emergency assistance efforts under the Stafford Act.
(b) FEMA shall fund 100 percent of the cost of activities associated with all mission assignments for the use of the National Guard under 32 U.S.C. 502(f) to respond to COVID-19, as associated by sections 403 (42 U.S.C. 5170b), 502 (42 U.S.C. 5192), and 503 (42 U.S.C. 5193) of the Stafford Act.
(c) This section supersedes prior Presidential Memoranda requesting the use of the National Guard to respond to the COVID-19 emergency to the extent they are inconsistent with this memorandum.
Sec. 3. Assistance for Category B Emergency Protective Measures. (a) In accordance with sections 403 (42 U.S.C. 5170b) and 502 (42 U.S.C. 5192) of the Stafford Act, FEMA shall, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, make available under Category B of the Public Assistance program such assistance as may be required by States (including territories and the District of Columbia), local governments, and Tribal governments to provider the safe opening and operation of eligible schools, child-care facilities, healthcare facilities, non-congregate shelters, domestic violence shelters, transit systems, and other eligible applicants. Such assistance may include funding for the provision of personal protective equipment and disinfecting services and supplies.
(b) FEMA shall make assistance under this section available at a 100 percent Federal cost share until September 30, 2021.
Sec. 4. Advanced Reimbursement. To make reimbursements for approved work under the Stafford Act to respond to COVID-19 available more quickly, FEMA shall expedite reimbursement for eligible emergency work projects and, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, provide an advance of the Federal share on a percentage of the expected reimbursement from FEMA-approved projects.
Sec. 5. One-Hundred Percent Cost Share Termination. The 100 percent Federal cost share for use of National Guard forces authorized by section 2(b) of this memorandum shall extend to, and shall be available for, orders of any length authorizing duty through September 30, 2021.
Sec. 6. General Provisions (a) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency; or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
(d) The Secretary of Defense is authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 21: The White House posted an executive order titled: “Executive Order on a Sustainable Public Health Supply Chain” From the executive order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended (50 U.S.C. 4501 et seq.), sections 319 and 361 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d and 264), sections 306 and 307 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5149 and 5150), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Purpose. The Federal Government must act urgently and effectively to combat the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. To that end, this order directs immediate actions to secure supplies necessary for responding to the pandemic, so that those supplies are available, and remain available, to the Federal Government and State, local, Tribal and territorial authorities, as well as to American’s health care workers, health systems, and patients. These supplies are vital to the Nation’s ability to reopen its schools and economies soon and safely as possible.
Sec. 2. Immediate Inventory of Response Supplies and Indentification of Emergency Needs. (a) The Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the heads of appropriate executive departments and agencies (agencies), in coordination with the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, shall:
(i) immediately review the availability of critical materials, treatments, and supplies needed to combat COVID-19 (pandemic response supplies), including personal protective equipment (PPE) and the resources necessary to effectively produce and distribute tests and vaccines at scale; and
(ii) assess, including by reviewing prior such assessments, whether United States industry can be reasonably expected to provide such supplies in a timely manner.
(b) Where a review and assessment described in section 2(a)(i) of this order identifies shortfalls in the provision of pandemic response supplies, the head of the relevant agency shall:
(i) promptly revise its operational assumptions and planning factors being used to determine the scope and prioritization, acquisition, and distribution of such supplies; and
(ii) take appropriate action using all available legal authorities, including the Defense Production Act, to fill those shortfalls as soon as practicable by acquiring additional stockpiles, improving distribution systems, building market capacity, or expanding the industrial base.
(c) Upon completing the review and assessment described in section 2(a)(i) of this order, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall provide to the President, through the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, a report on the status and inventory of the Strategic National Stockpile.
(d) The Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the heads of any other agencies relevant to inventorying pandemic response supplies shall, as soon as practicable, provide to the President, through the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, a report consisting of:
(i) an assessment of the need for, and an inventory of current supplies of, key pandemic response supplies;
(ii) an analysis of their agency’s capacity to produce, provide, and distribute pandemic response supplies;
(iii) an assessment of their agency’s procurement of pandemic response supplies on the availability of such supplies on the open market;
(iv) an account of all existing or ongoing agency actions, contracts, and investment agreements regarding pandemic response supplies;
(v) a list of any gaps between the needs identified in section 2(a)(i) of this order and supply chain delivery, and recommendations on how to close such gaps; and
(vi) a compilation and summary of their agency’s existing distribution and prioritization plans for pandemic response supplies, which shall include any assumptions or planning factors used to determine such needs and any recommendations for changes to such assumptions or factors.
(3) The COVID-19 Response Coordinator, in coordination with the heads of appropriate agencies, shall review the report described in section 2(d) of this order and submit recommendations to the President that address:
(i) whether additional use of the Defense Production Act, by the President or agencies exercising delegated authority under the Act, would be helpful; and
(ii) the extent to which liability risk, regulatory requirements, or other factors impede the development, production and procurement of pandemic response supplies, and any actions that can be taken, consistent with law, to remove those impediments.
(f) The heads of agencies responsible for completing the requirements of this section, as appropriate and in coordination with the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, shall consult with State, local, Tribal and territorial authorities, as well as with other entitles critical to assessing the availability of and need for pandemic response supplies.
Sec. 3. Pricing. To take steps to address the pricing of pandemic response supplies:
(a) The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall promptly recommend to the President, through the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, whether any changes should be made to the authorities delegated the Secretary by Executive Order 13910 of March 23, 2020 (Preventing Hoarding of Health and Medical Resources To Respond to the Spread of COVID-19), with respect to scarce materials or materials the supply of which would be threatened by accumulation for the purpose of holding or price gouging.
(b) The Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall promptly review and provide to the President, through the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, recommendations for how to address the pricing of pandemic response supplies, including whether and how to direct the use of reasonable pricing clauses in Federal contracts and investment agreements, or other related vehicles and whether to use General Services Administration Schedules to facilitate State, local, Tribal and territorial government buyers and compacts in purchasing pandemic response supplies using Federal supply schedules.
Sec. 4. Pandemic Supply Chain Resilience Strategy. Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA), the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, and the heads of any agencies or entities selected by APNSA and COVID-19 Response Coordinator, shall provide to the President a strategy to design, build, and sustain a long-term capability in the United States to manufacture supplies for future pandemics and biological threats. This strategy shall include:
(a) mechanisms to respond to emergency supply needs of State, local, Tribal, and territorial authorities, which should include standards and processes to prioritize requests and delivery and to ensure equitable distribution based on public health criteria:
(b) an analysis of the role of foreign supply chains in America’s pandemic supply chain, America’s role in the international public health supply chain, and options for straightening and better coordinating global supply chain systems in future pandemics;
(c) mechanisms to address points of failure in the supply chains and to ensure necessary redundancies;
(d) the roles of the Strategic National Stockpile and other Federal and military stockpiles in providing pandemic supplies on an ongoing or emergency basis, including their roles in allocating supplies across States, localities, tribes, and territories, sustaining supplies during a pandemic, and in contingency planning to ensure adequate preparedness for future pandemics and public health emergencies;
(e) approaches to assess and maximize the value and efficacy of public/private partnerships and the value of Federal investments in latent manufacturing capacity; and
(f) an approach to develop a multi-year implementation plan for domestic production of pandemic supplies.
Sec. 5. Access to Strategic National Stockpile. The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall consult with Tribal authorities and take steps, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to facilitate access to the Strategic National Stockpile for federally recognized Tribal governments, Indian Health Service healthcare providers, Tribal health authorities, and Urban Indian Organizations.
Sec. 6. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 21: The White House posted an Executive Order titled: “Executive Order on Supporting the Reopening and Continuing Operation of Schools and Early Childhood Education Providers” From the Executive Order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, to ensure that students receive a high-quality education during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and to support the safe reopening and continued operation of schools, child care providers, Head Start programs and institutions of higher education, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. Every student in America deserves a high-quality education in a safe environment, This promise, which was already out of reach for too many, has been further threatened by the COVID-19 pandemic. School and higher education administrators, educators, faculty, child care providers, custodians and other staff, and families have gone above and beyond to support children’s and students’ learning and meet their needs during this crisis. Students and teachers alike have found new ways to teach and learn. Many child care providers continue to provide care and learning opportunities to children in homes and centers across the country. However, leadership and support from the Federal Government is needed. Two principles should guide the Federal Government’s response to the COVID-19 crisis with respect to schools, child care providers, Head Start programs, and higher education institutions. First, the health and safety of children, students, educators, families, and communities is paramount. Second, every student in the United States should have the opportunity to receive a high-quality education, during and beyond the pandemic.
Accordingly, it is the policy of my Administration to provide support to help create the conditions for safe, in-person learning as quickly as possible; ensure high-quality instruction and the delivery of essential services often received by students and young children at school, institutions of higher education, child care providers, and Head Start programs; mitigate learning loss caused by the pandemic; and address educational disparities and inequities that the pandemic has created and exacerbated.
Sec. 2. Agency Roles and Responsibilities. The following assignments of responsibility shall be exercised in furtherance of the policy described in section 1 of this order:
(a) The Secretary of Education shall, consistent with applicable law:
(i) provide, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, evidence-based guidance to assist States and elementary and secondary schools in deciding whether and now to reopen, and how to remain open, for in-person learning; and in safely conducting in-person learning, including by implementing mitigation measures such as cleaning, masking, proper ventilation, and testing:
(ii) provide, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, evidence-based guidance to institutions of higher education on safely reopening for in-person learning, which shall take into account considerations such as the institution’s setting, resources, and the population it serves.
(iii) provide advice to State, local, Tribal, and territorial educational authorities, institutions of higher education, local education agencies, and elementary and secondary schools regarding distance and online learning, blended learning, and in-person learning; and the promotion of mental health, social-emotional well-being, and communication with parents and families;
(iv) develop a Safer Schools and Campuses Best Practices Clearinghouse to enable schools and institutions of higher education so that they can ensure high-quality learning during the pandemic;
(vi) direct the Department of Education’s Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights to deliver a report as soon as practicable on the disparate impacts of COVID-19 on students in elementary, secondary, and higher education, including those attending historically black colleges and universities, Tribal colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, and other minority-serving institutions;
(vii) coordinate with the Director of the Institute of Education Sciences to facilitate, consistent with applicable law, the collection of data necessary to fully understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on students and educators, including data on the status of in-person learning. These data shall be disaggregated by student demographics, including race, ethnicity, disability, English-language-learner status, and free or reduced lunch status or other appropriate indicators of family income; and
(viii) consult with those who have been struggling for months with the enormous challenges the COVID-19 pandemic poses for education, including students; educators; unions; families; State, local, Tribal, and territorial officials; and members of civil rights and disability rights organizations, in carrying out the directives in this order.
(b) The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall, consistent with applicable law:
(i) facilitate the collection of data needed to inform the safe reopening and continued operation of elementary and secondary schools, child care providers, and Head Start programs, and ensure that such data are readily available to State, local, Tribal, and territorial leaders and the public, consistent with privacy interests, and that such data are disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and other factors as appropriate;
(ii) ensure, in coordination with the Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator) and other relevant agencies, that COVID-19 related supplies the Secretary administers, including testing materials, are equitably allocated to elementary and secondary schools, child care providers, and Head Start programs to support in-person care and learning.
(iii) to the maximum extent possible, support the development and operation of contact tracing programs at State, local, Tribal, and territorial level, by providing guidance and technical support to ensure that contact tracing is available to facilitate the reopening and safe operation of elementary and secondary schools, child care providers, Head Start programs, and institutions of higher education.
(iv) provide guidance needed for child care providers and Head Start programs for safely reopening and operating, including procedures for mitigation measures such as cleaning, masking, proper ventilation, and testing, as well as guidance related to meeting the needs of children, families, and staff who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, including trauma-informed care, behavioral and mental health support, and family support, as appropriate; and
(v) provide technical assistance to States, localities, Tribes, and territories to support the accelerated distribution of Federal COVID-19 relief funds to child care providers, and identify strategies to help child care providers safely remain open during the pandemic and beyond while the sector experiences widespread financial disruption due to increased costs and less revenue.
(c) The Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit a report to the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator identifying strategies to address the impact of COVID-19 on educational outcomes, especially along racial and socioeconomic lines, and shall share those strategies with State, local, Tribal, and territorial officials. In developing these strategies, the Secretaries shall, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, consult with such officials, as well as with education experts; educators; unions; civil rights advocates; Tribal education experts; public health experts; child development experts; early educators, including child care providers; Head Start staff; school technology practitioners; families; students; community advocates; and others.
(d) The Federal Communications Commission is encouraged, consistent with applicable law, to increase connectivity for students lacking reliable home broadband, so that they can continue to learn if their schools are operating remotely.
Sec. 3. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR
January 21: The White House posted an Executive Order titled: “Executive Order Protecting Worker Health And Safety” From the Executive Order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. Ensuring the health and safety of workers is a national priority and a moral imperative. Healthcare workers and other essential workers, many of whom are people of color and immigrants, have put their lives on the line during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. It is the policy of my Administration to protect the health and safety of workers from COVID-19.
The Federal Government must take swift action to reduce the risk that workers may contract COVID-19 in the workplace. That will require issuing science-based guidance to help keep workers safe from COVID-19 exposure, including with respect to mask-wearing; partnering with State and local governments to better protect public employees; enforcing worker health and safety requirements; and pushing for additional resources to help employers protect employees.
Sec. 2. Protecting Workers from COVID-19 Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The Secretary of Labor, acting through the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, in furtherance of the policy described in section 1 of this order and consistent with applicable law, shall:
(a) issue, within 2 weeks of the date of this order and in conjunction or consultation with the heads of any other appropriate executive departments and agencies (agencies), revised guidance to employers on workplace safety during the COVID-19 pandemic;
(b) consider whether any emergency temporary standards on COVID-19, including with respect to masks in the workplace, are necessary, and if such standards are determined to be necessary, issue them by March 15, 2021;
(c) review the enforcement efforts of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) related to COVID-19 and identify any short-, medium-, and long-term changes that could be made to better protect workers and ensure equity in enforcement;
(d) launch a national program to focus on OSHA enforcement efforts related to COVID-19 on violations that put the largest number of workers at serious risk or are contrary to anti-retaliation principles; and
(e) coordinate with the Department of Labor’s Office of Public Affairs and Office of Public Engagement and all regional OSHA offices to conduct, consistent with applicable law, a multilingual outreach campaign to inform workers and their representatives of their rights under applicable law. This campaign shall include engagement with labor unions, community organizations, and industries, and place a special emphasis on communities hit hardest by the pandemic.
Sec. 3. Protecting Other Categories of Workers from COVID-19. (a) The Secretary of Labor, acting through the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health and consistent with applicable law, shall:
(i) coordinate with States that have occupational safety and health plans approved under section 18 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (Act) (29 U.S.C. 667) to seek to ensure that workers covered by such plans are adequately protected from COVID-19, consistent with any revised guidance or emergency temporary standards issued by OSHA; and
(iii) in States that do not have such plans, consult with State and local government entities with responsibility for public employee safety and health with public employee unions to bolster protection from COVID-19 for public sector workers.
(b) The Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the heads of any other appropriate agencies, shall, consistent, with applicable law, explore mechanisms, to protect workers not protected under the Act so that they remain healthy and safe on the job during the COVID-19 pandemic.
(c) The Secretary of Labor, acting through the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health, shall consider whether any emergency temporary standards on COVID-19 applicable to coal and metal or non-metal mines are necessary, and if such standards are determined to be necessary and consistent with applicable law, issues them as soon as practicable.
Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United State, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 21: The White House posted a Memorandum titled: “National Security Memorandum on United States Global Leadership to Strengthen the International COVID-19 Response and to Advance Global Health Security and Biological Preparedness” From the Memorandum:
NATIONAL SECURITY MEMORANDUM – 1
SUBJECT: United States Global Leadership to Strengthen the International COVID-19 Response and to Advance Global Health Security and Biological Preparedness
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a grave reminder that biological threats, whether naturally occurring, accidental, or deliberate, can have significant and potentially existential consequences for humanity. This memorandum reaffirms Executive Order 134747 of November 4, 2016, which made clear that these threats pose global challenges that require global solutions. United States international engagement to combat COVID-19 and advance global health security and biopreparedness is thus an urgent priority – to save lives, promote economic recovery, and develop resilience against future biological catastrophes. My Administration will treat epidemic and pandemic preparedness, health security, and global health as top national security priorities, and will work with other nations to combat COVID-19 and seek to create a world that is safe and secure from biological threats.
Section 1. Strengthening and Reforming the World Health Organization. On January 20, 2021, the United States reversed its decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO) by submitting a letter to the United Nations Secretary-General informing him of the President’s decision that the United States will remain a member of the organization. Accordingly, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA) shall, in coordination with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), the heads of other relevant executive departments and agencies (agencies), and the Coordination of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator), provide to the President within 30 days of the date of this memorandum recommendations on how the United States can: (1) exercise leadership at the WHO and work with partners to lead and reinvigorate the international COVID-19 response; (2) participate in international efforts to advance global health, health security, and the prevention of future biological catastrophes; and (3) otherwise strengthen and reform the WHO.
Sec. 2. United States Leadership in the Global Response to COVID-19
(a) COVID-19 Global Vaccination, Research and Development. In order to support global vaccination and research and development for treatment, tests, and vaccines:
(i)The Secretary of State and the Secretary of HHS shall inform the WHO and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, of the United States’ intent to support the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator and join the multilateral vaccine distribution facility, known as the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility. The Secretaries shall also promptly deliver to the President, through the APNSA and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, a framework for donating surplus vaccines, once there is sufficient supply in the United States, to countries in need, including through the COVAX Facility.
(ii) The Secretary of State and the Secretary of HHS, in coordination with the heads of other relevant agencies, shall promptly deliver to the APNSA and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator a plan for engaging with and strengthening multilateral initiatives focused on the global COVID-19 response, including the organizations identified in section 2(a)(i) and other initiatives focused on equitable development and distribution of vaccines, therapeutics, tests, and personal protective equipment, such as the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
(b) Health, Diplomatic, and Humanitarian Response to COVID-19. In order to enable the United States to play an active role in the international COVID-19 public health and humanitarian response, including with respect to the pandemic’s secondary effects:
(i) The Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of HHS, the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the heads of other relevant agencies, shall promptly develop and submit to the President, through the APNSA and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, a Government-wide plan to combat the global COVID-19 pandemic, which shall identify principal strategic objectives, corresponding lines of effort, and lead agencies.
(ii) The Secretary of State shall, in coordination with the heads of other relevant agencies, promptly review and, as necessary, adjust the United States’ current and planned future deployments of of public health, health security, and health diplomacy personnel overseas focused on the COVID-19 response, taking into account best practices for such deployments from partner nations’ COVID-19 response strategies.
(iii) conduct, in coordination with the heads of relevant agencies, a review of existing United States health security policies and strategies and develop recommendations for how the Federal Government may update them, including by, as appropriate: developing stronger global institutions focused on harmonizing crisis response for emerging biological events and public health emergencies; taking steps to strengthen the global pandemic supply chain and address any barriers to the timely delivery of supplies in response to a pandemic; working with partner countries and international organizations to strengthen and implement the International Health Regulations; reducing racial and ethnic disparities in the COVID-19 global response and disproportionate impacts on marginalized and indigenous communities, women and girls, and other groups; reviewing and developing priorities for multilateral fora aimed at reducing the risk of deliberate or accidental biological events; combating antimicrobial resistance; and fighting climate change as a driver of health threats; and
(iv) develop, in coordination with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of HHS, the Administrator of USAID, the Director of the CDC, and the heads of other relevant agencies, protocols for coordinating and deploying a global response to emerging high-consequence infectious disease threats. These protocols should outline the respective roles for relevant agencies in facilitating and supporting such response operations, including by establishing standard operating procedures for how USAID and the CDC coordinate their response efforts.
(b) The APNSA, in coordination with the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, and the heads of relevant agencies, shall promptly develop a plan for establishing an interagency National Center for Epidemic Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics and modernizing global early warning and trigger systems for scaling action to prevent, detect, respond to, and recover from emerging biological threats.
(c) The Secretary of State and the Representative of the United States to the United Nations shall provide to the President, through the APNSA, recommendations regarding steps the United States should take to encourage or support the establishment of a new position in the office of the United Nations Secretary-General of a facilitator for high-consequence biological threats, particularly for events involving significant collaboration and equities across the United Nations.
(d) To assist in the Federal Government’s efforts to provide warning of pandemics, protect our biotechnology infrastructure from cyber attacks and intellectual property theft, identify and monitor biological threats from states and non-state actors, provide validation of foreign data and response efforts, and assess strategic challenges and opportunities from emerging biotechnologies, the Director of National Intelligence shall:
(i) Review the collection and reporting capabilities in the United States Intelligence Community (IC) related to pandemics and the full range of high-consequence biological threats and develop a plan for how the IC may strengthen and prioritize such capabilities, including through organizational changes or the creation of National Intelligence Manager and National Intelligence Officer positions focused on biological threats, global public health, and biotechnology;
(ii) Develop and submit to the President, through the APNSA and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, a National Intelligence Estimate on (A) the impact of COVID-19 on national and economic security; and (B) current, emerging, reemerging, potential and future biological risks to national and economic security; and
(iii) In coordination with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of HHS, the Director of the CDC, the Administrator of USAID, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the heads of other relevant agencies, promptly develop and submit to the APNSA an analysis of the security implications of biological threats that can be incorporated into modeling, simulation, course of action analysis, and other analyses.
Sec. 6. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any part against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 21: The White House posted a Readout titled: “Readout of Vice President Harris’s Call with World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus” From the Readout:
Vice President Kamala Harris spoke by phone today with World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to discuss the decision by the United States to reverse its withdrawal from the WHO in one of the first acts following inauguration, fulfill its financial obligations, and work as a constructive partner to strengthen and reform the WHO. The Vice President emphasized that she and President Biden believe the WHO is vital to controlling COVID-19 and building back better our global health and pandemic preparedness.
The Vice President and the Director-General also discussed the resumption of the United States’ role in the global public health and humanitarian response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Vice President Harris also stressed the Biden-Harris Administration’s strong support for efforts to strengthen the global COVID-19 response, mitigate its secondary impacts, including on women and girls, and advance global health security to prevent the next outbreak from becoming an epidemic or pandemic. In addition, the Vice President emphasized the importance of making America safer through global cooperation.
The Director-General thanked the Vice President for the call and congratulated her and President Biden on they inauguration. Both the Director-General and the Vice President reiterated that they look forward to meeting in person.
January 21: The White House posted an Executive Order titled: “Executive Order on Ensuring an Equitable Pandemic Response and Recovery.” From the executive order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to address the disproportionate and severe impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on communities of color and other underserved populations, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Purpose. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and exacerbated severe and pervasive health and social inequities in America. For instance, people of color experience systemic and structural racism in many facets of our society and are more likely to become sick and die from COVID-19. The lack of complete data, disaggregated by race and ethnicity, on COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and mortality rates, as well as underlying health and social vulnerabilities, has further hampered efforts to ensure an equitable pandemic response. Other communities, often obscured in the data, area also disproportionately affected by COVID-19, including sexual and gender minority groups, those living with disabilities, and those living at the margins of our economy. Observed inequities in rural and Tribal communities, territories, and other geographically isolated communities require a place-based approach to data collection and the response. Despite increased State and local efforts to address these inequities, COVID-19’s disparate impact on communities of color and other underserved populations remains unrelenting.
Addressing this devastating toll is both a moral imperative and pragmatic policy. It is impossible to change the course of the pandemic without tackling it in the hardest-hit communities. In order to identify and eliminate health and social inequities resulting in disproportionately higher rates of exposure, illness, and death, I am directing a Government-wide effort to address health equity. The Federal Government must take swift action to prevent and remedy differences in COVID-19 care and outcomes within communities of color and other underserved populations.
Sec. 2. COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force. There is established within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) a COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force (Task Force).
(a) Membership. The Task Force shall consist of the Secretary of the HHS; an individual designated by the Secretary of HHS to Chair the Task Force (COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force Chair); the heads of such other executive departments, agencies, or offices (agencies) as the Chair may invite; and up to 20 members from sectors outside of the Federal Government appointed by the President.
(i) Federal members may designate, to preform the Task Force functions of the member, a senior-level official who is part of the member’s agency and a full-time officer or employee of the Federal Government.
(ii) Nonfederal members shall include individuals with expertise and lived experience relevant to groups suffering disproportionate rates of illness and death in the United States; individuals with expertise and lived experience relevant to equity in public health, health care, education, housing, and community-based services; and any other individuals with expertise the President deems relevant. Appointments will be made without regard to political affiliation and shall reflect a diverse set of perspectives.
(iii) Members of the Task Force shall serve without compensation for their work on the Task Force, but members will be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by law for persons serving intermittently in the Government service (5 U.S.C. 5701-5707).
(iv) At the direction of the Chair, the Task Force may establish subgroups consisting exclusively of Task Force members or their designees under this section, as appropriate.
(b) Mission and Work.
(i) Consistent with applicable law and as soon as practicable, the Task Force shall provide specific recommendations to the President, through the Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator), for mitigating the health inequities caused or exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and for preventing such inequities in the future. The recommendations shall include:
(A) recommendations for how agencies and State, local, Tribal and territorial officials can best allocate COVID-19 resources, in light of disproportionately high rates of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and mortality in certain communities and disparities in COVID-19 outcomes by race, ethnicity, and other factors, to the extent permitted by law.
(B) recommendations for agencies with responsibility for disbursing COVID-19 relief funding regarding how to disburse funds in a manner that advances equity; and
(C) recommendations for agencies regarding effective, culturally aligned communication, messaging, and outreach to communities of color and other underserved populations.
(ii) The Task Force shall submit a final report to the COVID-19 Response Coordinator addressing any ongoing health inequities faced by COVID-19 survivors that may merit a public health response, describing the factors that contributed to disparities in COVID-19 outcomes, and recommending actions to combat such disparities in future pandemic responses.
(c) Data Collection. To address the data shortfalls identified in section 1 of this order, and consistent with applicable law, the Task Force shall:
(i) collaborate with the heads of relevant agencies, consistent with the Executive Order entitled “Ensuring a Data-Driven Response to COVID-19 and Future High-Consequence Public Health Threats,” to develop recommendations for expediting data collection for communities of color and other underserved populations and identifying data sources, proxies, or indices that would enable development of short-term targets for pandemic-related actions for such communities and populations;
(ii) develop, in collaboration with the heads of relevant agencies, a set of longer-term recommendations to address these data shortfalls and other foundational data challenges, including those relating to data intersectionality, that must be tackled in order to better prepare and respond to future pandemics; and
(iii) submit the recommendations described in this subsection to the President, through the COVID-19 Response Coordinator.
(d) External Engagement. Consistent with the objectives set out in this order and with applicable law, the Task Force may seek the views of health professionals; policy experts; State, local, Tribal and territorial health officials; faith-based leaders; businesses; health providers; community organizations; those with lived experience with homelessness, incarceration, discrimination, and other relevant issues; and other stakeholders.
(e) Administration. Insofar as the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, (5. U.S.C. App.) may apply to the Task Force, any functions of the President under the Act, except for those in section 6 of the Act, shall be performed by the Secretary of HHS in accordance with the guidelines that have been issued by the Administrator of General Services. HHS shall provide funding and administrative support for the Task Force to the extent permitted by law and within existing appropriations. The Chair shall convene regular meetings of the Task Force, determine its agenda, and direct its work. The Chair shall designate an Executive Director of the Task Force, who shall coordinate the work of the Task Force and head off any staff assigned to the Task Force.
(f) Termination. Unless extended by the President, the Task Force shall terminate within 30 days of accomplishing the objectives set forth in this order, including the delivery of the report and recommendations specified in this section, or 2 years from the date of this order, whichever comes first.
Sec. 3. Ensuring an Equitable Pandemic Response. To address the inequities identified in section 1 of this order, it is hereby directed that:
(a) The Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of HHS, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Education, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the heads of all other agencies with authorities or responsibilities relating to the pandemic response and recovery shall, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law:
(i) consult with the Task Force to strengthen equity data collection, reporting, and use related to COVID-19;
(ii) assess pandemic response plans and policies to determine whether personal protective equipment, tests, vaccines, therapeutics, and other resources have been or will be allocated equitably, including by considering:
(A) the disproportionately high rates of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and mortality in certain communities; and
(B) any barriers that have restricted access to preventive measures, treatment, and other health services for high-risk populations;
(iii) based on the assessments described in subsection (a)(ii) of this section, modify pandemic response plans and policies to advance equity, with consideration to:
(A) the effect of proposed policy changes on the distribution of resources to, and access to health care by, communities of color and other underserved populations;
(B) the effect of proposed policy changes on agencies’ ability to collect, analyze, and report data necessary to monitor and evaluate the impact of pandemic response plans and policies on communities of color and other underserved populations; and
(C) policy priorities expressed by communities that have suffered disproportionate rates of illness and death as a result of the pandemic;
(iv) strengthen enforcement of anti-discrimination requirements pertaining to the availability of, and access to, COVID-19 care and treatment; and
(v) partner with States, localities, Tribes, and territories to explore mechanisms to provide greater assistance to individuals and families experiencing disproportionate economic or health effects from COVID-19 such as by expanding access to food, housing, child care, or income support.
(b) The Secretary of HHS shall:
(i) provide recommendations to State, local, Tribal and territorial leaders on how to facilitate the placement of contact tracers and other workers in communities that have been hit hardest hit by the pandemic, recruit such workers from those communities, and connect such workers to existing health workforce training programs and other career advancement programs; and
(II) conduct an outreach campaign to promote vaccine trust and uptake among communities of color and other underserved populations with higher levels of vaccine mistrust due to discriminatory medical treatment and research, and engage with leaders within those communities.
Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 21: The White House posted an executive order titled: “Executive Order on Supporting the Reopening and Continuing Operation of School and Early Childhood Educational Providers” From the executive order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, to ensure that students receive a high-quality education during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and to support the safe reopening and continued operation of schools, child care providers, Head State programs, and institutions of higher education, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. Every student in America deserves a high-quality education in a safe environment. This promise, which was already out of reach for too many, has been further threatened by the COVID-19 pandemic. School and higher education administrators, educators, faculty, child care providers, custodians and other staff, and families have gone above and beyond to support children’s and students’ learning and meet their needs during this crisis. Students and teachers alike have found new ways to teach and learn. Many child care providers continue to provide care and learning opportunities to children in homes and centers across the country.
However, leadership and support from the Federal Government is needed. Two principles should guide the Federal Government’s response to the COVID-19 crisis with respect to schools, child care providers, Head Start programs, and higher education institutions. First, the health and safety of children, students, educators, families, and communities is paramount. Second, every student in the United States should have the opportunity to receive a high-quality education, during and beyond the pandemic.
Accordingly, it is the policy of my Administration to provide support to help create the conditions for safe, in-person learning as quickly as possible; ensure high-quality instruction and the delivery of essential services often received by students and young children at school, institutions of higher education, child care providers, and Head Start programs; mitigate learning loss caused by the pandemic; and address educational disparities and inequities that the pandemic has created and exacerbated.
Sec. 2. Agency Roles and Responsibilities. The following assignments of responsibility shall be exercised in furtherance of the policy described in section 1 of this order:
(a) The Secretary of Education shall, consistent with applicable law:
(i) provide, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, evidence-based guidance to assist States and elementary and secondary schools in deciding whether and how to reopen, and how to remain open, for in-person learning; and in safely conducting in-person learning, including by implementing mitigation measures such as cleaning, masking, proper ventilation, and testing;
(ii) provide, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, evidence-based guidance to institutions of higher education and safely reopening for in-person learning, which shall take into account considerations such as the institution’s setting, resources, and the population it serves;
(iii) provide advice to State, local, Tribal, and territorial educational authorities, institutions of higher education, local education agencies, and elementary and secondary schools regarding distance and online learning, blended learning, and in-person learning; and the promotion of mental health, social-emotional well-being, and communication with parents and families;
(iv) develop a Safer Schools and Campuses Best Practices Clearinghouse to enable schools and institutions of higher education to share lessons learned and best practices for operating safely during the pandemic;
(v) provide technical assistance to schools and institutions of higher education that they can ensure high-quality learning during the pandemic;
(vi) direct the Department of Education’s Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights to deliver a report as soon as practicable on the disparate impacts of COVID-19 on students, in elementary, secondary, and higher education, including those attending historically black colleges and universities, Tribal colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, and other minority-serving institutions;
(vii) coordinate with the Director of the Institute of Education Sciences to facilitate, consistent with applicable law, the collection of data necessary with applicable law, the collection of data necessary to fully understand the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on students and educators, including data on the status of in-person learning. These data shall be disaggregated by student demographics, including race, ethnicity, disability, English-language-learner status, and free or reduced lunch status or other appropriate indicators of family income; and
(viii) consult with those who have been struggling for months with the enormous challenges the COVID-19 pandemic poses for education, including students; educators; unions; families; State, local, Tribal, and territorial officials; and members of civil rights and disability rights organizations, in carrying out the directives in this order.
(b) The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall, consistent with applicable law:
(i) facilitate the collection of data needed to inform the safe reopening and continued operation of elementary and secondary schools, child care providers, and Head Start programs, and ensure that such data are readily available to State, local, Tribal, and territorial leaders and the public, consistent with privacy interests, and that such data are disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and other factors as appropriate;
(ii) ensure, in coordination with the Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator) and other relevant agencies, that COVID-19-related supplies the Secretary administers, including testing materials, are equitably allocated to elementary and secondary schools, child care providers, and Head Start programs to support in-person care and learning;
(iii) to the maximum extent possible, support the development and operation of contact tracing programs at the State, local, Tribal, and territorial level, by providing guidance and technical support to ensure that contact tracing is available to facilitate the reopening and safe operation of elementary and secondary schools, child care providers, Head Start programs, and institutions of higher education;
(iv) provide guidance needed for child care providers and Head Start programs for safely reopening and operating, including procedure for mitigation measures such as cleaning, masking, proper ventilation, and testing, as well as guidance related to meeting the needs of children, families, and staff who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, including trauma-informed care, behavioral and mental health support, and family support, as appropriate; and
(v) provide technical assistance to States, localities, Tribes, and territories to support the accelerated distribution of Federal COVID-19 relief funds to child care providers, and identify strategies to help fund child care providers safely remain open during the pandemic and beyond while the sector experiences widespread financial disruption due to increased costs and less revenue.
(c) The Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall submit a report to the Assistant to the President For Domestic Policy and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator identifying strategies to address the impact of COVID-19 on educational outcomes, especially along racial and socioeconomic lines, and shall share those strategies with State, local, Tribal and territorial officials. In developing these strategies, the Secretaries shall, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, consult with such officials, as well as with education experts; educators; unions, civil rights advocates; Tribal education experts; public health experts; child development experts; early educators, including child care provider; Head Start staff; school technology practitioners; foundations; families; students; community advocates; and others.
(d) The Federal Communications Commission is encouraged, consistent with applicable law, to increase connectivity options for students lacking reliable home broadband, so that they can continue to learn if their schools are operating remotely.
Sec. 3. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implement consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 21: The White House posted an executive order titled: “Executive Order on Protecting Worker Health and Safety” From the Executive Order:
By the authorities vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is nearby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. Ensuring the health and safety of workers is a national priority and a moral imperative. Healthcare workers and other essential workers, many of whom are people of color and immigrants, have put their lives on the line during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. It is the policy of my Administration to protect the health and safety of its workers from COVID-19.
The Federal Government must take swift action to reduce the risk that workers may contract COVID-19 in the workplace. That will require issuing science-based guidance to help keep workers safe from COVID-19 exposure, including with respect to mask-wearing; partnering with State and local governments to better protect public employees; enforcing worker health and safety requirements; and pushing for additional resources to help employers protect employees.
Sec. 2. Protecting Workers from COVID-19 Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The Secretary of Labor, acting through the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, in furtherance of the policy described in section 1 of this order and consistent with applicable law, shall:
(a) issue, within 2 weeks of the date of this order and in conjunction or consolation with the heads of any other appropriate executive departments and agencies (agencies), revised guidance to employers on workplace safety during the COVID-19 pandemic;
(b) consider whether any emergency temporary standards on COVID-19, including with respect to masks in the workplace, are necessary, and if such standards are determined to be necessary, issue them by March 15, 2021:
(c) review the enforcement efforts of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) related to COVID-19 and identify any short-, medium-, and long-term changes that could be made better to protect workers and ensure equity in enforcement;
(d) launch a national program to focus OSHA enforcement efforts related to COVID-19 on violations that put the largest number of workers at serious risk or are contrary to anti-retaliation principles; and
(e) coordinate with the Department of Labor’s Office of Public Affairs and Office of Public Engagement and all regional OSHA offices to conduct, consistent with applicable law, a multilingual outreach campaign to inform workers and their representatives of their rights under applicable law. This campaign shall include engagement with labor unions community organizations, and industries, and place a special emphasis on communities hit hardest by the pandemic.
Sec. 3 Protecting Other Categories of Workers from COVID-19 (a) The Secretary of Labor, acting through the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health and consistent with applicable law, shall:
(i) coordinate with States that have occupational safety and health plans approved under section 18 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (Act) (29 U.S.C. 667) to seek to ensure that workers covered by such plans are adequately protected from COVID-19, consistent with any revised guidance or emergency temporary standards issued by OSHA; and
(ii) in States that do not have such plans, consult with State and local government entities with responsibility for public employee safety and health and with public employee unions to bolster protection from COVID-19 for public sector workers.
(b) The Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the heads of any other appropriate agencies, shall, consistent with applicable law, explore mechanisms to protect workers not protected under the Act so that they remain healthy and safe on the job during the COVID-19 pandemic.
(c) The Secretary of Labor, acting through the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health, shall consider whether any emergency temporary standards on COVID-19 applicable to coal and metal or non-metal mines are necessary, and if such standards are determined to be necessary and consistent with applicable law, issue them as soon as practicable.
Sec. 4 General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implement consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR
January 21: The White House posted a Statement titled: “United States Global Leadership to Strengthen the International COVID-19 Response and to Advance Global Health Security and Biological Preparedness” From the Statement:
NATIONAL SECURITY MEMORANDUM – 1
SUBJECT: United States Global Leadership to Strengthen the International COVID-19 Response and to Advance Global Health Security and Biological Preparedness
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a grave reminder that biological threats, weather naturally occurring, accidental, or deliberate, can have significant and potentially existential consequences for humanity.
This memorandum reaffirms Executive Order 13747 of November 4, 2016, which made clear that these threats pose global challenges that require global solutions. United States international engagement to combat COVID-19 and advance global health security and bio preparedness is thus an urgent priority – to save lives, promote economic recovery, and develop resilience against future biological catastrophes.
My Administration will treat epidemic and pandemic preparedness, health security, and global health as top national security priorities, and will work with other nations to combat COVID-19 and seek to create a world that is safe and secure from biological threats.
Section 1. Strengthening and Reforming the World Health Organization. On January 20, 2021, the United States reversed its decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO) by submitting a letter to the United Nations Secretary-General informing him of the President’s decision that the United States will remain a member of the organization.
Accordingly, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA) shall, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), the heads of other relevant executive departments and agencies (agencies), and the Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator), provide to the President within 30 days of the date of this memorandum recommendations on how the United States can: (1) exercise leadership at the WHO and work with partners to lead and reinvigorate the international COVID-19 response; (2) participate in international efforts to advance global health, health security, and the prevention of future biological catastrophes; and (3) otherwise strengthen and reform the WHO.
Sec. 2. United States Leadership in the Global Response to COVID-19.
(a) COVID-19 Global Vaccination, Research, and Development. In order to support global vaccination and research and development for treatments, tests, and vaccines:
(i) The Secretary of State and the Secretary of HHS shall inform the WHO and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, of the United States’ intent to support the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator and join the multilateral vaccine distribution facility, known as the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility. The Secretaries shall also promptly deliver to the President, through the APNSA and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, a framework for donating surplus vaccines, once there is a sufficient supply in the United States, to countries in need, including through the COVAX Facility.
(ii) The Secretary of State and the Secretary of HHS, in coordination with the heads of other relevant agencies, shall promptly deliver to the APNSA and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator a plan for engaging with and strengthening multilateral initiatives focused on the global COVID-19 response, including the organizations identified in section 2(a)(i) and other initiatives focused on equitable development and distribution of vaccines, therapeutics, tests, and personal protective equipment, such as the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
(b) Health, Diplomatic, and Humanitarian Response to COVID-19. In order to enable the United States to play an active role in the international COVID-19 public health and humanitarian response, including with respect to the pandemic’s secondary effects:
(i) The Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of HHS, the Administrator of the United States Agency of HHS, the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the heads of other relevant agencies, shall promptly develop and submit to the President, through the APNSA and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, a Government-wide plan to combat the global COVID-19 pandemic, which shall identify principal strategic objectives, corresponding lines of effort, and lead agencies.
(ii) The Secretary of State shall, in coordination with the heads of other relevant agencies, promptly review and, as necessary, adjust the United States’ current and planned future deployments of public health, health security, and health diplomacy personnel overseas focused on the COVID-19 response, taking into account best practices for such deployments from partner nations’ COVID-19 response strategies.
(iii) Within 14 days of the date of this memorandum or as soon as possible thereafter, the Security of State shall develop, in consultation with the Secretary of HHS, the Representative of the United States to the United Nations, the Administrator of USAID, and the Director of the CDC, a diplomatic outreach plan for enhancing the United States; response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on engaging partner nations, the United Nations (including the United Nations Security Council), and other multilateral stakeholders on:
(A) the financing and capacity for strengthening the global COVID-19 response;
(B) the provision of assistance, including in humanitarian settings and to mitigate secondary impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic such as food insecurity and gender-based violence; and
(C) the provision of support, including with the United Nations and other relevant multilateral fora, for the capacity of the most vulnerable communities to prevent, detect, respond to, mitigate, and recover from impacts of COVID-19.
(c) COVID-19 Sanctions Relief. The Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of HHS and the Administrator of USAID, shall promptly review existing United States and multilateral financial and economic sanctions to evaluate whether they are unduly hindering responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, and provide recommendations to the President, through the APSNA and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, for any changes in approach.
Sec. 3 Review of Funding for COVID-19 Response and Global Health Security and Biodefense. In order to ensure that global health security considerations are central to United States foreign policy, global health policy, and national security, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall, in coordination with the heads of relevant agencies and the APSNA:
(a) review the funding allocated for the COVID-19 response, including the secondary impacts of the pandemic, as well as for global health security, global health, pandemic preparedness, and biodefense; and
(b) provide the President with an assessment of whether that funding, as well as funding for subsequent budgetary years, is sufficient to support operations and administrative needs related to the COVID-19 response, as well as future global health security, global health, pandemic preparedness, and biodefense needs.
Sec. 4. Financing for Global Health Security. In order to develop a health security financing mechanism, make strategic use of multilateral and bilateral channels and institutions, and assist developing countries in preparing for, preventing, detecting, and responding to COVID-19 and other infectious disease threats:
(a) The APNSA, in coordination with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of HHS, the Administrator of USAID, the Chief Executive Officer of the United States International Development Finance Corporation, and the heads of other agencies providing foreign assistance and development financing, shall promptly provide to the President recommendations for creating an enduring international catalytic financing multilateral approaches to global health security.
(b) The Secretary of the Treasury shall promptly provide to the President, through APNSA, a strategy on how the United States can promote in international financial institutions, including the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund, financing, relief, and other policies that are aligned with and support the goals of combating COVID-19 and strengthening global health security.
Sec. 5. Advancing Global Health Security and Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness.
(a) The APNSA shall:
(i) coordinate the Federal Government’s efforts to prepare for, prevent, detect, respond to, and recover from biological events, and to advance the global health security, international pandemic preparedness, and global health resilience;
(ii) coordinate the development of priorities for, and elevate United States leadership and assistance in support of, the Global Health Security Agenda;
(iii) conduct, in coordination with the heads of relevant agencies, a review of existing United States health security policies and strategies and develop recommendations for how the Federal Government may update them, including by, as appropriate: developing stronger global institutions focused on harmonizing crisis response for emerging biological events and public health emergencies; taking steps to strengthen the global pandemic supply chain and address any barriers to the timely delivery of supplies in response to a pandemic; working with partner countries and international organizations to strengthen and implement the Internationals Health Regulations; reducing racial and ethnic disparities in the COVID-19 global response and disproportionate impacts on marginalized and indigenous communities, women and girls, and other groups; reviewing and developing priorities for multilateral fora aimed at reducing the risk of deliberate or accidental biological events; combating antimicrobial resistance; and fighting climate change as a driver of health threats; and
(iv) develop, in coordination with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of HHS, the Administrator of USAID, the Director of the CDC, and the heads of other relevant agencies, protocols for coordinating and deploying a global response to emerging high-consequence infectious disease threats. These protocols should outline the respective roles for relevant agencies in facilitating and supporting such response operations, including by establishing standard operating procedures for how USAID and the CDC coordinate their response efforts.
(b) The APNSA, in coordination with the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, and the heads of relevant agencies, shall promptly develop a plan for establishing an interagency National Center for Epidemic Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics and modernizing global early warning and trigger systems for scaling action to prevent, detect, respond to, and recover from emerging biological threats.
(c) The Secretary of State and the Representative of the United States to the United Nations shall provide to the President, through the APNSA, recommendations regrind steps the United States should take to encourage or support the establishment of a new position in the office of the United Nations Secretary-General of a facilitator for high-consequence biological threats, particularly for events involving significant collaboration and equities across the United Nations.
(d) To assist in the Federal Government’s efforts to provide warning of pandemics, protect our biotechnology infrastructure from cyber attacks and intellectual property theft, identify and monitor biological threats from states and non-state actors, provide validation of foreign data and response efforts, and assess strategic challenges and opportunities from emerging biotechnologies, the Director of National Intelligence shall:
(i) Review the collection and reporting capabilities in the United States Intelligence Community (IC) related to pandemics and the full range of high-consequence biological threats and develop a plan for how the IC may strengthen and prioritize such capabilities, including through organizational changes or the creation of National Intelligence Manager and National Intelligence Officer positions focused on biological threats, global public health, and biotechnology;
(ii) Develop and submit to the President, through the APNSA and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, a National Intelligence Estimate on (A) the impact of COVID-19 on national and economic security; and (B) current, emerging, reemerging potential, and future biological risks to national and economic security; and
(iii) In coordination with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of HHS, the Director of the CDC, the Administrator of USAID, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the heads of other relevant agencies, promptly develop and submit to the APNSA an analysis of the security implications of biological threats that can be incorporated into modeling, simulation, course of action analysis, and other analyses.
Sec. 6. General Provisions (a) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 21: The White House posted an Executive Order titled: “Executive Order on Establishing the COVID-19 Pandemic Testing Board and Ensuring a Sustainable Public Health Workforce for COVID-19 and Other Biological Threats” From the Executive Order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 301 title 3, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of my Administration to control coronaviruses disease 2019 (COVID-19) by using a Government-wide, unified approach that includes: establishing a national COVID-19 testing and public health workforce strategy; working to expand the supply of tests; working to bring test manufacturing to the United States, where possible; working to enhance laboratory testing capacity; working to expand the public health workforce; supporting screening testing for schools and priority populations; and ensuring a clarity of messaging about the use of tests and insurance coverage.
Sec. 2. COVID-19 Pandemic Testing Board.
(a) Establishment and Membership. There is established a COVID-19 Pandemic Testing Board (Testing Board), chaired by the Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator) or his designee. The Testing Board shall include representatives from executive departments and agencies (agencies) that are designated by the President. The heads of agencies so designated shall designate officials from their respective agencies to represent them on the Testing Board.
(b) Mission and Functions. To support the implementation and oversight of the policy laid out in section 1 of this order, the Testing Board shall:
(i) coordinate Federal Government efforts to promote COVID-19 diagnostic, screening, and surveillance testing;
(ii) make recommendations to the President with respect for prioritizing the Federal Government’s assistance to State, local, Tribal, and territorial authorities, in order to expand testing and reduce disparities in access to testing;
(iii) identify barriers to access and use of testing in, and coordinate Federal Government efforts to increase testing for:
(A) priority populations, including healthcare workers and other essential workers;
(B) communities with major shortages in testing availability and use;
(C) at-risk settings, including long-term care facilities, correctional facilities, immigration custodial settings, detention facilities, schools, child care settings, and food processing and manufacturing facilities; and
(D) high-risk groups, including people experiencing homelessness, migrants, and seasonal workers;
(iv) identify methods to expand State, local, Tribal, and territorial capacity to conduct testing, contact tracing, and isolation and quarantine, in order for schools, businesses, and travel to be conducted safely;
(v) provide guidance on how to enhance the clarity, consistency, and transparency of Federal Government communication with the public about the goals and purposes of testing;
(vi) identify options for Federal Government to maximize testing capacity of commercial labs and academic labs; and
(vii) propose short-and long-term reforms for the Federal Government to: increase State, local, Tribal and territorial capacity to conduct testing; expand genomic sequencing; and improve the effectiveness and speed of the Federal Government’s response to future pandemics and other biological emergencies.
(d) The Chair of the Testing Board shall coordinate with the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the heads of other relevant agencies or their designees, as necessary, to ensure that the Testing Board’s work is coordinated with the Public Health Emergency Countermeasures Enterprise within HHS.
Sec. 3 Actions to Address the Cost of COVID-19 Testing.
(a) The Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of HHS, and the Secretary of Labor, in coordination with the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, shall promptly, and as appropriate and consistent with applicable law:
(i) facilitate the provision of COVID-19 testing free of charge to those who lack comprehensive health insurance; and
(ii) clarify group health plans’ and health insurance issuers’ obligations to provide coverage for COVID-19 testing.
(b) The Secretary of HHS, the Secretary of Education, and the Security of Homeland Security, through the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, shall promptly, and as appropriate and consistent with applicable law.
(i) provide support for surveillance tests for settings such as schools; and
(ii) expand equitable access to COVID-19 testing.
Sec. 4. Establishing a Public Health Workforce Program.
(a) The Secretary of HHS and the Secretary of Labor shall promptly consult with State, local, Tribal, and territorial leaders to understand the challenges they face in pandemic response efforts, including challenges recruiting and training sufficient personnel to ensure adequate testing in schools and high-risk settings.
(b) The Secretary of HHS shall, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, as soon as practicable:
(i) provide technical support to State, local, Tribal, and territorial public health agencies with respect to testing and contact-tracing efforts; and
(ii) assist such authorities in the training of public health workers. This may include technical assistance non-Federal public health workforces in connection with testing, contract tracing, and mass vaccinations, as well as other urgent public health workforce needs, such as combating opioid use.
(c) The Secretary of HHS shall submit to the President, through the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy (APAP), and the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA), a plan detailing:
(i) how the Secretary of HHS would deploy personnel in response to future high-consequence public health threats; and
(ii) five-year targets and budget requirements for achieving a sustainable public health workforce, as well as options for expanding HHS capacity, such as by expanding the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and Epidemic Intelligence Service, so that the Department can better respond to future pandemics and other biological threats.
(d) The Secretary of HHS, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Education, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service, in coordination with the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, the ADAP, and the APNSA, shall submit a plan to the President for establishing a national contact tracing and COVID-19 public health workforce program, to be known as the U.S. Public Health Job Corps, which shall be modeled on or developed as a component of the FEMA Corps program. Such plans shall include means by which the U.S. Public Health Job Corps to immediately assign personnel from any of the agencies involved in the creation of the plan, including existing AmeriCorps members, to join or aid the U.S. Public Health Job Corps. The U.S. Public Health Job Corps will:
(i) conduct and train individuals in contact tracing related to the COVID-19 pandemic;
(ii) assist in outreach for vaccination efforts, including by administering vaccination clinics;
(iii) assist with training programs for State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments to provide testing, including in schools; and
(iv) provide other necessary services to Americans affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sec. 5 General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 21: The White House posted a Press Briefing titled “Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, January 21, 2021” From the Press Briefing:
MS. PSAKI: Good afternoon. Thank you for joining us today. Many familiar faces from yesterday back again. We are pleased to have Dr. Fauci here with visas part of the President’s commitment to have public health experts lead our communication with the American people about the pandemic.
Just to give you a bit of a run of show here: Dr. Fauci will speak at the top about the state of the pandemic, the status of vaccines. He’ll take some of your questions. I will play the role of the bad cop when it’s time for him to go and get to the work of the American people. And then I will do a topper, and I’ll answer a bunch of your questions as well.
So, there’s lots to come after this. With that, I will turn it over to Dr. Fauci.
DR. FAUCI: Thank you very much. And I’m going to just spend a couple of minutes just summarizing the status of where we are and then maybe addressing some of the things I know are on people’s minds.
So, first of all, obviously, we are still in a very serious situation. I mean, to have over 400,000 deaths is something that, you know, is, unfortunately, historic in the very – in the very bad sense. When you look at the number of new infections that we have, it’s still at a very, very high rate. Hospitalizations are up. There are certain areas of the country, as I think you’re all familiar with, which are really stressed from the standpoint of beds, from the standpoint of the stress on the healthcare system.
However, when you look more recently at the seven-day average of cases – remember, we were going between 300,000 and 400,000, and 200,00 and 300,000. Right now, it looks like it might actually be plateauing in the sense of turning around.
Now, there’s good news in that, but you have to be careful that we may not be seeing perhaps an artifact – an artifact of the slowing down following the holidays. So when we see that, we think it’s real.
But one of the things – and it’s interesting – I’m, sort of, getting a deja vu standing up here, because I said something like this almost a little bit less than a year ago, when we were talking about the acceleration of cases in the late winter / early spring of 2020, when we were having New York City metropolitan area being the epicenter of what was going on – that there are always lags, so please be aware of that; that when you have cases, and then a couple of weeks later, you’ll see it represented in hospitalizations, intensive care, and then a couple of weeks later, in deaths.
So you have almost paradoxical curves, where you see something plateauing and may be coming down at the same time as hospitalizations and deaths might actually be going up.
So this is something that I just put on your radar screen. It is not an unusual thing to see that sort of thing.
The other point I want to make is one that we’re getting asked a lot regarding questions, and that is: What is it about these mutants that you’re hearing about – the mutants in the UK, which we know are about 20-plus states; the mutants that we’re seeing in South Africa and in Brazil
First of all, we need to understand that RNA viruses, like coronaviruses, mutate all the time. Most of the mutations don’t have any physiological relevance with regard to the function of the virus itself. However, every once in a while, you get mutations, either singly or clustered in combinations, which do have an impact.
So what have we learned this far? And I want to emphasize “thus far” because we’re paying very, very careful attention to this, and we take it very seriously. At least from the experience that our colleagues in the UK have had, the one that is in the UK appears to have a greater degree of transmissibility – about twice as much as what we call the “wild type” original virus. The one that is in South Africa is a bit different, and I’ll get to that in a second.
So, it does look like it increases the transmissibility. They say, correctly, on a one-to-one basis, it doesn’t seem to make the virus more virulent or have a greater chance of making you seriously ill or killing you. However, we shouldn’t be lulled into complacency about that, because if you have a virus that is more transmissible, you’re going to get more cases. When you get more cases, you’re going to get more hospitalization. And when you get more hospitalizations, you’re ultimately going to get more deaths. So even though the virus, on a one-to-one basis, isn’t more serious, the phenomenon of a more transmissible virus is something that you take seriously.
The next thing is: Does it change enough to interfere with the efficacy of a whole group of monoclonal antibodies that many of you are aware of? The monoclonal antibodies that are being used for treatment, in some cases, and prevention. Since monoclonal antibodies bind to a very specific part of the virus, when there’s a mutation there, it has much greater chance of obliterating the efficacy of a monoclonal antibody. And we’re seeing it in the much more concerning mutations that are in South Africa – and in some respects, Brazil, which is similar to South Africa – that it is having an effect on the monoclonal antibodies.
The real question that people are quite clearly interested in is: What is the impact of the vaccine? And so far, literally, we have this new phenomenon that a preprint journals – where – where people get data, and they put it into a preprint server where it hasn’t been peer reviewed, but you have to pay attention to it because it gives you good information quickly. Ultimately, it gets confirmed.
And we’re seeing them coming out over the last few days, and what they’re saying is that what we likely will be seeing is a diminution – more South Africa than UK – UK – is that diminution in what would be the efficacy of the vaccine-induced antibodies.
Now, that does not mean that the vaccines will not be effective, and let me explain why. There’s a thing called a “cushion effect.” So, if you have a vaccine, like Moderna and the Pfizer vaccine, that can suppress the virus at dilution, let’s say, of 1 to 1,000, and the mutant influences it by bringing it down to maybe 1 to 800, or something like that, you’re still well above the line of not being effective. So there’s that “cushion” that even though it’s diminished somewhat, it still is effective. That’s what we’re seeing both certainly in the UK, which is very minimal effect. We’re following very carefully the one in South Africa, which is a little bit more concerning but nonetheless, not something that we don’t think we can handle.
What is the message? Because someone can say, “Now, wait a minute – if you have the possibility that the vaccines are diminishing in their impact, why are we vaccinating people?” No. It is all the more reason why we should be vaccinating as many people as you possibly can. Because as long as the virus is out there replicating – viruses don’t mutate unless they replicate. And if you can suppress that by a very good vaccine campaign, then you could actually avoid this deleterious effect that you might get from the mutations.
Bottom line: We’re paying very close attention to it. There are alternative plans if we every have to modify the vaccine. That is not something that is a very onerous thing. We can do that given the platforms we have. But right now, from the reports we have – literally as of today – it appears that the vaccines will still be effective against them, with the caveat in mind you want to pay close attention to it.
So, Jen, why don’t I just stop there and then maybe just answer some questions on anything else that I said?
So, yeah.
Q: How helpful would it have been if Amazon got involved with the federal response to COVID-19 before Biden took office? And do you know about any plans or discussions ahead of yesterday?
DR. FAUCI: No, I don’t think I could answer that question. I’d be waving my hands about that. Sorry.
But, you know, one of the things in this administration is: If you don’t know that answer, don’t guess; just say you don’t know that answer.
(Laughter.)
Yeah.
Q: Dr. Fauci –
DR. FAUCI: Yes.
Q: Dr. Fauci, a couple of questions, if I might. I’d like to follow up with you on what you said about this strain in South Africa. Has that strain made its way to the United States? And what, if any concerns do you have? How much do we understand about it?
DR. FAUCI: Great question. Thus far, it does not appear at all that the South African strain is in the United States. However, we must be honest and say that the level of comprehensive sequence surveillance thus far is not at the level that we would have liked. So we’re going to be looking very, very carefully for it. But given the information we have today, it doesn’t appear that the South African strain is here.
Q: Okay. And if I could just ask you about the effort to distribute the vaccines, because, of course, that’s what most people want to know: when are they going to get a vaccine. Is the Biden administration starting from scratch with the vaccine distribution effort, or are you picking up where the Trump administration left off?
DR. FAUCI: No, I mean, we certainly are not starting from scratch because there is activity going on in the distribution.
But if you look at the plan that the President has put forth about the things that he’s going to do – namely, get community vaccine centers up, get pharmacy more involved; where appropriate, get the Defense Production Act involved, not only perhaps with getting more vaccine, but even the things you need to get a good vaccine program – for example, needles and syringes that might be more useful in that. So it’s taking what’s gone on, but amplifying it in a big way.
Q: President Biden said that what was left was “abysmal,” essentially. Is there anything actionable that you are taking from the previous administration to move it forward?
DR. FAUCI: Well –
Q: And is that delaying your efforts to get the vaccine? I mean, that’s the question that –
DR. FAUCI: No, I mean, we’re coming in with fresh ideas, but also some ideas that were not bad ideas with the – the previous administration. You can’t say it was absolutely not usable at all. So we are continuing, but you’re going to see a real ramping-up of it.
Q: One more final question. You had said that most people will be vaccinated by the middle of 2021. Is that still your expectation?
DR. FAUCI: Yes, it is. I mean, I believe that the goal that was set by the President of getting 100 million people vaccinated in the first hundred days is quite a reasonable goal.
And when you get to the point – and one of the things that I think is something we need to pay attention to – and I, quite frankly, have been spending considerable amount of my own time – is outreaching particularly to minority communities to make sure that you get them to be vaccinated and you explain why it’s so important for themselves, their family, and their community.
If we get 70 to 85 percent of the country vaccinated – let’s say by the time we get to the fall, we will be approaching a degree of normality. It’s not going to be perfectly normal, but one that I think a lot of pressure off the American public.
Q: Dr. Fauci, you’re one of the few holdovers from the previous administration to this current one. What has been your experience with the new team? And, in your view, what would have been different, in terms of trajectory of this outbreak from the start, had a team like this benign placemat the beginning?
DR. FAUCI: Well, I can tell you my impression of what’s going on right now – the team. I’m – I don’t know if I can extrapolate other things. But one of the things that was very clear as recently as about 15 minutes ago, when I was with the President, is that one of the things that we’re going to do is to be completely transparent, open, and honest. If things go wrong, not point fingers, but correct htm. And to make everything we do be based on science and evidence.
I mean, that was literally a conversation I had 15 minutes ago with the President, and he has said that multiple times.
Q: Is there anything that you, looking back on your comments of the last 10 or 12 months, would like to now, with that sort of license, to amend or clarify?
DR. FAUCI: No. I mean, I always said everything on the ba – –that’s why I got in trouble sometimes. (Laughter.)
Q: You mentioned pharmacies. The new CDC director said today that the goal of getting vaccinations into pharmacies by the end of next month isn’t realistic, as had been previously suggested. When will most Americans be able to get a vaccination in their neighborhood pharmacy?
DR. FAUCI: Well, I’m – I didn’t hear that comment. Are you talking about Dr. Welensky’s comment? I didn’t hear that comment, so I don’t really want to comment on the comment. But what she may be saying is that for many people in this country who don’t have access to a pharmacy, they may not be able to utilize getting things in the pharmacy.
I – I’m not sure; I want to be careful because I’m not sure that’s what she said.
We just had a conversation about how we’re going to get vaccines to people who are in pharmacy-desert areas, where they don’t have easy access to a pharmacy. And that’s something we’re working on and taking very seriously.
Q: But just to be clear: If you are in an area where you do have access to a CVS or a Walgreens –
DR. FAUCI: Right.
Q: – when will you be able to get access to this vaccine –
DR. FAUCI: You know –
Q: – like you would a flu vaccine?
DR. FAUCI: You know, in the spirit of not guessing, I really – I’m not sure when that will be, but we can get back to you on that.
Q: And just on the broader timeline: You mentioned the fall. We just heard the President say, you know, the brutal truth us that is going to be several more months. Just to be clear, you’re saying by the fall, the majority of Americans –
DR. FAUCI: No.
Q: – you think will be vaccinated?
DR. FAUCI: No, I didn’t say that. I said if we get the majority of Americans – 70 to 85 percent – vaccinated by then, we could have a degree of herd immunity that would get us back to normal.
The concern I have, and something we’re working on, is getting people who have vaccine hesitancy, who don’t want to get vaccinated – because many people are skeptical about that. So we really need to do a lot of good outreach for that.
I mean, I don’t know what the best case – the best case scenario, if it were for me, is that we’d get 85 percent of the people vaccinated by the end of the summer. If we do, then by the time we ge to the fall, I think we can approach a degree of normality.
DR. FAUCI: No, no. What it is is that you can do in vitro in a test tube setting, binding an affinity to the receptors, which you have in your nose, in your lung, in your GI tract. The receptor for the virus is called an “ACE2″ receptor.” And the facility or affinity with which a virus binds to that means that it very likely will have a better efficiency of infection and replicate more in the nasopharynx. So that’s how you make that determination in the test tube.
Then when you look epidemiologically, and you’ll see a spike – going up in the sense of number of cases – and they sort of match each other. A virus that has the ability to easily bind to replicate with your receptors is one that likely will spread easier.
Q: So it doesn’t mean that you’d have more viral load. You –
DR. FAUCI: Well, you could. Yes. In fact, it would mean – because if it binds more easily, it could replicate in the nasopharynx more easily, and it is likely that you would have a higher viral load.
Q: So does it make masks less effective in that case?
DR. FAUCI: No, it makes it the reason why you absolutely should be wearing a mask. It doesn’t necessarily make it less effective. If you properly wear a mask, then you’ll be okay.
Q: And then, on the UK strain, do you have any data on how widespread that strain is in the United States?
DR. FAUCI: Well, I think it’s in at least 20 states that people have mentioned. Exactly – the real question that’s going to be asked: Is it going to become the dominant strain, or will the strains we already have prevented from flourishing and being the more dominant strain? But it is here, for sure.
Yeah.
Q: Just a follow-up on vaccines. Some state and local authorities are saying that they would be able to distribute more vaccines if they had more. Is the Biden administration now trying to increase production by Moderna and Pfizer in the next six weeks?
DR. FAUCI: Yeah, as well as to utilize what we hope will be another player in the field: J&J, Janssen, as well as other of the companies. But also, as the – as the President has said in his plan, to do whatever he can to expand the availability of vaccines, whatever that is. I mean, he said in his plan, to do whatever he can to expand the availability of vaccines, whatever that is. I mean, he said that he’s going to just use every possibility, including the Defense Production Act.
Q: And can you explain the discrepancy between what some states are saying about needing more vaccines and the CDC saying that a lot of vaccine is still remaining on people’s – or on their shelves?
DR. FAUCI: Yeah, you know, I think that that is something that we need to really take a close look at because that is sort of an inconsistent discrepancy, and one of things we want to do is to find out why that’s the case. And if it is the case – particularly the thing that would be most disturbing: if there’s vaccine laying around, and people are not using it when others would need it.
But I don’t know the answer to that question, but we need to look into it.
Q: Dr. Fauci, you’ve joked couple times today already about the difference that you feel in being kind the spokesperson for this issue in this administration versus the previous one. Can you – can you talk a little bit about how free, how much different – do you feel less constrained?
What is the – you know, I mean, you – for so many times, you stood up behind the podium with Donald Trump standing behind you. That was a different – that was a different feeling, I’m sure, than it is today. Can you talk a little bit about how you feel kind of released from what you had been doing for the last year?
DR. FAUCI: Yeah, but you said I was joking about it. I was very serious – (laughs) – about it. I wasn’t joking.
No, actually I mean – I mean, obviously, I don’t want to be going back, you know, over history, but it was very clear that there were things that were said – be it regarding things like hydroxychloroquine and other things like that – that really was uncomfortable because they were not based on scientific fact.
I can tell you I take no pleasure at all in being a situation of contradicting the President, so it was really something that you didn’t feel that you could actually say something and there wouldn’t be any repercussions about it.
The idea that you can get up here and talk about what you know, what the evidence, what the science is, and know that’s it – let the science speak – it is somewhat of a liberating feeling.
Q: I mean, you were basically banished for a few months there for a while. (Laughter.) Do you feel like you’re back now?
DR. FAUCI: I think so. (Laughter.)
Okay.
MS. PSAKI: Well, that’s Mike Shear, if you don’t want to take questions from him in the future. (Laughter.)
Thank you, Dr. Fauci, so much for joining us, We really appreciate it, and we’ll have him back again.
DR. FAUCI: Thank you.
MS. PSAKI: Well, thank you everyone. As I promised, we’ll have a full briefing from here.
So, as you know, just a few moments ago, the President also released a national COVID-19 strategy and signed 10 executive orders and other directives to move quickly to contain the crisis.
Underpinning everything the President signed today and everything we do every day will be equity. Some highlights of those actions include an executive order to fill supply shortfalls for vaccinations, testing, and PPE. The President directed agencies exercise all appropriate authorities, including Defense Production Act; to accelerate manufacturing and delivering of supplies, such as N95 masks, gowns, gloves, PCR swabs, test reagents, and necessary equipment and material for the vaccine.
The President also signed:
a presidential memorandum to increase federal reimbursement to states and tribes for the cost of National Guard personnel, emergency supplies, and the personnel and equipment to create vaccination centers
an executive order that established a COVID-19 pandemic testing board to bring the full force of the federal government’s expertise to expanding testing supply and increasing access to testing
an executive order to bolster access to COVID-19 treatments and clinical care, establishing a comprehensive and coordinated preclinical drug discovery and development program to allow therapeutics to be evaluated and developed in response to pandemic threats.
Sorry, I had to clear buy throat; there’s a lot here.
He also issued:
an executive order directing the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services to provide guidance on safe reopening and operating for schools, childcare providers, and institutions of higher education.
an executive order on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to immediately release clear guidance for employers to help keep workers safe from COVID-19 exposure.
and an executive order establishing a COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force – something we had previously announced, but making it official today – to provide specific recommendations to the President for allocating resources and funding communities with inequities in COVID-19 outcomes by race, ethnicity, geography, disability, and other considerations.
These steps, of course, build in the action we announced yesterday. I had an additional update. Some of you may have seen this come out through last – late last night. But I wanted to share with you that, as a result of one of the executive orders President Biden signed yesterday, the Acting Homeland Security Secretary issued a memorandum to review and reset immigration enforcement policies.
For 100 days, beginning tomorrow, the Department of Homeland Security will pause removals for certain individuals. This pause will allow the administration to review and reset enforcement policies and ensure that resources are dedicated the most pressing challenges, and the we have a fair and effective enforcement system rooted in responsibly managing the border and protecting our national security and public safety.
I had one other item I just wanted to flag for you about something the First Lady is up to. Let me see if I can find that, or I will circle back to it a little bit later.
With that, I’m happy to take your questions. Zeke, why don’t you kick us off?
Q: Thanks, Jen. There was some reporting earlier today about the President’s commitment to extending New START. Can you talk about what the President’s directive on that front has been?
Additionally, did he – can you confirm that the President requested reports from the new DNI for an assessment on potential foreign interference in the 2020 election, and then also the SolarWinds hack?
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm. I can confirm that the United States intends to seek a five-year extension of New START, as the treaty permits. The President has long been clear that the New START Treaty is in the national security interests of the United States. And this extension makes even more sense when the relationship with Russia is adversarial, as it is at this time.
New START is the only remaining treaty constraining Russian nuclear forces and is an anchor of strategic stability between our two countries.
And to the other part of your question: Even as we war with Russia to advance U.S. interests, so too we work to hold Russia to account for its reckless and adversarial actions. And to this end, the President is also issuing a tasking to the intelligence community for its full assessment of the SolarWinds cyber breach, Russian interference in the 2020 election, its use of chemical weapons against opposition leader Alexei Navalny, and the alleged bounties on U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan.
So that’s hopefully answered all of it. That was a mouthful.
Q: And just changing gears for a quick second to COVID and the negotiations on Capital Hill: How long is the President willing to pursue bipartisanship? Democrats are already talking about a reconciliation process. Is there a – given the critical need for some sort of aid here that the President is talking about, is there a deadline which he’s going to -he’s giving Republicans – you know, is it February 1st, is it Presidents weekend – by which he’ll say, “No, we’re not going to do this by reconciliation instead”?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I’m not going to set any deadlines on our first full day in office, but I will say hopefully I’ll have more for all of you on this tomorrow.
We are going to be increasing our engagements; it’s already been ongoing, even before the President was inaugurated yesterday. But hopefully, we’ll have more to share with you tomorrow on meetings, engagements, discussions that will be going on with leaders on Capitol Hill and many members over the course of the next several days.
As I conveyed to all of you yesterday, his preference and priority is a bipartisan package and working with members of both parties to come to agreement on that, because he believes that the crisis facing the American people – as we say, the jobs numbers this morning, the unemploy- unemployment insurance claims, I should say – we put out a statement by our NEC director, in case you didn’t see that; as we’ve seen in the reports from Dr. Fauci just a few minutes ago, this crisis is dire, and it requires immediate action, and we hope and expect members of both parties to work together to do that.
We’re also not going to take options off the table. So, we’ll proceed with those discussions over the next couple of days.
Go ahead, Kristen.
Q: Hi Jen. If I could just follow up on that. There was some reporting that there was going to be a meeting this weekend with a bipartisan group of lawmakers. Can you give us any indication – is that going to happen with President Biden or with his economic team? Is that your expectation?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I think the reporting was around a meeting with NEC Director Brian Deese. I spoke with him earlier today; he is definitely going to be engaging with a range of members and a range of different groups of members from Capitol Hill in the coming days. I think we were still working to confirm specific meetings before I came out here, and I hope to have more for all of you on that by tomorrow.
Q: Okay. And more broadly speaking, Jen, President Biden has proposed this 1.9-trillion-dollar package. You already have some Republicans who say, “We just passed a stimulus plan.” They’re not going to get on board with this – Mitt Romney among them, who says, “We just passed a program with over $900 billion.” And some people say the price tag is just way too bog. So how does President Biden expect to get this passed with bipartisan support? And how does that fit into his broader message of bipartisanship, proposing something like this that’s that big?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I think it fits perfectly into his message of bipartisanship. He wants to work with Democrats and Republicans address the crisis that the American people are facing, whether they live in red states or blue states or Democratic – Democrats or Republicans.
The package was designed based on recommendations from health experts, from economists. It’s been applauded by everyone from Senator Bernie Sanders to the Chamber of Commerce. And there are specific pieces in there that are meant to serve as a bridge for the American people, including a large percentage of it that’s for unemployment insurance; funding for vaccine distribution – something that is pivotal, as we’ve already been discussing here today; for reopening of schools.
So part of the discussion we’ll be having with members is, “What do you want to cut?” And this is a plan that he feels addresses the crisis at the moment.
Q: And one quick follow-up on that. The work of the Senate is being held up by this dispute over the filibuster. Where does President Biden come down on that? Does he think that there should not be a filibuster so that the Senate can move forward with its work?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the President-elect spoke just yesterday, as you all saw, about the spirit of working together and bipartisanship to confront the four crises facing us.
You’ve already seen him work with Republicans and Democrats and work toward a bipartisan approach to passing packages that will address the crises we’re facing. And that certainly is his priority and his preference. So that’s what he’ll continue to work on on day two of the administration.
Go ahead, Mike Shear.
Q: Okay. See? You can call on me. (Laughter.)
MS. PSAKI: I just gave you a hard time. Go ahead.
Q: That’s fine. So I want to push you a little bit more on that question. Like if there’s this call for unity that the President made in his speech yesterday, but there has so far been almost no fig leaf even to the Republican Party. You don’t have a Republican Cabinet member, like President Obama and, I Think, President Clinton had. You – you know, the executive orders, much of which the Republican Party likes and agrees with. You’ve put forth an immigration bill that has a path to citizenship but doesn’t do much of a nod toward the border security. And you’ve got a 1.9-trillion dollar COVID relief bill that has, as folks have said, already drawn all sorts of criticism. Where is the – where is the actual action behind this idea of bipartisanship?
And when are we going to see one of those, you know, sort of, substantial outreaches that says, “This is something that, you know, Republicans want to do, too”?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I guess what I would send back to you – there’s a lot in there, so let me do my best here.
But, Mike, is unemployment insurance only an issue that Democrats in the country want? Do only Democrats want their kids to go back to schools? Do only Democrats want vaccines to be distributed across the country? That’s – we feel that package – he feels that package is designed for bipartisan support.
I will also say that we have also had some positive developments on our conformations and our nominees. Last night, as you all saw, his – the President’s nominee, now confirmed, leader – first female leader of the intelligence community was confirmed with a vote of 85 to 10, 84 to 10 – you can check me on that – but an overwhelming vote. We’ve seen progress today on the nomination and hopeful confirmation of Lloyd Austin.
So there is movement, supported by both sides of the aisle and members of both parties.
I think if you talk to Democrats – or Republicans on the Hill, which I know many of you do, they will sa they’re not looking for something symbolic. They are looking for engagement. They’re looking to have a conversation. They’re looking to have a dialogue. And that’s exactly what he’s going to do.
Go ahead, Mary.
Q: On that, has the President reached out to congressional leaders to sit down and discuss his relief package? Will he be? How much personal involvement is he going to have in the process?
MS. PSAKI: I expect he will be rolling up is sleeves and will be quite involved in this process, Mary. And he was – yesterday was quite a busy day for him. As you all know, his schedule was minute by minute, and his family was here. But he was involved even before yesterday, having conversations with members of both parties – picking up the phone and having those conversations. He saw, of course, members of both parties. He invited leaders from both parties to join him at church. Obviously, that wasn’t really a discussion about specifics of the bill, bit they did – he did have an opportunity to talk about his agenda and working for forward – working together on his agenda moving forward.
But I think you will see him quite involved in the days ahead, but you will also see the Vice President quite involved. You will also see policy leaders, like Brian Deese and others in the administration, quite involved in having conversations with both Democrats and Republicans.
Q: But no plans right now to sit down with them?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I think we will have more to share with you soon in terms of engagement of many of our senior officials with members of both parties.
Q: And on the Defense Production Act, just to be clear, has the administration actually invoked the Defense Production Act? And, if so, can you spell out what changes we may see because of this? Which companies are being asked to make what?
MS. PSAKI: Well, let me give you a very specific example that helped really make it clear for me. One area is to acquire a more lo – – low dead volume syringes. And what that does is, these specialized syringes allow pharmacists and vaccinators to extract an extra does of the Pfizer vial – so making more doses available, of course.
It also prioritizes the Defense Production Act raw materials that are used to produce the vaccine, so reducing bottlenecks. And it enables manufacturers – us to empower and invoke, I guess, an action for manufacturers to make sure we have the materials we need to get the vaccines out the door and in the arms of Americans.
In terms of – obviously, he signed it this afternoon. I’ll have to just circle back with you on what it – it it’s officially invoked at this moment, or if to takes some time. And we can circle back with you after the briefing.
Go ahead, Jen.
Q: On stimulus, is the White House drafting a legislative bill?
MS. PSAKI: You mean in terms of the – what he announced last week – last Thursday? Well, he announced what his specific ideas will be and what his vision is, but right now we’re having discussions with members of both parties, as we have for the last week about what that will look like.
Q: Okay, so, no bill draft coming out of the White House is what I’m saying.
MS. PSAKI: Well, I’m happy to talk to our legislative team about that. I think what was important to the President was to outline what his vision would be. This is how the process should actually work. Right? The President outlines, “Here’s my vision. Here’s what I think should be in a package. Let’s have discussions. Let’s have engagements with both parties, and let’s see what comes out of the sausage-making at the other side.”
Go ahead, Anita. I’ll come back to you. I’m sorry, (inaudible). Go ahead.
Q: Just following up on what Kristen asked, I don’t think I heard an answer about whether the President supports keeping the filibuster – where he sits on that. Has he has he talked to Senator Schumer about that? I mean, he served there a long time. What are his thoughts on that?
MS. PSAKI: I think what I was conveying to Kristen is that the President has been clear: He wants to work with members of both parties and find bipartisan paths forward. And I don’t have any more conversations to read out for you at this point in time.
Q: Okay, but that doesn’t specifically answer that, unless I’m not understanding your answer.
MS. PSAKI: I don’t think I have more – more to add to my answer.
Q: Okay. And then just on the impeachment trial, I know that there was some talk about, sort of, the Senate doing both – both things at the same time, two things at one. There’s some reporting this afternoon that Republicans are pushing to have the impeachment trial start in February. Where do you stand, still, now on that? Are you still looking for that – both pats to happen at the same time? Would it be preferable to do that first or are you okay with later, as some Republicans are talking about?
MS. PSAKI: Well, Anita, I think we – we have been pretty consistent that we believe the timing and the mechanisms for the Congress and the Senate moving forward in holding the former President accountable – we’ll leave that to them. And what our biggest priority and focus is, is ensuring that it doesn’t delay the Senate, Congress moving forward in consideration and discussion around the COVID-relief package that the President proposed last week.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Jen. As the print pooler, I have a question for myself, and then a question for someone who cannot be here –
MS. PSAKI: Okay.
Q: – because of the social distancing policies.
MS. PSAKI: Sure.
Q: My question is this, and it’s about unity again. I’ve heard from conservatives who are afraid that the President is going to try to pull back religious conscience exemptions for groups like Little Sisters of the Poor.
The President pledged he would so that in July when the Little Sisters won the – a case in the Supreme Court. The Health and Human Services nominees, Xavier Becerra, pursued that line of going after the exemptions as Attorney General of California. What’s the President going to do on that?
MS. PSAKI: I haven’t discussed that particular issue with him. I’m happy to circle back with you, but I don’t – there’s not a change in his position form what he said earlier this summer.
Did you have another question?
Q: Yes. I have a question from Adam Longo of WUSA 9. He says, “We saw the President warmly greet Mayor Bowser during the parade yesterday. She is pushing for the D.C. Statehood Measure to be on the President’s desk within 100 days. Will the administration get behind this bill, and does the President support it?”
MS. PSAKI: I hate to disappoint you, but I will have to circle back with your on that well. There is quite a bit going on. I have not discussed D.C. statehood with him in the last 36 hours.
Q: I will look forward to hearing about it. (Laughter.)
MS. PSAKI: Okay, that sounds great.
Go ahead, in the back.
Q: Yeah. Thanks, Jen. I wanted to circle back on something COVID-related. I know the President has obviously made a priority of getting – resuming in-person learning in the first 100 days. I wondered: Is the administration planning to issue any kind of uniform guidance for states on – you know, whether it’s reopening schools, reopening businesses, indoor dining, stuff like that? Or are you planning to just kind of leave it to states to do, sort of, a patchwork based on their own situations?
MS. PSAKI: Well, as Dr. Fauci conveyed, our objective is to ensure that health and medical experts are leading the effort in delivering guidance – determining guidance and also communicating it with the public whenever possible. And any guidance would come, of course, as you know, from the CDC. We – and we will – we will, of course, defer to that.
But part of our priority and our focus here is on providing more engagement with states, more clear guidance from the federal level in terms of how we’re planning to operate, what data we’re seeing, how the – how vaccines are being distributed, what we see as challenges. And that communication has been lacking, as we understand it from our conversations has been lacking, as we understand it from our conversations in the past few months. So that is what we will focus on improving in the months ahead.
Q: So how would you – specifically, are you planning to do, you know, daily or weekly calls with sites? Or how – how are you planning to up the communication there?
MS. PSAKI: Well, we have a – an entire COVID team, as you know, who are now – most of them are official. And part of their role will be engaging with governors – Democrats and Republicans – mayors, local elected officials to gain a better understanding of what’s happening on the ground. That will be how they’re going to be intaking a great deal of information – obviously, healthcare providers and experts on the ground as well.
We will also do engagement from the level of the President and the Vice President as well, because they also want to have that conversation with states and local officials on what they’re experiencing, what they see the challenges as, and how they can be addressed.
And, you know, that’s something – I think, in President Biden’s heart, he is a local elected official still, and he gets into the weeds of what they’re experiencing. And I – and he will be involved in that himself.
Go ahead, in the way back.
Q: Thanks, Jen. There’s a lot of really big things that the administration wants to do: infrastructure, the stimulus, tax reform. Can you sort of lay out the cadence for us over the upcoming year? How do you envision those three major things playing out? What’s the order? When do you think those will be taken up? When will they happen?
MS. PSAKI: Well, what I can lay out for you on our first full day here is what our initial priorities are. And they revolve around addressing the four crises that the President has stated that the country is facing, including getting the pandemic under control, getting people back to work, addressing our climate crisis, and addressing racial equity. And so –
Q: Do you –
MS. PSAKI: Go ahead.
Q: No, I – I was going to ask you: Do you thin tax reform happens in 2021?
MS. PSAKI: I don’t really have any predictions for you on that. I – I think, at this point in time and for the foreseeable future, addressing the pandemic, getting the pandemic under control, and that linkage to getting people back to work will be his top priority.
Q: And on the Keystone XL – the decision came yesterday from the President – what would you say to those who have lost their job or will lose their job as a result of that decision? What will be the message from the President and the White House be?
MS. PSAKI: The message of the President and the White House would be that he is committed. His record will show – shows the American people that he’s committed to clean-energy jobs – to jobs that are not only good, high-paying jobs, union jobs, but once that are also good for our environment. He thinks it’s possible to do both.
He led an effort when he was Vice President to put millions of people to work with those – both of those priorities in mind, and he will continue to do that as President. But he had opposed the Keystone pipeline back in 2013, when it was – when there was a consideration of the permit, or – sorry, I don’t think it was 2013; I think ti was a little bit after that. And he has been consistent in his view, and he was delivering on a promise he made to the American public during the campaign.
Go ahead, all the way in the back.
Q: Thank you. I wanted to ask you about India-U.S. relationship. What is President Biden’s vision of India -U.S. relationship – the relationship between the world’s oldest and world’s largest democracy?
MS. PSAKI: Well, first, I would say that President Biden, who of course has visited India many times, respects and values the long, bipartisan, successful relationship between leaders in India and the United States. He looks forward to a continuation of that.
Obviously, he selected – and yesterday, she was sworn in – the first Indian American to serve as President or Vice President, certainly a historic moment formal of us in this country, but a further, you know, cementing of the importance of our relationship.
So, go ahead, George.
Q: Yeah, thanks. Two questions, if I could – one on the – on the Hatch Act: Will this administration take that seriously? And do you think it’s ever appropriate for this White House to have a political event or a political meeting?
MS. PSAKI: Well, as you know, there are some political events that are acceptable, but we certainly take the Hatch Act seriously, and we’ll abide by that. And you will not see a rally on the South Lawn of the White House with Pres- – under President Biden.
Q: The second one – this – this may sound trivial, but Presidents and candidates have some events where – they’re fun for the candidate. They – the big crowd on the acceptance speech at the convention, the big crowd at the Inauguration, big rallies. Because of COVID, this President has – has been denied all those. Has he ever been at all wistful about sort of missing the fun parts of being a candidate and the Inauguration?
MS. PSAKI: Not – not in front of me, George. I will say that, even yesterday or over the last couple of days, you know, he tried to find a moment of joy with his family and with his grandchildren, who bring him great – a great deal of joy, and a recognition of, of course, the great responsibility he has on his shoulders, but a moment in history that he was playing a very important part of.
So I would say he’s been in public office, as you all know, for decades, and he’s had many joyful moments. But this moment, serving as President, coming in at a crisis where thousands of people are dying from a pandemic every day, millions of people are out of work, is not really a time for daily joy as the leader of the free world. And he’s focused on doing his job to get the work done for the American people.
Go ahead.
Q: Why weren’t President Biden and all members of the Biden family masked at all times on federal lands last night, if he signed an executive order that mandates masks on federal lands at all times?
MS. PSAKI: At the Inaugural —
Q: At the Lincoln Memorial. Yes.
MS. PSAKI: I think, Steve, he was celebrating an evening of a historic day in our country. And certainly he signed the mask mandate because it’s a way to send a message to the American public about the importance of wearing masks, how it can save tens of thousands of lives.
We take a number of COVID precautions, as you know here, in terms of testing, social distancing, mask wearing, ourselves, as we do every single day. But I don’t know that I have more for you on it than that.
Q: But as Joe Biden often talks about, it is not just important the “example of power” but the “power of our example.” Was that a good example for people who are watching who might not pay attention normally?
MS. PSAKI: Well, Steve, I think the power of his example is also the message he sends by signing 25 executive orders, including almost half of them related to COVID; the requirements that we’re all under every single day here to ensure we’re sending that message to the public.
Yesterday was a historic moment in our history. He was inaugurated as President of the United States. He was surrounded by his family. We take a number of precautions, but I don’t think – I think we have big – bigger issues to worry about at this moment in time.
Go ahead, Anita.
Q: Jen?
Q: You mentioned —
MS. PSAKI: Oh, sorry, Jeff. Let me go to Jeff, Anita, because I already went to you, if that’s okay.
Q: Jeff, go ahead.
Q: Thanks very much. A follow-up on the New START: Do you have an indication from Russia that they will object to the extension of five years? And has the United States already altered Moscow about its desire?
MS. PSAKI: Well, we have not — obviously, as you know, a number of our nominees have talked about our intention during their confirmation hearings over the past couple of days, of extending New START. I don’t have any calls to read out for you, but I can check and see if any notifications or discussions have happened this afternoon.
Q: And to follow up on something from yesterday, which I think you referred to: President Biden had said that President Trump left him a very “generous” note, and he didn’t want to talk about it until he spoke to President Trump. Are President Biden and President – former President Trump going to have a call?
MS. PSAKI: There’s no call planned. What he was conveying is that he didn’t want to release a private note without having an agreement from the former President. But I wouldn’t say he’s seeking it through a phone call; he just was even trying to be respectful in that moment of a private letter that was sent.
Q: With regard to the former President, has President Biden spoken to Speaker Pelosi at all about the timing of when she plans to bring the impeachment articles to the Senate and how he would like to see this trial proceed?
MS. PSAKI: President Biden has been pretty clear about what the focus of his conversations are and what his intention is with his engagements with leaders from both sides if the aisle and in both houses of Congress, including with Speaker Pelosi – someone he’s known for quite some time – and that his intention and focus on getting the COVID package through. So he will leave it to her and to now-Leader Schumer to determine what the path forward and the timeline will be holding the former President accountable.
Anita, go back to you.
Q: Yeah, you earlier mentioned four priorities of the President. I was surprised to not her immigration, per se, in the because, yesterday, many of the executive orders were about immigration. And there were two major agency releases last night about immigration; the bill is being introduced today. Do you not see that as sort of the second big push after the COVID bill? Where do you see that?
And I guess I would say, why is ti – I was going to ask you, why is it going to be – you know, why is it such a priority after the COVID bill? But you didn’t even list it, so I wanted to kind of clarify that and get your thoughts on it.
MS. PSAKI: Well, I wouldn’t – I wouldn’t read into that, other than immigration we consider as part of “racial equity” and part of – which is a broad issue, but that’s how the President has spoken about that crisis over the past several months. And clearly, it is an enormous priority to him because he – we moved forward in announcing the specifics of an immigration bill – an immigration package he is eager to move forward on with Congress on his first day in office.
But, as you know, there has been a lot of history on efforts to do comprehensive immigration reform – to do any form of immigration reform. And what we’re hopeful is that this will be a moment of reset and a moment to restart discussions on Capitol Hill. There are already a number of co-sponsors on Capitol Hill. There are already a number of co-sponsors who have been announced to have those discussions. There are experts on immigration who have worked on this issue from both sides of the aisle.
Historically, it is an issue there – that there is bipartisan support – support from the business community, support from a range of outside groups with different political tilts – and we’re hopeful that that will help propel it forward.
Q: Senator Menendez said today on a call – he called it a “Herculean,” you know, effort to get this through. As you know, it hasn’t gone through, as you just mentioned before. I mean, there are Republicans grumbling today that there’s not more in that bill that they want to see. So is that bill – what do you think the prospect of that bill getting through is?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I don’t know that I can predict that the first day. I mean, it’s only been out for 24 hours. Bu what was important to the President in the outline of this bill is that it is addressing a couple of areas that he doesn’t feel have been effectively done in the past. The last four years, the immigration policy has been based around funding for a wall; that has not worked even to keep the country safer, even to keep bad actors out.
And so his approach is multi-pronged. It is to do smart security – security that will help address ports of entry more effectively and efficiently, and putting that oversight in the hands of the Department of Homeland Security. It will also address root causes of migration, and that hasn’t been in past bills. As you probably well know, Anita, it was not in the bill in 2013, but its something that he has been an advocate for in his time in public office.
And it’s also a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants who are living in the country. There are components here in the bill that address a lot of the issues that have not been addressed in the past. And certainly the components of it make – that talk about smart security, are the kind of border security that we think is essential and more effective than what we’ve seen over the past couple of years.
Go ahead. Oh, can I go to Zeke first and then to you, Kristen? Go ahead.
Q: I just wanted to follow up on a question I asked the President an hour or so about the “100 million vaccines in the first 100 days” target. That’s roughly off the per diem basis of where vaccinations are right now. Can you just elaborate a little bit why the President isn’t setting the bar a little bit higher, maybe require another nudge? Just to explain to the American people when they see the statistics – like, you know, one tracker had 1.6 million yesterday – why isn’t the President shooting just a little bit higher, given the magnitude of the crisis here?
JEN PSAKI: Well, none of us are mathematicians, myself included, so I asked our team to do a little math on this. So, the Trump administration was given 36 million doses when they are in office for 38 days. They administered a total of about 17 million shots. That’s about less than 500,000 shots a day. What we’re proposing is to double that to about 1 million shots per day. And we have outlined this goal and objective in coordination and consultation with our health and medical experts.
So it is ambitious. It’s something that we feel is bold and was called that certainly at the time, and we’re working overtime to help achieve it – try to achieve it.
Q: But is the President trying to – obviously he would try to exceed that if possible. Is it possible we may see you know, in a couple of weeks or a month that the President would up that goal?
MS. PSAKI: Well, Zeke, there are a lot of factors that go into determining how many shots can get into the arms of Americans. We feel confident we can achieve this goal. Obviously, there are other vaccines that are being considered at this point in time by the FDA. There is funding that will be needed for distribution. There are a number of steps that will help expedite, at some point in time. But, right now, our focus is on what many health and medical experts have consistently called a “bold” goal.
I will note also that some of the reporting this morning which Kristen asked about earlier, was that the Trump administration left us with no plan. It’s hard for them to both be exactly true at the same time. And our team has been putting together a plan – our own plan, as Dr. Fauci talked about – for some time, to achieve this goal.
But he also mentioned that there are a number of challenges. It’s not just about lining people up – as you all know, but for people watching – in a football stadium, and giving them shots. We have to overcome vaccine hesitancy. We have to get to health communities where there aren’t – they don’t have access to health centers. That was outlined. A number of steps to address that were outlined in the President’s plan today.
But, you know, we – this is a bold goal, we’re going to work every day to achieve it, and we’ll build form there. There’s a lot more of the administration to go from there and more work on COVID to be done.
Go ahead, Kristen.
Q: Jen, President Biden is reversing a number of former President Trump’s policies, and we’re seeing some of former President Trump’s staffers be placed on leave or be reassigned. Is there an attempt to purge Trump officials?
MS. PSAKI: Well, there’s a new administration, so obviously there are a number of new officials in place. I know there was some reporting, for example – and I don’t know if this is who you were referencing, so you tell me if not – of the head of the NLRB. That’s an individual who was not carrying out the – you know, anyone would tell you, not just from our administration – the objectives of the NLRB. And so they were – they’re no longer in their position. And we’ll – we’ll take – make those decisions as needed.
Q: So there’s not an effort writ large that you’re assessing – reassessing individuals in the administration?
MS. PSAKI: Well, Kristen, as you know, when a new administration comes in, there’s a massive changeover in political appointees and nominees and people who will serve in a variety of rolls.
There are some people – Christopher Wray, as an example; I’ll just bring him back up – who will continue to serve in his role. But we have great value for career officials, for the officials who have been the heart and soul of agencies across government since long before the Trump administration, but who have served through the Trump administration as well.
Q: On COVID, a question: Did the transition officials know before yesterday that Amazon wanted to get involved in such a meaningful way?
MS. PSAKI: We – not that I’m aware of. I’m happy to check. I mean, when the reporting came out, I asked the question, and I think – internally – and, you know, what was conveyed to me – and I don’t think we discussed this yesterday – was that we’ve had a lot of outreach – some privately, some publicly – from a range of business and private sector entities. And we certainly welcome that, and we’ll be considering all of those offers in what makes the most sense in our plans and proposals.
Q: So, because there are some Trump officials saying they were never offered help from Amazon, and so they’re essentially saying they think this was a political call for Amazon to wait while lives were hanging in the balance. But you’re saying that is not the case.
MS PSAKI: I’m not aware of the timeline of when Amazon reached out. That sounds like a question for Amazon to me.
Go ahead.
Q: Jen, what did you think about all of the pardons that Trump handed out on his way out the door> And do you know if the DOJ or anyone is reviewing any of those?
MS. PSAKI: Well, as you know, we nominated an attorney general just a couple of weeks ago: Merrick Garland. We’re eager to get him confirmed in the coming weeks, hopefully soon.
We – our view of pardons, Jennifer, is that it’s not the way – it’s not a model for how a Biden Justice Department would work. It’s not a model, I should say, for how President Biden would use his own power. He would use his own power far more judiciously.
But we are looking forward, and most important for us and for him, is that the Justice Department, as we look ahead, is independent, makes decisions of they own accord, including their review of any investigations or judicial steps that have been taken.
Q: Thank you, Jen.
Q: Can I do a follow- up?
Q: Jen, one follow-up?
MS. PSAKI: Thank you. Okay I think we’re about to conclude it here. But because its my second day, lets take two more questions. Go ahead, in the back.
Q: About the pardon attorneys –
MS. PSAKI: Yes.
Q: Is the President going to listen to the pardon attorney? President Bush told President Obama that he should use the pardon power early on, but we know that the pardon power has been in disrepute in the last week because of President Trump’s pardons. What – is President Biden going to try to use the power quickly? Or – I mean, you said “judiciously.” But what’s his take going to be?
MS. PSAKI: Well, “judiciously” – and I’m not saying you’re conveying this, but for clarity – is not meant to convey speed; it’s just meant to convey how he approaches it. As you know, he has a long history on judicial issues, having served as the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee many years ago.
But on day two, I don’t have any prediction for you in terms of how he would use pardon – pardon attorneys or the role, but he has a great respect for and value for independence, as you know, and for the role of the judiciary and the independence of that role.
Okay, last actual question. I’m sorry, Zeke.
Q: I appreciate it, and I’m going to bounce off Jeff her on conversations that may or may hot have happened. Can you tell us: Has President Biden spoken to the Fed Chair, Jay Powell? If he hasn’t, does he have any plans on speaking to him at any point in the near future? And generally speaking, how does the President view the stewardship of the Fed chair during this economic crisis?
MS PSAKI: I don’t have any calls to read out for you or to predict for you with the Chairman of the Federal Reserve. He clearly has a great deal of respect and value for the Federal Reserve and the role they’ve played historically, given he nominated the former chair to serve as the first female Treasury Secretary. But I don’t have anything more for you. I can venture to get more for you from our economic team.
Thank you, everyone. I’ll see you again tomorrow.
Q: Thank you, Jen.
January 21: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report titled: “Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7. Lineage – United States, December 29, 2020 – January 12, 2021” The report was posted online as an MMWR Early Release. It has also been corrected.
What is already known about this topic?
A more highly transmissible variant of SARS-CoV-2, B.1.1.7, has been detected in 12 U.S. states.
What is added by this report?
Modeling data indicate that B.1.1.7. has the potential to increase the U.S. pandemic trajectory in the coming months. CDC’s system for genomic surveillance and the effort to expand sequencing will increase the availability of timely U.S. genomic surveillance data.
What are the implications for public health practice?
The increased transmissibility of the B.1.1.7. variant warrants universal and increased compliance with mitigation strategies, including distancing and masking. Higher vaccination coverage might need to be achieved to protect the public. Genomic sequence analysis through the National SARS-CoV-2 Strain Surveillance program will enable a targeted approach to identifying variants of concern in the United States.
On December 14, 2020, the United Kingdom reported a SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern (VOC), lineage B.1.1.7, also referred to as VOC 202112/01 or 201/501Y.V1 The B.1.1.7 variant is estimated to have emerged in September 2020 and has quickly become the dominant circulating SARS-CoV-2 variant in England. B.1.1.7. has been detected in over 30 countries, including the United States.
As of January 13, 2021, approximately 76 cases of B.1.1.7 have been detected in 12 states, Multiple lines of evidence indicate that B.1.1.7 is more efficiently transmitted than are other SARS-CoV-2 variants. The modeled trajectory of this variant in the U.S. exhibits rapid growth in early 2021, becoming the predominant variant in March.
Increased SARS-CoV-2 transmission might threaten strained health care resources, require extended and more rigorous implementation of public health strategies, and increase the percentage of population immunity required for pandemic control. Taking measures to reduce transmission now can lessen the potential impact of B.1.1.7 and allow critical time to increase vaccination coverage.
Collectively, enhanced genomic surveillance combined with continued compliance with effective public health measures, including vaccination, physical distancing, use of masks, hand hygiene, and isolation and quarantine, will be essential to limited the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Strategic testing of persons without symptoms but at higher risk of infection, such as those exposed to SARS-CoV-2 or who have frequent unavoidable contact with the public, provides another opportunity to limit ongoing spread.
Global genomic surveillance and rapid open-source sharing of viral genome sequences have facilitated near real-time detection, comparison, and tracking of evolving SARS-CoV-2 variants that can be inform public health efforts to control the pandemic. Whereas some mutations in the viral genome emerge and then recede, others might confer a selective advantage to the variant, including enhanced transmissibility, so that such a variant can rapidly dominate other circulating variants. Early in the pandemic, variants of SARS-CoV-2 containing the D614G mutation in the spike protein that increases the receptor binding avidity ability became dominant in many geographic regions.
In late fall 2020, multiple countries reported detecting SARS-CoV 2 variants that spread more efficiently. In addition to the B.1.1.7 variant, notable variants include the B.1.351 lineage first detected in South Africa and the recently identified B.1.1.28 subclass (renamed “P1”) detected in four travelers from Brazil during routine screening at the Haneda (Tokyo) airport.
These variants carry a constellation of genetic mutations, including the S protein receptor-binding domain, which is essential for binding to the host cell angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2) receptor to facilitate virus entry.
Evidence that other mutations found in these variants might confer not only increased transmissibility but might also affect the performance of some diagnostic real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays and reduce susceptibility to neutralizing antibodies. A recent case report documented the first case of SARS-CoV-2 variant that contained the E484 mutation, which has been shown to reduce neutralization by convalescent sera and monoclonal antibodies.
This report focuses on the emergence of the B.1.1.7 variant in the United States. As of January 12, 2021, neither the B.1.1.7 nor the P.1 variants have been detected in the United States. For information about emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, CDC maintains a webpage dedicated to providing information on emerging SARS-CoV 2 variants.
B.1.1.7 lineage (201.501Y.V1)
The B.1.1.7 variant carries a mutation in the S protein (N501Y) that affects the confirmation of receptor-binding domain. This variant has 13 other B.1.1.7 lineage-defining mutations, several of which are the S protein, including a hypothesized to increase transmissibility. The deletion at positions 69 and 70 causes S-gene target failure (SGTF) in at least one RT-PCR-based diagnostic assay (i.e., with the ThermoFishers TaqPath COVID-19 assay, the B.1.1.7 variant and other variants with the del69-70 produce a negative result for S-gene target and a positive result for the other two targets); SGTF has served as a proxy in the United Kingdom for identifying B.1.1.7 cases.
Multiple lines of evidence indicate that B.1.1.7 is more efficiently transmitted compared with other SARS-CoV-2 variants circulating in the United Kingdom. U.K. regions with a higher proportion of B.1.1.7 sequences had faster epidemic growth than did other areas, diagnosis with SGTF increased faster than did non-SGTF diagnoses in the same areas, and a higher proportion of contacts were infected by index patients with B.1.1.7 inflection than by index patients infected with other variants.
Variant B.1.1.7 has the potential to increase the U.S. pandemic trajectory in the coming months. To illustrate this effect, a simple, two-variant compartmental model was developed. The current U.S. prevalence of B.1.1.7 among all circulating viruses in unknown but is thought to be <0.5% among all infections, SARS-CoV-2 immunity from previous infection of 10%-30%, a time-varying reproductive number (Rt) of 1.1 (mitigated but increasing transmission) or 0.9 (decreasing transmission) for current variants, and a reported incident of 60 cases per 100,000 persons per day on January 1, 2021.
These assumptions do not precisely represent any single U.S. location, but rather, indicate a generalization of conditions common across the country. The change in Rt over time resulting from acquired immunity and increasing prevalence of B.1.1.7, was modeled, with the B.1.1.7 Rt assumed be a constant 1.5 times the Rt of current variants, based on initial estimates from the United Kingdom.
Next, the potential impact of vaccination was modeled assuming that 1 million vaccine doses were administered per day beginning January 1, 2021, and that 95% immunity was achieved 14 days after receipt was assumed, although the effectiveness and duration of protection against infection remains uncertain, because these were not the primary endpoint of clinical trials for initial vaccines.
In this model, B.1.1.7 prevalence is initially low, yet because it is more transmissible than are current variants, it exhibits rapid growth in early 2021, becoming the predominant variant in March. Whether transmission of current variants is increasing (initial Rt = 1.1) or slowly decreasing (initial Rt = 0.9) in January, B.1.1.7 drives a substantial change in the transmission trajectory and a new phase of exponential growth. With vaccination that protects against infection, the early epidemic trajectories do not change and B.1.1.7 spread still occurs.
However, after B.1.1.7 becomes the dominant variant, its transmission was substantially reduced. The effect of vaccination on reducing transmission the near term was greatest in the scenario in which transmission was already decreasing (initial Rt = 0.9). Early efforts that can limit the spread of the B.1.1.7 variant, such as universal and increased compliance with public health mitigation strategies, will allow more time for ongoing vaccinations to achieve higher population-level immunity.
Discussion
Currently, there is no known difference in clinical outcomes associated with the described SARS-CoV-2 variants; however, a higher rate of transmission will lead to more cases, increasing the number of persons overall who need clinical care, exacerbating the burden on an already strained health care system, and resulting in more deaths.
Continued genomic surveillance to identify B.1.1.7 cases, as well as the emergence of other variants of concern in the United States, is important for the COVID-19 public health response. Whereas the SGTF results can help identify potential B.1.1.7 cases that can be confirmed by sequencing, identifying priority variants that do not exhibit SGTF relies exclusively on sequence-based surveillance.
The experience in the United Kingdom and the B.1.1.7 models presented in the report illustrate the impact a more contagious variant can have on the number of cased in a population. The increased transmissibility of this variant requires an even more rigorous combined implementation of vaccination and mitigation measures (e.g., distancing, masking, and hand hygiene) to control the spread of SARS-CoV-2.
These measures will be more effective if they are instituted sooner rather than later to slow the initial spread of the B.1.1.7 variant. Efforts to prepare the health care system for further surges in cases are warranted. Increased transmissibility also means that higher than anticipated vaccination coverage must be attained to achieve the same level of disease control to protect the public compared with less transmissible variants….
…The findings in this report are subject to at least three limitations. First, the magnitude of the increase in transmissibility in the United States compared with that observed in the United Kingdom remains unclear. Second, the prevalence of B.1.1.7 in the United States is also unknown this time, but detection of variants and estimation of prevalence will improve with enhanced U.S. surveillance efforts. Finally, local mitigation measures are also highly variable, leading to variation in Rt. The specific outcomes presented here are based on simulations and assumed no change in mitigations beyond January 1.
The increased transmissibility of the B.1.1.7 variant warrants rigorous implementation of public health strategies to reduce transmission and lessen the potential impact of B.1.1.7, buying critical time to increase vaccination coverage. CDC’s modeling data show that universal use of an increase compliance with mitigation measures and vaccination are crucial to reduce the number of new cases and deaths substantially in the coming months.
Further, strategic testing of persons without symptoms of COVID-19, but who are at increased risk for infection with SARS-CoV-2, provides another opportunity to limit outgoing spread. Collectively, enhanced genomic surveillance combined with increased compliance with public health mitigation strategies, including vaccination, physical distancing, use of masks, hand hygiene, and isolation and quarantine, will be essential to limiting the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and protecting public health.
January 22, 2021
January 22: The White House posted Talking Points titled: “Talking Points: January 22 Executive Orders – Economic Relief” From the Talking Points:
As the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the U.S. economy into crisis, millions of Americans are unemployment, falling behind on rent payment, or struggling with food security.
And, because of pervasive system racism and inequality, the burdens of the economic crisis are hitting communities of color and underserved families the hardest.
Today, President Biden is taking new executive actions to deliver economic relief for American families and businesses amid the COVID-19 crisis while addressing the racial inequities it has exacerbated.
The President is also issuing an Executive Order that will launch an all-of-government effort to provide equitable emergency economic relief to working families, communities, and small businesses across the nation. The all-of-government effort will:
Address the growing hunger crisis facing 29 million Americans – and as many as 12 million children – by asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture to consider expanding and extending federal nutrition assistance programs.
Ensure equitable and effective delivery of direct payments – by asking the Treasury Department to change its delivery structure and focus on getting relief to the 8 million Americans who still have not received the financial assistance to which they are entitled.
Help approximately 2 million veterans maintain their financial footing by asking the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to consider pausing federal collections on overpayments and debts.
Help ensure that unemployed Americans no longer have to choose between paying their bills and keeping themselves and their families safe from COVID-19 by asking the U.S. Department of Labor to clarify that workers who refuse unsafe working conditions can still receive unemployment insurance.
Enable effective and equitable distribution of government assistance by establishing an interagency benefit coordination structure.
While the President will continues working with Congress to take bold action that will help working families through the remainder of the crisis, he is taking these emergency measures and important steps to give millions of Americans real relief during the pandemic.
The all-of-government executive order, combined with the President’s historic relief package and forthcoming jobs package will help Americans persevere through the pandemic and lay the foundation for a strong and equitable recovery.
January 22: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report titled: “Evaluation of Abbott BinaxNOW Rapid Antigen Test for SARS-CoV-2 Infection at Two Community-Based Testing Sites – Pima County, Arizona, November 3-17, 2020” From the Report:
Summary
The BinaxNOW rapid antigen test received Emergency Use Authorization by the Food and Drug Administration for testing specimens from specimens from symptomatic persons; performance among asymptomatic persons is not well characterized.
What is added by this report?
Sensitivity of the BinaxNOW antigen test, compared with polymerase chain reaction testing was lower when used to test specimens from asymptomatic (35.8%) than from symptomatic (64.2%) persons, but specificity was high. Sensitivity was higher for culture-positive specimens (92.6% and 78.6% for those from symptomatic and asymptomatic persons, respectively); however, some antigen test-negative specimens had cultural virus.
What are the implications for public health practice?
The high specificity and rapid BinaxNOW antigen test turnaround time facilitate earlier isolation of infectious persons. Antigen tests can be an important tool in an overall community testing strategy to reduce transmission.
Rapid antigen tests, such as the Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card (BinaxNOW), offer results more rapidly (approximately 15-30 minutes) and at a lower cost than do highly sensitive nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs). Rapid antigen tests have received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for use in symptomatic persons, but data are lacking on test performance in asymptomatic persons to inform expanded screening to testing to rapidly identify and isolate infected persons.
To evaluate the performance of the BinaxNOW rapid antigen test, it was used along with real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing to evaluate 3,419 paired specimens collected from persons aged ≥10 years at two community testing sites in Pima County, Arizona, during November 3-17, 2020. Viral culture was performed on 274 of 303 residual real-time RT-PCR specimens with positive results by either test (29 were not available for culture).
Compared with real-time RT-PCR testing, the BinaxNOW antigen test had a sensitivity of 64.2% for specimens form symptomatic persons and 35.8% for specimens from asymptomatic persons, with near 100% specificity in specimens from both groups. Virus was cultured from 96 of 274 (35.0%) specimens, including 85 (57.8%) of 147 with concordant antigen and real-time RT-PCR positive results, 11 (8.9%) of 147 with concordant antigen and real-time RT-PCR positive results, 11 (8.9%) of 124 with false-negative antigen test results, and none of three with false-positive antigen test results.
Among specimens positive for viral culture, sensitivity was 92.6% for symptomatic and 78.6% for asymptomatic individuals. When the preset probability for receiving positive test results for SARS-CoV-2 is elevated (e.g., in symptomatic persons or in persons with a known COVID-19 exposure), a negative antigen test result should be confirmed by NAAT.
Despite a lower sensitivity to detect infection, rapid antigen tests can be an important tool for screening because of their quick turnaround time, lower costs and resources needs, high specificity, and high positive predictive value (PPV) in setting of high preset probability. The faster turnaround time of the antigen test can help limit transmission by more rapidly identifying infectious persons for isolation, particularly when used as a component of serial testing strategies.
Paired upper respiratory swabs were collected at the same timepoints from persons aged ≥10 years receiving testing for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), at two Pima County Health Department community testing sites during November 3-17 (site A) and November 8-16 (site B). The sites offered SARS-CoV-2 testing to anyone in the community who wanted testing.
A questionnaire capturing demographic information and current and past-14-day symptoms was administered to all participants. At both sites, a health care professional first collected a bilateral anterior nasal swab, using a swab provided in the BinaxNOW kit, immediately followed by a bilateral nasopharyngeal (NP)swab for real-time RT-PCR testing. Anterior nasal swabs were immediately tested on-site using the BinaxNOW antigen test according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
NP swabs were stored in phosphate buffered saline at 39°F (4°C) and analyzed within 24-48 hours by real time RT-PCR using either the CDC 2019-nCoV Real-Time RT-PCR Diagnostic Panel for detection of SARS-CoV-2 (2,582 swabs) or the Fosun COVID-19 RT-PCR Detection Kit (837 swabs). Viral culture was attempted on 274 of 303 residual real-time RT-PCR specimens if either the real RT-PCR or BinaxNOW antigen test were compared to evaluate sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value (NPV), and PPV.
Statistical analyses were performed using SAS (version 9.4; SAS Institute). Cycle threshold (Ct) values from real-time RT-PCR were compared using a Mann-Whitney U Test; 95% confidence intervals (CIs)were calculated using the exact binomial method. The investigation protocol was reviewed by CDC and determined to be nonresearch and was conducted consistent with applicable federal law and CDC policy.
Paired upper respiratory swabs were collected from 3,419 persons, including 1,458 (42.6%) from site A and 1,961 (57.4%) from site B. Participants ranged in age from 10 to 95 years (median = 41 years) with 236 (6.9%) aged 10 – 17 years, 1,885 (55.1%) aged 18-49 years (21.7%) aged 50-64 years, and 555 (16.2%) aged ≥65 years. Approximately one third (31.4%) of participants identified as Hispanic or Latino, and three quarters (75.1%) identified as White.
As the time of testing, 827 (24.2%) participants reported at least one COVID-19 -compatible sign or symptom, and 2,592 (75.8%) were asymptomatic. Among asymptomatic participants, 113 (13.7%) received a positive BinaxNOW antigen test result, and 176 (21.3%) received a positive real-time RT-PCR test result. Among asymptomatic participants, 48 (1.9%) received a positive BinaxNOW antigen test result, and 123 (4.7%) received a positive real-time RT-PRC test result.
Testing among symptomatic participants indicated the following for the BinaxNOW antigen test (with real-time RT-PCR as the standard): sensitivity, 64.2%; specificity, 100%; PPV, 100%, and NPV, 91.2% among asymptomatic persons, sensitivity was 35.8%; specificity, 99.8%; PPV, 91.7%; and NPV, 96.9%. For participants who were within 7 days of symptom onset, the BinaxNOW antigen test sensitivity was 71.1% (95% CL = 63.0%-78.4%), specificity was 100% (95% CI = 99.3% – 100%), PPV was 100% (95% Cl = 96.4% – 100%), and NPV was 92.7% (95% CI = 90.2% – 94.7%).
Using real time RT-PCR as the standard, four false-positive BinaxNOW antigen test results occurred, all among specimens from asymptomatic participants. Among 299 real-time RT-PCR positive results, 142 (47.5%) were false-negative. BinaxNOW antigen test results (63 in specimens from symptomatic persons and 79 in specimens from asymptomatic persons).
Virus was recovered from 96 (35.0%) of 274 analyzed specimens that were positive by either test, including 85 (57.8%) of 147 with concordant positive results and 11 (8.9%) of 124 with false-negative BinaxNOW antigen test results. Virus was not recovered from any of the three available specimens with false-negative BinaxNOW antigen test results.
Among the 224 specimens undergoing viral culture that were analyzed with the CDC 2019-nCoV Real-Time RT-PCR Diagnostic Panel for detection of SARS-CoV-2, median Ct values were significantly higher for specimens with false-negative BinaxNOW antigen test results, indicating lower viral RNA levels than in those with concordant positive results (33.9 versus 22.0 in specimens from asymptomatic persons and 33.9 versus 22.5 in specimens from asymptomatic persons )
Median Ct values for SARS-CoV-2 culture-positive specimens (22.1) were significantly lower than were those for culture-negative specimens (32.8) (p<0.001), indicating higher levels of viral RNA in cuticle positive specimens. Among specimens with positive viral culture, the sensitivity of the BinaxNOW antigen test compared with real-time RT-PCR in specimens from asymptomatic participants was 92.6% (95% CI = 83.7% – 97.6%) and in those from asymptomatic participants was 78.6% (95% CI = 59.1 – 91.7).
Discussion
In this evaluation, using real time RT-PCR as the standard, the sensitivity of the BinaxNOW antigen test was lower among specimens from asymptomatic persons (35.8%) than among specimens from symptomatic persons (64.2%). Specificity (99.8% – 100%) was high in specimens from both asymptomatic and symptomatic groups.
The prevalence of having SARS-CoV-2 real-time RT-PCR positive test results in this population was moderate (8.7% overall; 4.7% for asymptomatic participants); administering the test in a lower prevalence setting will likely result in a lower PPV.
Among 11 participants with antigen-negative, real-time RT-PCR-positive specimens with positive viral culture, five were symptomatic with antigen-negative, real-time RT-PRC-positive specimens with positive viral culture, five were symptomatic and six asymptomatic. Some antigen-negative, real time RT-PCT-positive specimens possibly could represent noninfectious viral particles, but some might also represent infectious virus not detected by the antigen test.
In a clinical context, real-time RT-PCR provides the most sensitive assay to detect infection. Viral culture, although more biologically relevant than real-time RT-PCR, is still an artificial system and is subject to limitations. Numerous biological (e.g., individual antibody status and specific sequence of the virus) and environmental (e.g., storage conditions and number of freeze-thaw cycles) variables can affect the sensitivity and outcome of viral culture.
Despite the limitations of interpreting culture-negative specimens, a positive viral culture is strong evidence for the presence of infectious virus. The performance of the BinaxNOW antigen test compared with the real-time RT-PCR was better for those specimens with positive viral culture than for all specimens, with a sensitivity of 92.6% for specimens from symptomatic persons and 78.6% for those from asymptomatic persons.
The results of the current evaluation differ from those of an evaluation of the BinaxNOW antigen test in a community screening setting in San Francisco, which found a BinaxNOW antigen test overall sensitivity of 89.0% among specimens from all 3,302 participants, regardless of the Ct value of the real time RT-PCR-positive specimens.
The findings in this investigation are subject to at least five limitations. First, anterior nasal swabs were use for BinaxNOW antigen testing, but NP swabs were used for real-time RT-PCR testing, which might have contributed to increased detection for the real-time RT-PCR assay.
Second, participants might have inadvertently reported common nonspecific symptoms as COVID-19-compative symptoms.
Third, this investigation evaluated the BinaxNOW antigen test, and results presented here cannot be generalized to other FDA-authorized SARS-CoV-2 antigen tests.
Fourth, the BinaxNOW antigen test characteristics might be different depending on whether an individual had previously tested positive.
Finally, many factors might limit the ability to culture virus from a specimen, and the inability to detect cultural virus should not be interpreted to mean that a person is not infectious.
Public health departments are implementing various strategies to reduce or prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission, including expanded screening testing for asymptomatic persons. Because estimates suggest that over 50% of transmission occurs from persons who are presymptomatic or asymptomatic, expanded screening testing, potentially in serial fashion for reducing transmission in specific venues (e.g., institutions of higher education, schools, and congregate housing settings), is essential to interrupting transmission).
Rapid antigen tests can be an important tool for screening because of their quick turnaround time, lower requirement for resources, high specificity, and high PPV in settings of high pretest probability (e.g., providing testing to symptomatic persons, to person’s with a known COVID-19 exposure, or where community transmission is high). Importantly, the faster time from testing to results reporting can speed isolation of infectious persons and will be particularly important in communities with high levels of transmission.
Although the sensitivity of the BinaxNOW antigen test to detect infection was lower compared with real-time RT-PCR, it was relatively high among specimens with positive virus culture, which might reflect better performance for detecting infection in a person with infectious virus present.
Community testing strategies focused on preventing transmission using antigen testing should consider serial testing (e.g., kindergarten through grade 12 schools, institutions of higher education, or congregate housing settings), which might improve test sensitivity in detecting infection.
When the preset probability for receiving positive SARS-CoV-2 test results is elevated (e.g., for symptomatic persons or for persons with a known COVID-19 exposure) a negative antigen test result should be confirmed by NAAT. Asymptomatic persons who receive a positive BinaxNOW antigen test result in a setting with a high risk for adverse consequences resulting from false-positive results (e.g., in long-term care facilities) should also receive confirmatory testing by NAAT.
Despite their reduced sensitivity to detect infection compared with real-time RT-PCR, antigen tests might be particularly useful when real time RT-PCR tests are not readily available or have prolonged turnaround times. Persons who know their positive test result within 15-30 minutes can isolate sooner, and contact tracing can be initiated sooner and be more effective than if a test result is returned days later.
Serial antigen testing can improve detection, but consideration should be given to the logistical and personnel resources needed. All persons receiving negative test results (NAAT or antigen) should be counseled that wearing a mask, avoiding close contact with persons outside of their household, and washing hands frequently remain critical to preventing the spread of COVID-19.
January 22: The White House posted a Fact Sheet titled: “Fact Sheet: President Biden’s New Executive Actions Deliver Economic Relief for American Families and Businesses Amid the COVID-19 Crises” From the Fact Sheet:
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the United States economy into an economic crisis. Across the country, more than 10 million Americans are unemployed, 14 million renters are behind on payments, and 29 million adults – and at least 8 million children – are struggling with food insecurity. Because of pervasive systemic racism and inequality in our economy, the burdens of this economic crisis are hitting communities of color and other underserved families hardest. One in ten Black workers and one in eleven Latino workers are unemployed. Navigating through the current crisis and emerging stronger requires immediate action to provide equitable economic relief to working families everywhere.
Last week, President Biden unveiled a historic legislative package designed to change the course of the pandemic, get students back to school, give families and businesses a bridge to an economic recovery, and invest in advancing racial equity. His plan came on the heels of December’s bipartisan deal to provide a down payment on long-term economic relief for working families. Congress should finish the job by expeditiously passing the American Rescue Plan into law. But the American people cannot afford to wait for Congress to act – they need help and they need it now.
Today, the President is issuing an Executive Order that will launch an all-of-government effort to provide equitable emergency economic relief to working families, communities, and small businesses across the nation. The actions taken as part of this effort will provide relief to millions of American workers who have lost their jobs and had their hours or wages slashed through no fault of their own. They will help working families feed their children and keep a roof over their head. They will help ensure that unemployed Americans no longer have to choose between paying their bills and keeping themselves and their families safe from COVID-19 by clarifying that workers who refuse unsafe working conditions can still receive unemployment insurance. And, they will help more unemployed workers pay for training and college so they can find better jobs and succeed in an increasingly competitive job market.
That all-of-government effort will:
Address the growing hunger crisis facing 29 million Americans – and as many as 12 million children – by asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture to consider expanding and extending federal nutrition assistance programs.
Ensure equitable and effective delivery of direct payments – by asking the Treasury Department to consider changing its delivery structure and focus on getting relief to 8 million Americans who still have not received the financial assistance to which they are entitled.
Help approximately 2 million veterans maintain their financial footing by asking the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to consider pausing federal collections on overpayments and debts.
Help ensure that unemployed Americans no longer have to choose between paying their bills and keeping themselves and their families safe from COVID-19 by asking the U.S. Department of Labor to consider clarifying that workers who refuse unsafe working conditions can still receive unemployment insurance.
Enable effective and equitable distribution of government assistance by establishing an interagency benefit coordination structure.
While additional congressional action is urgently needed to help working families through the remainder of the crisis, these emergency measures are important steps to give millions of Americans real relief during the pandemic. This executive order, combined with the President’s historic relief package and forthcoming jobs package will help Americans persevere through the pandemic and lay the foundation for a strong and equitable recovery. The President is also recommending immediate action to improve the wages, benefits and bargaining rights of federal workers and contractors.
COVID ECONOMIC RELIEF EXECUTIVE ORDER
Address the Growing Hunger Crisis Facing 29 Million Adults – And As Many As 12 Million Children. Across the country 1 in 7 households and more than 1 in 5 Black and Latino households, report that their household is struggling to secure the food they need. In December, Congress bolstered food assistance programs and provided new funding for food banks and school and child care meals. But these measures along will not solve the growing hunger crisis in America. As part of his American Rescue Plan proposal, President Biden is calling on Congress to provide additional support to ensure that all Americans, regardless of background, have access to healthy, affordable groceries by extending the 15% Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit increase, investing $3 billion to help women, infants and children get the food they need, and other key steps. The President is also asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to consider taking the following steps to provide nutrition assistance to working families, including to:
Increase access to nutritious food for millions of children missing meals due to school closures. Established under Families First Coronavirus Response Act, the Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) connects low-income families with kids with food dollars equivalent to the value of the school meals missed due to COVID-related school closures. To date, the program has only allowed P-EBT benefit amounts up to $5.70 per child per school day and many households have had trouble claiming benefits. To address these concerns and expand needed relief, the President is asking USDA to consider issuing new guidance increasing P-EBT benefits by approximately 15% to accurately reflect the costs of missing meals and make it easier for households to claim benefits. For instance, this action could provide a family with three children more than $100 of additional support every two months.
Allow larger emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program allotments for the lowest-income households. Congress authorized emergency increases to SNAP benefits to help address food insecurity during the pandemic. So far, those benefit increases have not been made available to all of the lowest income households. USDA will consider issuing new guidance that would allow states to increase SNAP emergency allotments for those who need it most. This would be the first step to ensuring that an additional 12 million people get enhanced SNAP benefits to keep nutritious food on the table.
Update food assistance benefits to reflect the true cost of a basic healthy diet. More than 40 million Americans count on SNAP to help put food on the table. Currently, however, USDA’s Thrifty Food Plan, the basis for determining SNAP benefits, is out of date with the economic realities most struggling households face with trying to buy and prepare healthy food. As a result, the benefits fall short of what a health, adequate diet costs for many households. Therefore, as directed by the 2018 Farm Bill, the President will ask USDA to consider beginning the process of revising the Thrifty Food Plan to better reflect the modern cost of a healthy basic diet.
Ensure Equitable and Effective Delivery of Direct Payments. As the President fights to get Americans the full $2,000 in direct payments they deserve, his administration is also working to ensure that all those who are eligible receive their full payments. Many Americans faced challenges receiving the first round of direct payments and as many as eight million eligible households did not receive the payments issued in March. In December, Congress passed legislation that would provide Americans with $600 in stimulus. The President’s American Rescue Plan proposes an additional $1,400 per-person payments to ensure that households get the support they need to help pay bills, put food on the table, and support small businesses and their communities. While Treasury and career staff at the IRS have worked tirelessly to deliver two rounds of payments in the midst of a pandemic, the work is far from over. To ensure equitable and effective delivery of direct payments and focus on getting relief to eligible individuals who have not received the financial assistance to which they are entitled, the President is asking the Department of Treasury to consider taking a series of actions to expand and improve delivery of Economic Impact Payments including establishing online tools for claiming their payments, working to make sure that this who have not yet accessed their funs get the relief they deserve, and analyzing unserved households to inform additional outreach efforts.
Guarantee that No American Has to Choose Between Paying Their Bills and Keeping Themselves and Their Families Safe from COVID-19. In 2019, 43% of American households reported having at least one member with pre-existing conditions, many of whom may have a heightened risk of serious illness or death if they contract COVID. President Biden believes that workers should have the right to safe work environments and that no one should have to choose between their livelihoods and their own or their families’ health. As one of many measures to help keep workers and their families’ safe throughout the pandemic, the President is asking the Department of Labor to consider clarifying that workers have a federally guaranteed right to refuse employment that will jeopardize their health and if they do so, they will still qualify for unemployment insurance.
Help Families, Workers and Small Businesses Access Relief Resources Quickly, Easily and Equitably through Coordinated Benefit Delivery Teams. During the pandemic government programs have provided much needed support to help tens of millions of Americans pay rent, mortgages, and other bills, get the food they need, and access healthcare. However, critical support does not always reach the people who need it: families struggle to navigate complicated eligibility rules while over 20% of Earned Income Tax Credits go unclaimed; many small businesses in communities of color cannot easily access loans; and according to one survey less than 40% of service workers who were laid off or furloughed at the hight of pandemic closures actually received timely unemployment benefits due to system failures as applications surged. At the same time, an estimated 47% of children live in households that have trouble covering usual expenses such as food, housing, and medical care. The stakes are too high and too many families are in need for people not to get the relief that they are entitled to. The Biden-Harris Administration is establishing a network of benefit delivery teams and a coordination structure across federal and state administered programs to reduce the time and burden to access urgent support that provides greater stability and builds towards an equitable recovery.
PROTECTING AND EMPOWERING FEDERAL WORKERS AND CONTRACTORS
The federal government should only award contracts to employers who give their workers the pay and benefits they have earned; President Biden is today directing this administration to start the work that would allow him to issue an Executive Order within the first 100 days that requires federal contractor to pay a $15 minimum wage and provide emergency paid leave to workers.
He is also taking critical steps to protect and empower federal employees, who dedicate their careers to serving the American people. They keep us healthy, safe, and informed, and their work transcends partisan politics. They are health care workers who care for veterans, the elderly, and the disabled. They are expert scientists, medical doctors, and technicians who maintain world-class standards, prevent and combat the spread of infectious diseases, and save countless lives. They deliver our mail, run our national parks, keep our federal buildings up and running, help protect us against climate change and environmental poisoning, and ensure that the law is applies faithfully and fairly. They are talented, hard-working, and inspiring Americans, worthy of the utmost dignity and respect. But, over the last four years, they’ve been undermined and demoralized. The President will sign an executive order taking steps to protect and empower federal employees who are so essential to this country. It:
Restores collective bargaining power and worker protections by revoking Trump Executive Orders 13936, 13837, and 13839. It goes further to direct agencies to bargain over permissible, non-mandatory subjects of bargaining when contracts are up for negotiation so that workers have a greater voice in their working conditions.
Eliminates Schedule F, which undermines the foundations of the civil service. Its existence threatens the critical protections of career employees and provides a pathway to burrow political appointees into the civil service.
Promotes a $15 minimum wage. The Executive Order directs the Office of Personnel Management to develop recommendations to pay more federal employees at least $15 per hour.
These steps will help ensure the federal government is a model employer and restore protections to career civil servants who are so essential to this country.
January 22: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Morbidity and Mortality Week Report (MMWR) titled: “Vaccination Coverage with Selected Vaccines and Exemption Rates Among Children in Kindergarten – United States, 2019-20 School Year”. From the report:
SUMMARY
What is already known about this topic?
State immunization programs conduct annual kindergarten vaccination assessments to monitor school-entry vaccination coverage with all state-required vaccines.
What is added by this report?
For the 2019-20 school year, national coverage was approximately 95% for diphtheria and tetanus toxoids, and acellular pertussis; measles, mumps, and rubella; and varicella vaccines. The national exemption rate remained low at 2.5%.
What are the implications for public health practice?
Disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are expected to reduce vaccination coverage in the 2020-21 school year. Increased follow-up of under undervaccinated students needed from schools and immunization programs to maintain the high vaccination coverage necessary to protect students in preparation for schools returning to in-person learning.
State and local school vaccination requirements serve to protect students against vaccine-preventable diseases. This report summarizes data collected by state and local immunization programs on vaccination coverage among children in kindergarten (kindergarteners) in 48 states, exemptions for kindergarteners in 49 states, and provisional enrollment and grace period status for kindergarteners in 28 states for the 2019-20 school year, which was more than halfway completed when most schools moved to virtual learning in the spring because of the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Nationally, vaccination coverage was 94.9% for the state-required number of doses for diphtheria and tetanus toxoids, and acellular pertussis vaccine (DTaP); 95.2% for 2 doses of measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR); and 94.8% for the state-required number of varicella vaccine doses. Although 2.5% of kindergarteners had an exemption from at least one vaccine, another 2.3% were not up to date for MMR and did not have a vaccine exemption. Schools and immunization programs can work together to ensure that under vaccinated students are caught up on vaccinations in preparations for returning to in-person learning. This follow up is especially important in the current school year, in which under vaccination is likely higher because of disruptions in vaccination during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
To meet state and local school entry requirements, parents and guardians submit children’s vaccination records or exemption forms to schools, or schools obtain records from state immunization information systems. Federally funded immunization programs work with departments of education, school nurses, and other school personnel to assess vaccination and exemption status of children, typically those aged 4-6 years, enrolled in public or private kindergartens and report unweighted counts, aggregated by school type, to CDC via a web-based questionnaire in the Secure Access Management System. CDC uses these data to produce state- and national-level estimates of vaccination coverage.
During the 2019-20 school year, 48 states reported coverage for all state-required vaccines among public school kindergarteners and 47 states reported on private coverage for all state-required vaccines among public school kindergarteners. Forty-nine states reported exemption data among public school kindergarteners, and vaccination coverage for the state-required number of doses of DTaP, MMR, and varicella vaccine. Hepatitis B and poliovirus vaccination coverage data, which are not included in this report, are available at SchoolVaxView. Twenty-eight states reported data on kindergarteners who, at the time of assessment, were attending school under a grace period (attendance without proof of complete vaccination scheduled). Coverage and exemptions from U.S. territories and associated states are presented; however, national estimates, medians, and summary measures include only U.S. states.
Vaccination coverage and exemption estimates were adjusted according to survey type and response rates. National estimates measure coverage and exemptions among all kindergarteners, and medians measure the midpoint of state-level coverage regardless of population size. Reported estimates for the 2019-20 school year are based 3,675,882 kindergarteners surveyed for vaccination coverage, 3,914,961 for exemptions, and 2,995,220 for grace period and provisional enrollment among the 4,025,574 children reported as enrolled in kindergarten by immunization programs for 49 states. Potentially achievable coverage with MMR, defined as the sum of the percentage of children who are up to date with 2 doses MMR and those with no documented vaccination exemption but who are not up to date, was calculated for each state. Nonexempt students include those provisionally enrolled, in a grace period, or otherwise without documentation of vaccination. SAS (version 9.4; SAS Institute Inc.) was used for all analyses.
Vaccination assessments varied by immunization program because of differences in states’ required vaccines and number of doses, vaccines assessed, methods of data collection, and data reported. The majority of states reported kindergarteners as up to date for a given vaccine if they had received all doses of that vaccine required for school entry. Seven states reported kindergarteners as up-to-date for any given vaccine only if they had received all doses all vaccines required for school entry.
Nationally, 2-dose MMR coverage was 95.2% (range = >86.6% to >99.1% ). Coverage of >95% was reported by 20 states and coverage of <90% by three states. DTaP coverage was 94.9% (range = 84.0% to >99.1% ), with 20 states reporting coverage of >95%, and three states reporting <90% coverage. Coverage with 2 doses (or 1 dose, as required) of varicella vaccine was 94.8% (range = >86.6% to >99.1% ), with 21 states reporting coverage >95%, and four states reporting >90% coverage.
The percentage of kindergarteners with an exemption from one or more required vaccines (not limited to MMR, DTaP, and varicella vaccines) remained unchanged from the 2018-19 school year at 2.5% (range = 0.1% to 7.6% ). Nationally, 0.3% of kindergarteners had a medical exemption, and 2.2% had a nonmusical exemption. Only 95.2% of kindergarteners were up to date with MMR; 2.5% had an exemption from at least one vaccine, and another 2.3% were not up to date with MMR and did not have a vaccine exemption.
The percentage of kindergarteners attending school within a grace period or provisionally enrolled among the 28 states reporting these data 1.6% (range = <0.1% to 6.1% ). Of the 28 states with MMR coverage <95%, 24 states could potentially achieve >95% MMR coverage if all nonexempt kindergarteners, may of whom where within a grace period or provisionally enrolled, we vaccinated. Among the 30 states reporting a decrease in the percentage of kindergarteners who were not up to date for MMR and did not have an exemption in 2019-2020 compared with 2018-2019, an increase of MMR coverage in 2019-2020 was also reported by 26 states. In three states with MMR coverage >95% in 2018-2019 (Illinois, North Carolina, and South Carolina), coverage increased to >95% in 2019-2020.
Discussion
The purpose of vaccination assessment is to identify populations at risk and aid in taking programatic steps to increase vaccination coverage. Although the COVID-19 pandemic led to late, truncated, or incomplete assessment of kindergarten vaccination status in the 2019-20 school year compared with the 2018-19 school year in some states, most student vaccinations would have already occurred before the start of the 2019-20 school year and would not have been affected by the pandemic. National coverage among kindergarteners remained approximately 95% for MMR, DTaP, and varicella vaccines. However, coverage and exemption rates varied by state.
Measles outbreaks that affected school-aged vaccination requirements for preventing disease spread and school outbreaks of >15 cases during the 2018-19 school year, six reported increases in MMR coverage during 2019-2020. Increases in some states were likely attributable to changes in state laws eliminating nonmusical vaccination exemptions, and vaccination campaigns in response to the outbreaks could also have contributed to the increases in MMR coverage.
The overall percentage of children with an exemption remained at approximately 2.5%; children with exemption represent a small proportion of kindergarteners nationally and in most states. In 25 states, the number of nonexempt undervaccinated kindergarteners equaled or exceeded the number of those with exemptions. In many states, nonexempt under vaccinated students are attending school in a grace period or are provisionally enrolled. Follow-up with undervaccinated students can increase vaccination coverage in this group.
Twenty-six states successfully increased MMR coverage by reducing the number of nonexempt students who are not up to date, with three states (Illinois, North Carolina, and South Carolina) reaching coverage >95%. Some states have implemented policies and activities focused on improving coverage. In Colorado, MMR coverage increased from 87.4% in 2018-2019 to 91.1% in 2019-2020. This was accomplished by prioritizing high MMR coverage.
In addition to providing technical assistance, media toolkits, strategies, and local kindergarten MMR data and targets, the state health department furnished lists of elementary schools with low coverage to local public health agencies, which implemented community-specific strategies. These included digital media campaigns aimed at parents, vaccination reminder/recall, efforts to improve school compliance, outbreak tabletop exercises with schools, and incentives to families (Diana Herrero, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, personal communication, November 13, 2020). Almost all states could achieve >95% MMR coverage if non exempt undervaccinated children were vaccinated according to local and state vaccination policies.
The findings in this report are subject to at least six limitations. First, comparability is limited because of variation in states’ requirements, data collection methods, exemptions allowed, and definitions of grace period and provisional enrollment. Second representatives might be negatively affected because of data collection methods that missed some schools or students or occurred at different times. Third, results might be underestimated or overestimated because of incomplete documentation. Fourth, national coverage estimates include only 48 of 50 states but use lower bound estimates for seven states; exemption estimates include 49 states but use lower bound estimates for three states; and grace period of provisionally enrollment estimates include only 28 states for the 2019-20 school year. Fifth, estimates of potentially achievable MMR coverage are approximations are underestimated for states that do not report vaccine-specific exemptions. Finally, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, schools were closed, and state and local health department staff members were deployed to response activities, limiting the quantity and quality of student vaccination data collected and reported to CDC.
Based on measurements from other data sources, CDC expects that the COVID-19 pandemic has already reduced appointment availability at providers’ offices, parents delaying preventive health care visits, and other barriers to vaccination, and that those disruptions will reduce kindergarten vaccination coverage in the 2020-21 school year. In addition, schools in many states began the 2020-21 school year remotely and might not have enforced the usual vaccination policies.
Providers, schools and immunization programs will need to increase follow-up with undervaccinated students and find ways to overcome pandemic-related barriers to maintain the high level of vaccination coverage necessary to continue protecting school-aged children, their family members, and communities from vaccine-preventable diseases during virtual learning and as schools return to in-person instruction. Jurisdictions should provide resources as appropriate, such as guidance to parents about the importance of maintaining preventative care during the pandemic, lists of immunization providers in the area for children who are unable to be vaccinated by their usual health care provider, or special vaccination clinics at schools or health departments.
January 22: The White House posted a Statement from President Biden and Vice President Harris on the 48th Anniversary of Roe V. Wade. From the Statement:
Today marks the 48th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Roe v. Wade.
In the past four years, reproductive health, including the right to choose, has been under relentless and extreme attack. We are deeply committed to making sure everyone has access to care – including reproductive health care – regardless of income, race, zip code, health insurance status, or immigration status.
The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to codifying Roe v. Wade and appointing judges that respect foundational precedents like Roe. We are also committed to ensuring that we work to eliminate maternal and infant health disparities, increase access to contraception, and support families economically so that all parents can raise their families with dignity. This commitment extends to our critical work on health care outcomes around the world.
As the Biden-Harris Administration begins in this critical moment, now is the time to rededicate ourselves to ensuring that all individual have access to the health care they need.
January 22: The White House posted a Press Briefing titled: “Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki and National Economic Director Brian Deese” From the Press Briefing:
MS. PSAKI: Good afternoon, everyone. Happy Friday. Today, we are joined by National Economic Council Director Brian Deese, who will highlight some key aspects of the executive orders the President is issuing today related to the economy and underline their impact on American families and workers.
Brian is kind enough to take a few questions; I didn’t have to twist his arm too much. But he does have to go to a briefing with the President, so I’ll be the bad cop and come up when he has to cut it off.
Go ahead, Brian.
MR. DEESE: Thanks, Jen. So I want to just take a couple minutes to talk to you about the executive actions that the President will take today.
But just to start with a little bit of context: Our economy is at a very precarious moment. We are 10 million jobs short still of where the economy was when this pandemic started. Last month, the economy lost jobs for the first time since last spring. Retail sales fell last month. And just yesterday, we saw another 900,000 Americans file for unemployment insurance. That’s a weekly rate that is higher than any week during the Great Recession.
It’s a moment that requires decisive action to beat this pandemic and support the economic recovery that American families need. That’s why, a week ago, President Biden laid out a comprehensive American Rescue Plan – a plan that is focus on changing the course of the pandemic, getting students back in school, and giving families and businesses a bridge to the economic recovery, while also addressing the stark inequities in our economy that this crisis has exposed.
We have been engaging closely with members of Congress, with governors, mayors, business and labor organizations in the week since, and we’ll continue to do so and hope that Congress will move quickly to consider this important proposal without delay.
At the same time, the American people are hurting, and they can’t afford to wait. They need help right now. And that’s the motivation behind the actions that the President will take today.
I want to be very clear these actions are not a substitute for comprehensive legislative relief, but they will provide a critical lifeline to millions of families.
So just to get into the specifics: The President will sign two executive orders today. The first directs agencies to consider a number of actions that will provide emergency relief for working families affected by the COVID-19 crisis, within existing authorities, and helping to correct some of the errors or omissions of the prior administration in providing families with relief.
I just want to touch on a couple of elements that are in that executive order to give you a sense of what we’re talking about.
On the issue of food insecurity, which is a growing crisis in American – of hunger – nearly 30 million Americans last week said they didn’t have enough food to put on the table. So the President will ask the Department of Agriculture to consider taking immediate steps to provide nutrition assistance to hard-hit families, first by increasing pandemic EBT benefits by about 15 percent. This is the program that is aimed at supporting families who traditionally rely on the school lunch program to provide meals to millions of kids through their schools.
So in the pandemic -the Pandemic EBT program provides direct assistance to families to cover those costs. But the way it is being implemented today doesn’t get to the fill costs necessary. So, with these changes, an eligible family with three children would get about an additional 100 bucks over two months to help pay for food.
Second, increasing the SNAP benefits – emergency SNAP benefits for as many as 12 million low-income Americans. This is the core program targeted at preventing hunger in America. And these changes – again, for a family of four – would mean about a 15 to 20 percent benefit increase.
And third, revising the Thrifty Food Plan – which is really the basis for determining SNAP benefits – is out of date and needs to be updated to better reflect the cost of a healthy diet.
Another element of this executive order is to promote worker safety. And here, President Biden will ask the Department of Labor to consider clarifying that workers have a federally guaranteed right to refuse employment that would jeopardize their health. And if they do so, they will still qualify for unemployment benefits.
This is a common-senes step to make sure that workers have a right to safe work environments and that we don’t put workers, in the middle of a pandemic, in a position where they have to choose between their own livelihoods and the health of they and their families.
The second executive order that the President will sign is focused on the jobs of federal workers and on federal contractors. He will direct his administration to initiate a process, starting today, that would allow him within 100 days to issue an executive order requiring federal contractors to pay at least a $15.00 minimum wage and provide emergency paid leave to workers.
This was something the President talked about on the campaign that, when we’re using taxpayer dollars, federal contractors should provide the benefits and pay that workers deserve.
The order will also protect and empower federal employees, who’ve dedicated their careers to serving the American people, many in very difficult circumstances during this pandemic.
And the steps will include restoring collective bargaining power and worker protections for federal workers; eliminating Schedule – so-called Schedule F – which has threatened the protections of career employees and also provided a potential pathway to burrow political appointees into civil service; and also promoting a $15.00 minimum wage by directing the OPM, the Office of Public Management, to develop recommendations to pay more federal workers at least $15.00 an hour.
Finally, just one final note: In addition to the executive orders that we’ll be issuing today, we will be focusing on another key priority of the President and the Vice President, which is equitable relief to small businesses.
In previous rounds of relief, too much of the support that has been dedicated to small businesses has left out the smallest businesses, mom-and-pop businesses that don’t have existing connections with a financial institution. And in particular, black-, Latino-, Asian-, and Native American-owned businesses were shot out completely. And a lot of that is because the outreach and communication from the federal government was either unclear or just nonexistent. And so, too many of those companies have been denied relief, and many of them had to shut their doors for good.
The President is completely focused on changing that. And he has – he has directed us to take immediate steps to make sure that we’re listening to these communities, we’re taking their advice on how to improve the distribution of relief.
So, just this morning, I met, along with representatives of the Small Business Administration, with dozens of groups representing black- and brown-owned businesses and other underserved communities, as well as lenders, to hear their ideas on how we can improve communications and act on them.
We discussed the President’s idea of having navigators who are dedicated to helping small-businesses owners find the right relief programs, fill out paperwork, get the money into their bank accounts – the kind of support that many of these businesses don’t have because of embedded relationships that more well-connected businesses do.
There are some groups out there in the country who are doing this really successfully. We’re determined to learn from them and to scale those efforts nationwide.
And in this vein, I look forward – I will be joining Vice President Harris later today. She will be meeting with small-business owners to discuss both the American Rescue Plan and the need for more effective small-business relief delivered without delay.
So that’s – that is – that is today, and that is our focus through a set of executive orders. And I’m happy to take a couple of questions, of which you all have many. (Laughter.)
MS. PSAKI: Do you want me to (inaudible)?
MR. DEESE: Sure, sure. This is the good cop/bad cop for you. (Laughter.)
MS. PSAKI: Kristen, go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Jen. Hi, Brian.
MR. DEESE: Hi.
Q: Good to see you. Thank you for taking questions today. I want to ask you about the call on Sunday with a bipartisan group of lawmakers. What can you tell us about the call? Will President Biden be on the call? And what is your message to moderate Republicans, like Mitt Romney, who say the economy can’t have another stimulus after you just passed a $900 billion relief package last month?
MR. DEESE: Yeah, thanks, Kristen. So, the President has made clear to his team that we should be reading out to members of Congress from both parties to make the case for the rescue plan and to engage with them, understand their concerns.
So that’s what we’re doing, both myself and senior members of the team. We have been doing that over the course of time. We’ll continue to do that, including the call on Sunday that I’ll be doing with a group of senators, and we’ll continue that engagement going forward.
In terms of the – in terms of the message, it’s pretty clear we’re at a precarious moment for the virus and the economy. Without decisive action, we risk falling into a very serious economic hole, even more serious than the crisis we find ourselves in. And economists across the board – including today, President Trump’s former chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers – arguing strenuously that now is the time for that type of decisive action for the economy; and that we can’t wait to provide the resources to make sure that we can open up schools, we can get vaccine shots in people’s arms, and we can provide that bridging relief to families and small businesses.
There’s a lot of support. I met with a group of mayors yesterday – a bipartisan group of mayors from across the country. You hear from mayors, you hear from governors just crying out that in order to take on these crises, the public health and the pandemic and the economic crisis at the same time, now is the moment for that kind of decisive action. That’s the case we’ll be making.
Q: And just to be clear, Brian, will President Biden be on the call? And if not, why not, if this is so urgent?
MR. DEESE: So, like I said, we’re doing all outreach. The President has directed the team to do outreach to members of Congress, to business and labor organizations, to mayors and governors, and we’re in the process of doing that. I’ll be having that conversation on Sunday. You can expect that other members of the administration will be engaging with members of Congress across time as well.
Q: And just very quickly, Brian, if I could: What would a February impeachment trial – how would a February impeachment trial impact getting the COVID relief package passed?
MR. DEESE: Look, I think that we have faced – we are facing right now a period of multiple crises. And what we’re going to need is to be able to act on multiple fronts. And so that’s – certainly we understand, and as Jen has spoken to, we understand that the Senate has a constitutional obligation in this context, but we also have this pressing economic and pandemic priorities as well.
So we’re going to – that’s why we’re engaging. That’s why we’re focused on making the case. And certainly with the expiration that Congress will – will heed that call and move forward.
MS. PSAKI: I promise to do a whole briefing after this, so just – we’ll do econ questions for Brian.
Go ahead, Mary.
Q: Thank you very much. If you are able to pass this nearly $2 trillion plan, do you envision this being the last round of stimulus, or do you think you may need to do more?
MR. DEESE: What I can tell you is, if we don’t act now, we will be in a much worse place, and we will find ourselves needing to do much more to dig out of a much deeper hole.
So what I can tell you is the single most important thing, economically, right now is to take decisive action along the lines of what we’ve laid out in this rescue plan.
And you hear, again, from economists across the board – whether it’s the Federal Reserve, the International Monetary Fund, and economic experts across the political spectrum as well – when you’re at a moment that is as precarious as the one we find ourselves in, the risk of doing too little, the risk of undershooting far outweighs the risk of doing too much. And that’s the economic logic, the economic case behind this package.
I think you also heard the President clearly explain that his economic approach is one where rescue and recovery need to come together. And he’ll be speaking more about his recovery plans in the coming weeks that are about building back better, an urgent priority to start creating the kinds of good jobs that we know we’re going to need coming out if this crisis.
Q: And after the recession, it took nearly a decade to get the country back to full employment under the Obama administration. If you’re able to pass this rescue package, how long do you think it will take for every American who wants a job to be able to have one?
MR. DEESE: Well, I would just point to, you know, just one example of an independent analysis that was done of the American Rescue Plan by Moody’s. And what they said – what they found was that if we passed the American Rescue Plan now, we could see seven and a half million jobs created just this year, and we could see a full return to full employment a full year ahead of what is projected if we don’t. So those are the stakes involved.
And without this kind of decisive action, we’re going to have a much deeper economic hole, and that’s why we are so focused on making the case for a decisive action now.
MS. PSAKI: Justin.
Q: Thanks, Jen and Brian. I wanted to follow on Welker’s question a little bit. The President has talked about seeking “unity” on this bill, but also being “clear-eyed” when there’s policy differences. So I’m wondering if after this call, which is sort of the bipartisan coalition that you’d need to get this bill passed, if you expect to know whether the White House will pursue legislation – bipartisan legislation, or sort of head towards legislation through reconciliation.
And I’m also wondering if you could talk about what sort of red lines will be – the point at which you say “Okay, if you’re not willing to negotiate this in the bill, we’re going to just start working with Democrats as Speaker Pelosi and others have encouraged you to do.
MR. DEESE: Yeah. Well, I guess, I’d say two things to that. The first is, if you look at the elements of the American Rescue Plan, it was designed with a bottom-up focus on what the experts are saying is the actual need. What’s the actual need to get schools open? What’s the actual need to have a national vaccination distribution plan to underwrite the strategy that you heard Dr. Fauci and the President talk about yesterday? And what’s the need to support families and businesses during this transition?
And the second thing – the second thing is that, as a result of that, I think we’re seeing a lot of support, as I said, of bipartisan mayors, bipartisan governors, business organizations, Chamber of Commerce, business roundtable, economists across the board, saying this is a – this is a – an appropriate response to the unprecedented economic circumstance.
So that’s the – that’s the approach that we are taking, and that’s the – that’s the perspective that we are bringing here.
And I think that we are heartened to see that kind of support, and that’s the conversation that we’re going to have with members of Congress, be they Republicans or Democrats, including, you know, looking at where we are, where we’ve come over the last year, and the lessons we’ve learned that, without decisive action, we know the consequences. And so now is a moment not to undershoot or to wait and see; now is a moment to act.
Q: Right. I guess my question is: I think a lesson that a lot of – President Obama and others have talked about from the ACA fight was continuing to court Republican support beyond the point of it being productive. And so I’m wondering, for you guys, what is the decision point going to be where you – you know, you might have Republican mayors, but it doesn’t look like you have Republican senators right now. At what point do you say this is no longer worth, kind of, pushing forward?
MR. DEESE: We’re – we are – we’re making the case. We are engaging, we’re having conversations, we’re listening, and we are also focused on the urgency and the need to act. And so, you know, what I can tell you is that’s where the President’s focus is, that’s where the Vice President’s focus is. That’ll be – continue to be our focus is we want to – we want to act, and that’s going to be what guides us here.
MS. PSAKI: This is going to be the last one. But Brian will come back.
Q: Thank you for doing this, Brian. Back to the point of the objections of some of these Republican senators who have already spoken out – they say they just passed a $900 billion or so at the end of year, and most of it isn’t even out yet. How do you know, if that money hasn’t gotten into the system yet, that you will need to release more at this point? Why move ahead with a trillion-dollar plan if the $900 million that’s already been approved hasn’t even gotten out the door?
MR. DEESE: Sure. Well, first of all, you know, we waited for six months or more before Congress acted. And so, really, a lot of what that $900 billion was doing was filling a hole in the second half of 2020 that desperately needed to be filled. And so – so, it’s – this is not – this is not an issue of Congress acting too much; it’s an issue of not acting enough.
And the second is, if you look at the components of that $900 billion – again, we could go line by line, but these resources that are either already out the door or already – or are addressing economic challenges or public health challenges that were in the rearview mirror.
So as we find ourselves today looking forward, we need a very set – a very decisive set of actions if we are actually going to get schools open, if we’re actually going to get a vaccination program up and running. And I think that the case that we will make is that, today, we’re not where we need to be. And if we go line by line in the American Rescue Plan, these provisions are – have been designed based on an assessment of need, and we think that, looking forward, we’re quite confident that this is – this is the prudent assessment of needs.
Q: And I want to clarify two quick things. How many federal employees or federal contractors are making minimum wage right now? Do you guys know?
MR. DEESE: So I don’t – I don’t have an – I don’t have an estimate of that right now.
Q: And then, last night, you said that there are roughly 8 million people who haven’t received their stimulus checks.
MR. DEESE: Yes.
Q: How do you find them?
MR. DEESE: So, is a great question. This is principally an issue associated with people who are non-filers, so they’re not filing income taxes, in most cases because they don’t make enough money to need to file federal income taxes. And so, as a result, the way that the IRS and the Treasury Department in the previous administration has focused on getting those checks out has been to work through the tax system.
But those are people who are legally entitled to those checks, and so we have a number of strategies that we’re going to pursue. And that, today, we’ll start with the President’s executive order to direct the Department of the Treasury to consider a whole range of efforts, including creating an online portal that would allow people to easily identify if they’re eligible, to work through counterpart organizations to actually affirmatively do outreach to communities to actually do outreach to communities where we know there are significant numbers of these – of these families and these individuals to let people know that they may be available. Some of this is education outreach as well.
And I would just – you know, it’s a little connected to what I was saying about small business as well. What the President is directing all of us to do is to really focus on the affirmative steps that we can take and an affirmative strategy to say it’s not enough to just say, “Well, if folks don’t know or of they don’t have a network, then they’re left out in the cold.”
We’re going to – we’re going to work both directly in what the federal government can do and with partner organizations to try and make sure that every American who’s entitled to a benefit is actually receiving it.
Q: But if there’s someone out there right now who hears you saying this, and realizes, “I’m eligible and I haven’t gotten it,” right now, today, is there a way for them to raise their hand and say, “Send me my check”?
MR. DEESE: Well, starting today, we’re going to start a process to make that a lot easier – a lot easier for families, including being able to go online and do that. But that’s – that’s work that’s going to start today.
MS. PSAKI: I totally skipped the AP, so would you mind taking one more?
M
Q: Just one small –
MS. PSAKI: I didn’t mean to.
Thank you. I just have one small question on the mechanics of the EO targeting the food insecure. Does the USDA have the money to distribute these plus-ups that you’re taking about? Or is there going to need to be an appropriations from Congress?
MR. DEESE: So these are mandatory appropriated programs, so there’s no need for additional congressional action. It’s a change in regulation on the eligibility for benefits. So these are – these are the changes the can be made under existing statute and under existing budgetary authority without any additional action from Congress.
Q: The money is there though to –
MR. DEESE: Yeah. It’s a mandatory program, so it operates based on – the benefits are paid out based on who is eligible.
MS. PSAKI: Great. Thank you, Brian. He’ll be back.
MR. DEESE: Great. Thank you all.
MS. PSAKI: All right, everyone. Happy Friday. I have a couple of things just at the top – some things you’ve been asking about, so hopefully they address some of the questions you may have.
First, we applaud the Senate’s strong bipartisan confirmation of Lloyd Austin, who has been breaking barriers all of his life, as the first black secretary of Defense in our nation’s history.
Secretary Austin’s confirmation is a major benefit to our national security, and he’s going to hit the ground running, leading the Pentagon. He will be sworn in today, but he will be – he will be sworn in more officially by the – not “more officially,” I should say, but he will be sworn in more ceremoniously … officially, by the – not “more officially,” I should say – but he will be sworn in more ceremoniously on Monday by the Vice President.
Similarly, the President is very happy to see that Janet Yellen – the first woman who would ever lead the U.S. Treasury Department – was unanimously voted out of committee this morning. This should be only the beginning.
We’re facing unprecedented challenges and threats to our national security during these emergencies, and our country urgently needs our Secretary of Homeland Security in place. Alejandro Mayorkas is one of the most knowledgeable homeland security experts in the country. He has earned bipartisan praise, and he’s been previously confirmed by the Senate three times. This is a confirmation that we are going to continue to press on in all of our engagements and conversations with the Senate.
I also have some news to share on the President’s response to domestic violent extremism. The January 6th assault on the Capitol and the tragic deaths and destruction that occurred underscored what we have long known: The rise of domestic violent extremism is a serious and growing national security threat.
The Biden administration will confront this threat with the necessary resources and resolve. We are committed to developing policies and strategies based on facts, on objective and rigorous analysis, and on a respect for constitutionally protected free speech and political activities.
Our initial work on DVE will broadly fall into three areas. The first is a tasking from President Biden sent to the ODNI today requesting a comprehensive threat assessment, coordinate with the FBI and DHS, on domestic violent extremism. This assessment will draw on the analysis from across the government and as appropriate, nongovernmental organizations.
The key point here is that we want fact-based analysis upon which we can shape policy. So this is really the first step in the process, and we’ll rely on our appropriate law enforcement and intelligence officials to provide that analysis.
The second will be the building of an NSC capability to focus on countering domestic violent extremism. As a part of this, the NSC will undertake a policy review effort to determine how the government can share information better about this threat, support efforts to prevent radicalization, disrupt violent extremist networks, and more.
There’s important work already underway across the interagency in countering DVE, and we need to understand better its current extent and where there may be gaps to address, so we can determine the best path forward.
The third will be coordinating relevant parts of the federal government to enhance and accelerate efforts to address DVE. This considered, an NSC-convened process will focus on addressing evolving threats, radicalization, the role of social media, opportunities to improve information sharing, operational responses, and more.
Just a couple more items. As you all know, right now, the President and Vice President are having lunch. This is something they look forward to doing every week. They’ll be discussing their agenda, particularly getting relief to working families and containing the COVID crisis, and I’m sure they’ll talk about the last 48 Horus as well.
Later today, the President will speak with Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau. We had confirmed that earlier this week. He’ll also speak with President of Mexico Andrés Manuel López Obrador. We’ll have readouts of both those calls when they happen.
Yesterday evening, the First Lady held a virtual event to honor and show gratitude for the hard work of educators across the country, especially during this difficult time of COVID-19. She was accompanies by the presidents of both the American Federation of teachers and National Education Association. Over 11,000 educators attended the virtual meeting.
Today, she will tour the Whitman-Walker Clinic in Washington D.C., to highlight and promote support services for cancer patients and caregivers. And while I know that was in our guidance, we want to use this platform here to also share with you information about both the Vice President and the First Lady moving forward.
One more item, as well. Earlier this morning – or late this morning, I should say – the President called General Daniel Hokanson, who his head of the National Guard over the last several years. He talked about his own personal commitment and connection to the National Guard, given his son had served previously. And he offered assistance – any assistance needed of both the government, but also on a personal level, and asked him to reach out if here was anything that he ever needed.
I will stop there. Just a few updates. So, (inaudible), why don’t you kick us off?
Q: Yeah, thank you. I know this has been asked you several times, but now that there is an impeachment trial imminent, does President Biden have an opinion on whether former President Trump should be convicted?
And then, secondly, with how this is going, you’re not getting a little bit of momentum on confirmations. Do you have all that you need to get going on coronavirus, on the economy, and so forth? Is this just going to slow everything down? And does it also take away from the ability to unify?
MS. PSAKI: Well, first, remarkably, at this moment in history, we have some recent precedent of the Senate conducting an impeachment trial while also doing the business of the American people. And when the trial was being conducted last January, there were also hearings that were happening nearly on a daily basis, and we expect that type of work to continue.
I’ll also note, purely on an operational level, the House can also proceed and continue to do the work on the American rescue plan, move that forward, and we certainly expect and hope that they will do that.
But what the President’s view is: What cannot be delayed through this process is his proposal to get relief to the American people at this time of crisis. So he’s confident – he remains confident, after serving decades in the Senate, that the Senate members of both parties can walk and chew gum last the same time and can move forward with the business of the American people.
Q: Does he believe that former President Trump should be convicted?
MS. PSAKI: Well, he’s no longer in the Senate, and he believes that it’s up to the Senate and Congress to determine how they will hold the former President accountable, and what the mechanics and timeline of that process will be.
Q: I’d like to ask on – just on –
MS. PSAKI: Go ahead.
Q: – on DVE, if you don’t mind. Are the tools and methods available to federal law enforcement, are they what we need right now? Are we still stuck in sort of a post-9/11 mindeset? And does there need to be really broad, radical rethinking about how we, sort of, approach things in the federal law enforcement?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the reason that the President wanted to do this review and the national security team wanted to do this review is because it’s a priorate to ensure we are assessing what is happening in government and how we can do it better. So, clearly, more needs to be done. That’s why the President is tasking the national security team to do exactly this review on his first – his second full day in office. So it’s sending an indication of that.
Let me give you just a little bit more information. Homeland Security Advisor Dr. Liz Sherwood-Randall has asked Joshua Geltzer to pioneer a scoping effort in the first 100 days, in coordination with the Senior Director for Counterterrorism, Claire Linkins. Seltzer previously served as the Senior Director for Counterterrorism on the National Security Council from 2015 through 2017. And Deputy Homeland Security Advisor Russ Travers will also bring his extensive experience. So those are some of the people who will be involved in overseeing this review and an assessment of what steps are going to be following.
Go ahead, Kristen.
Q: Thanks, Jen. One on impeachment, and then, if I could, on COVID. On impeachment, did House Speaker Nancy Pelosi consult with President Biden before sending the article of impeachment over to the Senate?
MS PSAKI: I don’t have any calls between them to read out for you, Kristen. Obviously, they’re in regular touch. I can say, from a previous question you asked… obviously they’re in regular touch. I can say due to – from a previous question you asked Brian, that he’s been in touch with members of both parties about his agenda, even since he was inaugurated. So obviously a range of topics come up in those discussions, but I don’t have anything more to read out for you.
Q: And just on the timing: Leader McConnell has said that he’s going to push for a February timeline. I know that you don’t want to comment specifically on the timeline of this, but how would a February trial impact the effort to get COVID relief passed?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the President’s expectation – he believes in the Senate and their ability to multitask and get the work and business of the American people done at the same time while they are proceeding with an impeachment trial, on whatever timeline it begins and ends on, Kristen. So he’s –
Q: Is that fast enough for him? Is mid-February fast enough for President –
MS. PSAKI: He’s going to leave the timeline up to them. But what is important – and again, there’s precedent for this – is that they are continuing to move forward with getting the relief to the American people because that certainly can’t wait and be delayed until March, April, or May. We can’t afford that.
Q: If I could follow up with you on what you said about COVID yesterday, you said your goal is a million shots per day, which would double, you said, what the Trump administration was doing. According to the CDC, we have reached a million shots a day last week. So, given that – given the urgent need for vaccinations, why not aim higher?
MS. PSAKI: Well, first of all, we’re not packing up our bags and leaving at 100 days. We felt it was important. And we set that goal before any American had received a single shot. So, the incoming Biden administration felt it was important to set what was described as a “bold and ambitious” goal at the time. And many doubted we could even get there. So we want to set our own markers, and markers for the American public, so that they know we’re meeting our goal. If we surpass that, that’s great. We’re going to continue working after day 100 as well.
But there are a number of factors here Dr. Fauci also talked about. It’s not just having the access to the vaccine. Right? It is about addressing vaccine hesitancy. It’s about ensuring we have the materials needed. It’s about – and you all have done reporting, of course, on different issues going on in states, from New York and others, where there are concerns about supply, where there’s confusing about the process, and we need to address that. So there are a number of operational challenges that are happening at the same time.
Okay, let’s go to Ed.
Q: Yeah. Following up on the vaccine: Stakeholders we’ve talked to, state leaders, medical experts, have said one of the questions they’re trying to figure out is how much vaccine is already in the National Stockpile right now. Do you have any sense of that yet?
MS. PSAKI: Our team, as you know, has been on the ground for about 48 hours, but certainly what they want to determine is not just the operational issues I referenced, but also what we’re looking at in terms of supply. We are, as you may know – well, we are going to be starting briefings next week – I should say a couple times a week – with some of our health experts. So I expect they’ll be able to provide some update of what they’ve reviewed and what they have access to at that point in time.
Q: Two other quick ones on the previous occupant. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff is calling on President Biden not to extend the courtesy to President Trump of getting access to intelligence briefings. Has a decision been made on that?
MS. PSAKI: Not that I’m aware of, but I’ll follow up with our national security team and see. We would certainly leave the decision to them – to the intelligence community.
Q: Can you clear up the confusion here about these – who exactly dismissed the chief White House usher?
MS. PSAKI: Well, it happened –
Q: Is it the Biden administration or was it the previous occupant?
MS. PSAKI: It is – it is a very important question. I’m so happy you asked it. It is – it happened before we walked in the door, Ed. So I don’t have any more information that what we’ve provided.
Go ahead.
Q: Not to belabor this point, but you’ve said that Congress can walk and chew gum at the same time, which is true, but there are also so many hours in the day. Has the President expressed any concern that a Senate trial will slow down additional confirmations or movement on a COVID relief bill?
MS. PSAKI: Only that it cannot. There are only so many hours in the day; you’re right. But, again, if there’s a Senate trial happening in the Senate – of course it would happen in the Senate – the House can move forward on a package. And certainly there is the capacity and ability to have discussions, have hearings, take steps to move forward on the President’s COVID relief package. And we don’t think it can be delayed or it can wait, so they’re going to have to find a path forward, and he’s confident they can do that.
Q: And President Biden has made pretty clear that he believes former President Trump is unfit to serve. Does he think he should be barred from holding federal office going forward?
MS. PSAKI: Well, we’ll leave it to Congress. He ran against him because he thought he was unfit to serve, and he’s no longer here because President Biden beat him. But we’ll leave the steps – the accountability steps to Congress to determine.
Q: And can I ask just two –
MS. PSAKI: Go ahead.
Q: – COVID questions? Any update as to whether the President may sit down with congressional leaders to discuss and try and hammer out this package?
MS. PSAKI: Sure. Well, I will say, without giving you specifics necessarily but – which I know you’re looking for, so I shouldn’t have just walked myself into that rabbit hole, but –
Q: (inaudible)
MS. PSAKI: Right. (Laughs.)
But the President has already done a number of calls with Democrats and Republicans; that will continue. He’s very eager to be closely involved, roll up his sleeves, and be making calls himself. I don’t – soon – but I don’t have an update on any meeting.
I will though add, just for context, I know that the reporting – thanks for your reporting, I suppose – about the meeting this weekend kind of got out there, and obviously Brian confirmed it. There are a lot of meetings happening at one time with a lot of different officials. So I don’t – I wouldn’t see that as like this is the negotiating tool. That is one of many engagements and one of many discussions that the President, the Vice President, senior members of the White House team are having and are ongoing.
Q: And as outlined right now, is he confident that you have enough Democrats on board with this plan to pass this?
MS. PSAKI: Well, he announced the plan about a week ago. Right? And we are – his view is that this is how democracy should work, which is the President of the United States announces what his vision is and what his plan – his proposed plan is to address the crises the American people are facing. Then there are ongoing discussions with Congress. They like some pieces; they don’t like other pieces. You have all seen, Democrats like many pieces; Republicans even like some of the pieces, too. And we’ve – he’s had those encouraging conversations.
But the final package may not look exactly like the package the he proposed. That’s ok. That’s how the process – the legislative process should work.
Go ahead, Justin.
Q: Thanks. Welcome back.
MS. PSAKI: Thank you.
Q: I had a question on COVID, but I wanted to start with just some housekeeping from questions you had earlier in the week that you said –
MS. PSAKI: Okay.
Q: – you might circle back on.
MS. PSAKI: Okay.
Q: So I was wondering if –
MS. PSAKI: The plane?
Q: Sure. We can start there. (Laughter.)
MS. PSAKI: Oh, I didn’t – I was – okay. (Laughter.)
On the plane: We are certainly aware of the White House military unit’s proposal that has been submitted to them about reconsidering the color scheme of Air Force One. I can confirm for you here the President has not spent a moment thinking about the color scheme of Air Force One or anything in the house or any article of anything. So – and no one is going to submit a decision memo to him on that particular topic. But certainly we’re aware of the proposals, and as there are any updates, we’re happy to provide them to you.
Q: Maybe a little more substantively, I was wondering, you had mentioned syringes yesterday, but not if you were – or not specific companies that might have had DPA contracts, either started or come in. And then also, D.C. statehood was an issue that was raised in a previous briefing.
MS. PSAKI: Sure. Well, on the first, I don’t have specific companies for you. I can circle back with our COVID team to see if we have more specifics. Obviously, those conversations are happening as we speak.
There was a question yesterday about whether the Defense Production Act had been invoked. It has been invoked. So those processes are now rapidly ongoing. The President has supported D.C. statehood in the past; that certainly remains his position. But I don’t have anything for you on the timeline or next steps there.
Q: And then, sorry –
MS. PSAKI: Oh, go ahead.
Q: Just the COVID one quickly. A, kind of, trademark of the last administration’s efforts were that there would be a big announcement of, like, Jared Kushner’s testing website, and then no timeline put on it, and it never really materialized. So I was interested when the Chief of Staff last night said that there would be a central clearinghouse for vaccine information. And I was wondering if you could provide a, sort of, expectation or a timeline on when Americans could expect if there’s a .gov email address – or .gov website or a phone number that they could go to to find out their specific vaccination information.
MS. PSAKI: Well, I know all members of my family are also asking the same question, as I’m sure yours are. It is something we’re eager to do and also provide more information to the American public about when they can call their pharmacy and schedule an appointment, just to make it much easier. The lack of information and the lack – the disinformation at times about how people can get the vaccine, when they can get the vaccine, and who’s eligible has created a great deal of confusion, as you all know.
I don’t have anything on the timeline, but I will remind you that the person who saved Healthcare.gov and the person who helped him are working on the COVID team. So we’re in very good hands. And they’re certainly committed to getting more information out in a more accessible way.
Go ahead.
Q: Thanks, Jen. Two questions. The first is having to do with the operations of the West Wing. There was curiosity about this in the early days of the Trump administration, so I’ll ask you. Who has Oval Office walk-in privileges in this White House? Do you have Oval Office walk-in privileges, as you speak for the President? And how is that access to the President controlled here?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I don’t know that I’m going to give you a list of everybody, but I will convey that, you know, since the first conversation I had with then President-Elect Biden, he conveyed to me that it was important that we have regular conversations, and we’re able to have a discussion about how he sees things and questions that are coming up to ensure that we are providing you all with information not just about our policies, which is, of course, pivotal, but his – also his thinking on issues.
So, I talked to him this morning, and certainly I expect and anticipate I’ll have regular conversations with him, and there are a number of other people who have those conversations with him on a daily basis as well. That’s part of his style and part of governing, is to make sure people who are engaging with the outside world have an understanding of his thinking.
Q: One more question for you. Is Dr. Deborah Birx still a member of this President’s COVID response team?
MS. PSAKI: I will have to circle back on that one. That’s an excellent question, and I don’t have any information on it in front of me.
Go ahead, in the back.
Q: Thank you, ma’am. I’ve got a question about the Senate and then also a foreign policy question, if you’ll let me.
MS. PSAKI: Great. I love foreign policy questions.
Q: (Laughs.) Thank you. Senator McConnell and Senator Schumer have been going back and forth over discussions when it comes to a power-sharing situation. Obviously, the sticking point has been the filibuster. Are you concerned that those negotiations could potentially delay the President’s legislative agenda, his nominees? And then also, does the President still oppose overturning the legislative filibuster, like he did in that interview with The New York Times?
MS. PSAKI: Sure. Well, his – the President’s position hasn’t changed, but I will say he’s conveyed in conversations with both now Leader Schumer and Senator McConnell that they need to have their conversations, of course, but he is eager to move his rescue plan forward. He is eager to get relief to the American public. He wants to work with both of them to do exactly that, and he wants it to be a bipartisan bill. So that is his objective.
Q: So his position hasn’t changed? He opposes overturning a legislative filibuster?
MS. PSAKI: He has spoken to this many times. His position has not changed.
Q: And then, the previous administration, on their way out the door, declared that China’s human rights abuses against Uyghur Muslims were, quote, “crimes against humanity” and, quote, “a genocide.” Does the President agree with that determination, and will he keep it?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I know that our Secretary of State is just about to get confirmed, or so Senator McConnell tells us. And I’m sure he will be reviewing – I know he will be reviewing a number of the decisions and assessments that have made. Obviously, the President has spoken before to the – to the horrific treatment of Uyghurs, but I don’t have anything more for you on that. I can check with our national security team and see if we have a more up-to-date statement.
Go ahead.
Q: Hi. Just a couple of quick follow-ups. The USDA aid for families that depend on schools to feed their children – that is $100 for three children every two months. Is that too little too late? What more are you thinking of doing?
MS. PSAKI: Well, first, I will say that the executive actions – and this is something when we were discussing this with the President earlier today – are just part of his effort to bring relief to the American people. He – his priority was overturning a number of detrimental steps that the Trump administration had taken and to take steps that he can through executive authority, through the review of the legal team to do – to bring that relief.
But he has also opposed this large package, as many of you have pointed out to all of us, to bring additional relief. And he wants to work with Congress to build on the executive actions to take a bipartisan approach to making sure we are – that kids have food to eat, that people who don’t have jobs have the relief they need, that we can get the vaccine out, that schools can reopen. Those are all priorities of his. But the – his big focus is on doing that in a bipartisan way with Congress.
Q: And there was this – there was this other detail mentioned about the $15.00 minimum wage – and I know Brian spoke about federal contractors – but the issue has obviously faced a lot of opposition in Congress over the years. Is President Biden planning to speak to Senator Schumer to bring the bill – the legislation that the House passed on $15.00 – to the Senate? I mean, how does this broadly help workers around the country?
MS. PSAKI: Well, again, this is just one part of his step to provide relief to the American people. There are many federal contractors, of course, serving the government, and he felt it was something that was not just right to do, but something necessary to do. But he has proposed a significant relief package – or package that will provide assistance to many, many Americans, and he will continue to advocate for the $15.00 minimum wage moving forward. There’s no question about it.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you very much, Jen. And I’d like to focus on vaccinations. There’s arguably something that the federal government can do in this front. In New York, there is a looming train wreck that’s actually happening today. Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio say that they’re going to be running out of their batches of first doses of the vaccine today. They don’t expect to get more until Tuesday, so there’s going to be a three-day gap. Is the federal government and is President Biden going to do anything to prevent that?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I’ve asked the CDC to look into exactly this issue and see what can be done. I don’t have any update beyond that, but certainly, we don’t want any states to run out of access to vaccine. We are hopeful that, in the weeks ahead, as we get our sea legs here and our team starts to operationalize engagement with governors, engagement with local officials, to provide them a greater understanding of supply, of what we are going to have access to, in a farther – in a timeframe that’s further in advance, that we can avoid situations like this in the future. But we’ve asked the CDC to look into what’s happening.
Q: Can I just follow up on that? There’s arguably a way that the federal government can just basically flip a switch and help alleviate some of this problem. New York City says it has 65,000 doses that are reserved for a second shot. Is the federal government considering allowing those to be used for the first shots so that there is not this three-day gap of first-shot vaccinations?
MS. PSAKI: Well, as you know, in the past, we have – we have advocated for releasing additional access from the reserves, but we have really deferred to health and medical experts, so that’s why we have asked the CDC to look into what the options are.
Q: Okay. So you’ve asked the CDC to look into this so there isn’t a gap?
MS. PSAKI: Well, to look into – to have the conversation with officials in New York and to look into what is possible. But I don’t want to get ahead of them. We want to lean into health and medical experts to make the decisions.
Go ahead.
Q: Thanks, Jen. One of the executive orders that was signed yesterday requires that international travelers quarantine or self-isolate. Is the administration going to do anything to enforce that rule, or is it mostly an honor system?
And then, on coronavirus, one more: Has the President considered establishing any sort of national memorial to memorialize those people who have died from coronavirus?
MS. PSAKI: Sure. Both are excellent questions, and the first one I should have information on, but I’ll have to follow up with you on both of them. I’m not aware of a discussion about the second piece, so that’s an interesting idea, and I will bring it back to people and see if there’s more to say.
Q: One more then. On the immigration bill: Has the President got a sense of any feedback on the immigration bill that was sent to the Hill yesterday? And is there an overall timeline for when he’d like to see that move?
MS. PSAKI: Well, we already have co-sponsors of the immigration bill, as you may have seen, which is obviously a good sign. There are a number of experts, as you know – because I’m guessing you have covered this issue for some time if you’re asking with a level of detail – who have worked in immigration reform, had bipartisan discussions in the past.
And we are hopeful that this proposal – that this bill that he sent forward – we sent forward yesterday will be an opportunity for a reset to really restart those discussions. But we expect that will be the first step here and that we’re hopeful that the components of this proposed bill – which are different from what has been proposed in the past because it includes smarter security, it includes a path to citizenship, but it also includes funding to address the root cause – will help be the basis of those discussions. And we would like to see them move forward quickly.
Okay, why don’t you go ahead, over there?
Q: You mentioned the issue of vaccine hesitancy. Does the President believe that all Americans should get the vaccine? And then for those who might be reluctant to get it, how do you convince them that it’s safe?
MS. PSAKI: Well, he does. The more people who are vaccinated, the safer we are. Health and medical experts have also conveyed that. That’s who I’m quoting.
In terms of addressing vaccine hesitancy, it’s a big challenge. You heard Dr. Fauci talk about this yesterday, and it will be easier for the first tranche of Americans to get the – to convince them to get the vaccine. They’re just looking for information on where to go and how to sign up and how to get grandma to come with them.
It is really the next layer of people who are concerned, as you alluded to, about the safety and the efficacy. And, unfortunately, there is a large percent – a larger than-should-be percentage in minority communities, communities of color, and so we’ve been quite thoughtful – or we want t one quite thoughtful about how we do outreach and engagement. Obviously, it’s making it accessible, so ensuring we have these community centers and health centers that can provide the vaccine, bit also who’s communicating on behalf of the government or on behalf of the safety of the vaccine.
The President certainly will be doing that; the Vice President will be doing that. I know a lot of celebrities have offered. That’s okay. But what’s been interesting in the data – or great; we welcome that. But what’s interesting in the data is that local doctors and local officials – you know, people from the community – are people who are most often trusted and so we’re really trying to empower and be able to fund local communities to be able to be the spokespeople to build that trust.
Go ahead, in the back.
Q: Thank you, Jen. On the – you mentioned that the COVID-package – the talks may evolve, it may change the package, and there are already some things that you feel like there’s bipartisan support for. Is there any consideration that’s taken place or that may take place in separating some of these pieces out and passing the things, first and foremost, that may generate bipartisan support, given the urgency that you’ve talked – talked about?
MS. PSAKI: Well, you know, I will say, as Brian said, that our objective here – the way that the package was designed was to address the core issues of the crisis. So I think the tricky piece of that question is: Do you delay vaccine funding to distribute the vaccine? Do you delay funding for unemployment insurance? Do you delay finding to reopen schools? Nobody wants to be having a conversation about why schools aren’t reopened in May or June – Democrats, Republicans, no members of Congress. So, there are key components in here that we – that he – that – in the package that was designed to address the current crises.
So, right now, we’re having a discussion about the big package. But, as you noted, there are viewpoints – points of view – no surprise – about many components of it. We certainly understand that, and we welcome the discussion and engagement with members of both parties.
Q: And is there any timeline on the fact-finding period for the domestic violence extremism orders that you — the letters that you’ve sent? Is there a period when that – you’re expecting to get maybe some action (inaudible)?
MS. PSAKI: When we’re getting the report back? I don’t believe we have outlined that yet. Let me – we can follow up with you if there’s a specific timeline that we’re putting out publicly at this point.
Go ahead.
Q: Chairman Yellen, in committee yesterday, said that President Biden wouldn’t be signing any free trade deals because the focus was on the domestic economy and infrastructure. Where does that leave the potential for a UK-U.S. trade deal? Which – is it months away or next year or year after?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I can’t give you any timeline. I will say that what is important to the President and also our national security adviser Jake Sullivan is that we do – everything we do must help advance working families and the American middle class. And that certainly includes any trade agreements, and that is part of their objective and how they would approach it.
But, as you noted, at this point in time, we’re working to get the pandemic under control, provide economic relief to the American public. We, of course, can do multiple things at the same time, but those are our primary priorities at this point.
Q: Can I ask for a follow-up? Can I ask what happened to the Churchill bust and what should be read about its removal from the Oval Office?
MS. PSAKI: Oh, such an important question. It’s the plane of today. I will follow up on that. I don’t have – it is – it is something that may certainly be exiting in the complex. Of course, I’m familiar with the bust. But we will circle back with you if there’s more to update you on that.
Go ahead.
Q: Thanks. Two follow-ups to what they were just asking you. On domestic unrest: First of all, does the President have any comment on the ongoing violence in Oregon and Washington State that we’ve seen in recent days?
MS. PSAKI: Well, certainly, we have had our team on the ground – our national security team – even before 12:01, early in the morning, on Inauguration Day because we wanted to be able to monitor events happening across the country and any unrest that was resulting from – from the last couple of weeks.
I haven’t spoken with him specifically about those events, but it is something our national security team – Liz Sherwood-Randall, our Homeland Security Advisor – is closing monitoring, of course. And – but, if we have an additional update, I’m happy to provide it to you.
Q: Thank you. Two more. He’s speaking with the leaders of Canada and Mexico.
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hm.
Q: Any word on who else is next? And has there been any discussion about when and under what conditions he, the Vice President, the Secretary of State, would fly oversees to meet with world leaders?
MS. PSAKI: So, despite his desire – my desire, if that matters – to do a foreign trip, I think it will be a bit of time. I don’t have an update for you on when that will take place at this point.
But I would expect he’ll have, of course, additional foreign leader calls next week. As has been the case with our allies and partners, including many of the Europeans. But I don’t have a specific day-by-day calendar for you at this point.
Q: And this is his first weekend in the White House. Does he still plan to go to mass every weekend? And has he picked a parish here in the Washington area or a place where he has plans to go?
MS. PSAKI: Well, his faith is certainly quite important to him, as you know from covering him, and I wold expect that he attends church – continues to attend church very regularly. He has not selected a church yet. But if and when that happens, we’ll certainly keep you updated.
Let’s see, I haven’t taken the – go ahead, all the way in the back.
Q: So, Japan is planning to host a Tokyo Summer Olympic game in six months, but they have not made a final decision if they go (inaudible) or be cancelled because of the pandemic. So does the White House expect to be (inaudible), or is President Biden confident to be a safe Olympic game in Tokyo? And does he feel safe to (inaudible) Tokyo in this summer?
MS. PSAKI: Well, as a big Olympics fan, I’m certainly looking forward to it, but I have not talked to the President or our national security team about plans for the summer or the games. So we’ll have to take that question too, and circle back with you.
But did you have another one? Maybe I can get another one.
Q: Yeah. How about the — President Biden’s Indo-Pacific policy? I’m talking about Japan and North Korea. I understand (inaudible) does talk with his Japanese counterpart. But what is U.S. Policy on Japan?
MS. PSAKI: Well, U.S. policy and Japan, as it relates to North Korea?
Q: Both.
MS. PSAKI: Both. Okay. Well, our – the President’s view is, of course, that it is without question that North Korea’s nuclear ballistic missile and other proliferation-related activities constitute a serious threat to the international peace and security of the world, and undermine the global nonproliferation regime. And we obviously have – still have a vital interest in deterring North Korea – as does Japan, of course.
We will adopt a new strategy to keep the American people and our allies safe. That approach will begin with a thorough policy review of the state of play in North Korea, in close consultation with South Korea, Japan, and other allies on ongoing pressure options and the potential for any future diplomacy.
So I will say we will – as we have historically, the United States will work closely with partners in the region to determine a path forward and work together on deterrence.
Q: How about the the TPP? Is President Biden considering to rejoin the TPP – Trans-Pacific Partnership?
MS. PSAKI: Well, again, I think, you know, President Biden knows TPP wasn’t perfect and believes we need to make it stronger and better. But, at this point, you know, our focus and his focus as it relates to the economy, is on doing everything we can to advance working families and the American middle class. And so that will be his focus in the coming months.
Go ahead, Justin.
Q: Just a quick one on – on Inauguration Day, China sanctioned a number of outgoing Trump administration officials. I know the NSC has put a statement kind of denouncing that, saying that it was a political act. But there’s been a call from some Republicans on Capitol Hill to either retaliate with sanctions against Chinese officials or to expel the ambassador here in Washington. I’m wondering if you’re contemplating either of those actions?
MS. PSAKI: For those who didn’t have the statement, well, I’ll just – because it was a – there’s been a lot going on this week, I think we can all agree. The Biden-Harris administration has noted China’s sanctioning of more than two dozen former Trump administration officials, imposing these sanctions on Inauguration Day as they did – a seemingly – an attempt to play partisan divides. Americans of both parities should criticize this unproductive and cynical move. And President Biden looks forward to working with leaders in both parties to position America to outcompete China.
I don’t have any additional update, though on the considerations.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you, ma’am. This morning, the White House put out a statement on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. As a candidate herself, the Vice President proposed an abortion rights law akin to the Voting Rights Act. Is that something she still supports? Is that something that the President is exploring?
MS. PSAKI: I don’t have any update from the Vice President’s policy. Obviously, her policies are of the Biden-Harris administration, and the statement today speaks to those policies.
Q: Thanks, Jen. Can we have a week ahead?
MS. PSAKI: Oh, we have ventured to get you a week ahead. And I promise that we will do it in the future, but we don’t have any really detailed specifics to share with you at this point in time, other than the President will not be leaving the DMV, I can assure you, next week, and he will continue to sign additional executive actions and engage with members of Congress. We will have a more detailed schedule, but we’re still ironing out all the specifics.
Thank you everyone. Let’s do this again on Monday.
January 22: The Secretary of Health and Human Services sent a letter to Governors. From the letter:
Dear Governor:
Thank you for your continued partnership as we further coordinate the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) response. This unprecedented time has shown the resilience and adaptability of states, and the importance of our shared planning and preparation.
We are writing to you today to share more details regarding the public health emergency (PHE) for COVID-19, as declared by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. ary of Health and Human Services (HHS) under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. §247d). The current public health emergency was renewed effective January 21, 2021, and will be in effect for 90 days. To assure you of our commitment to the ongoing response, we have determined that the PHE will likely remain in place for the entirety of 2021, and when a decision is made to terminate the declaration or let it expire, HHS will provide states with 60 days’ notice prior to termination.
Predictability and stability are important given the foundation and flexibilities offered to sates that are tied to the designation of the PHE. Among other things, the PHE determination provides for the ability to streamline and increase the accessibility of healthcare, such as the practice of telemedicine. It allows under section 1135 of the Social Security Act, in conjunction with a Presidential Declaration under the National Emergencies Act or Stafford Act, the Secretary to waive or modify certain Medicare, Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) Privacy Rule requirements. The goal is to ensure to the maximum extend feasible that, in an emergency area during an emergency period, sufficient health care items and services are available to meet the needs of individuals receiving Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP and that providers that furnish such items and services can be reimbursed for them and exempt from sanctions, absent fraud or abuse.
Additionally, the available temporary 6.2 percentage point increase in the Medicaid Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) included Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Pub. L. 116-127) expires at the end of the quarter in which the PHE ends. With the extension and additional advance notice, we seek to provide you with increased budgetary stability and predictability during this challenging time.
In light of the PHE extension, you can expect the continued use of other emergency authorities, including Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act declarations and emergency use authorizations (EUA) for diagnostics, treatments, and vaccines. The Department will consider the use of any available flexibility to aid states in their response to this PHE.
We stand ready to support you as we continue to improve the nations’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please do not hesitate to reach out to the HHS Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs with questions for further assistance.
Sincerely,
Norris W. Cochran IV – S
Norris Cochran
January 22: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) titled: “Evaluation of Abbott BinaxNOW Rapid Antigen Test for SARS-CoV-2 Infection at Two Community-Based Testing Sites – Pima County, Arizona, November 3-17, 2020” From the Report:
Summary
What is already known about this topic?
The BinaxNOW rapid antigen test received Emergency Use Authorization by the Food and Drug Administration for testing specimens from symptomatic persons; performance among asymptomatic persons is not well characterized.
What is added by this report?
Sensitivity of the BinaxNOW antigen test, compared with polymerase chain reaction testing, was lower when used to test specimens from asymptomatic (35.8%) than from symptomatic (64.2%) persons, but specificity was high. Sensitivity was higher for culture-positive specimens (92.6% and 78.6% for those from symptomatic and asymptomatic persons, respectively); however, some antigen test-negative specimens had culturable virus.
What are the implications for public health practice?
The high specificity and rapid BinaxNOW antigen test turnaround time facilitate earlier isolation of infectious persons. Antigen tests can be an important tool in an overall community testing strategy to reduce transmission.
Rapid antigen tests, such as Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card (BinaxNOW), offer results more rapidly (approximately 15-30 minutes) and at a lower cost than do highly sensitive nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs). Rapid antigen tests have received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for use in symptomatic persons, but data are lacking on test performance in asymptomatic persons to inform expanded screening to rapidly identify and isolate infected persons.
To evaluate the performance of BinaxNOW rapid antigen test, it was used along with real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing to analyze 3,419 paired specimens collected from persons aged ≥10 years at two community testing sites in Pima County, Arizona, during November 3-17, 2020. Viral culture was performed on 274 of 303 residual real-time RT-PCR specimens with positive results by either test (29 were not available for culture).
Compared with real-time RT-PCR testing, the BinaxNOW antigen test had a sensitivity of 64.2% for specimens from symptomatic persons and 35.8% for specimens from asymptomatic persons, with near 100% specificity in specimens in both groups. Virus was cultured from 96 of the 274 (35.0%) specimens, including 85 (57.8%) of 147 with concordant antigen and real-time RT-PCR positive results, 11 (8.9%) of 124 with false-negative antigen test results, and none of three with false-positive antigen test results. Among specimens positive for viral culture, sensitivity was 92.6% for symptomatic and 78.6% for asymptomatic individuals.
When the present probability for receiving positive test results for SARS-CoV-2 is elevated (e.g., in symptomatic persons or in persons with a known COVID-19 exposure), a negative antigen test result should be confirmed by NAAT. Despite a lower sensitivity to detect infection, rapid antigen tests can be an important tool for screening because of their quick turnaround time, lower costs and resource needs, high specificity, and high positive predictive value (PPV) in settings of high pretest probability. The faster turnaround time of the antigen test can help limit transmission by more rapidly identifying infectious persons for isolation, particularly when used as a component of serial testing strategies.
Paired upper respiratory swabs were collected at the same timepoints from persons aged ≥10 years receiving testing for SARS-CoV-, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), at two Pima County Health Department community testing sites during November 3-17 (site A) and November 8-16 (site B). The sites offered SARS-CoV-2 testing to anyone in the community who wanted testing. A questionnaire capturing demographic information and current and past-14 day symptoms was administered to all participants.
At both sites, a health care professional first collected a bilateral anterior nasal swab, using swab provided in the BinaxNOW kit, immediately followed by a bilateral nasopharyngeal (NP) swab for real-time RT-PCR testing. Anterior nasal swabs were immediately tested on-site using the BinaxNOW antigen test according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
NP swabs were stored in phosphate buffered saline at 39° F (4°C) and analyzed within 24-48 hours by real-time RT-PCR using either the CDC 2019-nCoV Real-Time RT-PCR Diagnostic Panel of SARS-CoV-2 (2,582 swabs) or the Foson COVID-19 RT-PCR Detection Kit (837 swabs).
Viral culture was attempted on 274 of the 303 residual real-time RT-PCR specimens if either the real-time RT-PCR of BinaxNOW antigen test result was positive (the remaining 29 were not available for viral culture). Results from real-time RT-PCR and the BinaxNOW antigen test were compared to evaluate sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value (NPV), and PPV. Statistical analyses were performed using SAS (version 9.4; SAS Institute). Cycle threshold (Ct) values from real-time RT-PCR were compared using a Mann-Whitney U Test; 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using the exact binomial method. The investigation protocol was reviewed by CDC and determined to be non research and was conducted consistent with applicable federal law and CDC policy.
Paired upper respiratory swabs were collected from 3,419 persons, including 1,458 (42.6%) from site A and 1,961 (57.4%) from site B. Participants ranged in age from 10 to 95 years (median = 41 years) with 236 (6.9%) aged 10-17 years, 1,885 (55.1%) aged 18-49 years, 743 (21.7%) aged 50 years, and 555 (16.2%) aged ≥65 years. Approximately one third (31.4%) of participants identified as Hispanic or Latino, and three quarters (75.1%) identified as White.
At the time of testing, 827 (24.2%) participants reported at least one COVID-19-compatible sign or symptom, and 2,592 (75.8%) were asymptomatic. Among symptomatic participants, 113 (13.7%) received a positive BinaxNOW antigen test result, and 176 (21.3%) received a positive real-time RT-PCR test result. Among asymptomatic participants, 48 (1.9%) received a positive BinaxNOW antigen test result, and 123 (4.7%) received a positive real-time RT-PCR test result.
Testing among symptomatic participants indicated the following for the BinaxNOW antigen test (with real-time RT-PCR as the standard): sensitivity, 64.2%; specificity, 100%; PPV, 100%; and NPV 91.2%; among symptomatic persons, sensitivity was 35.8%; specificity, 99.8%; PPV, 91.7%; and NPV, 96.9%. For participants who were within 7 days of symptom onset, the BinaxNOW antigen test sensitivity was 71.1% (95% CI = 63.0% – 78.4%), specificity was 100% (95% CI = 99.3% – 100%), PPV was 100% (95% CI = 96.4-100%), and NPV was 92.7% (95% CI = 90.2% – 94.7%). Using real-time RT-PCR as the standard, four false-positive BinaxNOW antigen test results occurred, all among specimens from asymptomatic participants. Among 299 real-time RT-PCR positive results, 142 (47.5%) were false-negative BinaxNOW antigen test results (63 in specimens from symptomatic persons and 79 in specimens from asymptomatic persons).
Virus was recovered from 96 (35.0%) of 274 analyzed specimens that were positive by either test, including 85 (57.8%) of 147 with concordant positive results and 11 (8.9%) of 124 with false-negative BinaxNOW antigen test results. Virus was not recovered from any of the three available specimens with false-positive BinaxNOW antigen test results.
Among the 224 specimens undergoing viral culture that were analyzed with the CDC 2019-nCoV Real-Time RT-PCR Diagnostic Panel for detection of SARS-CoV-2, median Ct values were significantly higher for specimens with false-negative BinaxNOW antigen test results, indicating lower viral RNA levels than in those with concordant positive results (33.9 versus 22.0 in specimens from symptomatic persons and 33.9 versus 22.5 in specimens from asymptomatic persons ).
Median Ct values for SARS-CoV-2 culture-positive specimens (22.1) were significantly lower than were those for culture-negative specimens (32.8) (p<0.001), indicating higher levels of viral RNA in culture-positive specimens. Among specimens with positive viral culture, the sensitivity of the BinaxNOW antigen test compared with real-time RT-PCR in specimens from symptomatic participants was 92.6% (95% CI = 83.7% – 97.6%) and in those from asymptomatic participants was 78.6% (95% CI = 59.1% – 91.7%).
Discussion
In this evaluation, using real-time RT-PCR as the standard, the sensitivity of the BinaxNOW antigen test was lower among specimens from asymptomatic persons (35.8%) than among specimens from symptomatic persons (64.2%). Specificity (99.8% – 100%) was high in specimens from both asymptomatic and symptomatic groups. The prevalence of having SARS-CoV-2 real-time RT-PCR positive test results in this population was moderate (8.7% overall; 4.7% for asymptomatic participants); administering the test in a lower prevalence setting will likely result in a lower PPV.
Among 11 participants with antigen-negative, real-time RT-PCR positive specimens with positive viral culture, five were symptomatic and six were asymptomatic. Some antigen-negative, real-time RT-PCR-positive viral culture, five were symptomatic and six asymptomatic. Some antigen-negative, real-time RT-PCR-positive specimens possibly could represent noninfectious viral particles, but some might also represent infectious virus not detected by the antigen test.
In a clinical context, real-time RT-PCR provides the most sensitive assay to detect infection. Viral culture, although more biologically relevant than real-time RT-PCR, is still an artificial system and is subject to limitations. Numerous biological (e.g., individual antibody status and specific sequence of the virus) and environmental (e.g., storage conditions and number of freeze-thaw cycles) variables can affect the sensitivity and outcome of viral culture.
Despite the limitations of interpreting culture-negative specimens, a positive viral culture is strong evidence for the presence of infectious virus. The performance of the BinaxNOW antigen test compared with real-time RT-PCR was better for those specimens with positive viral culture than for all specimens, with a sensitivity of 92.6% for specimens from symptomatic persons and 78.6% for those from asymptomatic persons.
The results of the current evaluation differ from those of an evaluation of the BinaxNOW antigen test in a community screening setting in San Francisco, which found a BinaxNOW antigen test overall sensitivity of 89.0% among specimens from all 3,302 participants, regardless of the Ct value of the real-time RT-PCR positive specimens.
The findings in this investigation are subject to at least five limitations. First, anterior nasal swabs were used for BinaxNOW antigen testing, but NP swabs were used for real-time RT-PCR testing, which might have contributed to increased detection for the real-time RT-PCR assay. Second, participants might have inadvertently reported common nonspecific symptoms as COVID-19-compatible symptoms. Third, this investigation evaluated the BinaxNOW antigen test, and results presented here cannot be generalized to other FDA-authorized SARS-CoV-2 antigen tests. Fourth, the BinaxNOW antigen test characteristics might be different depending on whether an individual had previously tested positive. Finally, many factors might limit the ability to culture virus from a specimen, and the inability to detect culturable virus should not be interpreted to mean that a person is not infectious.
Public health departments are implementing various strategies to reduce or prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission, including expanded screening testing for asymptomatic persons. Because estimates suggest that over 50% of transmission occurs from persons who are presymptomatic or asymptomatic expanded screening testing, potentially in serial fashion for reducing transmission in specific venues (e.g. institutes of higher education, schools, and congregate housing settings), is essential to interrupting transmission.
Rapid antigen tests can be an important tool for screening because of their quick turnaround time, lower requirement for resources, high specificity, and high PPV in settings of high pretest probability (e.g., providing testing to symptomatic persons, to persons with a known COVID-19 exposure, or where community transmission is high). Importantly, the faster time from testing to results reporting can speed isolation of infectious persons and will be particularly important in communities with high levels of transmission.
Although the sensitivity of the BinaxNOW antigen test to detect infection was lower compared with real-time RT-PCR, it was relatively high among specimens with positive viral culture, which might reflect better performance for detecting infection in a person with positive viral culture, which might reflect better performance for detecting infection in a person with infectious virus present. Community testing strategies focused on preventing transmission using antigen testing should consider serial testing (e.g., in kindergarten through grade 12 schools, institutions of higher education, or congregate housing settings), which might improve test sensitivity in detecting infection.
When the present probability for receiving positive SARS-CoV-2 test results is elevated (e.g. for symptomatic persons or for persons with a known COVID-19 exposure) a negative antigen test result should be confirmed by NAAT. Asymptomatic persons who receive a positive BinaxNOW antigen test result in a setting with a high risk for adverse consequences resulting from false-positive results (e.g. in long-term care facilities) should also receive confirmatory testing by NAAT.
Despite their reduced sensitivity to detect infection compared with real-time RT-PCR, antigen tests might be particularly useful when real-time RT-PCR tests are not readily available or have prolonged turnaround times. Persons who know their positive test result within 15-30 minutes can isolate sooner, and contact tracing can be intimated sooner and be more effective than if a result is returned days later. Serial antigen testing can improve detection, but consideration should be given to the logistical and personnel resources needed. All persons receiving negative test results (NAAT or antigen) should be counseled that wearing a mask, avoiding close contact with persons outside their household, and washing hands frequently remain critical to preventing the spread of COVID-19.
January 22: The White House posted an Executive Order titled: “Executive Order on Economic Relief Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic.” From the Executive Order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Background. The pandemic caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has led to an economic crisis markedly the closure of small businesses, job loss, food and housing insecurity, and increased challenges for working families balancing jobs and caregiving responsibilities. The current economic crisis has affected Americans throughout the Nation, but it is particularly dire in communities of color. The problems are exacerbated because State and local governments are being forced to consider steep cuts to critical programs to address revenue shortfalls the pandemic has caused. In addition, many individuals, families, and small businesses have had difficulties navigating relief programs with varying eligibility requirements, and some are not receiving the intended assistance. The economic crisis resulting from the pandemic must be met by the full resources of the Federal Government.
Sec. 2. Providing Relief to Individuals, Families, and Small Businesses; and to State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Governments. (a) All executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall promptly identify actions they can take within existing authorities to address the current economic crisis resulting from the pandemic. Agencies should specifically consider actions that facilitate better use of data and other means to improve access to, reduce unnecessary barrier to, and improve coordination among programs funded in whole or in part by the Federal Government.
(b) Agencies should take the actions identified in subsection (a) of this section, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, and in doing so should prioritize actions that provide the greatest relief to individuals, families, and small businesses; and to State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments.
(c) Independent agencies, as enumerated in 44 U.S.C. 3502(5), are strongly encouraged to comply with this section.
Sec. 3. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 22: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) titled: “COVID-19 Case Investigation and Contact Tracing Efforts From Health Departments – United States, June 25-July 24, 2020” From the Report:
Summary
What is already known about this topic?
Resources have been allocated to supplement the U.S. case investigation and contract tracing workforce as a public health tool to interrupt the spread of COVID-19.
What is added by this report?
Analysis of case investigation and contract tracing metric data reported by 56 U.S. health departments found wide variation in capacity and ability to conduct timely and effective contact tracing. Investigator caseload was inversely related to timely interviewing of patients and number of contacts identified per case.
What are the implications of for public health practice?
Enhanced staffing capacity and ability and improved community engagement could lead to more timely contact tracing interviews and identification of more contacts.
Case investigation and contact tracing are core public health tools used to interrupt transmission of pathogens, including SARS-CoV 2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); timeliness is critical to effectiveness. In May 2020, CDC funded 64 state, local, and territorial health departments to support COVID-19 response activities. As part of the monitoring process, case investigation and contact tracing metrics for June 25-July 24, 2020, were submitted by the CDC by 62 health departments.
Descriptive analyses of case investigation and contact tracing load, timeliness, and yield (i.e., the number of contacts elicited divided by the number of patients prioritized for the interview) were performed. A median of 57% of patients were interviewed within 24 hours of report of the case to a health department (interquartile range = 27%-82%); a median of 1.15 contacts were identified per patient prioritized for interview (IQR = 0.62 -1.76), and a median of 55% of contacts were notified within 24 hours of identification by a patient (IQR = 32%-79%).
With higher caseloads, the percentage of patients interviewed within 24 hours of case report was lower (Spearman coefficient = – 0.68), and the number of contacts identified per patients interviewed within 24 hours of case report was lower (Spearman coefficient = -0.68), and the number of contacts identified per patient prioritized for interview also decreased among health departments, largely driven by investigators’ caseloads. Incomplete identification of contacts affects the ability to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Enhanced staffing capacity and ability and improved community engagement could lead to more timely interviews and identification of more contacts.
During July 31-August 14, 2020, baseline data on four metrics for June 25-July 24, 2020, (the evolution period) were submitted by 62 of 64 (97%) health departments funded through the Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases Cooperative Agreement (ELC) to the Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) platform. These metrics, developed by the CDC COVID-19 Contact Tracing Innovations Support Team, were vetted by public health partners, including a number of ELC-funded health departments, and include the following:
1) Average caseload per investigator (the total number of probable and confirmed COVID-19 patents assigned for interview during the evaluation period divided by the total number of contact tracers,) and staffing model (separate, mostly separate, or the same health department staffing for case investigation and contact tracing);
2) case investigation timeliness (the percentage of persons with probable and confirmed COVID-19 prioritized for interview successfully reached within 24 hours by a health department staff member or representative);
3) contact tracing timeliness (the percentage of contacts notified by potential exposure to COVID-19 within 24 hours of elicitation of contact information by a patient;)
and 4) contact tracing yield, calculated as the number of contacts elicited divided by the number of patients prioritized for interview.
Because guidance for prioritization of patient interviews was not provided, health departments developed their own criteria, examples of which included interviewing patients when they became known to the health department or prioritizing patient interviews based on whether the patients were symptomatic, had underlying medical conditions, lived in congregate settings, or worked in health care occupations. Descriptive analyses of the four metrics were performed using SAS (version 9.4; SAS Institute). This activity was reviewed by CDC and was conducted with applicable federal law and policy.
Among the 62 funded health departments (6.5%) All U.S.-affiliated Pacific islands) reported no cases, and two (3.2%) submitted partial data and were excluded. Data from the remaining 56 (90%) health departments were analyzed. Because completeness of reporting by health departments varied by metric, denominators varied. Health departments with incomplete data for a metric were excluded for that specific metric.
Among reporting health departments, the median caseload per investigator during the evaluation period was 31, ranging from one to 195, among 54 (96%) health departments with complete data for this metric. Among patients prioritized for interview by these 54 health departments, a median of 57% were interviewed within 24 hours of report to the health department. Among 53 health departments that provided information on the average number of contacts assigned for follow-up per contact tracer, the median was 29, ranging from 0.5 to 200; a median of 55% of contacts were notified within 24 hours of elicitation by a patient. Among 48 health departments that reported information on contact notification 27 (56%) reported that at least one half of contacts were notified within 24 hours of elicitation. However, 12 health departments reported that fewer than one third (<32%) of contacts were reached within 24 hours.
Caseload and timeliness of case investigation were inversely correlated among 48 health departments with complete data for these metrics. (Spearman coronation coefficient = -0.68). Health departments with smaller average caseloads per investigator completed a larger proportion of patient interviews within 24 hours of report. Among four health departments that interviewed >90% of patients within 24 hours, investigators’ average caseloads were fewer than 30 patients each, whereas among four health departments with average caseloads >130 patients per investigator, <30% of interviews were completed within 24 hours.
When restricted to patients prioritized for interview (9,013), among 53 health departments that submitted complete data, 42 (79%) reported fewer than two contacts elicited per patient (median= 1.15). The number of contacts elicited per patient prioritized for interview was smaller in health department with larger caseloads (Spearman correlation coefficient = -0.60). These trends persisted in jurisdictions that allocated different staff members, mostly different staff members, or the same staff members to be case investigators and contact tracers (Spearman correlation coefficients = -0.89. -0.60., and 0.32, respectively).
Discussion
Health departments’ capacity and ability to conduct timely and effective case investigation and contract tracing varied widely across the United States. The ideal workforce size to adequately conduct case investigation and contact tracing per jurisdiction likely depends on several factors; however, the inverse relationship between staff member workload and completeness and timeliness of case investigation and contact tracing suggests that increases in staffing capacity might help reduce delays in interviewing patients and identify more contacts. Most state health departments are hiring more staff members to perform contact tracing.
Health departments might choose to prioritize case investigation and contact tracing based on whether persons are likely to be at higher risk for severe disease, live or work in congregate settings, or are part of a known cluster. Surges in cases might exceed the workforce capacity of jurisdictions to maintain high coverage of case investigation and contact tracing. Continued efforts to ensure notification of patients of their infection and contacts of their exposure are needed. CDC recommends use of prioritization measures to reach populations at risk as well as use of innovative technologies to support this public health imperative.
Approximately one half of health departments were able to achieve a median interval of ≤24 hours from first notification of the patient to interviews; likewise, approximately one half also were able to to achieve a median interval ≤24 from patient interview to contact notification, although these two groups did not always comprise the same health departments.
These findings are comparable with those in recent reports that described median intervals of 1 day from patient report to interview 1 and 3 days from case investigation to contact notification in two U.S. counties. The evaluation period in this report, June 25-July 24, 2020, corresponded to a time of increased COVID-19 incidence; the capacity of health departments in jurisdictions with large numbers of cases to conduct timely patient follow-up and contact notification could be overwhelmed.
The median number of contacts elicited per patient prioritized for interview was 1.15. The number of contacts elicited per patient would have been higher if limited to the number of patients who completed an interview rather than those who were prioritized for an interview; however, the number of patients who completed an interview was not collected at this time, and the calculation was not possible.
A recent assessment of two North Carolina counties reported an average of 3.0 and 4.6 contacts named per interviewed patient during a similar time frame. A contact tracing team in central Pennsylvania identified 953 contacts elicited among 536 confirmed patients (1.8 contacts per patient) during March 24-May 28; the lower number of contacts per patient might be related to the widespread stay-at-home orders that were in effect during that time.
One contributor to low numbers of contacts elicited might be reluctance to engage in contact tracing efforts or to name persons other than household contacts. The number of contacts elicited might vary by caseload, owing to worker fatigue or inexperience; with higher caseloads, contact tracers might are less likely to persist with questioning to identify additional contacts.
The findings in this report are subject to at least four limitations. First, these data are self-reported by health departments and were likely generated from new data systems designed to monitor case investigation and contact tracing. New systems could be prone to errors and might not reflect complete performance within the jurisdiction.
Second, data validity might be affected by health departments’ varying interpretations of metrics. These data include that obtained during health departments’ first reporting period on these metrics, which will continue to be refined.
Third, these data precluded calculation of the average number of contacts elicited per patient who completed an interview, and therefore do not align with other studies’ methods of calculating contacts elicited; the actual number is likely higher, warranting cautious interpretation.
Finally, an important component of contact tracing is laboratory test timeliness, which is not included in these data. During the COVID-19 pandemic, delays from the time of a laboratory specimen collection to report to the health department can have substantial impact on total time to reach a contact; the absence of these data in an assessment of contact tracing timeliness is an especially important limitation of this report.
Delays in interviewing COVID-19 patients decrease the likelihood of quickly identifying and quarantining contacts. Low ascertainment of contacts affects the nation’s potential to interrupt the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through rapid notification, quarantining, and testing. Caseloads within jurisdictions influence how quickly health departments can reach patients, which might influence the completeness of data used to reach contacts. Increasing staffing capacity might improve the timeliness of case interviews. Strengthening awareness regarding state and local health department contact tracing efforts might improve perception or willingness to provide more complete lists of contacts.
January 22: The White House posted Remarks titled: “Remarks by President Biden on the American Rescue Plan and Signing of Executive Orders” From the Remarks:
THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, folks. Vice President Harris and I just received a briefing from our economic team, and we remain in a once-in-a-century public health crisis that’s led to the most unequal job and economic crisis in modern history. And the crisis is only deepening. It’s not getting better; it’s deepening.
Yesterday, we learned that 900,000 more Americans filed for unemployment – 900,000. They join the millions of Americans who, through no fault of their own, have lost the dignity and respect that comes with a job and a paycheck. So many of them never thought they’d ever be out of work in the first place. And just like my dad did when he was – he used to lie awake at night when I was a kid, staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep because he worried about whether or not he’s about to lose his healthcare, or whether we were going to be – or have the money to pay the mortgage because of the economic circumstance he was in.
And now, a lot of these folks are facing eviction, or waiting hours in their cars – literally hours in their cars, waiting to be able to feed their children as they drive up to a food bank. It’s the United States of American and they’re waiting to feed their kids.
Folks who are able to still keep their job, many have seen their paychecks reduced, and they’ve – and they’re barely hanging on, and wondering what’s next. Sometimes the anxiety about what’s going to happen next is more consequential than what actually happened.
But this is happening today, in America, and this cannot be who we are as a country. These are not the values of our nation. We cannot, will not let people go hungry. We cannot let people be evicted because of nothing they did themselves. They cannot watch people lose their jobs. And we have to act. We have to act now.
It’s not just to meet the moral obligation to treat our fellow Americans with the dignity and respect they deserve; this is an economic imperative. A growing economic consensus that we must act decisively and boldly to grow the economy for all Americans, not just for tomorrow, but in the future.
There’s a growing chorus of top economic – top economists that agree that in this moment of crisis, with this – with the interest rates as low as they are – historic lows – it is smart fiscal investment, including deficit spending. And they’re more urgent than ever.
You know, and that return on these investments and jobs and racial equity is going to prevent long-term economic damage and benefits that are going to far surpass the cost. If we don’t act, the rest of the world is not standing still, in terms of the competitive advantage and the competitive possibilities, relevant to us.
That our debt situation will be more stable and not less stable, according to these economists. And that such investment in our people is going to strengthen our economic competitiveness as a nation and help us outcompete our competitors in the global economy, because we’re going to grow the economy with these investments.
While the COVID-19 package that passed in December was a first step, as I said at the time, it’s just a down payment. We need more action, and we need to move fast.
Last week, I laid our a two-step plan of rescue and recovery to get through the crisis and to a better and stronger and more secure America. The first step of our American Rescue Plan is a plan to tackle the pandemic and get direct financial relief to Americans who need it the most.
You know, in just a few days – it’s just been a few days since I outlined this plan – it’s received bipartisan support from a majority of American mayors and governors. Business and labor organizations have together welcomed as an urgent action that’s needed. Even Wall Street firms have underscored its importance.
In fact, in a – an analysis by Moody’s estimates that if we passed our America Rescue Plan, the economy would create 7.5 million jobs just in this year alone. That would be on the way to the more than 18 million – I think it was 18,600,000 jobs that they believe would be created over the four-year period, with our Build Back Better Recovery Plan.
And with our America Rescue Plan, our economy would return to full employment a full year faster than without the plan.
Even President Trump’s – President Trump’s now – not some liberal organization – Presidents Trump’s top former economic adviser, Kevin Hassett, said, quote, he “absolutely is in favor” of this rescue plan. This almost doesn’t have a partisan piece to it.
We’re seeing the support because this plan takes a step that we so urgently need. More than just a step, a number of steps.
It funds big parts of the COVID-19 National Strategy that I released yesterday – we released yesterday. Our national strategy puts on – us on a war footing to aggressively speed up our COVID-19 response, especially on vaccines and testing and reopening our schools.
I found it fascinating – yesterday the press asked the question: Is, you know, 100 million enough? A week before, they were saying, “Biden, are you crazy? You can’t do 100 million in a hundred days.” Well, we’re going to, God willing, not only do 100 million, we’re going to do more than that. But this is – we have to do this. We have to move.
The American Rescue Plan also includes economic relief for most Americans who are in need. We’re going to finish the job of getting a total of $2,000 in direct payments to folks. Six hundred dollars, which was already passed, is simply not enough if you still have to choose between paying your rent and putting food on the table.
We’ll extend unemployment insurance benefits for millions of workers, beyond the deadline that is now set. It means that 16 million Americans who are currently relying on unemployment benefits while they look for work can count on these checks continuing to be there in the middle of this crisis.
The American Rescue Plan also addresses the growing housing crisis in America. Approximately 14 million Americans – 14 million – have fallen behind on rent, and many risk eviction. If we fail to act, there’ll be a wave of evictions and foreclosures in the coming months as this pandemic rages on, because there’s nothing we can do to change the trajectory of the pandemic in the next several months.
So, look, this would overwhelm emergency shelters and increase COVID-19 infections as people have nowhere to go and are socially – can’t socially distance.
The American Rescue Plan asks Congress to provide rental assistance for millions of hard-hit families and tenants. This will also be a bridge to economic recovery for countless mom-and-pop landlords who can’t afford not to have the rent.
But they can’t wait. So, on Inauguration Day, I directed my administration to extend nationwide restrictions on evictions and foreclosures. These crisis are straining the budgets of states and cities and in tribal communities that are forced consider layoffs and service reductions among essential workers.
Police officers, firefighters, first responders, nurses are all at risk of losing their jobs. Over the last year, more than 600,000 educators have lost their jobs in the cities and towns.
The American Rescue Plan will provide emergency funding to keep these essential workers on the job and maintain essential services.
Look, it will also help small businesses that are the engines of our economic growth. When you say “small business,” most people think the major corporate entities are the ones that hire everybody. These small businesses are the glue that hold – and they’re important – but these small businesses hold the community – are the glue that hold these communities together. They are hurting badly, and they account for nearly half of the entire U.S. workforce. Nearly half.
Our rescue plan will provide flexible grants to help the hardest-hit small businesses survive the pandemic and low-cost capital to help entrepreneurs of all backgrounds create and maintain jobs, plus provide essential goods and services that communities so desperately depend on.
Look, our recover plan also calls for an increase in the minimum wage at 15 – at least $15.00 an hours. No one in America should work 40 hours a week making below the poverty line. Fifteen dollars gets people above the poverty line. We have so many millions of people working 40 hours a week – working – and some with two jobs, and they’re still below the poverty line.
Our plan includes access to affordable childcare that’s going to enable parents, particularly women, to get back to work – millions who are not working now because they don’t have that care.
All told, the American Rescue Plan would lift 12 million Americans out of poverty and cut child poverty in half. That’s 5 million children lifted out of poverty.
Our plan would reduce poverty in the black community by one third and reduce poverty in the Hispanic community by almost 40 percent.
I look forward to working with members of Congress of both parties to move quickly to get this American Rescue Plan to the American people. And then we can move with equal urgency and bipartisanship to the second step of our economic plan, the Build Back Better – the recovery plan.
It’s a plan that will make historic investments in infrastructure, manufacturing, innovation, research and development, and clean energy, and so much more that’s going to create millions more jobs – good-paying jobs, not minimum wage jobs.
But while we work with members of both parties in the Congress, there are steps that we can and must take right now, For example, on Inauguration Day, I directed my administration to pause student loan repayments for interest for – the interest payments for Americans with federal student loans until at least September, so they’re not going to have to pay until September. They still pay the bill, as it stands now, but they will not accrue interest, and they don’t have to pay – begin to pay until September. And we may have to look beyond that, I might add.
Today, I’m signing an executive order that directs the whole-of-government – a whole-of-government effort to help millions of Americans who are badly hurting. It requires all federal agencies to do what they can do to provide relief to families, small businesses, and communities. And in the days ahead, I expect agencies to act.
Let me touch on two ways these actions can help change Americans lives. We need to tackle the growing hunger crisis in America. One in seven households in American – one in seven – more than one in five black and Latino households in America report they do not have enough food to eat. That includes 30 million adults and as many as 12 million children. And again, they’re in a spec- – in this situation through no fault of their own. It’s unconscionable.
The American Rescue Plan provides additional emergency food and nutrition assistance for tens of millions of children and families to address this crisis. But families literally can’t wait another day. As a result of the executive order I’m going to shortly sign, the Department of Agriculture will consider taking immediate steps to make it easier for the hardest-hit families to enroll and claim more generous benefits in the critical food and nutrition assistance area.
This is going to help tens of millions of families, especially those who can’t provide meals for their kids, who are learning remotely at home, are not receiving the regular meal plans that they’d have at school for breakfast or lunch. It’s going to also – and we also need to protect the health and safety of the American worker.
Right now, approximately 40 percent of households in American have at least one member with a preexisting condition. Just imagine: You’re out of work though no fault of your own. You like for unemployment while you’re looking for a job. You find one, and you get an offer. But then you find out there’s a high risk of you getting infected with COVID-19 because of your condition. You and your loved one – and you and your loved ones have ever even greater risk of death and serious illness because of the preexisting conditions, so you turn it down.
Right now, if you did that, you could be denied unemployment insurance because you’re offered a job and you didn’t take it. It’s wrong. No one should have to choose between their livelihoods and their own health or the health of their loved ones in the middle of a deadly pandemic.
Because of the executive order I’m about to sign, I expect the Department of Labor to guarantee the right to refuse unemployment – the employment that will jeopardize your health, and if you do so, you’ll still be able to qualify for the insurance. That’s a judgement the Labor Department will make.
Look, there are just two consequential ways that the action I’m taking today will help people in need. Another – another way to help approximately 2 million veterans maintain their financial footing: by pausing federal collections on overpayments and debts.
Another makes sure that federal contractors are receiving taxpayer dollars, provide their workers with the pay and benefits they deserve. These are places where federal tax dollars are administered – are being made available build things from ships to staircases. And we let out – the federal government lets the contract – and we’re going to make sure that they buy American and are made in America.
And here’s another: Right now, there are up to 8 million people that are eligible for direct payments from the CARES Act and the relief bill passed in December. They are entitled to those payments, but there’s not an easy way for those folks to assess – access them. So we’re making it a priority today to fix that problem and get them the relief they’re entitled to.
Look, I’m going to close and summarize this way: A lot of America is hurting. The virus is surging. We’re 400,000 dead, expected to reach over 600,000. Families are going hungry. People are at risk of being evicted. Job losses are mounting again. We need to act. No matter how you look at it, we need to act.
If – if we act now, our economy will be stronger in both the short and long run. That’s what economists – left, right, and center – are telling us, both liberal and conservative. We’ll be better and stronger across the board. If we act now, we’ll be better able to compete with the world. If we act now, we’ll be better able to meet our moral obligations to one another as Americans.
I don’t believe the people of this country just want to stand by and watch their friend and their neighbors, coworkers, fellow Americans go hungry, lose their homes, or lose their sense of dignity and hope and respect. I don’t believe that – especially in the middle of a pandemic that’s so weakened and wrecked so much havoc and caused so much pain on America. That’s not who we are.
The bottom line is this: We’re in a national emergency, and we need to act like we’re in a national emergency. So we’ve got to move with everything we’ve got, and we’ve got to do it together. I don’t believe Democrats or Republicans are going hungry and losing jobs; I believe Americans are going hungry and losing their jobs.
And we have the tools to fix it. We have the tools to get through this. We have the tools to get this virus under control and our economy back on track. And we have the tools to help people. So let’s use the tools, all of them. Use them now.
So I’m going to sign this executive order, but let me conclude again by saying: Folks, this is one of the cases where business, labor, Wall Street, Main Street, liberal, conservative, economists know we have to act now, but to allow us to be in the competitive position worldwide and be the leader of the world economy in the next year, and two, and three, and going forward.
So, thank you. I’m going to sign this executive order.
The first one is the economic relief related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
(The executive order is signed.)
The second one is protection – protecting the federal workforce.
(The executive order is signed.)
Thank you very much.
Q: Mr. President, do you support Mitch McConnell’s timeline for a February impeachment trial?
THE PRESIDENT: I haven’t heard the detail of it, but I do think that having some time to get our administration up and running we – they – I want to thank the Senate for passing our Secretary of Defense. It looks like our Secretary of Treasury; it looks like our Secretary of State is in place. So, the more time we have get up and running and meet these crises, the better.
January 22: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) titled: “COVID-19 Trends Among Persons Aged 0-24 Years – United States, March 1 – December 12, 2020” From the Report:
Summary
What is already known about this topic?
Studies have consistently shown that children, adolescents, and young adults are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infections. Children and adolescents have had lower incidence and fewer severe COVID-19 outcomes than adults.
What is added by this report?
COVID-19 cases in children, adolescents, and young adults have increased since summer 2020, with weekly incidence higher in each successively increasing age group. Trends among children and adolescents aged 0-17 years paralleled those among adults.
What are the implications for public health practice?
To enable safer in-person learning, schools and communities should fully implement and strictly adhere to multiple mitigation strategies, especially universal and proper mask wearing, to reduce both school and community COVID-19 incidence to help protect students, teachers, and staff members from COVID-19.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case and electronic laboratory data reported to CDC were analyzed to describe demographic characteristics, underlying health conditions, and clinical outcomes, as well as trends in laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 incidence and testing volume among U.S. children, adolescents, and young adults (persons aged 0-24 years).
This analysis provides a critical update and expansion of previously published data, to include trends after fall school reopening, and adds preschool-aged children (0-4years) college-aged young adults (18-24 years). Among children, adolescents, and young adults, weekly incidence (cases per 100,000 persons) increased with age and was highest during the final week of the review period (the week of December 6) among all age groups.
Time trends in weekly reported incidence for children and adolescents aged 0-17 years tracked consistently with trends observed among adults since June, with both incidence and positive test results tending to increase since September after summer declines. Reported incidence and positive test results among children aged 0-10 years were consistently lower than those in older age groups.
To reduce community transmission, which will support schools operating more safely for in-person learning, communities and schools should fully implement and strictly adhere to recommended mitigation strategies, especially universal and proper masking, to reduce COVID-19 incidence.
Children, adolescents, and young adults were stratified into five age groups: 0-4, 5-10, 11-13, 14-17, and 18-24 years to align with educational groupings (i.e., pre-elementary, middle, and high schools, and institutions of higher education), and trends in these groups were compared with those in adults aged ≥25 years.
Confirmed COVID-19 cases, defined as positive real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, were identified from individual-level case reports submitted by state and territorial health departments during March 1-December 12, 2020. COVID-19 case data for all confirmed cases were analyzed to examine demographic characteristics, underlying health conditions, and outcomes. Trends in COVID-19 incidence were analyzed using a daily 7-dat moving average, aggregated by week, and expressed as cases per 100,000 persons.
Trends in laboratory testing volume and percentage of positive test results were assessed using COVID-19 electronic laboratory reporting data. SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR test results for May 31-December 12, 2020 were obtained by electronic laboratory reporting data submitted to CDC by health departments from 44 states, the District of Columbia, two territories, and one freely associated state; when information was unavailable in state-submitted data, records submitted directly by public health, commercial, and reference laboratories were used. Data represent test results, not numbers of persons receiving tests; test result date was used for analyses.
The weekly percentage of positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR test results was calculated as the number of positive test results divided by the sum of positive and negative test results. Because some data elements are incomplete for more than 47% of the cases, percentages were calculated only from among those with available information. This project was deemed nonresearch public health practice by the CDC and conducted consistent with applicable federal law and CDC policy. Analyses were conducted using R software (version 4.0.2; The R Foundation).
During March 1-December 12, 2020, a total of 2,871,828 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in children, adolescents, and young adults aged 0-24 years were reported in the United States. Among these cases, the majority (57.4%) occurred among young adults aged 18-24 years; children and adolescents aged 14-17 years accounted for 16.3% of cases, those 11-13 years for 7.9%, those 5-10 years for 10.9%, and those 0-4 years for 7.4%. Overall, 51.8% of cases occurred in females. Among the 1,504,165 (52.4%) children, adolescents and young adults with COVID-19 with complete information on race/ethnicity, 50.2% were non-Hispanic White, 27.4% were Hispanic/Latino (Hispanic), and 11.7% were non-Hispanic Black. The proportion of cases among Hispanic persons decrease with increasing age from 34.4% among those aged 0-4 years to 24.6% among those aged 18-24 years.
Among persons aged 0-24 years, weekly incidence was higher in each successively increasing age group; weekly incidence among adults aged 25-64 years and ≥65 years exceeded that among children and adolescents aged 0-13 years throughout the review period. Weekly incidence was highest during the final week of the review period (the week of December 6) in all age groups: 99.9 per 100,000 (0-4 years), 131.4 (5-10 years), 180.6 (11-13 years), 255.6 (14-17 years), and 379.3 (18-24 years). Trends in weekly incidence for all age groups aged 0-17 years paralleled those observed among adults since June. The trend in incidence among young adults aged 18-24 years had a distinct and more prominent peak during the week of September 6.
Weekly SARS-CoV-2 laboratory testing among children, adolescents, and young adults increased 423.3% from 435,434 tests during the week beginning December 5. At their peak during the week of November 15, tests conducted among adults aged 18-24 years represented 15.3%. As observed in trends in incidence, weekly percentage of positive test results among children and adolescents paralleled those of adults, declining between July and September, and then increasing through December.
Percentage of positive test results among young adults aged 18-24 years peaked earlier in June and increased slightly in late August; this was not observed among other age groups. In contrast to incidence, percentage of positive test results among children and adolescents aged 11-17 years exceeded that among younger children for all weeks and that of all age groups since the week beginning September 6; test volumes over time were lowest among children and adolescents aged 11-13 years, suggesting incidence among these age groups might be underestimated.
Among cases reviewed, data were available for 41.9%, 8.9% and 49.1% of cases for hospitalizations, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, and deaths, respectively. Among children, adolescents and young adults with available data for these outcomes, 30,229 (2.5%) were hospitalized, 1,973 (0.8%) required ICU admission, and 654 (<0.1%) died, compared with 16.6%, 8.6% and 5.0% among adults aged ≥25 years, respectively.
Among children, adolescents and young adults, the largest percentage of hospitalizations (4.6%) and ICU admissions (1.8%) occurred among children aged 0-4 years. Among 379,247 (13.2%) children, adolescents, and young adults with COVID-19 and available data on underlying conditions, at least one underlying condition, or underlying health condition that was reported for 114,934 (30.3%), compared with 836,774 (60.4%) among adults aged ≥25 years.
Discussion
Reported weekly incidence of COVID-19 and percentage of positive test results among children, adolescents, and young adults increased during the review period, with spikes in early summer, followed by a decline and then steeply increased in October through December.
In general, trends in incidence and percentage of positive test results among preschool-aged children (0-4 years) and school-aged children and adolescents (5-17 years) paralleled those among adults throughout the summer and fall, including the months that some schools were reopening or open for in-person education.
In addition, incidence among children, adolescents, and young adults increased with age; among children aged 0-10 years, incidence and percentage of positive test results were consistently lower than they were among older age groups. Case data do not indicate that increases in incidence or percentage of positive test results among adults were preceded by increases among preschool- and school-aged children and adolescents.
In contrast, incidence among young adults (aged 18-24 years) was higher than that in other age groups throughout the summer and fall, with peaks in mid-July and early September that preceded increases among other age groups, suggesting that young adults might contribute more to community transmission than do younger children.
Findings from national case and laboratory surveillance data complement available evidence regarding risk for transmission in school settings. As of December 7, nearly two thirds (62.0%) of U.S. kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) school districts offered either full or partial (hybrid with virtual) in-person learning.
Despite this level of in-person learning, reports to CDC of outbreaks within K-12 schools have been limited, and as of the week beginning December 6, aggregate COVID-19 incidence among the general population in counties where K-12 schools offer in-person education (401.2 per 100,000) was similar to that in counties offering only virtual/online education (418.2 per 100,000).
Several school districts with routine surveillance of in-school cases report lower incidence among students than in the surrounding communities and a recent study found no increase in COVID-19 hospitalization rates associated with in-person education. In contrast to the evidence regarding K-12 school reopenings, previous studies provide evidence for increased community incidence in counties where institutions of higher education reopened for in-person instruction and presented case surveillance data showed unique trends.
Success in preventing introduction and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in schools depends upon both adherence to mitigation strategies in schools and controlling transmission in communities. In settings with low community incidence, where testing and effective mitigation strategies were in place, studies of in-school transmission have provided preliminary evidence of success in controlling secondary transmission in child care centers and schools.
Schools provide a structured environment that can support adherence to critical mitigation measures to help prevent and slow the spread of COVID-19. When community transmission is high, cases in schools should be expected, and as with any group setting, schools can contribute to COVID-19 transmission, especially when mitigation measures, such as universal and proper masking, are not implemented or followed.
The findings in this report are subject to at least four limitations. First, COVID-19 incidence is likely underestimated among children and adolescents because testing volume among these age groups was lower than that for adults, the rate of positive test results was generally higher among children and adolescents (particularly those aged 11-17 years) than that among adults, and testing frequently prioritized persons with symptoms; asymptomatic infection in children and adolescents occurs frequently.
Second, data on race/ethnicity, symptom status, underlying conditions, and outcomes are incomplete, and completeness varied by jurisdiction; therefore, results for these variable might be subject to reporting biases and should be interpreted with caution. Future reporting would be enhanced by prioritizing completeness of these indicators for all case surveillance efforts.
Third, the reporting of laboratory data differs by jurisdiction and might underrepresent the actual volume of laboratory tests performed; as well, reporting of laboratory and case data are not uniform.
Finally, the presented analysis explores case surveillance data for children, adolescents and young adults; trends in cases among teachers and school staff members are not available because cases are not routinely reported nationally by occupations other than health care workers.
Lower incidence among younger children and deviance from available studies suggest that the risk for COVID-19 introduction and transmission among children associated with reopening child care centers and elementary schools might be lower than that for reopening high schools and institutions of higher education.
However, for schools to operate safely to accommodate in-person learning, communities should fully implement and strictly adhere to multiple mitigation strategies, especially universal and proper masking, to reduce COVID-19 incidence within the community as well as within schools to protect students, teachers, and staff members.
CDC recommends that K-12 schools be the last settings to close after all other mitigation measures have been employed and the first to reopen when they can do so safely. CDC offers tools to help child care programs, schools, colleges and universities, parents and caregivers plan, prepare, and respond to COVID-19, thereby helping to protect students, teachers, and staff members and slowing community spread of COVID-19.
January 22: The White House posted a Readout titled: “Readout of Senior Administration Economic Officials’ Meeting with Small Business Leaders and Advocates” From the Readout:
Today, Acting Small Business Administrator Tami Perriello, Director of the National Economic Council Brian Reese, Deputy Director of the National Economic Council Bhrat Ramamurti, and other senior Biden-Harris Administration officials from the SBA and Department of Treasury held a virtual meeting with more than 100 representatives from small business advocates, minority and women small business leaders, lenders, and other economic organizations.
The senior administration officials underscored President Biden and Vice President Harris’s commitment to providing small businesses with the support they need throughout the economic downturn caused by the pandemic, especially ensuring minority- and women-owned businesses have fair and equitable access to small business relief programs. They discussed how the Biden-Harris Administration will focus on identifying Navigators to ensure small business in communities of color and underserved communities can better access the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and other emergency assistance programs.
Acting Administrator Perriello also asked community navigators to share success about how the community navigator approach has helped underserved businesses. The American Business Immigration Coalition and the Resurrection Project shared their perspective on implementing a community navigator model in Illinois, and the City of Columbus provided insights on its community navigator efforts.
The senior administration thanked participants for joining and said they look forward to continued dialogue about the best ways to support small businesses throughout the ongoing economic crisis.
January 22: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted “COVID-19 Science Update released: January 22, 2021 Edition 73” From the information:
Social, Behavioral, and Communication Science
Vaccine Acceptance
Wide uptake of COVID-19 vaccines will be critical to ending the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Here we present findings from 2 surveys on factors associated with intent to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
PEER-REVIEWED
A. Attitudes toward a potential SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Fisher et. al. Annals of Internal Medicine (December 15, 2020).
Key findings:
Of 991 participants, 57.6% intended and 10.8% did not intend to be vaccinated; 31.6% were not sure.
Intent to vaccinate was higher among men (64.0%) than women (51.6%) and among non-Hispanic Asian (77.5%) and non-Hispanic White (63.5%) persons than among non-Hispanic Black (39.3%) and Hispanic (44.5%) persons.
Factors independently associated with no intent to vaccinate included lower education, identifying as Black or Hispanic, not having received last year’s influence vaccine, and rural setting.
Reasons provide for not intending to vaccinate (n=83) were lack of trust (32.5%), not feeling comfortable with vaccines (21.7%) and concerns about side effects or safety (16.9%).
Methods: Cross-sectional survey of AmeriSpeak Panel members (representative sample covering ~97% of adults in the US household population), fielded from April 16-20. 2020. Limitations: Participants were surveyed before phase 3 vaccine effectiveness and safety trial data were available; low response rate (16.1%).
B. Predictors of intention to vaccinate against COVID-19: Results of a nationwide survey. Ruiz et. al. Vaccine (January 9, 2021).
Key Findings
Of 804 participants, 62.2% were likely and 14.8% unlikely to be vaccinated; 23.0% were unsure.
Intent to vaccinate was higher among men (17.9%) than women (53.8%), White (67.2%) than among Black (59.8%), or Asian (56.5%) persons, and among non-Hispanic (63.7%) than Hispanic (47.3%) persons.
Predictors of intent to vaccinate were vaccine knowledge, not believing vaccine conspiracies, perceiving COVID-19 as a threat, past year influenza vaccine, ≥5 pre-existing conditions, male sex, household income ≥$120,000, Democratic Party identity, and preferring COVID-19 information sources other than social media.
Methods: Nationwide online survey of US English-speaking adults from an internet survey panel of 2.5 million residents on June 15 and 16, 2020. Limitations: Participants were surveyed before phase 3 vaccine effectiveness and safety trial data were available. Might have missed Spanish speakers and people without internet access.
Implication for both studies (Fisher et. al. & Ruiz et. al.): Increased vaccine hesitancy was more frequent among non-Hispanic Black or Hispanic persons in both studies. Credible information about vaccine safety and effectiveness might improve update. Later surveys suggest that COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among vulnerable populations might have increased with news reports on effective vaccines. Reducing vaccine hesitancy will require a multifaceted approach, including trustworthy information, effective communication, and trusted messengers, potentially including community leaders, clinicians, and social media influencers.
January 25, 2021
January 25: The White House posted a Presidential Actions titled: “A Proclamation on the Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Non-Immigrants of Certain Additional Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting Coronavirus Disease” From the Presidential Action:
The Federal Government must act swiftly and aggressively to combat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The national emergency caused by the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States continues to pose a grave threat to our health and security.
As of January 20, 2021, the United States had experienced more than 24 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 400,000 COVID-19 deaths. It is the policy of my Administration to implement science-based public health measures across all areas of the Federal Government, to prevent further spread of the disease.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), within the Department of Health and Human Services, working in close coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, has determined that the Republic of South Africa is experiencing widespread, ongoing person-to-person transmissions of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, including a variant strain of the virus known as B.1.351.
The World Health Organization has reported that the Republic of South Africa has over 1,400,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Another variant, known as B.1.1.7, is widely circulating and circulating and has been traced to the United Kingdom. Furthermore, a third variant strain, is known as B.1.1.28.1 and may impact the potential for re-infection, has been identified in Brazil.
Based on developments with respect to the variants and the continued spread of the disease, CDC has reexamined its policies on international travel and, after reviewing the public health situations within Schengen Area, the United Kingdom (excluding overseas territories outside of Europe), the Republic of Ireland, the Federative Republic of Brazil, and the Republic of South Africa, has concluded that continued and further measures are required to protect the public health from travelers entering the United States from those jurisdictions.
In my Executive Order of January 21, 2021, entitled “Promoting COVID-19 Safety in Domestic and International Travel,” I directed the Secretary of Health and Human Services, including through the Director of the CDC, and in coordination with the Secretary of Transportation (including through the Administer of the Transportation Security Administration), to further examine certain current public health precautions for international travel and take additional appropriate regulatory action, to the extent feasible and consistent with CDC guidelines and applicable law.
While that review continues, and given the determination of CDC, working in close coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, described above, I have determined that it is in the interests of the United States to take action to restrict and suspend the entry into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, of noncitizens of the United States (“noncitizens”) who were physically present within the Schengen Area, the United Kingdom (excluding overseas territories outside of Europe), the Republic of Ireland, the Federative Republic of Brazil and the Republic of South Africa during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States.
NOW, THEREFORE, I JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States, by authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including sections 212(f) and 215(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. 1182(f) and 1185(a), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, hereby find that the unrestricted entry into the United States of persons described in section 1 of this proclamation would, except as provided for in section 2 of this proclamation, be detrimental to the interests of the United States, and that their entry should be subject to restrictions, limitations, and exceptions. I therefore hereby proclaim the following:
Section 1. Suspension and Limitation on Entry. (a) The entry into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, of noncitizens who were physically present within the Schengen Area, the United Kingdom (excluding oversees territories outside of Europe), the Republic of Ireland, and the Federative Republic of Brazil during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States, is hereby suspended and limited subject to section 2 of this proclamation.
(b) The entry into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants of noncitizens who were physically present within the Republic of South Africa during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States, is hereby suspended and limited subject to section 2 of this proclamation.
Sec. 2 Scope of Suspension and Limitation on Entry.
(a) Section 1 of this proclamation shall not apply to:
(i) any lawful permanent resident of the United States;
(ii) any noncitizen national of the United States;
(iii) any noncitizen who is the spouse of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident;
(iv) any noncitizen who is the parent or legal guardian of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, provided that the U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident is unmarried and under the age of 21;
(v) any noncitizen who is the sibling of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, provided that both are unmarried and under the age of 21;
(vi) any noncitizen who is the child, foster child, or ward of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident or who is a protective adoptee seeking to enter the United States pursuant to the IR-4 or IH-4 visa classifications
(vii) any noncitizen traveling at the invitation of the United States Government for a purpose related to containment or mitigation of the virus;
(viii) any noncitizen traveling as a nonimmigrant pursuant to a C-1, D, or C-1/D nonimmigrant visa as a crewmember or not or any noncitizen otherwise traveling to the United States as air or sea crew;
(ix) any noncitizen
(A) seeking entry into or transiting the United States pursuant to one of the following visas: A-1, A-2, C-2, C-3 (as a foreign government official or immediate family member of an official), E-1 (as an employee of TECRO or TECO or the employee’s immediate family members), G-1, G-2, G-3, G-4, NATO-1 through NATO-4, or NATO-6 (or seeking to enter as a nonimmigrant in one of those NATO categories); or
(B) whose travel falls within the scope of section 11 of the United Nations Headquarters Agreement;
(x) any noncitizen who is a member of the U.S. Armed Forces and any noncitizen who is a spouse or child of a member of the U.S. Armed Forces
(xi) any noncitizen whose entry would further important United States law enforcement objectives, as determined by the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, on their respective designees, based on a recommendation of the Attorney General or his designee; or
(xii) any noncitizen whose entry would be in the national interest, as determined by the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or their designees.
(b) Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to affect any individuals eligibility for asylum, withholding of removal, or protection under the regulation issued pursuant to the legislation implementing the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, consistent with the laws and regulations of the United States.
Sec. 3 Implementation and Enforcement. (a) The Secretary of State shall implement this proclamation as it applies to visas pursuant to such procedures as the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall implement this proclamation as is applied to the entry of noncitizens pursuant to such procedures as the Security of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, may establish.
(b) The Secretary of State, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall ensure that any noncitizen subject to this proclamation does not board an aircraft traveling to the United States, to the extent permitted by law.
(c) The Secretary of Homeland Security may establish standards and procedures to ensure the application of this proclamation at and between all United States ports of entry.
(d) The Secretary of State, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall ensure that any noncitizen subject to this proclamation does not board an aircraft traveling to the United States, to the extent permitted by law.
(c) The Secretary of Homeland Security may establish standards and procedures to ensure the application of this proclamation at and between all United States ports of entry.
(d) Where a noncitizen circumvents the application of this proclamation through fraud, willful misrepresentation of a material fact, or illegal entry, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall consider prioritizing such noncitizen for removal.
Sec 4. Termination. This proclamation shall remain in effect until terminated by the President. The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall, as circumstances warrant and no more than 30 days after the date of this proclamation and by the final day of each calendar month thereafter, recommend whether the President should continue, modify, or terminate this proclamation.
Sec. 5 Amendment. Section 5 of Proclamation 9984 of January 31 2020 (Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting 2019 Novel Coronavirus and Other Appropriate Measures To Address This Risk), and section 5 of Proclamation 9992 of February 29, 2020, (Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Certain Additional Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting 2019 Novel Coronavirus), are each amended to read as follows:
“Sec. 5 Termination. This proclamation shall remain in effect until terminated by the President. The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall, as circumstances warrant and no more than 30 days after the date of the Proclamation of January 25, 2021, entitled “Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Certain Additional Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting Coronavirus Disease 2019,” and by the final day of each month thereafter, recommend whether the President should continue, modify, or terminate this proclamation.”
Sec. 6 Effective Dates. (a) The suspension and limitation on entry set fourth in section 1 (a) of proclamation is effective at 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time on January 26, 2021. The suspension and limitation on entry set forth in section 1(a) of this proclamation does not apply to persons abroad a flight scheduled to arrive in the United States that departed prior to 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time on January 26, 2021.
(b) The suspension and limitation on entry set forth in section 1(b) of this proclamation is effective standard time on January 30, 2021. The suspension and limitation on entry set forth in section 1(b) of this proclamation does not apply to persons aboard a flight scheduled to arrive in the United States that departed prior to 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time on January 30, 2021.
Sec. 7. Severability. It is the policy of the United States to enforce this proclamation to the maximum extent possible to advance the national security, public safety, and foreign policy interests of the United States. Accordingly:
(a) if any provision of this proclamation, or the application of any provision to any person of circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this proclamation and the application of its provisions to any other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby;
(b) if any provision of this proclamation, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid because of the lack of procedural requirements, the relevant executive branch officials shall implement those procedural requirements to confirm with existing law and with any applicable court orders.
Sec. 8. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in the proclamation shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This proclamation shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) The proclamation is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforcement at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies or entities, its offers employees or agents, or any other person.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fifth day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-fifth.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 25: The White House posted a Press Briefing titled: “Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, January 25, 2021” From the Press Briefing:
MS. PSAKI: Good afternoon. Happy Monday to everyone. A couple of announcements at the top: First, as a part of this administration’s accessibility and inclusion efforts, starting today, we will have an ASL- an American Sign Language – interpreter for our daily press briefings. Today’s interpreter, Heather, is joining us virtually. The President is committed to building an America that is more committed to building an America that is more inclusive, including Americans with disabilities and their families.
Next, I wanted to share a few updates from the COVID response team. First, today, the President will sign a presidential proclamation to reduce the spread of COVID-19 through travel, especially as we see faster-spreading variants emerging across the world. This proclamation is part of the Biden administration’s whole-of-government, decisive, and science-driven response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Of particular note, on advice of our administration’s medical and COVID team, President Biden has decided to maintain restrictions previously in place for the European Schengen area, the United Kingdom, Republican – Republic of Ireland, and Brazil. With the pandemic worsening and more contagiant variant – contagious variants spreading, this isn’t the time to be lifting restrictions on international travel. And in light of the contagious variant B1532, South Africa has been added to the restricted list.
Additionally, beginning tomorrow, international travelers to the United States must provide proof of a negative test within three days of travel to airlines prior to departure. The President is taking these steps on the advice of his COVID-19 and medical team.
And we’re already working as a real partner to the states to address their needs to vaccinate the public. This weekend, West Virginia asked the Biden administration for assistance at an understaffed vaccine distribution center. At the President’s direction, FEMA was deployed help support the vaccination site.
This comes as part of the President’s order last week that directs FEMA to stand up vaccination centers and support states’ vaccination efforts. We look forward to continuing to be partner of the states moving forward.
Last, on the COVID -last update on COVID, I wanted to briefly preview the first of our public health briefings, which will begin this Wednesday and will be done regularly for the foreseeable future. These will be science-led briefings, featuring our public health officials and members of our COVID-19 response team. These briefings will typically happen three times a week to provide the American people with key updates on the virus and our government’s response.
They’re a reflection of our commitment to being transparent and hones with the public about the pandemic and the work of our whole-of-government team is doing every day, and you will be able to participate within those, of course, as well.
Finally – I think – finally, this morning President Biden issued an executive order setting the policy that all Americans who are qualified to serve in the armed forces of the United States should be able to serve. Today’s action revokes the Presidential Memorandum of March 2013, 2018, and also confirms the revocation of the Presidential Memorandum of August 25th of 2017.
Today’s action fulfills another campaign promise. With this EO, no one will be separated or discharged from the military or denied reenlistment on the basis of gender identity. And for those transgender service members who were discharged or separated because of their gender identity, their cases will be reexamined.
President Biden believes that gender identity should not be a bar to military service and that America’s strength is found in its diversity. America is stronger at home and around the world when it is inclusive.
Last thing – sorry, I said it was the last, but a lot – a lot going on here. This afternoon, the President will sign an executive order that takes an important step to support American manufacturing, With this “Buy American” executive order, the President is already making good on his commitment to building a future that is made in America by all of America’s workers.
Through the Buy American executive order, the President will put to work the early $600 billion in taxpayer dollars that goes toward federal contracting in support of American manufacturers and good-paying jobs for America’s workers. The EO directs agencies to close loopholes in how “Made in America” products are measured so we can close loopholes and ensure – increase the amount of a product that must be made in the U.S. for it to qualify under Buy American law.
He will also appoint a senior White House official to oversee this policy to ensure it’s actually enforced and that all agencies are seeking small- and medium-sized American businesses to make the products they need.
The EO will also tighten and make public the waiver process so that American workers and manufacturers can see how federal dollars are spent where they’re going.
So I will stop there. And, Jonathan, why don’t you kick us off?
Q: Thank you, Jen. We know you have to leave at two o’clock, so we’ll just get started right now. Two topics for you, please, one foreign and one domestic.
MS. PSAKI: Sure.
Q: Overseas first: Over the weekend, there were dozens of significant protests in Russian cities over the arrest of Alexei Navalny, which were put down harshly by police there. What sort of U.S. response is being considered? What sort of actions or sanctions could occur? And when does the President plan to speak to President Putin?
MS. PSAKI: First, I’d like to point all of you to a statement that was released this weekend by the State Department, strongly condemning the use of harsh tactics against protestors and journalists in cities throughout Russia. These continued efforts to suppress Russian’s rights to peacefully protest and assemble and ex- and their freedom of expression and the arrest of opposition figure Alexei Navalny and the crackdown on protests that followed are troubling indications of further restrictions on Russian civil society.
So, I’ll just reiterate our call from here on Russian authorities to release all those detained for exercising their universal rights and for the immediate and unconditional release of Alexei Nalvany. We also urge Russia to fully cooperate with the international community’s investigation into the poisoning of Alexei Nalvany and credibly explain the use of a chemical weapon on its soil.
And last week, we announced that the President issued a tasking to the intelligence community for its full assessment of a range of activities, including of course the SolarWinds cyber breach, Russian interference in the 2020 election, its use of chemical weapons against Alexei Nalvany, and the alleged bounties on U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan. That is ongoing. That review is a 100-day review, so we’ll have an update on that when it concludes.
Actually, let me – I apologize, I may have missatated that. It’s not – I don’t have a timeline for the timeline of the review; it’s something that’s ongoing. There’s – it’s a priority, of course.
Q: And has a call been scheduled with President Putin?
MS. PSAKI: I don’t have any calls to predict for you at this point. But obviously, the President is picking up the phone, engaging with a range of foreign leaders – Europeans and others. There’s more planned in the next couple of days, and we’ll have readouts as those occur.
Q: Okay. And one on here at home: The President has repeatedly stressed the urgency of the COVID relief package, the need to get something done now. With that in mind, you know, considering the reaction of Republican lawmakers to outreach that was done over the weekend, should there be a more narrow focused on the virus and vaccine that could be done sooner?
And while we know that these White House officials have talked to the Hill, can you please speak to the President’s personal involvement? Who has he spoken to?
MS. PSAKI: The President has been personally engaging and engaging with Democrats and Republicans. We’re not going to read out all those calls for you because they are private conversations, and we feel that’s the most effective way to get this package moving forward. As you know, there was a call that occurred yesterday that we did a brief readout on from that call – part of our ongoing engagement to talk with Democrats and Republicans.
And I’ll convey this is how, in the President’s view – and we talked about this, this morning – this process should work. He puts his policy forward, his vision forward, and then Democrats and Republicans can engage and give their input and feedback on what they think is going to work and how to move this package forward. So, in our view, this is working exactly as it should work.
And – but, in terms of the – is there concern – Democrats themselves – Senator Sanders has – an independent, of course – and Speaker Pelosi have suggested that reconciliation should be considered now, that time is wasting; there isn’t time for this sort of back – legislative back-and-forth.
MS.PSAKI: Well, the President himself has conveyed the urgency of moving this package forward, and that’s certainly something he has also conveyed privately to Democrats and Republicans.
And it’s not just him; there’s urgency to the American people for this package to move forward because we are going to hit a cliff – an unemployment cliff – unemployment insurance cliff, I should say – in March, where millions of people won’t be able to have access to unemployment insurance. We’re going to hit a point where we won’t have enough funding for vaccine distribution. Nobody wants to have the conversation – no member of Congress – in May and June when there – we don’t have the funding to put back – to reopen schools, I should say.
So, there’s an urgency he has conveyed. I will say, as it relates to reconciliation, just to take a step back. Everybody watching is not as in the weeds on the Senate process as all of you. So let me just take a moment to explain.
Reconciliation is a mean – a means of getting a bill passed. There are a number of means of getting bills passed. That does not mean, regardless of how the bill is passed, that Democrats and Republicans cannot both vote for it.
So, the President obviously wants to make this bipartisan. Hence, he’s engaging with members of both parties, and he remains committed to that moving forward.
Go ahead, Kaitlan.
Q: Just real quick. You were talking about the cliff in March. Does he think it will get passed by March?
MS. PSAKI: Well, there’s an urgency to moving it forward, and he certainly believes it needs to be – there needs to be progress in the next couple of weeks.
Q: So he thinks by March it could get passed?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I don’t want to give a deadline on it, Kaitlan, but I think we are all mindful and looking at that timeline in March as to when we will hit the unemployment cliff. And it’s – it’s vital to get things done quickly and rapidly, as quickly as possible.
Q: So you said, last week, he wants it to be bipartisan. Of course, we’ve already seen the Republicans pushing back on the price tag, the $15 minimum wage, and who is qualifying for these stimulus checks. So is he willing to come down on any of that?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I’m not going to negotiate from here, not that you’re expecting me necessarily to do that. But again, the President feels this is working as it should. He proposed his package. He’s getting feedback. We’re having conversations. We don’t expect the final bill to look exactly the same as the first bill he proposed.
I will remind you, though, that the – bipartisan package that passed in December had the same thresholds for the checks – $150,000, about approximately that amount for families; about $75,000 for individuals – in terms of who would have access to that – those checks.
And each component of this package is vital to get us through this period of time. So that’s how the President looks at the package: that each of them are essential – not just vaccine distribution money, but funding to ensure that people can make sure they are putting food on the table, that their kids are eating, that they can get – that they have the bridge needed to get to the other side of the pandemic.
Q: Okay. And then just quickly: Yesterday, the CDC Director said she could not say how much vaccine there was left to go out. I know it’s complicated what’s being shipped and distributed and actually injected, but is there at least a ballpark amount that officials are aware of, of how much vaccine there is?
MS. PSAKI: Well, our team is working right now. We’ve been her for five days to evaluate the supply so that we can release the maximum amount while also ensuring that everyone can get the second dose on the FDA-recommended schedule.
So the confusion around this issue – which we acknowledge there is some confusion – is – speaks to a larger problem, which is what we’re inheriting from the prior administration, which is much worse than we could have imagined.
So we are assessing now what we have access to and ensuring that we have more of a rapid engagement with states so that they have more of a heads-up on what to expect in the weeks ahead.
Q: But just to button this up: Gus Perna still works there, right? And he’s in charge of the logistics. So could he say how much vaccine there is, since they’re in charge of where it’s going?
MS. PSAKI: Well, again, there is a new CDC Director in charge (inaudible) spoke to this. And I think what we’re trying to do now is fully assess what we have access to, what the status of the vaccine supply looks like, and ensure that we’re communicating that accurately and effectively with the public.
Go ahead.
Q: Thanks, Jen. Acknowledging the confusion around the lack of clarity about the vaccine availability, give us a sense of just how stunning that revelation is. I mean, what was President Biden’s reaction to learning that?
MS PSAKI: Well, I will say, having sat in a lot of meetings with President Biden about COVID and his efforts to get the pandemic under control, he asked a lot of detailed questions about the status of supply, the status of distribution, the status of states when there’s reporting from all of you on states not having the information they need. Those are specific issues he raised.
We’re eyes wide open, all of us, including the President, with the knowledge that we were not walking into a circumstance where there was going to be a concrete assessment or plan presented to us when we walked in, and there wasn’t. That’s why he put forward his 200-page vaccine distribution plan last week, and that’s why he hired an experienced and talented team to get to the bottom of exactly what we’re looking at so that we can have that assessment moving forward.
Q: When does the administration expect to have a better sense of the available inventory?
MS. PSAKI: Well, as I noted at the top, we’re going to be doing regular briefings – three times a week. We’ll start those on Wednesday. I don’t know what assessment they’ll have by Wednesday, but what our objective is is to be providing clear and accurate information to the public.
Q: And what’s the White House’s message to Democrats, to President Biden’s supporters who take him at his word and say, as it relates to COVID relief, “We are in a national emergency and we should act like it,” and they want action now. They don’t want any sort of delay, and they don’t want to experience the opportunity costs that might come from a delay in waiting for Republicans to get onboard.
MS. PSAKI: You mean with the COVID package?
Q: With the package. Yeah.
MS. PSAKI: Well, he – he agrees. He doesn’t want there to be delay either. And I would note that 70 percent of the public agree with what you said, according to the Ipsos poll this weekend, that the components of this package – the funding for vaccine distribution, but also funding to ensure people can apply for unemployment insurance, put food on the table, money to reopen schools – the public supports that. And we anticipate that the public will be conveying to the leaders who are elected to represent them exactly that.
Go ahead.
Q: Can I just ask you to clarify the travel requirement, or the testing requirement?
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hm.
Q: That applies to all people boarding planes into the U.S., including U.S. citizens? Anyone getting on a plane needs to test negative?
MS. PSAKI: From overseas?
Q: From overseas into the U.S.
MS. PSAKI: Yes.
Q: Regardless of citizenship.
MS. PSAKI: Yes.
Q: Okay, great. I also want to ask a couple of things that the Trump administration did in the final stages that I’m wondering whether you folks are going to intervene. One is that they issued a license to an Israeli billionaire named Dan Gertler to allow him to access the U.S. financial system. That license is in place through the end of January 2022. Will the Biden administration intervene at all? Or does that stand?
Another one is that he begin the delisting – or issued an executive order that triggered the delisting of several Chinese companies, in particular three telecoms that sought a review of that. Do you plan on tweaking or rescinding that order – in other words, stopping the delisting process for these three Chinese telecoms?
MS. PSAKI: On the first question: Fortunately, we’re about to have a Treasury Secretary confirmed, and I’d send you to them to speak to any reviews they may overtake in those sanction – undertake, I should say – in that sanctions review.
And then, on the Chinese, I know there was some reporting, perhaps from your outlet, of course, this morning on that particular issue. As you – as we’ve noted in here previously, we – there are a number of reviews, complex reviews – interagency reviews, I should say, that we’re going to undertake as it relates to a range of regulatory actions and a range of relationships with companies as it relates to Chinese investment and other issues as well.
Those complex reviews are just starting. And as I – as I noted, they will need to go through the interagency, so the State Department, the Treasury Department, a number of others, who will review how we move forward. We’re starting from an approach of patience as it relates to our relationship with China. So that means we’re going to have consultations with our allies, we’re going to have consultations with Democrats and Republicans, and we’re going to allow the interagency process to work its way through to review and assess how we should move forward with our relationship.
Q: It is possible that those reviews could lead to a change in this delisting process down the road?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I don’t want to get ahead of any review, but certainly we’re taking an overarching look at all of our – all of it. And as we have more to report, we’ll report back to you.
Q: Finally, can I just ask broadly what the President believes President Trump’s legacy is with regards to China, in particular around the tariffs he imposed? Does President Biden like those tariffs? They remain in place on quite a large sum of Chinese goods.
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.
Q: Is that under review at all, or are those appropriate at this time?
MS. PSAKI: Well, as is the case with other areas of our relationship with China, he will take a multilateral approach to engaging with China, and that includes evaluating the tariffs currently in place. And he wants to ensure that we take any steps in coordination with our allies and partners, and with Democrats and Republicans in Congress, as well.
So nothing to report at this point in time, but we’re committed to – the President is committed to stopping China’s economic abuses on many fronts, and the most effective way to do that is through working in concert with our allies and partners to do exactly that.
Go ahead.
Q: I wanted to follow up a little bit on some of the China issues. I know that there was an executive order requiring the sale of TikTok’s U.S. business, and I wondered if there were plans to revoke it or enforce it, or what is the current thinking on that matter?
MS. PSAKI: It’s a great question. I haven’t had the opportunity to speak with our national security team about it. I’m happy to take it and see if we can get you more – something more specific.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you so much. Two questions for you. The first is, sort of, stepping back for a minute at what the administration’s goals are. Unity is something that President Biden spoke about quite a bit on the campaign trail. He talked about it during the transition. Could you talk a little bit more specifically about what unity will mean to this administration, whether there are any kind of benchmarks that you are – you’ve identified to show that unity has been achieved?
And I just – sort of, to contrast with the, you know, the coronavirus task force – of course, you’ve got very detailed, you know, benchmarks about what that – what you want to achieve, sort of, moment by moment. But with unity, are you talking about bipartisanship? Are you talking about something that’s widely popular in the United States? Can you, sort of, go through what Biden is thinking about when he says that he wants to achieve unity?
MS. PSAKI: Sure. Well, the President came in to lead the country, obviously at a time of great division where there was a great need for healing, in his view. And he spoke about that in his Inaugural Address just last week.
So, “unity,” to him, of course, approaching our work on legislative issues through a bipartisan lens, working with Democrats and Republicans, trying to find a path forward on how we can work together to address the problems the American people are facing. That’s part of it. But it also means projecting that he is going to govern for all people and address all the issues that the American people are facing.
So, for example, that means talking about how the COVID pandemic impacts not just Democrats, but Republicans; not just blue states, but red states; ensuring that he is reaching out to Democratic and Republican governors, Democratic and Republican mayors; and conveying, in every opportunity he has, that this is a problem that we’re all facing together.
So I think it’s a little bit different than how you can mark, of course, achieving 100 million shots in the arms of Americans in the first 100 days. But unity is about the country feeling that they’re in it together, and I think we’ll know that when we see it. But he’s going to be working on that and committed to that every opportunity he has to speak to the public.
Q: I have another question. The Trump administration – or the Obama administration initially had wanted to put Harriet Tubman on the 20-dollar bill. The Trump administration dragged their feet on that. I wanted to see if the Biden administration has a, sort of, view of the timeline on whether or not she should be on the paper currency.
MS. PSAKI: I was here when we – when we announced that, and it was very exciting. It hasn’t moved forward yet, which would have been surprised to learn at the time.
The Treasury Department is taking steps to resume efforts to put Harriet Tubman on the front of the new 20-dollar notes. It’s important that our notes – our money, if people don’t know what a note is – reflect the history and diversity of our country, and Harriet Tubman’s image gracing the new 20-dollar note would certainly reflect that. So we’re exploring ways to speed up that effort, but any specifics would of course come from the Department of Treasury.
Go ahead.
Q: Another one on China. China’s Xi Jinping spoke earlier today. I’m wondering if there’s any official White House reaction to his comments. He talked about unity, as well, and also talked about cooperation on coronavirus and other issues. Is that likely – is that the kind of statement today likely to change or affect the stance that the U.S. – that the Biden administration has toward China on trade and technology?
MS. PSAKI: No. I think our approach to China remains what it has been since – for the last months, if not longer. We’re in a serious competition with China. Strategy competition with China is a defining feature of the 21st century. China is engaged in conduct that hurts American workers, blunts our technological edge, and threatens our alliances and our influence in international organizations.
What we’ve seen over the last few years is that China is growing more authoritarian at home and more assertive abroad. And Beijing is now challenging our security, prosperity, and values in significant way that require a new U.S. approach.
And this is one of the reasons, as we were talking about a little bit earlier, that we want to approach this with some strategic patience, and we want to conduct reviews internally, through our intreragency – even thoughI stumbled over that; I needed a little more coffee before I came out here, I guess. We wanted to engage more with Republicans and Democrats in Congress to discuss the path forward. And most importantly, we want to discuss this with our allies.
So, no, the comments don’t change anything. We believe that this moment requires a strategic and a new approach forward.
Go ahead. Hopefully, if I answer your question – I’m sorry, we’ll go to you next.
Q: I was going to pile on a little more on China while we’re on this topic. But I wondered – Huawei has been on the entity list for, like, two years now. Just before the Trump administration left office, they initiated a new policy to basically revoke and issue intents to deny licenses for even more innocuous items that U.S. companies were selling to Huawei. Does the Biden administration plan to keep Huawei on the entity list and continue to enforce this much more stringent blanket ban on U.S. goods sales to China – to Huawei?
MS. PSAKI: Well, technology, as I just noted, is, of course, at the center of the U.S.-China competition. China has been willing to do whatever it takes to gain a technological advantage – stealing intellectual property, engaging in industrial espionage, and forcing technology transfer.
Our view – the President’s view is we need to play a better defense, which must include holding China accountable for its unfair and illegal practices and making sure that American technologies aren’t facilitating China’s military buildup.
So he’s firmly committed to making sure that Chinese companies cannot misappropriate and misuse American data. And we need a comprehensive strategy, as I’ve said, and a more systematic approach that actually addresses the full range of these issues.
So there is, again, an ongoing review of a range of these issues. We want to look at them carefully, and we’ll be committed to approaching them through the lens of ensuring we’re protecting U.S. data and America’s technological edge. I don’t have more for you on it. As we do, we’re happy to share that with all of you.
Go ahead.
Q: President Biden – now-President Biden condemned protests and violence on the far left and the far right before he was President. Why haven’t we heard anything directly from him about the riots in Portland and the Pacific Northwest since he was inaugurated?
MS. PSAKI: Well, he’s taking questions later this afternoon, so perhaps he will. I will say from here that President Biden condemns violence and any violence in the strongest possible terms. Peaceful protests are a cornerstone of our democracy, but smashing windows is not protesting, and neither is looting. And actions like these are totally unacceptable, and anyone who committed a crime should be prosecuted to the fullest extent. Our team is, of course, monitoring it very closely.
Q: And as he pushes for federal help to businesses affected by COVID, should we expect to see any kind of federal assistance for these businesses up there that are affected by COVID and riots?
MS. PSAKI: Well, again, I think you know his – because we’ve had this conversation in here already a few times since I joined the team – that his focus is on getting the American people through this period of time and pushing forward on a relief package that will get them the assistance they need as it relates to the pandemic and the impact of the pandemic.
So I don’t have anything more for you on that.
Q: And just one more about the announcement you made off the top about the travel restrictions. When President Trump was imposing travel restrictions in March, specifically on China, then-candidate Biden called it “xenophobic” and “fearmongering.” So now-President Biden is putting travel restrictions on people coming in from other countries. What would do we use to describe that?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I don’t think that’s quite a fair articulation. The President has been clear that he felt the Muslim ban was xenophobic. He overturned the Muslim ban. He also, though, has supported – and himself, even before he was inaugurated – steps, travel restrictions in order to keep the American people safe to ensure that we are getting the pandemic under control. That’s been part of his policy.
But he was critical of the former president for having a policy that was not more comprehensive than travel restrictions. And he conveyed at the time, and more recently, the importance of having a multifaceted approach – mask wearing, vaccine distribution funding in order to get 100 million shots in the Arms of Americans in the first hundred days, not just travel restrictions.
Go ahead, in the back.
Q: Yes. Two questions: one domestic and one foreign, please. The first is that Bill Pascrell, a congressman from New Jersey, just about an hour ago suggested firing the entire Postal Board of Governors, and he sent a letter to the President to that effect. Is there any plans to make changes, given what happned at the Post Office over the last couple of years, to try and remove the Postmaster General?
MS. PSAKI: It’s an interesting question. We all love the mailman and mailwoman. I don’t have anything for you on it. I’m happy to check with our team on it and see if we have any specifics. I’m not aware of anything, but we’ll circle back with you.
Q: And on a foreign policy question: It’s my understanding that the previous administration did not release the War Powers Act resolution before they left office. Is there any plans for – I know there’s a new Secretary of Defense as of –
MS. PSAKI: As of a few – well, I guess, Friday but –
Q: Technically Friday –
MS. PSAKI: Technically Friday.
Q: – but ceremonially today.
MS. PSAKI: Yes, exactly.
Q: Is there any plan to either release the Trump administration letter on the troop levels in various countries overseas, or to update that more quickly than might be required by the statute?
MS. PSAKI: It’s an excellent question. I would send you to the Department of Defense and my old friend, John Kirby, who I’m sure would be happy to answer your question.
Go ahead in the back – with the excellent mask on. I can’t even tell what’s on it.
Q: (Laughs.) Flamingos.
MS. PSAKI: Flamingos? All right, we’re getting creative with masks. I like it.
Q: After one year.
So just back to Russia: Given the many unsolved deaths over the years of President Putin’s opponents – or near-deaths, in the case of Navalny – would President Biden be holding President Putin personally accountable for the continued health of Navalny while he’s in prison?
And just one other thing, which is different but related: What’s the position of this administration on Paul Whelan? Because his family and, some of his supporters said, basically, the previous administration just, you know, forgot about it. What’s going on with Paul Whelan, and what’s your position? Thank you.
MS. PSAKI: Well, let me take the second question and talk to our national security team and get you something more comprehensive. And certainly we don’t plan to follow the same pattern of the last administration.
But on the first question, I would say this is the reason why the President tasked his national security team, his intelligence team, with assessing a range of issues as it relates to our relationship with Russia, including the SolarWinds breach, including the poisoning of Alexei Navalny, which we have been quite outspoken about – from our National Security Advisor to the State Department, and we’ll continue to be.
We want to see the review conclude, but as always been the case, the President reserves the right to respond in the time and manner of his choosing, and I’m not going to take options off the table from here.
Go ahead.
Q: Hi, I’m the print pooler today, so if possible, can I ask a question also on behalf of one of my colleagues who couldn’t be here –
MS. PSAKI: Sure. Go ahead.
Q: – due to social distancing? Okay.
So I’ll start with my question. New York Mayor Bill DeBlasio announced today that the city is delaying the opening of large COVID-19 vaccination sites at Yankee Stadium, at Citi Field. Governor Cuomo has said the state has the capacity to vaccinate up to 100,000 folks a day, if there was supply.
As the administration is, you know, analyzing and reconfiguring its distribution plan, how heavily is infrastructure being weighed? In other words, does New York get first dibs because it has the capacity to do this right away?
And then the second question would be on – kind of, on the same COVID note. There are seniors who don’t have access to websites, don’t have folks vouching for them. Is there anything the administration is doing to ensure that seniors who don’t have, you know, anybody to assist them with scheduling appointments, that they don’t fall through the cracks?
And then I have a second question from another reporter.
MS. PSAKI: Sure. So, on the first question, this is a really important one. Infrastructure is pivotal. It’s not just about the science. Scientists, medical experts, they’ve – what they’ve done over the last year in moving this vaccine forward has been a Herculean effort, but now it is about ensuring that there are more vaccinators and there are more places to actually distribute the vaccine.
And clearly, cases – scenarios where there are large facilities, wether they’re football fields or others, to do that can be quite efficient. There are other places around the country where we are seeing developments along those fronts, and we’re certainly encouraging that.
But this is a multifaceted challenge. It’s not just about having supply, which is pivotal, of course. It’s also about having more people who can physically put the shots into the arms of Americans, and its about ensuring we have places that can be done.
I don’t have anything for you on prioritization. That’s something, of course, that our team is working through, and we want to ensure that we are working closely with governors across the country to effectively do that.
Tell me your second question again. And I know you have one after this, but –
Q: Well, the second part of that question was just: Will there be any federal assistance to support states in reaching out to seniors who may not have access to, you know, Internet or even a phone to schedule these appointments? That’s been a complaint that’s emerged a lot.
MS. PSAKI: Yeah, it’s a really important question because what we’ve discovered is that the farther you get into vaccinating Americans, the harder it becomes. There – for a couple of reasons. One is vaccine hesitancy, which Dr. Fauci talked about as an issue that was of great concern to him and some other health and medical experts, and its more predominant in communities of color.
But, as you noted, there is also an issue with communicating with a range of people in public – some in rural communities, for different reasons, but also seniors and others who don’t – who aren’t picking up their phone and looking at information on Instagram every day and not receiving information in the same way that young adults would be.
So part of our effort is to use an across-the-board public communications campaign, an effort to meet people where they are. And certainly thinking about how to reach seniors – doing it in a way where it is being done locally by trusted authorities and trusted figures locally, we found to be a key – a key, effective approach to that. But we will continue to be working on that, and it’s definitely one of the challenges that we’re facing.
Q: Okay, great.
This question is from Ross Palombo from ABC in South Florida. He asks: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has blasted part of the President’s COVID plan, specifically saying, quote, “FEMA camps are not necessary in Florida.” Has or will the President be reaching out to DeSantis? What is his reaction to comments like these?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the President is a pretty even-keeled guy. So I would say that he doesn’t have much of a reaction, other than he wants to ensure that the vaccines distributed to people across the country, including, of course, the millions of people living in Florida.
And I will note – because we’re data first here, fact first here – they’ve only distributed about 50 percent of the vaccines that they have been given in Florida. So clearly, they have a good deal of the vaccine. That supply will need to continue to increase as they are able to effectively reach people across the state.
But part of the challenge, as we were just talking about, is not having the supply – that’s pivotal – but also having vaccinators and having vaccine distribution places, and doing it in a way that’s reaching people where they are and meeting local communities. And the President is going to be focused on that in a bipartisan manner, regardless of what any elected official may have to say.
Go ahead, all the way in the back. All the way in the back.
Q: Hi.
MS. PSAKI: And then I’ll come to you. Sorry, go ahead.
Q: Thanks, Jen. In an executive order that the President signed last week, he also suspended a Trump administrative – administration executive order that was particularly aimed at keeping foreign countries, specifically China, from interfering in the U.S. power grid. But he suspended that for 90 days in that executive order last week. Given what you said about China today, why did he do that, especially to something so critical to our national security as the power grid?
MS. PSAKI: I’ll have to – I think the President’s view on our relationship with China I tried to do my best to convey to all of you. I’ll have to check on that specific piece, and we’ll – we’ll circle back with you directly.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you. The administration said that the “Remain in Mexico” policy from the prior administration would not be enforced anymore, but there are thousands of people who are stuck now as a result of that policy, and the administration has not said what you will do with them and how to process these migrants. What is the answer to that?
MS. PSAKI: In terms of migrants at the border? Well, in —
Q: Yeah, who are stuck as a result of the Remain in Mexico. You know, there are many thousands of people.
MS. PSAKI: Well I think there’s a couple of steps that we — we’re working to convey, and convey more effectively to people directly living in many of the countries who are – who have large populations who are coming to the border.
One is that this is not the right time to come. We have proposed a number of policies that we are working to implement, including a pause on deportations, as you know, for people who are in the United States. That is something the Department of Homeland Security would be working to implement. We’ve also proposed an immigration bill, something the President put forward on day one. And we’ve also proposed funding to help address the circumstances and the challenging conditions that are on the ground in a number of these countries.
Q: If I may, I’m talking about those people who are in limbo at the moment – not discouraging new people from coming and not applying it to new people, but those people who were specifically turned away by the Trump administration.
MS. PSAKI: I’d send you to the Department of Homeland Security on that for a more specific assessment.
Q: Okay. And for the second question, I just wanted to press you a little harder. You said earlier that the President had been speaking with members of the Senate-
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hm.
Q: – but you wouldn’t say who they were and anything about those conversations because they were private. I mean, they were, presumably, discussing the people’s business. Is that a matter — you know, why should those be private? Why not be more revealing of who the President is speaking with that is in the government?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the – what I said is that the President is speaking with Democrats and Republicans, as are a number of senior officials from the current White House. And we’ll continue to do that.
And what I meant about those conversations – getting their feedback about what they think about bills and legislation, how they feel about the COVID package that the President put forward, where they have concerns, where they have agreements – that some of those conversations are private. They can speak publicly about their conversations, of course, as many of them have done. But what I was confirming is that he personally is involved and will continue to be involved in moving this package forward.
Q: I guess I’m asking: Why not release the names of the people who the President is speaking with to negotiate on this bill? I mean, I know you want to have more transparency in this administration; you’ve talked about it a lot already. Why not make that a part of the transparency effort?
MS. PSAKI: Well, again, he’s speaking with members of both parties. A number of them would like to have those conversations private as well. A number of them have also spoken publicly about conversations they’ve had with the administration. So – and that perfectly – is perfectly fine by us.
Go ahead.
Q: Can I ask a — going back to COVID: Do you know when Americans will be able to be widely vaccinated?
MS. PSAKI: Well, of course, we defer to our health and medical experts, as you know. And Dr. Fauci spoke to this briefly last week, and I expect it’s something that our health and medical experts, who will be doing a briefing later this week, will be able to speak to more specifically.
We obviously have set our bold goal of 100 million vaccine — or 100 million shots in the arms of Americans in the first 100 days. We will build from there, and we are looking forward to build from there.
But I don’t have an assessment – a new assessment for you on when a broad popular – a group of the population.
Q: But anyone can get it if they want it, is essentially what I’m asking. The previous administration said it would be sort of mid-year. They said that regularly.
MS. PSAKI: You know, our – the CDC and other health and medical experts have – from our team – have given assessments leaning towards the summer and fall, but I don’t have a new assessment for you from here. But I encourage you to ask them that, and that’s why we’re putting them out to answer questions to all of you.
Jonathan, go ahead.
Q: The Trump administration, in its final weeks, rushed through a number of federal executions. Has the President directed a moratorium on capital punishment? And does he plan to?
MS. PSAKI: The President’s position on the death penalty – I think you’re probably familiar with, others may not be: He’s opposed to the death penalty. I don’t have anything to preview for you in terms of what steps he may take.
Go ahead, Kaitlan.
Q: You said that these coronavirus briefings are going to start. President Trump did not attend a lot of the corona – – or some of the coronavirus briefings at the end. He did not attend a lot of coronavirus task force briefings. Is President Biden going to attend those task force meetings within the group that’s working on this?
MS. PSAKI: He will be briefed regularly – I suspect, far more regularly than the past President was briefed – on COVID and the developments and progress the team is making. I wouldn’t expect he attends every task force meeting – no – but he expects and requests regular briefings from the team, and I expect he’ll get them.
Okay, go ahead.
Q: If the whole point of impeaching somebody is basically to get rid of them, and Trump is already gone, would President Biden support the Senate censuring him just so that lawmakers can move on with the people’s business?
MS. PSAKI: I really appreciate your creative way of asking that question, which has come up a few times in here. The President is – was in the Senate for 36 years, as you all know. He is no longer in the Senate, and he will leave it up to members of the Senate, Democrats and Republicans, to determine how they will hold the former President accountable.
Q: On quickly –
Q: All right, thank you, Jen. Last one. Go ahead.
MS. PSAKI: Oh, last one. Go ahead. Go ahead.
Q: Yeah, I’m sorry, I just wanted to ask really briefly, on Afghanistan, if you guys foresee further troop reductions there and what kind of numbers would we be talking about.
MS. PSAKI: It’s an excellent question. We’re on day five, so I don’t have any thing new for you on, specifically, Afghanistan troop production, but I’m hoping to get Jake Sullivan out to the briefing room soon to answer a lot of your questions on a range of issues.
Q: Jen?
MS. PSAKI: Thank you, everyone.
Q: Thanks, Jen.
Q: Jen, you haven’t taken my question.
MS. PSAKI: All right, one more. I’m sorry about that. We don’t – we don’t want to leave you hanging.
Q: Sorry.
MS. PSAKI: You’ve been very patient in the back.
Q: I represent the foreign press group.
MS. PSAKI: Of course.
Q: I have two foreign policy issue: one on China and one on the UK.
MS. PSAKI: Okay.
Q: On China, we just – you mentioned about competition. And President Biden’s Asia czar, Kurt Campbell, says he hopes for a “stable competition.” Is that what the White House is looking for? And you just mentioned about this comprehensive strategy. When can we expect that?
MS. PSAKI: I appreciate all of those questions. I have no – I don’t have any preview for you on when we will have more specifics on our strategy. I’ve tried to convey overarching – the President’s overarching approach.
But again, this is a relationship that we are going to be convey- – communicating with and working with partners and allies on. Those are – there are a number of calls that will happen over the coming weeks with key partners and allies – I’m sure this will be a topic of discussion – as well as Democrats and Republicans on the Hill, and we’re going to approach it with patience.
Q: And on the UK, we know, over the weekend, President Biden had a phone call with Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and Mr. Johnson said they talked about the free trade deal. However, from the White House readout, we don’t see that. Does the President support the free trade deal with the UK?
MS. PSAKI: I haven’t talked to him or Jake Sullivan about that. I’ll venture to do that and see if I can get more for you on it.
Thanks, everyone.
January 25: Senator Chuck Schumer posted a Press Release titled: “SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE OVER $300K IN FEMA FUNDING FOR NEW YORK FIREFIGHTER RESPONDING TO COVID-19” From the Press Release:
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that $306,624.52 in federal funding will be administered to twelve counties across New York to support COVID-19 emergency response preparedness measures. This funding was allocated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) second round of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant – COVID-19 Supplemental Program (AFG-S 2) in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration. This funding was authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and will be used to purchase essential PPE and equipment for firefighters responding to the COVID-19 outbreak across New York.
“From the peak of the pandemic to normal times, our brave firefighters are always on the front lines, risking their lives to protect their communities,” said Senator Schumer. “These courageous first responders deserve all the federal support possible to help them to do their jobs. I will always fight to bring more federal resources to support our heroic firefights, and I’m proud to deliver this funding so New York’s fire departments have the critical PPE and essential support they need as they keep New Yorkers safe during the pandemic.”
“New York’s firefighters and first responders continue working around the clock to keep our communities safe during this public health crisis,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The ongoing pandemic has left local and state governments with limited resources – this critical federal funding will ensure our firefighters are protected on the frontlines and fire stations can maintain clean facilities in accordance with COVID-19 guidelines I will continue to push for emergency funding to keep our fire departments and firefighters safe as they enter the line of duty.”…
January 25: The White House posted Remarks titled” “Remarks by President Biden at the Signing of Executive Order on Strengthening American Manufacturing”. From the Remarks:
THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, folks. I’m going to make some brief remarks, sign an executive order, and then take your questions, if that’s okay with you all.
Last week, we immediately got to work to contain the pandemic and deliver economic relief to millions of Americans who need it the most. And today we’re getting to work to rebuild the backbone of America: manufacturing, unions, and the middle class.
It’s based on a simple premise: that we’ll reward work, not wealth, in this country. And the key plank of ensuring the future will be “Made in America.” I’ve long said that I don’t accept the defeatist view that the forces of automation and globalizations can’t keep – can keep union jobs from growing here in America. We can create more of them, not fewer of them.
I don’t buy for one second the – that the vitality of the American manufacturing is a thing of the past. American manufacturing was the arsenal of democracy in World War Two, and it must be part of the engine of American prosperity now. That means we are going to use taxpayers’ money to rebuild America. We’ll buy American products and support American jobs, union jobs.
For example, the federal government every year spends approximately $600 billion in government procurement to keep the country going safe and secure. And there’s a law that’s been on the books for almost a century now: to make sure that money was spent – taxpayers’ dollars for procurement is spent to support American jobs and American businesses.
But the previous administration didn’t take it seriously enough. Federal agencies waived the Buy American requirement without much pushback at all. Big corporations and special interests have long fought for loopholes to redirect American taxpayers’ dollars to foreign companies where the products are being made. The result: tens of billions of American taxpayers’ dollars supporting foreign jobs and foreign industries.
In 1918 – excuse me, in 2018 alone, the Department spent $3 billion – the Defense Department – on foreign construction contracts, leaving American steel and iron out in the cold. It spent nearly 300 million in foreign engines and on vehicles instead of buying American vehicles and engines from American companies, putting Americans to work.
Under the previous administration, the federal government contract awarded directly to foreign companies when up 30 percent. That is going to change on our watch.
Today I’m taking the first steps in my larger Build Back Better Recovery Plan that invests in American workers, unions, and businesses up and down the supply chain. And I know that previous presidents entered office by promising to buy American and instituting the Buy American policy, but here’s why this is different and not the same:
I’ll be signing an executive order in just a moment, tightening the existing Buy American policies, and go further. We’re setting clear directives and clear explanations. We’re going to get to the core issue with a centralized, coordinated effort.
Look, today I’m creating a director of Made in America at the White House Office of Management and Budget who will oversee our all-of-government Made in America initiative. That starts with stopping federal agencies from waiving Buy American requirements with impunity, as has been going on. If an agency wants to issue a waiver to say “We’re not going to buy an American products as part of this project; we’re going to buy a foreign product,” they have to come to the White House and explain it to us.
We’re going to require that waivers be publicly posted; that is, if someone is seeking a waiver to build this particular vehicle or facility and is going to buy the following foreign parts, that waiver – the request for it – is going to be posted. Then we’ll work with small American manufactures and businesses to give them a shot to raise their hand and say, “Yeah, I can do that here in my shop, in my town.”
It’s about – and you’ve heard me say before, I used to have a friend who was a great athlete, who’d say, “You got to know how to know.” These small businesses don’t even know they can compete for making the product that is attempting to be waived and being able to be bought abroad.And
And I’m directing the Office of Management and Budget to review waivers to make sure they are only used in very limited circumstances. For example, when there’s an overwhelming national security, humanitarian, or emergency need here in America. This hasn’t happened before. It will happen now.
Here’s what else we’re going to be doing. Under the Build Back Recovery Plan, we’ll invest hundreds of billions of dollars in buying American products and materials to modernize our infrastructure, and our competitive strength will increase in a competitive world. That means millions of good-paying jobs, using American-made steel and technology, to rebuild our roads, our bridges, our ports, and to make them climate resilient, as well as making them able to move faster and cheaper and cleaner to transport American-made goods across the country and around the world, making us more competitive.
It also means replenishing our stockpiles to enhance our national security. As this pandemic has made clear, we can never again be in a position where we have to rely on a foreign country that doesn’t share our interest in order to protect our people during a national emergency. We need to make our own protective equipment, essential products and supplies. And we’ll work with our allies to make sure they have resilient supply chains as well.
We’ll also make historic investments in research and development – hundreds of billions of dollars – to sharpen America’s innovative edge in markets where global leadership is up for grabs – markets like battery technology, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, clean energy. The federal government also owns and enormous fleet of vehicles, which we’re going to replace with clean, electric vehicles made right here in the American by American workers, creating millions of jobs – a million autoworker jobs in clean energy – and vehicles that are net-zero emissions. And together, this will be the largest mobilization of public investment in procurement, infrastructure, and R&D since World War Two.
And with the executive order I’ll be signing today, we’ll increase Buy American requirements for these kinds of projects and improve the way we measure domestic content requirements. For example, right now, if you manufacture a vehicle for the federal government, you need to show that at least 50 percent of the components were made in America.
Because of loopholes that have been expanded over time, you can count the least valuable possible parts as part of that 50 percent to say “Made in America,” while the most valuable parts – the engines, the steel, the glass, the manufac- – are manufactured abroad. So basically – but basically we’re batting zero for two. The content threshold of 50 percent aren’t high enough. And the way we measure the content doesn’t account for U.S. jobs and economic activity. We’re going to change that as well.
The executive action I’m signing today will not only require that companies make more of their components in America, but that the value of those components is contributing to our economy, measured by things like a number of American jobs created and/or supported.
At the same time, we’ll be committed to working with our trading partners to modernize international trade rules, including those relating to government procurement, to make sure we can use – we can all use our taxpayer dollars to spur investment that promotes growth and resilient supply chains.
And here’s what else the action does. When we buy America, we’ll buy from all of America. That includes communities that have been historically left out of government procurement – black, brown, Native American small businesses and entrepreneurs in every region of the country.
We will use a national network of manufacturers – called a Manufacturing Extension Partnership – that’s in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, to help government agency connect with new domestic suppliers across the country. This is a critical piece of building our economy back better and including everyone in the deal this time, especially small businesses that are badly hurting in this economy.
The executive action I am taking also reiterates my strong support for the Jones Act and American vessels, you know, and our ports, especially those important for America’s clean energy future and the development of offshore renewable energy.
I’ll close with this: The reason we need to do this is America can’t sit on the sidelines in the race for the future. Our competitors aren’t waiting. To ensure the future is made in America, we need to win not just in the jobs of today, but the jobs and industries of tomorrow. And we know that the middle class built this country, and we also know unions built the middle class. So let’s invest in them once again. I know we’re ready, despite all of the – all we’re facing. I have never been more optimistic about the future of America than I am today.
Given even just half a chance, the American people, the American worker, has never, ever, let the country down. Imagine if we give them a full chance. That’s what we’re going to do.
I’ll stop here and sign the executive order, and then come back and take some of your questions.
(The executive order is signed).
There you go. Now I’d be happy to take your questions.
Q: Thank you, Mr. President. Jonathan Lemire with the Associated Press. Two topics, if I may. You have made reopening schools a central part of your first 100 Days agenda, and you’ve long portrayed yourself as an ally to the teachers and unions. Right now, the Chicago Teachers Union has refused. They defied an order to return to in-person classing – for in-person classrooms because of a lack of vaccinations. Do you believe, sir, that teachers should return to schools now?
THE PRESIDENT: I believe we should make school classrooms safe and secure for the students, for the teachers, and the for the help that’s in those schools maintaining the facilities. We need testing for people coming in and out of the class. We need testing for teachers, as well as students. And we need the capacity – the capacity to know that, in fact, the cic- – or the circumstances in the school is safe and secure for everyone.
For example, there is no reason why the clear guidance will be that every school should be thoroughly sanitized, from the lavatories to the hallways. And so this is about making – and none of the school districts that I’m aware of – there may be some, of public school districts – have insisted that all of those pieces be in place.
And, I might add, its the same kind thing I hope we can do with small businesses, making sure they have the capacity to test their workers when they come in; to make sure they have plastic dividers between their booths in their – in their restaurants, et. cetera; to make sure they can sanitize.
So it’s not so much about the idea that the teachers aren’t going to work. The teachers I know, they want to work. They just want to work in a safe environment as safe as we can rationally make it. And we can do that, and we should be able to open up every – every school, kindergarten though eight grade, if, in fact, we administer these tests.
And it’ll have the added advantage, I might add, of putting millions of people back to work – with all those mothers and fathers that are home taking care of their children, rather than go to work. Even when they can work, they’re not able to do it unless they have the luxury of working distance-wise, like so many of us do. They’re not able to do it. And so this is about generating economic growth overall as well.
WHITE HOUSE AIDE: Great. Alex from Reuters.
Q: Thank you, Mr. President. I’m Alex Alper from Reuters. I wanted to ask a question about Navalny – if you are considering imposing sanctions on any of the individuals involved in his attempted poisoning on any of the individuals involved in his attempted poisoning and/or his arrest when he returned from Germany. And if not, is that related to your concerns about it potentially derailing a New START extension? Thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: I find that we can both operate in the mutual self-interest of our countries as a New START agreement, and make it clear to Russia that we are – we are very concerned about their behavior, whether it’s Navalany, whether its the SolarWinds, or whether its the reports of bounties on the heads of Americans in Afghanistan.
I have asked the agencies in question to do a thorough – a thorough read for me on every one of those issues, the update me on precisely where they are. And I will not hesitate to raise those issues with the Russians.
WHITE HOUSE AIDE: Jeff from NBC.
Q: President Biden, Vice President Harris, a question about your COVID relief deal. On Friday, you said the nation is “in a national emergency we should act like it.” Given that – given the scale and severity of the need, how long are you willing to get sufficient Republican support before you would green light Democrat attempts to use reconciliation, for instance, to pass that bill?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, look, the decision on reconciliation will be made by the leaders of the House and the Senate. But here’s the deal: I have been doing legislative negotiations for a large part of my life. I know how the system works. And what I’m not – I can’t guarantee anything at all, but I can say that what I’m going to be doing – and we’ve already begun – is making it clear to the leadership in the House and the Senate, as well as the – the group of 16, the group – the bipartisan group, as well as Republican individuals who have an interest in the issues that are in the package and saying, “Here’s what I’m doing, and here’s why I want to do it, here’s why I think we need to do it, and what kind of support can or can’t you give to that?” And then we go on to the way in which we deal with legislation all the time.
You know we – we didn’t have any votes for the recovery package when Barack and I came into office. We were short three votes. We didn’t know we had the votes until the day of the — the day of the – of the – bringing it up.
And – but here’s the deal: You know, it’s interesting – and I know you ask a lot of these questions. You know the answers, but you have to – to help educate the public as well; I’m not suggesting you don’t know what I’m about to say. No one wants to give up on their position until there’s no other alternative. They either have to make a decision that they don’t do what – they don’t support what is being proposed, or they insist on what they have, or they let it all go away, fall down. I think we’re fall from that point right now.
The decision to use reconciliation will depend upon how these negotiations go. And let me make clear about negotiations: I’ve always believed part of negotiation – on the part of a President and/or a chairman of a committee trying to get a major piece of legislation passed – is about consultation.
It’s not enough for me to just come up to you and say, “I like this. I expect you to support it.” I want to explain to you why I think it’s so important in this package that we have to provide for money for additional vaccines, why I think it’s so important why we provide money to extend unemployment benefits, why I think it’s so important that we provide money to provide for the ability of people not to be thrown out of their apartments during this pandemic because they can’t afford their rent, and to make the case to you why I think and what I think the priorities within this piece, – that we think the priorities are – I apologize – were within this legislation.
And I don’t expect we’ll know whether we have an agreement or to what extent the entire package will be able to pass or not pass until we get right down to the very end of this process, which will be probably in a couple of weeks. But the point is, this is just the process beginning.
WHITE HOUSE AIDE: Annie, the Washington Post.
Q: Thank you, Mr. President, Annie Linskey with the Washington Post.
THE PRESIDENT: Hi, Annie.
Q: I wanted to ask you a little bit about one of the, sort of, major themes of your campaign, and how you sort of intend to measure and enact it – and that is the idea of unity. If you could talk a little bit about what you see unity as being? There are some people who are defining it as bipartisan. Others are saying it is what most of the people in the country, defined by some poll, might believe, or any sort of number of other – or perhaps it’s 50 plus 1, or 50 plus 2, or 75 percent.
So, given that it is such a key part of your message and your promise, can you talk and reflect a little bit more about what is unity when you see it as you define it?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, Annie, I think it makes up several of the issues – the points you made. One is: Unity requires you to take away – eliminate the vitriol, make anything that you disagree with about the other person’s personality or their lack of integrity or they’re not decent legislators and the like – so we have to get rid of that. And I think that’s already beginning to change, but God knows where things go, number one.
Unity also is: trying to reflect what the majority of the American people – Democrat, Republican, and independent – think is within the fulcrum of what needs to be done to make their lives and the lives of Americans better.
For example, if you look at the data – and I’m not claiming the polling data to be exact, but if you look at the data, you have – I think it’s – I hope I’m saying this correct – you may correct me if I get the number wrong, I think it’s 57, 58 percent of the American people – including Republicans, Democrats, and independents – think that we have to do something about the COVID-vaccine; we have to do something about making sure that people who are hurting badly, can’t eat, don’t have food, are in a position where they’re about to be shown out of their apartments, et cetera, being able to have an opportunity to get a job – that they all think we should be acting, we should be doing more.
Unity is also trying to get, at a minimum – if you pass a piece of legislation that breaks down on party lines but it gets passed, it doesn’t mean there wasn’t unity; it just means it wasn’t bipartisan. I’d prefer these things to be bipartisan, because I’m trying to generate some consensus and take sort of the – how can I say it? – the vitriol out of all of this. Because I’m confident – I’m confident, from my discussions, there are a number of Republicans who know we have to do something about the food insecurity for people in this pandemic. I’m confident they know we have to do something about figuring out how to get children back in school.
There’s just – there’s easy ways to deal with this. One, if you’re anti-union, you can say It’s all because of the teachers. If you want to make a case though that it’s complicated, you say, “Well, what do we have to do to make it safe to get in those schools?” And we’re going to have arguments.
For example, you know I proposed that we – because it was bipartisan, I thought it would increase the prospects of passage – the additional $1,400 in direct cash payment to folks. Well, there’s legitimate reason for people to say, “Do you have the lines drawn the exact right way? Should it go to anybody making over X-number of dollars or why?” I’m open to negotiate those things. That’s all.
I picked it because I thought it was rational, reasonable, and it had overwhelming bipartisan support in the House when it passed. But this is all a bit of a moving target in terms of the precision with which this goes. You’re asking about unity: 51 votes, bipartisan, et cetera.
The other piece of this that it the one thing that gives me hope that we’re not only going to, sort of, stay away from ad hominem attacks on one another, is that there is an overwhelming consensus among the major economists at home and in the world that the way to avoid a deeper, deeper, deeper recession, moving in the direction of losing our competitive capacity, is to spend money now to – from – from across the board, every major institution has said, “If we don’t invest now, we’re going to lose so much altitude, in terms of employment base and our economic growth, it’s going to be harder to reestablish it.”
We can afford to do it now. As a matter of fact, the – I think the response has been, “We can’t afford not to invest now. We can’t afford to fail to invest now.”
And I think there’s a growing realization of that on the part of all but some very, very hard-edged partisans, maybe on both sides, but I think there is a growing consensus. Whether we get it all done exactly the way I want it remains to be seen, but I’m confident that we can work our way through.
We have to work our way through because, as I’ve said 100 times, there is no ability in a democracy for it to function without the ability to reach consensus. Other – – otherwise it just becomes executive fiat or battleground issues that are – gets us virtually nowhere.
I don’t want to hold the – my colleague may know, the Vice President – but, you know, I think there were very few debates on the Senate floor the whole last year –
THE VICE PRESIDENT: That’s correct.
THE PRESIDENT: – on almost any issue.
Well, that benefits no one. It doesn’t inform anybody. It doesn’t allow the public to make judgements about who they think is right or wrong.
So I am – I am optimistic that it may take some time, but over the year, the way – if we treat each other with respect – and we’re going to argue like hell. I’m confident of that. Believe me, I know that. I’ve been there. But I think we can do it in a way that we can get t things done for the American people.
WHITE HOUSE AIDE: Great. Last question. Josh from Bloomberg.
Q: Thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: Josh, they don’t trust you with the mic, huh? I don’t know, man.
Q: No, that’s fine. I wouldn’t either. (Laughter.) Thank you, Mr. President. I appreciate you taking the questions.
You mentioned just now that you might know in a couple of weeks. Can I ask whether it’s more important for you to get something passed in a short timeframe like that or would you be willing to wait longer than to get more partisan support?
And I might also ask that – one of the pillars is the vaccine funding – when do you think any American who wants to get the shot will be able to get the shot?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I’ll try to answer the three parts to your question as I heard them.
One, time is of the essence. Time is of the essence. And I must tell you, I’m reluctant to cherry pick and take out one or two items here, and then have to go through it again to – because these all are kind of – they go, sort of, hand in glove, each of these issues. Number one.
Number two, we are optimistic that we will have enough vaccine and in very short order. We, as you know, came in office without knowledge of how much vaccines held – being held in abeyance or available. Now that we’re here – we’ve been around a week or so – we now have that. And we’ve gotten commitments from some of the producers that they will, in fact, produce more vaccine in a relatively short period of time and then continue that down the road.
So I’m quite confident that we will be in a position, within the next three weeks or so, to be vaccinating people at the range of a million a day or in excess of that. That is my – I promised that we would get at least 100 million vaccinations – that’s not people, because sometimes you need more than one shot of the vaccination. But 100,000 – 100 million shots in people’s arms of the vaccine.
I think with the grace of God, and the goodwill of the neighbor, and the creek not rising, as the old saying goes, I think we may be able to get that to 150 thou- 1.5 million a day, rather than 1 million a day. But we have to meet that goal of a million a day.
And everything points that we’re going to have : A, the – enough vaccine; B, enough syringes and all the paraphernalia needed to store, keep, inject, move into your arm the vaccine, which is not an easy task of those who have – those facilities, like the nursing homes and hospitals – they have people do it, but they don’t have the capacity to do everyone. And so I think we’re going to have – we’re leaning hard on – into areas where we can produce more vaccinators. We feel confident that we can do that.
And thirdly, it’s really important that we have the fora, the place, the facility, the circumstance where people can show up, stand in line, and get their vaccine without having to stand in line for eight hours – being able to pick up the phone, call the pharmacy, and get your name on the list, et cetera.
All those mechanical things are really – they sound simple, but they’re all consequential when we’re trying to get out a minimum of 100 million vaccinations in 100 days and move in the direction where we are well behind that in the next 100 days so we can get to the point where we reach herd immunity in a country of over 300 million people. Did that answer your question?
Q: Well, my question was at what date – or, roughly, when do you think anyone who wants one would be able to get it? Summer? Is it (inaudible)?
THE PRESIDENT: Oh, I – no, I think it’ll be this spring. I think we’ll be able to do that this spring. And – but it’s going to be a logistical challenge that exceeds anything we’ve ever tried in this country, but I think we can do that.
I feel confident that, by summer, we’re going to be well on our way to heading toward herd immunity and increasing access for people who aren’t on the first – aren’t on the list, all the way going down to children and how we deal with that.
But I feel good about where we’re going, and I think we can get it done.
WHITE HOUSE AIDE: Thank you, guys.
Q: One more. One more on vaccines. Mr. President, one more on vaccines.
THE PRESIDENT: Now, wait, wait, wait. I know he always asked me tough questions, and he always has an edge to them, but I like him anyway. So go ahead and answer – ask the question.
Q: Thank you, Mr. President. So you just said that you think within three weeks or so we’ll be at the point where there are a million vaccines per day but it seems like –
THE PRESIDENT: No, I think we’ll get there before that. I said “I hope…” I misspoke. I hope we’ll be able to increase as we go on until we get to the million-five a day. That’s my ex- – my hope.
Q: And then my – the follow-up to that would be : Now that you’re President and you’re saying “There is nothing we can do to change the trajectory of the pandemic in the next several months,” what happened to two months ago when you were talking declaratively about “I’m going to shut down the virus?”
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I’m going to shut down the virus, but not – I never said I’d do it in two months. I said it took a long time to get here; it’s going to take a long time to beat it. And so we have millions of people out there who are – who have the virus.
We’re just, for the first day, I think – correct me if I’m wrong; I’ve been doing other things this morning, speaking with foreign leaders. But one of the things – I think this is one of the first days that the number has actually come down – the numbers of deaths – and the number on a daily basis, and the number of hospitalizations, et. cetera.
It’s going to take time. It’s going to take a heck of a lot of time. And we still have – as Dr. Fauci constantly points out, it’s one thing when we have mass – how can I say it politely? – mass disregard of the warnings about not wearing masks and wearing masks, and social distancing and failure to social distance, and people getting together on holidays in ways that weren’t recommended, et. cetera.
We see – the first thing that happens when we see the number of infections go up. Then you see the hospitalizations go up. Then you see the deaths go up. And so we’re in this for a while. I mean, we’re – what are we now? At about 410,000 deaths. And there’s going to be more. The prediction, as I said from the very beginning to getting here as – after being sworn in, was – the predictions were: We’re going to see somewhere between a total of 600,000 and 660,000 deaths before we begin to turn the corner in a major way.
So – and again, remember: the vaccine – most of the people taking the vaccine – a vast, significant number – required two shots, and they’re an average of three weeks apart. And it takes time for you to be sure that you’re – you get to that 95 percent assurance rate.
And so it’s beginning to move. But I’m confident we will beat this. We will beat this. But we’re still going to be talking about this in the summer. We’re still going to be dealing with the issue in the – in the early fall.
And last point I’ll make – and I know you’re tired of hearing me saying it, particularly – you may be tired of me saying it. (Laughs.) And that is if we wear masks between now and the end of April, the experts tell us we can save 50,000 lives – 50,000 people who would otherwise die.
Thank you very much.
January 26, 2021
January 26: The White House posted Remarks titled: “REMARKS BY VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS AFTER RECEIVING THE SECOND DOSE OF THE COVID-19 VACCINE” From the Remarks:
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, so I’ve had the vaccine, and it was really painless – relatively painless. But I want to thank everyone here at NIH for all you do.
As you said – so, growing up, my mother – our mother – would go – we always knew that Mommy was going to this place called “Bethesda.” I didn’t – “Mommy is going to Bethesda.” Now, we were living in California; my mother would go to Bethesda. And, of course, what she was doing is she was coming here to NIH,
She was in the biochemical endocrinology study section. She was a peer-reviewer. And my mother had two goals in her life; to raise her two daughters and end breast cancer. In fact, a little -known fact: My first job was cleaning pipettes in my mother’s lap. She would take us there with her after school and on weekends.
And I grew up then around science in a way that was taught to me by someone who was profoundly passionate about a gift – which is the gift that scientists give to us – in that their whole reason for being is to see what can be unburdened by what has been. Their whole reason for being is to pursue what is possible for the sake of improving human life and condition. It is such a noble pursuit.
And the importance of NIH is that this is about an essential function of government, which is to provide for the public health. The work that happens here has one goal: to improve public health. And the importance of the pursuit of the work that happens at NIH is not about profit; it’s about the people.
And so I want to everyone who works here: I know who you are. (Laughs.) I know what you do. I know that you work around the clock with those experiments that have to be checked on every few hours, and they don’t care about what time is on the clock. I know the work that you do reviewing grants – because, of course, some of the most significant scientific research have been publicly funded. That’s what my mother did; she reviewed grants.
And so I have the luxury of being here at this moment, on the fifth day of our administration, coming full circle. Because, you see, NIH was such a huge part of my youth as this place that my mother went all the time and was very excited to work.
So, I want to thank everyone for all you’re doing. So now, to the vaccine.
NIH – these scientists, these medical professionals, doing the work of pursuing what is in the interest of the public health, have been a big part of the vaccine that I just took. They – through the research, through the dedication – created something that will save your life and the life of your family and the community.
And so I want to urge everyone to take the vaccine when it is your turn. It is really pretty painless, and it will save your life. So thanks to all who are doing this great and important work. Let’s make sure everyone gets a vaccine.
On behalf of President Biden and myself, I thank you for everything you do every day. And the bottom line is that we’re going to get 100 million vaccination in 100 days. And then we’re going to continue to do what is necessary to improve the health and wellbeing of our country. So thank you all, very much.
Thank you, Dr. Fauci. Thank you again.
January 26: Senator Chuck Schumer posted a Press Release titled: “SCHUMER REVEALS: 1,000 HOUSEHOLDS IN MADISON COUNTY STILL DO NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT – OR ANY – ACCESS TO BROADBAND; SENATOR, IN FIRST MEETING WITH PRESIDENT-ELECT BIDEN’S USDA NOMINEE, RENEWS FIGHT TO GET $15 MILLION IN USDA GRANT FUNDING TO ADDRESS THE COUNTRY’S INTERNET ACCESS NEEDS” From the Press Release:
COVID-19 Has Revealed Serious Disparities In Rural Communities Throughout Upstate New York, Especially Exacerbating The Digital Divide; As Madison County Communities Are Encouraged To Stay At Home Amidst A Resurgence In Cases, Broadband Access Has Never Been More Vital
Senator Fought For Additional $7B In Recent COVID Relief Package To Fund Federal Broadband Programs $7B In Recent COVID Relief Package To Fund Federal Broadband Programs & Is Pushing To Ensure Broadband Access For Rural Communities Is Among Top Priorities For Incoming Administration
Schumer To USDA Nominee: Time To Dial Up The Funding & Close The Digital Divide In Madison County
After a personal visit to Madison County last July, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer earlier this month, in a virtual meeting with President-Elect Biden’s nominee for U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack, urged to prioritize universal access to affordable broadband, starting with approval of Madison’s request for $15 million from USDA’s Rural Development Broadband ReConnect Program. The senator explained that the $15 million grant will provide broadband for nearly 1,000 households in the country, which is vital to the economic strength and recovery of the region, as well as continued educational needs of students in Madison County during the ongoing pandemic.
“The current public health crisis is making it all too clear that the digital gap in communities across Upstate New York is far too wide,” said Senator Schumer. “Madison County families, businesses, farms, and communities need and deserve top-notch high-speed broadband to help them stay connected during these difficult times and to be competitive as the economy eventually recovers. As incoming Senate Majority Leader I promise to continue fighting tooth and nail to secure funding that brings 21st century telecommunications technology to our rural economies across Upstate.”
Schumer has provided strong support for rural broadband access in Upstate New York in the past and throughout the COVID pandemic. Just last month, he helped to secure $7 billion in emergency benefits for broadband service to provide free or low-cost service to low-income families who have been recently laid off or furloughed due to the pandemic. Additionally, in March of last year, Schumer prioritized additional funding for rural broadband during negotiations for the CARES Act and provided an extra $100 million for the USDA Re-Connect Program, which he voted to create in the FY19 Appropriations bill.
January 26: Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) posted an article titled: “How Quickly We Need To Ramp Up Vaccinations To Get To Herd Immunity”. It was written by Drew Altman. From the article:
The country needs to ramp up vaccinations rapidly if we are to reach herd immunity by, say, July 4th our Independence Day, Labor Day, or even by the beginning of next year.
Some basic math and assumptions paint the picture:
+ We need to average 2.4 million doses a day starting now to reach the point where 70% of the population is vaccinated by July 4th (assuming two doses needed per person). There are many estimates out there of what’s needed for herd immunity, and that’s probably the bare minimum. It’s also harder than it sounds, because kids aren’t being vaccinated right now, so we need to reach the vast majority of adults, which means overcoming hesitancy where it exists.
+ It’s 1.9 million doses to reach it by Labor Day.
+ And 1.2 million doses pre day if we achieve the goal by January 1, 2022.
Some believe vaccination could be delayed somewhat for people who have been infected, reducing the target numbers that need to be reached immediately.
Last Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 1.6 million vaccinations were given across the U.S. and yesterday the Biden administration revised its goal to 1.5 million shots per day for the first 100 days. If the administration uses that time to begin to put measures in place such as mobile vaccination clinics, mass vaccination sites, more pharmacy-based vaccination and other steps described in the Biden strategy to replace the current broken vaccination non-system with one that works, it seems reasonable to expect a ramp up in the numbers of shots in arms after that. Increasing to two to three million vaccinations per day by late Spring or early Summer seems doable.
The most important goal to be achieved not a single number in a hundred days or two hundred days, but a steady increase in vaccinations toward the level the county needs to ultimately reach.
The experienced team appointed by the president should add to confidence the job will get done, but they will inevitably need to adapt on the fly as new problems emerge, including potentially new vaccine variants.
Yes but: the limiting factor may be the supply of vaccine. That too seems somewhat hopeful with J+J/Janssen and then others from AstraZeneca and Novavax expected to come on line. And the J&J vaccine is expected to be a single dose, rather than two, so it would mean fewer overall doses are needed. Still, the biggest mystery remains what the supply of vaccine is expected to be and when new approved vaccines will be ready, even if everything breaks favorably.
January 26: The White House posted a Press Release titled: “Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki and Domestic Policy Advisor Susan Rice, January 26, 2021” From the Press Release:
MS. PSAKI: Good afternoon. As part of our administration’s efforts to increase transparency and introduce all of you to the policy experts who are leading the President’s initiatives, we’re joined today by Domestic Policy Advisor Susan Rice, who will be talking about the racial equity executive order that the President will be signing this afternoon.
She’s kindly offered to stick around and take some questions. I will, as usual, play the role of bad cop when it’s time for her to go.
So, with that, I’ll turn it over to Susan.
AMBASSADOR RICE: Good afternoon, everyone. It’s good to be back. Jen, thanks.
The President has committed the whole of our government to advancing racial justice and equity for all Americans. I’m leading this effort out of the Domestic Policy Council. I have assembled a first-rate team to drive this agenda forward. We will hold the federal government accountable for advancing equity for families across America.
I have the support of every White House office and every agency in this work, because as President Biden has made clear, advancing equity is everybody’s job.
Tackling these challenges, though, is personal for me. I’m the descendant of immigrants from Jamaica and enslaved Americans. My grandparents and my parents are beneficiaries of the American Dream – and so am I. My family’s story is a remarkable one of the march towards greater equality and opportunity.
But for too many American families, systematic racism and inequality in our economy, laws, and institutions still put the American Dream out of reach.
Today, the average black family has just one tenth the wealth of the average white family, while the gap between the white and black – between white and black in homeownership is now larger than it was in 1960.
These longstanding inequities are compounded by the converging crises we face as a nation. Americans of color are being infected by and dying from COVID-19 at higher rates.
One in ten black Americans and one in eleven Latino workers are currently unemployed. By some estimates, 40 percent of black-owned businesses have been forced to close for good during the COVID crisis.
Black and Latino families with children are twice as likely to be experiencing food insecurity during the pandemic as white families. And black and Latino Americans are 2.8 times more likely to die of COVID-19.
And for Native communities across the country, the overlapping economic and health crisis have devastated tribal economies and healthcare systems.
These are desperate times for so many Americans, and all Americans need urgent federal action to meet this moment.
Today, President Biden will deliver a national address on his plans to advance racial justice and equity, starting with an equitable and inclusive recovery. President Biden will renew the federal government’s commitment to making the American Dream real for families across the nation by taking ambitious steps to redress inequality in our economy and expand opportunity for communities that have been left behind, including communities of color.
His economic plans make historic investments in underserved communities and put equity at the heart of our recovery. His ambitious agenda builds on a legacy of Americans forging opportunity out of crisis.
These aren’t feel-good policies. The evidence is clear: Investing in equity is good for economic growth, and it creates jobs for all Americans. Economists have estimated that the U.S. economy has lost a staggering $16 trillion over the last 20 years because of discrimination against families of color. If we closed racial gaps in income and opportunity, these same economists have estimated we could add $5 trillion to the U.S. economy over the next five years and add over 6 million jobs for all Americans.
So building a more equitable economy is essential if Americans are going to compete and thrive in the 21st century.
We have hit the ground running to embed equity throughout the administration. On day one, the President signed an executive order directing an unprecedented whole-of-government initiative to embed racial equity across federal policies, programs, and institutions. That starts with a review of policies and institutions to redress systemic racism where it exists and to advance equity where we aren’t doing enough.
Every agency will place equity at the core of their public engagement, their policy design, and program delivery to ensure that governmental resources are reaching Americans of color and all marginalized communities – rural, urban, disabled, LGBTQ+, religious minorities, and so many others.
The President has put equity at the center of his response to the COVID-19 and economic crisis. His executive orders signed last week deliver rent relief, student debt reprieve, and emergency food assistance to families across the country, helping all Americans, including black and brown families, who we know are being hit hardest by this crisis.
And he took steps to make our broken immigration system more humane and secure. He restored the integrity of the census so that our constitutionally mandated accounting of every person in the United States is fair and inclusive.
And even before taking office, President Biden released his American Rescue Plan that will make historic investments in advancing equity. Independent economists estimate that his plan will cut child poverty in half – cut child poverty in half for all Americans – and reduce overall poverty in America by 30 percent.
Black families this year will face a poverty rate of 20 percent if Congress does not act on the American Rescue Plan. But if enacted, the poverty rate would fall by over one third, and it’s fall by 40 percent for Latino families and by one fifth for American – for Asian American and Pacific Islander families.
The American Rescue Plan also provides critical relief to Native American communities and tribes. These investments will lift over 8 million black, Latino, and Asian Americans out of poverty and provide relief across sectors where families of color are most disproportionately impacted by this crisis: in food and financial security, healthcare access, and education and childcare.
Today, President Biden is continuing his commitment to embedding equity at the center of his agenda by signing an additional package of executive actions. The President will sign a memorandum directing the Department of Housing and Urban Development to mitigate racial bias in housing and affirmatively advance our nation’s fair housing laws.
He will also sign an executive order directing the Department of Justice not to renew any contracts with private prisons. Private prisons profiteer off of federal prisoners and are proven to be – or found to be by the Department of Justice Inspector General to be less safe for correctional officers and for prisoners. President Biden is committed to reducing mass incarceration while making our communities safer. That starts with ending the federal government’s reliance on private prisons.
The President will also sign an executive order reinvigorating the commitment of all federal agencies to engage in regular, robust, and meaningful consultation with tribal governments.
And the President will sign a memorandum directing all federal agencies to take steps to combat xenophobia and acts of violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have been targeted by political leaders in our nation’s response to COVID-19.
Again, these are a continuation of our initial steps to advance racial justice and equity throughout early executive action.
Beyond this, the President is committed to working with Congress to address equity in our economy, our criminal justice systems, our healthcare systems, and in our schools.
As I’ve said many times in my personal capacity, and I say again, I believe we all rise or fall together. Advancing equity is a critical part of healing and restoring unity in our nation. The President will have more to say about all of this later this afternoon.
And I’m happy to take a few of your questions.
MS. PSAKI: Peter.
Q: Ambassador Rice, thank you. You speak about communities of color, right now, that are disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Of course, they’re also less inclined to have faith in the federal government response to the vaccination process. So what specifically – and I’ll follow up with others – but what specifically is being done right now for communities of color to convince them it’s okay to get this vaccine?
AMBASSADOR RICE: Well, Peter, I will leave much of this to my colleague, Jeff Zeints, who’s leading our COVID response. But I think two important points: One, we have established within our COVID task force an effort on equity – and that includes, obviously, racial equity – that will focus on health disparities but also on the reality that there are Americans who – and particularly Americans of color – who, for very valid historical reasons, are skeptical and reluctant.
And a large part of what our colleagues on the COVID task force are doing – this is the second part – is reaching out directly, through targeted campaigns, to get to those very communities where the skepticism is highest.
And that’s vitally important because as we – as communities of color are suffering disproportionately and may have less access to information about the vaccine and the ability to easily go online, in some instances, and get an appointment, we have to take those additional steps to ensure that they are aware of its availability, they can get appointments, and that they understand that the vaccine is safe.
Q: Let me ask you – I have a couple of things: One is news of the day, but the other one – there’s a lot of day-one promises right now.
AMBASSADOR RICE: Jen – Jen does the news of the day.
Q: Okay, fine. Let me ask you on –
MS. PSAKI: Yeah, we’ll do a whole thing after this.
Q: – on February 20th of last year, President Biden said, “My first day of office, I’m going to send a bill to the Congress repealing the liability protection for gun manufacturers, closing the background check loopholes and waiting period.” So what happened to that day-one promise?
AMBASSADOR RICE: Well, I think you’ve seen that we have rolled out an unprecedented number of early executive actions. And as you’ve heard Jen say and many of my colleagues say: This is just the beginning. We have 1,454 more days left in President Biden’s first term, and so give us a little something to do over the next few days.
MS. PSAKI: Cecilia.
Q: Thanks, Jen. Thank you, Ambassador. A housekeeping question if I may, and then a follow-up. Can you speak specifically to what this does, as it relates to immigration and immigrants? Does this cover particularly the prison and private prisons housing immigrants – undocumented immigrants, tens of thousands of whom are facing deportation in privately run prisons right now?
AMBASSADOR RICE: This order today applies to the Department of Justice-run prisons. It is not, in this instance, applicable to those run by other agencies.
Q: So not ICE, not anything like that. Okay.
And then – and then, going back to January 6th and what we saw just a few weeks ago at the Capitol, when we saw people roaming that building, carrying Confederate flags, wearing anti-Semitic shirts – we saw lawmakers in that group; we saw firefighters in that group; we saw military veterans in that group – what are you doing to address this issue of white nationalism? And how concerned are you about the threat from some of these groups leading into this impeachment trial in two weeks?
AMBASSADOR RICE: Well, I think that we have seen – and it’s been plain for all Americans on their television sets – just how serious a problem we face from nationalists and white supremacists who have demonstrated a willingness to resort to violence in some instances.
And that is why the President has ordered the intelligence community to compile a comprehensive assessment of the nature of this threat and challenge, and its origins and roots, and thus provide policymakers with inputs that will be very important to address this challenge.
The National Security Council has set up a capacity within the NSC to focus on domestic violent extremism and to ensure that we are, within the White House and within the interagency, coordinating efforts to craft and implement policies that will address this. So we’re taking it quite seriously.
Q: And why doesn’t this address the ICE private detentions?
AMBASSADOR RICE: It addresses the Department of Justice prisons in the first instance. It’s not – it’s silent on what may or may not transpire with ICE facilities. There was a Department of Justice Inspector General report in 2016 that underscored that private prisons funded by DOJ were less safe, less secure, and arguably less humane.
This was – the Obama-Biden administration that took steps to end renewing of contracts for private prisons, the Trump administration reversed that, and we’re reestablishing it.
MS. PSAKI: Go ahead. And I know we met this morning, but tells us your name again.
Q: Mario Parker, Bloomberg News.
MS. PSAKI: Thank you.
Q: Thank you, Ambassador Rice. Two questions. The first: What will the administration do to address the relationship between communities of color and police, particularly as part of the mass incarceration component?
And then the second question: Republican legislators have signaled that they’re going to look to roll back some of the voting procedures from the last election. We know that that’s centered in some of those swing states in largely black and brown communities. What’s the administration going to do about that as well?
AMBASSADOR RICE: Well, with respect to prisons, policing, the entire basket of very important criminal justice reform issues: This is something that we are committed to addressing and we will have more to say on criminal justice in the coming weeks, including on matters related to policing. So please stay tuned for that.
With respect to roll back the access to the ballot: This is something that I expect that the President will address in his remarks today. It’s a matter of real concern because we ought to be in the business of encouraging and enabling all Americans who are eligible to vote to be able to vote.
And that’s why, you know, we will continue to work with Congress on its various efforts to advance democratic reforms. There’s legislation on the Hill that would move us in that direction, including restoring and revitalizing the Voting Rights Act.
MS. PSAKI: Jonathan, you’ll have to be the last one. But Susan will come back, I’m sure.
AMBASSADOR RICE: You’re going to let me come back?
MS. PSAKI: We’ll welcome you back. Go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Jen. Thank you, Ambassador. These measures here are executive actions, which of course could be overturned and reversed by a future President. Can you talk about what steps could be taken to codify these, to make them permanent, whether it’s private prisons or other measures, so they could not be undone by a future President?
AMBASSADOR RICE: Okay, well, Jonathan, as you know, to codify something and make it lasting in law requires that Congress – both houses of Congress pass it and that the President sign it. And for this, as well as many other things, there will be areas where legislative actions are the best and most durable approach. There’ll be some instances where, in advance of legislation or efforts to achieve legislation, it’s wise to take executive action.
So I don’t think we should assume that by doing something by executive action, where it may also be appropriate to seek legislation, that we wouldn’t do it. We have a very full legislative agenda. The President’s first policy is enacting the American Rescue Plan, as well as getting our nominees confirmed. And we’ll be focused in the next few weeks on that.
MS. PSAKI: Thank you, Ambassador Rice.
AMBASSADOR RICE: Thank you, Jen. Thank you, everybody.
Q: Thank you, Ambassador Rice.
MS. PSAKI: Okay, Just a couple more things at the top, and then I’d be happy to take your questions.
The President and his team have been working around the clock over the past six days to make meaningful progress on vaccinating as many people as possible. As we’ve talked about in this room before, increasing the vaccine supply and building increased cooperation between federal government and state and local leaders on the ground is key to getting that done.
The President will speak later today on those efforts and provide an update on his team’s work to bolster the vaccine supply available so that we can, in turn, get more shots into American’s arms as quickly as possible.
And I’ll also add, as many of you have reported, there are some calls this afternoon with governors to brief them on these plans and give them an update on how we will continue to work together even more efficiently.
A couple of other things. Earlier today, the first female Vice President swore in the first female Secretary of the Treasury – what’s that for history? Dr. Janet Yellen. Today, of course, is pretty historic day.
And this afternoon, the Vice President will make her first visit to a federal agency, the National Institutes of Health, where she will – she and the secol – Second Gentleman, excuse me, will receive their second dose of the Moderna vaccine. The Vice President will thank Director Collins, Dr. Fauci, and the staff of the NIH for their work to develop the vaccine and efforts to keep Americans safe.
She will also make the case that Congress needs to immediately pass the American Rescue Plan, which includes $20 billion to invest in local community vaccine distribution centers in the hardest-hit areas. Her remarks on the vaccination at NIH will be live-streamed on the White House YouTube channel, so you can all turn in – tune in for all of that.
Okay, Jonathan, kick us off.
Q: Thank you, Jen. First, on the response to the pandemic – two matters there. First, could you give us or provide a little more detail as to how much more of the vaccine is going to be distributed and how quickly to these states? We’ve heard governors sound the alarm that they are desperately low on what they need. And then, can you talk about – has CDC considered, with White House support, a measure for testing for all passengers on U.S. domestic flights?
MS. PSAKI: Well, Jonathan, on – the first part of our effort is certainly to ensure we are more effectively and efficiently working with governors and local officials who have expressed some frustration in recent weeks about the lack of information and the lack of a federal plan.
We’ve only been here six days, but we wanted to take steps as quickly as possible to address that. And part of that will be what the President updates us all on this afternoon. And I would be very short-lived press secretary if I got ahead of the President. And we’re having so much fun in there, so you don’t want that to happen.
On the second question on testing: We’re constantly evaluating – of course, our medical and health experts – steps that need to be taken to keep the American people safe. We announced some travel restrictions, as you know, yesterday. I don’t have any additional restrictions to preview or announce for all of you.
I will remind you that tomorrow is the first day of our briefings that will be happening approximately three times a week – that you can all tune in and learn more from our health experts on our plans.
Q: And on another matter – on impeachment: The President yesterday, in an interview, said that he did not believe that former President Trump would be convicted and therefore removed from office, but he said he felt like it had to go – the trial had to go on anyway. Could you please explain what he meant by that?
MS. PSAKI: Sure. Well, let’s put this in the context of last night. So last night, the House impeachment managers delivered the articles of impeachment to the Senate with a dramatic walk over, as we – you all carried on television. And, you know, the President was referencing a fact that he referenced in his statement of just a couple of weeks ago, when the White House passed the impeach- the articles of impeachment themselves, which is that now it, of course, will move on to the Senate.
As he also said at the time he hopes – and I’ll quote him here – “the Senate leadership will find a way to deal with their constitutional responsibilities on impeachment while also working on the other urgent business of the nation.” He still continues to feel that way.
So, last night, they delivered the articles. The next step, as you all have reported and people watching at home know, is for the Senate to proceed with their trial. He’s going to allow them to move forward at the pace and manner that the leaders in the Senate determine. And I can promise you that we will leave vote counting to leaders in the Senate from now on.
Q: Last follow-up, and then I’ll hand it off. On this, though, why is the President so reluctant to express his personal opinion as to what happens here? We understand he’s not in the Senate anymore –
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.
Q: – but he is the leader of the Democratic Party. Why won’t he say what he believes should happen?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the President believes that the Senate has the constitutional duty to proceed as they see fit on holding the former President accountable. He spent 36 years in the Senate; he’s no longer there. As the President of the United States, he feels his role is to deliver on what he promised for the American people. So that’s what he’s trying to do every day.
Go ahead, Peter.
Q: Just a little housekeeping as it relates to what’s going on in the Senate right now. When is the last time that President Biden spoke to Leader McConnell?
MS. PSAKI: He has spoken with Leader McConnell. As he said, he’s spoken with him a couple of times. But I’m not going to –
Q: Since – since inauguration?
MS. PSAKI: I’m not going to read out specific calls to all of you on the pace or number of their phone calls.
Q: I guess the question is: This is someone who has always said – the President – that his strong suit is the ability to work with both sides of the aisle, and he criticized the previous administration for not brining lawmakers here on COVID relief to sit down in the Oval Office. So why not say to Democrats and Republicans, “Come to the White House right now. Let’s hash this out, and lets get it done”?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I know that would make for excellent television and quite a dramatic moment here at the White House. But he is in close touch, as our team is – members of our senior team – as you know, Brian Deese, a number of senior officials here at the White House – speaking with different caucuses in Congress – Republicans, Democrats, people from different wings of different parties – about our plans and our commitment to getting the COVID package passed. But our view is that a lot of those conversations should happen one-on-one, should happen in small groups, and that’s the most productive way to move this bill forward.
Q: Let me ask you, if I can: There seemed to be a little bit of disagreement in terms of the way both Dr. Fauci and President Biden viewed herd immunity and when we get out of this pandemic right now. We heard the President yesterday say, “I feel confident that by summer we’re going to be well on our way towards herd immunity.” Dr. Fauci said that he thought this would likely occur – where we were closer to being back to normal – by this fall. Just so it’s clear for Americans what the administration is promising or telling them, when should we expect that takes place?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the President is certainly pushing his team every day to deliver results as quickly as possible. So as part of his comments yesterday, he also talked about his desire to ensure there’s greater availability in the spring, and certainly his hope that every American will – that more Americans will have access as quickly as possible.
But he also has said many times it will take months and months for a broad swath of the population to be vaccinated. And, as always, he’s guided, as we all are, by scientists and medical experts and certainly Dr. Fauci’s guidelines of when we can expect a broad swath of the population to be vaccinated.
Q: And for specificity on the vaccine stockpile, yesterday you didn’t have a specific number; CDC director Rochelle Walensky didn’t as well. What is the stockpile right now? Where do we stand at this moment?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the President is going to have more of an update later this afternoon, as I – as I previewed earlier.
Q: Do you know the answer, I guess? Do we now – do we have our hands around that, though?
MS. PSAKI: Well, certainly, There is – we monitor updates on a daily basis through the Tiberius and multiple systems that have available information on vaccine numbers that are distributed to states – what states have received, what they have distributed. And we have been connecting all the dots to ensure we have our best understanding of where the holdups are.
And we, of course, have that assessment, but we’re continuing to dig in every day on where the – what the issues are: Why aren’t – why isn’t the vaccine getting out to states? What is the holdup with vaccinators? Why aren’t there more vaccine sites that are getting the supply they need?
But later this afternoon, he’ll have more of an update on our additional vaccine supply that we’ll make available to the states.
Go ahead, Peter. Its a “Peter row” over here.
Q: “Pete and Pete.” Or Pete and “re-Pete,” I guess.
MS. PSAKI: So, the jokes could go on. Go ahead.
Q: Thank you. Yeah, let’s do that.
So there are some reports that FEMA is now planning to reroute up to $10 billion in money that could be used to combat COVID-19 right now to preemptively combat climate change by building sea walls and elevating flood-prone homes. And I’m curious if there has been any thought given to waiting until COVID is behind us to do that.
MS. PSAKI: Peter, I had not actually seen that report before we came out here. As you know, and I’ll just repeat, the President’s first priority is getting the pandemic under control and doing everything needed, putting all of the necessary resources behind that. But I’m happy to circle back with our team on that specific question.
Q: And another question. The President says that he hopes that the Senate leadership can continue – can do a Senate impeachment trial while working on the people’s business. What if they can’t?
MS. PSAKI: Well, as President, you always have to be hopeful, of course. That’s your role as a leader: to push and push leaders, push Democrats and Republicans to make more progress.
But, you know, I think what the President will continue to do privately in his conversations with members of Congress – Democrats and Republicans – and publicly is make the case for the cost of inaction. And I think he doesn’t feel that there – the Democrats and Republicans in Congress have the space and the time to wait; that there’s an urgency that the American people are going to continue to push members who are representing them on. And so I don’t think he feels there’s an alternative, other than to – them to move forward with urgency.
Q: And then just one more. The riots in Portland and the violence in Portland recently – there was some discussion earlier about the January 6th rioters being reviewed by the DNI as domestic violent extremists. Are the rioters in Portland also being viewed through the same lens, or is that something different, as the White House sees it?
MS. PSAKI: I think we – you and I talked about this yesterday and conveyed that all violence happening around the country will be reviewed as part of the tasking that was done by that national security team. But I don’t have anything to preview on it.
Cecilia, go ahead.
Q: Thanks, Jen. On COVID relief, we’ve heard Republicans come out in opposition in broad brushstrokes at this point. But in terms of the conversations that Brian Deese is having, or the President for that matter, or anyone on your team, has any Republican come forward to give you an alternative? What is happening with these negotiations? What are they telling you that they want? To go? To stay? What’s the non- – without you negotiating from here, but what alternatives are they giving you?
MS. PSAKI: Well, Cecilia, you have the benefit of having covered Congress for quite some time, and you know none of them are quiet about what they like and don’t like, and they often say it publicly.
So, the President and members of our team are hearing many of the same, you know, expressions of support and sometimes expressions of questions about whether packages need – the package needs to be the same size, whether it’s targeted, whether it should be targeted in this way. Those are the same questions that they are hearing privately.
And – but what they all – what the President is also hearing privately and what members of our team are also hearing privately is that they expect him to be focused on this package, and they will be as well, and they hear and understand the urgency.
And as you know from covering this quite – for quite some time yourself, oftentimes things come together right before there’s a vote, right? The President kind of alluded to this yesterday, but we feel democracy is working how it should: He laid out his big package, his big vision of what it should look like, and people are giving their feedback, and he’s happy to have those discussions and fully expects it’s not going to look exactly the same on the other end.
Q: And on the stockpile assessment, I want to flip the answer that you’ve been giving, saying that “it’s five days or six days; give us some time to catch up with this.” I understand that.
On the inverse, it’s been six days. Why don’t we know exactly what is in this stockpile? How – what have been the hurdles, the biggest hurdles in getting that answer?
Slaoui – you probably heard this – yesterday defended the program, Operation Warp Speed, saying that this is – the results were “exceptional.” So why has it taken so long –
MS. PSAKI: I’m not –
Q: – six days in?
MS. PSAKI: (Laughs.) Six days in. Well, six days in, the President is also giving an update on steps we’re going to take to provide more vaccine supply to states across the country in response to their concern there has not been a federal plan in place and that they haven’t received the coordination, cooperation, and information they desired. So, in my view, that’s a pretty rapid response to states’ concerns.
We do have an assessment – as I referenced, Tiberius, which is quite a name for this website, I will say. It sounds like a magical creature a little bit, to me. But it provides vaccine supply that’s gone to states and what’s been used. It doesn’t mean it’s perfect. Oftentimes it isn’t.
But our concerns and our focus is not just on the supply; that’s part of the issue. It’s also about ensuring that states have the number of vaccinators they need, so that means people who are literally taking the shots and qualified to put them in the arms of Americans. And some states and some communities don’t have people who are able to do that and vaccine centers and places where people can go and receive the vaccine.
So there’s multiple steps in this process, and our focus is on ensuring not just the supply is at the rate it needs to be and that states have more advance notice – this is one of the things governors will tell you and have told us, that it is very difficult for them when they find out a day before or a couple of days before that they’re going to run out of supply or when a next supply shipment is coming. They want more time. That’s something we’re also working on.
So, those are all pieces that are part of this herculean operation task that our team has undertaken.
Go ahead, Mario.
Q: Thanks, Jen. Senator Schumer, last night, said that he wants President Biden to consider declaring climate change a national emergency, to give him power similar to what his predecessor, President Trump, did with the wall. Is that something the President is considering?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the President has long said it is one of the four crises that he believes are central to the presidency and central to his time as the Commander-in-Chief and the President of the United States: addressing the threat of climate.
So he has not only taken actions – executive orders – taken actions that fall under the purview of the President, but also he has pushed to find ways to work with Congress on taking additional steps moving forward too.
There will be more we have to share on our efforts on climate in the days ahead, but I don’t think Leader Schumer has any doubt about the President’s commitment to this, and certainly the fact that he has called it a crisis. It is – he said it is central to the issues he wants to take on, and his presidency speaks to his commitment to the issue.
Go ahead.
Q: So two more questions to bring it back to just COVID response for a second. So, first, one of the questions that’s come up is, how much money is needed, exactly, to respond to the emergency that we’re in? Is it $1.9 trillion? Is it some other figure?
Do you have an assessment just of how much money is left from Congress’s last allocation towards these issues? How much is left to spend?
MS. PSAKI: Well, as Brian Deese – the NSC Director Brian Deese said last week, the problem with focusing on the $900 billion package as the answer to our current problem now is that it was catching up for what had not been done for the prior six months. So what we’re really focused on now is what is needed for immediately, now, of course, but also in the months ahead.
And as I was alluding to a little bit earlier, the way the President thinks about this is what the cost of inaction is. So, if you look ahead, it’s critical – and I talked about this a little bit yesterday – that we don’t get anywhere near the March cliff, which would mean the end of eviction and foreclosure moratoriums; the end of $300 additional UI assistance; the end of PPP loan applications for small businesses. And, as you all know from covering what’s happening in the country, you know, people need security, and what we’re trying to do now is provide that.
So this package was designed not with a number in mind – we we weren’t trying to get a shock-value sticker value. The President relied on the advice of economists, of health experts, and others who recommended: This is the size and the components that are needed now, not just to distribute the vaccine, but to provide certainty and a bridge to the American people to get to the other side.
So –
Q: But do you have a number right now for how much is – for vaccine distribution alone, how much you have to spend as compared to what you’ve asked for?
MS. PSAKI: I’m happy to check with our team on that, but I will say that what we’re looking ahead to is where are we in a couple of weeks and where are we in two months? And no one wants to be having a conversation in May about why our schools aren’t open and why millions of people have been kicked off of unemployment insurance. So part of our role here is to look ahead, and that’s what – exactly what we’re trying to do with this package.
Q: Okay. And to one other issue: The – President Trump signed an executive order restricting exports of vaccines that are manufactured within the United States. That order is still in effect. First of all, what is your assessment of exactly whether drug manufacturers are able to send these vaccines overseas? Can they do that under current law? And, two, will you take any action to reverse that executive order?
MS. PSAKI: That’s a great question, and we’ve talked about, obviously joining – rejoining the World Health Organization. And ensuring we are a partner to the global community on this effort only makes us safer and the American people safer. But I’d have to check on a specific export question for you.
Go ahead.
Q: Jen, the National COVID strategy of the administration, released just a couple of days ago, says that, quote, “The United States will accelerate the pace of vaccinations by encouraging states and localities to move through priority groups more quickly.” What is “more quickly?” How should interpret that? And, you know, will you provide more detailed guidance to state and public health officials on how they should be going through these priority groups?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the answer is yes. And part of our effort, as I mentioned, there was a call with governors this afternoon to provide an update on vaccine supply and steps we’re taking, from the federal government, to ensure they have not just the information they need but also the access to supply they need.
And in terms of the pace, the guidelines will, of course, be publicized by the CDC. They have their first briefing tomorrow. We’ll see if they have an update on that. But really, what they’re trying to – what we’re all trying to endeavor to do is ensure that we have not just more supply, but more vaccinators – as I noted, more people in communities who can vaccinate – more centers and locations that can provide these vaccinations.
So all of those components will lead to expediting. We’re not asking stats to do this on their own. In fact, we’re asking – we are trying to reset and be partners here in a more effective way than we’ve seen over the last 10 months.
Q: And health officials seem to be recommending now double masking. Is that something that the White House would like to see?
MS. PSAKI: I’ve seen some of those reports. I haven’t see that come officially from the CDC. But again, I’d encourage you to ask them that question tomorrow, and I’d refer to them for any new guidance on that front.
Go ahead.
Q: Hi. Regarding the Defense Production Act, what is the timeline for ramping up production of supplies, specifically the specialized syringes? And has the administration been in talks with any specific companies or manufacturers?
MS. PSAKI: It’s already been invoked and underway, so those discussions and efforts to ramp up production are already underway. They start as of 24 – less than 24 hours after the President signed that executive order and made that announcement last week. I don’t have any specific companies, I don’t think, to kind of preview or read out for you, but I’m sure we can follow up and see if there’s more specific to provide on the specific companies.
Q: And is the Department of Defense considering plans to deploy military – National Guard to help with the vaccinations, be those vaccinators in communities that are underserved?
MS. PSAKI: Well, certainly, the government – across the government, everyone is going to play a role in COVID, and addressing COVID and getting the pandemic under control. But in terms of their specific plans, I would send you to the Department of Defense.
Q: Can I ask one more on behalf of the radio pool?
MS. PSAKI: Sure.
Q: The administration – this is for a reporter who can’t be in the room: What are the administration’s plans for Guantanamo and restarting military trials for detainees? One case was announced last week.
MS. PSAKI: I don’t have anything new on that. I’m happy to follow up on that for you as well.
Go ahead.
Q: I just wanted to circle back to Peter’s question. So Dr. Fauci, on Fox today, went back to quoting that “100 million doses in 100 days” number. So did the President misspeak when he said the new goal was 150 million shots in a hundred days, yesterday? Or was he operating under some new update he got?
MS. PSAKI: The President didn’t actually say, “The new goal is…” The President said, “I hope we can do even more than that.” And that is certainly, of course, his hope. He is continuing to push our team to get as many Americans vaccinated as quickly as possible. That’s why we set the bold goal of 100 million shots in the arms of Americans in a hundred days, to begin with.
I would just remind everyone that this has literally never been done before. And what he has asked the team to do, and what the team is focused on doing, is also planning for contingencies. I mean, we’re at war with the virus. So, in a wartime theme here, there are a lot of things you plan for, including trucks breaking down; freezers breaking, you know, needing to plan for that; you know, not having vaccinators in a location to be able to put the syringes in people’s arms.
Q: So the 100 million number, though, would be a more accurate number to be citing?
MS. PSAKI: That’s the number we set, based on the recommendations of health and medical experts; it continues to be our goal. But does he want to do – beat that goal? Of course, he does. Of course, he does.
But, again, it is a goal that was set with contingencies we need to plan for in mind and he’s going to continue to push the team to meat that goal and go beyond it.
Q: And I had one other question –
MS. PSAKI: Go Ahead.
Q: – that I wanted to ask the Ambassador, but I didn’t get a chance to, which is: In terms of the racial equity goals, does the White House support overturning the Small Business Administration language that prohibits people with records from accessing PPP relief? It’s something that on the Hill has the support of Portman and Cardin.
MS. PSAKI: I know I had talked a little bit with our econ – economic team about this issue earlier, but I’ll have to circle back with you on it. It’s a good question. We’ll bring Ambassador Rice back, but we’ll circle back with you on this today.
Yamiche, go ahead in the back.
Q: Hi, I have a couple of questions. The first is: David Kessler said that most Americans would not be vaccinated until the third or fourth quarter of this year. He said that last week. President Biden spoke and said that he – we could possibly have herd immunity as early as this summer. That’s the difference in a couple of months. I’m wondering if you could reconcile the difference there and talk a little bit about when herd immunity and most Americans will be able to vaccinated.
MS. PSAKI: Well, it’s sort of similar to what Peter asked a little bit earlier. But, you know, what the President – but the President is, of course, pushing his team to deliver results. And his goal is to ensure there I a greater availability in the spring and that it continues to improve in the summer.
Everybody won’t be – won’t be eligible this spring, as you all know, even with – even as CDC – the CDC continues to provide updated guidance. But he would certainly defer to medical health and medical experts, and obviously the guidance of Dr. Fauci, on when we may be at the pace of reaching herd immunity. But, you know, we will continue to update, as more progress is made, what the goals look like.
Q: And following up on that, in terms of data collection, it’s my understanding that something like 50 percent of the vaccinations are coming in without racial data. Is that accurate, or is there something else there? I’m wondering how you’ll measure success in vaccination people of color in vulnerable communities if you don’t have the data on who’s getting vaccinated.
And will we see – be seeing, kind of, mobile outlooks, mobile, kind of – mobile – just mobile outreach to those communities, in terms of vaccines? When might we see that?
MS. PSAKI: Yes, absolutely. That will be part of it. But also part of it will be working with pharmacies and working with health centers in communities so that communities across the country – rural communities, communities of color – have easier access to know where they can go and get a vaccine.
But this is going to be hard, and we are not trying to sugarcoat that. And it will be very challenging. This is why everybody who comes and speaks about COVID talks about our – the challenge of vaccine hesitancy and how we’re going to overcome that. And it won’t just be about having centers; it will also be about overcoming a lot of these contingencies I’ve mentioned that we have to plan for – about more effectively communicating with people, about the safety of the vaccine, and really being thoughtful about who we’re using to communicate.
So it is – it is going to take a multi-faceted approach, and we are open-eyed about the challenge.
Q: On the data part of that question: Is it accurate that there’s very little racial data, or at least less than 50 percent of racial data coming in on vaccinations?
MS. PSAKI: I would – I would defer – I would refer you to the CDC. And I know they’ll have their first briefing tomorrow, and that sounds like a great question to ask them.
Q: And I know Ambassador Susan Rice, she didn’t take all the questions, so maybe I’ll ask you the same –
MS. PSAKI: Sure.
Q: – the question that I was going to ask her, which is: We’ve seen that, after January 6th, there is obviously this issue of white supremacy and racism coursing through our country. What’s the biggest challenge when you think of equity in this country? And how do you measure success for something like that, especially when we think of all of the different ways that our country is dealing with it?
I know this – these EOs are about housing and about criminal justice, but can you talk a little bit about how you’re going to measure success and what the federal government’s role is on something so big as inequality and racism?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I think what Ambassador Rice was conveying to all of you, and obviously what the President will sign later this afternoon, is an executive order that makes racial equity and and addressing racial equity a priority across the government. And what the Pres- – how the President talks about this is that far too often, when you think of racial – issues that are in the racial equity bucket, shall we say, are only related to a couple of categories, and that’s just not accurate.
We need to address racial equity in terms of health disparity. We need to address it in terms of access to lending and to loans. We need to address it in terms of biases and discrimination as it relates to housing.
And so what this executive order will do – it will make it a priority and infuse expertise and personnel to ensure we are addressing issues that impact communities of color across the country every day, and not just every few months when it’s an issue that comes up and prompts questioning.
Go ahead, in the back.
Q: Thank you, Jen. And thank you for making sure that everybody gets the opportunity to ask questions. I really appreciate that. I’ve got one on housekeeping, real quick, and then I’ve got a domestic and a foreign policy question.
So you got some beautiful screens behind you. Your predecessors have rejected multiple requests to bring back the Skype seat to the daily briefings for the benefit of reporters who are trying to stay safe during the pandemic while working remotely. Would you consider bringing back the Skype seat?
MS. PSAKI: We would. I will say – people don’t usually realize this, but there’s normally about 60 people in this room; I think that’s the right number. That’s certainly something we would be happy to have in this room, and I think all of you would too because your asking questions on behalf of your colleagues.
But we also – we rely on the advice of our health and medical experts on what’s safe – not just for us, but for all of you. And having everybody sit seat-by-seat wouldn’t be safe. I know that’s not what you’re asking, but we’d certainly be open to taking questions via Skype.
I took some questions on Twitter the other day. We’re going to try and take some questions from the American people that they ask on YouTube. And so we’ll continue to look for ways to not just bring back the daily briefing, but to take questions from more reporters and people.
Q: Okay. During the campaign – this is the foreign policy question. During the campaign, Mr. Biden had said that he would give benefits to the Palestinians, but he didn’t specify anything that he would ask – any concessions. So the question is: Is it the belief of this administration that the Palestinians don’t have to make concessions to get funding for a consulate?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I think I’ve talked about this particular issue enough in my old days at the State Department to know I’m going to defer to our national security team and the State Department and Jake Sullivan on any more specifics. Obviously, the President’s view continues to be that of a two-state solution is the only path forward and that – you know, that continues to be the position of his White House and administration.
Q: And finally -finally, this is on behalf of a colleague who was not able to be here today due to social distancing: Does the President believe he can attain unity with the 74 million Trump voters while urging his allies in the Senate to hold an impeachment trial after his predecessor has already left office?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the President’s belief is that he was elected by 81 million Americans, in part because they believed that he was somebody who could help bring the country together, unify the country around addressing the crisis that we face. And when he talks every day, nearly, about getting the pandemic under control, putting people back to work, he’s not just speaking to people who voted for him; he’s speaking to all of the American people who voted for him; he’s speaking to all of the American people, including the 74 million who didn’t vote for him.
And certainly addressing the pandemic, making – ensuring that people don’t worry about the health and safety of their grandparents, of their sisters and brothers, getting kids back to school – that’s not a partisan position; that’s a position – that’s a leadership position and one he’s taking because he wants to make sure he’s delivering for all American people.
Go ahead, all the way in the back.
Q: Thank you, Jen. I’m Marek Wałkuski from Polish Radio. The President spoke with Chancellor Merkel yesterday.
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.
Q: But the readout from the phone call doesn’t mention Nord Stream 2 – the pipeline from Russia to Germany. Have they discussed this particular project? And what’s President Biden’s position on Nord Stream 2? Is he determined to use the tools he has, like sanctions, to stop the project?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I don’t have any more for you on the particular read out. But I can convey that we continue to believe – the President continues to believe that Nord Stream 2 is a bad deal for Europe. We’re aware that the previous administration imposed new restrictions on activities related to the pipeline under the National Defense Authorization Act, and we will be reviewing those measures.
And so he looks forward to continuing to consult with our European partners on this issue. And if there’s more to share on this conversation with Chancellor Merkel on it, we will certainly circle back with you more directly.
Let me just get to everybody. Go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Jen. This is just following on from Yamiche’s question earlier. We heard the President, yesterday, say that anyone who wanted to get a shot would be able to get one in the spring and that we would be well on our way to herd immunity by summer. I’m wondering how we can make those projections – and we don’t know what the National Stockpile is – when the CDC director says that supply won’t increase until March and when we’re still having these enormous distribution problems in the different states?
MS. PSAKI: Well, let me first start by saying, as I started the briefing conveying, the President will have more to say on our vaccine supply and also – and also assistance and cooperation that we will be doing with the states later this afternoon. So we’ll have an update on that.
And as I also noted, we do have a sense. There is Tiberius – my favorite word of the day – a website that has available information on not just the vaccine that is available in states, but what has been distributed.
So what I was conveying, and I think what a number of our medical and health experts have been conveying, is that we’ve been here for now six days – I’ll at a certain point stop saying that. But less than a week is not that long period of time. We are addressing every day where the holes are, where the gaps are, what the holdups are. It’s not just supply; it is beyond that. It’s also having the number of vaccinators we need, the number of vaccine distribution sites we need. Those are all issues, if you talk to any governor, that they will say are challenges to getting the vaccine in the arms of the American people.
And what the President’s goal is, is ensuring that there is greater availability in the spring. He will push his team. He pushes his team on COVID and updates on it, even when it’s a meeting about other issues. This is his focus every single day. And – but the fact is, every American is not going to be eligible this spring. We’re going to continue to increase supply; that’s part of it. And he has said many, many times, it’s going to take months and months for a broad swath of the population to be vaccination.
But he would, if he were standing here today – one, he’d be a lot taller than me, but he would say there are – he will defer to health and medical experts to get their assessments on when we can reach the point of herd immunity.
Peter, go ahead.
Q: There is a report now that the Chief Financial Officer of Florida has sent a letter to the International Olympic Committee that Florida would like to host the Olympics if Japan, next year, is uncomfortable because of the pandemic. Is a Florida Olympics in 2021 something you can see the White House supporting?
MS. PSAKI: Wow. Well, that’s a lot of steps that need to take place, and I don’t know the entire process of the Olympics, but I would certainly think – send you to the U.S. Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee first, on what their assessment of that offer is, and certainly, of course, what their assessment is of Japan’s preparedness for the Olympics.
Go ahead, right here.
Q: Jen, on contingencies: If these COVID vaccines need to be tweaked or changed because of these emerging variants, how is that going complicate your rollout effort?
MS. PSAKI: Well, Dr. Fauci spoke to this a little bit last week, and I expect this will be one of the lines of questioning with our health and medical experts when they have their first briefing tomorrow. And they have spoken to both assessments that have been made about the efficacy of the vaccine, even with the new variants, and how they are evaluating, you know, what the efficacy will be moving forward. This is something that they will continue to look at through a medical and health lens.
So I don’t think I’m going to have a new update or assessment for you from here, but it’s something they’re looking closely at, and the President will continue to encourage them to be as honest and straightforward with the American people as possible.
Q: Just one unrelated question. One of President Trump’s last acts was to grant protective status to Venezuelans who are in the United States.
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.
Q: I believe that still stands. Can you give us an update on your position on that?
MS. PSAKI: Sure. Let me see. Let’s see.
While the overriding goal of the United States is to support a peaceful democratic transition in Venezuela through free and fair elections, he has long been clear – the President, that is – that his administration’s approach to Venezuela will focus on addressing the humanitarian situation, providing support to the Venezuelan people, and reinvigorating multilateral diplomacy to press for a democratic outcome and pursue individuals involved in corruption, human rights abuses, and pursue individuals involved with that.
I don’t have anything more for you on the status of temporary protected status. That was a mouthful. I will – of course, our national security team is doing a review of all of the positions put in place by the Trump administration and will provide an update when we have one.
Go ahead.
Q: One more question. Ambassador Rice outlined all of these disparities when it comes to Americans of color being infected and dying from COVID at higher rates. Do you – does the White House fault the policies of the previous administration for creating those disparities that we’re seeing?
MS. PSAKI: Well, health disparities in communities of color existed long before the Trump administration took office, and I think that’s a statement of fact. But what did not happen was actions put in place to ensure greater accessibility to communicate – – communities of color for healthcare, greater communications on public campaign about how communities of color could gain access to healthcare and treatments. And certainly the actions taken by the prior administration to, for all intents of purposes, destroy the Affordable Care Act didn’t help any American and certainly didn’t help communities of color.
So, the vaccine, as you all know, has only – we did not have the scientific and medical breakthrough until late last year. And now it’s incumbent upon this administration, the Biden-Harris administration, to ensure that we are taking secs – steps to increase access, but also to communicate more effectively with communities of color about the vaccine and the efficacy of it. And that certainly is a primary focus. That’s one of the reasons why Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith is leading a COVID task force and is a pivotal part of the COVID team.
And I will say, from being on the transition, she wasn’t a person who was, aside from reputation, but she wasn’t a person known by the President – then President-elect Biden previously, but he was so impressed with her as a member of the COVID Advisory Task Force that he felt, personally, it was important to have her as a pivotal member of the team to address exactly this issue.
Okay, go ahead. Last – last one, says Jonathan.
Q: Thank you very much. If I can ask a follow-up, I’d appreciate it. The Trump administration granted waivers to Arkansas and other states to require work for some Medicaid recipients. That was challenged in the court. The court struck it down. The Trump administration pushed it to the Supreme Court. It’s ending there. Does the Biden administration support these waiver, oppose them? Are they going to argue for it, against it? What’s the position of the administration?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I would certainly send you to our Department of Justice, my Department of Justice colleagues, to speak to anything related to a legal case. I will say that President Biden does not believe, as a principle, it should be difficult to – for people to gain access to healthcare. And he’s not – he’s not been supportive in the past, and is not today, of putting additional restrictions in place. And he’s spoken about that publicly, too.
Q: And then, if I could follow up. Yesterday, former President Trump endorsed Sarah Huckabee Sanders for Governor of Arkansas in 2022. Where does President Biden stand on that particular race, and how high is this on his list of priorities?
MS. PSAKI: Wow. How high is the Arkansas Republican gubernatorial primary on the President’s list of priorities? Not high. I can confirm for you I’m not running for Governor of Connecticut in the future. So I’m here to confirm that for you as well. I don’t expect he will get involved in this race, but also politics is not front and center for his mind, in general, at this point in time. He’s focused on getting the pandemic under control.
Okay.
Q: Jen, who leads the governors’ call today, just for clarity?
MS. PSAKI: What did you say?
Q: Who is leading the governors’ call today?
MS. PSAKI: Who is making – leading the governors’ call?
Q: Who is leading it? The President won’t be on it, so who is leading it?
MS. PSAKI: Jeff Zeints will be one of the – one of the health officials, or one of the, I should say, policy officials who is on the call today. There may be others, but he’s one of the primary leaders of the call.
Q: And bipartisan governors, obviously, participating?
MS. PSAKI: I believe so, yes. Exactly.
Okay, last one. I’m breaking Jonathan’s rule, but –
Q: Hey, Jen. We just saw that President Biden has spoken to President Putin. Can you give us an update on the nature of their call? What came up?
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm. Well, I beli- – the call – I can confirm for you the call was scheduled. The call has happened, I believe, since I have come out here. So, we will of course, be putting a readout of the call out. But since you gave me the opportunity, I will just convey to you that he called him – called President Putin this afternoon with the intention of discussing our willingness to extend New START for five years, and also to reaffirm our strong support for Ukraine sovereignty in the face of Russians’ ongoing – Russia’s ongoing aggression, and also to raise matters of concern, including the SolarWinds hack, reports of Russia placing bounties on United States soldiers in Afghanistan, interference in the 2020 Election, the poisoning of Alexei Navalny, and treatment of peaceful protesters by Russian security forces.
His intention was also to make clear that the United States will act firmly in defense of our national interests in response to malign actions by Russia. But we’ll have a readout for you, I assume, sometime early this afternoon.
Thanks, everyone.
January 26: The White House posted Remarks titled: “Remarks by President Biden at Signing of an Executive Order on Racial Equity” From the Remarks:
THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, folks. I thank the Vice President for being with me today as well. In my campaign for President, I made it very clear that the moment had arrived as a nation where we face deep racial inequities in America and system- – systemic racism that has plagued our nation for far, far too long.
I said it over the course of the past year that the blinders had been taken come off the nation of the American people. What ma – – what many Americans didn’t see, or had simply refused to see, couldn’t be ignored any longer.
Those 8 minutes and 46 seconds that took George Floyd’s life opened the eyes of millions of Americans and millions of people around – all over the world. It was the knew on the neck of justice, and it wouldn’t be forgotten. It stirred the conscience of tens of millions of Americans, and, in my view, it marked a tuning point in this country’s attitude toward racial justice.
When his six-years-old – six-year-old daughter, Gianna, who I met with when I met with the family – I landed down to say hi to her, and she said – looked at me, and she said, “Daddy changed the world.” That’s what Gianna said – his daughter. “Daddy changed the world.” And I believe she is right, not because this kind of injustice stopped – it clearly hasn’t – but because the ground has shifted, because it’s changed minds and mindsets, because it laid the groundwork for progress.
COVID-19 has further ripped a path of destruction through every community in American, but no one has been spared, but the devastation in communities of color has been nothing short of stunning. Just look at the numbers: 40 percent of frontline workers – are Americans of color and many are still living on the edge. One in ten black Americans is out of work today. One in eleven Latino Americans is out of work today. One in seven households in America – about one in four black, one in five Latino households in America – report that they don’t have enough food to eat in the United States of America.
Black and Latino Americans are dying of COVID-19 at rates nearly three times that of white Americans. And it’s not white Americans’ fault, but it’s just a fact. And the Americans now know it, especially younger Americans.
One of the reasons I’m so optimistic about this nation is that today’s generation of young Americans is the most progressive, thoughtful, inclusive generation that America has ever seen. And they are pulling us toward justice in so many ways, forcing us to confront the huge gap in economi- -excuse me, economic inequity between those at the top and everyone else, forcing us to confront the existential crisis of climate; and, yes, forcing us to confront systemic racism and white supremacy.
It’s been just weeks since all of American witnessed a group of thugs, insurrectionists, political extremists, and white supremacists violently attack the Capitol of our democracy. And so now – now is the time to act. It’s time to act because that’s what the faith and morality calls us to do.
Across nearly every faith, the same principles hold: We’re all God’s children; we should treat each other as we would like to be treated ourselves. And this is the time to act – and this time to act is because it’s what the core values of this nation call us to do. And I believe the vast majority of Americans – Democrats, Republicans, and independents – share these values and want us to act as well.
We have never fully lived up to the founding principles of this nation, to state the obvious, that all people are created equal and have a right to be treated equally throughout their lives. And it’s time to act now, not only because it’s the right thing to do, but because if we do, we’ll all be better off for it.
For too long, we’ve allowed a narrow, cramped view of the promise of this nation to fester. You know, we’ve – we’ve bought the view that America is a zero-sum game in many cases: “If you succeed, I fail.” “If you get ahead, I fall behind.” “If you get the job, I lose mine.” Maybe worst of all, “If I hold you down, I lift myself up.”
We’ve lost sight of what President Kennedy told us when he said “A rising tide lifts all boats.” And when we lift each other up, we’re all lifted up. You know, and the corollary is true as well: When any one of us is held down, we’re all held back. More and more economic studies in recent years have proven this, but I don’t think you need economic studies to see the truth.
Just imagine if instead of consigning millions of American children to under-resourced schools, we gave each and every three- and four-year-old child a chance to learn, to go to school – not daycare, school – and grow and thrive in school and throughout. When they’ve done that – the places it’s been done, it shows they have an exponentially greater chance of going all the way through 12 years of school and doing it well.
But, you know, does anyone – does anyone in this whole nation think we’re not all better off it that were to happen?
Just imaging if instead of denying millions of Americans the ability to own a home and build generational wealth – who made it possible for them to buy a home, their first home – and begin to build equity to provide for their families and send their children off to school, does anyone doubt that the whole nation would be better off?
Just imagine: Instead of denying millions of young entrepreneurs the ability to access capital, we made it possible to take their dream to market, create jobs, reinvest in their own communities. Does anyone doubt this whole nation wouldn’t be better off?
Just imagine if more incredibly creative and innovative – how much more creative and innovative we’d be if this held – held the historic black colleges and universities to the same opportunities – and minority-serving institutions – that had the same funding and resources of public universities to compete for jobs and industries of the future. You know, just ask the first HBCU graduate elected as Vice President if that’s not true.
But to do this, I believe this nation and this government need to change their whole approach to the issue of racial equal – equity. Yes, we need criminal justice reform, but that isn’t nearly enough. We need to open the promise of America to every American. And that means we need to make the issue of racial equity not just an issue for any one department of government; it has to be the business of the whole of government.
January 26: The White House posted a Fact Sheet titled: “FACT SHEET: President Biden to Take Action to Advance Racial Equity and Support Underserved Communities” From the FACT SHEET:
Administration to Purchase Additional 200 Million Doses to Be Delivered This Summer
This afternoon, President Biden will outline his vision and new elements of his agenda for advancing racial equality for Americans who have been underserved and left behind. Equal opportunity is the fundamental promise of America. But systemic racism and discrimination in our economy, laws, and institutions have put the promise of America out of reach for too many families of color.
President Biden will renew the federal government’s commitment to making the American Dream real for families across the nation by taking bold and ambitious steps to root out inequality by taking bold and ambitious steps to root out inequity from our economy and expand opportunities for communities of color and other underserved Americans.
President Biden will sign four executive actions this afternoon to advance racial equity and take the first steps to root out systemic racism in housing and criminal justice. He will direct the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to take steps necessary to redress racially discriminatory federal housing policies that have contributed to wealth inequality for generations. The President will sign an Executive Order to end the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) use of private prisons. He will recommend the federal government to respect Tribal sovereignty and strengthen Nation-to-Nation relationship between the United States and Tribal Nations. And, President Biden will take action to combat xenophobia against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
These orders build on actions the President took during his first week in office to advance equity, which historians have described as one of the most robust efforts to advance racial justice in the first weeks of any new administration. On his first day in office, President Biden signed an unprecedented Executive Order establishing a whole-of-government initiative to address racial equity and support underserved communities, and to redress systemic racism in federal policies, laws, and programs.
He took immediate action to roll back harmful policies, such as President Trump’s 1776 Commission and ban on diversity and inclusion training for federal employees and contractors. In the days ahead, President Biden will reinvigorate the federal government’s role as a model employer by expanding and building on the efforts of the Obama-Biden Administration, to require agencies to take affirmative steps to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as by requiring accessibility.
President Biden committed to embedding racial equity across his Administration’s response to COVID-19 and the economic crisis. In his first week in office, he signed executive actions to provide relief to American families that will aid families of color that are being disproportionately impacted by this economic crisis.
He directed the Department of Agriculture to address the growing crisis of hunger facing more than one in five Black and Latino households by increasing access to nutritious food for millions of children missing meals due to school closures, issuing new guidance to help an additional 12 million Americans access nutrition assistance, and beginning to process to increase program benefits to better reflect today’s grocery costs.
The President extended the pause on federal student loan payments and collections, protecting borrowers burdened by educational debt, who are disproportionately Americans of color. He extended the federal government’s foreclosure and eviction moratoriums until February 28, 2021, helping families who are more likely to be rent burdened to stay safely housed.
President Biden directed the Department of Treasury to take steps to make the delivery of stimulus benefits more equitable to help the 8 million households, many of whom are families of color, who never received the first stimulus checks they were entitled to. And, the President began a process of requiring federal contractors to pay a $15 minimum wage and provide emergency paid leave to workers bringing financial relief to low wage workers.
These actions are just the start. The President is committed to working with Congress to pass bold legislation that advances racial equity, including increasing funding for small businesses, investing in Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other Minority Serving Institutions, and tripling funding for Title I schools, which serve a majority of low-income students. As the President has said, he is focused on ensuring that small businesses owned by people of color and others who have been historically disadvantaged – many of whom were shut out of previous relief packages – receive support.
And President Biden’s American Rescue Plan will provide immediate, direct relief to communities and families bearing the brunt of the crisis – including communities and families of color. Economists estimate that the investments in the American Rescue Plan will lift over eight million Black, Latino, and Asian Americans out of poverty and will provide relief across sectors where families of color are most disproportionately impacted in this crisis: in food and financial security, healthcare access, and education and childcare.
The President’s rescue plan will expand protections for frontline workers, 40 percent of whom are people of color. It will increase and extend Unemployment Insurance benefits, supporting the one in ten Black workers and one in eleven Latino workers who are unemployed. And, the plan will provide critical relief to Native American communities and Tribes.
Today, President Biden will sign additional executive actions to:
Advance Fair Housing. President Biden will sign a Presidential Memorandum “Redressing Our Nation’s and the Federal Government’s History of Discriminatory Housing Practices and Policies.” This memorandum recognizes the central role the federal government has played in implementing housing policies across the United States, from redlining to mortgage discrimination to destructive federal highway construction, that have had racially discriminatory impacts. The Fair Housing Act requires the federal government to advance fair housing and combat housing discrimination, including disparate impact discrimination that appears neutral but has an unjustified discriminatory effect in practice.
This Presidential Memorandum directs HUD to examine the effects of the previous Administration’s regulatory actions that undermined fair housing policies and laws. And, it directs HUD to take steps necessary based on that analysis to fully implement the Fair Housing Act’s requirements.
Reform our Incarceration System to End the Use of Private Prisons. More than two million people are currently incarcerated in the United States, and a disproportionate number of these individuals are people of color. Mass incarceration imposes significant costs on our society and communities, while private prisons profiteer off of federal prisoners in less safe conditions for prisoners and correctional officers alike.
President Biden is committed to reducing mass incarceration while making our communities safer. That starts with ending the DOJ’s reliance on private prisons. The Order directs the Attorney General not to renew Department of Justice contracts with privately operated criminal detention facilities.
Reaffirm the Federal Government’s Commitment to Tribal Sovereignty and Consultation. The Biden Administration is committed to re-establishing federal respect for Tribal sovereignty, strengthening the Nation-to-Nation relationship between the federal government and American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes, empowering self-determination, and advancing racial justice for Native communities. This Executive Order reinvigorates the commitment of all federal agencies to engage in regular, robust, and meaningful consultation with Tribal governments.
Combat Xenophobia Against Asian American and Pacific Islanders. While bullying and discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) is a long-standing and unacceptable problem in our country, rates of harassment and violence against AAPIs have risen dramatically in the past year.
President Biden will sign a Presidential Memorandum acknowledging the harm that these actions have caused, and establishing that the policy of his Administration is to condemn and denounce anti-Asian bias and discrimination.
his Memorandum directs the Department of Health and Human Services, in coordination with the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force, to consider issuing guidance describing best practices to advance cultural competency, language access, and sensitivity towards AAPIs in the federal government’s COVID-19 response. It also directs the Department of Justice to partner with AAPI communities to prevent hate crimes and harassment against AAPIs.
January 26: The White House posted a Presidential Action titled: “Memorandum Condemning and Combating Racism, Xenophobia, and Intolerance Against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States” From the Presidential Action:
Advancing inclusion and belonging for people of all races, national origins, and ethnicities is critical to guaranteeing the safety and security of the American people.During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, inflammatory and xenophobic rhetoric has put Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) persons, families, communities, and businesses at risk.
The Federal Government must recognize that it has played a role in furthering these xenophobic sentiments through the actions of political leaders, including references to the COVID-19 pandemic by the geographic location of its origin. Such statements have stoked unfounded fears and perpetuated stigma about Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and have contributed to increasing rates of bullying, harassment, and hate crimes against AAPI persons. These actions defied the best practices and guidelines of public health officials and have caused significant harm to AAPI families and communities that must be addressed.
Despite these increasing acts of intolerance, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have made our Nation more secure during the COVID-19 pandemic and throughout our Nation’s history. An estimated 2 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have served on the front lines of this crisis as healthcare providers, as first responders, and in other essential roles. The Federal Government should combat racism, xenophobia, and intolerance against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and should work to ensure that all members of AAPI communities – no matter their background, the language they speak, or their religious beliefs – are treated with dignity and equity.
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of American it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Condemning Racism, Xenophobia, and Intolerance Against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The Federal Government has a responsibility to prevent racism, xenophobia, and intolerance against everyone in America, including Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. My Administration condemns and denounces acts of racism, xenophobia, and intolerance against AAPI communities.
Sec. 2. Combating Racism, Xenophobia, and Intolerance Against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. (a)The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall, in coordination with the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force, consider issuing guidance describing best practices for advancing cultural competency, language access, and sensitivity towards Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the context of the Federal Government’s COVID-19 response. In developing any such guidance, the Secretary should consider best practices set forth by public health organizations and experts for mitigating racially discriminatory language in describing the COVID-19 pandemic.
(b) Executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall take all appropriate steps to ensure that official actions, documents, and statements, including those that pertain to the COVID-19 pandemic, do not exhibit or contribute to racism, xenophobia, and intolerance against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Agencies may consult with public health experts, AAPI community leaders, or AAPI community-serving organizations, or may refer to any best practices issued pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, to ensure an understanding of the needs and challenges faced by AAPI communities.
(c) The Attorney General shall explore opportunities to support, consistent with applicable law, the efforts of State and local agencies, as well as AAPI communities and community-based organizations, to prevent discrimination, bullying, harassment, and hate crimes against AAPI individuals and to expand collection of data and public reporting regarding hate incidents against such individuals.
Sec. 3. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) Independent agencies are strongly encouraged to comply with the provisions of this memorandum.
(d) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employers, or agents or any other person.
(e) The Secretary of Health and Human Services is authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 26: The White House posted a Memorandum titled: “Memorandum on Tribal Consultation and Strengthening Nation-to-Nation Relationships” From the Memorandum:
MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES
SUBJECT: Tribal Consultation and Strengthening Nation-to-Nation Relationships
American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal Nations are sovereign governments recognized under the Constitution of the United States, treaties, statutes, Executive Orders, and court decisions. It is a priority of my Administration to make respect for Tribal sovereignty and self-governance, commitment to fulfilling Federal trust and treaty responsibilities to Tribal Nations, and regular, meaningful, and robust consultation with Tribal Nations cornerstones of Federal Indian policy.
To this end, Executive Order 13175 of November 6, 2000 (Consultation and Coordination With Indian Tribal Governments), charges all executive departments with engaging with regular, meaningful, and robust consultation with Tribal officials in the development of Federal policies that have Tribal implications. Tribal consultation under this order strengthens Nation-to-Nation relationship between the United States and Tribal Nations. The Presidential Memorandum of November 5, 2009 (Tribal Consultation) requires each agency to prepare and periodically update a detailed plan of action to implement the policies and directives of Executive Order 13175. This memorandum reaffirms the policy announced in that memorandum.
Section 1. Consultation. My Administration is committed to honoring Tribal sovereignty and including Tribal voices in policy deliberation that affects Tribal communities. The Federal Government has much to learn from Tribal Nations and strong communication is fundamental to a constructive relationship. Accordingly, I hereby direct as follows:
(a) The head of each agency shall submit to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), within 90 days of the date of this memorandum, a detailed plan of actions the agency will take to implement the policies of Executive Order 13175, The plan shall be developed after consultation by the agency with Tribal Nations and Tribal officials as defined in Executive Order 13175.
(b) Each agency’s plan and subsequent reports shall designate an appropriate agency official to coordinate implementation of the plan and preparation of progress reports required by this memorandum. These officials shall submit reports to the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy (APDP) and the Director of OMB, who will review agency plans and subsequent reports for consistency with the policies and directives of Executive Order 13175.
(c) The head of each agency shall submit to the Director of OMB, within 270 days of the date of this memorandum, and annually thereafter, a progress report on the status of each action included in the agency’s plan, together with any proposed updates to its plan.
(d) The Director of OMB, incoordination with the APDP, shall submit to the President, within one year from the date of this memorandum, a report on the implementation of Executive Order 13175 across the executive branch based on the review of agency plans and progress reports. Recommendations for improving the plans and making the Tribal consultation progress more effective, if any, should be included in the report.
Sec. 2. Definitions. The terms “Tribal officials,” “policies that have Tribal implications,” and “agency” as used in this memorandum are defined in Executive Order 13175.
Sec. 3. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
Sec. 4. Publication. The Director of OMB is authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 26: The White House posted a Fact Sheet titled: “Fact Sheet: President Biden Announces New Steps to Boost Vaccine Supply and Increase Transparency for States, Tribes, and Territories”. From the Fact Sheet:
Administration to Purchase Additional 200 Million Doses to Be Delivered This Summer
Just over a year since the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in the United States, the nation has hit another grim milestone in the pandemic, reaching 25 million infections and counting. The pace in which this virus has spread throughout the U.S. is staggering and with new variants emerging, the spread is not slowing any time soon. That’s why it is critical that we vaccinate as many people as possible, as quickly as possible.
President Biden has a comprehensive National Action Strategy to put the pandemic behind us and he and the COVID-19 response team are aggressively implementing it. Today, the President is announcing bold steps that will help meet the goal of administering 100 million shots in 100 days and ramp up the vaccine supply as fast as possible. As a result of these actions, the federal government will have enough vaccine supply for the entire U.S. population by the end of the summer.
The President is taking the following actions today:
An Increase in Weekly Vaccine Supply to States, Tribes and Territories: The Biden-Harris Administration will increase overall, weekly vaccine supply to states, Tribes and territories from 8.6 million doses to a minimum of 10 million doses. This increase of 1.4 million doses per week will allow millions more Americans to get vaccinated sooner than previously anticipated. The Administration is committing to maintaining this as the minimum supply level for the next three weeks.
Increased transparency for States, Tribes, and Territories to Help Their Vaccination Efforts: The Biden-Harris Administration is taking action to provide states, Tribes and territories with a reliable three-week supply look-ahead. The Department of Health and Human Services will provide allocation estimates for the upcoming three weeks as opposed to the one week look-ahead that they previously received. This increased transparency will give state and local leaders greater certainty around supply so that they can plan their vaccination efforts and administer vaccines effectively and efficiently.
Purchase 200 Million Additional Doses to Be Delivered This Summer, Double the Nation’s Vaccine Supply: President Biden directed his COVID-19 Response Coordinator to work with HHS to increase our total vaccine supply for the American people. The Biden-Harris Administration is working to purchase an additional 100 million doses of each of the two Food and Drug Administration-authorized vaccines – Pfizer and Moderna. This increases the total vaccine orderer the U.S. by 50%, from 400 million to 600 million with these additional doses expected to deliver this summer. With these additional doses, the U.S. will have enough vaccine to fully vaccinate 300 million Americans by the end of this summer.
January 26: The White House posted Remarks titled: “Remarks by President Biden at Signing of an Executive Order on Racial Equity” From the Remarks:
THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, folks. I thank the Vice President for being with me today as well. In my campaign for President, I made it very clear that the moment had arrived as a nation where we face deep racial inequities in America and system- – systemic racism that has plagued our nation for far, far too long.
I said it over the course of the past year that the blinders had been taken come off the nation of the American people. What ma- – what many Americans didn’t see, or had simply refused to see, couldn’t be ignored any longer.
Those 8 minutes and 46 seconds that took George Floyd’s life opened up the eyes of millions of Americans and millions of people around – all over the world. It was the knee on the neck of justice, and it wouldn’t be forgotten. It was the knee on the neck of justice, and it wouldn’t be forgotten. It stirred the conscience of tens of millions of Americans, and, in my view, it marked a turning point in this country’s attitude toward racial justice.
When his six-years-old – six-year-old daughter, Gianna, who I met with when I met the family – I landed down to say hi to her, and she said – looked at me, and she said, “Daddy changed the world.” That’s what Gianna said – his daughter. “Daddy changed the world.” And I believe she is right, not because the ground has shifted, because it’s changed minds and mindsets, because it laid the groundwork for progress.
COVID-19 has further ripped a path of destruction through every community in America, but no one has been spared, but the devastation in communities of color has been nothing short of stunning. Just look at the numbers: 40 percent of frontline workers – nurses, first responders, grocery store workers – are Americans of color, and many are still living on the edge. One in ten black Americans is out of work today. One in eleven Latino Americans is out of work today. One in seven households in America – about one in four black, one in five Latino households in American – report that they don’t have enough food to eat in the United States of America.
Black and Latino Americans are dying of COVID-19 at rates nearly three times that of white Americans. And it’s not white Americans’ fault, but it’s just a fact. And the Americans now know it, especially younger Americans.
One of the reasons I’m so optimistic about this nation is that today’s generation of young Americans is the most progressive, thoughtful, inclusive generation that America has ever seen. And they are pulling us toward justice in so many ways, forcing us to confront the huge gap in economi- – excuse me, economic inequity between those at the top and everyone else, forcing us to confront the existential crisis of climate; and yes, forcing us to confront systemic racism and white supremacy.
It’s just been weeks since all of America witnessed a group of thugs, insurrectionists, political extremists, and white supremacists violently attack the Capitol of our democracy. And so now – now is the time to act. It’s time to act because that’s what the faith and morality calls us to do.
Across nearly every faith, the same principles hold: We’re all God’s children; we should treat each other as we would like to be treated ourselves. And this is time to act – and this time is because it’s what the core values of this nation call us to do. And I believe the vast majority of Americans – Democrats, Republicans, and independents – share these values and want us to act as well.
We have never fully lived up to the founding principles of this nation, to state the obvious, that all people are created equal and have a right to be treated equally throughout their lives. And its time to act now, not only because it’s the right thing to do, but because if we do, we’ll all be better off for it.
For too long, we’ve allowed a narrow, cramped view of the promise of this nation to fester. You know we’ve – we’ve bought the new that America is a zero-sum game in many cases: “If you succeed, I fail.” “If you get ahead, I fall behind.” “If you get the job, I lose mine.” Maybe worst of all is, “If I hold you down, I lift myself up.”
We’ve lost sight of what President Kennedy told us when he said, “A rising tide lifts all boats.” And when we lift each other up, we’re all lifted up. You know, and the corollary is true as well: When any one of us is held down, we’re all held back. More and more economic studies in recent years have proven this, but I don’t think you need economic studies to see the truth.
Just imaging if instead of consigning millions of American children to under-resourced schools, we gave each and every three- and four-year-old child a chance to learn, to go to school – not daycare, school – and grow and thrive in school and throughout. When they’ve done that – the places it’s been done, it shows they have an exponentially greater chance of going all the way though 12 years of school and doing it well.
But, you know, does anyone – does anyone in this whole nation think we’re not all better off if that were to happen?
Just imagine instead of denying millions of Americans the ability to own a home and build generational wealth – who made it possible for them to buy a home, their first home – and begin to build equity to provide for their families and send their children off to school, does anyone doubt that the whole nation will be better off?
Just imagine: Instead of denying millions of young entrepreneurs the ability to access capital, we made it possible to take their dream to market, create jobs, reinvest in their own communities. Does anyone doubt this whole nation wouldn’t be better off?
Just imagine if more incredibly creative and innovative – how much more creative and innovative we’d be if this nation held – held the historic black colleges and universities to the same opportunities – and minority-serving institutions – that had the same funding and resources of public universities to compete for jobs and industries of the future. You know, just ask the first HBCU graduate elected as Vice President if that’s not true.
But to do this, I believe this nation and this government need to change their whole approach to the issue of racial equal – – equity. Yes, we need criminal justice reform, but that isn’t nearly enough. We need to open the promise of America to every Americans. And that means we need to make the issue of racial equity not just an issue for any one department of government; it has to be the business of the whole of government.
That’s why I issued, among the first days, my whole-of-government executive order that will, for the first time, advance equity for all throughout our federal policies and institutions. It focuses on the whole range of communities who have been long underserved and overlooked: people of color; Americans with disabilities; LGBTQ Americans; religious minorities; rural, urban, suburban communities facing persistent poverty.
And I’ve asked Ambassador Susan Rice to lead the administration’s charge through the White House and Domestic Policy Council because I know she’ll se it through. Every White House, every White House component, and every agency will be involved in this work because advancing equity has to be everyone’s job.
Today, I’ll be shortly signing an additional package of executive actions to continue this vital work, Housing, for example: Housing is a right in America, and homeownership is an essential tool to wealth creation and to be passed down to generations.
Today, I’m directing the Department of Housing and Urban Affairs – and Urban Development to redress historical racism in federal housing policies. Today, I’m directing the federal agency to reinvigorate the consultation process with Indian tribes. Respect the tribal sovereignty – respect for tribal sovereignty will be a cornerstone of our engaging with Native American communities.
This builds on the work we did last week to expand tribes’ access to the Strategic National Stockpile for the first time, to ensure they receive help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, to fight this pandemic.
Today, I’m directing federal agencies to combat resurgence of xenophobia, particularly against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, that we’ve seen skyrocket during this pandemic. This is unacceptable and it’s un-American. I’ve asked the Department of Justice to strengthen its partnership with the Asian American and Pacific Islander community to prevent those hate crimes.
I’ve also asked the Department of Health and Human Services to put out best practices for combatting xenophobia in our national response to COVID.
Look, in the weeks ahead, I’ll be reaffirming the federal government’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and accessibility, building on the work we started in the Obama-Biden administration. That’s why I reminded the previous administration’s harmful ban on diversity and sensitivity training, and abolished the offensive, counter-factual 1776 Commission. Unity and healing must begin with understanding and truth, not ignorance and lies.
Today, I’m also issuing an executive order that will ultimately end the Justice Department’s use of the private prison indus- private prisons, an industry that houses pretrial detrainees – detainees and federal prisoners.
The executive order directs the Attorney General to decline to renew contracts with privately operated criminal facilities – a step we started to take at the end of the Obama administration and was reversed under the previous administration.
This is the first step to stop corporations from profiteering off of incarcerating – incarceration that is less humane and less safe, as the studies show. And it is just the beginning of my administration’s plan to address systemic problems in our criminal justice system.
Here’s another thing that we need to do: We need to restore and expand the Voting Rights Act – named after our dear friend, John Lewis – and continue to fight back against laws that many states are engaged in to suppress the right to vote, while expanding access to the ballot box for all eligible voters.
Because here’s the deal, and I’ll close with this: I ran for President because I believe we’re in a battle for the soul of the nation. And the simple truth is, our soul will be troubled as long as systemic racism is allowed to persist. We can’t eliminate it if – it’s not going to be overnight. We can’t eliminate everything.
But it’s corrosive, it’s destructive, and it’s costly. It costs every American, not just those who have felt the sting of injustice. We aren’t just less of a – we are not just a nation of morally deprived because of systemic racism; we’re also less prosperous, we’re less successful, we’re less secure.
So, we must change, and I know it’s going to take time. But I know we can do it. And I firmly believe the nation is ready to change, but government has to change as well. We need to make equity and justice part of what we do every day – today, tomorrow, and every day.
Now I’m going to sign these executive actions to continue the work to make real the promise of America for every Americans. Again, I’m not promising we can end it tomorrow, but I promise you: We’re going to continue to make progress to eliminate systemic racism, and every branch of the White House and the federal government is going to be part of that effort.
Thank you.
This first executive order is a memorandum for the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to redress our nation’s and the federal government’s history of discriminatory housing practices and policies.
(The executive order is signed.)
The next executive order is reforming the incarceration system by eliminating the use of privately operated criminal detention facilities.
(The executive order is signed.)
The third executive order is a memorandum for the heads of executive departments and agencies on tribal consultation, and strengthening nation-to-nation relationships.
(The executive order is signed.)
The last executive order is condemning and combatting racism, xenophobia, and intolerance against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States.
(The executive order is signed.)
I think the country is ready, and I know this administration is ready. Thank you.
Q: Mr. President, what did you talk to Vladimir Putin about?
THE PRESIDENT: You. (Laughter.) He sent his best.
January 26: The White House posted Remarks titled: “Remarks by President Biden on the Fight to Contain the COVID-19 Pandemic.” From the Remarks:
4:50 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you for taking the time to be here. Good afternoon. I’m accompanies by Jeff Zeints, who is heading up our whole COVID team. And today, what I’d like to do is upgrade – update you on where we are. Tomorrow, we’re going to begin the briefings that are going to occur on a regular basis with Mr. Zeints and his team. So we’re brining back the pros to talk about COVID in an unvarnished way. Any questions you have, that’s how we’ll handle them because we’re letting science speak.
And so, I – I’d like to update you on the aggressive steps we’ve ever undertaken as a nation. I’ve said that before, but I must say it again because we’re going to do – we’re going to do everything we can to get it done. But a lot of things can go wrong along the way.
And so, I’ve – as I’ve said in the past, we want to give credit to everyone involved in this vaccine effort and the prior administration and the science community and the medical sphere – (technical equipment falls to the floor) – for getting the program – I didn’t do it, I promise – (laughter) – for getting the program off the ground. And that credit is absolutely due.
But it’s also no secret that we have recently discovered, in the final days of the transition – and it wasn’t until the final days we got the kind of cooperation we needed – that once we arrived, the vaccine program is worse shape than we anticipated or expected. A lot of you who follow this – and nobody is – I mean this sincerely, the press is the smartest group of people in town; you hone this stuff down, clearly – I think you found the same thing.
Even before I took office, I announced a new vaccine – a vaccination strategy for our whole country. And that’s why I directed my COVID team to go to work immediately, and how we could step up the vaccination efforts and the vaccinations.
I’m pleased to announce the first progress in that work today on day seven of my presidency. First, after review of the current vaccine supply manufacturing plants, I can announce that we will increase the overall weekly vaccination distribution to states, tribes, and territories from 8.6 million doses to a minimum of 10 million doses, starting next week. That’s an increase of 1.4 million doses per week.
And you all know – if I may not, parenthetically – you all know that the vaccines are distributed to states based on population. They’re based on population. And so the smaller the state, the less vaccine; the bigger the state, the more they get. And so this is going to allow millions of more Americans to get vaccinated sooner than previously anticipated. We got a long way to go, though.
The second thing: We’re increasing the transparency with states, cities, and tribes, and local partners when it comes to the vaccine supply. This is something we’ve heard over and over again from both Democrats and Republicans, state and local leaders; that they need a plan in order to what – they didn’t know what they had to plan on. They need to know what the order is going to be.
Jeff had a meeting with the governors on Zoom and – and others. And I think we’re getting this coordinated in a way that there’s increased cooperation and confidence.
But until now, we’ve had to guess how much vaccine to expect for the next week. And that’s what the governors had to do: “How much am I getting next week?” This is unacceptable. They – you know, the lives are at stake here.
From this week forward, God willing, we’ll ensure that states, tribes, and territories will now always have a reliable three-week forecast on what the supply they’re going to get. So they’ll know, three weeks ahead of time, what’s going to be there in the third week.
This is going to help make sure governors, mayors, and local leaders have greater certainty around supply so they can carry out their plans to vaccinate as many people as possible.
So, we will both increase the supply in the short term by more than 15 percent and give our states and local partners more certainty about when the deliveries will arrive. These two steps are going to help increase our prospects of hitting – or exceeding, God willing, the ambitious goal of 100 million shots in 100 days.
But I also want to be clear: 100 million shots in 100 days is not the endpoint; it’s just the start. We’re not stopping there. The end goal is to beat COVID-19. And the way we do that is to get more people vaccinated, which means we have to be ready, after we hit the ground – after we hit the goal of 100 million shots in 100 days.
Now, that means fewer than 100 million people getting totally vaccinated; it means 100 shots, it means somewhere between 60 – maybe less, maybe more – million people will have the – because it requires two shots in many cases – not always.
So today, I’m directing COVID-19 Response Coordinator Jeff Zeints, here, to work with the Department of Health and Human Services to increase our total supply of vaccine for the American people. And we believe that we’ll soon be able to confirm the purchase of an additional 100 billion doses for each of the two FDA-authorized vaccines: Pfizer and Moderna. That’s 100 million more doses of Pfizer and 100 million more doses of Moderna – 200 million more doses than the federal government had previously secured. Not in hand yet, but ordered.
We expect these additional 200 million doses to be delivered this summer. And some of it will come as early – begin to come in early summer, but by the mid – – by the mid-summer, that this vaccine will be there. And the order – and that increases the total vaccine order in the United States by 50 percent – from 400 million ordered to 600 million.
This is enough vaccine to fully vaccinate 300 Americans by the end of the summer, beginning of the fall. But if we want to make – look, that’s – I want to repeat: It’ll be enough to vaccinate 300 Americans to beat this pandemic – 300 million Americans. And this is aggregate plan the doesn’t leave any thing on the table or anything to chance, as we’ve seen happen in the past year.
I’ve said before: This is a wartime effort. When I say – when I say that, people ask, “Wartime?” I say, “Yeah, more than 400,000 Americans have already died.” I think it’s four hundred eleven or twelve have died in all of – Americans who died in World War Two. This is a wartime undertaking; it’s not hyperbole.
And as such, I directed the team to be ready to exercise all the authorities I have under the Defense Production Act, and expedite these vaccines. And we’re using the Defense Production Act to launch a full-scale, wartime effort to address the supply shortages we inherited from the previous administration.
We’re going to be working across the government, with private industry, to ramp up production of vaccine and protective equipment – the syringes, the needles, the gloves, the swabs, and the masks – everything that’s needed to protect, test, vaccinate, and take care of our people. Well, we’ve already identified supplies, and we’re working with them to move our plan forward.
The biggest problem – I hope you’re all asking me by the end of the summer that, “You have too much vaccine left over. You have too much equipment leftover.” That’s not my worry. I hope that becomes the problem, rather than we somehow find interruptions in supply or access.
These aggressive steps to increase vaccine supply come on top of the steps we took last week to get more people vaccinated for free, to create more places for them to get vaccinated, and to mobilize more medical teams to get hots in people’s arms.
We’ve directed FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to stand up the first federally supported community vaccination centers, and that work is underway. We’re working to make vaccines available to thousands of local pharmacies, beginning in early February; it’s a couple of weeks off. And we – that will enormously expand our reach.
Last week, I also signed a declaration to immediately begin reimbursing states 100 percent for their uses of the National Guard to help the COVID relief effort, both getting people – getting the sites set up and even using some of their personnel to administer some of the vaccines. And I think it’s something Democrats and Republicans and governors alike have called for.
We’re also expanding testing, which will help schools and businesses reopen safely and protect the most vulnerable.
And we formalized the Health Equity Task Force to ensure that equity is at the core of everything we do in urban and rural communities alike, to make sure those people most significantly damaged have – have access. Access. We have to change. We have to move in a direction for those communities that are hard to get to.
But the brutal truth is: It’s going to take months before we can get the majority of Americans vaccinated. Months. In the next few months, masks – not vaccines – are the best defense against COVID-19. Experts say that wearing masks from now just until April would save 500,000 lives who otherwise will pass away if we don’t wear these masks. That’s why I’m asking the American people to mask up for the first 100 days. I’ve issued executive orders requiring masks on federal property and interstate travel – trains and planes and busses.
One congressman pointed out – I could – well, he used a very, anyway, colorful term to say wearing a mask – “I tell him to his my ear; I’m not going to war a mask.” Well, guess what? Not very American. The fact is, you want to be patriotic; you’re going to protect people. And the new COVID-19 variants are – we are instituting new measures to deal with these individuals flying into the United States from other countries.
You’ve all hold – if you could hold a second – you’ve all heard about the strain – the British strain, the Brazilian strain, the South African strain. And they are – they seem to be more transmittable more easily. So, in addition to wearing masks, everyone flying to the United Staes from another country, we need to test before they arrive in America.
I’m going to close with this: I now have a national – we now have a national strategy to beat COVID-19. It’s comprehensive. It’s based on science, not politics. It’s based on truth, not denial. And it is detailed. It’s going to require Congress to pass the American Rescue Plan to provide funding to administer the vaccines, to ramp up testing, to help schools and businesses reopen, and to deliver immediate economic relief to Americans who are badly in need of it through no fault of their own.
And our plan will take time. Progress from our plan will take time to measure, as people getting infected today don’t show up in case counts for weeks, and those who perish from those – from the disease die weeks after that exposure. You know, despite the best our best intentions, we’re going to face setbacks, which I will always explain to you and acknowledge.
And let me be clear: Things are going to continue to get worse before they get better. The death toll, experts tell us, is likely to top 500,000 by the end of next month – February – and cases will continue to mount. We didn’t get into this mess overnight, and it’s going to take months for us to turn things around. But let me be equally clear: We’re going to get through this. We will defeat this pandemic.
And to a nation waiting for action, let me be clearest on this point: Help is on the way. We can do this if we come together, if we listen to the scientists. And as I said: Tomorrow, I say to the press, the entire team will be back in the business of – my COVID team – of answering all your detailed questions.
So, thank you very much for your patience. Keep the faith. We’re going to get this done. And I always level with you about the state of affairs.
Thank you.
January 27, 2021
January 27: The White House posted an Executive Order titled: “Executive Order on the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology”. From the Executive Order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to establish an advisory council on science, technology, and innovation, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy: As directed in the Presidential Memorandum of January 27, 2021 (Scientific Integrity and Evidence-Based Policymaking), it is the policy of my Administration to make evidence-based decisions guided by the best available science and data. Officials and employees across my Administration shall seek from scientists, engineers, and other experts the best available scientific and technological information and advice.
Sec. 2. Establishment. (a) There is hereby established the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST).
(b) The PCAST shall be composed of not more than 26 members. The Assistant to the President for Science and Technology (the “Science Advisor”) shall be a member of PCAST. The Science Advisor, if also serving as the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, may designate the U.S. Chief Technology Officer as a member. The remaining member shall be distinguished individuals and representatives from sectors outside of the Federal government appointed by the President. These non-Federal members shall have diverse perspectives and expertise in science, technology, and innovation.
(c) The Science Advisor shall serve as a Co-Chair of the PCAST. The President shall also designate at least one, but not more than two, of the non-Federal members to serve as a Co-Chair, or Co-Chairs, of the PCAST with the Science Advisor. The Science Advisor may designate up to three Vice Chairs of the PCAST from among the non-Federal members of PCAST, to support the Co-Chairs in the leadership and organization of the PCAST.
Sec. 3. Functions. (a) The PCAST shall advise the President on matters involving policy affecting science, technology, and innovation, as well as on matters needed to inform public policy relating to the economy, worker empowerment, education, energy, the environment, public health and homeland security, racial equity and other topics.
(b) The PCAST shall meet regularly and shall:
(i) respond to requests from the President or the Science Advisor for information, analysis, evaluation, or advice;
(ii)solicit information and ideas from a broad range of stakeholders, including the research community; the private sector; universities; national laboratories; State, local and Tribal governments; foundations; and nonprofit organizations;
(iii) serve as the advisory committee identified in section 101(b) of the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 (Public Law 102-194), as amended by (15 U.S.C. 5511 (b)), in which capacity the PCAST shall be known as the President’s Innovation and Technology Advisory Committee; and
(iv) serve as the advisory panel identified in section 4 of the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (Public Law 108-153), as amended (15 U.S.C. 7503), in which capacity the PCAST shall be known as the National Advisory Panel.
(c) The PCAST shall provide advice from the non-Federal sector to the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) in response to requests from the NSTC.
Sec. 4. Administration. (a) The heads of executive departments and agencies shall, to the extent permitted by law, provide the PCAST with information concerning scientific and technological matters when requested for the purpose of carrying out the PCAST’s functions.
(b) In consultation with the Science Advisor, the PCAST is authorized to create standing subcommittees and ad hoc groups, including technical advisory groups, to assist the PCAST and provide preliminary information directly to the PCAST.
(c) In order to allow the PCAST to provide advice and analysis regarding classified maters, the Science Advisor may request that members of the PCAST, its standing subcommittees, or ad hoc groups, who do not hold a current clearance for access to classified information, receive security clearance and access determinations pursuant to Executive Order 12968 of August 2, 1994 (Access to Classified Information) as amended, or any successor order.
(d) The Department of Energy shall provide such funding and administrative technical support as the PCAST may require, to the extent permitted by law and within existing appropriations.
(e) Members of the PCAST shall serve without any compensation for their work on the PCAST, but may receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by law for persons intermittently in the government service (5 U.S.C. 5701-5707).
(f) Insofar as the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), may apply to the PCAST, any functions of the President under that Act, except that of reporting to Congress, shall be performed by the Secretary of Energy, in accordance with the guidelines and procedures established by the Administrator of General Services.
Sec. 5. Termination. The PCAST shall terminate 2 years from the date of this order unless extended by the President.
Sec. 6. Revocation. Executive Order 13895 of October 22, 2019, (President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology), is hereby revoked.
Sec. 7. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 27: Senator Charles Schumer posted a Press Release titled: “FOLLOWING THEIR PUSH TO ADVANCE VACCINE DISTRIBUTION EFFORTS, SENATORS SCHUMER & GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE $466.8 MILLION IN FEMA FEDERAL FUINDS FOR NEW YORK’S COVID-19 VACCINE DISTRIBUTION & ADMINISTRATION” From the Press Release:
NYS Set To Receive Critical Federal Funds to Aid Vaccine Distribution Efforts
Federal Funds Support Costs Of Vaccine Transportation, Essential Medical Supplies & Staff, PPE, Disinfection Services for Vaccine Distribution Sites & More
Senators say Funding Ensures New Yorkers Are Receiving Their COVID-19 Vaccines In A Safe & Effective Way To Keep Up Critical Fight Against The Virus
Following Senator Schumer’s call last week with Mr. Jeffrey Zeints, President Biden’s pick to be the White House coronavirus coordinator, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kristen Gillibrand today announced $466,800,000 in federal funding for New York’s vaccine distribution and administration. These federal funds are critical to the safe and effective distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and were allocated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Specifically, this funding covers the costs of supplies required for storing, handling, distributing, transporting, and administering COVID-19 vaccines.
This includes emergency medical care, containers for medical waste, and supplies necessary for proper storage of the vaccines including liquid nitrogen, dry ice and portable storage units. Additionally, the funding supports vaccine transportation such as refrigerated trucks and transport security, medical and support staff, onsite infection control measures, PPE for staff and face masks for patients, temperature scanners, physical barriers and disinfection services for vaccine distribution facilities. Finally, the funding will be used for facility costs, including leasing space for storage and administration of vaccines.
“In order to get these wonderful vaccines injected into the arms of millions of New Yorkers, we must also inject hundreds of millions of dollars into New York State and New York City’s budgets – so they can get this job done ASAP to keep people safe and to reenergize our economy,” said Senator Schumer. “New York continues to face unprecedented health and economic crises and is working to combat the virus with COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration. Federal support of the state’s vaccine distribution system is critical to delivering vaccines to New Yorkers as quickly as safely as possible. This infusion of almost half-a-billion in federal funds supports the transportation of COVID-19 vaccines to distribution sites across the state and will ensure that distribution sites are safe and equipped with the proper medical supplies, medical staff, cleaning services, and more. I will continue to fight for federal funds like these so that we can effectively beat back the virus with the safe and equitable distribution of vaccines.”
“While we celebrate the authorization of life-saving COVID-19 vaccines that put us one step closer to eradicating this virus, we have to face reality – federal aid is critical to helping New York State ensure vaccinations are distributed efficiently and equitably to those who need it the most,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I am proud to deliver nearly half-a-billion dollars in federal finding to do exactly that – get vaccines in the arms of New Yorkers. These federal dollars will hire New York guard against our nation’s lagging vaccine distribution by providing resources for staff, supplies, PPE, and distribution centers. Only then can we move forward and begin to recover from the current health and economic crisis.”
U.S. Senators Schumer and Gillibrand have been instrumental in securing federal funds for New York to fight the coronavirus and support its vaccine distribution efforts. In December, the senators delivered $1.3 billion through the COVID relief deal for vaccination distribution, testing, tracing and more. The senators previously announced $14 million in federal funding for COVID-19 vaccine preparedness and response to help New York’s public health agencies and nonprofits implement vaccine programs.
And most recently, Schumer and Gillibrand penned a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regarding the department’s failure to develop and implement a comprehensive national vaccine plan under the former administration. Senator Schumer has also spoken with Mr. Jeffrey Zeints, President Biden’s pick to be the White House coronavirus coordinator, and communicated that New York needs three things: predictability, communication, and vaccines in order to have an effective and efficient vaccine distribution system.
January 27: The White House posted a Memorandum on Restoring Trust in Government Through Scientific Integrity and Evidence-Based Policymaking” From the Memorandum:
MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES
It is the policy of my Administration to make evidence-based decisions guided by the best available science and data. Scientific and technological information, data, and evidence are central to the development and iterative improvement of sound policies, and to the delivery of equitable programs, across every area of government.
Scientific findings should never be distorted or influenced by political considerations. When scientific or technological information is considered in policy decisions, it should be subjected to well-established scientific processes, including peer review where feasible and appropriate protections for privacy.
Improper political interference in the work of Federal scientists or other scientists who support the work of the Federal Government and in the communication of scientific facts undermines the welfare of the Nation, contributes to systemic inequities and injustices, and violates the trust that the public places in government to best serve its collective interests.
This memorandum reaffirms and builds on the President Memorandum of March 9, 2009 (Scientific Integrity), and the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy’s Memorandum or December 17, 2010 (Scientific Integrity).
By the authority vested in me as the President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I direct as follows:
Section 1. Role of the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. The Director of the Offices of Science and Technology Policy (Director) shall ensure the highest level of integrity in all aspects of executive branch involvement with scientific and technological processes. This responsibility shall include ensuring that executive departments and agencies (agencies) establish and enforce scientific-integrity policies that ban improper political interference in the conduct of scientific research and in the collection of scientific or technological data, and that prevent the suppression or distortion of scientific or technological findings, data, information, conclusions, or technical results.
In implementing this memorandum, the Director shall, as appropriate, convene and confer with the heads of agencies and with personnel within the offices of the Executive Office of the President, including the Office of Management and Budget.
Sec. 2. Task Force on Scientific Integrity. (a) The Director shall convene an interagency task force (the “Task Force”) of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) to conduct a thorough review of the effectiveness of agency scientific-integrity policies developed since the issuance of the Presidential Memorandum of March 9, 2009.
(b) The Task Force shall complete its review within 120 days of the date of the appointment of its members, and shall take the following actions when completing its review.
(i) The Task Force shall ensure its review considers whether existing Federal scientific-integrity policies prevent improper political interference in the conduct of scientific research and the collection of scientific or technological data; prevent the suppression or distortion of scientific or technological findings, data, information, conclusions or technical results; support scientists and researchers of all genders, races, ethnicities, and backgrounds; and advance the equitable delivery of the Federal Government’s programs.
(ii) The Task Force’s review shall include an analysis of any instances in which existing scientific-integrity policies have not been followed or enforced, including whether such deviations from existing policies have resulted in improper political interference in the conduct of scientific research and the collection of scientific or technical data; led to the suppression or distortion of scientific or technological findings, data, information, conclusions, or technical results; disproportionately harmed Federal scientists and researchers from groups that are historically underrepresented in science, technology, and related fields; or impeded the equitable delivery of the Federal Government’s programs.
The scope of this review shall include the work of scientific and technological advisory committees, boards, and similar bodies. The existing policies examined by this review shall include those issued pursuant to the Presidential Memorandum of March 9, 2009, and the Director’s Memorandum of December 17, 2019; any other scientific-integrity policies published on agency websites; and commonly accepted scientific-integrity practices.
(iii) The Task Force shall identify effective practices regarding engagement of Federal scientists, as well as contractors working on scientific matters for agencies, with news media and on social media; effective policies that protect scientific independence during clearance and review, and that avoid improper political interference in research or data collection; effective approaches for handling any disagreements about scientific methods and conclusions; effective reporting practices that promote transparency in the implementation of agency scientific-integrity policies and in handling of any allegations of misconduct; effective practices for educating and informing employees and contractors of their rights and responsibilities to agency scientific-integrity policies; promising opportunities to address gaps in current scientific-integrity policies related to emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine-learning, and evolving scientific practices, such as citizen science and community-engaged research’ effective approaches to minimizing conflicts of interest in Federal Government science; and policies that support the professional development of Federal scientists in accordance with, and building on, section IV of the Director’s Memorandum of December 17, 2010.
(iv) To inform the review, the Task Force shall gather input from stakeholders and public regarding scientific-integrity practices. The Task Force shall consider obtaining such input through various means, which may include holding a virtual stakeholder summit hosted by the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), issuing a public request for information, and conducting a virtual listening tour or open forums.
(v) Upon the conclusion of its review, the Director shall publish a report on the OSTP website synthesizing the Task Force’s findings. The report shall include a description of agencies’ strengths and weaknesses regarding scientific-integrity policies, as well as a description of best practices and lessons learned.
(c) Within 120 days of the publication of the Task Force’s initial 120-day review of existing scientific-integrity policies, the Task Force shall develop a framework to inform and support the regular assessment and iterative improvement of agency scientific-integrity policies and practices, to support the Director and OSTP in ensuring the agencies adhere to the principles of scientific integrity.
This framework shall include assessment criteria that OSTP and agencies can use to inform, review, and improve the design and implementation of agency scientific-integrity policies. The Director shall publish this framework on the OSTP website.
Sec. 3. Agency Scientific-Integrity Policies. (a) Heads of agencies shall ensure that all agency activities associated with scientific and technological processes are conducted in accordance with the 6 principles set forth in section 1 of the Presidential Memorandum on March 9, 2009, and the 4 foundations of scientific integrity in government set forth in part I of the Director’s Memorandum of December 17, 2010.
(b) Heads of agencies shall ensure that their agency scientific-integrity policies reflect the findings in the Task Force report produced under section (2)(b)(v) of this memorandum, and apply to all agency employees, regardless of the nature of their appointment, as well as contractors who perform scientific activities for agencies. Heads of agencies shall coordinate with the Director in the development, updating, and implementation of any agency-specific policies or procedures deemed necessary to ensure the integrity of scientific decision-making. The following time frames shall apply when completing the activities described in this subsection:
(i) The head of each agency with an existing scientific-integrity policy shall submit an updated policy to the Director within 180 days of the publication of the Task Force’s report.
(ii) The head of each agency without an existing scientific-integrity policy shall submit a draft agency scientific-integrity policy to the Director within 180 days of the publication of the Task Force’s report.
(iii) The Director shall expeditiously review scientific-integrity policies submitted by the agencies to ensure that the policies submitted by the agencies to ensure that the policies respond to the Task Force’s analysis, adhere to the policy directives in this memorandum, and uphold the highest standards of scientific practice.
(iv) The Director shall notify agencies of any deficiencies in the scientific-integrity policies and collaborate with agencies to expeditiously correct those deficiencies.
(c) In implementing this section, heads of agencies shall:
(i) Provide the Director with any information the Director deems necessary to conduct the Director’s duties under this memorandum;
(ii) Publish the agency’s scientific-integrity policy on the agency’s website, and disseminate information about the policy through the agency’s social media channels;
(iii) Develop and publish procedures, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, for implementing the agency’s scientific-integrity policy, including establishing and publishing an administrative process for reporting, investigating, and appealing allegations of deviations from the agency’s policy, and for resolving any disputes or disagreements about scientific methods and conclusions;
(iv) Review and, as needed, update within 60 days of the date of this memorandum any website content, and within 300 days of the date of this memorandum any agency reports, data, or other agency materials issued or published since January 20, 2017, that are inconsistent with the principles set forth in this memorandum and that remain in use by the agency or its stakeholders;
(v) Educate agency employees, as well as contractors who perform scientific activities for the agency, on their rights and responsibilities related to scientific integrity, including by conducting routine training on the agency’s scientific-integrity policy for all employees, and by ensuring any new employees are made aware of their responsibilities under the agency’s scientific-integrity policy shortly after they are hired; and
(vi) Publish, consistent with any requirements related to national security and privacy, as well as any other applicable law, annual report on the agency’s website that includes the number of administrative investigations and appeals involving alleged deviations from the agency’s scientific-integrity policies, as described in section (3)(c)(iii) of this memorandum, for the year covered by the report, and the number of investigations and appeals pending from years prior to the year covered by the report if any.
Sec. 4. Publication of Scientific-Integrity Policies and Ongoing Biennial Reporting. (a) The Director shall publish on the OSTP and NTSC reports on scientific integrity, and links to the scientific-integrity policies on agency websites, to ensure such information and policies can be easily accessed by the public.
(b) The Director shall publish on the OSTP website, and disseminate via social media, a biennial report on the status and implementation of this memorandum across the executive branch. This report shall include a review of the impact on scientific integrity of diversity, equity, and inclusion practices related to the Federal scientific and engineering practices related to the Federal scientific and engineering workforce and scientific Federal advisory committees.
Sec. 5. Evidence-Based Policymaking. (a) Heads of agencies shall ensure that the scientific-integrity policies of their agencies consider, supplement, and support their plans for forming evidence-based policies, including the evidence-building plans required by 5 U.S.C. 312(a) and the annual evaluation plans required by 5 U.S.C. 312(b).
(b) Within 120 days of the date of this memorandum, after consultation with the Director, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) shall issue guidance to improve agencies’ evidence-building plans and annual evaluation plans. Specifically, the Director of OMB shall consider whether, consistent with, and building upon, Executive Order 13707 of September 15, 2015 (Using Behavioral Science Insights to Better Serve the American People), agencies’ evidence-building plans and annual evaluation plans shall include a broad set of plans and annual evaluation plans shall include a broad set of methodological approaches for the evidence-based and iterative development and the equitable delivery of policies, programs, and agency operations.
Relevant approaches might include use of pilot projects, randomized control trials, quantitative-survey research and statistical analysis, qualitative research, ethnography, research based on data linkages in which records from two or more datasets that refer to the same entity are joined, well-established processes for community engagement and inclusion in research, and other approaches that may be informed by the social and behavioral sciences and data science.
(c) The statutory positions required to be designated by agencies by the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-435), which include the Evaluation Officer, the Chief Data Officer, and a senior statistical official, shall incorporate scientific-integrity principles consistent with this memorandum into agencies’ data governance and evaluation approaches.
Similarly, the Chief Data Officers Council shall incorporate scientific-integrity principles consistent with this memorandum into its efforts to establish government-wide best practices for the use, protection, dissemination, and generation of data, and both the Chief Data Officers Council and the Evaluation Officers Council and the Evaluation Officer Council shall identify ways in which agencies can improve upon the production of evidence for use in policymaking.
(d) Consistent with the provisions of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018, heads of agencies shall, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, expand open and secure access to Federal data routinely collected in the course of administering Federal, State, local, Tribal, or territorial government programs or fulfilling Federal, State, local, Tribal or territorial government mandates, such as tax data, vital records, other statistical data, and Social Security Administration earnings and employment reports, to ensure governmental and non-governmental researchers can use Federal data to assess and evaluate the effectiveness and equitable delivery of policies and to suggest improvements.
In implementing this provision, heads of agencies shall:
(i) Make these data available by default in a machine-readable format and in a manner that protects privacy and confidential or classified information, and any other information protected from disclosure by law;
(ii) Publish an agency data plan that provides a consistent framework for data stewardship, use , and access. If publishing such a plan is not feasible, then the head of the agency shall publish guidelines outlining how the data were collected, metadata on data use, any limitations on data use, and ways for researchers to provide feedback on data shared;
(iii) Follow the mandates of the Information Quality Act (section 515 of Public Law 106-554) in assessing and making available to researchers information on the quality of the data being provided; and
(iv) Where possible, provide such data disaggregated by gender, race, ethnicity, age, income, and other demographic factors that support researchers in understanding the effects of policies and programs on equity and justice.
(e) The Director of OMB shall review whether guidance to agencies on implementation of the Information Quality Act needs to be updated and reissued.
(f) Heads of agencies shall review and expeditiously update any agency policies, processes, and practices issued or published since January 20, 2017, that prevent the best available science and data from informing the agency’s evidence-based and iterative development and equitable delivery of policies and programs.
Sec. 6. Agency Chief Science Officers and Scientific Integrity Officials. (a) Within 120 days of the date of this memorandum, the heads of agencies that fund, conduct, or oversee scientific research shall, to the extent consistent with applicable law, designate a senior agency employee for the role of chief science officer, science advisor, or chief scientist (“Chief Science Officer”), who shall:
(i) Serve as the principal advisor to the head of the agency on scientific issues and ensure that the agency’s research programs are scientifically and technologically well-founded and conducted with integrity; and
(ii) Oversee the implementation and iterative improvement of policies and processes affecting the integrity of research funded, conducted, or overseen by the agency, as well as policies affecting the Federal and non-Federal scientists who support the research activities of the agency, including scientific-integrity policies consistent with the provisions of this memorandum.
(b) Because science, facts, and evidence are vital to addressing policy and programmatic issues across the Federal Government, the heads of all agencies (not only those that fund, conduct, or oversee scientific research) shall designate expeditiously a senior career employee as the agency’s lead scientific-integrity official (“Scientific Integrity Official”) to oversee implementation and iterative improvement of scientific-integrity policies and processes consistent with the provisions of this memorandum, including implementation of the administrative and dispute resolution processes described in section (3)(c)(iii) of this memorandum. For agencies with a Chief Science Officer, the Scientific Integrity Officer shall report to the Chief Science Officer on all matters involving scientific-integrity policies.
(c) To the extent necessary to fully implement the provisions of this memorandum, heads of agencies may designate additional scientific-integrity points of contact with different offices and components, who shall coordinate with the agency’s Scientific Integrity Official in implementing the agency’s scientific-integrity policies and processes.
(d) Heads of agencies should ensure those designated to serve in the roles described in this section, along with their respective staffs, are selected based on their scientific and technological knowledge, skills, experience, and integrity, including experience conducting and overseeing scientific research and utilizing scientific and technological information and data in agency decision-making, prioritizing experience with evidence-based, equitable, inclusive, and participatory practices and structures for the conduct of scientific research and the communication of scientific results.
(e) The Director or a designee of the Director shall regularly convene Chief Science Officers and Scientific Integrity Officials to encourage the discussion and expansion of effective scientific-integrity policies and practices among agencies.
Sec. 7. Scientific Advisor Committees. (a) Within 90 days of the date of this memorandum, heads of agencies shall review their current and future needs for independent scientific and technological advice from Federal advisory committees, commissions, and boards. The review should include an evaluation of those advisory bodies established by law, and should consider both current and anticipated needs.
(b) This review shall assess which Federal scientific and technological advisory committees should be rechartered or recreated to ensure that relevant and highly qualified external experts, with proper safeguards against conflicts of interest, can contribute to critical Federal regulations and other agency actions and decision-making. The review shall also identify any agency policies, processes, or practices that may currently prevent or inhibit relevant and highly qualified external experts from serving on such committees.
(c) In conducting this review, heads of agencies shall take steps to review the membership of scientific and technological advisory committees and, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, ensure that members of future nominees reflect the diversity of America in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, geography, and other characteristics; represent a variety of backgrounds, areas of expertise, and experiences; provide well-rounded and expert advice to agencies; and are selected based on their scientific and technological knowledge, skills, experience, and integrity, including prioritization of experience with evidence-based, equitable, inclusive, and participatory practices and structures for the conduct of scientific research and the communication of scientific results.
(d) Upon completion of their 90-day review, heads of agencies shall provide a summary report to the Director and the Director of OMB with recommendations on which Federal scientific and technology advisory committees should be rechartered or recreated in accordance with subsection (b) of this section; which scientific and technological advisory committees should be prioritized for membership appointments to ensure they provide well-rounded and expert advice reflecting diverse perspectives, in accordance with subsection (c) of this section; and which agency policies, processes, or practices, if any, should be updated to encourage relevant and highly qualified external experts to serve on such committees.
Sec. 8. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 27: The White House posted a Press Briefing titled: “Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, and National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy, January 27, 2021”
NOTE: This one was long, so I chose to include the portion that Press Secretary Jen Psaki led. (The climate-related portion will be posted in the Biden-Harris category).
…MS. PSAKI: …I know we have a short period of time here, but I just wanted to provide an update on a question that you all have been asking about, which is some of the outreach our teams are doing as it relates to the COVID package. That is a top priority for President Biden.
As we have talked about almost every day in here – probably every day – our team continues to build support for the American Rescue Plan as more and more voices across the country recognize the urgent need to get American families the help they need.
We’ve obviously seen a broad coalition of support emerge, from the Chamber of Commerce, to Senator Sanders and organized labor, to hundreds of mayors and local public health officials. The President and Vice President are engaged directly with members and have had a number of productive conversations. That will continue through the course of the week and will only pick up in the days ahead.
Senior White House officials are also engaging with not just congressional leaders, but also state and local officials, key constituency groups, and others to gather feedback on the proposal and move the package forward.
So let me give you a couple of examples from just yesterday:
Chief of Staff Ron Klain engaged directly throughout the day, as did Senior Advisor Anita Dunn, which they will both continue to do moving forward. Counselor to the President Steve Ricchetti and Office of Legislative Affairs Director Louisa Terrell are quarterbacking the team’s broader legislative outreach and have had dozens of conversations with individual members to understand their priorities and receive their feedback.
In addition to ongoing conversations with leadership on both sides of the aisle, already this week, members of the National Economic Council and Domestic Policy Council and staff from Treasury have met with the relevant committees, including Senate Banking Committee, Senate Finance Committee, House Ways and Means, House Financial Services, House Education and Labor, and the bicameral Small Business Committee.
NEC Director Brian Deese is doing one-on-one briefings with members of Congress and meetings with caucuses, including yesterday’s meeting, which I believe has been reported, with the Problem Solvers Caucus to discuss the proposal.
Hill engagement will continue, with Jeff Zients and Brian Deese meeting with the New Dem Coalition, along with several other briefings that are scheduled.
Also, our outreach isn’t limited to Congress, which is vitally important. This isn’t just about speaking to the country, and building support, and educating and engaging with leaders across the country.
So, yesterday, Jeff Zeints and his team spoke with bipartisan governors – as you all know, they talked about the COVID package – by the National Governors Association – organized by them. And administration officials briefed tribal leaders and a number of mayors yesterday as well. And the Office of Public Engagement, led by Cedric Richmond, briefed civil rights groups yesterday, including the NAACP, the National Action Network, Justice Action Network, Urban League, Coalition of Black Civic Participation, and Black Women’s Roundtable. Today they have meetings with labor leaders, advocates for young people, as well as organizations dedicated to building wealth in the black community.
On Friday, OP will also – the Office of Public Engagement, I should say; I hate acronyms – will convince 100 presidents of historically black colleges and universities also to discuss this proposal.
And the only other thing I wanted to mention before we get to your questions is that, as you all know, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen was just confirmed. The President will be meeting with his economic team on Friday, including Secretary Yellen, for a briefing on the impact of delay and moving forward with the additional economic relief.
And now, with that, let’s get to your questions. Alex, it’s your first day in the White House Briefing Room.
Q: Thank you.
MS. PSAKI: And Alex’s first day. Two Alex’s first days.
Q: It’s good to be here.
MS. PSAKI: There’s an imitation afterwards that the press corps will conduct.
Q: Hazing? I’m ready for it.
MS. PSAKI: Yes, go ahead.
Q: Yeah, I’ll make it quick because I know you have a pretty hard out in a few minutes.
MS. PSAKI: I think you all have a hard out too. But, yes.
Q: Absolutely.
I wanted to ask about one of your favorite topics: impeachment. Nearly every Republican senator last night voted to throw out the impeachment trial against President Trump. Does President Biden have a reaction to that? Does he trust Congress to hold President Trump accountable for the insurrection against the Capitol? And does he see censure against President Trump as a viable alternative to convictions, since it looks unlikely at this point?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the President certainly respects the role that Congress has – senators, of course, – the Senate – as they’re overseeing the trial moving forward, in determining the pace and the path forward for holding the former President accountable. That continues to be his belief.
In all of his conversations that he’s been having with members about the recovery plan, he has – they have said that they expect from him that his focus will be on COVID relief. That’s how he will use the bully pulpit. That’s how he will speak to the American people. And they are eager to work with him on that. So that’s where his focus remains. And what steps they take to hold the former President accountable, he’ll leave it to them.
Q: Why the resistance on weighing in on the issue?
MS. PSAKI: We’ve weighed in many times. The President has been asked about the issue. We put out a statement when the House put out a vote – voted on impeachment, I should say.
But his focus is on doing – delivering on what the American people elected him to do, which is to get relief to the American people, to get the pandemic under control, to ensure working families can put food on the table. And that’s where he feels his efforts should be to remain.
Okay, go ahead.
Q: Thanks, Jen. Does the White House have a comment on this social media profile that has emerged of Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene? And is there a response to whether any disciplinary action should be taken against her, given everything that’s come out?
MS. PSAKI: We don’t. And I’m not going to speak further about her, I think, in this briefing room.
Q: Okay. And –
MS. PSAKI: Oh, go ahead.
Q: One more, if you don’t mind. Just kind of – a little of a housekeeping.
MS. PSAKI: Sure.
Q: The last administration had suggested that – on the origins of the COVID-19 virus – that it may have organized in a lab in China. It was never definitive. Do you have an update on that – on the origin or where we are on an investigation?
MS. PSAKI: Well, first, obviously, the misinformation, of course, that has – we’ve seen also come out of some sources in China is of great concern to us. It’s imperative that we get to the bottom of the early days of the pandemic in China, and we’ve been supportive of an international investigation that we feel should be robust and clear.
We – our view is that we must prepare and draw on information collected and analyzed by the community, which is something that is ongoing, and to work – and also to continue to work with our allies to evaluate the report’s credibility on the investigation once it’s done.
In addition, as you all know, the Secretary of State was just – Tony Blinken was just sworn in yesterday, and one of his priorities is, of course, ensuring that our staffing on the ground in Beijing – which is something that fell back in the last administration – is returned to what was prior, which means we want to have science experts, policy experts on the ground in the roles that they should be serving in to ensure that, you know, we’re also there representing, you know, our interest from the United States, on the ground in China.
Go ahead, Peter.
Q: A couple of quick ones that I still don’t think I fully understand. I know the executive order that was signed, but has this White House invoked the DPA? And how soon until we’ll see companies compelled to produce supplies or vaccine or whatever else that impacts Americans?
MS. PSAKI: We – it was involved the day it was signed – within 24 hours of it being signed.
Q: But you said that jumpstarted the process. So I guess that meant it was invoked?
MS. PSAKI: Yes. And I confined that when it was – the next day – the following day in the briefing room, which I realize everybody can’t be here every day because of COVID.
But it was invoked, and it means that our work is ongoing with companies to ensure that we are expediting the manufacturing of materials to ensure that we can get 100 million shots in the arms of Americans. And I know there’s been some confusion about this and what exactly it is, what does the DPA mean.
There are a few examples that our team has cited, including, on vaccine supply; low dead space syringes, which means it allows for the ability to get an extra dose into the Pfizer vial, which is important to getting more doses out there; help – additional N95 – the production of additional N95 masks; isolation gowns; gloves; pipette tips; and high absorbency foam swabs. So we’re really talking about very specific materials that can be used by vaccinators to get these shots into the arms of Americans.
Q: Thanks for clarifying. There was some confusion on the earlier call, which is why I repeated it here.
Let me ask one other question. Yesterday, you deflected this to the USOC, but my question is a little bit different today. We’re now hearing from the organizers of this year’s Summer Games in Japan, and the head of Japan’s Olympics Committee is seeking public reassurances from President Biden himself – given that the U.S., of course, is the largest contingent of athletes – that the Games should be able to go on. As the world’s – as the world is dealing with the pandemic right now, based on where we are now with the vaccine, does President Biden believe the Games in Japan can safely go on?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the President – and I’m not sure if this readout had gone out yet – but he had spoken with the Prime Minister of Japan earlier this morning, and a readout was going out as we were coming to the briefing. I’m not sure if they spoke about the Olympics. I’m happy to check with our national security team on that, to follow up with, but I don’t have any more assessment of the Olympics at this point in time.
Q: Whether he has – so it hasn’t been discussed whether he has a position on whether it would safely be able to go yet?
MS. PSAKI: I don’t have anything more, the than – I haven’t had much on it, but I don’t have anything more than I’ve had on other days on it.
Q: Japan is asking, so we asked. So we’ll follow up with (inaudible).
MS. PSAKI: Understood. And they just had a call this morning, but I haven’t had a chance to talk to him specifically about it.
Go ahead, Jen.
Q: Thank you Jen.
Q: Thanks, Jen. Two vaccine questions. First of all, this came up on the COVID call earlier, but how seriously is the White House considering using the Defense Production Act to compel other pharmaceutical companies to produce the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to do supply?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I didn’t hear the entirety of the call because we were doing som preparation for the event this afternoon. But from listening to our team talk about it, there are obviously manufacturing facilities that have the capacity and the ability to get these vaccine doses out. And we don’t want to get our – get behind the pace of – and start from scratch, I should say, and ensuring that they’re ready to do that.
I don’t think our concern at this point is whether or not we’re going to have the vaccine doses. Obviously, the President announced yesterday the intention to purchase doches additional doses, the – our confidence in the manufacturers to have those doses available.
The concerns we have are one, contingency planning and all of the different things that can happen, because this is a herculean task that has never been done before, but also ensuring we have vaccinators, we have vaccine sites, et cetera, available.
So I have not heard from our team plans to seek other manufacturers at this point in time. And I’m happy to follow up with them and see if there’s anything additional.
Q: And then, on the 200 million doses, the President said he’s ordering them.
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.
Q: What is the status of that order? Have Pfizer and Moderna agreed to produce 100 million doses each? And how quickly do they say they can do it?
MS. PSAKI: Well, we expect to get the doses by mid to late summer. The majority of doses by mid to late summer, some earlier than that. So we are confident that we’ll be able to get those from the manufacturers. Yes.
Go ahead, Karen.
Q: Jen, a couple of questions on schools. Does the administration plan to develop metrics or standards for what a safe reopening of schools will look like.
MS. PSAKI: We do. And our CDC director – and I’m not sure, again, if she was asked about this important question – I know as a fellow mother – but we will have specifics that we’ll defer to on the CDC on, on the safe reopening of schools. As you know, the President talked about – has talked about his commitment and his goal of reopening most K-8 schools within 100 days. There are obviously a number of steps that will need to be taken in order for that to be possible. But he has directed the Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services, to provide guidance on safe reopening for schools, childcare providers, and institutions of higher education.
But as our COVID team has outlines, that’s going to require testing materials, support for contract tracing, vaccinations for teachers and ensuring they’re equitably provided. But our CDC director and team will be looking into putting together some specific guidelines so there can be clarity on that front, which I know a lot of districts are looking for.
Q: And to follow on that: Those things you mentioned all cost a lot of money, and a big part of the COVID relief package is a lot of money to go to school reopening.
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.
Q: If Congress doesn’t approve the money you want, and schools don’t have what they need to pay for things to open safely, would the President support teachers staying at home and support virtual learning continuing through this entire school year?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I think the President recognizes, as we all do, the value of having children in schools and doing that in a safe way, which is one of the reasons he set this ambitious goal of reopening most K-8 schools within 100 days.
But one of the reasons that this – the funding for safe reopening, for getting schools the equipment, the testing, the ventilation, in some cases, that they need is because nobody wants to be having a conversation in May or June about why schools are not reopened.
So this gets back to the argument that our team has been making, and all of these calls and engagements and meeting that I outlined, about the importance and vital nature of each component of the package. So we won’t get into a hypothetical. We’re confident that Congress will move forward with a package.
Let me just go – oh, we got to wrap up soon. Okay, I’m sorry. We’ll do more questions tomorrow, but we had to such great guests.
Jen, go ahead.
Q: Thanks. I just have two quick questions. One is jut on the climate actions today. They leave out the Treasury’s Financial Stability Oversight Council, which experts say could play an influential role in addressing climate risks. Does the administration have plans to take action on climate finance? And should FSOC direct agencies and regulators to address climate change?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I’m going to use a reference that my friend and colleague, Ambassador Susan Rice, used yesterday, which is: There are 1,453 days left in this administration, and addressing climate and the crisis of climate is an issue that the President has conveyed to members of his Cabinet and members of his senior team as an absolute priority.
So, Secretary Yellen has been in her role for one day, but certainly I’d send you to them for any more specifics. But this is the beginning, not the end, of our work on climate.
Nadia.
Q: And just another question –
MS. PSAKI: Oh, go ahead.
Q: Is the White House concerned about the stock market activity we’re seeing around GameStop and now with some other stocks as well, including the subsidiary – or whatever – the company that was Blockbuster? And have there been any conversations with the SEC about how to proceed?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I’m also happy to repeat that we have the first female Treasury Secretary and a team that’s surrounding her. And, often, questions about market we’ll send to them. But our team is, of course – our economic team, including Secretary Yellen and others, are monitoring the situation. It’s a good reminder, though, that the stock market isn’t the only measure of health of our econom- – of our economy. It doesn’t reflect how working and middle-class families are doing.
As you all know from covering this, we’re in the midst of a K-shaped recovery. America’s workers are struggling to make ends meet, which is why the President has introduced this urgent package to get immediate relief families.
All right, I’m going to go Nadia, and then we’ll be totally done because everybody has to go.
Ok, go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Jen. Good to see you on a different podium. I have two questions: one about COVID and one about China.
MS. PSAKI: Okay.
Q: Regarding COVID, the President promised to increase supply to states by 10 million doses, yet statistics shows that 47 percent of Americans are hesitant to take the vaccine, despite what that the President and Vice President took it publicly. What is the administration doing to convince Americans to take it to reach herd immunity by, say, 70 percent in the fall?
MS. PSAKI: You’re absolutely right, Nadia, that this is one of the biggest challenges we face. And for anyone who tuned into the briefing that our health team led this morning, it was one of the first issues that CDC Director Dr. Walensky raised.
And one of those things we’re doing is prioritizing – providing correct information about it. And the vaccines – and one – so I’ll take the opportunity: The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are safe and effective. That’s one of the things she said today. They were tested in large clinical trials to make sure they meet safety standards. About 30 percent of U.S. participants in those trials were Hispanic, African American, Asian, or Native American; about half were older adults.
And so we want to provide clear data, as I just did, but also we want to meet people where they are, communicate directly with communities of color, people who have concerns, and use medical and health professionals to do exactly that.
Okay, you had a China question, and then you really have to go, but go ahead.
Q: And, second, many welcomed your rejoining of the WHO, yet some want to push for a transparent investigation into the relationship between China and WHO. And also, yesterday, in her hearing in the Senate, Governor Raimondo declined to blacklist Huawei technology in the U.S. Is this some kind of caving into China, or is it a nuanced way to deal with China?
MS. PSAKI: So, I think you’re – the second reference, I think, was to Huawei, right? And then-
Q: Right.
MS. PSAKI: Yes.
So let me just convey clearly our position on this. Let us be clear: Telecommunications equipment made by untrusted vendors, including Huawei, is a threat to the security of the U.S. and our allies. We’ll ensure that the American telecommunications network does not use equipment from untrusted vendors, and we’ll work allies to secure their telecommunications networks and make investments to expand the production of telecommunications equipment by trusted U.S. and allied companies.
Again, we’ll take many more questions tomorrow. Thank you all. Have a great day.
January 28, 2021
January 28: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted “COVID-19 vaccination intent, perceptions, and reasons for not vaccinating among groups prioritized for early vaccination, United States, September 2020” From the information:
Summary
As of January 8, 2021, there have been more than 21 million cases and more than 300,000 deaths from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the United States. High vaccination coverage against COVID-19 will be crucial in controlling and ending the pandemic. Federal; agencies partnered with public and private sectors to establish Operation Warp Speed to facilitate and accelerate the development, manufacturing, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, with two COVID-19 vaccines being authorized by the Food and Drug Administration for use under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) in December 2020.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has issued interim recommendations for COVID-19 vaccine allocation, with initial limited supply of vaccines for healthcare personnel and residents of long-term care facilities (phase 1a); frontline essential workers and persons aged ≥75 years (phase 1b); and persons 65-74 years, persons aged 16-64 years at high risk for severe COVID-19 illness due to underlying medical conditions, and other workers in essential and critical infrastructure sectors not included in phases 1a and 1b.
These groups have a high risk of being exposed to the virus and getting sick with COVID-19, have an increased risk for severe COVID-19 illness or perform work duties across critical infrastructure sectors and maintain the services and functions that U.S. residents depend on daily. Assessing intent to get vaccinated among all adults, especially among priority groups, is important for developing targeted messages and strategies to increase the public’s confidence in COVID-19 vaccines.
During September 3 to October 1, 2020, before the first COVID-19 vaccine was authorized, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted a internet panel survey among a representative sample of U.S. adults (n=3,541) to examine baseline perceptions about the COVID-19 vaccine and intentions to get vaccinated among groups recommended to receive initial allocations of the vaccine and the general public.
Among participants who responded that they were very likely to get vaccinated against COVID-19, 53.3% said they would get the vaccine within a week if the vaccine were available today at no cost, compared with 6.8% who were somewhat likely to get vaccinated. Among those who were somewhat likely to get vaccinated, 37.2% of respondents said they would wait longer than six months to get the vaccine, compared to 2.8% who were very likely to get vaccinated.
Among the 38.1% of participants who responded they were not likely to get vaccinated against COVID-19, the main reasons reported were:
Concerns about the side effects and safety of the COVID-19 vaccine (23.4%), concerns that the COVID-19 vaccine is being developed too fast (21.7%), and waiting to see if the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and indicating they may get it later (17.9%).
Prevalence of non-intent to get vaccinated varied by demographic factors:
Non-intent to get vaccinated varied by age group, sex race/ethnicity, education level, household income level, region, Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA status), urbanicity, and health insurance status. Younger adults, females, non-Hispanic Black populations, those with lower education or no health insurance, and adults in households with lower income levels and in rural areas were least likely to express intent to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Non-intent to get vaccinated was lowest among adults ≥75 years compared with adults in other priority subgroups (frontline workers, other essential workers, and adults with underlying medical conditions).
Methods
From September 3 to October 1, 2020, CDC conducted a probability-based Internet panel survey (KnowledgePanel) to assess perceptions about and intent to receive a COVID-19 vaccine among a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults aged 18 years and older. This activity was reviewed by CDC and was conducted consistent with applicable federal law and CDC policy.
The panel used an address-based sampling methodology covering nearly all households in the United States, regardless of their phone or internet status. To reach a 70% cooperation rate, 5,160 out of more than 600,000 panelists in the KnowledgePanel were sent an email invitation, including a survey link, and up to seven email reminders to complete the survey were sent to non-respondents.
Beginning on September 19, 2020, an additional incentive of $5 was provided to non-responders to reach target completion rates. A total of 3,595 panelists completed the survey for a completion rate of 69.7%. After data clearing, the final sample consisted of 3,541 respondents.
Data were weighted to ensure representativeness of the U.S. population using demographic benchmarks from the 2020 Current Population Survey (for age, sex, race/ethnicity, Census region, residence in a Metropolitan Statistical Area, level of education, and household income) and the 2018 American Community Survey (for language proficiency among Hispanic respondents). All analyses were conducted in SUDAAN Callable SAS (Cary, NC) using weighted data.
The survey included questions about COVID-19 vaccination intentions, perceptions, and reasons for not receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Intent was assessed by the following question: “If a vaccine against COVID-19 were available today at no cost, how likely would you be to get it?” Response options were absolutely certain, very likely, somewhat likely, and not likely.
Intent to receive a COVID-19 vaccination was defined as reporting being “absolutely certain” or “very likely” to receive a COVID-19 vaccination (hereafter referred to as “very likely”; non-intent was defined as reporting being “not likely”. Vaccination intentions and related perceptions were stratified by mutually exclusive groups recommended for the vaccine, hereafter referred to as “priority groups”. Groups were defined as Tier 1a, 1b, or 1c, corresponding to adults in phase 1a, 1b, or 1c, respectively.
Subgroups were defined as specific groups within each Tier: healthcare personnel (Tier 1a); frontline essential workers, and persons aged ≥75 years (Tier 1b); and persons aged 65-74 years, persons aged 16-64 years at high risk for severe COVID-19 illness due to underlying medical conditions, and other workers in essential and critical infrastructure sectors not included in phases 1a and 1b (Tier 1c).
The survey did not collect information on long-term care residents. Analyses were conducted to provide estimates among all adults, priority groups and subgroups, and adults who were aged 18-64 years with no underlying medical conditions and were not essential workers (hereafter referred to as “adults 18-64 years”). Responses to questions on intent, perceptions, and reasons for not getting vaccinated were examined by sociodemographic characteristics and stratified by priority groups and subgroups, race/ethnicity, and urbanicity. Expected timing of vaccination was assessed among those who intend to be vaccinated.
Results
Overall, of 3,541 adults, 39.4% responded that they were very likely, 22.5% somewhat likely, and 38,1% not likely to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Intend to get vaccinated
Tier 1b had the highest percentage of respondents reporting they would be very likely to get vaccinated. (43.4%).
Among priority subgroups, adults ≥75 years had the highest percentage of respondents reporting they would be very likely to get vaccinated (51.8%).
Among adults who said they were very likely to get the vaccine, more than one-half of adults would get it within a week if available to them (59.3%).
Do not intend to get vaccinated
Tier 1a and 1c had higher percentages of respondents who reported they would be not likely to get vaccinated (38.2% and 38.8%, respectively) compared to persons in Tier 1b (34.3%).
Among priority subgroups, non-intent to get vaccinated was highest among non-frontline essential workers (41.5%), followed by persons with underlying medical conditions (40.1%) and frontline essential workers (38.5%), and lowest among adults ≥75 years (26.3%).
Variations in non-intent by priority groups and socioeconomic characteristics
Non-intent to get vaccinated differed by priority groups and select socioeconomic characteristics these examples demonstrate:
Non-intent was highest among adults aged 50 to 64 years (42.0%), females (42.1%), non-Hispanic Black adults (56.1%) those with a high school diploma or less (47.0%), those with lower household income levels (44.0-45.1% for incomes ≤$49,999), and those who do not have health insurance (48.7%).
The prevalence of non-intent varied within groups. For example, among different racial/ethnic groups, non-intent ranged from 32.1% among adults of non-Hispanic other races to 56.1% among non-Hispanic Black adults. Non-intent was also 47.0% among adults with a high school diploma or less compared to 23.8% among adults with more than a college degree. Furthermore, non-intent was 44.0% among adults with an annual household income of ≤$35,000 compared to 33.5% among adults with an annual household income of ≥$75,000.
Non-intent was also highest among those living in the South (41.1%), non-metro areas (46.2%), or rural areas (47.1%).
Adults who rarely or never wear a mask and those who are not likely to get the flu vaccine in the 2020-21 influenza season were also not likely to get the COVID-19 vaccine (78.4% and 67.0%, respectively).
Reasons for not intending to get vaccinated
Among all adults, the main reason for respondents reporting they were not likely to get vaccinated were concerns about the side effects and safety of the COVID-19 vaccine (23.4%), concerns that the COVID-19 vaccine is being developed too fast (21.7%), and waiting to see if the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and indicating they may get it later (17.9%).
The most commonly reported main reasons for not getting vaccinated were the same for each priority group: concerns about the side effects and safety of the COVID-19 vaccine, concern that the vaccine is being developed too fast, waiting to see if the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and indicating they may get it later.
Among priority subgroups, concern that the vaccine is being developed too fast was highest among adults ≥75 years (28.4%).
Concern about the side effects and safety of the COVID-19 vaccine was highest among adults in Tier 1a (32.6%), Hispanic adults (31.5%), and adults who are non-Hispanic other race category (29.0%).
Concerned about COVID-19 illness vs. vaccine
When asked if respondents were more concerned about COVID-19 illness or side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine, more adults said they were concerned about COVID-19 illness (38.3%) than side effects from the vaccine (14.3%); however, 36.7% said they were equally concerned about both.
Trust vs. do not trust manufacturing or approval process
Approximately one quarter of adults (23.4%) did not trust the COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing process; about one third (34.6%) did not trust the approval process.
The sources in which respondents reported having the highest level of trust to provide accurate information about the COVID-19 vaccine were primary care providers (73.0%), nurses (67.1%), CDC (60.8%), and pharmacists (60.0%).
The sources with the lowest level of trust among all adults were news sources (17.3%), religious leaders (15.9%) and social media (4.1%).
Limitations
These findings are subject to at least four limitations. First, this survey was fielded in September 2020, prior to the release of information about COVID-19 vaccine safety and efficacy based on clinical trials, and intentions to get vaccinated likely have changed since then.
Second, although panel recruitment methodology and data weighting were designed to produce nationally representative results, the cooperation rate was 70% and respondents may not be fully representative of the general U.S. adult population.
Third, high-risk medical condition and essential worker status were self-reported, so there may be potential for misclassification.
Fourth, some estimates may not be reliable because relative standard error was >30% or sample size <30, which were suppressed in the tables.
Discussion
In this survey, conducted in September 2020, almost 40% of the population said they did not intend to get a COVID-19 vaccination, citing concerns about safety, side effects, and the speed of the vaccine development process. While adults aged ≥75 years expressed the highest likelihood of getting vaccinated, healthcare personnel, frontline workers, and other essential workers, and persons with underlying medical conditions reported being less likely to get vaccinated than adults ≥75 years. Better understanding and addressing the safety concerns of these groups is critical for controlling COVID-19 through vaccination programs.
Since this survey was conducted, COVID-19 cases have risen in all 50 states, causing significant morbidity and mortality as well as a burden on the healthcare system that treats severely ill patients.
Recent polls suggest that non-intent to get vaccinated in December, with only 15% of adults reporting that they would not get the COVID-19 vaccine when it is available. While non-intent has declined among adults, its impact on vaccination coverage, particularly among high risk groups, is unclear.
With the initial allocation of vaccines to priority groups, it is important to develop strategies to address concerns among these groups in order to increase acceptance and vaccination uptake. High vaccine uptake to achieve herd immunity is an important part of preventing the spread of COVID-19. Continuing to promote vaccine acceptance and uptake is critical in this effort.
Conclusion
The results of this survey can inform strategies to educate healthcare personnel, essential workers, and the public about the vaccine development process, the safety protocols in place, and the known effectiveness and safety of the vaccines. Healthcare providers were identified in this survey as the most trusted source of information about vaccines. Providers can use CDC-recommended strategies to talk to patients about vaccine safety and address concerns.
Getting vaccinated is more important than ever to reduce morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19, preserve limited healthcare resources, reduce health disparities among racial and ethnic groups, and protect the public’s health.
As the vaccines continue to be rolled out, having high vaccination coverage across all populations, in addition to a multipronged approach to mitigation of COVID-19, may prevent the spread of COVID-19 and contribute to the end of the pandemic.
January 28: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi posted a Press Release titled: “Pelosi Statement on President Biden Executive Actions Strengthening Health Care” From the Press Release:
Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued this statement on the Executive Actions announced by President Biden today to strengthen Americans’ access to quality, affordable health care:
“The coronavirus pandemic and economic crisis have demonstrated with heartbreaking clarity that access to health care is a matter of life-or-death. President Biden’s Executive Actions are a lifeline for millions of American families and a clear sign that our nation now has the leadership in the White House to turn these crises around.
“These Executive Actions represent a 180-degree reversal from the assault on heath care waged by Donald Trump and Republicans in the courts and Congress in the middle of the pandemic. In stark contrast, President Biden is restoring and expanding access to health care in a way that promotes equity and justice for working families, those who have lost jobs, seniors, women in need of reproductive health care at home and abroad, and more. In particular, opening a special enrollment period will enable potentially millions of Americans who have lost their health insurance through no fault of their own to access care.
“The Democratic Congress applauds these lifesaving actions, and we will continue our work to protect and improve affordable, quality health care – during this pandemic, and in the months and years to come.”
January 28: The White House posted an Executive Order titled: “Executive Order on Strengthening Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act” from the Executive Order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. In the 10 years since its enactment, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has reduced the number of uninsured Americans by more than 20 million, extended critical consumer protections to more than 100 million people, and strengthened and improved the Nation’s healthcare system. At the same time, millions of people who are potentially eligible for coverage under the ACA or other laws remain uninsured, and obtaining insurance benefits is more difficult than necessary. For these reasons, it is the policy of my Administration to protect and strengthen Medicaid and the ACA and to make high-quality healthcare accessible and affordable for every American.
Sec. 2. Special Enrollment Period. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has triggered a historic public health and economic crisis. In January of 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic was spreading, the Secretary of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency. In March of 2020, the President declared a national emergency. Although almost a year has passed, the emergency continues – over 5 million Americans have contracted the disease in January 2021, and thousand are dying every week.
Over 30 million Americans remain uninsured, preventing many from obtaining necessary health services and treatment. Black, Latino, and Native American persons are more likely to be uninsured, and communities of color have been especially hard hit by both the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic downturn.
In light of the exceptional circumstances caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall consider establishing a Special Enrollment Period for uninsured and under-insured Americans to seek coverage through the Federal Facilitated Marketplace, pursuant to existing authorities, including sections 18031 and 18041 of title 42, United States Code, and section 155.420(d)(9) of title 45, Code of Federal Regulations, and consistent with applicable law.
Sec. 3. Immediate Review of Agency Actions. (a) The Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the heads of all other executive departments and agencies with authorities and responsibilities related to Medicaid and the ACA (collectively, heads of agencies) shall, as soon as practicable, review all existing regulations, orders, guidance documents, policies, and any other similar agency actions (collectively, agency actions) to determine whether such agency actions are inconsistent with the policy set forth in section 1 of this order. As part of this review, the heads of agencies shall examine the following:
(i) policies or practices that may undermine protections for people with pre-existing conditions, including complications related to COVID-19, under the ACA;
(ii) demonstrations and waivers, as well as demonstration and waiver policies, that may reduce coverage under or otherwise undermine Medicaid or the ACA;
(iii) policies and practices that may undermine the Health Insurance Marketplace or the individual; small group, or large group markets for health insurance in the Untied States;
(iv) policies or practices that may present unnecessary barriers to individuals and families attempting to access Medicaid or ACA coverage, including for mid-year enrollment; and
(v) policies or practices that may reduce the affordability of coverage or financial assistance for coverage including for dependents.
(b) Heads of agencies shall, as soon as practicable and as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, consider whether to suspend, revise, or rescind – and, as applicable, publish for notice and comment proposed rules suspending, revising or rescinding – those agency actions identified as inconsistent with the policy set forth in section 1 of this order.
(c) Heads of agencies shall, as soon as practicable and as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, consider whether to take any additional agency actions to more fully enforce the policy set forth in section 1 of this order.
Sec. 4. Revocation of Certain Presidential Actions and Review of Associated Agency Actions. (a) Executive Order 13765 of January 20, 2017 (Minimizing the Economic Burden of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Pending Repeal), and Executive order 13813 of October 12, 2017 (Promoting Healthcare Choice and Competition Across the United States), are revoked.
(b) As part of the review required under section 3 of this order, heads of agencies shall identify existing agencies actions related to or arising from Executive Orders 13765 and 13813. Heads of agencies shall, as soon as practicable, consider whether to suspend, revise, or rescind — and, as applicable, publish for notice and comment proposed rules suspending, revising, or rescinding – any such agency actions, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law and the policy set forth in section 1 of this order.
Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 28: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)posted a Release titled: “HHS Amends PREP Act Declaration to Increase Workforce Authorized to Administer COVID-19 Vaccines” From the Release:
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today issued a fifth amendment to the Declaration under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act) to add additional categories of qualified persons authorized to prescribe, dispense, and administer COVID-19 vaccines authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
“To response to the nationwide public health emergency caused by COVID-19, the Biden Administration is broadening use of the PREP Act to expand the vaccination workforce quickly with additional qualified healthcare professionals,” said HHS Acting Secretary Norris Cochran. “As vaccines supply is made more widely available over the coming months, having additional vaccinators at the ready will help providers and state health departments meet the demand for vaccine and protect their communities more quickly.”
Among other things, the amendment:
Authorizes any healthcare provider who is licensed or certified in a state to prescribe, dispense, and/or administer COVID-19 vaccines in any other state or U.S. territory.
Authorizes any physician registered nurse, or practical nurse whose license or certification expired within the past five years to prescribe, dispense and/or administer COVID-19 vaccines in any state or U.S. territory so long as the license or certification was active and in good standing prior to the date it went inactive.
Requires any healthcare professional described above to complete Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 Vaccine Training and, for healthcare providers who are not currently practicing or whose license or certification is expired, requires an on-site observation period by a currently practicing healthcare professional
Under the PREP Act and the Declaration, a qualified person is covered person. Subject to certain limitations, a covered person is immune from suit and liability under federal and state law with respect to all claims for loss resulting from the administration or use of a covered countermeasure if a declaration under the PREP Act has been issued with respect to such countermeasure.
Further Background
Why is HHS expanding the size of COVID-19 vaccinators across state lines?
Working with state and territorial health departments, the Acting Secretary identified an urgent need to expand the pool of COVID-19 vaccinators to help increase access to COVID-19 vaccinations. This wil help states and U.S. territorials meet the demand for vaccines and protect their communities as quickly as possible.
Where can I find a list of healthcare providers in my state who are authorized to administer a COVID-19 vaccine?
Contact your state health department for a list of providers authorized under state law to prescribe, dispense, or administer COVID-19 vaccine. If the state does not maintain a list, each state licensing and certification agency (state licensing board) would have this information. The intent of this PREP Act amendment is to expand the available providers beyond this licensed in each state.
Does this action preempt state and local restrictions on which providers are authorized to administer a COVID-19 vaccine?
If a person is authorized under the Declaration to administer covered countermeasures, including a COVID-19 vaccine, any state law that prohibits or effectively prohibits such a person from doing so is preempted.
How will this Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) payments for the administration of COVID-19 vaccine across states lines?
Information from the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services on the implications of this Amendment for Medicaid and CHIP payments will be forthcoming.
What happens if a person is injured by someone who is made immune under the Declaration?
As is typically the case under the PREP Act, persons with serious physical injury or death arising from the administration or use of a covered countermeasure may be eligible for compensation from the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program. This is fund managed by the Health Resources and Services Administration. Moreover, the PREP Act and Declaration do not provide immunity to persons who engage in willful misconduct.
January 28: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Release titled: “South Carolina detects first US cases associated with variant first detected in South Africa” From the Release:
CDC is aware that the first US documented cases of the B 1.351 variant of SARS-CoV-2, which was first detected in South Africa, have been identified in South Carolina.
CDC is early in its efforts to understand this variant and will continue to provide updates as we learn more. At this time, we have no evidence that infections by this variant cause more severe disease. Like the UK and Brazilian variants, preliminary data suggests this variant may spread more easily and quickly than other variants.
CDC will continue communicating with international, state, and local partners to monitor the presence and impact of variants in the United States and around the world. Monitoring variants is why CDC has expanded National SARS-CoV-2 Strain Surveillance (NS3). We continue working with national reference laboratories, state health departments and researchers from around the country to gather sequence data and increase the use of genomic sequencing data in response to this pandemic.
CDC recommends that people avoid travel at this time. However, for those who must travel, additional measures have been put in place to increase safety; especially as COVID-19 variants have spread around the world. As of January 26, all air passengers flying in the United States must provide a negative test result or documentation of recovery to the airline before they board a flight to the US. This is one aspect of the comprehensive, science-driven response to reduce the spread of COVID-19 through travel and in the United States.
CDC’s recommendations for slowing the spread – wearing masks, staying at least 6 feet apart from others, avoiding crowds, ventilating indoor spaces, and washing hands often – will also prevent the spread of this variant.
January 28: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) posted a Release titled: “HHS Announces Marketplace Special Enrollment Period for COVID-19 Public Health Emergency” From the Release:
In accordance with the Executive Order issued today by President Biden, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), announced a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for individuals and families for Marketplace coverage in response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, which has left millions of Americans facing uncertainty and exceptional circumstances while millions of American have experienced new health problems during the pandemic.
This SEP will allow individuals and families in states with Marketplaces served by the HealthCare.gov platform to enroll 2021 health insurance coverages. Beginning February 15, 2021 and through May 15, 2021, these Marketplaces will operationalize functionality to make this SEP available to all Marketplace-eligible consumers who are submitting a new application or updating an existing application. State-based Marketplaces (SBMs) operating their own platform have the opportunity to take similar action within their states.
“The Department is committed that we will deploy every resource during the Public Health Emergency. This Special Enrollment Period will ensure that more individuals and families have access to quality, affordable health coverage during this unprecedented time,” said HHS Acting Secretary Norris Cochran.
The SEP will be offered to consumers applying for new coverage or updating an existing application through HealthCare.gov, the Marketplace call center, or through direct enrollment channels. Coverage is prospective, with coverage beginning the first day of the month following the date of plan selection.
To promote the SEP and ensure that a broad and diverse range of consumers are aware of this option, CMS will utilize a variety of tools including a paid advertising campaign and direct outreach to consumers, in cooperation with community and stakeholder organizations in English, Spanish, and other languages. Some consumers may already be eligible for other existing SEPs, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) – they can visit HealthCare.gov now to find out if they can enroll in the meantime. Starting February 15, consumers seeking to take advantage of the new SEP can find out if they are eligible by listing HealthCare.gov. Consumers can find local help at Localhelp.healthcare.gov or by calling the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596. TTY users should call 1-855-889-4325.
January 28: The White House posted Remarks titled: “Remarks by President Biden at Signing of Executive Orders Strengthening Americans’ Access to Quality, Affordable Healthcare” From the Remarks:
THE PRESIDENT: Since we are socially distanced, I think I can take my mask off to make this very brief announcement. I know that you’ve been briefed by the healthcare team about what this is about. And there is an easy and quick way for us to describe this.
It’s been a busy week, and I’ve signed executive orders tackling COVID-19, the economic and climate crisis, as well as advancing racial equity.
But today, I’m about to sign two executive orders that are – basically, the best way to describe them to undo the damage that Trump has done. There’s nothing new that we’re doing here, other than restoring the Affordable Care Act and restoring the Medicaid to the way it was before Trump became President, which by fiat he changed – made more inaccessible, more expensive, and more difficult for people to qualify for either of those two items: The Affordable Care Act or Medicaid.
And the second – the second order I’m going to be signing also changes what the President has done – the President – the President – what the former President has done. And it – a memorandum reversed the – my predecessor’s attack on women’s health – (coughs) – excuse me – health access. And as we continue to battle COVID-19, it’s even more critical that Americans have meaningful access to healthcare.
And so that’s what I’m about to do. And again, I’m not initiating any new law, any new aspect of the law. This is going back to what the situation was prior to the President’s executive orders.
And the first one I’m going to be signing here is to strengthen Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. And of all times that we need to reinstate access to, affordability of, and the extent of access to Medicaid is now, in the middle of this COVID crisis.
(The executive order is signed.)
And the second order I’m signing relates to protecting women’s health at home and abroad, and it reinstates the changes that were made to Title 10 and other things, making it harder for women to have access to affordable healthcare as it relates to their reproductive rights.
(The executive order is signed.)
I’m sorry you had to stand in the cold before you all came in. Thank you all very much.
Q: Mr. President, is healthcare working as is, or when are you going to put out healthcare legislation?
THE PRESIDENT: We got a lot to do. And the first thing I got to do is get this COVID package passed.
Q: Do you think that COVID relief has to require you to break it up in chunks, Mr. President?
THE PRESIDENT: No one requires me to do anything.
Thank you.
January 28: The White House posted a FACT SHEET titled: “FACT SHEET: President Biden to Sign Executive Orders Strengthening Americans’ Access to Quality, Affordable Health Care” From the FACT SHEET:
The Biden-Harris Administration will open a Special Enrollment Period for Americans to sign up for health coverage and roll back attacks on the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, and access to reproductive health care.
After four years of attempts to strip health care from millions of Americans, President Biden will sign two executive actions that will begin to restore and strengthen American’s access to quality, affordable health care. The Biden-Harris administration will re-open enrollment to the Health Insurance Marketplace, take additions steps to strengthen Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, and protect women’s health. These actions demonstrate a strong commitment by the Biden-Harris Administration to protect and build on the Affordable Care Act, meet the health care needs created by the pandemic, reduce health care costs, protect access to reproductive health care, and make our health care system easier to navigate and more equitable.
For President Biden, this is personal. He believes that every American has a right to the peace of mind the comes with knowing they have access to affordable, quality health care. Because of the Affordable Care Act, over 100 million people no longer have to worry that an insurance company will deny coverage or charge higher premiums just because they have a pre-existing condition. Roughly 20 million additional Americans obtained the security that comes with health insurance, and young people transitioning from school to a job can stay covered by their parents’ plan until age 26.
As we continue to battle COVID-19, it is even more critical that Americans have meaningful access to affordable care. The actions the President is taking today complement the commitment he made in the American Rescue Plan to make health insurance coverage more affordable for millions of Americans. Reliable and affordable access to health insurance doesn’t just benefit families’ health; it is a critical source of economic security and peace of mind for all.
Today’s actions include:
Strengthening Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.
This Executive Order takes critical steps to reverse attacks on and strengthen Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, so they can continue to provide access to life-saving care for millions of Americans. Based on this Executive Order, it is expected that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will open HealthCare.gov for a “Special Enrollment Period,” from February 15, 2021 – May 15, 2021. This Special Enrollment Period will give Americans that need health care coverage during the global pandemic the opportunity to sign up.
The President will also direct federal agencies to reconsider rules and other policies that limit American’s access to health care, and consider actions that will protect and strengthen that access:
Agencies are directed to re-examine:
Policies that undermine protections for people with pre-existing conditions, including complications related to COVID-19;
Demonstrations and waivers under Medicaid and the ACA that may reduce coverage or undermine the programs, including work requirements;
Policies that undermine the Health Insurance Marketplace or other markets for health insurance;
Policies that make it more difficult to enroll in Medicaid and the ACA; and
Policies that reduce affordability of coverage or financial assistance, including for dependents.
As part of their reviews, agencies will consider whether to take additional actions to strengthen and protect access to health care.
Protecting Women’s Health at Home and Abroad. Across the country and around the world, people – particularly women, Black, Indigenous and other people of color, LGBTQ+ people, and those with low incomes – have been denied access to reproductive health care.
President Biden is also issuing a Presidential Memorandum to protect and expand access to comprehensive reproductive health care. The memorandum reflects the policy of the Biden-Harris Administration to support women and girls’ sexual and reproductive health and rights in the United States, as well as globally.
Like memoranda issued by President Clinton and President Obama before him, it immediately rescinds the global gag rule, also referred to as the Mexico City Policy, which bars international non-profits that provide abortion counseling or referrals from receiving U.S. funding.
In recognition of the additional work necessary to protect access to reproductive health care, President Biden’s memorandum also directs the Department of Health and Human Services to take immediate action to consider whether to rescind regulations under its Title X family planning program.
January 28: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) titled: “Allergic Reactions Including Anaphylaxis After Receipt of the First Dose of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine – United States, December 21, 2020 – January 10, 2021” From the Report:
Summary
What is already known about this topic?
Anaphylaxis is a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction that occurs rarely after vaccination.
What is added to this report?
During December 21, 2020 – January 10, 2021, monitoring by the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System detected 10 cases of anaphylaxis after administration of a reported 4,041,396 first does of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine (2.5 cases per million doses administered.) In nine cases, onset occurred within 15 minutes of vaccination. No anaphylaxis-related deaths were reported.
What are the implications for public health practice?
Locations administering COVID-19 vaccines should adhere to CDC guidance, including screening recipients for contraindications and precautions, having necessary supplies and staff members available to manage anaphylaxis, implementing recommended postvaccination observation periods, and immediately treating suspected anaphylaxis with intramuscular epinephrine injection.
As of January 20, 2021, a total of 24,135,690 cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and 400,306 associated deaths had been reported in the United States. On December 18, 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Moderna COVID-19 vaccine administered as 2 doses, 1 month apart to prevent COVID-19.
On December 19, 2020, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) issued an interim recommendation for use of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. As of January 10, 2021, a reported 4,041,396 first doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine had been administered in the United States, and reports of 1,266 (0.03%) adverse events after receipt of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine were submitted to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).
Among these, 108 case reports were identified for further review as possible cases of severe allergic reaction, including anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening allergic reaction that occurs rarely after vaccination, with onset typically within minutes to hours. Among these case reports, 10 cases were determined to be anaphylaxis (a rate of 2.5 anaphylaxis cases per million Moderna COVID-19 vaccine doses administered), including nine in persons with a documented history of allergies or allergic reactions, five of whom had a previous history of anaphylaxis.
The median interval from vaccine receipt to symptom onset was 7.5 minutes (range = 1-45 minutes). Among eight persons with follow-up information available all had recovered or been discharged home.
Among the remaining case reports that were determined not to be anaphylaxis, 47 were assessed to be nonanaphylaxis allergic reactions, and 47 were considered nonallergic adverse events. For four case reports, investigators have been unable to obtain sufficient information to assess the likelihood of anaphylaxis.
This report summarizes the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of case reports of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis and non anaphylaxis allergic reactions, after receipt of the first dose of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine during December 21, 2020-January 10, 2021, in the United States. CDC has issues updated interim clinical considerations for use of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized in the United States and interim considerations for preparing for the potential management of anaphylaxis.
Using methods previously described, CDC and FDA identified reports of suspected anaphylaxis in VAERS, the national passive surveillance (i.e., spontaneous reporting) system for monitoring adverse events after immunization. CDC physicians screened VAERS reports describing suspected severe allergic reactions and anaphylaxis and applied Brighton Collaboration case definition for anaphylaxis.
After initial screening, reports with sufficient evidence to suggest anaphylaxis were followed up by collecting information from medical providers, and, in some cases, vaccine recipients. Physician reviewers classified all initially identified case reports as anaphylaxis or not anaphylaxis and used clinical judgement to further categorize reports that were considered not anaphylaxis as non anaphylaxis allergic reaction cases with symptom onset occurring later than the day after vaccination (e.g., outside the 0-1 day risk window) were also excluded because of the difficulty in clearly attributing allergic reactions with onset later than this to vaccination.
During December 21, 2020 – January 10, 2021, the administration of 4,041,396 first doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine (2,465,411 to females , 1,450,996 males , and 125,019 to persons whose sex was not recorded ) was reported to CDC. During the same period, reports of 1,266 (0.03%) adverse events after receipt of the first dose of Moderna COVID-10 vaccine had been submitted to VAERS.
Among these, 108 case reports were identified for symptoms; 10 of these reports, all describing events in females, met the Brighton Collaboration case definition criteria for anaphylaxis, corresponding to an initial estimated rate of 2.5 anaphylaxis cases per million first Moderna COVID-19 vaccine doses administered.
The median age of persons with anaphylaxis was 47 years (range = 31-63 years). The median interval from vaccine receipt to symptom onset was 7.5 minutes (range = 1-45 minutes); nine patients had onset within 15 minutes, and one had onset after 30 minutes. In all 10 reports, patients received epinephrine as part of initial emergency treatment; the route of administration was confirmed in the VAERS report.
Six patients were hospitalized (including five in intensive care, four of whom required endotracheal intubation), and four were treated in an emergency department; eight patients with follow-up information available are known to have been discharged home or had recovered at the time of report to VAERS. No deaths from anaphylaxis were reported after receipt of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
Nine out of 10 anaphylaxis case reports included a patient history of allergies or allergic reactions, including to drugs (six), contrast media (two), and foods (one); five patients had experienced an episode of anaphylaxis in the past, none of which was associated with receipt of a vaccine. No geographical clustering of anaphylaxis cases was observed, and the cases occurred after receipt of doses from multiple vaccine lots. At the time of this publication, despite follow-up efforts, investigator have been unable to obtain sufficient information to assess the likelihood of anaphylaxis in four of the initial 108 suspected cases reported.
Among the 43 cases of nonanaphylaxis allergic reaction after receipt of Moderna COVID-19 vaccination with symptom onset within the 0-1 day risk window, 26 (60%) were classified as nonserious. Commonly reported symptoms included pruritus, rash, itchy sensations in the mouth and throat, sensations of throat closure, and respiratory symptoms.
The media patient age was 43 years (range = 22-96 years), and 39 (91%) of the reported reactions occurred in women. The median interval from vaccine receipt to symptom onset was 15 minutes (range = <1 minute-24 hours); in 30 (73%) cases, onset occurred within 30 minutes, in 11 cases, onset occurred after 30 minutes, and for two cases, time of onset was missing. For 26 (60%) case reports, a past history of allergic reactions, mostly to food and drugs, was documented.
Discussion
Early safety monitoring of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine detected 10 cases of anaphylaxis after reported administration of 4,041,396 first doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine (2.5 cases per million Moderna COVID-19 vaccine doses administered) as well as cases of less severe nonanaphylaxis allergic reactions, based on U.S. data for December 21, 2020 – January 10, 2021.
Anaphylaxis is potentially life-threatening and requires immediate treatment. Based on this early monitoring, anaphylaxis after receipt of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine appears to be a rare event; however, limited data of anaphylaxis risk with that associated with non-COVID-19 vaccines are constrained at this time by the limited data available this early in the COVID-19 vaccination program.
A previous analysis of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, also an mRNA vaccine, estimated an initial rate of 11.1 cases per million doses administered after receipt of the first dose of the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. CDC and FDA will continue to enhanced monitoring for anaphylaxis among recipients COVID-19 vaccines and will review case reports to VARES.
In nine of 10 cases of anaphylaxis after receipt of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, patients had symptoms onset within 30 minutes of vaccination, and nine anaphylaxis patients also had a history of allergic reactions, including some with previous anaphylaxis events; up to 30% of persons in the general population may have some type of allergy or history of allergic reactions.
All 10 anaphylaxis cases reported after receipt of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine occurred in women. Whereas a previous review of anaphylaxis reports to VAERS found that 80% of cases reported in adults involved females, the current finding could be affected by the observation that more woman than men had received a first dose of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine during the analytic period (61% of doses administered versus 36%, respectively).
In a previous analysis of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, two thirds of first doses were administered in women. The clinical and epidemiological characteristics of anaphylaxis case reports after receipt of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are similar to those reported after of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.
The clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of anaphylaxis case reports after receipt of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are similar to those reported after receipt of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-10 vaccine. For both vaccines, symptom onset after vaccination occurred quickly, usually within minutes. A strong female predominance of anaphylaxis case reports exists for both vaccines. Finally, many persons experiencing anaphylaxis after receiving either vaccine had a history of allergies or allergic reactions, with several having experienced an anaphylaxis episode in the past. Similar patient characteristics in case reports of nonanaphylaxis allergic reactions were observed among two vaccines.
The findings in this report are subject to at least two limitations. First, analyses of passive surveillance data include reporting biases, both underreporting because of lack of awareness or compliance with reporting requirements and reporting guidance, as well as stimulated reporting related to increased awareness from media or other public information sources.
Second, incomplete information in reports and potential data lags because of processing times might result in an undercount of cases, and lags in reporting for vaccine doses administered might underestimate denominator data. However, reporting efficiency to VAERS for clinically severe adverse condition such as anaphylaxis occurs relatively quietly, and VAERS is likely sensitive at capturing anaphylaxis cases occurring after COVID-19 vaccination.
Mortality from COVID-19 in populations at increased risk for severe illness is substantial, and treatment options are limited. Widespread vaccination against COVID-19 with highly effective vaccines represents a critical tool in efforts to control the pandemic and save lives.
CDC and FDA will continue to monitor for adverse events, including anaphylaxis, after administration of COVID-19 vaccines and will regularly assess the benefits and risks of vaccination in the context of the evolving epidemiology of the pandemic. Continued monitoring in VAERS and additional monitoring in population-based surveillance systems, such as the CDC’s Vaccine Safety Datalink will help to further characterize the risk for anaphylaxis after administration of COVID-19 vaccines.
CDC guidance on use of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines and management of anaphylaxis is available. Persons with an immediate allergic reaction to the first does of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine should not receive additional doses of either of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.
In addition to screening for contraindications and precautions before administering COVID-19 vaccines, vaccine locations should have the necessary supplies and trained staff members available to manage anaphylaxis, implement postvaccination observation periods, immediately treat persons experiencing anaphylaxis signs and symptoms with intramuscular injection of epinephrine, and transport patients to facilities where they can receive advanced medical care.
In addition all patients should be instructed to seek immediate medical care if they develop signs or symptoms of an allergic reaction after their observation period ends and they have left the vaccination location. Health care providers can play an important role in vaccine safety monitoring by vigilant in recognizing and reporting adverse events after immunization to VAERS.
January 28: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer posted a Press Release titled: “SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND DELIVER OVER $36.5 MILLION FOR UPSTATE NY AIRPORTS DEVASTATED BY PANDEMIC AS PART OF LAST MONTH’S COVID RELIEF PACKAGE” From the Press Release:
Schumer and Gillibrand Have Fought Tirelessly To Keep Airports Open and Operating Amid COVID Blow; Airports Serve Important Functions In Many Upstate New York Communities, Especially For Rural Regions
Senators Say Relief Funding Will Help Keep Airports Afloat Through Second Wave
Schumer, Gillibrand: COVID Package Will Help Airports Take-Off As Pandemic Battle Continues
After days of doggedly negotiating on behalf of Upstate New York, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand revealed that last month’s bipartisan COVID relief package includes $36,559,697 for specific airports across Upstate New York. The senator said that as the crisis extends beyond what was initially estimated, impacting the air travel industry for months on end, the federal funding allocated for airports in the COVID package will help airports stay afloat through the second wave.
“Air travel is vital to the connectivity and success of the Upstate economy, which is why, as New York battles a second wave of the pandemic, I fought tooth and nail in negotiations to get airports the funding they need to keep services running,” said Senator Schumer. “Airports serve important functions in many communities, especially in the more rural areas, connecting people to the rest of the world and allowing for economic opportunities to land. In the new congress, I will continue to fight for federal funding to keep our airports open and operational and to make sure Upstate New York has the help it needs to revive and thrive.”
“As New Yorkers continue battling the COVID-19 crisis, we cannot leave airports behind,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Airports, travel, and tourism will be a critical part of our economic recovery and these federal dollars will help airports across Upstate New York continue providing high-quality and safe transit when travel takes off.”
Jason Terreri Executive Director of Syracuse Hancock International Airport said, “The Syracuse Regional Airport Authority deeply appreciates the continued efforts of Senator Schumer and his team to secure nearly $4.8 million dollars in grant funds for Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR) through the most recent recovery package. These funds are critical to maintaining the safety and efficiency of the airport during this unprecedented time. It will allow the airport to continue operating seamlessly and ensure that SYR Airport is in the best position possible to recover from impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“This finding is integral to airports everywhere, especially BGM. This funding will allow BGM to keep running a safe and secure airport for our community. It is a step towards recovery and restoring confidence in air travel. We are grateful for the efforts of Senator Schumer in looking out for our Airport,” said Mark Heefner Commissioner of Aviation Greater Binghamton Airport.
Adam Bello, Monroe County NY County Executive said, “Like so many airports throughout the country, the Greater Rochester International Airport has experienced a decrease in air travel throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The $4.7 million in federal aid secured by Leader Schumer and Senator Gillibrand will help our airport continue to adapt and improve our health and safety measures as we slowly emerge from the pandemic, we have taken numerous steps to ensure the public health and safety of travelers and passengers, including those efforts and provide the best experience for residents and visitors of Monroe County.”
“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the airline industry and airports across the country. We thank Senator Schumer and Senator Gilibrand for fighting to secure over $2.3 million for New York Stewart International Airport in the latest federal COVID relief package and look forward to working with them in the future as we all look to recover from this pandemic and bolster the regional economy,” said Rick Cotton, Executive Director, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
“The Westchester County Airport has felt the brunt of devastating financial impacts of this pandemic since Covid-19 was first confirmed in our community. The airport is a major economic driver for our region and this federal funding will go a long way in serving our hard working airport employees while also providing a boost to residents and businesses who rely on its operation for their bottom lines. We thank Senator Schumer and Senator Gillibrand for securing over $4 million for Westchester County Airport in the latest federal COVID relief package,” said Westchester County Executive George Latimer.
“We are so grateful to Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, who fought hard for this funding, it will be a lifeline for our aviation operations,” said Kim Minkel, NFTA Executive Director. “With our passenger traffic down approximately 85 percent due to COVID coupled by the U.S. and Canadian border closure, this money will ensure that we can continue to provide aviation services to those traveling to and from Western New York and that our airports will be well positioned to play a critical role in the communities post-pandemic economic recovery.”
Funding will be allocated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under the Department of Transportation (DOT)…
January 28: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) titled: “Implementation and Evolution of Mitigation Measures, Testing, and Contact Tracing in the National Football League, August 9-November 21, 2020” From the Report:
Summary
What is already known about this topic?
COVID-19 contact tracing is important to prevent transmission, but risk characterization is difficult.
What is added by this report?
The National Football League observed SARS-CoV-2 transmission after <15 minutes of cumulative interaction, leading to a revised definition of a high-risk contact that evaluated mask use and ventilation in addition to duration and proximity of interaction. Intensive mitigation protocols effectively reduced close interactions.
What are the implications for public health practice?
Assessment of the context of each interaction, including mask use, indoor versus outdoor setting, and ventilation, in addition to duration and proximity, can improve identification of high-risk contacts during contact tracing. Postexposure quarantine based on redefined high-risk criteria, combined with testing and environment-specific intensive protocols, can protect communities before and after case identification.
The National Football League (NFL) and the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) began the 2020 football season in July, implementing extensive mitigation and surveillance measures in facilities and during travel and gameplay. Mitigation protocols were evaluated and modified based on data from routine transcription-polymerase chain reaction devices; and detailed interviews.
Midseason, transmission was observed in persons who had cumulative interactions of <15 minutes’ duration, leading to a revised definition of high-risk contacts that required consideration of mask use, setting and room ventilation in addition to proximity and duration of interaction.
The NFL also developed an intensive protocol that imposed stricter infection prevention precautions when a case was identified at an NFL club. The intensive protocol effectively prevented the occurrence of high-risk interactions, with no high risk contacts identified for 71% of traced cases at clubs under the intensive protocol. The incorporation of the nature and location of the interaction, including mask use, indoor versus outdoor setting, and ventilation, in addition to proximity and duration, likely improved identification of exposed persons at higher risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Quarantine of these persons, along with testing and intensive protocols, can reduce spread of infection.
The NFL consists of 32 member clubs based in 24 states. The NFL-NFLPA implemented a standard COVID-19 mitigation protocol in July that included mandatory masking; physical distancing; frequent handwashing; facility disinfection; restricted facility access; and regular, frequent testing of players and staff members.
Contact tracing was performed by trained staff members and supported by KINEXON wearable proximity devices that were required to be worn by players and personnel when in club environments. Device recordings captured consecutive and cumulative minutes/seconds of interactions among persons within 1.8 meters (6 feet) of one another.
When testing identified a new COVID-19 case, trained staff members conducted interviews to identify contacts including and beyond device-identified persons (e.g. non club activities, social interactions, and times when the device was not worn.) RT-PCR tests, with results available in 24 hours, were initially conducted 6 days per week for players and most staff members.
Analysis were preformed to actively evaluate the efficacy of the NFL-NFLPA protocols in limiting high-risk interactions and preventing COVID-19, including comprehensive review of RT-PCR results, device-recorded interactions, and contact tracing interviews. This activity was reviewed by CDC and was conducted consistent with applicable federal law, CDC, and NFL-NFLPA policy.
Over the course of the monitoring period (August 9 – November 21), 623,000 RT-PCR tests were performed among approximately 11,400 players and staff members; 329 (approximately 2.9%) laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 were identified.
After intake screening, in August and early September, fewer than 10 COVID-19 cases were identified per week for the following 7 weeks during which time the standard protocol was in effect, which emphasized physical distancing, masking, limited numbers of persons in specific areas, and other important behavioral and facility-related parameters.
However, during September 27 – October 10, a total of 41 cases were identified among players and staff members, 21 of which were believed to have resulted from within-club transmission at a single club, requiring closure of that club’s facilities. Subsequent contact tracing identified multiple instances of transmission that likely occurred during <15 minutes of cumulative interaction within 1.8 meters (6 feet).
Among the 21 persons with suspected within-club transmission , 12 had no device-recorded interactions of ≥15 consecutive minutes with a person confirmed with COVID-19, including eight who had no interactions >5 consecutive minutes and seven who had no interactions >15 cumulative minutes per day (with no other known exposures to a person with COVID-19).
Interviews revealed that, among the brief interactions that did occur, some were doing unmasked meetings in small rooms or while eating. Persons who contracted COVID-19 within this single-club transmission group received negative test results for several days after exposure (i.e., after club activities ceased) before receiving a positive result.
After this cluster of cases, several league-wide changes were implemented. The first involved the clubs moving on to an intensive protocol for 7 days when a positive test was received; the intensive protocol mandated further restrictions for the entire club to mitigate spread. The intensive protocol was implemented for any club if any players or staff members with facility access contracted COVID-19, or if the team played a game against an opposing player who received a next-day positive result from his game-day test.
During October 1-November 21, among the 32 clubs, 23 spent 431 days under intensive protocol. During this time, the median number of within-facility interactions of ≥15 consecutive minutes at <1.8 meters (<6 feet) per club per day decreased by 60%, from 60 to 24, and interactions of ≥2 consecutive minutes decreased by 28%, from 1,691 to 1,222.
The second change involved increasing testing frequency from 6 to 7 days per week. A third league-wide change was expansion of contact tracing and transmission risk assessment focusing on high-risk contact identification, which comprised of our main components.
These were, in addition to consideration of duration of exposure and specific distance between persons, assessment of face mask use (e.g., medical mask versus cloth face covering, proper mask use for both infected person and contact, and any mask removal to eat or drink) and setting ventilation (e.g., outdoor, indoor large volume, indoor small volume, and during transportation).
Expanded contact tracing covered all club-related contacts of persons with confirmed COVID-19 within the preceding 48 hours, including those outside the facility, with interviews regarding the full context of exposure and medical expert evaluation of the risk level for each interaction. Designation of a high-risk contact generally required concern by medical experts about the interaction involving two or more components; mask use and outdoor settings were considered protective.
For example, short car rides with partial mask use were considered high-risk, whereas prolonged interaction (>15 minutes) in well-ventilated settings (e.g., outdoors) with proper mask use were not. Contact tracing interviews and adjudication of high-risk contact status were typically completed within 18 hours of a positive test result.
All contacts of COVID-19 patients, regardless of duration of interaction, were instructed to remain out of club facilities until high-risk status determination was complete. Persons could also be designated high-risk contacts if a household member received a positive test result; self-reporting of cases among household members was required.
The mandatory minimum quarantine for high-risk contacts was 5 days post exposure, shorter than recommended in CDC guidance; this was deemed acceptable because of daily RT-PCR testing with <24-hour turnaround was available. Upon release from quarantine, high-risk contacts continued daily testing and symptom monitoring, enabling rapid identification and isolation of persons who received positive test results after quarantine.
During October 15 – November 21, a total of 189 NFL players and staff members were identified as high-risk contacts of 215 persons with confirmed COVID-19 and were subsequently quarantined. Among these, 20 (11%) persons from 12 clubs received positive test results (mean and median interval from exposure to positive RT-PCR sample collection = 5 days ).
Seven of these 20 contacts received positive test results after release from 5-day quarantine; however, they continued to test daily and adhere to strict mitigation measures, and no within-club secondary transmission was identified among these persons. Among those exposed outside of the home, all reported partial or no mask use, and the majority of exposures were external to the NFL environment (e.g., sharing a vehicle and eating at a restaurant). Among 107 traced cases among clubs already in the intensive protocol at the time of positive test result, 76 persons (71%) had no high-risk contacts identified.
Discussion
Real-time evaluation of surveillance data and response to suspected COVID-19 transmission events within NFL clubs led to important changes in NFL-NFLPA COVID-19 protocols. Compulsory 7-day intensive protocol implementation for clubs with any exposure COVID-19, mandatory 5-day quarantine of high-risk contacts, and daily RT-PCR testing effectively reduced exposure and facilitated earlier case identification. Daily testing allowed early, albeit not immediate, identification of infection, necessitating quarantine after exposure; high frequency testing also facilitated real-time program evaluation.
To date, the ability to define a close contact has been limited. An investigation from a Vermont corrections facility confirmed that cumulative brief interactions exceeding 15 minutes in total could lead to transmission.
However, among 21 NFL cases for which contact tracing indicating likely within-club transmission, seven infected persons has no interactions exceeding 15 cumulative minutes per day within 1.8 meters (6 feet) of a person with COVID-19, as confirmed by wearable proximity devices. This finding led to a revised high-risk contact definition that include ascertainment of mask use and setting, in addition to duration of exposure and proximity.
An intensive protocol designed for this environment and deployed to facilities with known exposure was an effective mitigation measure. Some NFL clubs chose to retain intensive protocol restrictions beyond mandatory periods; implementation and completion of an intensive protocol can serve an important motivator and reminder of the need for diligence.
The quarantine of exposed persons and ability of the full employee population to move into a more restrictive protocol during periods of increased risk is an intervention that could be extended to settings such as long-term care facilities, schools, and high-density environments.
The intensive protocol was likely critical in preventing transmission of SARS-CoV-2 because seven of 20 quarantined high-risk contacts did not receive a positive test result until completing their 5-day quarantine. In scenarios without daily testing, duration of both quarantine and intensive protocol implementation might require extension.
Intensive protocol restrictions can be tailored to each environment to include, at minimum, more extensive masking and outdoor venue use and further restrictions in access, room volume, in-person meetings, and mealtime interactions.
The increase in cases identified in NFL clubs in October and November mirrored the increased incidence in the United States during that time. These infections were primarily related to community exposures, based on contact tracing interviews and exemplified by the high proportion of persons who contracted COVID-19 after household exposure.
Although the intensive protocol and high-risk contact designations were primarily intended to prevent work-related exposure, employees were regularly educated about risks from household and community exposure. Implementation of the intensive protocol decreased within-facility exposures despite increasing community transmission of COVID-19 across the country during this time.
The findings in this report are subject to at least three limitations. First, wearable device metrics rely on adherence; individual-level compliance is unknown. Second, determination of high-risk contact status is interview-based and subject to recall and reporting bias; household exposures are based on self-report. Finally, source and date of transmission cannot be confirmed.
COVID-19 mitigation measures must be continually optimized based on available data. In the NFL, COVID-19 transmission was identified in persons with <15 minutes of consecutive or cumulative interaction and was reduced through implementation of an intensive protocol focused on environmental change, increased personal protection, avoidance of high-risk interactions such as vehicle sharing, eating in the same room or common areas, and expansion of the components of contact tracing to incorporate high-risk contact designations.
Although the protocols implemented by the NFL were resource-intensive, strategies such as accounting for specific protocols implemented by the NFL were resource-intensive, strategies such as accounting for specific characteristics of the close contact, in addition to time and duration, and creation of an intensive protocol are applicable to other settings, including essential workplaces, long-term care facilities, and schools.
January 29, 2021
January 29: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) titled: “COVID-19 Cases and Transmission in 17 K-12 Schools – Wood County, Wisconsin, August 31 – November 29, 2020” From the Report:
Summary
What is already known about this topic?
COVID-19 outbreaks related to kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) classroom setting have been rarely reported; however, in-school transmission risk has not been well described.
What is added by this report?
Among 17 rural Wisconsin schools, reported student mask-wearing was high, and the COVID-19 incidence among students and staff members was lower than in the county overall (3,453 versus 5,466 per 100,000). Among 191 cases identified in students and staff members, only seven (3.7%) cases, all among students, were linked to in-school spread.
What are the implications for public health practice?
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disrupted in-person learning in the United States, with approximately one half of all students receiving online-only instructor since March 2020. Discontinuation of in-person schooling can result in many hardships and disproportionately affects families of lower socioeconomic status. Current evidence suggests that transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) schools might not significantly contribute to COVID-19 spread nationwide.
During August 31-November 29, 2020, COVID-19 cases, spread, compliance with mask use were investigated among 4,876 students and 654 staff members who participated in in-person learning in 17 K-12 schools in rural Wisconsin.
School-attributable COVID-19 case rates were compared with rates in the surrounding community. School administration and public health officials provided information on COVID-19 cases within schools.
During the study period, widespread community transmission was observed, with 7%-40% of COVID-19 tests having positive results. Masking was required for all students and staff members at all schools, and rate of reported student mask-wearing was high (>92%). COVID-19 case rates among students and staff members were lower (191 cases among 5,530 persons, or 3,453 cases per cases per 100,000) than were those in the county overall (5,466 per 100,000).
Among the 191 cases identified in students and staff members, one in 20 cases among students was linked to in-school transmission; no infections among staff members were found to have been acquired at school. These findings suggest that, with proper mitigation strategies, K-12 schools might be capable of opening for in-person learning with minimal in-school transmission of SARS-CoV-2.
Among 18 selected schools in Wood County, Wisconsin, 17 agreed to participate in this study of COVID-19 in schools and compliance of mask use. One school opted not to participate based on teacher preference. Surveillance was initiated by a small group of physician and medical student researchers.
Participating schools were from three public school districts, one private school district, and one independent private school. Eight schools with elementary (grades K-6) with 1,539 students attending in-person, and nine were secondary (grades 7-12) with 3,347 students attending in-person. An estimated 12.4% of Wood County’s children were attending virtually.
A number of infection mitigation measures were employed at the schools. The Legacy Foundation of Central Wisconsin provided funding for the districts to purchase 2-3-layer cloth face coverings for all students, and all students received three to five masks as a result of this grant. Students were asked to wear masks when within 6 feet of another person outdoors and at all times indoors.
A classroom cohort included students from one grade level who avoided mixing with other students and ranged in size from 11 to 20 students. All classes and lunch periods were held indoors. Schools generally attempted to seat students near the same person within their cohort, if possible.
Staff member were instructed to wear masks, maintain a distance of 6 feet from all persons, if possible. Staff members were instructed to wear masks, maintain a distance of 6 feet from all persons, if possible, and limit time in shared indoor spaces. If a student was excluded from in-person school because of COVID-19 symptoms, that student’s siblings were also excluded from in-person school. No systematic COVID-19 screening was conducted in the schools or the community.
A free online survey using Google Forms was distributed to all eligible classroom teachers (305) by the school administration or the research team. Information regarding the total number of students expected to attend school in-person, number of students actually attending in-person, and number of students donning or wearing masks when expected to do so was obtained from these surveys. Teachers were instructed to complete the survey once per week during a single class and were instructed to complete the survey based on what they were observing at that time on survey day. Information on masking compliance among staff members was not collected.
Information was obtained from the Wood County public health COVID-19 dashboard on weekly cases and percentage of COVID-19 test results in the community. A COVID-19 case was defined as a positive SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) rest result. COVID-19 cases in schools were reported by public health or school administration officials using deidentified data.
When a school was alerted to a positive case in a student or staff member, school officials identified persons who had had close contact with the patient through interviews with the patient, parents, and school staff members. Close contact was defined as being within 6 feet for longer than 15 cumulative minutes during a 24-hour period. Patients’ close contacts were required to quarantine in their homes, and if they experienced symptoms during the quarantine period, they were further investigated to determine whether in-school spread might have occurred.
Descriptive statistics were used to calculate school and district average masking compliance as well as percentage of students absent based on the weekly surveys. The protocol was reviewed by the Aspirus Wausau Hospital Institutional Review Board and determined to be exempt from human subjects review because it met the requirements under 45 CFR 46. 104 (d)(2) and underwent a limited review as required under 46.111 (a)(7).
A total of 4,876 students and 654 staff members contributed data to the study. Wood County in central Wisconsin has a population of approximately 73,000, with just under 100 persons per square mile. According to a 2019 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, 92.0% of the population in Wood County identified as non-Hispanic White, median income was $54,913, and 10.7% of persons met poverty thresholds.
During the 13-week study period (August 31-November 29), a total of 3,393 COVID cases were reported in Wood County (cumulative incidence = 5,466 per 100,000 persons), including 191 cases within the participating schools (cumulative incidence = 3,454 per 100,000), including 191 cases within the participating schools (cumulative incidence – 3,454 per 100,000). Cases occurred in 133 students and 58 staff members.
Among these 191 cases, seven (3.7%) were attributed to in-school SARS-CoV-2 transmission, and all occurred within secondary school cohorts. Three of these seven cases occurred in one class in one elementary school, and the other four occurred at separate schools. No in-school transmission between separate classroom cohorts was reported. Weekly COVID-19 incidence ranged from 34 – 1,189 per 100,000 persons in the community, and from 72 to 699 cases per 100,000 among students and staff members in the schools. COVID-19 incidence unschools conducting in-person instruction was 37% lower than that in the surrounding community. During the study period, 7% – 40% of RT-PCR tests from Wood County had positive results.
A total of 2,846 teacher survey responses were collected weekly (response rate = 54%), including 37,575 weekly student masking observations. Observed student masking compliance ranged from 92.1% to 97.4% and did not vary by student age. During the study period, masking noncompliance increased slightly from 2.6% to 7.9%
Discussion
This study, involving students and staff members in 17 K-12 schools in five rural Wisconsin districts under district and statewide mask mandates, found high teacher-reported student masking compliance. Among 5,530 students and staff members, 191 COVID-19 cases were reported. Only seven (3.7%) of these cases were associated with in-school transmission, all in students. Despite widespread community transmission, COVID-19 incidence in schools conducting in-person instruction was 37% lower than that in the surrounding community.
Children might be more likely to be asymptomatic carries of COVID-19 than are adults. In the present study, the absence of identified child-to-staff member transition during the 13-week study period suggests in-school spread was uncommon.
This apparent lack of transmission is consistent with recent research, which found an asymptomatic attack rate of only 0.7% within households and a lower rate of transmission from children than from adults. However, this study was unable to rule out asymptomatic transmission within the school setting because surveillance testing was not conducted.
Student masking compliance was reported to exceed 92% throughout the course of the study. Older children were reported to be equally compliant with masking as younger children. High levels of compliance, small cohort sizes (maximum of 20 students), and limited contact between cohorts likely helped mitigate in-school SARS-CoV-2 transmission and could be responsible for the low levels of transmission detected in schools.
Investigation of 191 school-related COVID-19 cases in students and staff members suggested that most transmission occurred outside of required school activities. This finding is consistent with recently reported data suggesting limited transmission within schools.
Some school districts throughout the country have set thresholds for reopening based on percentage of positive test results in the community (e.g., Virginia: 10%, California: 8%). The percentage of positive COVID-19 test results ranged from 7% to 40% in the community, and confirmed COVID-19 cases within schools were few.
These findings suggest that attending school where recommended mitigation strategies are implements might not place children in a higher risk environment than exists in the community. Having children in a monitored school setting might increase adherence to mask compliance, and cohosting can help minimize exposures for children and adults. In-person schooling for children has numerous health and societal benefits, especially for children and parents of lower socioeconomic status.
The findings in this report are subject to at least seven limitations. First, mask use was assessed using a survey that was not validated, dependent on voluntary teacher response and subject to recall and social desirability biases. The actual mask-wearing rate might have been different because only approximately one half of teachers participated in the study. Teachers with lower masking compliance in their cohort might have been less likely to complete the survey, which limits the reliability of this measure.
Second, lack of data about masking compliance among staff members might also lead to a reported masking compliance that differed from actual masking compliance among persons in the study.
Third, it was not possible to determine the specific roles that mask-wearing and other disease mitigation strategies played in the low rate of disease spread, and information on school ventilation systems was not obtained.
Fourth, because schools did not perform infection screening of staff members and students, the prevalence of asymptomatic spread could not be determined. However, recent serological survey data from a school setting found asymptomatic spread to be minimal.
Fifth, sources of infection among identified cases were detected through contact tracing, which is less accurate than is genomic sequencing.
Sixth, rural schools might differ in important ways from those in more densely populated areas. For example, the capacity to achieve physical distancing in schools might differ if classroom size and outdoor space in rural schools is different from that in suburban or urban schools. However, all the classes and lunch periods in this study were held indoors, as would be consistent with most urban settings.
Finally, the ethnic makeup of this rural population was predominantly non-Hispanic White, and the results of this study might not be generalizable to other rural or nonrural school populations.
In a setting of widespread community SARS-CoV-2 transmission, few instances of in-school transmission were identified among students and staff members, with limited spread among children within their cohorts and no documented transmission to or from staff members.
Only seven of 191 cases (3.7%) were linked to in-school transmission, and all seven were among children. Mask-wearing among students was reported by teachers as high, which likely contributed to low levels of observed disease transmission in these 17 K-12 schools. Although asymptomatic transmission is possible, this study demonstrated that, with precautions in place, in-school transmission of SARS-CoV-2 appeared to be uncommon in this rural Wisconsin community, despite a 40% positive SARS-CoV-2 test rate in the surrounding community.
January 29: The White House posted a Press Briefing titled: “Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, January 29, 2021” From the Press Briefing:
MS. PSAKI: Early morning briefing. We’ll see how this goes; you guys can give feedback on the time of day.
Okay, I have several announcements for your today. To begin, I know many of you and the American people are interested in the news coming from Johnson & Johnson’s trial data. The President is encouraged by positive data on a new potential vaccine. He also knows that this is just new data, and now is the time for the FDA to do its job of evaluating the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. In the meantime, he continues to urge all Americans to mask up and follow public health guidelines until it’s their turn to get vaccinated.
Now, I know there may be a lot of questions you have of us about the trial data or Johnson & Johnson. I’m here to tell you that I’m not going to get ahead of the experts, who you will all get to hear from in the next our in our public health briefing from the COVID-response team. They will discuss this more with you and what everything means then.
At Wednesday’s briefing, I also shared some of the engagement and outreach the White House is doing to move forward the American Rescue Plan, from the President and the Vice President on down. That work has continued and accelerated.
Yesterday, senior staff spoke again to governors about the challenges they are facing and the importance of relief. Today, National Economic Council Deputy Director David Kamin will meet with the Council of State Governments. The Office of Public Engagement will also brief black civic groups, anti-hunger and nutrition advocates, and key progressive groups and invite their feedback. These conversations are, of course, building support and moving the President’s bill forward.
According – but we also saw evidence this week that the American people overwhelmingly want their elected leaders to work with the President to confront this pandemic and put people back to work. According to a Monmouth poll released Wednesday, 71 percent of the American people want Republicans in Congress to work with President Biden. That number is up 10 points from right after the election, meaning the trend of support for working in a bipartisan manner with the President is only growing.
Finally, the President is committed to getting relief to working families. Hence, he is also meeting this morning with his economic – members of his economic team with Vice – the Vice President and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen for a briefing on the cost of inaction and the impact of a delay in moving forward with a relief package. Millions of Americans don’t have enough food to eat, and millions more have lost their jobs, but interest rates are at historic lows, and that means it’s the the right time to make smart investments.
Moody’s – a Wall Street firm – has said that we could end up with 4 million fewer jobs this year if we don’t act on the President’s plan. That’s 4 million Americans who would – who could get back to work. And I’m sure they will discuss all of that at their briefing later this morning.
Last thing: We are venturing to provide a “Week Ahead” to all of you – or return to providing a “Week Ahead” to all of you. So, a quick preview:
Next Monday, the President will meet with the Secretary of State at the State Department.
On Tuesday, the President will deliver remarks and sign an executive order advancing his priority to modernize our immigration system.
And Friday is, of course, Jobs Day, and the President will deliver remarks about the economy.
We’ll have hopefully more of the next couple of days, but we wanted to provide as many details as we could.
With that, Zeke, why don’t you kick us off?
Q: Thank you, Jen. One foreign policy, just to get going: With violence surging in Afghanistan, is the President still committed to wind down operations there and bringing troops home this year?
MS. PSAKI: The President – I have not spoken with our national security team about this in particular, but his commitment remains.
Q: And then, at the top, you mentioned that Americans should follow public health guidance. One of the challenges is it has been, over the course of the last 10 months – is that public health guidance, from state to state, varies. Some states have mask mandates, others have indoor dining open, and others have schools open; other don’t. Should – what guidance should the American people follow: their governor’s guidance or should they follow the President’s?
MS. PSAKI: Well, first, what we’re venturing to do is to provide more concrete guidance from the federal government, from the CDC, from health and medical experts on the important steps all of the American people can take to keep themselves safe. That includes the importance of mask wearing, of course, and how vital that is to keeping us safe.
It also includes the importance of hand washing, of restricting travel. These are all guidelines that have come in recent days and weeks, I should say, from the President of the United States and from our medical and health experts.
But in addition, as we discussed yesterday, there are guidelines, including the safe – for the safe reopening of schools that he signed an executive order on, directing both the Department of Education and HHS – and the CDC, I should say, – I’m sorry – to produce those guidelines to give more specific advice and markers to states and local school districts on what they should follow.
So it will ultimately be up to the states, to governors, to local school districts, and others to make determinations. But we do want to provide more clear guidance from the federal government, based on the expertise of health and medical experts, on what people should follow and what will help keep the American people safe.
Q: I just want a quick follow-up on that one. The CDC study that was discussed here a couple of days ago – one of its recommendations, as part of reopening schools immediately, was to close indoor dining, restaurants, and bars. Is that a part of the federal guidance that we should be expecting to see from the CDC and the Department of Education soon?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the good news is that you get to hear from our Director of the CDC – I believe, in about 45 minutes – and ask our medical and health experts, and you can certainly ask them if there’s going to be any updated guidance.
Go ahead.
Q: Dr. Fauci says the U.S. may not be able to meet that goal of reopening most K-8 schools in 100 days because of the trajectory of the pandemic. Given that, is the President going to adjust his goal of trying to get all these schools reopened in 100 days?
MS. PSAKI: Well, as we talked about a little bit yesterday, the President wants to not only reopen schools, he wants the schools to stay open. And – but he does rely on the guidance of his health and medical experts, and obviously he’s not going to do anything that is not safe and doesn’t keep teachers, students, and our school districts safe.
But a key part of this is the guidelines, as we mentioned the executive order he signed to ensure that school districts are getting the information they need and clarity they need on what steps they should take to keep their students safe and teachers safe, of course.
But it is also funding, and we’ve talked about this quite a bit in here. And the American Rescue Plan is pivotal for a number or reasons, including ensuring that Americans have food on the table; including that we can get shots into the arms of people across the country; but also that school districts, especially public schools, have the funding they need to take steps on everything from ventilation to PPE, to testing. And the longer that’s delayed, the harder it’s going to be to meet that goal.
Q: Got it. And has President Biden spoken to former President Trump since taking office? And if so, can you give us any update on what President Trump said in his letter to President Biden?
MS. PSAKI: I don’t have any update. I don’t have any calls to report on. There are no calls to report on, I should say, and I don’t have any update on the letter. As I sad when we talked about this a week and a half ago – it seems longer than that, I’m going to acknowledge – the President of course thought the letter was gracious and generous, but he plans to keep it private.
Go ahead.
Q: Jen, I understand you don’t want to get too much into the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, given the data that’s out there, but this likely won’t be the only vaccine that is less effective than the Pfizer and the Moderna vaccines. And so I wonder: What is the President’s message to those Americans who would be less – who would be more reluctant to get one of those less effective vaccines? And are you concerned about the impact that that would have, given how many doses have already been bought on the frontend?
MS. PSAKI: Well, first, when the President announced his plan, earlier this week, to ensure we had enough vaccination – vaccines to give every American two shots by the end of summer with the purchase of Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, he was doing that without the need for additional vaccines approved. Obviously, if additional vaccines – Johnson & Johnson or any others – go through the FDA approval process, that’s a positive step. Right? No doubt about that.
But he purchased these – the large orders for vaccines that we’ll have by the end of summer – to get into the arms of Americans to ensure that we would be able to do that even without any of those steps, moving forward.
Q: And so he would encourage Americans to get any vaccine that is approved by the FDA for emergency use authorization?
MS. PSAKI: Well, again – we’re not going to get ahead of the FDA – I’m not suggesting you’re asking that – but we’ll rely on our health and medical experts to advise if there are additional vaccines – “if and when,” I’ll be optimistic – that they are approved by the FDA and how that will impact our vaccination – vaccine distribution plan.
Q: And secondly, on the coronavirus relief bill, in his first month in office, President Obama traveled to a number of key states to drum up support for the Recovery Act. Does President Biden have and plans to do something similar to drum up support for his $1.8 trillion coronavirus relief bill?
MS. PSAKI: Well, Vice President Biden – then-Vice President Biden also traveled to a number of states to drum up support for the American Recover Act at the time – and obviously we weren’t dealing with a pandemic, so the circumstances were quite different. But he fully recognizes, as do we, the importance of speaking directly to the American people about the components of this package, whether it’s the importance of funding to get schools open or get vaccines in the arms of Americans, or just ensure that people know they can put food on the table.
And so we’re having to take a number of creative steps to do that. Whether that’s direct television or local media or from the President, the Vice President, and others, we’re doing that; whether it’s engaging with governors and local elected officials to ensure that we’re answering all the questions they have and that they can convey to the public. So we’re taking a number of creative steps, a little outside of the box. Certainly, his preference would be to get on a plane and fly around the country, but that’s not the step we’re planning currently.
Q: But as a candidate, President Biden did travel a fair amount, especially in the final weeks of the campaign. He’s now received both doses of the vaccine, and a number of safety precautions are in place and could be in place for his travel. So why wouldn’t you be traveling? Or is that something you –
MS. PSAKI: Well, it’s also about keeping the public safe. And, you know, we’re not going to do an event – a rally with 20,000 people; that wouldn’t be a recommendation made by our health and medical experts.
Q: Right, but there wouldn’t be any plans to travel without a crowd and to go out into the country for this bill?
MS. PSAKI: We may travel, certainly, but I have nothing to preview for you at this point in time. What I’m conveying is that it is vital for the President and the Vice President and every member of our team to be speaking directly to the American people. And so we’re looking for creative ways to do that.
Q: And could I ask you a foreign –
MS. PSAKI: Sure.
Q: – policy question? After Alexei Nalalny was poisoned last summer, then-candidate Biden said there was “no doubt” that the Kremlin was reponsible for his poisoning and he vowed to, quote “hold the Putin regime accountable.” This week you told us the President conveyed his concerns to President Putin, but he hasn’t yet taken any action to hold Russia accountable.
So I wonder, does President Biden hold President Putin directly responsible for the poisoning of Alexei Navalny? And if so, why hasn’t he yet taken sanctions action to punish Russia for it actions?
MS. PSAKI: Well first, the President spoke with President Putin this week, as you know, and he did not hold back his concerns about a number of the actions of the Kremlin and of the Russian government.
But there is a review underway that we have spoken about a bit in here by our national security team, and we’ll let that review carry forward. That includes the SolarWinds breach, it includes the poisoning of Alexei Nalavny, it includes the – I’m kind of losing my train of thought here – but it includes a number of steps – a number of concerning actions they’ve taken. We want that review to carry forward and to be completed. And the President always reserves the right to respond in the manner of his choosing and at the time of his choosing.
Q: Does he hold President Putin responsible for the attempted assassination of Alexei Navalny?
MS. PSAKI: We’re going to let the review carry forward, and then I’m sure we’ll have more to say about it at that point in time.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Jen. The New York Attorney General released a report yesterday saying that the state had undercounted the number of COVID deaths by as much as 50 percent in nursing homes. Would President Biden support a federal investigation into what happened in Governor Andrew Cuomo’s role?
MS. PSAKI: I’ve seen those reports. I would say, any investigation, I would point into the Department of Justice. They’re –
Q: But does the White House think that it should be looked into further?
MS. PSAKI: Again, any investigation would be led by the Department of Justice. We’re in a new age; they’re independent, and they will determine what paths they take moving forward.
Q: Okay. On immigration, I know you said yesterday that it was never 100 percent that today was going to be an immigration day, that it was just a – an early draft and things change, but can you help us understand what exactly changed and why it’s taking a little bit longer for these executive orders and actions on immigration to execute?
MS. PSAKI: Sure. You know, one, it’s, of course, been widely reported that the President is planning to announce his task force – or now plans to announce his launch of a task force on reunifying families and children, something that is – he’s personally committed to, his wife, Dr. Biden, is personally committed to and invested in. And he will plan to do – to make that announcement next Tuesday.
The task force will be led by Secretary of Homeland Security, once he’s confirmed, Ale Mayorkas. And we had planned to sign that executive order today, or at the end of this week, I should say. Early plans sometimes do change, and that was a draft plan, which those changed many times, I can assure you from sitting through may scheduling meetings.
But we had planned to do it this week because we hoped Ale Mayor’s would be confirmed by the end of this week. But because of the filibuster of his nomination, we expect him to be confirmed on Monday evening, and therefore the President will sign it on Tuesday, and then Secretary Mayorkas will be overseeing that moving forward.
Q: Okay, and one more question – a foreign one. Can you give us just a little bit more of a timeline in terms of how much longer you think it will take for the White House to engage with Iran on its nuclear program? Because you had one of Iran’s top diplomats saying yesterday that it belives the window is closing.
MS. PSAKI: Well, I’m not going to give a timeline on it. Obviously it requires Iran complying with the requirements of – of the nuclear deal. We’ve said previously, but I will reiterate here, that the President also sees it as an opportunity to build on the plan from here – there. And I apologize, I just want to make sure I give you the exact language. He believes that through follow-on diplomacy, the U.S. should seek to lengthen and strengthen these nuclear constraints and address other issues of concern, including Iran’s ballistic missiles program and its regional activity.
But, again, Iran must resume compliance with a significant – with the significant nuclear constraints under the deal.
Now, he’s also talked about – and, thematically, we’ve talked about – how working with our partners, and allies, including the Europeans, members of the P5+1, is pivotal to any engagement moving forward, of course including on what the future of the Iran nuclear deal is.
Q: Okay. Thank you.
MS. PSAKI: Go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Jen. Just a follow-up on Iran. Would the President consider meeting with his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rounani, and, maybe, following President Obama’s example for a starter, have a telephone conversation with him?
MS. PSAKI: I think we’re getting a little bit ahead of where we are in the process. Again, the firs step here is to Iran – is for Iran to comply with the significant nuclear constructions under the deal, but I am certain we will continue to discuss this issue in here and at the State Department and other parts of government.
Go ahead.
Q: In the wake of –
MS. PSAKI: Steve Holland!
Q: Oh, hi.
MS. PSAKI: I couldn’t – didn’t even recognize you with your mask for a second.
Q: Just to follow up on Jeremy’s question –
MS. PSAKI: Yes.
Q: – did President Biden specifically call on President Putin to release Alexei Navalny?
MS. PSAKI: Yes, as we have – as we have publicly, as our team has repeatedly called for, through the course of the last several weeks. In terms of the specifics of the conversation, I don’t have any more details for you on that.
Q: Okay, so we don’t know what Putin said, or did he make any promises?
MS. PSAKI: I don’t have anything to read out on President Putin’s comments, no.
Q: And in the wake of the GameStop trading incident, is there a public role the White House can play in educating people about the dangers of this type of trading?
MS. PSAKI: Well, Steve, I know the SEC issued a new statement earlier this morning, or just before I came out here, and I’d certainly point you to that, and others to that. And we, of course, respect the role of regulatory agencies. They are closely monitoring the situation, but it’s under their purview at this point in time. And I guess part of our education can be conveying to people that the SEC is the regulatory body that would oversee this and can speak to it further.
Go ahead.
Q: Thanks, Jen. Two on Capitol security. So the acting chief of police up there on Capitol Hill has recommended permanent fencing around the Capitol. I was wondering if the Biden White House or President Biden himself has any thoughts on this, if permanent fencing is the right answer or does it project the wrong picture to the American Public.
MS. PSAKI: I’m nor sure we’re going to have any comment on that specifically, but I’m happy to talk to our national security – homeland security team if we have anything further to add.
Q: Sure. And a quick follow-up. Speaker Pelosi said, I believe it was yesterday, that she feels that threats are coming from inside the House with other members being allowed to carry guns. Of course, you have conspiracy theorists among the ranks of the GOP now. Do you, and does the White House, agree with that assessment that there is security threats coming from inside the House? Has Biden spoken to Pelosi? And is he worried about the safety – the physical safety of both members of Congress.
MS. PSAKI: Well, he speaks with Speaker Pelosi on a regular basis and certainly has reiterated her – his support for her and members of the caucus. And he has spoken publicly about his concerns about the rhetoric, of course, around the events of January 6th, but some of the rhetoric that has continues and the role of social media platforms.
So, he is in close touch with her about events on the Capitol, about the safety of members, but I don’t think that I have anything more for you to read out beyond that.
Go ahead, in the back.
Q: Thank you, Jen. Two quick foreign and one domestic, if that’s okay. Can you confirm officially that Robert Malley has been appointed Special Envoy for Iran? Is that –
MS. PSAKI: I can. I believe it was announced this morning. Yes? Or I guess I can confirm it here for you.
Q: That would be great. And then the – as you know, settlements have been a major obstacle to getting the Palestinians back to the negotiating table. Would President Biden consider it – does he believes settlements are – should be halted in the West Bank so that the Palestinians will come back?
MS. PSAKI: I don’t have any new comments from President Biden on this or the current circumstance. He’s obviously spoken to this particular issue in the past and conveyed that he doesn’t believe security assistance should be tied. But I don’t have anything mroe for you on the path forward toward a two-state solution.
Q: And just following up on the Capitol Hill fence: You know there a fence outside here, a temporary one, around the White House. It’s been up since last summer. President Trump took a lot of criticism for it. Would President Biden consider bringing that fence down so people can take photos in front of the White House again?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I think we’d all like that, including members of my family and people in Washington. But I will talk to our security team and see if there’s any further – anything further to convey to all of you.
Go ahead.
Q: As you guys are thinking about the task force to reunite the parents and the separated children, what are you sort of learning about the scope of that challenge? It’s something that groups have tried to do in the past and failed. How many people do you think would need to be tasked to that to make it actually effective?
MS. PSAKI: Those are excellent questions, and I expect that when we announce – when the President signs the executive order next week; when we put the task force together; when Ali Mayorkas is confirmed as the Secretary of Homeland Security – maybe we’ll have him come to this briefing room, or I’m officially inviting him here today to come to this briefing room.
But, you know, there’s no question that we recognize this is going to be incredibly challenging, that there will be a lot of work to be done, that is why this will be a priority. It’s not only a priority for Secretary Mayorkas. But I will leave it to him and to others at the Department of Homeland Security to outline and preview for you the path forward.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Jen. I know that President Biden and the First Lady are acutely aware of the sacrifices that military families make. That being said, we had an incident in the – with the garage with the National Guard that was kind of embarrassing. And now I’m hearing from spouses of Guards member that they had a COVID outbreak and were not tested or vaccinated before they arrived in D.C. And I’m wondering if there’s any concern by the President about how these Guardsmen are being treated; whether he can do anything specifically to safeguard their health before they arrived, while they’re still here. Can he get vaccinating – vaccinations to – and testing to governors, specifically for the purpose of providing some health safeguards to these soldiers?
MS. PSAKI: Well, as your noted at the beginning of your question but I would just reiterate, the role of the National Guard – and I’ve spoken to the President about this directly – and the incredible sacrifices they make is something that is personal to him, given his family connection to the National Guard. He had called the head of the National Guard just last week when the reports cam out about the treatment of the National Guard and the fact that they had been – many had ben sleeping in garages and, of course, conveyed his dismay of the photos he had seen and their treatment, and also offered his personal – personally, any help that he could provide, whether – even if it was boosting morale. And certainly that line of communication remains open should there be something that the can do from his end.
In terms of specific prioritization of the vaccine, I would point you to the Department of Defense and leaders over there to speak to that more specifically.
Q: Okay. One follow-up to that. Do you – on the question of Nancy Pelosi – Speaker Pelosi’s concern about the “enemy within,” has the President been briefed on such a threat? And does he agree that the National Guard should be here until mid-March, during the impeachment trial?
MS. PSAKI: I’ll speak to Liz Sherwood-Randall and our Department of Homeland Security – our Homeland Security colleagues here to see if there’s more specifics we have from our end. But I would point you to the Department of Defense and the National Guard team otherwise.
Q: We have one question, because I’m the print pooler –
MS. PSAKI: Sure. Go ahead.
Q: – from another reporter from WUSA. The reporter asks: I’ve learned that the IRS employees nationwide are having telework suspended. They’re all being called back into the office, this despite an OMB directive issued Tuesday ordering federal agencies to only allow 25 percent capacity in federal buildings. If IRS employee have been doing telework successfully, why is now the time to bring them all back into the office? Is that safe?
MS. PSAKI: I would point you to the Department of Treasury, where the IRS is located, for any further comment on that.
Go ahead. Oh, sorry, I’ll come to you next too.
Q: Just – Jen, just on the Defense Production Act: You’ve been asked a few times in your briefings about any specific instances of the Defense Production Act being used. Yesterday, the Chief of Staff, Ron Klein, suggested that it was being used as it relates to the production of N95 masks.
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.
Q: Is there anything specific you can tell us on that or any other companies or product where the Defense Production Act is being used now?
MS. PSAKI: Well, we’re not going to get into specific companies. Obviously there are procurement processes here, but also – that take place at federal agencies, but also we’re still early in the process. It was invoked just last week, but I can give you more specific detail in terms of how we plan to use it on the vaccine supply. I think one of the – also, the products that Ron Klein spoke about was low dead space syringes, which allow – are the key to getting the sixth dose out of the Pfizer vial – pivotal on getting more vaccines out into the public; N95 masks, isolation gowns, nitrile gloves – again, safety and keeping people safe from infection; pipette tips and high-absorbency foam swabs for testing; and then lipid nanoparticles, which are key to the MRNA vaccine; and bioreactor bags, which is what the vaccine is mass produced in.
So, as you can tell, a lot of this is materials that will help ensure that the vaccine can be used by vaccinators and transported, in some cases, to vaccine locations. So, there are several components of it and very specific materials that we’re focused on.
Q: And the – at the National Security Agency, Michael Ellis, a Trump political appointee, was installed as the General Counsel, which is a career position, as you know. Is there – are you guys considering reviewing that decision or attempting to remove Micheal Ellis from his position as General Counsel of the NSA?
MS. PSAKI: I don’t have anything new for you on that, other than – I don’t have any personnel announcements. Certainly, we’re reviewing personnel across government, including political appointees, most of whom have left. But I don’t have anything new on any decisions there.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you.
MS PSAKI: Oh, wait. I promised – I’m sorry, I promised you. Go ahead.
Q: Thanks, Jen. FEMA has requested active-duty troops be used at vaccination centers when they get stood up across the country. Does the White House support that request?
MS. PSAKI: I did as our team about this. You or someone else may have asked about this the other day, and I think I have something on it here. One moment. Thanks for your patience. Lots to say about COVID, no doubt about it.
So, let me see. Let me – let me talk to our team about it. You know, I know I’ve seen that request from FEMA. Obviously, part of our objective is ensuring that we have vaccinators on the ground – I know that’s not what you’re asking about – but also have the ability to move materials and move vaccines. So we are tapping into any resource we can, but it’s more predominantly focused on, kind of, a health and medical core and that – the ability to get those people into communities. But I will – I will check with our team and get you something more specific.
Q: And just one on double masking. There’s been some increased discussion about that publicly. We’ve seen pictures of the President double masking and those around him. Is that a personal preference or has he been advised by medical – his medical advisors to do that?
MS. PSAKI: Well, you’re going to talk to the medical advisors in just the next 15, 30 minutes – whatever the time is – and you can ask them more specifically. There hasn’t been specific CDC guidance. As you have probably seen, Dr. Fauci spoke to this, I believe, the la- in the last couple days and said it was common sense or made sense – I can’t remember exactly how he phrased it. But there hasn’t been additional medical guidance given.
I’ve been around the President where he’s been wearing one mask. I think, obviously, he abides by the health and medical advice. Sometimes – not to get too detailed – but it looks like two masks sometimes because we put the N95 one on, and it’s a little bit more comfortable to have this one on top of it. But I would encourage you to ask the health and medical team during the call that’s coming up.
Go ahead.
Q: Jen, did the White House have advanced notice of the Johnson & Johnson results? And did that affect the White House’s decision to go ahead and purchase 200 million doses from Pfizer and Moderna?
MS. PSAKI: No, the decision was made to purchase Pfizer and Moderna doses to ensure that we had enough doses to give two shots to Americans by the end of summer. And we did our planning without the need for an additional vaccine to go through approval.
Now, remember: Even though we saw the news this morning, it hasn’t gone through FDA approval yet. We don’t have a timeline of when that will happen; we leave that to the FDA.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you. A couple questions on the economy, starting with China. Former President Trump signed a phase one trade deal with Beijing. Does President Biden consider that deal to still be in effect, and does he expect China to meet its commitments under that deal?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the national security team, the newly confirmed Secretary of State, President Biden are all reviewing all aspects of our national security approach, including certainly our relationship with China. You know, we are focused on approaching that relationship from a position of strength, and that means coordinating and communicating with our allies and partners about how we’re going to work with China. It means strengthening our ec- economy at home. And that me – it means, you know determining the best path forward to address a range of issues – not just economic, but strategic and also security.
So, again, everything’s under review, but I don’t have anything for you on the – more on the China relationship.
Q: Sorry, to clarify: So is it still in effect as the past administration left it off?
MS. PSAKI: Well, again, everything that the past administration has put in place is under review, as it relates to our national security approach. So I would not assume things are moving forward. We are just reviewing what the path forward looks like and doing that, again, from a position of strength, which means coordinating with our allies, members of Congress, and making a determination before we engage further.
Go ahead.
Q: Sorry, Jen, can you confirm the Politico story about the President warning his family members to avoid any conflict of interest with his presidency and their business ties?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I’m not going to get into private conversations between the President and his family members- we all have lots of conversations with different family members, I’m sure – the President is committed to ensuring we have the most ethnically vigorous administration in history, and that includes restrictions on what – how his image can be used, and that is something that he’s conveyed publicly and privately as well.
So let me just reiterate the policy for all of you, which is, I think, maybe your next question, or I’ll just reiterate it proactively: It’s the White House’s policy that the President’s name should not be used in connection with any commercial activities to suggest or in any way – in any way they could reasonably be understood to imply his endorsement or support. He’s issued the farthest-reaching executive order with respect to the ethical commitments required of his appointees ever and he is very proud of it. And, you know, that’s something that he is committed to conveying to anyone it applies to.
Let me just get to a few more in the back. Go ahead, all the way in the back.
Q: Okay. Thank you very much. Does President Biden endorse the characterization of genocide concerning the Chinese treatment of the Uyghur minority?
MS. PSAKI: Yes, Pres – -Secretary Blinken – I almost called him President Blinken; I’m giving him a bit of a promotion. You never know. He spoke about that during his confirmation hearing, so I would certainly point you to those comments.
Q: I’m talking about President Biden. Does he –
MS. PSAKI: He was speaking on behalf of the U.S. government.
Q: Thank you.
MS. PSAKI: Did you have a question, right there? Go ahead.
Q: Yeah, the Governor of Puerto Rico said last week he was in touch with the White House about releasing remaining disaster relief funds held up by the previous administration. Do you have an update about that?
MS. PSAKI: I don’t, but I will venture to talk to our team about the – what the status of relief funds is for Puerto Rico.
Q: And just one other question. Is the WHite House tracking the confirmed cases of the South African strain that have been found in South Carolina? Have you been in touch with local officials there?
MS. PSAKI: Certainly our health and medical team have been, And again, they’ll speak to it at the briefing that’s coming up at 11:00 a.m. I encourage you to join that.
But as we see reports, our team has been monitoring variants as there have been developments around the world, and the potential for them to travel here. It reiterates – or reemphasizes, I should say, the importance of getting vaccines into the arms of Americans, something that our health team has said will make people safer. And it also reiterates the need for getting the American Rescue Plan passed so that we can ensure we can expedite that effort.
Go ahead.
Q: Thanks, Jen. Just two quick questions. Just one following up on the Politico question: To that degree is the White House going to make a commitment one way or the other that members of Biden family is not going to serve in the administration?
MS. PSAKI: We’ve made that commitment, so that continues to be the commitment.
Q: Sorry, so that nothing for Valerie Biden or anybody else?
MS. PSAKI: Nope. Reports that there was an office in the West Wing are – were not accurate.
Q: Gotcha. And then one on Marjorie Taylor Greene. I know you said earlier that you would not like to be commenting on her, but it’s been a major story. Does the White House have any concerns about a QAnon supporter, someone with a history of racist – now we’re seeing anti-Semitic – comments, harassing school-shooting survivor families, serving on House committees?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I think the reason I conveyed that is because we don’t want to elevate conspiracy theories further in the briefing room. So I’m going to speak to – I’m going to leave it at that. And I’ll – we’ll leave –
Q: Sure. But (inaudible) –
MS. PSAKI: We’ll leave dec- – we’ll leave decisions about committees to members of Congress. And we’ve certainly seen Speaker Pelosi speak to that.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you. Twenty-four Republican members of – Republican senators sent a letter to President Biden yesterday requesting a meeting after some of the executive orders and actions targeting the domestic energy sector. Is that a meeting that President Biden will take?
MS. PSAKI: Well, President Biden is committed to – and this is – you can see this through his actions – working and engaging with Democrats and Republicans to address the crises we’re facing, including climate, which is one of the crises that he’s identified. I don’t – we don’t have any plans for a meeting of that kind that I can read out for you at this point in time. Sounds liek a lot of people to be in a meeting during COVID too.
But he is certainly engaged on an individual basis with leaders in the Senate, members of – Democratic and Republican senators, and they can certainly raise any concerns they have through that means.
Q: And one more question. Apologies if you answered this in response to Steve’s question, but I just want to be clear here: Is – do you anticipate President Biden to address the GameStop controversy when he meets with his economic team a little bit later this morning?
MS. PSAKI: No. Do we – do I anticipate him addressing it publicly, you mean?
Q: No, just talking about it with his economic team.
MS. PSAKI: Well, the focus of the meeting is about the recovery plan, about the status of the economic recovery, about obviously the data that we saw yesterday. I’m sure they’ll cover a range of topics during that meeting, but that’s not the focus.
Q: It’s just a big story. Okay.
MS. PSAKI: I know it’s a big story, but it doesn’t – you know, obviously, the – our focus and our big story is getting the American people back to work.
Go ahead.
Q: I know a lot – hundreds of White House staffers now have been vaccinated for –
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.
Q: – the coronavirus. Any specific updates in terms of who (inaudible) that – who is being covered by that? And then, more broadly, because of that, does that give the White House, sort of, you know – is that a model for the rest of the country? Schools, for instance – should every teacher be vaccinated in the next 90 days so that the President can meet his commitments to opening up schools?
MS. PSAKI: Sure. Well, on the first we – I think we announced couple of weeks ago that about three dozen members of the senior White House staff, including members of the Cabinet, national security officials received their first dose, which means, right around now, a number of people will be receiving their second dose.
We are also – as you noted, had released a couple of days ago that the objective and the plan of the White House medical unit was to vaccinate hundreds of additional staffers to create a COVID-safe environment here.
As you know, there has been – the President has – and our team, I should say – has spoken about the prioritization of course, of teachers and educators and childcare providers. We’d certainly defer to CDC on what that should look like. And they may speak to that on this 11:00 call as well, but I’m not going to get ahead of their outlines or prioritization or specifics.
Q: And just one more on GameStop, not to be labor the point, but –
MS. PSAKI: I love the effort. You guys are trying so hard on this (Laughter.)
Q: What is the broader message to the American public and people about the world that, you know, in large cases, individual investors acting collectively against large financial institutions are shut down pretty much overnight, while the big banks and financial institutions responsible for the 2009 housing crisis got a – got a “get out of jail free” card?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the message is that the U.S. government is starting to work how it should. The SEC is a regulatory agency that oversees and monitors developments along these lines. It is currently in their purview. They’ve put out several statements this week. We will certainly defer to them on that. And I point you to them for further questions.
Go ahead, in the back.
Q: Thank you. Jen, can we expect to see the President in this briefing room anytime soon?
MS. PSAKI: Are you eager to see him? Is that what you’re saying?
You know, the President took questions earlier this week when he did an event, and we certainly are going to look for opportunities to continue to do that. The location of where the questions will take place, I don’t think I have anything further. But we’ll look for additional opportunities to – for him to take additional questions from all of you.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Jen. What does President Biden make of reports that Senate Democrats, including Bernie Sanders, who will chair the Budget Committee – he’s chairing the Budget Committee – are planning to expand the use of the budget reconciliation process for legislation that’s not revenue, and does not directly impact federal revenue, like the $15.00 minimum wage? Is that something that President Biden is okay with?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the President is going to leave it to Congress to determine their parliamentary process for moving legislation forward, as should be the case.
You know, I think it’s obviously been broadly reported that there is consideration on the American Rescue Plan of what the path forward will look like and how to expedite moving that forward. And there’s an urgency, and we certainly feel that.
But our view is that this bill should be bipartisan; 74 percent of the public support it. And we want Republican – to work with Republicans on fighting COVID and putting the American people back to work.
But as we work on this bill, if, you know, we are going to – our priority is on getting it through and not on the focus on what the parliamentary process is.
Q: And just a follow up: What is his message to progressives who are arguing that the $1.9 trillion relief package should be the floor and not the ceiling? And would President Biden consider pushing a relief bill that is more than $2 million? What about the idea of reoccurring stimulus checks that some progressives are advocating for?
MS. PSAKI: Well, we’ve seen those reports, and obviously he’s had conversations, as our team has, with members of the Progressive Caucus and other progressive members of Congress.
And as I’ve said in here many times before – I mean, part of this process is that the President laid out his vision; he is getting feedback. Some – a lot of the focus in here has been members who have said it’s too big, but som are saying it’s too small. And as a part of the discussion, we have those engagements and determine how to improve the bill and what opportunities there are to do exactly that.
So he welcomes their engagement, he welcomes their ideas, but he’s put forward his plan. And his main bottom line is that we’re not going to break it apart, and the three components of it are pivotal in moving it forward.
But the size and scope of the package – this is the legislative process. This is democracy at work now.
Q: But certainly he has an opinion, and that’s very influential in the process. So would we think it’s realistic to go above $2 trillion?
MS. PSAKI: Well, again, I think the best place to look for what’s realistic is to members of Congress and their whip counts, and I’m sure that the leadership can give you an assessment of that.
Go ahead.
Q: Is there any chance that the Summit for Democracy, which was mentioned during the campaign, could happen before summer?
MS. PSAKI: Before summer?
Q: Yeah.
MS. PSAKI: I don’t have any – I know it was a campaign promise and something that was mentioned during the campaign, but I don’t have any more details on plans at this point in time.
Go ahead.
Q: Yesterday we saw Vice President Harris do local media interviews in the states of West Virginia and Arizona. You know, obviously there’s been a lot of focus on your efforts to get Republican on board. Are you concerned that budget reconciliation, even – you know, may not be realistic, or that you may lose some Democrats? Is that why Vice President Harris was making those calls, to shore up Democratic support?
MS. PSAKI: Vice President Harris was making those calls because we want to make the case to the American people across the country. And obviously she’s not traveling to those states and holding big events or even events with, you know, not big crowds, but some crowd. And so this was a way to do exactly that.
Q: Why those states specifically?
MS. PSAKI: I think she’ll do a number of additi – of more regional calls and regional interviews, as will other members of the team, and including on national networks, of course, and that will continue in the days ahead.
Go ahead.
Q: One more on your favorite topic: reconciliation. I know it’s wonky, but –
MS. PSAKI: That’s okay. That’s what we’re here for. Policy is back. (Laughter.)
Q: The President, as you said multiple times, is reaching out to Republicans in an effort to get a bipartisan bill. At the same time, Majority Leader Schumer and Speaker Pelosi seem to be aggressively moving towards reconciliation. Do you think – does the President think that the Democratic leader’s push for reconciliation at this time is hurting his chances to get Republicans on board?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the President’s focus is on the end goal of delivering relief to the American people, not the parliamentary procedures, as we’ve said. And we can imagine that the one in seven families who are hungry, or the thousands who have lost a loved one to COVID care much about the procedure either.
So I would – I would flip it the other way to you. I think a fair question you might ask our GOP or Republican colleagues is why they oppose proposals that have the support of 71 percent – 74 percent, sorry – of the American public. And even if this bill moves forward through the reconciliation process – again, a parliamentary procedure – it doesn’t mean that they can’t vote for it.
And the President’s objective and focus is to continue to have those conversations and pursue a path forward where he can gain bipartisan support. But again, the public – 74 percent of the public is with him in that endeavor – and their constituents.
Go ahead. Steve.
Q: The President spoke with NATO Secretary General the other day.
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.
Q: Is the President satisfied with the level of defense spending by NATO allies?
MS. PSAKI: Well, we did –
Q: Did this come up in their conversation?
MS. PSAKI: I know we put out a readout of that and a fun video, if I may note, of his conversation with the U.N. Secretary General. You know, he had spoken about the importance of NATO allies and partners, you know, making their – playing – playing the role and contributing their fair share when he was Vice President. That remains his commitment. But I don’t have any more detail of the call than what has already been read out.
Q: Thank you, Jen.
MS. PSAKI: Thank you, guys. Have a great day.
Oh, let me do one more thing. So it’s important to me, but also to the President, that everybody know everybody on the press team. So I’m just going to embarrass TJ, who you guys all know, and Karine, who are two deputies in the press office – Principal Deputy Karine, Deputy TJ – who you all should know, the public should know. They’re going to be pivotal faces, and they play an important role.
So, thank you, everyone. Have a great Friday.
January 29: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Media Statement titled: “Media Statement from CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, on Extending the Eviction Moratorium” From the Media Release:
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky signed an extension to the order determining the evictions of tenants for failure to make rent or housing payments could be detrimental to public health control measures to slow the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. This extension will carry this order that was scheduled to expire January 31, 2021, through March 31, 2021.
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a historic threat to our nation’s health. Despite extensive mitigation efforts, COVID-19 continues to spread in America at a concerning pace. The pandemic has also exacerbated underlying issues of housing insecurity for many Americans. Keeping people in their homes and out of congregate settings – like shelters – is a key step in helping to stop the spread of COVID-19. This Fact Sheet: President-elect Biden’s Day One Executive Actions Deliver Relief for Families Across America Amid Converging Crises | The White House provides additional information on actions being taken as part of the Federal government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
CDC remains committed and will continue to explore and use all of the tools at our disposal to protect the health and well-being of Americans affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
January 29: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) titled: “SARS-CoV-2 Transmission Associated with High School Wrestling Tournaments – Florida, December 2020 – January 2021” From the Report:
On December 7, 2020, local public health officials in Florida county A were notified of a person with an antigen-positive SARS-CoV-2 test result who had attended two high school wrestling tournaments held in the county on December 4 and 5. The tournaments included 10 participating high schools from three counties.
The host school (school A in county A) participated in tournaments on both days; five high school teams from two counties participated on the first day only; four additional high school teams from the three counties participated the second day. A total of 130 wrestlers, coaches, and referees attended the tournaments.
During December 8-9, 13 wrestlers from school A received a positive SARS-CoV-2 test results including nine who were symptomatic, two who were asymptomatic, and two for whom symptom status at time of specimen collection was unknown.
Local public health officials in the three counties initiated an investigation and tested specimens from an additional 40 attendees from nine of the 10 participating schools. A total of 54 (41.5%) of the 130 tournament attendees received testing, and 38 cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection were identified; the minimum attack rate was 30.2% (38 of 126), and 70.4% (38 of 54) of tests had a positive result.
Among contacts of the 38 COVID-19 patients, 446 were determined by investigators to meet CDC definition of a close contact, including 62 who were household contacts and 384 who were in-school contacts (classmates, teachers, noncompeting wrestling team members, and other school athletic team members.)
Among these 443 contacts, five had received a diagnosis of COVID-19 during June -November and were excluded from attack rate calculations. Among 95 (21.3%) contacts who received SARS-CoV-2 testing, 41 (43.2%) received a positive test result (minimum attack rate = 9.3% ) 21 (51.2%) persons with positive test results were symptomatic, eight (19.5%) were asymptomatic, and symptom status for 12 (29.3%) was unknown at the time of specimen collection.
Among contacts, attack rates were highest among household members (30.0%) and wrestling team members who did not attend the tournament (20.3%), as were percentages of positive test results (60.0% among household members and 54.2% among team members). Among all contacts, the odds of receiving a positive test result were highest among household contacts (odds ratio = 2.7; 95% confidence interval = 1.2-6.0). Local health authorities reported the death of one adult contact aged >50 years.
An estimated 1,700 in-person school days were lost as a consequence of isolation and quarantine of patients and contacts during this COVID-19 outbreak. The number of in-person school days lost would likely have been higher had the outbreak not occurred toward the end of fall 2020 semester. In addition, this outbreak resulted in the suspension of all winter indoor and outdoor high school athletics in county A, affecting approximately 1,500 students.
The American Academy of Pediatrics interim guidance for return to sports specifically recommends against mask wearing during wrestling because of the choking hazard that face coverings could pose.
In October, local public health and school officials in county A established COVID-19 mitigation guidelines specific to wrestling for practices, matches, and tournaments, including mask wearing and physical distancing (at least 6 feet) when not actively wrestling, symptom screening, and disinfection of space and equipment. However, it is not feasible to maintain physical distancing and universal mask wearing during practice and competition for high-contact sports such as wrestling.
At the time of the tournament, the 14-day cumulative incidence in county A, home to seven of the 10 participating high school teams, was 363 per 100,000 persons; 7.7% of tests for SARS-CoV-2 had positive results. The incidence in county A placed the community in the highest category for transmission of SARS-CoV-2.
CDC guidance provides community transmission level thresholds for school decision-makers that should be applied to school athletics and related social gatherings. High-contact school athletic activities for which mask wearing and physical distancing are not possible should be postponed during periods with substantial or high levels of SARS-CoV-2 community transmission.
Outbreaks among athletes participating in high contact sports can impact in-person learning for all students and increase risk for secondary in-school and community transmission with potentially severe outcomes including death.
January 29: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) titled: “Impact of COVID-19 on Cervical Cancer Screening Rates Among Women aged 21-65 years in a Large Integrated Health care System – Southern California, January 1-September 30, 2019, and January 1 – September 30, 2020” From the Report:
Summary
What is already known about this topic?
Cancer screening rates, including cervical cancer screening rates, have declined during the COVID-19 pandemic.
What is added by this report?
During California’s stay-at-home order, cervical cancer screening rates among approximately 1.5 million women in the Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC) network decreased approximately 80% compared with baseline. The decrease was similar across all racial/ethnic groups of KPSC and returned to near normal after reopening.
What are the implications for public health practice?
Sustained disruptions could lead to increased risk for cervical cancers and precancers. During a pandemic, bringing populations at higher risk back to screening first, such as those with abnormal results or increased risk for precancers and cancers, is important.
On March 19, 2020, the governor of California issued a statewide stay-at-home order to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2029 (COVID-19). The order reduced accessibility to and patient attendance at outpatient medical visits, including preventative services such as cervical cancer screening.
In-person clinic visits increased when California reopened essential businesses on June 12, 2020. Electronic medical records of approximately 1.5 million women served by Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC), were examined to asses cervical cancer screening rates before, during, and after the stay-at-home order.
KPSC policy is to screen women aged 21-29 years every 3 years with cervical cytology alone (Papanicolaou test); those aged 30-65 years were screened every 5 years with human papillomavirus (HPV) testing and cytology (cotesting) through July 15, 2020, and after July 15, 2020, with HPV testing alone, consistent with the latest recommendations from U.S. Preventative Services Task Force.
Compared with the 2019 baseline, cervical cancer screening rates decreased substantially during the stay-at-home order. Among women 21-29 years, cervical cytology screening rates per 100 person-months declined 78%. Among women aged 30-65 years, HPV test screening rates per 100 person-months decreased 82%.
After the stay-at-home order was lifted, screening rates returned near baseline, which might have been aided by aspects of KPSC’s integrated, organized screening program (e.g., reminder systems and tracking persons lost to follow-up). As the pandemic continues, groups at higher risk for developing cervical cancers and precancers should be evaluated first. Ensuring women receive preventative services, including cancer screening and appropriate follow-up in a safe and timely manner, remains important.
The study examined cervical cancer screening rates in women before the stay-at-home order (January 1-March 18, 2020), during the stay-at-home order (March 19-June 2020), and after the stay-at-home order was lifted (June 12-September 30, 2020), and after the stay-at-home order was lifted during January 1-September 30, 2019.
Electronic medical records of women aged 21-65 years who were enrolled KPSC members for ≥1 day during this period were examined. Women with no cervix (e.g., total hysterectomy) or with a history of precancerous (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grades 2-3) or cervical cancer were excluded using relevant diagnosis and procedure codes.
Age-specific cervical cancer screening tests per 100 person-months (cervical cancer screening rates) were calculated. Analyses were conducted using SAS (version 9.4; SAS Institute) and R (version 4.0.3; The R Foundation) software. This activity was reviewed and approved by the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Institutional Review Board, and informed consent was waived.
The cohort included 1,455,244 women enrolled as KPSC members during January 1 – September 30, 2019, and 1,492,442 women during January 1 – September 30, 2020. KPSC membership enrollment was stable, with similar age group and race/ethnicity distributions in both periods.
Among women aged 21-29 years, screening rates in 2020 were 8% lower before the stay-at-home order, 78% lower during the stay-at-home order, and 29% lower after the stay-at-home order was lifted compared with rates during 2019. Among women 30-65 years, screening rates in 2020 were 3% lower before the stay-at-home order, 82% lower during the stay-at-home order, and 24% lower after the stay-at-home order was lifted compared with rates during 2019.
For both age groups, cervical cancer screening rates reached a nadir in April 2020. The decreases in screening rates in 2020 compared with those in 2019 were similar across all racial and ethnic groups in KPSC.
Discussion
KPSC patient data provided an opportunity to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cervical cancer screening because of the availability of a large volume of data from a diverse population and capacity of detailed monitoring and reporting.
Cervical cancer screening rates at KPSC were substantially lower during the COVID-19 pandemic than during the comparable period in the preceding year. Screening rates declined in both routinely screened age groups during the stay-at-home order compared with rates in 2019, with similar declines across all racial and ethnic groups.
Rates are compatible with findings of decreased cancer screening rates with findings of decreased cancer screening rates during 2020 in other parts of the Unite States. For example, the electronic health record vendor Epic Systems Corporation reviewed 2.7 million patient records from 39 organizations spanning 23 states and found 67% decline in mean weekly cervical cancer screening volume during spring 2020, an estimated 400,000 delayed or missing screenings compared with equivalent weeks during spring 2017-2019.
One model of screening in the United Kingdom showed that a 6-month screening disruption could lead to an increased risk for cervical cancer. Such findings raise questions about how to prioritize screening of women who are overdue for screening or build screening capacity.
The COVID-19 pandemic has posed extraordinary challenges for providers and patients to maintain cancer screening. During the stay-at-home order, California cancelled elective surgeries, including some gynecologic procedures. At KPSC, although outpatient clinics never closed, and screening visits could be scheduled, in-person visits were made largely for medical issues.
While providing care, clinic staff members and provider faced challenges implementing COVID-19 protocols (e.g., COVID-19 prescreening, maintenance of physical distancing, use of personal protective equipment, and disinfecting surfaces and equipment.
Patients experienced new barriers to access (e.g., new work and childcare schedules) and fear of SARS-CoV-2 infection from community exposure. KPSC offered Telehealth appointments as an option during the stay-at-home order to maximize patient and staff member safety, resulting in a sharply increased number of Telehealth visits.
Patient reluctance to come for in-person visits decreased after reopening, as providers became accustomed to new protocols and patients increased their activity outside the home. These factors likely accounted for the increase in screening rates after reopening.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted a critical need for effective cancer screening methods for patients who cannot or prefer not to have in-person appointments. For colorectal cancer screening, KPSC has been using self-sampling fecal immunochemical test (FIT) kits available by mail or pharmacy and has continued mailing these to patients’ homes during the pandemic without interruptions.This approach might serve as a model for future cervical cancer screening through self-collected samples for HPV testing.
The Food and Drug Administration has not yet approved self-sampling for HPV tests, but the evidence base for self-sampling demonstrates good accuracy and high acceptability among women. Self-collected HPV testing improves screening participation among women who are underscreened.
Adoption of self-sampling for HPV testing improves screening participation among women who are underscreened. Adoption of self-sampling for HPV testing might help maximize patient safety and overcome the barrier of fear of SARS-CoV-2 infection from clinic visits. However, women who have abnormal screening results, follow up care at a clinic could remain a challenge.
The findings in this report are subject to at least three limitations. First, it is possible that some tests considered screening tests were actually for surveillance of women with a history of cervical precancers or abnormal screening results, although women with a known history of cervical precancers and cancer were excluded. However, this potential misclassification is likely to be similar for 2019 and 2020, and thus unlikely to affect the comparisons.
Second, the KPSC findings might not be generalizable to other health care settings, given differences in regional and clinic policies and individual patient health insurance status and access. KPSC is an integrated health system with an organized cervical cancer screening program through which women receive invitations to obtain screening at appropriate intervals; these continued during the stay-at-home order.
Although the decreases in cervical cancer screening rates in 2020 compared with those in 2019 at KPSC were similar across all racial ethnic groups, this might not be the case in other settings.
Cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates are disproportionately higher in Hispanic women and non-Hispanic Black women than in non-Hispanic White women because of existing disparities. A larger decrease and a slower return in screening rates might be experienced in other health care settings, such as safety-net clinics with persons who are medically underserved, where the level of access and health systems interventions (e.g., patient reminder systems, telemedicine) vary significantly across groups and individual persons.
Finally, the screening history of women who returned after reopening was unknown. It is unclear whether women who came for screening after the stay-at-home order was lifted in June 2020 were those who missed screening during the stay-at-home order or those who were due for screening after the reopening. Such information is needed to determine whether women who are due for cervical cancer screening are screened.
The COVID-19 pandemic ongoing; California implemented limited and regional stay-at-home orders during November 21, 2020 – January 25, 2021, affecting all California counties with widespread community transmission of SARS-CoV-2.
During the pandemic and postpandemic periods, evidence-based approaches to education, health promotion, and information dissemination could be used to convey the importance of screening for cervical cancers and precancers. Continued monitoring of women in different clinical settings is needed to address delays on interruptions to cancer screening.
Health systems might triage women for return screening appointments based on risk level and screening history, including enhanced efforts to reach those who are past due for screening or who need follow-up.
Focusing public health interventions on bringing higher risk populations back to screening first, such as those with abnormal results or increased risk of precancers and cancers is suggested per guidance from the American Cancer Society, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology. As the pandemic continues, public health interventions to address decreases in cancer screening tests will be critical to avoid increased incidence of advanced cancers because of delayed detection.
January 29: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) titled: “Trends in Outbreak-Associated Cases of COVID-19 – Wisconsin, March-November 2020” From the Report:
Summary
What is already known about this topic?
COVID-19 incidence grew sharply in Wisconsin during September-November 2020; however, the underlying cause of this rapid growth is unknown.
What is added by this report?
An examination of COVID-19 outbreaks in Wisconsin showed that cases linked to outbreaks on college and university campuses increased sharply in August 2020 and were followed by outbreaks in other high-risk congregate settings. Overall, outbreaks at long-term care facilities (26.8%), correctional facilities (14.9%), and colleges or universities (15.0%) accounted for the largest numbers of outbreak-associated cases in Wisconsin.
What are the implications for public health practice?
COVID-19 surveillance and mitigation planning should be prioritized for highly affected settings such as long-term care facilities, correctional facilities, and colleges and universities, which could represent early indicators of broader community transmission.
During September 3-November 16, 2020, daily confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) reported to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (WDHS) increased at a rate of 24% per week, from a 7-day average of 674 (August 28-September 3) to 6,426 (November 10-16). The growth rate during this interval was the highest to date in Wisconsin and among the highest in the United States during that time.
To characterize potential sources of this increase, the investigation examined reported outbreaks in Wisconsin that occurred during March 4- November 16, 2020, with respect to their setting and number of associated COVID-19 cases.
Outbreaks were defined as the occurrence of two or more confirmed COVID-19 cases among persons who worked or lived together among persons who attended the same facility or event, did not share a household, and were identified within 14 days of each other, (by symptom onset date or sample collection date).
During March 4-November 16, local and tribal health departments in Wisconsin reported suspected COVID-19 outbreaks to WDHS using established reporting criteria 5,747 reported outbreaks meeting the outbreak definition were included in the analysis.
Confirmed cases of COVID-19 that were linked to these outbreaks were analyzed by symptom onset date (or sample collection date) and the reported setting of the associated outbreaks during three periods: before and during Wisconsin’s Safer At Home order (March 4-May12), summer and return-to-school (May 13-September 2), and the exponential growth phase (September 3-November 16). This activity was reviewed by the CDC and was conducted in manner consistent with applicable federal law and CDC policy.
A total of 57,991 confirmed cases of COVID-19 were linked to 5,767 outbreaks during March 4-November 16, accounting for 18.3% of 316,758 confirmed cases in Wisconsin during this period. Overall, outbreaks and long-term care facilities (26.8%), correctional facilities (14.9%), and colleges or universities (15.0%) accounted for the largest numbers of outbreak-associated cases in Wisconsin.
Before and during Wisconsin’s Safer At Home order, 4,552 outbreak-associated cases in Wisconsin were linked to 507 reported outbreaks. Outbreaks in manufacturing or food processing facilities (2,146 cases; 47.1%) and long term care facilities (1,324 cases; 29.1%) accounted for the majority of outbreak-associated cases during this period.
During May 13-September 2, a total of 13,506 cases were linked to 2,444 outbreaks. Long-term care facilities (2,850 cases; 21.1%) and manufacturing or food processing facilities (2,673 cases; 19.8%) accounted for an increasing proportion of outbreak-associated cases during this period.
However, a variety of other settings including restaurants and bars (1,633 cases; 12.1%) and other workplaces (1,320 cases; 9.8%) accounted for an increasing proportion of outbreak-related cases until mid-August, when a sharp increase in college- and university-associated outbreaks were observed (1,739 cases; 12.9%).
Beginning on September 3, COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin increased exponentially overall and within outbreak settings. During this phase of increasing community transmission, 39,933 cases were associated with 3,861 reported outbreaks, which accounted for 16.7% of 239,629 confirmed cases in Wisconsin.
Among outbreak-associated cases, 11,386 (28.5%) were associated with long-term care facilities, 7,387 (18.5%) with correctional facilities, 7,178 (18.0%) with colleges or universities, and 5,703 (14.3%) with schools or child care facilities . During this period of exponential growth, the number of cases associated with schools or child care facilities. During this period of exponential growth, the number of cases associated with long-term care and correctional facilities increased by an average of 24% and 23% per week, respectively.
Discussion
The majority of outbreak-associated COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin occurred in long-term care facilities, correctional facilities, and colleges and universities; however, various settings were affected COVID-19 outbreaks over the course of March-November 2020.
During Wisconsin’s Safer At Home order, outbreaks were concentrated in manufacturing and food processing facilities, which continued to operate as essential businesses under the statewide order. This aligned with national data showing a high incidence of COVID-19 outbreaks at meat processing facilities across the United States during this time, including among beef and port processing facilities in Wisconsin.
During early summer (June-July), outbreaks continued to occur in long-term care facilities and manufacturing and food processing facilities; restaurants and bars, other workplaces, events, and other public establishments were increasingly reported as outbreak settings, which might have corresponded to fewer restrictions on social gatherings and decreased risk perception among some groups during this period.
In late August, a rapid increase in cases associated with outbreaks at colleges and universities in Wisconsin occurred, correlated with return to campus for many of these institutions. The pattern was consistent with national trends for COVID-19 among young adults aged 18-22 years and corresponded with outbreaks observed at colleges and universities in other states during this time.
In Wisconsin, the college and university surge occurred at the beginning of a period of increasing community transmission, which was characterized exponential growth in COVID-19 incidence across the state and a surge of outbreaks in high-risk congregate settings such as long-term care facilities and correctional facilities.
The extent to which COVID-19 outbreaks on college and university campuses led to increased community transmission and subsequent outbreaks in other high-risk congregate settings could not be directly assessed by this investigation.
Nonetheless, the temporal correlation observed builds on prior evidence of increase incidence of COVID-19 among U.S. counties where in-person university instruction occurred in August 2020, suggesting that outbreaks on college and university campuses could represent early indicators of community transmission and should be prioritized for surveillance and mitigation planning.
The findings in this report are subject to at least three limitations. First, an absence of reported outbreaks in some settings should not be interpreted as an absence of COVID-19 cases in settings, because local and tribal health departments in Wisconsin directed limited resources to investigate outbreaks in high-risk congregate settings. Therefore, lower-risk settings might be underrepresented.
Second, local and tribal health departments could not verify epidemiological linkages for all cases in outbreaks, and some outbreak-associated cases could have occurred in other settings not represented in this analysis.
Finally, use of these surveillance data along cannot determine whether outbreaks in one setting are directly responsible for increases in community transmission or outbreaks in other settings; more detailed epidemiologic or genomic data are needed to explore whether such temporal correlations are causally related.
Examining trends in COVID-19 outbreaks over time provides an important indicator of COVID-19 incidence across sectors in response to changing behaviors and policies. State, local, and tribal health departments should continue to collect and report such information, particularly among highly affected sectors such as long-term care facilities and correctional facilities.
Further, given the importance of college and university outbreaks as potential early indicators of outbreaks in other settings, colleges and universities should work with public health officials to strengthen surveillance and mitigation strategies to prevent COVID-19 transmission.
January 29: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) titled: “Response to a COVID-19 Outbreak on a University Campus – Indiana, August 2020” From the Report:
Summary
What is already known about this topic?
Although various implement strategies for SARS-CoV-2 testing on college and university campuses have been described, little has been published regarding successful responses to COVID-19 outbreaks on campuses.
What is added by this report?
In response to a COVID-19 outbreak on a university campus in August 2020, rapid implementation of multiple measures, including aggressive testing, tracing, and isolation; enhanced data systems; and communication focused on adherence to mitigation strategies, resulted in a rapid decrease in new cases and allowed in-person learning to resume.
What are the implications for public health practice?
Enhanced testing, timely contact tracing, provision of adequate isolation and quarantine space, increased screening of asymptomatic persons, and communication promoting adherence to mitigation strategies can help control COVID-19 outbreaks on college and university campuses while minimizing disruptions to in-person instruction.
Institutions of higher education adopted different approaches for the fall semester 2020 in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Approximately 45% of colleges and universities implemented online instruction, more than one fourth (27%) provided in-person instruction, and 21% used a hybrid model.
Although CDC has published CDC has published COVID-19 guidance to COVID-19 outbreaks on college and university campuses. In August 2020, an Indiana university with approximately 12,000 students (including 8,000 undergraduate students, 85% of whom lived on campus) implemented various public health measures to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
Despite these measures, the university experience an outbreak involving 371 cases during the first few weeks of the fall semester. The majority of cases occurred among undergraduate students living off campus, and several large off-campus gatherings were identified as common sources of exposure.
Rather than sending students home, the university switched from in-person to online instruction for undergraduate students and instituted a series of campus restrictions for 2 weeks, during which testing, contact tracing, and isolation and quarantine programs were substantially enhanced, along with educational efforts highlighting the need for strict adherence to the mitigation measures.
After two weeks, the university implemented a phased return to in-person instruction (with 85% of classes offered in person) and resumption of student life activities. This report describes the outbreak and the data-driven, targeted interventions and rapid escalation of testing, tracing, and isolation measures that enabled the medium-sized university to resume in-person instruction and campus activities. These strategies might prove useful to other colleges and universities responding to campus outbreaks.
Preparations for Fall Semester
In May 2020, a medium-sized Indiana university announced plans to reopen for in-person instruction for the fall semester. In preparation, the university implemented various public health measures, including rearranging physical infrastructure in high-traffic areas, reducing population density in classrooms and common spaces, enhancing cleaning and disinfection protocols, and requiring masks on campus, including outdoors, when physical distancing of 6 feet could not be maintained.
Residence halls maintained usual occupancy levels, although students requesting accommodation for medical reasons were offered individual rooms. The university established an on-campus testing site, identified isolation and quarantine space, hired contact tracers, implemented a daily health check platform (a required online assessment of COVID-19 symptoms and exposures), and developed COVID-19 related data systems.
Classes began on August 10. The university required preentry SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing for all students 7-10 days before their arrival on campus. Of the 11,836 students tested, 33 (0.28%) received positive test results and were not allowed on campus until they cleared to discontinue isolation 10 days after symptom onset test date.
Despite these measures, the university experienced outbreak (defined as an excess of cases compared with the baseline dates of August 3-15) soon after the semester started. To describe the campus outbreak and the university’s response to continue the semester in person, university leaders and a local public health official reviewed university data on daily health checks, testing, contact tracing, isolation, and quarantine.
Symptom and testing data, which are combined with university administrative data (e.g., faculty, staff members, or student designation; residence hall; class schedules; and seating charts), were analyzed to estimate symptom prevalence among various subgroups to identify emerging transmission patterns and assist in identifying close contacts. This activity was determined be public health surveillance as defined in 45 CFR 46.102.
Campus Outbreak and Response
During August 3-15, a total of 56 persons received positive SARS-CoV-2 test results (an average of 4.3 per day, representing 11.7% of all tests performed); 90% of cases were identified through testing of symptomatic persons, with the remainder identified through screening tests of student athletes.
During August 16-22, the university experienced an outbreak, with 371 confirmed cases (an average of 26.5 cases per say, representing 15.3% of all tests performed), 355 (96%) of which were in undergraduate students and 13 (3%) in graduate students; 62% of affected undergraduate students lived off campus. One faculty member and two staff members received positive test results.
Contact tracing identified several large, off-campus parties where campus masking and physical distancing guidelines were not followed as common sources of exposure for approximately two thirds of cases among undergraduate students.
On August 19, the university implemented a switch to online institution for all undergraduate classes for a minimum of 2 weeks; graduate and professional classes continued in person. Several temporary campus restrictions were instituted as well, including restricting undergraduate students who lived off campus from the campus (except to access campus health services) and requiring on-campus students to minimize nonessential activities and to remain on campus at all times for at least 2 weeks.
Residence halls were restricted to persons who lived or worked in them, student organizations were required to meet remotely, and indoor recreational facilities were temporarily closed. Students were required to eat outside, maintaining 6 feet of distance from others, or in their residence hall rooms, and gatherings were limited to ≤10 persons (both on campus and off campus, although this was difficult to enforce off campus), with mandatory masking and physical distancing. In addition, masks were mandated at all times in all spaces, except in a person’s assigned residence hall room or private office.
During the 2-week period of online instruction, the university focused on facilitating access to testing; expanding contact tracing, isolation, and quarantine operations; and implementing screening tests for asymptomatic persons, as well as enhancing the data systems to support these measures.
Before the outbreak, modifications to the daily health check platform could be made only by the software provider on a set schedule, limiting the ability of the university to respond to changing circumstances. Improvements to this platform facilitated data retrieval, allowing a more detailed view of symptom prevalence and the ability to automate test orders when necessary.
To reduce barriers to testing, the university increased the test site hours and capacity. Orders for diagnostic testing were automated in response to the presence of primary COVID-19 symptoms (temperature > 100.4° F , new onset of shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, or new loss of sense of taste or smell).
Persistent secondary COVID-19 symptoms (minor symptoms such as headache or rhinorrhea, lasting ≥2 days) or reported close contact with a person with COVID-19 also automatically generated test orders, eliminating the need for clinicians to triage and authorize testing. Rapid antigen tests were used as the front-line diagnostic test because they facilitated rapid isolation and quarantine. Persons with negative antigen test results who were symptomatic or determined to be close contacts received a follow-up RT-PCR test, with results typically available within 36 hours.
The university enhanced contact tracing efforts and redefined workflows to facilitate timely identification and quarantine of close contacts of persons with confirmed COVID-19. During the 2-week outbreak, the contact tracing team expanded from nine full-time staff members to 11 full-time 13 part-time workers.
A new Daily Care and Concern Team was established to ensure that students in isolation and quarantine received meals and other needed resources; this team consisting of 12 reassigned university staff members and 60 volunteers, also telephoned everyone in isolation and quarantine daily to monitor for worsening symptoms. The university initially reversed 250 beds for isolation and quarantine purposes, increasing to 1,007 beds during the surge of cases, through use of apartments and hotels on or adjacent to campus.
During August 16-29, a total of 1,250 students were placed in isolation and quarantine; students with access to adequate facilities (i.e., allowed them to sleep separately from others and had a private bathroom) were permitted to isolate or quarantine off campus. In addition to 371 cases identified during a first week of the outbreak, another 160 were identified during the second week of the outbreak.
Slightly more than one half (52%) of the newly positive test results were in persons who were already in quarantine. Among 802 persons in quarantine during this 2-week period, 83 (10.3%) ultimately received a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result. In the week after the return to in-person instruction, an average of four cases per day were identified.
An enhanced communications campaign was created to underscore the importance of adhering to campus public health protocols. The campaign included e-mails from university and campus leaders, video messages, and virtual town hall meetings. The proportion of e-mails sent to the student e-mail distribution list that were viewed (a measure of the reach of these education efforts) was 84.1%.
Implementation of Screening
Before the outbreak, testing had been focused on symptomatic persons; routine screening tests were performed for student athletes but had not yet been implemented for the broader university community. After recognition of the outbreak, the university began screening asymptomatic persons with RT-PCR tests on specimens collected by supervised, self-administered nasal swabs. The capacity for screening testing increased throughout the semester.
Each round of screening was informed by the previous round and by diagnostic testing trends, using a Bayesian stratified, staggered-entry rotating cohort design. Persons were grouped into various cohorts (e.g., those who lived in a particular residence hall), and a fraction of each cohort was sampled in each round.
Some screening slots were reserved for the evaluation of persons in areas with increased risk for transmission (i.e., potential hotspots). The team responsible for the general campus screening strategy was able to adapt based on disease prevalence in certain groups, such as by college, membership group (club or team), residence hall, or even the floor or wing of a residence hall, to allow oversampling.
Diagnostic testing, which was performed for symptomatic persons and for close contacts of persons with SARS-CoV-2 infection, increased from an average of 17.9 tests per day before the outbreak to 208.4 per day during the 2-week outbreak. Likewise, screening increased to 205 test per day by the end of August.
Based on the decreasing case numbers, increased testing capacity, and enhanced ability to analyze and respond based on data, lower-level undergraduate classes resumed on September 2 (2 weeks after online instruction began), with upper-level undergraduate classes resuming a few days later. Other campus restrictions were gradually relaxed (e.g., coming to or leaving campus and residence hall visitation), and student activities were phased in over the subsequent 7-10 days; however, the requirement for universal masking remains.
Discussion
A COVID-19 outbreak on a university campus is a substantial challenge but was managed on a medium-sized campus while students remained in residence. Analysis of administrative data (e.g.; undergraduate versus graduate students and on-campus versus off-campus students or activities) facilitated identification of potential problems, which was critical to designing a specific, tailored response.
The stratified rotating cohort approach to screening that was implemented at the university can be used as an alternative to repeated campuswide testing, contact tracing, and isolation measures requires a substantial commitment of physical, personnel, and financial resources, which might not be readily available at all colleges and universities of comparable size. In addition, encouraging student adherence to mitigation strategies as a means to eventually continuing the semester in person was critical to the success of these efforts.
The findings in this report are subject to at least two limitations. First, the daily health check relied on self-reported symptoms, and no consequences were associated with failing to complete the health check. This might have led to an underestimate in the number of cases because symptoms might have gone unrecognized or underreported (and this automated test orders not generated). Conversely, in the absence of widespread screening, any unrecognized cases could have contributed to further spread on campus.
Second, although the university provided an on-campus testing site, persons were also able to obtain testing at other community locations, which might have delayed reporting of results or otherwise affected the university’s ability to respond to cases identified among members of the university community, as well as possibly resulting in an underestimate. This underscores the importance of university community, as well possibly resulting in an underestimate. This underscores the importance of universities working closely with the local health department to facilitate timely reporting of cases and identification of close contacts.
Immediate, aggressive measures to decrease SARS-CoV-2 transmission through enhanced testing, timely contact tracing, provision of adequate isolation and quarantine space, increased screening of asymptomatic persons, and communication promoting adherence to mitigation strategies can help control COVID-19 outbreaks while minimizing disruptions to be in-person instruction. The approach is consistent with recommendations for universities with outbreaks to avoid sending students home to avoid spreading infections into local and other communities.
January 30, 2021
January 30: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted a Press Release titled: “CDC requires wearing of face masks while on public transportation and at transportation hubs” From the Press Release:
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to surge in the United States, CDC is implementing provisions of President Biden’s Executive Order on Promoting COVID-19 Safety in Domestic and International travel and will require the wearing of masks by all travelers into, within, or out of the United States, e.g., on airplanes, ships, ferries, trains, subways, buses, taxis and ride-shares. The mask requirement also applies to travelers in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and seaports; train, bus, and subway stations; and any other areas that provide transportation. Transportation operators must require all persons onboard to wear masks when boarding, disembarking, and for the duration of travel. Operators of transportation hubs must require all persons to wear a mask when entering or on the premises of a transportation hub.
The action is to further prevent spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 and to further support state and local health authorities, transportation partners, and conveyance operators to keep passengers, employees, and communities safe.
Today’s order from CDC is part of a comprehensive, science-driven, U.S. government response to the COVID-19 pandemic. One component of the whole-of-government response is taking actions related to reducing virus spread through travel. Transmission of the virus through travel has led to – and continues to lead to – interstate and international spread of the virus.
“America’s transportation systems are essential,” said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH. “Given how interconnected most transportation systems are across our nation and the world, when infected persons travel on public conveyances without wearing a mask and with others who are not wearing masks, the risk of interstate and international transmission can grow quickly.”
Traveling on public transportation increases a person’s risk of getting and spreading COVID-19 by bringing people in close contact with other, often for prolonged periods, and exposing them to frequently touched surfaces. Face masks help prevent people who have COVID-19, including those who are pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic, from spreading the virus to others. Masks also help protect the wearer by reducing the chance they will breathe in respiratory droplets carrying the virus.
“CDC recommends that non-essential travel be avoided; however, for those who must travel, additional measures are being put in place to help prevent the spread of the virus,” said Dr. Walensky. “Masks are most likely to reduce the spread of COVID-19 when they are widely and consistently used by all people in public settings.
This order will be effective on February 2, 2021.
January 31, 2021
January 31: The White House posted a Statement titled: “Statement from White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki” From the Statement:
The President spoke to Speaker Pelosi and Leader Schumer today; he is grateful that Congress is prepared to begin action on the American Rescue Plan in just his second full week in office.
As has been widely reported, the President received a letter today from 10 Republican Senators asking to meet with him to discuss their ideas about the actions needed to address these crises. In response, the President spoke to Senator Collins, and invited her and other signers of the letter to come to the White House early this week for a full exchange of views.
With the virus posting a grave threat to the country and economic conditions grim for so many, the need for action is urgent, and the scale of what must be done is large. The American Rescue Plan – including $1400 relief checks, a substantial investment in fighting COVID and reopening schools, aid to small businesses and hurting families, and funds to keep first responders on the job (and more) – is badly needed. As leading economists have said, the danger now is not in doing too much: it is in doing too little. Americans of both parties are looking to their leaders to meet the moment.
COVID Under Biden-Harris Administration – January 2021 was put together by Jen Thorpe from information provided by the Biden-Harris Administration in January of 2021. [...]
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February 1, 2023I am an immunocompromised person who is absolutely terrified about what will happen if the White House chooses to believe that “Covid is over”. Fortunately, The White House has a website where you can contact them and share your opinions/thoughts about specific policies. https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Here is what I wrote to President Biden:
Covid is not “over”. Your decision to call it over is going to put a whole lot of people who are immunocompromised (including myself) at risk of not only catching Covid, but also catching it over and over again.
Why do I think so? Because I’ve seen what happens when previous state governors/federal governments declare “Covid is over”. The first thing that happens is stores, restaurants, grocery stores, large conferences and other public spaces remove all of their Covid protections (masking no longer required, social distancing nonexistent, fewer people staying home when they are sick, removing proper air filtration).
Right after that, the cases of Covid go up again – often overwhelming local hospitals. Each and every time a government entity declares that “Covid is over” people die in greater numbers because they can’t get a doctor’s appointment and the hospitals and ERs are flooded with Covid cases. If this happens and there is a nursing strike – people are going to die from lack of access to Covid-related health care.
Another problem with your decision to officially end the Covid is that it will enable vaccine makers to dramatically increase the cost of getting a vaccine. People who have health insurance – might – be charged more for a Covid vaccine that should continue to be free for everyone who wants one. This is going to be extremely problematic for people who are uninsured and cannot pay the new, exorbitant, fee for a vaccine. That will lead to people – who wanted the protections a Covid vaccine can provide – to go without it because they can’t afford it.
Believing that “Covid is over” is going to get children in schools that dropped Covid protection killed. Their immune systems are still developing and the Covid virus is extremely spreadable.
I am asking you to reconsider the “Covid is over” concept. It is dangerous, and will cause immunocompromised people (and healthy ones) to die. [...]
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December 23, 2021Photo by Good Faces on Unsplash
What you considered to be “normal” life is gone forever. The sooner you accept this – the easier it will be for you to move on and make better choices.
One of the things I’ve noticed since the COVID pandemic started is the idea that this would all be over soon. It might have been understandable to think that back in the last few months of 2019, when almost nothing was known about COVID-19 or its mutations. I’m writing this at the very end of 2021, and we are still in a pandemic.
It didn’t have to be this way, but here we are.
I’m not a doctor, nurse, or any other type of health care practitioner. I’m not an epidemiologist, or a person who helps make vaccines. I’m also not a politician who is tasked with the job of ensuring the safety of the people who are hoping to avoid getting infected from a frequently mutating virus that spreads very quickly.
What I am is a person with two auto-immune diseases – neither of which has a cure. I’m extremely lucky that my body was finally strong enough for me to safely get vaccinated. Getting there took years of work, medical tests, medication and supplements, and a huge effort to learn how to avoid getting sick from my multitude of allergens.
I was able to get my first shot (Pfizer), and later my second shot (also Pfizer). Recently, I had my booster shot (also Pfizer). Sometime before the booster, I was able to get a flu shot – my first in at least a few decades. I have been wearing a mask every time I go outside since March of 2020 when California was the first state to institute a lockdown. I rarely ever leave the house, but when I do, it is so that I can receive medical care.
There likely are people who have auto-immune diseases worse than mine, and who cannot safely get a COVID vaccine. This is not their fault. There are a wide variety of auto-immune diseases, and the cause of them can vary. Those of us who have one (or more) auto-immune diseases have to be very careful about everything we encounter every day.
It really bothers me is that there is absolutely no way for me to discern if a person is vaccinated or not. Wearing a mask isn’t always an indicator, because masks are required on public transportation – and in Uber and Lyft vehicles. If you walk into a store with a mask on your face, and then push it under your chin shortly after that – I know that you cannot be trusted to keep other people safe.
It seems to me that people who stopped wearing masks made that decision because they want things to go back to “normal” – like it was before the COVID pandemic started. It is as though they are trying to make the world look like it used to, in the hopes that “magical thinking” will simply turn back time.
Please understand that the “normal” you are longing for is never coming back. Here’s why:
There are too many people who not only refuse to get vaccinated (despite being healthy enough to get the shot) and who also refuse to wear masks. Those decisions put them at risk of becoming infected with COVID-19 (and whatever strain is currently dominant). It is not possible to immediately know that you have caught the virus, because the symptoms don’t instantly appear. This means that they are spreading the virus wherever they go. Cases of COVID start rising again, and we all go back into lockdown.
And then, the same group who refuses to comply gets outraged that there is another lockdown.
That cycle must be stopped. Some corporations are requiring workers to be vaccinated and to wear masks. Some are letting go workers who won’t comply. There are numerous events, conferences, stores, restaurants, movie theaters, and schools that won’t allow people in unless they will wear a mask and provide proof of vaccination. I believe that these measures will continue until the COVID virus is gone. What used to be “normal” in offices is no longer safe.
Did you know that people in Japan wear masks when they are sick? I want that to become the new “normal” in the United States. The masks will help prevent the spread of viruses, colds, and other respiratory illnesses. It also shows that you care about the health and well being of other people.
Early on, we learned that it is entirely possible for (many but not all) people to work from home. I believe that is going to be an option for more and more workers – especially those who have disabilities. Working from home might become the only way for non-vaccinated people to keep their jobs. It is also likely to become the way students are educated. To make this work, we need to ensure that everyone has access to the internet. That’s likely something that states or the federal government can make happen.
Public facing types of employment will have to dramatically change. It is already starting to. People who work in grocery stores, retail, restaurants and bars are required to wear masks. This will not change anytime soon. Part of the reason masks are necessary for these types of employment is because the masks provide protection not only from the virus, but also from the angry anti-maskers who spit on workers who ask them to wear a mask. Here are examples.
If the United States had required all businesses to give people paid time off when they get sick, we could have potentially stopped the spread of COVID early on. We also need the federal government to institute single-payer health care, or universal health care, so people can afford to get their illnesses and chronic diseases properly managed and tended to. I think many people want that to become the new “normal”.
We Won’t Go Back to “Normal” is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
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December 16, 2021Photo by Maxime on Unsplash
Public transportation, and several stores, already required people to wear masks while indoors. The new requirement makes mask wearing indoors standard across California.
You might be surprised to learn that the requirement for people to wear masks in all public indoor settings did not come from Governor Gavin Newsom. Instead, it came from The California Department of Public Health (CDPH). Dr. Mark Ghaly is California’s health secretary. The announcement was made on December 13, 2021.
Here is part of it:
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) continues to monitor COVID-19 data in order to protect the health and well-being of all Californians. Since Thanksgiving, the statewide seven-day average case rate has increased by almost half (47%) and hospitalizations have increased by 14%. In response to the increase in cases and hospitalizations, and to slow the spread of both Delta and the highly transmissible Omicron variant, CDPH has issued updated guidance to curb the spread of COVID-19 and its variants.Beginning December 15, CDPH will require masks to be worn in all indoor public settings irrespective of vaccine status through January 15, 2022, at which point California will make further recommendations as needed in response to the pandemic…CDPH website
In addition, there are updated requirements for attending mega events. Read that over again. It says “mega” (as in large) – not “MAGA” (as in Trump). The mega events include concerts and sporting events. CDPH explains: “Prior to attending an event, attendees will now require either proof of vaccination, a negative antigen COVID-19 test within one day of the event, or a negative PCR test within two days of the event.”
CalMatters provided additional information on December 13, 2021. First, it pointed out that this mask mandate for indoor public places in California was issued exactly six months after lifting the previous one. The first statewide mask mandate was imposed in 2020 and lifted last June.
Here are some things to know about the current indoor mask mandate:
The mask mandate is specific to public settings, not private gatherings. Health officials recommend people get tested ahead of holiday gatherings and consider better ventilation by opening windows or convening outdoors when possible.
The mandate will affect about 50% of the state population that lives in counties that currently don’t have their own mask mandate.
Right now, California is not considering further restrictions or capacity limits on businesses, and isn’t going to impose closures.
California’s 7-day average case rate (as of December 13, 2021) stood at 14.1 new cases per 100,000 people. On the high end, Riverside and San Diego counties reported rates of 19.8, San Bernardino County is at 22.7, Inyo County 29.4, and Mono County 50.1, according to state data.
On the lower end, Los Angeles reported 13.3 new cases per 100,000 and San Francisco and Alameda counties reported rates of 8.5 and 7.6, respectively.
As of December 13, 2021, 74,685 Californians have died from COVID-19.
It seems to me that this data emphasizes the reason for the indoor mask mandate. In some parts of California, cases of COVID-19 are rising. One way to stop the spread of the virus is to require people to wear masks when they are indoors. There is a chance that when the case numbers significantly drop – the mask mandate will lift.
Most people, whether vaccinated or not, are physically able to wear a mask for the time it takes to go grocery shopping. Doing so protects not only the shoppers who are wearing masks in indoor spaces, but also protects the workers who are wearing masks.
Earlier in the pandemic, there was a phrase I saw passed around on social media. “My mask protects you. Your mask protects me.” I like this phrase because it gives the feeling of being in this fight against COVID-19 together. One simple way to do that is with a mask mandate.
California Requires Masks In All Public Places is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. If you enjoyed this blog post please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. Thank you! [...]
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September 1, 2021woman wearing a mask in a grocery store by Anna Shvets on Pexels
The county I live in has issued an indoor mask mandate. It started today. I rarely go outside anymore because I have two auto-immune disorders. When I do leave the house, I am almost always the only one wearing a mask.
According to my county’s Department of Public Health, the mask mandate is in response to a surge of COVID-19 cases that are described as the highest number of COVID-19 patients that the county has ever had. Part of the reason for the mask mandate is to enable hospitals to have room for people who need treatment for heart attacks, broken bones, or cancer (as a few examples).
I’m not going to say which county I live in, but will disclose that it is somewhere in California.
The mask mandate applies to not only those who are not vaccinated, but also those who are. An order has been issued that makes it clear that failing to adhere to the order is “a public nuisance subject to citation, abatement, or both, as well as a misdemeanor punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both.”
This is not new. In 1918, there was an influenza pandemic. The United States issued a mask mandate. Back then people who were not wearing a mask, or who were wearing their mask improperly (below their chin, for example), were given 30-day jail sentences. Those who could afford it could pay a $10 bail and be released.
My county now requires that masks be worn over the mouth and nose in all indoor settings. It includes gatherings, workplaces, offices, retail stores, restaurants, bars, fitness centers, theaters, museums, personal care services, family entertainment centers, and government offices serving the public.
Businesses must now require everyone who wants to enter to wear face coverings. The business must post signs at the door to make it clear that people must wear a mask if they want to go inside. Students, teachers, and others working at in-person schooling, will be required to wear a mask while indoors.
Personally, I am relieved to hear this news. The mask mandate will help prevent the spread of COVID-19. It makes the county a little bit safer for people like me who have weak immune systems. People who need to go to the hospital for non-COVID health issues will have a chance to get the care they need.
I cannot help but wonder what things would be like today if the United States government issued a mask mandate right at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. So many lives could have been saved.
Anti-maskers are probably going to get angry about my county’s mask mandate. I recommend they get used to ordering their groceries to be delivered to their homes. They should also expect to pay fines for being maskless inside a store or business.
My County Issued a Mask Mandate is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
If you enjoyed this blog post please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. Thank you! [...]
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June 18, 2021Golden Gate Bridge by Pixabay on Pexels
Reopening does not mean that COVID-19 has magically disappeared. We are opening too early, with unclear guidance that is unlikely to be properly enforced.
On June 15, 2021, Governor of California Gavin Newsom announced that the state was fully reopening. The COVID-19 related restrictions that had been in place will be eliminated, including physical distancing, capacity limits, county tier systems, and masks in almost all settings for vaccinated Californians.
The press release on the Governor’s website makes it abundantly clear that vaccinated Californians will be allowed to go into some settings without having to wear a mask. People who aren’t fully vaccinated – or who refuse to get vaccinated – will still be required to wear masks.
Based on the behavior of anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers, it is reasonable to assume that those groups of people will stop wearing masks anyway. Some of them never bothered to wear a mask at all. As a result, COVID-19 (and its variants) will continue to spread.
I live in California. I am immune-compromised, and I am fully vaccinated.
Beyond the Blueprint
The official website of the Governor of California (also called California for ALL) posted information titled Beyond the Blueprint. It is a fact sheet that describes what people can expect when the state reopened. Here are some important details:
Resuming Everyday Life
Everyday life will feel a lot like before COVID-19. Restaurants, shopping malls, movie theaters, and most everyday places will be open as normal with no capacity limits or social distancing required. The county tier system will also be eliminated entirely.Lifting mask requirements for vaccinated Californians. California’s Department of Public Health has updated statewide masking guidance to match the CDC’s guidance, lifting California’s mask requirements for vaccinated individuals starting on June 15.
Please note that the mask requirements are lifted for vaccinated individuals.
Limited Exceptions for Unique Settings
Mask requirements for uniquely vulnerable settings. In accordance with CDC guidance, masks will still be required for uniquely vulnerable settings such as: hospitals, long-term care facilities, homeless shelters, and public transit.
I have hardly ever left the house since the pandemic started. If I did go outside, it was to access medical care. My husband and I took a Lyft or Uber to our destination, or got on the bus. Previous to June 15, 2021, the requirement was that everyone needed to wear a mask on the bus, or in an Uber or Lyft (including drivers).
Public health recommendations for mega events. For indoor events of 5,000 people or more, attendees must confirm proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 status in order to attend. For outdoor events of 10,000 people or more (like concerts, sporting events, festivals, and conventions), it is recommended that attendees confirm proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 status to attend, due to increased risk caused by travel and crowds.
On June 14, 2021, Cal Matters posted an article titled: “As California reopens, 6 things you need to know about COVID-19”. It was written by Ana B. Ibarra. From the article:
Infections and hospitalizations are down, but not gone.
…At the peak of the pandemic, 17% of people in California tested for COVID-19 were infected. For about a month now, it’s been under 1%Last week, California recorded between 792 to 1,136 new infections every day. That’s comparable to the early days of the pandemic last spring.Hospitalizations have been on a downward trend for several months. As of Friday, 1,263 people statewide were hospitalized with COVID-19 and another 261 were in intensive care. During the mid-January peak, more than 22,000 infected people were hospitalized and more than 4,800 were in ICU’s.It’s a new record low: Hospitalizations are now less than half what they were in mid-October, when around 3,000 infected people were hospitalized, according to the 14-day average……The tragedies, however, remain. Fifty-five more people were added Friday to California’s pandemic death toll, which now includes 62,593 people…
California is not close to herd immunity yet
According to the Mayo Clinic, herd immunity. occurs when a large portion of a community (the herd) becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. As a result, the whole community becomes protected – not just those who are immune.
The Mayo Clinic states that vaccines can help a population gain herd immunity. Herd immunity can be reached when enough people have been vaccinated against a disease and have developed protective antibodies against future infection. Herd immunity makes it possible to protect the population from a disease, including those who can’t be vaccinated, such as newborns or those who have compromised immune systems.
Cal Matters reported that about two-thirds of eligible residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine. State health officials don’t set a vaccination goal for herd or community immunity, since children under 12 – 15% of the population – cannot yet be vaccinated and previously infected people may already be protected.
According to Cal Matters, experts say that 70% to 85% of the total population must be fully vaccinated to reach large-scale protection against the virus. California isn’t there yet.
Outbreaks are still possible
Cal Matters quoted Andrew Noymer, who is an epidemiologist at University of California, Irvine. “Let’s not forget that this is an ongoing pandemic,” he said. “… in Orange County, Latino males are lagging in vaccination, so that group is still at risk.” Andrew Noymer expects to see another wave of COVID infections in fall or winter.
Cal Matters also quoted Dr. Mark Ghaly, California state’s health and human services secretary. Cal Matters stated that Dr. Mark Ghaly said he expects to see outbreaks, especially in counties with lower vaccination rates. “It’s at those moments of an outbreak that we need to be ready to vaccinate additional people,” he said.
Blacks and Latinos are still at high risk
…About 56.5% of Black residents and 55% of Latinos have not been immunized, compared to 38% of white residents and 15.5% of Asian Americans, according to the state’s vaccination breakdown.This means that the groups that were harmed the most by the virus are still facing the most risk. Mistrust in the health system and vaccine hesitancy are barriers, but experts say access issues, like the inability to take time off work and lack of transportation are likely the bigger issue…
Many seniors aren’t vaccinated, and most kids aren’t even eligible
A significant portion of California’s seniors – about 1.5 million of them – have not been vaccinated, despite being among the most vulnerable to the virus. Seniors make up almost 16% of the state’s population, but 73% of COVID-related deaths. Still, 22% of them have not been vaccinated……Many seniors may be facing access issues. If they don’t drive, they likely rely on family members’ schedules. If they are ill or homebound, they might be waiting for public health departments and providers to come to themExperts say it also will be important to see how infections play out among kids, many of whom will be heading back to the classroom soon for the first time in a long time. About 34% of children ages 12 through 17 have received at least one dose.Vaccines for the approximate 6 million children in California younger than 12 years may not be available until well into the fall…. Pfizer said it expects to seek emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration for its vaccine for kids 2 to 11 years old in September…
You may need a booster shot.
According to Cal Matters, there are two reasons why people may need booster shots – waning immunity, and the need for additional protection because of a more dangerous variant.
On June 15, 2021, CBS News posted an article titled: “Gottlieb says Delta virus variant likely to become dominant U.S. strain”. It was written by Kimani Hayes. From the article:
Dr. Scott Gottlieb, the former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, said Sunday that a coronavirus strain known as the Delta variant is likely to become the dominant source of new infections in the U.S. and could lead to new outbreaks in the fall, with unvaccinated Americans being most at risk.“Right now, in the United States, it’s about 10% of infections. It’s doubling every two weeks,” Gottlieb said on “Face the Nation”. “That doesn’t mean that we’re going to see a sharp uptick in infections, but it does mean that this is going to take over. And I think the risk is really to the fall that this could spike a new epidemic heading into the fall.”The Delta variant, also known as B.1.617.2, was first discovered in India and is one of three related strains. It has become famous for its ability to outpace and replicate quicker than other variants in its lineage……However, Gottlieb said the COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in the U.S. and overseas appear to be effective at containing the Delta variant, highlighting the importance of the public vaccination campaign…
California is opening up too soon
According to Cal Matters, in order to obtain herd immunity, 70% to 80% of the total population must be vaccinated. Cal Matters reported that about two-thirds of eligible residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine. California is opening too soon.
There appears to be some confusion about what the new reopening rules actually mean. Information from Cal Matters is conflicting. I’m not sure how businesses – or customers – are going to be able to navigate through requirements that are not standard nor required.
Do you want to go to a concert?
California defines anything that draws more than 5,000 people (indoors) or 10,000 people (outside) as a “mega event”.
People who want to go to concerts, conventions, or other indoor “mega events” will have to prove that they have been vaccinated. They can do this by showing a vaccination card, a photo of the card, or documentation from a doctor that they tested negative for coronavirus in the previous 72 hours.
CBS News posted an article on April 20, 2021, titled: “Scammers are selling fake COVID-19 vaccination cards online”. It was written by Megan Cerullo. From the article:
Criminals are looking to cash in on the U.S. immunization push against COVID-19 by selling forgeries of government-issued “vaccination record cards” that show people have been inoculated.Hundreds of fraudsters are selling blank or forged versions of the cards over ecommerce sites including eBay, Etsy and Shopify, while also running advertisements for the fakes on Facebook, according to Saoud Khalifah, CEO of Fakespot, which uses artificial intelligence to detect online retail scams. And with names like blankcovidcard.com, such sellers are hardly discreet……Khalifah of Fakespot suspects some purchasers of fake cards are “anti-vaxxers” who don’t plan on becoming vaccinated but want whatever access a card can afford them…
Scammers are making it impossible to determine which concert-goers have actually been vaccinated, and which have purchased a fake card. This sort of situation could easily lead to superspreader events.
Cal Matters reported that proof of vaccination or documentation from a doctor that a person tested negative for coronavirus in the previous 72 hours won’t necessarily be required at outdoor events like baseball games. However, California is recommending that stadiums either impose a rule or require masking.
What about bars, gyms, or movie theaters?
People who are vaccinated are allowed to take off their mask once they go inside these venues. It appears that bars, gyms and movie theaters will be allowed to drop social distancing rules. The result is the honest people, who got vaccinated, will be mixing with people who lied about being vaccinated and who aren’t wearing masks.
Those who are unvaccinated are required to wear a mask indoors in most public places. However, there’s no clear guidance about how the rule will be enforced. California’s Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Mark Ghaly said that business can require masks of all customers, implement a vaccination verification system, or simply go with the honor system. The Secretary says the state is not requiring businesses to have someone at the door checking for vaccine status.
What about workplaces?
On June 17, 2021, Cal Matters updated an existing blog post and reported that this is where things get complicated.
Since November of 2021, California’s workplace safety regulator has been requiring most employees across the state to mask up and maintain six feet of distance from one another when possible. In addition, stores, restaurants and other employers were required to provide personal protective equipment to their staff, to offer testing when necessary, and in some cases, to set up pathogen-blocking furnishings such as plexiglass shields.
Those rules have changed.
What are the new rules regarding workplaces and COVID-19?
On June 17, 2021, a press release titled: “Governor Newsom Signs Executive Order Expediting Cal/OSHA’s Revised COVID-19 Regulations to Ensure Consistency with Public Health Guidance”. It was posted on the Governor of California’s website. Here are some key parts of the press release:
Following the vote by the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board to adopt revised COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standards that reflect the state’s latest COVID-19 public health order, Governor Gavin Newsom today signed an executive order enabling the revisions to take effect without the normal 10-day review period by the Office of Administrative Law – providing clarity and consistency for employers and employees as California fully reopens its economy.Among other updates, Cal/OSHA’s revisions align with the latest guidance from the California Department of Public Health – based on guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – on face coverings and eliminate physical distancing requirements, except for certain employees during outbreaks. Unless they show symptoms, fully vaccinated employees do not need to be offered testing or be excluded from work after close contact with a COVID-19 positive person…
On June 17, 2021, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that workplaces in California can let vaccinated employees “do away with masks and many other coronavirus restrictions”. Unvaccinated employees have to keep their masks on indoors, in line with the California state health department and federal recommendations.
Changes were made after after a vote by the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (OSHA). In a 5-1 vote, the Board approved a clearer set of rules for vaccinated people in the workplace.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported the following:
Unvaccinated employees have to keep their masks on indoors.
Those who have not received the COVID-19 shots can also request N95 masks from their employers to reduce the chance of being infected with the virus.
In my opinion, this will help protect people who are immune-compromised who cannot safely get vaccinated. The N95 mask can protect immune-compromised people from catching the virus. It would be unethical for an employer to insist immune-compromised workers return to work and risk catching coronavirus (or the flu, or a cold) from their unmasked coworkers.
California plans to make a one-month supply of N95 masks available to employers for unvaccinated workers.
It is unclear how many N95 masks employers will receive or when they will arrive. What happens if the employer runs out of masks for unvaccinated workers? Will the employer be expected to purchase more N95 masks? Will California supply those employers with more of them?
Workers still have to wear masks on public transit and in other settings where they are required to by California’s health department, including during workplace outbreaks. Physical distancing requirements are no longer in effect under the new rules.
Employers are required to document the vaccination status of their workers. The employers do not have to obtain copies of vaccine cards. Employers can also “self attest” that they have been vaccinated. The San Francisco Chronicle, this is a topic that many of the Board members expressed concern about.
On June 17, 2021, KSBY posted an article titled: “Employers must document the vaccination status of employees under revised CAL/OSHA rules”. It was written by Megan Healy. From the article:
Some of the revised rules by CAL/OSHA say:
Employers must verify and document the vaccination status of fully vaccinated workers if they do not wear masks indoors;
Employers must make COVID-19 testing available to unvaccinated employees who have symptoms, as well as vaccinated employees who have symptoms after close contact with a COVID-19 case;
Workers must be allowed to wear a face-covering if they choose to without fear of retaliation from employers;
Employers must provide workers who are not fully vaccinated with respirators for voluntary use, upon request, and at no cost.
According to KSBY, employment attorney Kathy Eppright said: “Not only will employers be allowed to ask for the vaccination status of their employees, but they will also be required to.” She continued, “It’s permissible for an employer if they wanted to ask that information of employees or customers in order to determine what rules to apply.”
How does having to disclose your vaccination status relate to HIPPA?
Not long after these types of news articles appeared, I noticed that several people had become incredibly concerned about HIPPA. The prevailing thought was that an employer who asks for a worker’s (or customer’s) vaccination status is breaking HIPPA.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides information about HIPPA. It stands for The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. HIPPA is a federal law that required the creation of national standards to protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patient’s consent or knowledge.
The Privacy Rule standards address the use and disclosure of individuals’ health information by entities subject to the Privacy rule. Those individuals and organizations are called “covered entities”. The Privacy Rule contains standards for individuals’ rights to understand and control how their health information is properly protected while allowing the flow of health information needed to provide and promote high quality health care and to protect the public’s health and well being.
Covered Entities include:
Healthcare providers: All healthcare providers who electronically transmit health information in connection with certain transactions are Covered Entities. These transactions include claims, benefit eligibility inquiries, referral authorization requests, and other transactions for which HHS has established standards under the HIPAA Transactions Rule.
Health plans: Health plans are Covered Entities that provide or pay the cost of medical care. Health plans include health, dental, vision, and prescription drug insurers; health maintenance organizations (HMO’s); Medicare, Medicaid, Medicare+Choice, and Medicare supplement insurers and long-term care insurers (excluding nursing home fixed-indemnity policies). Health plans also include employer-sponsored group health plans, government-and church sponsored health plans, and multi-employer health plans.
A groups health plan with fewer than 50 participants that is administered solely by the employer that established and maintains the plan is not a Covered Entity.
Healthcare clearinghouses: These Covered Entities that process nonstandard information they receive from another entity into a standard format. Healthcare clearinghouses usually receive individually identifiable health information only when they are providing these processing services to a health plan or healthcare provider as a business associate.
Business associates: A person or organization using or disclosing individually identifiable health information to preform or provide functions, activities, or services for a Covered Entity is also a Covered Entity. These functions, activities, or services may include claims processing, data analysis, utilization review, and billing.
As you may have noticed, most employers are not considered to be Covered Entities. That means your employer can ask you about your vaccination status. The U.S. Department of Heath and Human Services (HHS) posted information titled: “Your Rights Under HIPAA”.
A list of those who are not required to follow HIPPA include: life insurers, employers, workers compensation carriers, most schools and school districts, many state agencies like child protective service agencies, most law enforcement agencies, and many municipal offices.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that labor and employment attorney Martha Doty, with the law firm Alston & Bird, said many of her company clients had been using the honor system when determining who was vaccinated and who wasn’t.
The San Francisco Chronicle also reported that employment groups don’t like these rules because they feel it puts too much of a burden on employers to “police worker vaccination status and masking.” Labor advocates pointed to ongoing workplace outbreaks and questioned if it was too early to ease restrictions.
What about government entities?
According to Cal Matters, the California Department of Human Resources sent an advisory to department heads of State offices that directly serve the public. Those agencies will not be required “to inquire about a member of the public’s vaccine status.”
Instead, agencies “should provide notice to all customers, guests and members of the public that face covering are required for unvaccinated individuals. If an individual without a face covering enters a state building, the department should assume the individual is complying with the requirement.”
People will not have to wear a mask to enter the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). There won’t be any temperature checks, and capacity restrictions will ease. However, if you want to take a behind-the-wheel driving test, you will be required to wear a mask.
Putting all of this together
It is too early for California to fully reopen. We have not yet hit herd immunity. There are Californians who want to get vaccinated but cannot because they can’t get an appointment for a shot. Some worry they will experience a side effect from the shot that will cause them to miss work – especially if their employer does not offer paid sick leave.
It is possible to be entirely vaccinated and to still catch COVID-19. It has been said that those who do will get a much milder case than if they were unvaccinated. There is a Delta variant going around that is said to be more dangerous than the COVID-19 version that started spreading in late 2019 or early 2020. It is too early for California to fully reopen.
The new rules are a mess! Some business may ask customers if they are fully vaccinated, and will require those who aren’t to wear a mask. Employers might ask workers about their vaccination status, and might or might not require proof. Businesses can choose to let in every unmasked person without asking if they have been vaccinated, or could require everyone who enters to wear a mask. Government offices are also inconsistent about these rules – which vary from one office to another.
This causes confusion, and mistakes will be made. California is not ready to reopen yet.
California Reopened – And I have Concerns is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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May 3, 2021Photo by Glen Carrie on Unsplash
On January 21, 2021, President Biden issued an executive order titled: “Executive Order on Ensuring an Equitable Pandemic Response and Recovery.” The order called for an emphasis on ensuring the people who were disproportionately affected by COVID-19 would receive the help they needed. It also called for the creation of the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force.
The “Executive Order on Ensuring an Equitable Pandemic Response and Recovery” started with:
“By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of American, and in order to address the disproportionate and severe impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on communities of color and other underserved populations, it is hereby ordered as follows:”
Section 1. Purpose
This section starts by pointing out inequities on America’s health care system.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and exacerbated severe and pervasive health and social inequities in America. For instance, people of color experience systemic structural racism in many facets of society and are more likely to become sick and die from COVID-19. The lack of complete data, disaggregated by race and ethnicity, on COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and mortality rates, as well as underlying health and social vulnerabilities has further hampered efforts to ensure an equitable pandemic response…”
The Mayo Clinic posted information on August 13, 2020, titled: “Why are people of color more at risk of coronavirus complications?” It was written by William F. Marshall, III M.D. From the information:
Research increasingly shows that racial and ethnic minorities are disproportionately affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the United States.
According to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native people had an age-adjusted COVID-19 hospitalization rate at about 5.3 times that of non-Hispanic white people. COVID-19 hospitalization rates among non-Hispanic Black people and Hispanic or Latino people were both about 4.7 times the rate of non-Hispanic white people.
While there’s no evidence that people of color have genetic or other biological factors that make them more likely to be affected by COVID-19, they are more likely to have underlying health conditions. Having certain conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, increases your risk of severe illness with COVID-19. But experts also know that where people live and work affects their health. Over time, these factors lead to different health risks among racial and ethnic minority groups…
Here are some factors mentioned in the Mayo Clinic information:
Racial and ethnic minority members might be more likely to live in multi-generational homes, crowded conditions and densely populated areas such as New York City. This can make social distancing difficult.
Many people of color have jobs that are considered essential or can’t be done remotely and involve interacting with the public. In the U.S., according to the CDC, nearly 25% of employed Hispanic and Black or African Americans work in the service industry, compared with 16% of non-Hispanic white workers. Black or African Americans also account for 30% of licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses. Many people of color also depend on public transportation to get to work. These factors can result in exposure to the virus.
Members of racial and ethnic minority groups are more likely to encounter barriers to getting care, such as a lack of health insurance or not being paid when missing work to get care. In 2017, according to the CDC only about 6% of non-Hispanic white people were uninsured, while the rate was nearly 18% for Hispanics and 10% for non-Hispanic Black people.
Racism also may play a role in health risks. The stress of dealing with racial discrimination can take a toll on your body, causing early aging. This has been linked to underlying conditions, which can increase the risk of severe illness with COVID-19.
The executive order continues with:
“…Other communities, often obscured in the data, are also disproportionately affected by COVID-19, including sexual and gender minority groups, those living with disabilities, and those living at the margins of our economy. Observed inequities in rural and Tribal communities, territories, and other geographically isolated communities require a place-based approach to data collection and the response. Despite increased State and local efforts to address these inequalities, COVID-19’s disparate impact on communities of color and other underserved populations remains unrelenting…”
Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) published the results of a poll on March 11, 2021. The poll was titled: “The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on LGBT People”. From the findings:
There has been little data on how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals (LGBT) in the U.S. Drawing on previous research indicating that LGBT individuals are at greater risk of both COVID-19 health and economic outcomes, this analysis examines the reported experiences from self-identified LGBT individuals from two months of KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor and finds that LGBT people have experienced the COVID-19 pandemic differently than non-LGBT people, including being harder hit in some areas:
Economic: A larger share of LGBT adults compared to non-LGBT adults report that they or someone in their household has experienced COVID-era job loss (56% v 44%).
Mental Health: Three-fourths of LGBT people (74%) say worry and stress from the pandemic has had a negative impact on their mental health, compared to 49% of those who are not LGBT, and are more likely to say that negative impact has been major (49% v 23%).
Views: One-third (34%) of LGBT adults say the news has generally underestimated the seriousness of the pandemic (compared to 23% of non-LGBT adults). Three-fourths of LGBT adults (74%) are either “very worried” or “somewhat worried” that they or someone in their family will get sick from the coronavirus, similar to responses from non-LGBT adults (67%). A large share of LGBT adults report being willing to take CDC recommended steps to avoid acquisition/transmission of the virus.
…Limited early data available on how LGBT people have experienced the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States (U.S.) has suggested that this group may be disproportionately impacted. The reasons are far-reaching and may include: LGBT individuals being at a greater risk of worse COVID-19 outcomes due to higher rates of comorbidities; working in highly affected industries such as health care and restaurants/food services; living on average on lower incomes than non-LGBT people; experiencing stigma and discrimination related to sexual orientation/gender identity, including in accessing health care and, for transgender individuals, being less likely to have health coverage…
Johns Hopkins University posted a report on April 23, 2020, titled: “COVID-19 poses unique challenges for people with disabilities”. From the report:
…For people with disabilities, all the general challenges that come with the pandemic certainly apply, but there are additional barriers. The first is communication – getting information can be more difficult for people with vision, hearing, and even cognitive disabilities, as popular news sources may not be accessible, especially when information is changing quickly… Keeping all of us informed is key to the COVID-19 public health response, but information is not accessible to the disability community…
…The second barrier involves adopting recommended public health strategies, such as social distancing and washing hands. For example, frequent hand-washing is not always feasible for people with certain types of physical disabilities… …public health policies often do not consider people with disabilities, leaving a gap in guidance. Those who have personal aides and caregivers also need to be considered, as they cannot participate in social distancing in the same way that others are…
…The third, equitable access to health care, is a long-standing barrier worsened by COVID-19. This ranges from getting a coronavirus test to being seen in an emergency room. For instance, drive-up testing may be impossible if you rely on state mobility services. There are also existing barriers in health care settings that are exacerbated as the industry aims to meet the surge of COVID-19 cases. For example, the use of personal protective equipment, including masks, can make communication more difficult for patients with hearing loss…
…There’s fear that medical resource allocation, including ventilators, may be discriminatory against patients with disabilities, and complaints have been filed in multiple states about these rationing policies…
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted information on August 19, 2020, titled: “CDC data show disproportionate COVID-19 impact in American Indian/Alaska Native populations”. From the information:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new study that specifically examines how COVID-19 is affecting American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) – one of the racial and ethnic minority groups at highest risk of the disease. CDC found that in 23 selected states, the cumulative incidence of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases among AI/AN was 3.5 that of non-Hispanic whites.
These data also showed that AI/AN who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 tended to be younger than white non-Hispanic individuals with COVID-19 infection. Compared to whites, a higher percentage of cases among AI/AN individuals were in people under 18 years of age (12.9 percent AI/AN; 4.3 percent white), and a smaller percentage of cases were among AI/AN 65 years or older (12.6 percent AI/AN; 28.6 percent white). Limited data were available to quantify the disparity in COVID-19 incidence, COVID-19 disease severity, and outcomes among AI/AN persons compared with those among other racial/ethnic groups, reinforcing the need to prioritize improved data collection as a key strategy to understand and improve health outcomes.
Recent CDC studies have shown that AI/AN are among the racial and ethnic minority groups at higher risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes. Persisting racial inequity and historical trauma have contributed to disparities in health and socioeconomic factors between AI/AN and white populations that have adversely affected tribal communities. The elevated incidence within this population might also reflect differences in reliance on shared transportation, limited access to running water, household size, and other factors that might facilitate community transmission…
The last part of the Purpose section says:
“Addressing this devastating toll is both a moral imperative and pragmatic policy. It is impossible to change the course of the pandemic without tackling it in the hardest-hit communities. In order to identify and eliminate health and social inequalities resulting in disproportionately higher rates of exposure, illness, and death, I am directing a Government-wide effort to address health equity. The Federal Government must take swift action to prevent and remedy differences in COVID-19 care and outcomes within communities of color and other underserved populations.”
Section 2. COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force
The second part of the executive order is about setting up a COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force.
“There is established within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) a COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force (Task Force).”
On January 30, 2020, CBS News posted an article titled: “Trump creates task force to lead U.S. coronavirus response”. From the article:
President Trump has created a new task force to lead the government’s response to the fast-spreading coronavirus, the White House announced Wednesday.
Led by Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and coordinated through the National Security Council, the task force is made up of subject matter experts from across the federal government and has been meeting daily since Monday. Members of the 12-member group include National Security Adviser Robert O’Brian, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield, and the National Institutes of Health’s Dr. Anthony Fauci.
“The task force will lead the administration’s efforts to monitor, contain and mitigate the spread of the virus, while ensuring that the American people have the most accurate and up-to-date health and travel information,” the White House said…
President Biden’s executive order describes who will be on his COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force, what the group will do, and other information.
“The task force shall consist of the Secretary of HHS; an individual designated by the Secretary of HHS to Chair the Task Force (COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force Chair); the heads of such other executive departments, agencies, or offices (agencies) as the Chair may invite; and up to 20 members from sectors outside the Federal Government appointed by the President.”
Xavier Becerra is the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). According to The New York Times, he is the first Latino to serve as health secretary. On March 18, 2021, the Senate confirmed him with a vote of 50-49. Senator Susan Collins of Maine was the only Republican to support his confirmation. Previously, he was California’s Attorney General. The Secretary of Health and Human Services will select someone to be the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force Chair.
Federal members may designate, to perform the Task Force functions of the member, a senior-level official who is a part of the member’s agency and a full-time officer or employee of the Federal Government.
Nonfederal members shall include individuals with expertise and lived experience relevant to groups suffering disproportionate rates of illness and death in the United States; individuals with expertise and lived experience relevant to equity in public health, health care, education, housing, and community-based services; and any other individuals with expertise the President deems relevant. Appointments shall be made without regard to political affiliation and shall reflect a diverse set of perspectives.
Members of the Task Force shall serve without compensation for their work on the Task Force, but members shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by law for persons serving intermittently in Government service (5. U.S.C. 5701-5757).
At the direction of the Chair, the Task Force may establish subgroups consisting exclusively of Task Force members or their designees under this section, as appropriate.
Mission and Work of the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force:
“Consistent with applicable law and as soon as practicable, the Task Force shall provide specific recommendations to the President, through the Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator), for mitigating the health inequities caused or exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and for preventing such inequities in the future. The recommendations shall include:”
Recommendations for how agencies and State, local, Tribal, and territorial officials can best allocate COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and mortality in certain communities and disparities in COVID-19 outcomes by race, ethnicity, and other factors, to the extent permitted by law;
Recommendations for agencies with responsibility for disbursing COVID-19 relief funding regarding how to disburse funds in a manner that advances equity;
Recommendations for agencies regarding effective, culturally aligned communication, messaging, and outreach to communities of color and other underserved populations.
“The Task Force shall submit a final report to the COVID-19 Response Coordinator addressing any ongoing health inequalities faced by COVID-19 survivors that may merit a public health response, describing the factors that contributed to disparities in COVID-19 outcomes, and recommending actions to combat such disparities in future pandemic responses.”
What the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force will do regarding data collection:
“…To address the data shortfalls identified in section 1 of this order, and consistent with applicable law, the Task Force shall:”
Collaborate with the heads of relevant agencies, consistent with the Executive Order entitled “Ensuring a Data-Driven Response to COVID-19 and Future High-Consequence Public Health Threats,” to develop recommendations for expediting data collection for communities of color and other underserved populations and identifying data sources, proxies, or indices that would enable development of short-term targets for pandemic-related actions for such communities and populations;
Develop, in collaboration with the heads of relevant agencies a set of longer-term recommendations to address these data shortfalls and other foundational data challenges, including those relating to data intersectionality, that must be tackled in order to better prepare and respond to future pandemics; and
Submit the recommendations described in this subsection to the President through the COVID-19 Response Coordinator.
The next few paragraphs set up more about what the Task Force can do. They may seek the views of health professionals; policy experts; State, local, Tribal and territorial health officials; faith-based leaders; businesses; health providers; community organizations; those with lived experience with homelessness, incarceration, discrimination, and other relevant issues; and other stakeholders.
The Federal Advisory Committee Act may apply to the Task Force, and any functions of the President under the Act, (except section 6) shall be performed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. HHS will provide funding and administrative support for the Task Force (as permitted by law and within existing appropriations).
The Chair shall convene regular meetings of the Task Force, determine its agenda, and direct its work. The Chair shall designate an Executive Director of the Task Force, who shall coordinate the work of the Task Force and head any staff assigned to the Task Force.
The COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force will terminate within 30 days of accomplishing the objectives set forth in this order, including the delivery of the report and recommendations specified in this section, or 2 years from the date of this order, whichever comes first.
Section 3. Ensuring an Equitable Pandemic Response.
“…The Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of HHS, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Education, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the heads of all other agencies with authorities or responsibilities relating to the pandemic response and recovery shall, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law:”
Consult with the Task Force to strengthen equity data collection, reporting, and use related to COVID-19;
Assess pandemic response plans and policies to determine whether personal protective equipment, tests, vaccines, therapeutics, and other resources have been or will be allocated equitably, inducing by considering:
The disproportionately high rates of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and mortality in certain communities; and
Any barriers that have restricted access to preventative measures, treatment, and other health services for high-risk population;
Any barriers that have restricted access to preventive measures, treatment, and other health services for high-risk populations;
The effect of proposed policy changes on agencies’ abilities to collect, analyze, and report data necessary to monitor and evaluate the impact of pandemic response plans and policies on communities of color and other underserved populations
Policy priorities expressed by communities that have suffered disproportionate rates of illness and death as a result of the pandemic;
Strengthen enforcement of anti-discrimination requirements pertaining to availability of, and access to, COVID-19 care and treatment; and
Partner with States, localities, Tribes, and territories to explore mechanisms to provide greater assistance to individuals and families experiencing disproportionate economic or health effects from COVID-19, such as by expanding access to food, housing, child care, or income support.
The next part instructs the Secretary of HHS to provide recommendations to State, local, Tribal, and territorial leaders on how to facilitate the placement of contact tracers and other workers in communities that have been hardest hit by the pandemic, recruit such workers from those communities, and connect such workers to existing health workforce training programs and other career advancement programs.
The Secretary of HHS must also conduct an outreach campaign to promote vaccine trust and uptake among communities of color and other underserved populations with higher levels of vaccine mistrust due to discriminatory medical treatment and research and engage with leaders within those communities.
Members of the Biden-Harris Administration COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force
On February 10, 2021, President Biden announced who would be on the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force.
The Task Force is chaired by Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith. She is an associate professor of internal medicine, public health, and management at Yale, and is one of the nation’s foremost experts on disparities in healthcare access. According to information posted by Yale, Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith had called attention to the unequal burden borne by communities of color.
She is also associate dean for health equity research, director for the Center for Community Engagement and Health Equity, and the founding director of the Equity Research and Innovation Center (ERIC) at Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith grew up in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
In the press briefing about the Task Force, it states: “As Chair, Dr. Nunez-Smith will also ask six additional Federal agencies to be represented on the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force as federal members. This includes the United States Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Justice and Department of Labor.
The twelve Task Force members represent a diversity of backgrounds and expertise, a range of racial and ethnic groups, and a number of important populations, including: children and youth, educators and students; health care providers, immigrants; individuals; public health experts; rural communities; state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments, and unions.
Mayra E. Alvarez, MPH is President of the Children’s Partnership, a California advocacy organization working to advance child health equity.
Previously, she served in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during the Obama-Biden administration, including at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service, the Office of Minority Health, and the Office of Health Reform. She also served as a Legislative Assistant in the US Senate and House of Representatives. She grew up in California, and graduated from the School of Public Health at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of California at Berkeley.
James Hildreth, PhD, MD is president and chief executive officer of Meharry Medical College, the nation’s largest private, independent historically black academic health sciences center.
Dr.Hildreth served previously as the dean of the College of Biological Sciences at University of California, Davis and as a professor and associate dean at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Hildreth is a member of the National Academy of Medicine an an internationally acclaimed immunologist whose work has focused on several human viruses including HIV.
He currently serves on the advisory council for the NIH director and as a member of the FDA Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee. Dr. Hildreth has led Meharry’s efforts to ensure that disadvantaged communities have access to COVID-19 testing and vaccines. He graduated from Harvard University as a Rhodes Scholar, from Oxford University with a PhD in immunology and obtained an MD from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
Andrew Imparato, JD Andy Imparato is a disability rights lawyer and Executive Director of Disability Rights California, where he has spearheaded advocacy on crisis standards of care and vaccine prioritization in the last year.
Imparato joined DRC after a 26-year career in Washington DC, where he served as the chief executive of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities and the American Association of People with Disabilities. From 2010-2013, Imparato served as Chairman Tom Harkin’s Disability Policy Director on the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. Imparato’s perspective is informed by his lived experience with bipolar disorder.
Victor Joseph was elected by the 42 member tribes to the position of Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) Chief/Chairman in March of 2014 and served through October of 2020. As the Chief Chairman he was the principle executive officer for the corporation and presided over all corporate meetings of the member tribes.
Prior to being elected TCC’s Chief Chairman Victor was employed as TCC’s Health Director from 2007 to 2014. He worked for TCC a total of 28 years in a variety of leadership positions. He has also served as Alaska Representative on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary’s Tribal Advisory Committee and on the Indian Health Services Budget Formulation Committee. Joseph is a tribal member of the Native Village of Tanana. He has extensive experience building strong working relationships with tribal leaders, colleagues, staff, and funding agencies and corporate beneficiaries.
Joneigh Khaldun, MD, MPH is the Chief Medical Executive for the State of Michigan and the Chief Deputy Director for Health in the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). She is the lead strategist for Michigan’s COVID-19 response.
Prior to her role in Michigan she was the Director of the Detroit Health Department, where she established a comprehensive reproductive health network and led Detroit’s response to the Hepatitis A outbreak. Dr. Khaldun has held former roles as the Baltimore City Health Department’s Chief Medical Officer and Fellow in the Obama-Biden Administration’s Office of Health Reform in the US Department of Health and Human Services. She obtained her BS from the University of Michigan, MD from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and MPH in health policy from George Washington University. She practices emergency medicine part-time at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.
Octavio N. Martinez, Jr. MD, MBA, MPH is the Executive Director for the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health at The University of Texas at Austin. Additionally, Martinez is a Senior Associate Vice President within the university’s Division of Diversity and Community Engagement; clinical professor in the university’s School of Social Work; and professor at Dell Medical School’s Department of Psychiatry.
He grew up in Texas, and has a MPH from Harvard University’s School of Public Health, an MD from Baylor College of Medicine, and an MBA and BBA in Finance from The University of Texas at Austin.
Tim Putnam, DHA, EMS is President and CEO of Margaret Mary Health, a community hospital in Batesville, Indiana and has over 30 years of healthcare experience. He received his Doctorate in Health Administration from the Medical University of South Carolina where his dissertation was focused on acute stroke care in rural hospitals.
He is a past president of the Indiana Rural Health Association and the National Rural Health Association. In 2015 he was appointed by the Governor to the newly created Indiana Board of Graduate Medical Education and has chaired the Board since its inception. Dr. Putnam is also a certified Emergency Medical Technician.
Vincent C. Toranzo is an active student from Broward County, Florida. Mr. Toranzo has experience with the inner workings of municipality functions. He serves as the State Secretary of the Florida Association of Student Councils advocating for the inclusion of student voices in their community, such as assistance to foster children and the assurance of students’ safety amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr. Toranzo was awarded the U.S. President’s Award for Educational Excellence and a Citizenship Award for School and Public Services from his local U.S. congresswoman.
Mary Turner, RN is an ICU nurse at North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale and in her sixth year as President of the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) union – the Minnesota affiliate of National Nurses United.
She previously worked at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis for 10 years. Turner has been on the National Nurses United’s Joint Nursing Commission since 2011. She serves as the Chair of the Board for Isuroon, which provides empowerment, culturally sensitive health education, and advocacy for Somali women.
Homer Venters, MD is a physician and epidemiologist working at the intersection of incarceration, health, and human rights. Dr. Venters is currently focused on addressing COVID-19 responses in jails, prisons, and immigration detention facilities.
Dr. Venters is the former Chief Medical Officer of the NYC Correctional Health Services and author of Life and Death in Rikers Island. Dr. Venters has also worked in the nonprofit sector as the Director of Programs for Physicians for Human Rights and President of Community Oriented Correctional Health Service. Dr. Venters is a Clinical Associate Professor of the New York University College of Global Public Health.
G. Robert (“Bobby”) Watts, MPH, MS is the CEO of the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, which supports 300 Health Care for the Homeless FQHC’s and 100 Medical Respite programs with training, research, and advocacy to end homelessness. Watts has 25 years’ experience in administration, direct service, and implementation of homeless health and shelter services.
Watts served as Executive Director of Care for the Homeless in New York City for twelve years. He is a graduate of Cornell University and Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health from which he holds an MPH in health administration and an MS in epidemiology.
Haeyoung Yoon, JD is Senior Policy Director at the National is Senior Policy at the National Domestic Workers Alliance. Over the course of her career, Yoon has worked on low-wage and immigrant workers rights issues.
Prior to National Domestic Workers Alliance, Yoon was a Distinguished Taconic Fellow at Community Change. Yoon also has extensive litigation experience and taught at the New York University School of Law and Brooklyn Law School. She recently testified before the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship regarding Immigrants as Essential Workers during COVID-19. Yoon received her JD from CUNY School of Law, her MA from Harvard University, and her BA from Barnard College.
Biden’s COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen. If you enjoyed this blog post please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. Thank you! [...]
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April 18, 2021Photo by CDC on Unsplash
Have you wondered about how the Biden-Harris administration managed to get so many COVID-19 “shots in arms” in such as short period of time? Were you surprised when pharmacies, stadiums, empty stores in dying malls, and pop-up vaccinations sites appeared? All of this is thanks to the Biden-Harris Covid-19 Vaccination plan.
“Fact Sheet: President-elect Biden Outlines COVID-19 Vaccination Plan” was posted on January 15, 2021, on what was originally the Biden-Harris Transition website. After Joe Biden was sworn in as President of the United States, and Kamala Harris was sworn in as Vice-President of the United States, that content moved to the White House website.
The information posted by the Biden-Harris administration before Inauguration Day shows that they were thinking ahead about how to stop the spread of Covid-19. This contrasts strongly with the Trump Administration’s severe lack of planning.
Fact Sheet: President-elect Biden Outlines COVID-19 Vaccination Plan starts with a brief paragraph about the need for effective and equitable vaccinations. It also provides some information about the spread of COVID-19, and the number of deaths. From the Plan:
Effectively and equitably vaccinating the U.S. Population will happen through stronger partnerships with states and communities, increased supply, more vaccination sites, and more vaccinators.
“The Covid-19 pandemic is getting worse by the day – more people are hospitalized with COVID-19 than ever before, the death rate is up almost 20 percent, and we’re nearing 400,000 deaths total. At the same time, there is a new, more contagious strain spreading across the country and we are woefully behind on vaccinating the U.S. population.
“President-elect Biden will confront this historic challenge with the full strength of the federal government – working closely with local communities already in the trenches. He will lead an unprecedented, whole-of-society effort that mobilizes every resource available – across the public and private sectors. It will take every American doing their part.
“As we move forward to get vaccines in arms as quickly as possible, we will not leave anyone behind. Communities across the country are counting on it. The health and economic security of our nation depend on it.
“Today, the president-elect outlined key highlights of his plan to efficiently and equitably vaccinate the U.S. population. This includes taking action to: …
The next portion of the Vaccination Plan is listed out very clearly.
Get more people vaccinated
Encourage states to allow more people to be vaccinated including individuals 65 and older as well as frontline workers.
“The process of establishing priority groups was driven by science, but the implementation has been too rigid and confusing. We now see doses of vaccines sitting in freezers unused while people who want the vaccine cannot get it. President-elect Biden’s plan encourages states to open up eligibility beyond healthcare workers and long-term care facility workers like teachers, first responders, grocery store employees, and anyone who is 65 and older.
“It won’t mean that everyone in these groups will get vaccinated immediately, as supply is not where it needs to be. But it will mean that as vaccines become available, they will reach more people who need them. For states with the capacity and supply to further expand, we encourage that as well. The federal government will continue to look to the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) framework for an equitable, effective vaccination program.”
Ensure equity throughout the vaccination process to reach those in hard-to-reach, marginalized communities.
“We will ensure that there is equity in the vaccination process by using data to target resources to hard-hit communities, ensuring no out-of-pocket costs for vaccinations, and equitable access to vaccines in marginalized and medically-underserved communities. Partnerships with state, local, and community-based organizations and trusted health care providers, like community health centers, will be central to this effort.”
Create more vaccination sites
Stand up new, federally-supported community vaccination centers across the country.
“Getting as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible will require close coordination between the federal government and all states and territories. Knowing that not all states and jurisdictions have the resources to scale vaccinations at the pace this crisis demands, the Biden-Harris administration will leverage federal resources and emergency contracting authorities to launch new vaccination sites and to expand state and local efforts across the country.
“With the support of Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), these sites will mobilize thousands of clinical and non-clinical staff and contractors who will work hand-in-glove with the National Guard and state and local teams. The program will be scaled based on what is working best on the ground for state and local partners, and the communities they serve.”
Fully reimburse state deployment of the National Guard to support vaccinations and provide additional FEMA assistance.
“President-elect Biden will deploy mobile vaccination clinics in the most hard-to-reach communities and to support those who face challenges accessing vaccination sites, including individuals who live in underseved urban and rural areas. The federal government will partner with states and local providers, including primary care providers, to ensure that they have the resources needed to help get vaccines to the communities they serve.
“The federal government will launch targeted programs to engage community health centers, rural health clinics, critical access hospitals, and tribal health services to ensure that we can meet the needs of all communities.”
Make vaccines available in pharmacies.
“Millions of Americans turn to their local pharmacies every day for their medicines, flu shots, and much more. Nearly 90 percent of Americans live within five miles of a pharmacy. President-elect Biden will quickly jumpstart efforts to increase capacity at chain and independent pharmacies across the country to get Americans vaccinated.”
Launch a new partnership with Federally Qualified Health Centers nationwide.
“Federally qualified Health Centers (FQHC’s) serve more than 30 million patients each year – one in 11 people nationwide. Many are people of color and many live in rural communities. FQHC patients are often individuals struggling to make ends meet.
“Given the role that these providers play in their communities, President-elect Biden will launch a new program to ensure that FQHC’s can directly access vaccine supply where needed. At the same time, the administration will encourage jurisdictions to engage and work closely with health centers in their community vaccination planning.
“And to ensure that health centers have the resources they need to successfully launch vaccination programs, President-elect Biden has called on Congress to provide additional funds to support community health centers, and HHS will launch a new program to provide guidance, technical assistance, and other resources to prepare and engage these providers nationwide.”
Launch new models to serve high-risk individuals
“The administration will make programs available for high-risk congregate settings, including homeless shelters, jails, and institutions that serve individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.”
Increase supply and get it out the door as quickly as possible
Ensure a robust vaccine supply and spur manufacturing
“To help people get vaccinated more quickly, the president-elect will maximize the manufacturer of vaccine and vaccine supplies for the country, including the Defense Production Act. This effort will prioritize supplies that could cause bottlenecks, including glass vials, stoppers, syringes, needles, and the “fill and finish” capacity to package vaccines into vials”.
The Federal Emergency Management Program (FEMA) has an explanation of the Defense Production Act.
The Defense Production Act is the primary source of presidential authorities to expedite and expand the supply of materials and services from the U.S. industrial base needed to promote the national defense. DPA authorities are available to support: emergency preparedness activities conducted pursuant to title VI of the Stafford Act; protection or restoration of critical infrastructure; and efforts to prevent, reduce vulnerability to, minimize damage from, and recover from acts of terrorism within the United States. DPA authorities may be used to:
Require acceptance and preferential performance of contracts and orders under DPA Title I. (See Federal Priorities and Allocations System (FPAS)).
Provide financial incentives and assistance (under DPA Title III) for U.S. industry to expand productive capacity and supply needed for national defense purposes;
Provide antitrust protection (through DPA voluntary agreements in DPA Title VII) for businesses to cooperate in planning and operations for national defense purposes, including homeland security.
FEMA also provides information about the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, PL 100-707, signed into law November 23, 1988; amended the Disaster Relief Act of 1974, PL 93-288.
This Act constitutes the statutory authority for most Federal disaster response activities especially as they pertain to FEMA and FEMA programs.
Title IV of the Stafford Act is called “Major Disaster Assistance Programs”. Section 401 “Procedure for Declarations” provides the following explanation of this part of the Stafford Act.
“IN GENERAL – All requests for a declaration by the President that a major disaster exists shall be made by the Governor of the affected State. Such a request shall be based on a finding that the disaster is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and the affected local governments and that Federal assistance is necessary.
“As part of such request, and as a prerequisite to major disaster assistance under this Act, the Governor shall take appropriate response action under State law and direct execution of the State’s emergency plan. The Governor shall furnish information on the nature and amount of State and local resources which have been or will be committed to alleviating the results of the disaster, and shall certify that, for the current disaster, State and local government obligations and expenditures (of which State commitments must be a significant proportion) will comply with all applicable cost-sharing requirements of this Act.
“Based on the request of a Governor under this section, the President may declare under this Act that a major disaster or emergency exists.”
The Defense Production Act, and the Stafford Act, are what gives a president the power to take action in emergency situations in order to provide states with what they need to survive it. The incoming Biden-Harris administration clearly saw that the COVID-19 pandemic is an emergency.
There appears to be a potential problem, though. In order to receive emergency aid, a state’s governor would have to request it from the Biden-Harris Administration. My best guess is that the Biden-Harris administration believed that every state Governor would do so, but there was still the possibility that some state governors might decide not to accept the aid.
President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris would not be able to directly act on it until after the Inauguration and swearing in ceremonies were over. Planning ahead helped to make it possible for so many people, across the United States, to get vaccinated.
Be a reliable partner for states by providing actionable data on vaccine allocation timelines and delivery.
“To effectively plan and scale distribution, states and localities rely on both advanced understanding of their allocations and timely delivery of their ordered doses. Under President-elect Biden’s plan, the federal government will provide regular projections of the allocations states and localities will receive.
“The federal government will build on the operational plans in place to ensure the effective distribution, storage, and transit of vaccines to states, including support for maintaining or augmenting the vaccine-specific required cold chain. The federal government will also fully leverage the Defense Production Act to fill any distribution gaps, including with respect to any needed refrigeration, transportation, or storage facilities.”
Increase vaccine availability while maintaining a commitment to the two-dose schedule.
“President-elect Biden’s plan will release the vast majority of the vaccines when they are available, so more people an get vaccinated quickly, while still retaining a small reserve for any unforeseen shortages or delays. To continue ensuring second-dose availability on the timeline recommended by the FDA, the Biden-Harris administration will closely monitor development, production and release of vaccines, and use the DPA as needed to ensure adequate supply for second doses on the timeline recommended by the FDA.”
Mobilize more personnel to get shots in arms.
Surge the public health workforce to support the vaccination effort.
“A diverse, community-based public health workforce is essential to an effective vaccination program. President-elect Biden will address workforce needs by taking steps to allow additional qualified professionals to administer vaccines and strongly encourage states to use their flexibility fully to surge their workforce, including by expanding scope of practice laws and waiving licensing requirements as appropriate.
“The federal government, in partnership with states, will provide appropriate training, including thorough use of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. The president-elect will also act swiftly to amend the current COVID-19 Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act declaration to permit certain qualified professionals, including retired medical professionals, that are not licensed under state law to administer vaccines to be able to do so with appropriate training in order to expand the number of qualified professionals able to administer the vaccine.”
The Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) “is one of the nation’s uniformed services – a branch committed to the service of health. Officers advance our nation’s public health, serving in agencies across the government, as physicians, nurses, dentists, veterinarians, scientists, engineers, and other professionals.”
Their mission is: Protect, promote, and advance the health and safety of the nation. They work at the CDC, FDA, Indian Health Service, National Institutes of Health, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Defense.
The Declaration Under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act for Medical Countermeasures Against COVID-19 was placed on the Federal Register by the Department of Health and Human Services on March 17, 2020, during the Trump Administration. It is also called the PREP Act.
The Summary of the PREP Act (at that time) stated: “The Secretary is issuing this Declaration pursuant to section 319F-3 of the Public Health Service Act to provide liability immunity for activities related to countermeasures against COVID-19.”
Part of the Supplementary Information included:
The Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act) authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) to issue a Declaration to provide liability immunity to certain individuals and entities (Covered Persons) against any claim of loss caused by, arising out of, relating to, or resulting from the manufacture, distribution, administration, or use of medical countermeasures (Covered Countermeasures), except for claims involving “willful misconduct” as defined in the PREP Act. This Declaration is subject to amendment as circumstances warrant.
Another part, Section IV. Limited Immunity, stated:
The Secretary must also state that liability protections available under the PREP Act are in effect with respect to the Recommended Activities. These liability protections provide that, “ubject to other provisions of the , a covered person shall be immune from suit and liability under federal and state law with respect to all claims for loss caused by, arising out of, relating to, or resulting from the administration to or use by an individual of a covered countermeasure if a Declaration has been issued with respect to the countermeasure.” In Section IV of the Declaration, the Secretary states that liability protections are in effect with respect to the Recommended Activities.
In other words, the Trump Administration decided that the best way to handle the COVID-19 pandemic was to prevent people from being able to sue “those that manufacture, distribute, administer, prescribe or use Covered Countermeasures.” It wasn’t about protecting the health of the American people at all!
On January 28, 2021, about a week after Inauguration Day, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) posted: “HHS Amends PREP Act Declaration to Increase Workforce Authorized to Administer COVID-19 Vaccines”. This is the amendment that President Biden mentioned in the Biden-Harris COVID-19 Plan.
The Release stated the following:
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today issued a fifth amendment to the Declaration under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP ACT) to add additional categories of qualified persons authorized to prescribe, dispense, and administer COVID-19 vaccines authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
“To respond to the nationwide public health emergency caused by COVID-19, the Biden Administration is broadening use of the PREP Act to expand the vaccination workforce quickly with additional qualified healthcare professionals,” said HHS Acting Secretary Norris Cochran. “As vaccine supply is made more widely available over the coming months, having additional vaccinators at the ready will help providers and state health departments meet the demand for vaccine and protect their communities more quickly.”
Among other things, the amendment:
Authorizes any healthcare provider who is licensed or certified in a state to prescribe, dispense, and/or administer COVID-19 vaccines in any other state or U.S. territory.
Authorizes any physician, registered nurse, or practical nurse whose license or certification expired within the past five years to prescribe, dispense, and/or administer COVID-19 vaccines in any state or U.S. territory so long as the license or certification was active and in good standing prior to the date it went inactive.
Requires any healthcare professional described above to complete Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 Vaccine Training and, for healthcare providers who are not currently practicing or whose license or certification is expired, requires an on-site observation period by a currently practicing healthcare professional.
“Under the PREP Act and the Declaration, a qualified person is a covered person. Subject to certain limitations, a covered person is immune from suit and liability under federal and state law with respect to all claims for loss resulting from the administration or use of a covered countermeasure if a declaration under the PREP Act has been issued with respect to such countermeasures.”
As you can see, the Biden-Harris administration does include protection for health care practitioners who administer COVID-19 vaccines, as well as the manufactures of the vaccines, from being sued by a person who was harmed from it. The Trump-Pence administration made that the entire focus of the PREP Act. The Biden-Harris administration’s amendment makes it clear that the most important thing is to make it possible for more people to obtain a COVID-19 vaccine. It puts people first – not corporations.
Mobilize a public health jobs program to support COVID-19 response.
“President-elect Biden has asked Congress to make an historic investment in expanding the public health workforce, funding 100,000 public health workers to nearly triple the country’s community health roles. These individuals will be hired to work in their local communities to perform vital tasks like vaccine outreach and contact tracing in the near term, and to transition into community health roles to build our long-term public health capacity that will help improve quality of care and reduce hospitalization for low-income and underserved communities.”
Ensure the American people have the information and confidence they need to get vaccinated.
Launch a federally led, locally focused public education campaign.
“The federal government will build public trust through increased transparency, communication around progress and setbacks, and a public education campaign that addresses vaccine hesitancy and is tailored to meet the needs of local communities. The campaign will work to elevate trusted local voices and outline the historic efforts to deliver a safe and effective vaccine as part of a national strategy for beating COVID-19.”
The Biden-Harris COVID-19 Vaccination Plan worked! The White House COVID-19 Response Team posted regular updates about how many people have received a COVID-19 vaccination.
On January 27, 2021, @WHCOVIDResponse tweeted: “The President set an ambitious goal of administering 100 million shots in our first 100 days. To get there, we’ve got to average about a million shots per day. Just one week in, our trajectory is good and we are all well on our way to hitting that goal.”
The tweet includes the following graphic:
The graphic says: 7,000,000 Vaccine Doses Administered Since January 20, 2021. Below it are a series of dots where each dot equals 10,000 vaccine doses.
On February 3, 2021, @WHCOVIDResponse replied to its previous tweet with a new tweet: “Since last week’s update, we’ve administered another 9 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. The steps we’ve taken to increase supply & work directly with states to change the course of the pandemic make a difference in our goal to get 100 million shots in the first 100 days.”
The tweet included the following graphic:
The graphic says: 16,000,000 Vaccine Doses Administered Since January 20, 2021. Below it is a series of dots. The black dots are toward the bottom Each black dot equals 10,000 doses. A grouping of blue dots each equal 10,000 doses. All the blue dots equal new vaccine doses since January 27th, 2021.
On February 10, 2021, @WHCOVIDResponse tweeted: “We’ve been making steady progress over the past few weeks — getting more vaccine supply, getting more vaccinators on the ground, and creating more places to get vaccinated. We’re on track to meet our goal of delivering 100 million shots in our first 100 days in office.”
The tweet included the following graphic:
The graphic says: 26,000,000 Vaccine Doses Administered Since January 20, 2021. Below it is a series of dots. This time, the black dots are located starting at the left-hand side of the image. The black dots rise to the line of dots third from the top, and decrease in stair steps from there. Each black dot equal 10,000 vaccine doses.
There is also a bunch of blue dots that start out on top of the black dots. The blue dots also decrease in stair steps on the right hand side. Each blue dot equals 10,000 vaccine doses, and new vaccine doses since February 3rd, 2021.
On February 17, 2021, @WHCOVIDResponse tweeted: “27 days ago, the President launched his comprehensive national strategy to beat this pandemic. We are working every day to execute that strategy and seeing results.”
The tweet included the following graphic:
The graphic says: 38,000,000 Vaccine Doses Administered Since January 20, 2021. Below it is a series of dots. The black dots start at the bottom of the graphic and continue up to the ninth line from the bottom. The black dots recede in stair steps as they get closer to the left-hand side of the graphic.
There are blue dots on top of the black dots. They fill the top nine lines of the graphic, and recede in stair steps on the left-hand side of the graphic. The blue dots fill in gaps left by the black dots stair steps.
Each black dot equals 10,000 vaccine doses. Each blue dot equals 10,000 vaccine doses. All the blue dots equal new vaccine doses since February 10, 2021.
On February 26, 2021, @WHCOVIDResponse tweeted: “In just five weeks, we’ve administered more shots than any other country, with among the highest percentage of the population fully vaccinated. That progress is because we’re working around the clock to increase vaccine supply, places to get vaccinated, and vaccinators.”
The tweet contained a very large graphic:
At the top of this graphic, there are a multitude of tiny blue dots. A bracket holds them up. The bracket leads to text that says “For context, 10,000 vaccination doses looks like this”.
A line leads down to a circle that has one blue dot at the top of it. The circle has text that says “Just one of these dots holds 10,000 vaccination doses”. A line leads down from the circle into a rectangle that has a lot of black dots at the bottom. This time, they stair step as they reach the right hand side. Each black dot is equal to 10,000 vaccine doses.
On top of the black dots are many blue dots. They fill in the stair step where the black dots left off, and continue to the top part of the rectangle that all of these dots are in. Each blue dot equals 10,000 vaccine doses. All of the blue dots together equal new vaccine doses since February 17, 2021.
There is larger text in the middle of the graphic that says: 50,000,000 Vaccine Doses Administered Since January 20, 2021.
On March 12, 2021, @WHCOVIDResponse tweeted: “Last night the President said that we’re on track to reach his goal of administering 100 million shots in his first 100 days weeks ahead of schedule. While there’s still so much more work to do, this by-the-numbers breakdown of our COVID-19 response outlines how far we’ve come.”
The tweet included the following graphic:
The top of this graphic says: “An Update On The Biden-Harris COVID-19 Response”. There are no dots on this graphic. Under the heading, it says: “81M Shots Since January 20, 2021.” Drawings of eight syringes are in a line next to it.
There is a line under that part. Below it, there is text that says “More than 70% of 75 Year Olds have their first dose”. Next to that is a drawing of a bottle of vaccine with a yellow label. Below that, there is text that says “More than 60% of 65 Year Olds have their first dose.” Next to that is another bottle of vaccine with a yellow label.
Off to the side, there is a drawing of a small calendar. The calendar says: “2.2M per day” and there is an arrow pointing away from it, across the calendar page. Below the calendar it says: “7-Day Average of 2.2 Million Vaccinations Per Day.”
On March 19, 2021, @WHCOVIDResponse tweeted: “Before President Biden took office, he set a goal of administering 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines in his first 100 days, which meant increasing vaccine supply and then turning vaccines into vaccinations. Today, on his 58th day in office, we have reached that goal.”
The tweet included the following graphic:
The top of this graphic says: “100,000,000 Vaccine Doses Administered Since January 20, 2021.” Underneath that it shows that each black dot equals 25,000 vaccine doses. It also says each blue dot equals 25,000 doses. There is another blue dot next to text that says “New vaccine doses since March 10th.”
Below the text, there are about eight lines of blue dots, stair stepping down as they reach the right hand side of the graphic. Below them are a multitude of black dots, slightly stepping up as they reach the right hand side of the graphic.
After reaching this goal, President Biden decided to double the goal and attempt to reach 200 million vaccine shots administered in his first 100 days in office. I really like the transparency that the Biden-Harris administration is providing people in regards to the effort to protect people from COVID-19.
The Biden-Harris Covid-19 Vaccination Plan is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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January 23, 2021Photo by Shawn Thorpe
For whatever reason, I ended up needing a lot more dental care than I expected this year. Trying to see a dentist during a pandemic is difficult. It is also a little weird because of changes made in response to COVID-19.
Before you read this blog post, you might want to read the first part: Dental Care During a Pandemic.
My next dental appointment was scheduled for August 6, 2020. It wasn’t clear what would take place at that appointment. Would it be a cleaning? Would I be getting a small titanium rod in my jaw (the next step in a tooth-replacement process)?
As before, my husband and I had to wait outside the dentist’s office when we arrived. The lobby was closed due to COVID-19 restrictions. I sent a text to the office to let them know I was waiting on a bench across the street.
Eventually, the woman who does cleanings came out the back door of the office and waved me over. She used one of those forehead thermometers to check if I had a fever. After passing that test, she directed me inside to the room where the cleanings take place.
This was my first cleaning of the year. The previous one got canceled shortly after California did a “stay at home” order in March. At the time, I think many of us believed that following that order would be annoying, but worth it, if the result was the end of COVID-19.
I didn’t realize I was getting a cleaning that day until I was directed to the room where it happens. The woman who does the cleaning was in full PPE gear, which I had seen her use on my previous visit. (That visit was a quick check from the dentist to see if the site where a broken tooth was extracted was healing well).
The woman who does the cleaning did not know that I had a tooth extracted since the last time she saw me. I had to explain that I somehow broke a permanent cap and what was left of the tooth that was underneath it.
She shook her head. “I lot of people have broken their teeth,” she said. “I think it’s from stress because of the pandemic.”
It turned out that she and I both had a birthday in the same month. She told me that she didn’t feel like celebrating it this year. “Can’t go anywhere,” she shrugged. I told her I felt the same way, and didn’t do anything special on my birthday this year either.
The checkup and cleaning is covered by my insurance, and I wouldn’t have to pay for any of it. The woman who does the cleaning thought I had another cracked tooth.
“It looks like a chunk has been taken out of it.” While I remembered the now extracted tooth making a crunch sound when I broke it – I had no memory of another tooth breaking.
I have one more permanent cap left in my mouth. The woman who does the cleaning discovered that I was going to need a root canal on that one. The dentist, who came in after the cleaning to do a quick check, agreed.
It turns out the broken tooth was not actually broken. He had altered it when the extraction was happening, in preparation for the next steps.
This dentist referred me to a dentist in another town for an assessment on whether or not I needed a root canal. I kind of freaked out about that because neither I, nor my husband, drive. Taking an Uber or Lyft – there and back – would be really expensive.
My dentist convinced me that having the root canal done in the other town would be less expensive than here. He did this as the receptionist was putting my appointment with him for a root canal into the computer. She seemed displeased that he was making her change that.
The strangest thing about having to set up an appointment for a root canal at a dentist I’d never seen before is that I had no way to contact their office. The receptionist at my dentist’s office told me that the other dentist would call me when they were ready to make an appointment. I was told I’d have to negotiate a price with their office.
I have absolutely no idea how to budget for this unknown cost. It is also a bit alarming to know that I likely need a root canal – and then to be stuck in limbo waiting for an appointment from a dentist I’ve never seen before. There was nothing I could do but wait.
On August 19, I got a call from the receptionist at the dentist’s office that is in another town. She wanted to schedule me for a consultation for a root canal. Unfortunately, the appointment she was offering was on the exact same day that I would be having a titanium rod put in my jaw at my regular dentist’s office.
“I have no idea how long it will take me to heal,” I informed her.
The next option was an appointment two days from now. I decided to take it. When I was told the appointment would take an hour, so I could fill out paperwork, I convinced the receptionist to email those forms.
Neither I, nor my husband, can drive due to our chronic illnesses. We don’t have a car anymore.
This means we would be taking the bus to the town the new dentist is in and then walking part of the way to the office. My hope was the appointment would be shorter than expected. After that, my husband and I would be doing the same process in reverse to get back home.
The bus would be less expensive than if we took an Uber or Lyft back and forth. At the moment, both ride-sharing companies were fighting a lawsuit that would require them to give their California workers the same benefits as full-time employees.
Each one threatened to stop service in California rather than comply with the law. The bus was our only option.
Later that day, I got a text from my regular dentist’s office.
“Your co-pay for your appointment tomorrow is $605,” the receptionist texted.
“I thought my appointment was on the 24th?” I texted back.
Receptionist apologizes and clarified that yes, my appointment is on the 24th. “Wrong patient”.
It was a huge relief that I was not expected to come up with an extra $605 on top of the $1,500 that the appointment would cost.
The next day, I started getting worried about having to go out of town for the consultation on a root canal. The COVID-19 pandemic was ongoing and I, a person with autoimmune issues, was worried about what would happen if the people on the bus chose not to wear masks.
The photo at the top of this blog post shows what the sky outside looked like. Smoke was coming from a fire that was too far away for us to have to worry about evacuation. The smoke from that fire drifted here. California’s fire season had begun, and it was really fierce this time around.
It was 93 degrees outside at nearly 6 p.m. The weather app on my phone showed a warning about “unhealthy air quality”. The pollen count was 8.0, which was enough to make people who have no allergies cough and wheeze.
I had a bad feeling about this.
My weather app and the pollen.com app allow me to view data from not only where I live, but also whatever location I want to add. From this, I learned that the temperature in the other town would be 107 degrees tomorrow, and the pollen count would be 10.1.
When the pollen count reaches 10 I lose all ability to focus. I stop making sense, cannot focus on anything, and feel extremely sick.
The weather app said that the air quality where I live would be “Unhealthy Air Quality” tomorrow. The other town’s air quality would be “Very Unhealthy Air Quality”.
Rather than risk my health, I called the out-of-town dentist and listened to the automated message informing me that the office was closed due to COVID-19. Patients who needed emergency dental care could leave a message and would be called back if the dentist thought the person was having an emergency.
When the message ended, I stated my name, explained that the weather conditions and the smoke made it dangerous for me to go outside due to my chronic illnesses, and cancelled the appointment. And then I started to worry about how much I would be charged for cancelling an appointment the night before.
When I start panicking about money, I have a tendency to push myself into working harder, even if I’m not really well enough for that to be a good idea. I was trying to complete as much of my freelance writing work as possible.
It was 4 in the morning, and already 86 degrees outside. The pollen count was 8.5. The weather app warned that the air quality was “Unhealthy Air Quality for Sensitive Groups”. That’s me.
I made the right decision to stay inside and away from the excessive heat and the smokey, pollen filled air.
Here’s what I wrote on social media about how my day was going:
I have a portable air conditioner on, sitting a few feet away from me. It helps lower the temperature in here in the summer, and filters the air somewhat.
Nearby is a really good air filter/purifier that does a really good job of filtering out pollen, dust, and other particulate matter.
All of the windows are shut, but I can still smell smoke in the air. The mobile home we live in is old and far from being air tight.
The air smells like popcorn that has been slightly burned in a microwave.
I have started coughing, and am typing this while wearing my thickest cloth mask. The coughing has stopped, for now.
The receptionist at the out-of-town dentist called me back and was extremely nice to me. She honestly seemed to understand why I needed to cancel. She looked up some information and discovered that my referral will last for 90 days. There was time to reschedule, and they would call me back for an appointment in mid-September.
This gives me enough time to get the titanium rod placed in my jaw at my dentist’s office and recover from it at least a little bit. To my great relief, I was not being charged anything for cancelling the appointment.
Later, I learned that several businesses, including some that function as banks, had closed their offices due to the smoke. They didn’t want to expose their workers – or customers – to that danger.
On August 23rd, my dentist texted me a form to fill out before my appointment the next day. It was a short questionnaire that was designed to help them figure out if I might have COVID-19. I filled out the questions with “no” to most of them. One question asked if I have any autoimmune diseases. Yes! I have allergies.
On August 24th, I got up early so I could be at the dentist’s office in time for my 9 a.m. appointment. My husband and I took a Lyft to the office. The driver was wearing a mask, and so were we. As before, the reception area at the dentist’s office was closed, and I was told to text them when I arrived.
Between the last time I was here, and now, the office had three very new wooden benches placed in front of it. We wouldn’t have to wait on the bench across the street anymore. The new benches were comfortable.
The dentist gave me Novocaine – this time without epinephrine. (It makes me shake.) The office has the air conditioning blasting through a vent right above my feet. I started shaking, and the receptionist came in with a soft blanket for me to use.
The shaking didn’t stop right away. I wasn’t scared. Eventually the dentist figured out that the shaking was because I hadn’t eaten breakfast and my blood sugar dropped. He offered me two different fruit drinks that contained sugar – which should counteract the shaking. Unfortunately, I was allergic to ingredients in both of them.
The dentist sent someone to go to the 7-11 and pick up some sugar.
The procedure to place a titanium rod into my jaw was absolutely painless. I didn’t feel a thing other than some pressure. From my perspective, it seemed like the dentist was screwing the titanium rod into my jaw, with a tiny Allen wrench. So, this is what it would feel like to be a piece of IKEA furniture!
The whole thing was done in about 30 minutes. I watched the required video, and was given some paper that had the same information. The dentist, and the receptionist, both strongly recommended that I take a pain killer BEFORE the Novocaine wore off. I still had plenty of that leftover from when they did the extraction.
The receptionist gave me a prescription for an antibiotic, which she said to start taking that day.
To my surprise, the receptionist said that I still had some money on my account. I’m absolutely terrible about understanding numbers, especially right after having dental surgery. The total bill that was originally estimated to cost $1,500 was now $1,917. I have no explanation for why the cost increased.
My husband had to wait outside for me, so I was texting him to let him know I was done and what the cost of the bill turned out to be. We took a Lyft home. As directed by my dentist, I took a pain killer before the Novocaine wore off.
Spent a hazy half-hour or so watching a friend stream a video game on Twitch, and then went to sleep for a while.
My husband went back outside while I was sleeping to get the prescription for the antibiotic filled, and I have been taking it as directed.
The most interesting part about all of this is that the pain from the dental surgery is not much different in intensity than the pain my sinuses are in when the pollen count is too high.
I walk around with this kind of pain all the time, and have grown used to it.
This realization is actually kind of alarming.
August 26: I have been taking Vicodin, as prescribed and directed by my dentist, to cope with pain from dental surgery.
It feels like time stops while I’m under the influence of this medication.
August 30: The receptionist at my regular dentist’s office sent me a text. My next appointment will be on September 29 at 11:00 AM. I texted back that I would be there, as requested.
The appointment is so the dentist can check on how I am healing after having a titanium implant placed in my jaw, and a tiny metal plate on my gums to protect it. This is very similar to the appointment I had after the extraction, so I know it will be a quick appointment with no cost to me.
August 31: The antibiotics I am taking are relatively mild. I’m not having any terrible reactions to them. My biggest problem is that they make me super tired. Between that, and the high pollen count, I am absolutely exhausted and taking way more long naps than typical.
There are five more antibiotics left in the bottle.
September 1: I finally finished all of the antibiotics! The generic I was given cost $2.11 for 24 capsules. Overall, I didn’t have any terrible side effects from it. The worst part was it made me even more exhausted than typical, and I ended up sleeping more than usual.
September 6: The information that came with the antibiotic included a warning that side effects may last for a few weeks after I’ve taken all the medication.
The only side effects I had while taken them was (additional) exhaustion.
Very unpleasant side effects started today. I am in no danger – just really unhappy about this.
Typically, I lose weight too quickly from this specific side effect. And doing so can push my borderline anemia into full anemia.
The way to prevent that is to eat more – and I don’t wanna.
September 29: Today, I went back to my dentist’s office – again – to have what I was told would be a quick check on the titanium screw that the dentist implanted a while ago. The purpose is to see how well I’m healing so we can do the next – extremely expensive part – as soon as possible.
The dental assistant took an x-ray that showed that everything is good. I was given an appointment in early December to come back and start the extremely expensive part. It is unclear to me if this will take more than one appointment.
The receptionist asked if the other dentist, the one they referred me to for a consultation about a root canal, gave me an appointment. I explained that I was given an appointment, but then the smoke from the fires got so bad that it was unsafe for me to go outside. I had to cancel and reschedule.
“We got a lot of cancellations and reschedules, too”, she explained.
She then made it clear that I really needed to call back the other dentist and try to get an appointment as soon as possible. It turns out that the referral only lasts for 90 days, and if they can’t get me in within that time frame – my dentist would have to send a referral all over again.
I was feeling okay after leaving the dentist’s office. My husband and took a little walk downtown. I don’t leave the house anymore unless I have to for health care purposes because my immune system sucks, so it was nice to get a little bit of exercise.
After returning home, I called the other dentist to get an appointment for a consultation on a root canal. The receptionist gave me an appointment for two days from then, and would be within the time span allowed by the referral.
My husband helped me fill out an incredibly lengthy form that the dentist needed in order to assess my need for a root canal. We emailed the form back to the receptionist, who kindly emailed back that they received it.
October 1, 2020: My husband hired a driver to take us to my dentist appointment. I have started thinking of this dentist as “second dentist”. It makes it easier for me to keep track of which dentist does what to me.
The driver lives in the town that the office of “second dentist” is located. This driver usually takes people to, and from, wine tastings. He was happy to drive out of town to pick us up, drop us at the office of “second dentist”, and then take us home after I was all finished.
We had a lovely conversation with the driver on the way out (and also on the way back).
The office door was locked, and a note said to press a buzzer. A receptionist, wearing a mask, came to the door. She let me in to take my temperature – with one of those “forehead guns” – because it was incredibly hot outside.
She then went around to behind a plastic screen and asked for my driver’s license and dental health insurance card. I had to sign some forms by picking up a pen from the “clean pens” can. The pen went into the “dirty pens” can when I was done.
A nurse, covered in PPE, walked me into a room and took my blood pressure. She brought up an x-ray of the tooth that might need a root canal on a very large screen that was on the wall. The permanent cap I have on what is left of that tooth was obvious. Unfortunately, the x-ray was unable to show what was under the permanent cap.
The dentist came in, also covered in PPE, and asked me a few questions. Everyone I met there was extremely calm and kind. He asked me to take off my mask so he could take a look at the tooth and asses if it needed a root canal.
“Second dentist” poked at it with some dental tools, and used one of those little mirrors on a stick to take a closer look. He used some machine behind me to make a dental tool very cold, and I was instructed to raise my hand when I feel the cold.
Eventually, I felt the cold. It did not hurt or bother me.
After doing the assessment, “second dentist” announced that I probably do need a root canal. He noted what first dentist had already told me – that I had an opening in my gum above that tooth. He also said that I have an infection. When I asked if I needed antibiotics, I was informed that I did not. My body was fighting it.
My body was fighting it? I found this hard to believe. When I got home, I started taking an herbal supplement that I got from my acupuncturist. The supplement functions like a mild antibiotic.
There was potential that what was left of the tooth under the permanent cap would be insufficient, and he would be unable to do a root canal. If so, then he would put in a temporary cap and send me back to first dentist for an extraction.
The nurse pointed out that she thought my insurance required the office to get permission before doing the work. I was left in the dental chair to watch what I assumed was a National Geographic video featuring birds who are trying to attract mates.
The nurse returned and confirmed that my insurance requires permission before they can do the root canal. I was sent back to the receptionist, who gave me a pile of forms to fill, initial, and sign. The cost today was $45.
The forms held an alarming list of potential things that could go wrong during a root canal. One was listed as “sinus perforation”. The receptionist stopped “second dentist” and the nurse to explain that one. “Second dentist” assured me that would not happen.
I let them know I have bad allergies. “Second dentist” recommended I take allergy medication before the next appointment. He also wanted me to take a Sudafed, which is a decongestant. “Second dentist” explained that taking it would prevent me from having what I think of as post nasal drip while the procedure was going on.
The paperwork also had an entire page that was focused on “sedation medication”. I had no idea what that was.
Long story short, if the insurance approved, “second dentist” would send “sedation medication” to my pharmacy. I was instructed to pick it up immediately. It was important that I bring the medication to second dentist’s office and take the pill there, where they can monitor me.
I tried to explain that I have a high pain tolerance, due to fibromyalgia. I also made it clear that it is incredibly difficult to knock me out. The receptionist explained that the purpose was to sedate me so I would be calm while the dentist was working.
I ended up agreeing to pick it up from the pharmacy and bring it to “second dentist’s” office. No idea what kind of medication it will be, if it has gluten in it, or if it conflicts with the antihistamines I’m already taking.
My husband was waiting for me on the bench outside the office. They only allow the patient to come inside. He contacted our driver, who took us back home. We intend to call on him again if/when second dentist hears back from the insurance company and has permission to grant me an appointment.
The pre-authorization price I was given was $1,342.
I am mentally and physically exhausted by the thought of the dental work in my near future and the money it is going to cost.
October 2: I took a nap earlier today. After waking up, I wondered why I felt so awful. Then I remembered that I have an infection in the gum area where I (might) need a root canal, it is 100 degrees outside at 3PM, and my weather app says the air quality is “Unhealthy”.
October 17, 2020: I received mail from my dental health insurance provider. It was a “Pre-Determination of Benefits”. The letter included a chart that showed each and every little piece of the dental care that “second dentist” was going to provide me with.
The amounts shown were disturbing. Fortunately, the dental health insurance would actually cover some of it. It still was going to cost me $775 out of pocket.
October 18, 2020: I got a second “Pre-Determination of Benefits” letter in the mail from my dental health insurance provider. It was identical to the one that was sent to me the day before.
Hmm… I think I see a way for the dental health insurance to cut down on some of their costs. They could send ONE of “Pre-Determination of Benefits” letter to the patient instead of two.
October 19, 2020: I got a phone call from the office of “second dentist”. The very kind receptionist was calling to schedule me an appointment for a root canal. She said the dental health insurance approved, and asked me if I received a copy of the cost from the dental health insurance.
“Yes!”, I responded. “They sent two copies to me.”
The receptionist giggled. She then asked me what day I would be available for the root canal appointment.
She didn’t know that I had been sleeping right before she called. This left me a bit flustered. I got out of bed and went to my computer, trying to figure out what day would be best for me.
“How about… a Tuesday?” I made a quick decision to pick a day when I didn’t have a Dungeons & Dragons game to play, and when I wouldn’t be planning to record a podcast.
“Ok, a Tuesday…” The receptionist offered me an appointment on November 10, and I took it. The appointment would be at 1:00 in the afternoon, and could last until at least 3:30 to 4:00.
Why would a root canal take so long? The reason was due to the “sedation medication”. Someone at the office of “second dentist” would call in a prescription for that medication to my pharmacy of choice a week before my appointment. I was to bring it with me to the dental appointment. They would monitor me as I took this medication.
The receptionist made it clear that I would need to find someone else to drive me home from the appointment, as I would not be able to safely drive after taking the “sedation medication”.
I asked the receptionist for the name of the medication, so I could research it online. This was important, because I’ve had too many bad experiences with medications that had an inactive ingredient that I was allergic to.
I asked the receptionist if it was safe for me to take my regular allergy medication the night before I was on the “sedation medication”. She checked with “second dentist”, who said it would be okay to do that.
I am not allowed to have food or drink six hours before the appointment. The receptionist explained that this is because I will be in the office for three hours.
The first thing I did after the phone call ended was to get online and search for the inactive ingredients of the “sedation medication”. Fortunately, it appears to be gluten-free.
This is not the first time I had a root canal. For the first one, the dentist (who has since retired) gave me Novocaine and started working on the procedure after it kicked in. I remember she had the lights in the room dimmed.
It will be interesting to see what the “sedation medication” does to me. I have no fear of the dentist or the work he will do on me. If I had to guess, the office of “second dentist” gets a lot of patients who are extremely phobic of dentists.
November 4, 2020: I ventured out of my home with my husband, during the pandemic. We both wore masks – because it is the smart thing to do – and the bus required riders to wear them. The purpose of this trip was to pick up the “sedation medication” that “second dentist” prescribed.
We figured that, due to the type of medication, the pharmacy would not allow him to pick it up for me. I had to be there in person. My husband said that the pharmacy wanted to see my ID.
I woke up with what I call “allergy face”, and took benadryl before going outside. This is not something I would do if I was alone, just in case the benadryl hit stronger than typical.
If nothing else, this trip to the pharmacy would force me to stop refreshing The Guardian’s live feed about the election.
November 10, 2020: My husband and I, once again, hired a driver to take us to “second dentist’s” office. It was not located in the town we live in. The dentist’s receptionist made it clear that I would NOT be able to drive myself home from this appointment.
We were a little early, and the office was closed. Eventually, they let me in. Shawn had to wait outside due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Long story short, the receptionist instructed me to take both of the “sedation medication” pills while she watched. They eventually kicked in. I have no conscious memory of having the root canal.
I later learned that those pills were a mind eraser. We had to wait for the hired car to come pick us up. My husband later said that the dentist assistant came to the door and explained to my husband about important details that she knew I would not remember.
I posted two mostly incoherent posts on social media. I didn’t remember typing them. Apparently, I wanted to let my friends know I was done with the root canal and was ok.
The first post said:
“Have returned from the dentist. Am on a high ammount of a drug ive never taken before Very sleep and uncoordinated now
Dentist sat root canal went well.
I,m not feeling any pain at the momet”
The second post was one in which I tried to respond to a friend, who replied to my first post. It said:
“Im really spacy right now and much less coordinated when tryintg to walk Cant spell mucj oh here right now
Sleepy calm hungry
Got root canal seems unlikly I need an extraction
I’m not making muchsnse sorry”
December 1, 2020: Today, I go back to the dentist for what is hopefully the last of 2020’s dental work.
I’m not entirely sure what is being done today. It might be the day I get a porcelain tooth placed on the titanium screw that was put into my jaw earlier this year.
If so… then I’m likely done with dental work for a while.
December 1, 2020: I am back from the dentist. Today, the dentist did a thing that will be used to make my porcelain tooth. (I’m in “fibro fog” right now, so words are difficult).
The weirdest thing that happened was when the dentist reached into my mouth and unscrewed the titanium screw in my jaw so he could do the … thing.
No pain at all. I feel like a cyborg.
I go back in three weeks for the porcelain crown. We have already paid for it.
December 22, 2020: Porcelain tooth acquired! Took a little bit for the dentist to take out the titanium screw that was in my jaw and replace it with the titanium screw that is attached to my porcelain tooth.
It’s gonna take a little while before this tooth feels normal.
All dental work for 2020 is completed and paid off.
The only thing I have scheduled for 2021 is a checkup/cleaning in March.
More Dental Care During a Pandemic is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. If you enjoyed this blog post please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. Thank you! [...]
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November 11, 2020Blue Swirls by Daniele Levis Pelusi on Unsplash
My dentist insisted that I needed “sedation medication” for a root canal. I was told that it would make me feel very relaxed. Instead, it functioned as a mind eraser.
I read “Mind Eraser” on Episode 061 of “Words of Jen”.
My husband and I got into a car so I could get to my dentist appointment. This was not my regular dentist (who is in town, and easily accessible by bus or rideshare). This new dentist was in another town. It was made very clear to me that I wouldn’t be able to drive myself home after the procedure.
The rideshare driver was one we had hired before, when I made my first visit to the office of the person I think of as “second dentist”. Technically, he specialized in endodontics. “Second dentist” confirmed “first dentist’s” suspicion. I needed a root canal.
I brought with me a bag that included the “sedation medication” that “second dentist” insisted that I have right before the root canal. I was to bring it to the office, and take it there, where I could be monitored.
The bag also held my sunglasses (which I didn’t end up using), the credit card I would use to pay for the root canal, and a plastic, resealable, box that held some extremely soft, gluten-free, animal crackers. They will melt in your mouth if you let them, so you don’t have to chew.
When I made this dentist appointment, I was told that I could not have anything to eat or drink six hours before the appointment. I figured I would come out of the dentist’s office starving – and made sure I had food I could safely eat.
We arrived a bit early, and the office was having lunch. Shortly before my appointment, the receptionist appeared at the door. She took my temperature with one of those things that people aim at someone’s forehead to check for fever. I was offered hand sanitizer, which I used.
The receptionist smartly had me fill out some paperwork, and pay for the root canal, before I took the medication. She then asked me if I remembered to bring my “sedation medication”. I pulled the prescription bottle out of my bag and showed it to her.
The receptionist gave me a small cup of water to drink. The prescription bottle contained two pills. I was expecting one. “Am I to take both of these?, I asked. She said yes. So, I took them both.
The receptionist then pointed me to the bathroom. I remembered a call from “second dentist’s” office, a few days ago, in which I was reminded not to eat or drink anything six hours before the appointment. The reason was simple. They expected I’d be in “second dentist’s” office for three hours.
After I returned from bathroom the dentist’s assistant walked me to a room and pointed to where I could hang up my bag. I was told to sit down in the dental chair. She put a video on the big screen TV that was hanging on the wall. National Geographic’s “Deep Sea” started playing. It was narrated by David Attenborough.
I started to feel a bit more relaxed as I watched whales eating krill. A large swarm of tiny fish followed the whale. The dentist’s assistant moved around the room, setting up for the procedure I was about to have. “Let me know when you start to feel something,” she told me.
“What should I feel?” I asked.
“Very relaxed.”
A little while later, I got cold. She kindly brought me a blanket, and tucked me in. She said they keep the room cold because they all have to wear PPE, and it makes them warm.
I vaguely remember saying that I felt sleepy. I think I heard the dentist’s assistant ask me something. She sounded very far away. I remember having a brace of some kind pushed into my mouth, to keep my jaw open during the root canal.
When I woke up, I wasn’t aware that any time had passed. I must have looked confused. The dentist’s assistant was talking to me, but I wasn’t able to focus on what she said.
The next thing I remember was sitting on a bench outside “second dentist’s” office, with my husband. I tried to make a post on social media to let my friends know that the root canal was over, and that I was okay.
I don’t really remember getting into the rental car. Everything was still a blur after we returned home. To the best of my knowledge, I changed back into pajamas and went to sleep.
The next day, or maybe it was later that evening, I was scrolling through social media. There was not one, but two, incoherent posts that I made while under the influence of “sedation medication”. I have absolutely no memory of making the second one.
One of my friends sent me a very kind response. That was nice.
What else happened that I was unaware of? My husband told me that the dentist’s assistant came to the door of the office and gave him a lot of information about aftercare. I don’t remember that happening. He also said I fell asleep on the way home in the rental car.
The next day, “second dentist” called me. I had been sleeping, but was coherent enough to answer the phone. “Second dentist” informed me that the tooth that I had a root canal on had three roots.
“This is why your other dentist didn’t want to do the root canal”, he informed me.
“Second dentist” said he removed two of the roots, but could not remove the third one. He also said a tiny piece of one of the dental tools broke off in my gum. It was made of titanium, like the titanium screw that “first dentist” had placed in my jaw after an extraction not long ago. This was nothing to worry about.
I figure my body will go ahead and push out the little piece of titanium as soon as possible. That’s what it did years ago, when I had a root canal on a completely different tooth, and a little chunk of the tooth broke off and stuck out of my gums. That procedure did not require “sedation medication”.
Overall, I think taking the “sedation medication” was a good idea. It gave me the opportunity to have a much needed root canal without having to consciously experience any of it.
My expectation was that I would feel “very relaxed”. It wasn’t until after all was said and done that I learned it was a mind eraser.
Mind Eraser is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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November 3, 2020Photo by Rosie Fraser on Unsplash
I read “Dreaming of Buffets” on episode 058 of Words of Jen.
My husband and I are at a pizza place that we used to frequent before we moved halfway across the country. It has a small buffet in the corner that includes slices of pizza with a variety of toppings. There is a salad bar, baked chicken, and a small selection of desserts.
I’m standing there, plate in hand, trying to decide what to eat. The delicious smell of pizza fills the air, and I reach out to pick up a few slices.
And then I wake up.
I’ve been having very vivid dreams about buffets. This is quite unexpected considering that I suffer from food intolerance and allergies and don’t really enjoy eating. Based on what I’ve read on the internet, it appears that many people are having memorable dreams during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In another dream, we are at a local Chinese buffet. There is a wide selection of food to choose from. I fill up a plate with egg rolls, fried rice, and steamed vegetables. Everything smells and tastes delicious.
When I wake up, it dawns on me that this Chinese Buffet no longer exists. It closed years ago, and a fancy coffee shop moved in and remodeled the location. The coffee shop did well until the COVID-19 restrictions caused it to close.
I’ve also dreamed about standing in line at Panda Express, which my sleeping mind has decided counts as a buffet. In this dream, I am starving, and starring at the piles of food behind the plexiglass. It is unclear what kind of food I ordered. The worker hands me a to-go container, which warms my hands as I walk away.
More than once, I’ve dreamed about the local Hometown Buffet. My choice of food this time is a plate of fresh vegetables from the salad bar. Spinach leaves, cherry tomatoes, peas, shredded carrots, and some brightly colored pickled beets go on the plate. There is room for a little bit of ranch dressing.
I wake up before I get to eat any of it.
Once again, this is a buffet that went out of business several years ago. My subconscious mind is trying to feed me, but most of the buffets it selects are long gone.
Maybe these dreams are a metaphor for 2020. The things that used to sustain us before the pandemic are disappearing, and some may never return.
Dreaming of Buffets is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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July 8, 2020Image by Adalhelma from Pixabay
By now, everyone knows that COVID-19 can spread from person to person. There are ways to help stop the spread. Wash your hands often. Wear cloth masks when you are outside – especially in situations where social distancing isn’t possible. Stay home if you are sick.
Failure to do so causes the virus to spread. To make that clear, I decided to track the rallies, conventions, and other large events that President Trump and/or Vice President Pence attended. Those events provided a vivid example of how COVID-19 spreads.
February 28, 2020: WCBD News 2 tweeted: “Folks have been camped out here for over 24 hours at this point on the parking lot of the North Charleston Collosseum awaiting the Trump Rally.”
The tweet included a wide-angle photo from behind a series of short barracades. Several tents are visible on the parking lot.
February 28, 2020: Digital Reporter for @WCBD Count on 2 Cait Przetak tweeted: “People are continuing to join the crowd at the North Charleston Colosseum as they prepare for President Trump later today. The Rally begins at 7 but doors open a 3 p.m. Some individuals have been here camping out for over 24 hours! @WCBD”.
February 28, 2020: US Editor of The Daily Telegraph Ben Riley Smith tweeted: “Sea of red hats in the queue for Trump’s rally at North Charleston, South Carolina”. The tweet included a photo that shows the backs of people, many of whom are wearing red hats, as they stand in line.
February 28, 2020: North Charleston Coliseum and Performing Arts Center tweeted: “All on-site parking lots are full. If you are coming to the Trump rally tonight, use a rideshare service such as @Uber or @lift #NChasColiseum”.
February 28, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Lindsey Graham thanks Trump, bemoans ‘never-ending bull—-‘ at South Carolina Rally”. It was written by J. Edward Moreno. From the article:
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C) on Friday praised President Trump for several accomplishments in his first term while bemoaning “bullshit” faced by the president.Graham made the remarks while appearing alongside Trump at a rally in his home state of South Carolina on the eve of Saturday’s Democratic primary in his state……Grahams remarks came moments after Trump lashed out at Democrats and the news media during the rally, accusing them of pursuing a “new hoax” with their criticism of his administration’s handling of the coronavirus…
February 29, 2020: Heavy posted an article titled: “How Many Attended Trump’s South Carolina Rally? Crowd & Overflow Photos”. It was written by Stephanie Dube Dwilson. From the article:
President Donald Trump visited North Charleston, South Carolina for a Friday night rally on February 28, 2020 – the day before the Democrats’ big primary for the 2020 Presidential nomination. The venue, which seats 13,295, was packed and overflow space was needed for a crowd that had to watch outside……Trump’s South Carolina “Keep America Great” rally started at 7 p.m. Eastern on February 28 at the North Charleston Coliseum & Performing Arts Center. This large venue has seating fro 13,000, according to the venue’s website. ABC 4 reported that the arena has a capacity of 13,295….
March 2, 2020: CBS News posted and article titled: “Trump rallies supporters in Charlotte, North Carolina.” From the article:
…Earlier Monday, Mr. Trump said he had no qualms about attending a large stadium rally despite the coronavirus threat.“I think it’s very safe,” Mr. Trump said of campaign rallies, adding that the Democratic candidates are having plenty of rallies themselves.The threat of the virus didn’t deter fans of Mr. Trump from attending Monday’s rally in Charlotte, where people in the stands shared buckets of chicken fingers and dunked their hands into shared vats of popcorn while they awaited the president’s arrival.…The coronavirus outbreak has killed more than 3,000 globally and upended life for many around the globe. In the U.S., the number of infections has surpassed 100, with six dead. Federal officials have not advised against large gatherings in the U.S., leaving that to officials to address……Republicans have picked Charlotte to host the Republican National Convention. Mr. Trump also visited Charlotte last month as part of a series of revitalization and “opportunity now” summits, programs he and administrative officials have highlighted as he tries to chip away the Democrats’ electoral advantage in minority communities.
March 7, 2020: Associated Press posted a live blog titled: “The Latest: US state of Missouri reports first virus case”. From the live blog:
…Maryland officials say a person in New Jersey who tested positive for coronavirus attended the recent Conservative Political Action Conference in the Washington suburb of Oxon Hill, Maryland.That’s leading Maryland officials to warn that anyone who attended or worked at the conference may be at some risk for acquiring COVID-19.Among the political figures who attended CPAC converence were President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. The White House says there is no indication that either Trump or Pence was in close proximity to the attendee who tested positive…
March 7, 2020: ACU (the official Twitter account of the American Conservative Union) tweeted: “Important Health Notification for CPAC 2020 participants and attendees”.
The tweet included a screenshot with the following text:“The American Conservative Union has learned that one of our CPAC attendees has unfortunately tested positive today for coronavirus. The exposure occurred before the conference. A New Jersey hospital tested the person, and the CDC confirmed the positive result. The individual is under the care of medical professionals in the state of New Jersey, and has been quarantined.ACU has been in contact with the Health Department of the State of Maryland, and we will explicitly follow the guidance from government health experts.This attendee had no interaction with the President or the Vice President and never attended the events in the main hall.The health and safety of our attendees and participants is our top priority. Any attendee who has questions can contact ACU or the Department of Health for the State of Maryland.Our children, spouses, extended family, and friends attended CPAC. During this time, we need to remain calm, listen to our health care professionals, and support each other. We send this message in that spirit.The Trump Administration is aware of the situation, and we will continue regular communication with all appropriate government officials.”
March 8, 2020: The Guardian posted an article titled: “Trump ‘not concerned at all’ after CPAC guest tests positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Johanna Walters. From the article:
Donald Trump said he isn’t concerned at all about the coronavirus getting closed to the White House after it was revealed that an attendee at grassroots conservative conference CPAC had tested positive.On a day when it also emerged that the nation’s capital had recorded its first case, the American Conservative Union said on Saturday that a participant at CPAC, which was attended by both Trump and the U.S. vice-president Mike Pence, had tested positive for coronavirus.The White House said there was no indication that either Trump or Pence had been close to the infected attendee.Asked if he was concerned about the virus getting closer, Trump said: No, I’m not concerned at all. No, I’m not. We’ve done a great job.”When asked whether his thousand-person campaign rallies would … continue in light of the CPAC case, the president replied: “We’ll have tremendous rallies…”
March 8, 2020: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said Sunday that he shook hands with a man now confirmed to be infected with the novel form of coronavirus during a recent interaction at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).
In a news release Sunday evening, Cruz said that based on medical advice he had received, he did not believe there was any current risk of him developing the disease, that has already infected more than 100,000 people globally…
…Nevertheless, Cruz said he will remain at his home in Texas this week “out of an abundance of caution”…
…However, ACU chairman Matt Schlapp told the Washington Post he interacted with the patient at the event and that he then shook Trump’s hand on the stage on the last day of the conference. The organization did not provide any other details about the patient or what events at the conference they attended… The Hill
March 8, 2020: Ted Cruz (Republican – Texas) tweeted: “Today I released the following statement.” The tweet included a screenshot of a statement.
“Last night, I was informed that 10 days ago at CPAC I briefly interacted with an individual who is currently symptomatic and has tested positive for COVID-19. That interaction consisted of a brief conversation and a handshake.“I have consulted with medical authorities from the Houston Health Department, the Harris County Public Health Department, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as my personal physician. I have also spoken with Vice President Pence, Leader McConnell, and Mark Meadows.“I’m not experiencing any symptoms, and I feel fine and health. Given that the interaction was 10 days ago, that the average incubation period is 5-6 days, that the interaction was for less than a minute, and that I have no current symptoms, the medical authorities have advised that the odds of transmission from the other individual to me were extremely low.“The physicians further advised that testing is not effective before symptoms manifest, and my brief interaction with the individual does not meet the CDC criteria for self-quarantine.“The medical authorities explicitly advised me that, given the above criteria, the people who have interacted with me in the 10 days since CPAC should not be concerned about potential transmission.“Nevertheless, out of an abundance of caution, and because of how frequently I interact with my constituents as a part of my job and to give everyone peace of mind, I have decided to remain at my home in Texas this week, until a full 14 days have passed since the CPAC interaction.“Everyone should continue to treat this outbreak seriously and be driven by facts and medical science. We need to continue to be proactive in mobilizing resources to combat this outbreak – including the $8.3 billion in emergency funding we provided last week – and I encourage everyone to follow the recommendations of the CDC and other health professionals in protecting their own health and welfare, as well as the health and welfare of those around them.”
March 8, 2020: Paul Gosar (Republican – Arizona) posted a statement on his website titled: “Gosar Statement on COVID-19”. From the press release:
Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S (AZ-04) issued the following statement:“I have been informed that during the CPAC conference members of my staff and I came into contact with an individual who has since tested positive for, and is hospitalized for, COVID-19. I was with the individual for an extended period of time, and we shook hands several times.I am not currently experiencing any symptoms, nor is any member of my staff. However, in order to prevent any potential transmission, I will remain at my home in Arizona until the conclusion of the 14 day period following my interaction with this individual. Additionally, out of an abundance of caution, I am closing my office in Washington D.C. for the week and my team will follow the previously approved Tele-commute plan.As we learn more about COVID-19, it is imperative to heed the advice and guidance from the CDC and medical professionals. President Trump and Vice President Pence have assembled an incredible team and I have been in contact with the CDC and the House Office of the Attending Physician.”
March 8, 2020: Paul Gosar tweeted: “1. I am announcing that I, along with 3 of my senior staff, are officially under self-quarantine after sustained contact at CPAC with a person who has since been hospitalized with the Wuhan Virus. My office will be closed for the week.” This tweet was part of a short thread.
The thread ended with this tweet: “2. We are all asymptomatic and feel great. But we are being proactive and cautious.”
March 9, 2020: Congresswoman Julia Brownley (Democrat – California) posted a statement on her website titled: “Brownley Statement On Coronavirus Exposure”. From the press release:
“Yesterday I was informed that an individual I met with last week in DC tested positive for COVID-19. I am told that individual is self-quarantining and has informed local public health officials.“I consulted with the Office of Attending Physician, the CDC, Ventura County Public Health, and a personal physician experienced in infectious diseases, all of whom said that the risk of exposure to me and my staff is considered very low.“However, given the significant number of constituents and other individuals that my staff and I normally have contact with each day when Congress is in session, I have decided to close our DC office for the week. My staff and I are working remotely to continue to serve the residents of Ventura County, and my district offices in Thousand Oaks and Oxnard remain open.“Out of an abundance of absolute caution, my DC staff and I are self-monitoring and maintaining social distancing practices. Neither I, nor my staff, are experiencing any symptoms at this time.”
March 9, 2020: Representative Doug Collins (Republican – Georgia) tweeted: “This afternoon, I was notified by CPAC that they discovered a photo of myself and the patient who has tested positive for #COVID19. While I am not experiencing any symptoms, I have decided to self-quarantine out of an abundance of caution. Full statement →”
The statement was attached to the tweet said: “This afternoon, I was notified by CPAC that they discovered a photo of myself and the patient who has tested positive for coronavirus. While I feel completely healthy and I am not experiencing any symptoms, I have decided to self-quarantine at my home for the remainder of the 14-day period out of an abundance of caution. I will follow the recommendations of the House Physician and my office will provide updates as appropriate.”
March 9, 2020: Congressman Louie Gohmert (Republican – Texas) tweeted: “Congressman Gohmert’s full statement on #COVID-19”. It included the following statement:
“Saturday night, I got a call from the House physician advising that I had possibly been exposed to the COVID-19 virus at CPAC on February 27th, and that a top CDC physician in Atlanta would call me to discuss what should be done going forward. After CDC physician called me Sunday evening, and we discussed all the specific circumstances of which he was aware along with my circumstance, including that I was asymptomatic, he said that all things considered, I was cleared to return to Washington. He said he would return if he were me and advised that my staff and I should just be careful to observe proper hygiene protocols. I took the advice of the expert and returned to work. No one is panicking and we are observing the recommended precautions.”
March 9, 2020: Representative Josh Harder (Democrat – California) tweeted: “Folks, I’m canceling my planned town hall for next week – don’t want to gather a large crowd on the advice of health experts. Will hold a #coronavirus telephone town hall instead. More info to come.”
March 9, 2020: NPR posted an article titled: “Meadows, Other Members of Congress Self-Quarantine After CPAC Coronavirus Exposure”. It was written by Bobby Allyn. From the article:
Reps. Mark Meadows, Doug Collins, and Matt Gaetz said Monday that they are self-quarantining after learning they came in contact with a person infected with coronavirus while attending a conservative conference in the Washington area last month.Rep. Mark Meadows, who is the incoming White House chief of staff, is one of several members who attended last month’s Conservative Political Action Conference. At least one attendee has tested positive for coronavirus. Meadows says he has no symptoms and tested negative. But, his spokesperson said, “out of an abundance of caution… he’ll remain at home until the 14 day period expires this Wednesday.”That brings the number of congressional lawmakers who are self-quarantining over coronavirus concerns to six.Both Collin and Gaetz have been in close contact with Trump in recent days. Reporters traveling with the president saw Gaetz board Air Force One on Monday…
March 9, 2020: The Guardian posted an article titled: “Coronavirus, quarantined congressman flew with Trump on Air Force One”. From the article:
Two Republican congressmen who were in close contact with Donald Trump in recent days have self-quarantined over concerns that they were also in contact in the same period with a known carrier of the coronavirus.Republicans Matt Gaetz of Florida and Doug Collins of Georgia announced on Monday that they had begun two weeks of self-imposed isolation, as recommended by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for anyone who has come into contact with the virus. Both congressmen said they were asymptomatic.Gaetz flew with Trump on Air Force One from Orlando to Washington on Monday and was informed en route that he had come into contact with a virus carrier at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Maryland last month.“While the congressman is not experiencing symptoms, he received testing today and expects results soon,” said a message posted to Gaetz’s Twitter account.Collins greeted Trump with a handshake at an airport in Atlanta on Friday before the two visited the CDC headquarters for an update on coronavirus. Collins subsequently learned that he also had been potentially exposed at the conservative conference, held each year in Maryland……Gaetz had worn an enormous gas mask last week during a House floor vote on an emergency funding package for the coronavirus response, but he later faced widespread condemnation when one of his own constituents died from the illness…
March 9, 2020: CNBC posted an article titled: “Trump had contact with congressmen Collins and Gaetz before they self-quarantined over coronavirus concerns”. It was written by Dan Mangan and Kevin Breuninger. From the article:
President Donald Trump had contact with two Republican congressmen before their announcements Monday that they were entering self-quarantine after learning they had been previously exposed to someone since diagnosed with coronavirus.Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia shook hands with Trump last Friday when the president traveled to Atlanta to visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where officials there briefed him on their response to coronavirus.Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida flew on Air Force One with Trump on Monday on a flight from Orlando, Fla., to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.The New York Times, citing two people with knowledge of the situation, reported that Gaetz learned shortly after the plane was airborne that he, like Collins, had been in contact with a person at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland in late February who has since been diagnosed with coronavirus. Gaetz then sat in a section of the plane by himself, the newspaper reported.Gaetz publicly revealed he was entering self-quarantining about an hour after he got off the plane with Trump……The White House said later Monday that Trump had not been tested for coronavirus….
March 10, 2020: Matt Gaetz (Republican – Florida) tweeted: “I’ve just been informed that my COVID-19 lab test was negative. In an abundance of caution, I will remain under self-quarantine at the advice of medical professionals through Thursday at 2pm. I continue to feel fine and show no symptoms.”
March 11, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Trump travel to Nevada, Colorado called off due to coronavirus”. It was written by Brett Samuels. From the article:
President Trump canceled events scheduled for this week in Nevada and Colorado due to the coronavirus, the White House announced Wednesday.“Out of an abundance of caution from the Coronavirus outbreak, the President has decided to cancel his upcoming events in Colorado and Nevada,” White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement.The president was scheduled to fly to Nevada on Thursday to attend a fundraiser and speak at Saturday’s Republican Jewish Coalition conference in Las Vegas. He was expected to stop in Denver on Friday……The Trump campaign does not currently have any rallies scheduled…
March 11, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Senate staffer tests positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Jordain Carney. From the article:
A staffer in Sen. Maria Cantwell’s D.C. office has tested positive for the coronavirus, the Washington state Democratic senator announced on Wednesday night.The announcement marks the first known instance of a congressional staffer getting the virus and follows days of heightened anxiety on Capitol Hill.The staffer, according to a notice from Cantwell’s office, has been isolated since they started to have symptoms. Cantwell is closing her D.C. office for the remainder of the week for a deep cleaning.“The individual who tested positive for COVID-19 has had no known contact with the senator or other members of Congress. The senator is requesting that testing be done on any other staffers who have been in contact with the individual and show symptoms,” the notice continues.It marked the latest development in escalating stream of coronavirus news coming out of the nation’s Capitol on Wednesday, where Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser declared a state of emergency after six additional cases of COVID-19 were confirmed.The House and Senate sergeants-at-arms are also preparing to announce the suspension of all tours in the Capitol in an effort to limit the potential spread of the virus on the hill…
March 12, 2020: Business Insider posted an article titled: “Trump won’t self-quarantine despite potential coronavirus exposure from Bolsonaro aide that caused 2 Republican senators to do so”. It was written by Kayla Epstein. From the article:
President Donald Trump has not been tested for coronavirus and has not entered self-quarantine, even after Republican Senators who had similar exposure to a reported COVID-19 patient this weekend chose to take these protective measures.Trump was at his West Palm Beach club in Mar-a-Lago earlier this week along with a group that included several other administration officials, Republican politicians, Fox News personalities, and other conservatives, according to 1100 Pennsylvania, a watchdog blog dedicated to documenting possible conflicts of interest and high-profile comings and goings at Trump’s properties.Also in attendance: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who was in Florida accompanied by a delegation this week. His spokesman Fabio Wajngarten, who accompanied the foreign leader on the trip and was at Mar-a-Lago, later tested positive for COVID-19 according to Brazilian media and CNN.Earlier this week, Wajngarten posted a photo of himself side by side with Trump and Vice President Mike Pence at Mar-a-Lago on Instagram. He sported a “Make Brazil Great Again” hat, a nod to the President’s own statement accessory.White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement to Insider that “The White House is aware of public reports that a member of the Brazilian delegation’s visit to Mar-a-Lago last weekend tested positive for COVID-19; confirmatory testing is pending,”Despite concerns that Trump and Pence may have been subsequently exposed to the coronavirus by standing right next to Wajngarten, Grisham that they “had almost no interactions with the individual who tested positive and do not require being tested at this time.”…
March 12, 2020: Senator Rick Scott (Republican – Florida) posted a press release titled: “Senator Rick Scott to Self-Quarantine Following Potential Contact with Brazilian Delegation Member Who Tested Positive for Coronavirus”. From the press release:
Today, Senator Rick Scott released the following statement on his decision to self-quarantine following potential contact with a Brazilian delegation member who tested positive for Coronavirus.Senator Rick Scott said: “My office was altered today by the Brazilian Embassy that a member of President Bolsonaro’s delegation tested positive for Coronavirus. On Monday, I met with the President in Miami, and while I do not believe I interacted with the infected person, that individual was in the same room as me. The Embassy said the person had no symptoms leading up to or the day of the conference. After consulting with the Senate’s attending physician and my personal doctor, I have been told that my risk is low, and I don’t need to take a test or quarantine. However, the health and safety of the American people is my focus and I have made the decision to self-quarantine in an abundance of caution. I am feeling healthy and not experiencing any symptoms at this time. I will still be working on my plan to combat Coronavirus and protect American families, and my offices in D.C. and throughout the state will still be fully operational to help Floridians.”…
March 12, 2020: Senator Lindsey Graham (Republican – South Carolina) tweeted: “Statement from the Office of Senator Lindsey Graham”. The tweet included a screenshot of the following statement:
“Senator Graham was at Mar-a-Lago last weekend. He has no recollection of direct contact with the President of Brazil, who is awaiting results of a coronavirus test, or his spokesman who tested positive.“However, in an abundance of caution and upon advice from his doctor, Senator Graham has decided to self-quarantine awaiting the results of a coronavirus test. “This is a precautionary measure. He will continue to work from home.”
Lindsey Graham’s self-quarantine comes almost two weeks after he attended the Trump rally in South Carolina on February 28, 2020. The CDC states that symptoms of COVID-19 may appear 2 to 4 days after exposure to the virus. It is unclear whether or not Lindsey Graham had symptoms.
March 12, 2020: Eduardo Bolsonaro (third child of Jair Bolsonaro and Federal Deputy from São Paulo) posted a tweet in two languages. The English part said: “President @jairbolsonaro Bolsonaro has been tested for coronavirus and we are waiting for the results. However, he is not exhibiting any symptoms of the disease.”
March 13, 2020: Business Insider posted an article titled: “Miami Mayor Francis Suarez confirms he tested positive for coronavius after meeting with Jair Bolsonaro’s delegation this week”. It was written by Kayla Epstein. From the article:
Miami mayor Francis Suarez announced he has tested positive for the coronavirus, after he met with Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro and his delegation in Miami earlier this week.In a Friday video to supporters that appeared to be taken from isolation, Suarez confirmed the positive result for COVID-19, the disease cause by the coronavirus.“I feel completely healthy and strong,” Suarez said in the video. “However, I am doing the responsible thing by working with the county’s health department to take every precaution to ensure that not only my family’s healthy, but everyone I have come into contact with is healthy with as well.”Suarez urged anyone who had physical contact twith him to self-quarantine and said he could continue to work while recovering. “If we did not shake hands or you did not come into contact with me if I coughed or sneezed, there is no action you need to take whatsoever,” he said. “If we did, however, touch or shake hands, or if I sneezed or coughed near you since Monday, it is recommended that you self-isolate for 14 days, but you do not need to get tested. After speaking with medical professionals, I will continue to follow Department of Health protocol and remain isolated while I lead our government remotely.”Suarez told the Miami Herald in an interview on Friday that he was “concerned for people who have had some measure of contact with me.”……During Bolsonaro’s visit to Miami on Monday and Tuesday, Suarez said he was in the same room as the president and his infected staff member.Suarez said that he did not believe that he had personal contact with the infected individual, and was not experiecing symptoms. However, he chose to enter self-quarantine “out of an abundance of caution.”
March 13, 2020: ABC News posted an article titled: “Donor recently at Mar-a-Lago tests positive for coronavirus, according to Trump Victory email”. It was written by Will Steakin. From the article:
Trump Victory on Friday informed donors via email who attended a fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday that a donor who also attended the event has tested positive for the coronavirus, according to an email obtained by ABC News.“We unfortunately write today to notify you that an attendee at the Trump Victory-sponsored event you attended at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday, March 8, has tested positive for the Coronavirus,” the joint committee between the Trump campaign and Republican National Committee wrote in an email sent today.The news was first reported by the New York Times.A senior campaign official tells ABC News the donor did not interact with the president. An RNC official told ABC News that the donor who tested positive for the coronavirus had “no direct contact with the first family” at the Mar-a-Lago event.“The attendee had no direct interaction with the president or the first family at this event and the VP did not attend this event,” RNC official said.A Trump campaign senior official also said “no known interaction with family.”The email adds that the group is “not aware if the individual had the virus. by the time of the event.”…
March 13, 2020: Senator Ted Cruz posted a press release titled: “Sen. Cruz Announces Decision to Extend Self-Quarantine Until March 17 Out of Abundance of Caution”. From the press release:
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today issued the following statement:
My self-quarantine ended yesterday afternoon. I still have no symptoms and feel fine, and I was looking forward to taking my family out to dinner tonight.
“Unfortunately, last night I was informed I had a second interaction with an individual who yesterday tested positive for COVID-19.
“On March 3, I met in my D.C. office with Santiago Abascal, the leader of the Vox Party in Spain. We met for about 20 minutes, sitting together at a conference table. We shook hands twice and took pictures together.
“My understanding is that Mr. Abascal tested positive for COVID-19 last night. His staff have informed us that he was asymptomatic at the time of our meeting and that several days after our meeting he had extended interactions with another individual who has also tested positive.
“I’m still not feeling any symptoms. I’m consulting with medical officials. But, for the same reasons I initially self-quarantined-out of an abundance of caution and to give everyone peace of mind-I am extending the self-quarantine to March 17, a full fourteen days from my meeting with Mr. Abascal.
“COVID-19 is a serious public health hazard. All of us should resist panic, and we should listen to the doctors and the science. Medical professionals tell us social distancing is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of this virus, and we should take every step possible to protect our health and be safe.”
March 18, 2020: NBC News posted an article titled: “Two members of House test positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Phil Helsel. From the article:
Two members of the House of Representatives have tested positive for the coronavirus illness COVID-19 and are self-quarantining, the lawmakers said Wednesday.Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., and Ben McAdams, D-Utah, are the first two members of Congress who have said they tested positive for COVID-19.Diaz-Balart was the first to make the announcement Wednesday. His office said in a statement that after votes on Friday, he self-quarantined in Washington, D.C., and decided not to return home because his wife has a pre-existing condition.Saturday evening, Diaz-Balart “developed symptoms, including a fever and a headache,” and on Wednesday, he learned he had tested positive for COVID-19, his office said.“I want everyone to know that I am feeling much better,” Diaz-Balart said in a statement. “However, it is important that everyone take this extremely seriously and follow CDC guidelines in order to avoid getting sick and mitigate the spread of this virus.”McAdams is quarantining at home in Utah. He said that after he returned home from Washington on Saturday evening, he developed mild cold-like symptoms and isolated himself at home.“My symptoms got worse and I developed a fever, a dry cough and labored breathing,” McAdams said in a statement. He was tested Tuesday and learned Wednesday that he was positive……President Donald Trump was tested, and the test came back as negative, his doctor said Saturday.At least seven lawmakers said they will self-quarantine as a precaution following the news of two representatives testing positive for the virus, although they said they are not experiencing any symptoms.Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., said in a statement Wednesday night that because he had an extended meeting with Diaz-Balart last week, he would self-quarantine. And on Thursday, Rep. Kendra Horn, D-Okla., tweeted that she will go into a “precautionary two-week self-quarantine” after having contact with McAdams last week.Rep. Drew Ferguson, R-Ga., also said that he will self-quarantine until March 27, after he was informed by the Attending Physician of the United States Congress that on March 13 he came into contact with a member who tested positive……Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Mo., said in a statement Wednesday night that she would self-quarantine because she participated in a small group meeting with a colleague who has since tested positive.Other House members who said Wednesday that they interacted with a person who tested positive and will self-quarantine include Reps. Kathleen Rice, D-N.Y., Matt Cartwright, D-Pa. and Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla. The lawmakers said that they are not experiencing symptoms but will stay at home for the next two weeks, which means they won’t be able to return to Washington when the House comes back into session next week…
March 13, 2020: Embassy of Brazil in the USA tweeted: “Brazil’s Chargé d’Affaires Ambassador Nestor Forster has learned tonight that he has tested positive for COVID-19. Following medical advice, Amb. Forster will extend his self-quarantine, which he had already placed himself into as a precautionary measure, for another two weeks.”
March 13, 2020: People posted an article titled: “Brazilian Diplomat Nestor Forster, Who Had Dinner with Donald Trump, Tests Positive for Coronavirus”. It was written by Gabrielle Chung. From the article:
Brazilian diplomat Nestor Forster, who dined with Donald Trump last weekend, has tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a tweet from the Embassy of Brazil in Washington, D.C., on Friday……The ambassador dined with Trump, 73, and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro during a visit to the Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday, according to the Palm Beach Daily News….
March 13, 2020: Reuters posted an article titled: “Brazil’s Bolsonaro to be tested again for coronavirus: report”. It was written by Debora Moreira and Pedro Fonseca. From the article:
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who met with Donald Trump in the United States less than a week ago, will be retested for coronavirus following a negative test on Friday, Brazil’s Estado de S.Paulo newspaper reported.The test will be done early next week in order to rule out any chance the president has the virus, the newspaper said, without naming the source of the information. A representative for Bolsonaro’s press office declined to comment.Bolsonaro and a large Brazilian entourage, including cabinet ministers, met with Trump and other senior U.S. officials last weekend at Mar-a-Lago. One of the party, Bolsonaro’s communications secretary Fabio Wajngarten, tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday and is in quarantine at his home.Charge d’Affairs Nestor Forster Jr. at the Brazilian Embassy in Washington, who was also present at the Trump dinner, has also now tested positive, GloboNews television channel reported late on Friday.Bolsonaro said earlier in the day that he had tested negative for coronavirus, in a post on his Facebook page.“Tests negative for COVID-19 Mr President of the Republic Jair Bolsonaro,” the post said, above an old image of Bolsonaro making an obscene local gesture in an apparent response to some media reports that a first test had been positive.Estado de S.Paulo said Bolsonaro would remain isolated in quarantine at his official residence until the beginning of next week, citing an unnamed member of the president’s medical staff who said Bolsonaro needed to be isolated for seven days from the time of being in contact with someone infected with the virus.Bolsonaro’s son Eduardo tweeted earlier on Friday that his test had come back negative. Defense Minister Fernando Azevedo e Silva tested negative as well, the ministry said in a statement.The results for others in the Brazilian delegation, including Bolsonaro’s wife Michelle and Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo, have not yet been published.However, Bolsonaro’s lawyer, Karina Kufa, who was part of the delegation, tested positive, according to the O Globo newspaper. Senator Nelsinho Trad, who also formed part of the group, said late Friday that his test had also come back positive…
March 14, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “Trump tests negative for coronavirus, White House says”. It was written by Jason Hoffman and Veronica Stracqualursi. From the article:
President Donald Trump has tested negative for the coronavirus, according to a statement from the White House.Trump took the test on Friday, he said during a Saturday news conference, after coming into recent contact with two individuals who have tested positive for the virus.“Last night after an in-depth discussion with the President regarding COVID-19 testing, he elected to proceed,” according to the statement about the results released by press secretary Stephanie Grisham with Trump’s permission. “One week after having dinner with the Brazilian delegation in Mar-a-Lago, the President remains symptom free. I have been in daily contact with the CDC and the White House Coronavirus Task Force, and we are encouraging the implementation of all their best practices for exposure reduction and transmission mitigation.”Trump said Saturday he also had his temperature taken Saturday before entering the White House briefing room. The President told reporters that his temperature was normal……Asked when he would announce the results of his coronavirus test, the President said that the test was sent to a lab and could take a day or two. Trump said he took the test “only because the press is going crazy.”…
March 16, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “Trump’s Mar-a-Lago getting a deep clean after confirmed coronavirus cases”. It was written by Betsy Klein. From the article:
President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort is undergoing a deep clean after multiple cases of coronavirus were confirmed at the club, a member confirmed to CNN. Members were notified via email that the Palm Beach, Florida, club, including its grand ballroom, will be closed Monday for a cleaning, with the exception of the beach club, which is separate to the main area and will remain open. Members were told that dinner will be served as usual Tuesday through Saturday.The deep clean comes after multiple cases of the virus were reported by people who had been on the premises last week. The White House has said Trump has tested negative for the virus…
March 15, 2020: Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) tweeted: “I’m feeling much better. However, it’s important that everyone take this seriously and follow @CDCgov guidelines in order to avoid getting sick & mitigate the spread of this virus. We must continue to work together to emerge stronger as a country during these trying times.”
The tweet included a screenshot of a press release titled: “Diaz-Balart Tests Positive for Coronavirus”.
In an abundance of caution, after votes on Friday, March 13th, Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart decided to self-quarantine in Washington D.C., and not return to South Florida because of his wife Tia’s pre-existing conditions that put her at exceptionally high risk. On Saturday evening, Congressman Diaz-Balart developed symptoms, including a fever and a headache. Just a short while ago, he was notified that he has tested positive for COVID-19. While in quarantine, Diaz-Balart has been working from his apartment in Washington D.C.. The Congressman said in a statement:“I want everyone to know that I am feeling much better. However, it is important that everyone take this extremely seriously and follow CDC guidelines in order to avoid getting sick and mitigate the spread of this virus. We must continue to work together to emerge stronger as a country during these trying times.”
March 18, 2020: Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.) tweeted: “(1/2) Today, the Attending Physician of the United States Congress informed me that I was in contact with a member of Congress on March 13th that has since tested positive for COVID-19. After heeding the advice of the President, Governor Kemp and at the direction of the House”
Rep. Drew Ferguson followed that tweet with a second tweet: “(2/2) physician, I will self-quarantine until March 27th. I am asymptomatic and will continue to work from home in West Point, Ga.”
March 18, 2020: Rep. Ben McAdams (D-Utah) tweeted: “Please read my statement on contracting #COVID19. I have self-quarantines since first having symptoms and consulted with my doctor. #utpol”
The tweet includes a screenshot of Representative Ben McAdams statement:
Mc Adams statement on COVID-19 illnessOn Saturday evening, after returning home from Washington, D.C., I developed mild cold-like symptoms. In consultation with my doctor on Sunday, I immediately isolated myself in my home. I have been conducting all meetings by telephone. My symptoms got worse and I developed a fever, a dry cough, and labored breathing and I remained self-quarantined. On Tuesday, my doctor instructed me to get tested for COVID-19 and following his referral, I went to the local testing clinic for the test. Today I learned that I tested positive. I am still working for Utahns and pursuing efforts to get Utahns the resources they need as I continue doing my job from home until I know it is safe to end my self-quarantine. I’m doing my part as all Americans are doing to contain the spread of the virus and mitigate the coronavirus outbreak. I urge Utahns to take this seriously and follow the health recommendations we’re getting from the CDC and other health experts so that we can recover from this public health threat.
March 22, 2020: NBC News posted an article titled: “Rand Paul becomes first senator known to test positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Allan Smith. From the article:
Rand Paul, R-Ky., on Sunday became the first senator known to have tested positive for COVID-19.“Senator Rand Paul has tested positive for COVID-19,” Paul’s account tweeted. “He is feeling fine and is in quarantine. He is asymptomatic and was tested out of an abundance of caution due to his extensive travel and events. He was not aware of any direct contact with any infected person.”“He expects to be back in the Senate after his quarantine period ends and will continue to work for the people of Kentucky at this difficult time,” the thread continued. “Ten days ago, our D.C. office began operating remotely, hence virtually no staff has had contact with Senator Rand Paul.”Paul’s chief of staff later clarified that he “decided to get tested after attending an event where two individuals subsequently tested positive for COVID-19, even though he wasn’t aware of any direct contact with either one of them.”……Paul’s diagnosis has triggered a discussion about whether senators, many of whom are in older age brackets, should go home immediately or self-quarantine, given their likely contact with Paul, who was on the Senate floor extensively over the last week.The news created fresh uncertainty about how Congress can finish and pass emergency coronavirus legislation, on which Democrats and Republicans are still struggling to reach a deal.Sens. Mike Lee and Mitt Romney, both Utah Republicans, were the first two lawmakers to say they would be self-quarantining for two weeks after having had “extended” interactions with Paul and would have to miss floor votes…
March 24, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “White House press secretary to return to work after negative virus test”. It was written by Tal Axelrod. From the article:
White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham will return to work on Wednesday after testing negative for the coronavirus, a spokesman said.“Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham, who has been quarantined since coming in contact with Brazilian officials almost two weeks ago and working from home, has received negative COVID-19 test results and will be back to work tomorrow,” White House spokesman Judd Deere said.Grisham, a top aide to President Trump, was with the president at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida earlier this month when he hosted a Brazilian delegation, including President Jair Bolsonaro. A press aide in the delegation later tested positive for the coronavirus.It was later announced that Grisham would self-quarantine out of an abundance of caution, joining a number of lawmakers and administration officials who have self-quarantined in recent weeks after coming in contact with someone who had tested positive for the virus.The president and his coronavirus task force headed by Vice President Pence have launched a public relations blitz to tout the White House’s response to the burgeoning virus outbreak, which has infected more than 53,000 people in the U.S.
March 27, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “South Carolina congressman tests positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Marty Johnson. From the article:
Rep. Joe Cunningham (D-S.C.) announced Friday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus. The freshman lawmaker went into self-quarantine starting March 19 after learning he had been in contact with a member of Congres who had tested positive for COVID-19. Cunningham got tested Thursday, with the positive result coming back Friday.“While my symptoms have begun to improve, I will remain at home until I know it is safe to leave self-quarantine,” Cunningham said in the statement, adding he will continue to tele-work from home….
March 27, 2020: Anchor at WBTV in Charlotte Jamie Boll tweeted: “New information: SC Congressman Joe Cunningham tests positive for coronavirus. He’s from the Charleston area”.
The tweet included a screenshot of Joe Cunningham’s statement:
Cunningham Statement on COVID-19 Test
Mt. Pleasant, S.C. – Rep. Joe Cunningham released the following statement after learning he had tested positive for COVID-19:“On March 19th, 2020, I entered self-quarantine after I recieved word from the Attending Physician of the U.S. Congress that I had been in contact with a member of Congress who had since tested positive for COVID-19. While I otherwise feel fine, since March 17th I have been unable to smell or taste, which I learned this week is a potential symptom of COVID-19, I have been in contact with my doctor since I entered self-quarantine. Yesterday, my doctor instructed me to get tested for COVID-19 and following a virtual consultation on MUSC.care, I went to my local testing clinic. Today, I learned that I tested positive.“While my symptoms have begun to improve, I will remain at home until I know it is safe to leave self-quarantine. I will continue to tele-work from home as Congress conducts its ongoing response to this public health crisis and my office will continue its urgent work of serving the people of the Lowcounty. Just now, the House passed bipartisan legislation that includes provisions I fought for and secured to deliver much-needed relief for South Carolina families and small businesses. I am grateful that my family remains in good health and urge South Carolinians to follow the guidance and recommendations from the CDC and other health experts so that we can recover from this public health threat.”
March 27, 2020: Rep. Mark Kelley (R-PA) posted a press release on his official website titled: “Representative Kelly Tests Positive for COVID-19”. From the press release:
Earlier, this week, U.S. Representative Mike Kelly began experiencing flu-like symptoms and consulted his doctor, who ordered a test for COVID-19. His test came back positive this afternoon. From his home, in Butler, Pennsylvania, Representative Kelly issued this statement:“When I started experiencing flu-like symptoms earlier this week, I consulted my primary care physician. My doctor ordered a test for COVID-19, which I obtained at the drive-through testing site at Butler Memorial Hospital. My test came back positive this afternoon. My symptoms remain mild, and I will serve the 16th district from home until I fully recover. Additionally, my staff is tele-working and still available to constituents who need assistance.”While awaiting his test results, Kelly was not in Washington for the House vote on the third coronavirus relief package. Had he been present, he would have voted in favor of the CARES Act…
March 29, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Capitol Police officer tests positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Scott Wong. From the article:
A United States Capitol Police (USCP) employee has tested positive for the coronavirus, a spokesperson confirmed to The Hill.The USCP employee has been self-quarantined since March 18.“The USCP has contacted employees in order to identify individuals who may have been in close contact with the affected employee. The Department has taken, and will continue to take, all the necessary steps to ensure tha any affected work areas or facilities were properly cleaned,” USCP spokeswoman Eva Malecki said in an email Sunday to The Hill.“The USCP is working closely with the Office of Attending Physician, Congressional leadership, and the Architect of the Capitol, and our focuse is on the health and well-being of our employees.”Malecki did not provide any details about the USCP employee. A Capitol source familiar with the case said the employee is an officer who had been assigned to the House chamber…
April 9, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Florida Republican becomes sixth member of Congress to test positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Cristina Marcos. From the article:
Rep. Neal Dunn (R-Fla.) said Thursday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus, becoming the sixth member of Congress to have the disease. Dunn’s office said in a statement that he went to the emergency room on Monday not feeling well and later tested positive for the coronavirus.Dunn, a former surgeon, is now self-quarantining at home and “expects a full recovery soon.”“Congressman Dunn emphasizes that we must continue to do what we can to target vulnerable places and populations to slow the spread of this disease. He is keenly interested in new and faster testing to help everyone understand their risks,” the statement added, according to WCTV…
May 1, 2020: Phoenix New Times posted an article titled: “Two Arizona County Sheriffs Are Refusing to Enforce Coronavirus Emergency Orders”. It was written by Ray Stern. From the article:
Two Arizona county sheriffs say they refuse to cite or arrest business owners or individuals for violating the state’s emergency coronavirus restrictions. In doing so, Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb and Mohave County Douglas Schuster – both of them elected officials – are tapping into a growing, mostly conservative-led sentiment in the state that the lockdown has gone far enough.But their refusals are also in clear opposition to Governor Doug Ducey’s two-week expansion of the stay-at-home order, as well as the advice of health officials and other people who think opening businesses too early would create dangerous conditions for rapid spread of the infection……On Friday, Lamb told Phoenix New Times that if he got a call about a business violating reopening restrictions, he’d send a deputy out to “educate and advise” the owners about Ducey’s executive orders. But his deputies won’t be writing citations or arresting anyone from this point on.“In tough times, tough decisions have to be made,” said Lamb, a Republican elected to office in 2016. “I’m looking at two laws in each hand going with the one that’s 200 years old rather than two days old”……Lamb said he gives condolences to people who have lost friends or family members because of the coronavirus, but somebody “has to have the guts” to stand up to the unconstitutional policies, which have created an “unsustainable” economic situation for the vast majority of Arizonans who haven’t gotten sick…
May 7, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “One of Trump’s personal valets has tested positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Kaitlan Collins and Peter Morris. From the article:
A member of the US Navy who serves as one of President Trump’s personal valets has tested positive for coronavirus, CNN learned Thursday, raising concerns about the President’s possible exposure to the virus.The valets are members of an elite military unit dedicated to the White House and often work very close to the President and the first family. Trump was upset when he was informed Wednesday that the valet had tested positive, a source told CNN, and the President was subsequently tested again by the White House physician.In a statement, the White House confirmed CNN’s reporting that one of the President’s staffers had tested positive.“We were recently notified bu the White House Medical Unit that a member of the United States Military, who works on the White House campus, has tested positive for Coronavirus,” deputy White House press secretary Hogan Gidley said in a statement. “The President and the Vice President have since tested negative for the virus and they remain in great health.Valets assist the President and first family with a variety of personal tasks. They are responsible for the President’s food and beverage not only in the West Wing but also travel with him when he’s on the road or out of the country. Past presidents have relied on them not only for these matters, but also as confidants. The valets have an inside view to a president’s personal life like few others. A White House source said the valet, a man who has not been identified, exhibited “symptoms” Wednesday morning, and said the news that someone close to Trump had tested positive for coronavirus was “hitting the fan” in the West Wing……The White House is continuing to use the rapid Abbott Labs test, which provide results in about 15 minutes. Several officials who have received the test said it’s often administered in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, next door to the West Wing on the White House grounds. A medical official swabs the staffer’s nostrils and informs them that they’ll be notified within the next several minutes if it’s positive.Still, the White House has not enforced strict social distancing guidelines for staffers and few people inside the building wear masks during the day, including valets.Trump said before traveling aboard Air Force One earlier this week that he was not concerned about being in close quarters with other people since those around him are regularly tested…
May 7, 2020: CNBC posted an article titled: “Trump says coronavirus tests are ‘overrated,’ but he will get tested daily”. It was written by Kevin Breuniger. From the article:
President Donald Trump said Thursday that testing for the coronavirus is “somewhat overrated” shortly after announcing that he will be tested for the disease every single day.Daily tests will also be conducted for “everyone that comes into contact with the president,” Vice President Mike Pence added to reporters at the White House.The new daily testing policy for the president and those in his circle comes hours after the White House acknowledged that a personal valet for Trump tested positive for Covid-19.Trump and Pence have since been retested after coming into contact with the valet, who among things serves the president’s meals.Both Trump and Pence tested negative for the coronavirus, the White House said…
May 7, 2020: CSPAN tweeted: “President Trump on White House military valet testing positive for COVID-19: “Testing is not a perfect art. So, we test once a week. Now we’re going to test once a day.. I’ve had very little contact, personal contect, with this gentleman”. The tweet included a video of President Donald Trump speaking. Next to him is Texas Governor Greg Abbot.
May 8, 2020: USA Today posted an article titled: “White House staff to be tested daily for coronavirus after military aide tests positive”. It was written by David Jackson and Michael Collins. From the article:
President Donald Trump’s his staff will be tested daily for coronavirus after a Navy valet who has been in close proximity to him tested positive for the disease.Trump told reporters on Thursday that he has had “very little contact” with the valet. But during an appearance Friday on the morning program “Fox & Friends,” Trump said the valet was in the same room with him on Tuesday, the day he began exhibiting symptoms.Trump said he doesn’t recall any direct contact with the ill employee, but that White House aides will be now tested daily for coronavirus instead of weekly. Officials would not say whether Trump himself will be tested daily……Both Trump and Vice President Mike Pence were given new tests after officials learned that the military aide had tested positive for the disease. Trump said he has been tested twice in recent days, with both tests coming back negative. Pence’s test also was negative, administration officials said. The White House did not identify the infected person.“We were recently notified by the White House Medical Unit that a member of the United States Military, who works on the White House campus, has tested positive for Coronavirus,” said White House spokesman Hogan Gidley in a statement. “The President and the Vice President have since tested negative for the virus and they remain in great health.”…
May 8, 2020: Katie Miller, Vice President Pence’s spokesperson, tested positive for coronavirus. She is the wife of Stephen Miller, who works closely with President Trump. Politico
May 8, 2020: Yahoo! News posted an article titled: “Document reveals Secret Service has 11 current virus cases, as concerns about Trump’s staff grow”. It was written by Jana Winter and Hunter Walker. From the article:
Multiple members of the U.S. Secret Service have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, according to Department of Homeland Security documents reviewed by Yahoo News. In March, the Secret Service, which is responsible for the protection of President Trump and other leaders, acknowledged that a single employee tested positive in March. However the problem is currently far more widespread, with 11 active cases at the agency as of Thursday evening, according to a daily report compiled by the DHS. This report comes as a pair of cases among White House staffers close to Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have put the West Wing’s coronavirus security procedures in the spotlight.According to the DHS document, along with the 11 active cases there are 23 members of the Secret Service who have recovered from COVID-19 and an additional 60 employees who are self-quarantining. No details have been provided about which members of the Secret Service are infected or if any have recently been on detail with the president or vice president.The DHS, which oversees the agency, referred all requests for comment to the Secret Service, which in turn declined to comment on the number of coronavirus cases among its employees……On Monday, Yahoo News reported that there are regularly held large events with unmasked attendees in close quarters at the White House — including inside the Oval Office, which is the president’s inner sanctum. Many Secret Service employees on the White House grounds are among those who are not wearing masks. The agency did not respond to questions about why its employees are not wearing masks or whether personal protective equipment is being provided to members of the Secret Service who request it. Pence and Trump have also regularly opted not to wear masks…
May 9, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “CDC director will self-quarantine after contact with COVID-19 positive case”. It was written by J. Edward Moreno. From the article:
Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), will self-quarantine for two weeks after coming in contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19 at the White House.“CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield has been determined to have had a low risk exposure on May 6 to a person at the White House who has COVID-19. He is feeling fine, and has no symptoms. He will be teleworking for the next two weeks,” a CDC spokesperson told several media outlets. The spokesperson added that, “In the event Dr. Redfield must go to the White House to fulfill any responsibilities as part of White House Coronavirus Task Force work, he will follow the safety practices set out by the CDC for those who may have been exposed.”The CDC did not immediately respond to an inquiry from The Hill. Though the CDC did not specify who at the White House Redfield came into contact with, Katie Miller, Vice President Pence’s press secretary, tested positive for the virus on Friday, and one of President Trump’s personal valets tested positive on Thursday. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Stephen Hahn also said Saturday he will self-quarantine for the next two weeks after learning that he came in contact with someone who had tested positive for COVID-19.Like the CDC in the case of Redfield, the FDA did not disclose who Hahn came in contact with, but Politico, citing administration officials, reported that Hahn had come in contact with Miller.
May 10, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Pence to work from White House after aide tests positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Brett Samuels. From the article:
Vice President Pence will continue working from the White House this week after his press secretary tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday, a spokesman said Sunday.“Vice President Pence will continue to follow the advice of the White House Medical Unit and is not in quarantine. Additionally, Vice President Pence has tested negative every single day and plans to be at the White House tomorrow,” Pence spokesman Devin O’Malley said in a statement.Multiple news outlets reported that Pence was self-isolating after his press secretary, Katie Miller, tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday. One person familiar with the matter told The Hill that Pence may lay low for a few days and take extra precautions.Three of the government’s top health officials have since announced they are going into some form of self-quarantine after interacting with Miller in the days leading up to her positive test. Food and Drug Administration Administrator Stephen Hahn and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield both intend to self-quarantine, according to spokespeople. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious diseases expert at the National Institutes of Health, said he will go into a “modified” self-quarantine.All three are members of the White House coronavirus task force, which is led by Pence. Miller is said to have sat in on at least one of the group’s meetings last week.All three are members of the White House coronavirus task force, which is led by Pence. Miller is said to have sat in on at least one of the group’s meetings last week.The three health officials were also slated to testify before a Senate committee this week and will now do so via videoconference.Miller, who is married to senior White House adviser Stephen Miller, was one of two White House officials to test positive for the coronavirus last week. The other is a military member who works as a valet for President Trump.The two positive tests have raised concerns about the virus spreading within the building and forced officials to reckon with how best to protect the president and vice president.Trump and Pence have gone from being tested weekly to being tested daily, and officials have said they will institute additional procedures in the coming days to further limit their exposure to the virus.
May 10, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Sen. Lamar Alexander to self-quarantine after staff member tests positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Jordain Carney. From the article:
Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) will self-quarantine after a staff member tested positive for the coronavirus.David Cleary, Alexander’s chief of staff, said the GOP senator had no symptoms and had tested negative for the coronavirus on Thursday. The staff member, according to Cleary, tested positive for the coronavirus on Sunday.“After discussing this with the Senate’s attending physician, Senator Alexander, out of an abundance of caution, has decided not to return to Washington, D.C., and will self-quarantine in Tennessee for 14 days,” he said.No other staff in Alexander’s office is expected to self-quarantine and most of the GOP senator’s Washington, D.C., staff, like most offices on Capitol Hill, was already working remotely. Alexander is the latest senator who has had to self-quarantine after exposure to the virus. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is the only senator known to have tested positive but others, including Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas), have also self-quarantined in recent months. Alexander, who chairs the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, is expected to keep working remotely, including overseeing a hearing scheduled for Tuesday on the virus…
May 11, 2020: The Guardian posted an article titled: “No quarantine for Mike Pence despite rash of Covid-19 cases in White House”. It was written by Tom McCarthy. From the article:
Mike Pence will not enter quarantine despite a rash of coronavirus cases in the White House in recent days, including a positive test for the vice-president’s own press secretary.“Vice-President Pence has tested negative every single day and plans to be at the White House tomorrow,” Devin O’Malley, a backup spokesman for Pence, said on Sunday night.As the Trump administration urges Americans to return to workplaces and Donald Trump touts a “transition to greatness” ahead, the White House faces a delicate balancing act in projecting business as usual even as coronavirus cases spread through the halls of power.Three members of the White House coronavirus taskforce – Dr Anthony Fauci of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; Dr Stephen Hahn, commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration; and Dr Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – have entered two weeks of isolation, after having contact with someone who later tested positive.Senator Lamar Alexander, a Republican from Tennessee who chairs the health committee, is isolating himself after a member of staff tested positive. A senior admiral on Trump’s top military advisory committee, chief of naval operations Michael Gilday, is also isolating himself following contact with an infected relative, Bloomberg News reported. Gen Joseph Lengyel tested positive at the White House on Saturday in a spot check, before he was to meet Trump.A valet for Trump, who had served the president food without wearing a mask, also recently tested positive. The White House is considering new rules under which aides must maintain a distance of two metres (6ft) from the president, ABC News reported.Pence’s spokeswoman, Katie Miller, the wife of Stephen Miller, one of the president’s closest aides, who is in frequent close contact with the Trump family, tested positive last week. It was unclear if Stephen Miller had entered self-isolation……On Monday morning the number of recorded Covid-19 deaths in the US was close to 80,000, and while the rate of new cases appears to be slowing in the New York City area and other sites of major outbreaks, elsewhere new infections are rising.Nowhere is testing and contact-tracing for the virus as thoroughly as the White House, where aides and senior officials including Trump and Pence receive both spot checks and repeated testing in various forms, some on a daily basis. Without such testing, cases could go undetected, leading to a potentially wide outbreak…
May 12, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “Pence ‘maintaining distance’ from Trump ‘for the immediate future'”. It was written by Jeremy Diamond and Kevin Liptak. From the article:
Vice President Mike Pence is taking some precautions, but stopping short of the recommended self-quarantine in the wake of his press secretary testing positive for coronavirus.Pence is “maintaining distance for the immediate future” from President Trump after consulting with the White House medical unit, a senior administration official said. It is not yet clear exactly how long Pence will stay away from Trump.Later, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Pence had made the decision himself……Trump said Monday that he has not seen Pence since the vice president’s press secretary Katie Miller tested positive on Friday, a fact that was underscored by Pence’s absence from Trump’s news conference Monday. Trump said he could confer with Pence by telephone.Pence said during a call with governors on Monday that he was taking extra precautions, noting that he was “in a separate room on my own” during a videoconference while Dr. Deborah Birx was “in a situation room meeting with some staff,” according to audio of the call obtained by CNN’s Betsy Klein……While he arrived to the White House on Tuesday wearing a mask, Pence has shown up on other days without covering his face. And his very presence there — even if he is staying away from Trump — contravenes guidelines issued by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which advise those who have had “close contact” (within six feet of someone for a prolonged period of time) with someone who has tested positive to stay home for 14 days after their last interaction…
June 6, 2020: Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms tweeted: “COVID-19 has literally hit home. I have had NO symptoms and have tested positive.”
June 15, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “House GOP lawmaker tests positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Cristina Marcos. From the article:
Rep. Tom Rice (R-S.C.) announced Monday that he and his family have tested positive for the coronavirus, becoming the eighth member of Congress to have a confirmed or presumed case of the disease.Rice said in a Facebook post that he, his wife, and his son had developed symptoms of COVID-19 – which he referred to as they “Wuhan flu” – in the last week but are now recovering.“We are all on the mend and doing fine,” Rice wrote. He noted that his son “had gotten really sick” with a fever and “really bad cough,” while his wife had a “slight” fever with a cough and aches.Rice said that he had milder symptoms but lamented that he had lost his sense of taste and smell – and expressed particular frustration that he is unable to enjoy bacon.“I was lucky, and it was not bad for me. I had a low fever and a mild cough. It was gone by Thursday. I never stopped eating or drinking or working or moving. The only bad thing is I have completely lost sense of taste and smell. CAN’T TASTE BACON!!!” Rice wrote.“We are finishing our quarantine and looking forward to seeing you all again. Friends, please wash your hands and take precautions,” Rice concluded…
June 17, 2020: AZ Central posted an article titled: “Pinal County sheriff says he tested positive for COVID-19 before planned Trump meeting”. It was written by Perry Vandell. From the article:
Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb announced on Wednesday afternoon that he tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.Lamb posted on the Pinal County Sheriff Office’s Facebook page that he had been invited on Tuesday to join President Donald Trump at the White House and was tested before the meeting as part of the protocol……Lamb said he believes he came into contact with an infected person during a campaign event he held on Saturday. Lamb didn’t say if he wore a mask or practiced social distancing at the event.“While still asymptomatic, I tested positive for the COVID-19,” Lamb wrote. “I will be self-quarantining for the next 14 days minimum. I alerted the Pinal County Public Health Dept. immediately after my positive test, and they are working to track all those I came in contact with following the Saturday event.”…
June 18, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Oklahoma venue management asks Trump campaign for health plan ahead of rally”. It was written by Marina Pitofsky. From the article:
The Bank of Oklahoma (BOK) Center in Tulsa, Okla., where President Trump is set to hold a campaign rally Saturday evening, requested Thursday that his campaign provide a plan for “health and safety” measures ahead of the event amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.“Given the Tulsa Health Department’s recent reports of increases in coronavirus cases and the State of Oklahoma’s encouragement for event organizers to follow CDC guidelines, we have requested that the Trump campaign, as the event organizer, provide BOK Center with a written plan detailing the steps the event will institute for health and safety, including those related to social distancing,” Meghan Blood, director of marketing for the BOK Center, said in a statement, CNN reported.“Once received, we will share the plan with local health officials.”The Trump campaign said that it will offer masks and temperature checks to all attendees.The statment from the facility said that all staffers will be tested for COVID-19, and the venue will be “cleaned and disinfected repeatedly throughout the event, with special emphasis on high-touch areas.”…
June 19, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Trump to host 4th of July event despite pleas from lawmakers to cancel”. It was written by Tal Axelrod. From the article:
President Trump will host a Fourth of July event despite pleas from lawmakers to cancel over concerns regarding the coronavirus pandemic.The White House announced Friday that Trump and first lady Melania Trump with the Interior Department, will host the “2020 Salute to America” on the South Lawn of the White House and Ellipse on July 4.The event will feature music, military demonstrations and flyovers to celebrate the nation’s service members and veterans, as well as an address from the president. The event comes despite pushback from lawmakers that holding a mass gathering could put people at risk of contracting the coronavirus…
June 19, 2020: PBS posted an article titled: “Oklahoma Supreme Court says Trump rally attendees don’t have to wear masks”. From the article:
The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Friday rejected a request to require everyone attending President Trump’s rally in Tulsa this weekend to wear a face mask and stay at least six feet apart from everyone else in the arena to guard against the spread of the coronavirus.The court ruled that the two local residents who asked that the thousands expected at the rally be required to take the precautions couldn’t establish that they have a clear legal right to the relief they sought. In a concurring opinion, two justices wrote that the state’s reopening plan is “permissive, suggestive and discretionary.”……The request was made by John Hope Franklin for Reconciliation, a nonprofit that promotes racial equality, and the Greenwood Centre, Ltd., which owns commercial real estate, and on behalf of the two locals, who are described as having compromised immune systems and being particularly vulnerable to COVID-19……Oklahoma has seen a recent spike in coronavirus cases, setting a daily high on Thursday of 450. Health officials on Friday reported 125 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Tulsa County, which is the most of any country in Oklahoma. Statewide, there were 352 new cases and one new coronavirus death reported Friday, raising the state’s new total number of confirmed cases since the pandemic began to 9,706 and its death toll to 367…
June 20, 2020: NBC News Correspondent Carol Lee tweeted: “NEW: six staffers working on Trump campaign rally in Tulsa have tested positive for coronavirus – campaign stmt says “quarantine procedures were immediately implemented. No COVID-positive staffers or anyone in immediate contact will be at today’s rally.”
June 20, 2020: …Before the rally Trump’s campaign revealed that six staff members who were helping set up for the event had tested positive for the coronavirus. Campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh said neither the affected staffers nor anyone who was in immediate contact with them would attend the event. Associated Press
June 20, 2020: Herman Cain tweeted: “Here’s just a few of the #BlackVoicesForTrump at tonight’s rally! Having a fantastic time!” #TulsaRally2020 #Trumptulsa #TulsaTrumprally #MAGA #Trump2020 #Trump2020Landslide”.
The tweet includes a photo of Herman Cain siting with a group of people he has identified in the tweet as part of #BlackVoicesForTrump. Some people in the group are leaning on each other while seated close together. No one is wearing a mask.
June 20, 2020: CBS News posted an article titled: “6 Trump campaign staffers in Tulsa test positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Grace Segers. From the article:
Six Trump campaign staffers on the advance team for the president’s rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday have tested positive for the coronavirus, the Trump campaign confirmed to CBS News. According to the campaign, the staffers were immediately quarantined and will not have contact with any rally attendees.“Per safety protocols, campaign staff are tested for COVID-19 before events. Six members of the advance team tested positive out of hundreds of tests performed, and quarantine procedures were immediately implemented,” Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh said in a statement. “No COVID-positive staffers or anyone in immediate contact will be at today’s rally or near attendees and elected officials. As previously announced, all rally attendees are given temperature checks before going through security, at which point they are given wristbands, facemasks and hand sanitizer.”The rally, Mr. Trump’s first since March, is taking place at the Bank of Oklahoma Center, which holds 19,000 people, with an additional stage in the outdoor area adjacent to the venue that can hold several thousand more. Health experts have raised concerns about having so many people gathered in one place, particularly as the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise in Oklahoma and several other states.Although the campaign will be providing masks for rally attendees, it will not be mandatory to wear them. Several people waiting outside the Bank of Oklahoma Center ahead of the rally told CBS News they would not be wearing masks at the event. The online registration page for the rally included a legal disclaimer for attendees to acknowledge “that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present.”
June 22, 2020: Two members of a campaign advance team who attended President Donald Trump’s rally in Oklahoma on Saturday have tested positive for the coronavirus, the campaign said.
The new test results bring the tally of advance team members for the Tulsa event who have tested positive for Covid-19 up to eight
The six earlier positive tests of advance members occurred just before the event, and those people did not attend the rally as a result.
At least two of the earlier positive tests were of Secret Service agents. CNBC
June 23, 2020: NBC News reported the following:
The Dream City Church in Phoenix, where President Donald Trump is scheduled to attend a rally Tuesday, made a surprising claim Sunday: Its building has an air filtration system that can neutralize the coronavirus. Many experts found this startling, because there is little evidence such systems can stop the spread of the virus.The claim came in a video in which the senior pastor, Luke Barnett, and Chief Operations Officer Brendon Zastrow discussed the presidential visit and the air purification system from a local company, IONaer, which echoes the claim of its system’s effect on the virus on its website. IONaer does business as CleanAir EXP.“It was a technology developed by some members of our church,” Zastrow said. “And we’ve installed these units. And it kills 99 percent of COVID within 10 minutes.”It’s the kind of claim that has little basis in reality, experts say. Both the ionization technology on which the system is based, as well as the way it works, are of limited effectiveness.“When it comes to COVID-19 transmission, person-to-person transmission between those within 6 feet of each other is driving the majority of transmission,” Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security, said. “Any ‘air cleaning’ type of device would not be able to have an impact on this close range transmission and the video could give attendees a false sense of security.”The videos with the claim about the air purification system have since been removed from the church’s social media accounts……Tim Bender, the CEO and co-founder of IONaer, which makes the air purification systems, stressed that they had only been tested on “surrogates,” which are viruses similar to the coronavirus……Bender also clarified that the system is ineffective if people come into close contact with one another.“There is nothing we can do with someone who coughs or sneezes,” Bender said. “The words we try to use is we add an additional layer of protection from passing viruses and bacteria through the area inside buildings. It’s just an additional layer of protection. If you’re taking the particulates out, you’re taking away the magic carpet that they’re traveling on.”……Trump is scheduled to begin a trip through Arizona on Tuesday, putting him in the middle of a state that is dealing with one of the worst outbreaks of the coronavirus. He will visit the church Tuesday afternoon, with organizers expecting about 3,000 attendees, according to The Arizona Republic.Experts and even scientists in Trump’s own administration have warned against such events….
June 23, 2020: Several reporters who attended the Trump rally at the Dream City Church in Phoenix posted tweets about it. Here are a few:
White House reporter for AP, political analyist for MSNBC and NBC News, Jonathan Lemire, tweeted: “The scene of President Trump’s appearance at a Phoenix mega-church. No social distancing. And the only masks I am seeing are being worn by the White House travel pool.” The tweet included a photo that shows that the church was packed with people, all sitting very close to each other.Former Newspaperman Sam Pye tweeted: “VIDEO: Crowds await the arrival of President Trump in #Phoenix. #TrumpRally #Trump2020 #PhoenixRally #PhoenixTrumpRally #Trump[American flag emoji”. The video shows a packed church, with people standing or sitting very close together. There were one or two people who were wearing masks.White House Correspondent for Bloomberg News, Jordan Fabian tweeted: “Inside Phoenix mega church for President Trump’s Turning Point speech, full house, no distancing and very few masks being worn.” The tweet included a photo that shows that the church was packed with people who were not social distancing. CBSNews White House Correspondent Ben Tracy tweeted: “At a Trump event in Phoenix where there is no social distancing and hardly anyone is wearing a mask. Arizona has one of the worst #covid issue in the country right now.” The tweet included a photo from above the crowd that was seated nearest the stage. Two people are wearing masks.
Students For Trump tweeted: “ABSOLUTELY PACKED HOUSE for @matggaetz and @RichardGrennel’s speech today leading up to @DonaldJTrumpJr, @kimguifoyle, and President @realDonaldTrump”. The tweet included a short video of some of the crowd. Many are wearing red hats. No one in the video is wearing a mask.
June 23, 2020: U.S. House Candidate Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) tweeted a thread that started with: “Last night, I learned my campaign team was potentially exposed to Coronavirus last week. Out of an abundance of caution and concern for my children and my team, I was tested for COVID-19. Today, my physician administered the Abbott Sars-Cov-2 RNA ID now nasal swab rapid test.”
The second tweet said: “I tested positive for COVID-19 a few minutes later. I was feeling a little fatigued with a body ache this weekend but that is kind of normal on the campaign trail. I have a slightly stuffy nose and mild body ache, but I do not have a fever or cough.”
The third tweet said: “I am concerned for my two children, the rest of my team, and volunteers, all of whom are like family. In consultation with my physician, I have personally contacted every individual, to the best of my knowledge, who has been in close proximity to me over the last week.”
The fourth tweet said: “I have asked for and paid for my staff and volunteers to get tested immediately. All of my campaign staff and volunteers have been instructed to self-quarantine and work remotely. My children and I will be in quarantine for the next two weeks or until I test negative for COVID.”
The thread continues from there.
June 25, 2020: Oklahoma Watch reporter Paul Monies tweeted: “This won’t be painful, but it will be uncomfortable. We have this big Q-Tip that we’ll put up your nose for 10 seconds. I’ll count out loud.” Got my post #TulsaTrumpRally #COVID19 test. Called Monday for appointment & got one this morning. Results in 2-3 business days.” The tweet includes a short video from his car. He was wearing a mask.
June 25, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “Dozens of Secret Service agents will be quarantined after Trump’s Tulsa rally”. It was written by Jim Acosta and Paul LeBlanc. From the article:
Dozens of Secret Service agents will be quarantined as a precaution following President Donald Trump’s rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a law enforcement official told CNN on Wednesday.The mass quarantine has led to the decision that Secret Service agents involved with presidential trips must be tested for coronavirus for the next couple of weeks, according to an email set to agency personnel. The email sent out Wednesday was confirmed by the law enforcement official. Agents must now be tested 24 to 48 hours before a presidential trip, the email said. The new testing mandate will be in place until July 4……Asked about the decision to test all agents on presidential trips for coronavirus, the Secret Service official said protecting agency personnel is critical during the COVID-19 pandemic……A US Secret Service source who worked advance for Saturday’s rally and is now quarantining told CNN that agents from Dallas and Houston worked the event as well, and they had been warned before the trip from those field offices that they would need quarantine when they got home.The steps come after two Secret Service agents who attended the rally tested positive for coronavirus, a person familiar with the matter previously told CNN……Still, news of the quarantined Secret Service staff will heighten scrutiny of the Tulsa rally, which has already been intensely watched after the Trump campaign announced that some advance team staffers who worked on the event had tested positive for the virus.Attendees were not required to wear masks or practice social distancing, despite the administration’s top health officials stressing the importance of both measures in preventing the spread of coronavirus.Several administration officials at the rally did not wear masks, though campaign manager Brad Parscale was seen in one.Those attending the rally had to agree not to sue the campaign if they contracted coronavirus, acknowledging the “inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present.”…
June 26, 2020: Oklahoma Watch reporter Paul Moines tweeted: “Friends, I tested positive for #COVID19. I’m pretty surprised. I have zero symptoms (so far) and I feel fine. In fact, I ran 5 miles this morning. I spent the last few hours calling people I know I’ve been in contact with in the last 14 days. Be safe out there.”
June 26, 2020: President Donald Trump’s campaign manager, Brad Parscale, is “working from home” after Secret Service agents who attended last week’s campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, tested positive for the coronavirus.
Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh, in a conference call with reporters, confirmed to The Daily Beast that Parscale was among the officials working remotely, and would return to work only after being tested for COVID-19… Business Insider
June 26, 2020: Billboard reported the following:
Hours before President Donald Trump took the stage last Saturday at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for his first rally in the COVID-19 era, arena workers were busy labeling thousands of seats with “Do Not Sit Here Please!” stickers to promote social distancing, part of a new safety protocol at the arena known as VenueShield.Campaign staff quickly radioed over to an executive at ASM Global and asked the arena to stop labeling the seats. In fact, “they also told us that they didn’t want any signs posted saying we should social distance in the venue,” says Doug Thornton, executive vp for ASM Global, who oversees nearly 100 arenas across five continents for the venue management company created by the 2019 merger of AEG and SMG……A video created by a third party and reviewed by Billboard shows Trump staffers methodically walking the aisles of the BOK Center and peeling the three-inch square stickers from thousands of campaign chairs ahead of the “Make America Great Again” rally. (Trump’s campaign did not respond to Billboard’s request for comment)…
June 26, 2020: MSN posted an article from Green Bay Press Gazette titled: “Trump, in stop at Green Bay Austin Staubel airport, tells Hannity that Biden ‘can’t speak,’ blames Evers for Madison unrest”. It was written by Kent Tempus, Sammy Gibbons and Haley BeMiller. From the article:
President Donald Trump visited northeastern Wisconsin Thursday for the first of what are expected to be multiple campaign visits to the state by the president and his opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden.Trump arrived at Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport on Air Force One just before 1 p.m. and immediately got into a black SUV that took him to the nearby Jet Air Group facility for a town hall with Fox News host Sean Hannity and about 50 supporters.During the interview with Hannity, which aired at 8 p.m., Trump discussed protests held in the wake of George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police and accused some of wanting “to destabilize our country”. He blamed unrest in Madison and the assault of a state senator this week on Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, contending it wouldn’t have happened under former Republican Gov. Scott Walker……The president also directed much of his attention to Biden.“I don’t want to be nice or un-nice, but the man can’t speak, and he’s going to be a president because some people don’t love me maybe,” he said.Afterward. Trump left the airport just before 3 p.m. on the Marine One helicopter to fly to Fincantieri Marinette Marine in Marinette, where he toured the shipbuilding yard and spoke about a $5.5 billion contract recently awarded to the company….…Attendance at the town hall was limited to 50 people due to coronavirus concerns. All audience members had their temperatures checked are were required to wear a face covering – either their own or one provided by Fox News. No media other than Fox News were allowed inside during the taping…
June 27, 2020: The Guardian posted an article titled: “Mike Pence postpones Florida campaign tour as push to reopen US stalls”. It was written by Edward Helmore. From the article:
As reopening plans went into a dramatic reverse or stalled across the US in the face of a resurgent virus, Mike Pence called off a planned campaign bus tour in Florida amid a surge in confirmed Covid-19 cases.The vice-president had been set to appear in Lake Wales at an event next week organized by pro-Trump group America First Policies. The event was billed as part of the “Great American Comeback tour.”The group announced: “Out of an abundance of caution at this time, we are postponing the Great American Comeback tour stop in Florida. We look forward to rescheduling soon.” Pence was still traveling to the state, the White House confirmed, saying he would meet with Governor Ron DeSantis and his healthcare teams…
June 27, 2020: USA Today posted an article titled: “Pence cancels campaign events in Florida and Arizona as coronavirus cases spike”. It was written by Nicholas Wu. From the article:
Vice President Mike Pence has canceled campaign events in Florida and Arizona as coronavirus cases spike in those states.A spokesperson for President Donald Trump’s campaign confirmed to USA TODAY the events, which included stops as part of Pence’s “Faith in America” tour were canceled “out of an abundance of caution” as cases climb in Florida and Arizona.A representative for the vice president said Pence would still travel to Texas, Arizona, and Florida this week to meet with governors.On Tuesday, Pence was scheduled to give remarks at a Faith in America event in Tuscon and to meet with Gov. Doug Ducey about the COVID-19 response.Pence had planned to travel to Florida on July 2 for a bus tour, meeting with Gov. Ron DeSantis about the coronavirus pandemic, and to deliver remarks both at a Faith in America event in Sarasota after touring Oakley Transport Inc. in Lake Wales……Florida announced 9,585 cases Saturday, and Arizona announced 3,591 cases.
June 28, 2020: The Texas Tribune posted an article titled: “Pence visits Dallas as Texas grapples with coronavirus spike”. It was written by Patrick Svitek. From the article:
Vice President Mike Pence, during a trip to Dallas on Sunday, promised Texas would bounce back from a recent surge in cases of the new coronavirus while urging Americans to turn to their faith during a tumultuous period for the nation.“Working with your governor, we will put the health of the people of the Lone Star State first, and every single day we’ll continue to reclaim our freedom and our way of life, as each day we are one day closer to the day we put this pandemic in the past,” Pence said during an event at First Baptist Dallas….…After the event, Pence – who chairs the White House Coronavirus Task Force – Gov. Greg Abbott and his coronavirus response advisers briefed Pence on the dire situation in Texas. Speaking with reporters afterward, Abbott said the virus has taken a “very swift and very dangerous turn in Texas over just the past few weeks,” while Pence praised Abbott for his leadership – which has come under heavy fire from Democrats – and pledged the full support of the federal government.The vice president also emphasized the importance of wearing a mask to reduce further spread.The talk was a last-minute addition to Pence’s agenda. For over a week, the vice president had been scheduled to appear at First Baptist for its annual Celebrate Freedom Sunday, but he added meeting with Abbott in recent days as the state confronted its worst week yet in the pandemic.The number of daily new cases hit a record high Thursday of nearly 6,000, and the number of hospitalizations has reached new highs every day for the past 16 days……Pence doubled down on his praise for Abbott later in the day, telling reporters after the briefing at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center that the governor demonstrated “decisive action” in reopening the state……Pence’s trip coincided with a growing debate in Texas over requiring people to wear masks. Abbott has resisted calls to fine individuals who do not wear masks but has allowed local governments to order businesses to require customers to do so.Speaking to reporters after their meeting, Abbott, Pence, and Birx all urged Texans to wear masks. Birx was particularly emphatic, saying she was “appealing to every Texas to wear a mask… Every single one of them.”Pence, Birx and his two other high-profile travel companions, Texas Sen. John Cornyn and U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, all had face coverings on when they disembarked Air Force Two in Dallas on Sunday morning, as did their greeters; Abbott, Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. All appeared to remain masked while seated at the church, according to video broadcast by the church.Pence has made headlines for not wearing a face covering at other public appearances during the pandemic. President Donald Trump has also refused to wear a mask in front of cameras.First Baptist Dallas, led by pastor and ardent Trump supporter Robert Jeffress, had “strongly encouraged” attendees to wear masks and also socially distance. But the video of the ceremony showed most attendees sitting close together in pews, with only some donning masks. Most of the over 100 people in the choir and band sections on the stage were not wearing masks…
June 30, 2020: Axios posted the following information:
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham on Monday that attendees at a July 3 event at Mount Rushmore where President Trump is set to speak will not be required to practice social distancing. What she is saying: “We will have a large event on July 3. We told those folks that have concerns that they can stay home, but those who want to come and join us, we’ll be giving out free face masks, if they choose to wear one. But we won’t be social distancing.”…
June 30, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “Trump campaign scraps rally ahead of Session-Tuberville primary amid pandemic”. It was written by Kaitlan Collins and Kevin Liptak. From the article:
President Donald Trump’s campaign has scrapped plans to hold a rally in Alabama next weekend amid concerns about coronavirus infections rising in the US, CNN has learned.Trump was slated to travel to the state ahead of the Senate race between his former attorney general Jeff Sessions and the former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville, but plans were called off as state officials voiced concerns about a mass gathering and campaign officials ultimately decided against it. A person close to the campaign said there are currently no rallies on the horizon, but aids are scoping out possible venues for when they decided to host them again……On Tuesday, Alabama Republican Gov. Kay Ivey announced an amended order, which will extend the current rules until the end of July. The order encourages minimizing travel outside the home and wearing face coverings when doing so. The order also states that “all non-work related gatherings of any size, including drive-in gatherings, that cannot maintain a consistent six-foot distance between persons from different households are prohibited.”…
July 1, 2020: BuzzFeed News reported the following:
At least five members of the choir and orchestra at the Dallas megachurch visited by Vice President Mike Pence this weekend tested positive for the coronavirus in June, according to Facebook posts and internal church emails reviewed by BuzzFeed News. An additional orchestra member had symptoms several days after being exposed and was awaiting a test result in mid-June, according to a call for prayers sent to the church’s musicians.None of those six people were at the First Baptist church in Dallas during Pence’s hour-and-a-half-hour visit on Sunday, but it is unclear how many of the musicians who performed for Pence may have been exposed during previous practices and performances with those who were infected……The choir and orchestra performed for Pence without masks, according to a video of the event reviewed by BuzzFeed News.One of the church’s music directors – who himself has been quarantined after testing positive for the virus – wrote an email informing the church’s musicians that choir members would not wear masks while singing……The event came just one day before the Texas Department of State Health Services reported more than 5,900 COVID-19 hospitalizations, an all-time high for the state, and as Dallas reported a record high day for cases. Gov. Greg Abbott, who aggressively pushed to reopen the state in May but rolled back his plan last week after cases surged, sat alongside Pence in the church’s pews…
The BuzzFeed News article includes a photo of Vice President Pence standing behind a podium at the First Baptist Church. In the photo, Pence is taking off his mask right before speaking.
July 2, 2020: Multiple Secret Service agents tasked with planning Vice President Pence’s trip to Arizona this week were reportedly removed from the trip after showing signs of coronavirus infection.
As many as 10 Secret Service and other law enforcement agents working on the trip were replaced after showing symptoms of the virus and at least one tested positive for the disease. The Hill (who got this information from The Washington Post).
July 2, 2020: Someone posted a tweet on Herman Cain’s Twitter account on his behalf. The tweet said: “We are sorry to announce that Herman Cain has tested positive for COVID-19, and is currently receiving treatment in an Atlanta-area hospital. Please keep him and all who are battling this virus, in your prayers.”
The tweet included a full statement. Part of the statement said:
“On Monday, June 29, Herman Cain was informed that he had tested positive for COVID-19. By Wednesday, July 1, Mr. Cain had developed symptoms serious enough that he required hospitalization. He spent the past night in the hospital and as of today, Thursday July 2, he is resting comfortably in an Atlanta-area hospital. Mr. Cain did not require a respirator, and he is awake and alert….”
July 3, 2020: Kimberly Guilfoyle, the girlfriend of President Trump’s oldest son, has contracted the coronavirus.
Sergio Gor, chief of staff to the Trump campaign’s finance committee, says Guilfoyle was immediately isolated after the positive result to limit exposure. He says she will be retested to confirm the diagnosis because she isn’t showing any signs of COVID-19, the disease the virus causes. Gor says Guilfoyle is doing well and canceling her public events.
Gor says Donald Trump Jr. tested negative but is self-isolating as a precaution. He is also canceling his public events.
The couple was in South Dakota to hold fundraisers for Trump’s reelection. Trump is giving a pre-Fourth of July speech at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. Associated Press
July 3, 2020: HuffPost posted an article titled: “Pence’s Arizona Trip was Delayed After Secret Service Agents Contracted Virus: Reports”. It was writen by Sara Boboltz. From the article:
Vice President Mike Pence delayed his trip to Arizona this week due to several Secret Service agents contracting COVID-19 or displaying symptoms of the disease, according to multiple reports.Pence was originally scheduled to visit the state on Tuesday, but went on Wednesday instead so that other, healthier, Secret Service agents could accompany him.An unnamed official with knowledge of the matter told The Washington Post that the agency urged the vice president to delay his trip on Monday night. Eight to 10 people from sister agencies who were also helping to prepare for the trip displayed signs of the illness, as well, according to the Post……Arizona is among several states that have seen an alarming surge in COVID-19 infections over the past month. Currently, Arizona has had more than 87,000 reported cases with only around 10,000 recoveries – a figure that indicates the number still battling the virus. More than 1,700 people have died of the coronavirus in the state……Meanwhile, the U.S. passed another grim milestone on Thursday, soaring past 55,000 new coronavirus cases reported in a single day.
July 4, 2020: AZ Central posted an article titled: “Reports: Secret Service agents at Pence, Trump events in Phoenix test positive for virus”. It was written by Kathy Tulumello. From the article:
Secret Service agents who were preparing for Vice President Mike Pence’s visit to Phoenix earlier this week fell ill with COVID-19, as did agents working at the president’s rally eight days before, according to media reports.CNN reported Friday that several agents working on the Pence visit got sick, as did several agents who became infected while getting ready for President Donald Trump’s June 23 event in Phoenix.The crowd for Trump was mostly unmasked.The Washington Post reported Thursday that Pence’s visit to Arizona, originally scheduled for Tuesday, was postponed a day so that healthy agents could be available for his visit. The trip, which originally had called for public events, became a quick drop-in to support state officials battling a surge in COVID-19 cases.Both news agencies cited unnamed sources. Secret Service agents are sworn to protect the president, vice president and other high-profile officials. Agents also were on the ground in South Dakota preparing for Trump’s speech Friday at Mount Rushmore……Trump’s June 23 visit to the state, his third in five months, underscored the state’s status as a battleground state in the presidential election. In Phoenix, he spent fewer than 10 minutes of his 1½ hour speech discussing the new coronavirus, and the crowd of about 3,000 supporters appeared similarly disinterested in dwelling on the pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends wearing face masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Both Maricopa County and Phoenix have enacted ordinances requiring masks in public places.Most of the attendees who packed into Dream City Church in north Phoenix did not wear face coverings. Nor did any of the event speakers, including the president. During his speech, the president repeatedly assured his crowd that the U.S. was at “the end of the pandemic.” ……Kimberly Guilfoyle, a Trump campaign official and the girlfriend of Donald Trump Jr., tested positive for the coronavirus ahead of the president’s event at Mount Rushmore.Guilfoyle attended the Trump event in Phoenix, which was 10 days before her positive test. The incubation period for COVID-19 can be up to 14 days.Before coming to Arizona, Trump spoke at a June 20 rally in Tulsa, where Secret Service agents also reportedly tested positive for the virus.
July 4, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “National Park Service staff working Mount Rushmore event weren’t required to get tested, agency says.” It was written by Ali Main, Betsy Klein and Veronica Stracqualursi. From the article:
The National Park Service says it did not require employees who worked the Independence Day celebration at Mount Rushmore on Friday to get tested for coronavirus, despite the record-high new cases in the US and President Donald Trump’s attendance at the event.“None of the Incident Management Team members for the event have reported exhibiting any symptoms or feeling unwell,” agency spokesperson Dana Soehn said in a statement Saturday. CNN reported that some Park Service staff were wearing masks and others were not at the Friday event in South Dakota. There was no social distancing at the event as attendees were clustered together in stadium seating. Soehn said face masks were available to all Park Service employees who worked the event and use was recommended at all times when social distancing could not be maintained.Soehn added that the agency is following US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance for health monitoring of the work force and that Department of Interior “employees are encouraged to conduct daily self-monitoring for symptoms of COVID-19 using the CDC symptom webpage or the CDC Self-Checker, and to not report to the workplace if they exhibit any symptoms or feeling unwell.”,,,…The CDC says that outdoor spaces are less risky than indoor areas for Covid-19 spread, but still encourages standing 6 feet apart from others and to avoid crowded parks…
July 4, 2020: Bozeman Daily Chronicle posted an article titled: “Multiple Republican candidates self-quarantining after possible COVID-19 exposure”. It was written by Melissa Loveridge. From the article:
A Donald Trump campaign fundraising event last week in Gallatin County potentially exposed multiple Montana Republicans to COVID-19, including the wife and running mate of gubernatorial candidate and congressman Greg Gianforte.Gianforte himself did not attend the event, but his wife Susan Gianforte and lieutenant governor candidate Kristen Juras did. Republican congressional candidate and state auditor Matt Rosendale and state auditor candidate Troy Downing were also there.On July 1, Juras posted a photo on her campaign Facebook page posing less than 6 feet away and without masks with Susan, Donald Trump Jr. and his girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle. In the photo’s caption, Juras wrote that the photo was taken the night before, on June 30.Guilfoyle tested positive for the coronavirus on July 3, as reported by the New York Times. The Times reported she was not experiencing symptoms.A Gianforte campaign spokesperson confirmed that Juras and Susan attended the event, but that Gianforte was in Washington, D.C., because Congress was in session.“Since learning of their potential exposure, Greg, Susan, and Kristen have adhered to recommended guidelines. Out of an abundance of caution and for the health and safety of others, they will self-quarantine, be tested for COVID-19, and suspend in-person campaign events pending test results,” the spokesperson said.Downing’s campaign manager Sam Loveridge confirmed Downing attended the event. Loveridge said in an email that neither Downing nor his staff were ever in “close proximity” with Guilfoyle“Out of an abundance of caution, Troy Downing will be tested as soon as possible and will avoid personal contact and all public functions until a negative test result can be confirmed,” Loveridge said in an email…Rosendale’s campaign manager Shelby DeMars confirmed he had attended the event. DeMars said Rosendale and his wife both quarantined immediately after learning that Guilfoyle tested positive and are waiting for test results.Elsie Arntzen, Montana’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, tweeted that she had also been exposed to the illness and is quarantining and awaiting test results.
July 4, 2020: Congressional candidate and Montana State Auditor Matt Rosendale tweeted: “STATEMENT FROM THE ROSENDALE CAMPAIGN: “On Tuesday Matt and Jean Rosendale attended an event where they were in contact with Kimberly Guilfoyle, who has tested positive for COVID-19. Immediately upon learning of their potential exposure both Matt and Jean self isolated and…
The next tweet in the short thread said: “…are awaiting their results. While neither Matt nor Jean are experiencing any symptoms, out of an abundance of caution, they are self-quarantining for 14 days and will be suspending in-person campaign events during that period.” #mtpol #mtal”
July 5, 2020: Houston Chronicle posted the following information:
If President Donald Trump decides to hold a campaign rally in Arkansas, the state will insist that all participants are socially distanced and wear masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Sunday.Hutchinson’s comments on NBC’s “Meet the Press” follow Trump rallies in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and at an Arizona megachurch, as well as an Independence Day celebration at Mount Rushmore, where most of the thousands of participants flouted public safety guidelines on maintaining a safe distance and wearing masks.“You can’t stop every activity, but you have to be in a controlled environment in which you do protect yourself and others and take it seriously,” the governor said, adding that a lot of public celebrations for the July Fourth holiday were cancelled in his state “to minimize that exposure.”“Obviously, I would like to have seen more face coverings there in order to set an example,” he said of Friday’s event in South Dakota.And if the president wanted to host a rally in Arkansas?“There would have to be social distancing and wearing of masks if you can’t social distance,” Hutchinson said. “You have to follow our guidelines and that’s what we would insist upon.”…
July 6, 2020: President Donald Trump is set to hold an outdoor rally Saturday in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, according to the president’s campaign.
The campaign rally at Portsmouth International Airport will come three weeks after an indoor rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the president’s first of the COVID-19 era, drew a smaller than expected crowd amid concerns of rising infections in the region.
The Trump campaign’s announcement of the Portsmouth rally noted that “There will be ample hand sanitizer and all attendees will be provided a face mask that they are strongly encouraged to wear.” Many people at Trump’s rally in Tulsa skipped wearing masks, and relatively few masks were seen during his speech at South Dakota’s Mount Rushmore last Friday. Associated Press
July 6, 2020: The Hill posted the following information:
Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn (R) announced Sunday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus.Gunn said in a video posted on his Facebook page that he sought a test after coming into contact with another lawmaker who had also been diagnosed with the virus……The lawmaker, who did not identify the other House member who tested positive for the virus, said he had reached out to anyone he was in close contact with to tell them he had tested positive. He also called on anyone experiencing symptoms to also self-quarantine and notify anyone they’ve been in contact with if they test positive……Mississippi lawmakers met for much of June, sometimes wearing masks and sometimes not, and frequently sat together in close proximity in committee rooms while discussing the ultimately successful proposal to remove the Confederate battle flag from the state flag, The Associated Press reported…
July 6, 2020: New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu posted a press release titled: “Governor Chris Sununu Statement on President Trump Rally”. From the press release:
Today, Governor Chris Sununu issued the following statement regarding the President’s upcoming rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.“As Governor I will always welcome the President of the United States to New Hampshire,” said Governor Chris Sununu. “I am pleased to see the campaign will be handing out face masks and hand sanitizer to all attendees, as has been true at all public gatherings in NH where social distancing is hard to maintain. It is imperative that folks attending the rally wear masks.”From the outset of this pandemic, the State has not stopped or prevented individuals from peacefully assembling, including marches led by Black Lives Matter and protests from Reopen NH.The Governor’s schedule is still being finalized. In the past, the Governor has greeted the President upon arrival at the airport. If the Governor greets the President at the airport, he will be wearing a mask.
July 6, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “South Dakota governor flew with Trump on Air Force One after being exposed to coronavirus: report”. It was written by Aris Folley. From the article:
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) flew with President Trump on Air Force One on Friday after having close interactions with Kimberly Guilfoyle, a senior advisor for the president’s campaign and the girlfriend of Donald Trump Jr., who has tested positive for COVID-19, The Associated Press reported on Monday.According to the news agency, the governor interacted with Guilfoyle, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, during a campaign fundraiser in South Dakota on Thursday. The two had also reportedly been seen hugging at one point during Guilfoyle’s visit to the state last week. Noem’s office told to The Hill on Monday that the governor tested negative for COVID-19 on Friday after interacting with Guilfoyle at the fundraiser on Thursday……While on the plane to Washington, D.C., with Trump on Friday, Noem did not wear a mask, a spokeswoman for her office, Maggie Seidel, told the AP. Seidel was also reportedly asked about potential risks to the president from Noem’s presence on the plane on Friday.
July 6, 2020: Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who is reportedly in the running to become the running mate to presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, said Monday she has tested positive for the coronavirus…
…She later said on CNN that one of her children has also tested positive. In the interview, Bottom said she had recently experienced symptoms similar to seasonal allergies, including a headache and a mild dry cough, and did not initially recognize them as signs of Covid-19″.
“I don’t have any idea how we were exposed,” she said. “I’m stunned.”… CNBC
July 6, 2020: Rep. Ben McAdams (D-Utah) tweeted: “I had to get a Covid test in advance of a medical checkup. I thought I’d share what it’s like. It’s been three months since I was in the hospital with Covid-19. As expected, the test was negative. If you have symptoms, please get tested. The test isn’t as bad as it looks #utpol”. The tweet included a video of Rep. Ben McAdams getting tested for coronavirus.
July 7, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro tests positive for Covid-19 after months of dismissing the seriousness of the virus”. It was written by Marcia Reverdosa, Rodrigo Pedroso, and Tara John. From the article:
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has tested positive for Covid-19, following months of downplaying the virus. Bolsonaro himself announced the result, speaking on Brazilian TV channels Tuesday. “Everyone knew that it would reach a considerable part of the population sooner or later. It was positive for me,” he said, referring to the Covid-19 test he took Monday.”“On Sunday, I wasn’t feeling very well. On Monday, it got worse when I started feeling tired and some muscle pain. I also had a 38-degree fever. Given those symptoms, the presidential doctor said there was suspicion of Covid-19,” Bolsonaro said, adding that he then went to hospital to receive a lung scan.He said that his wife, First Lady Michelle Bolsonaro was also tested.In an interview with CNN Brasil following his diagnosis, Bolsonaro said he would steer clear of in-person meetings in the near future. “I’m not going to see anyone for meetings. Everything will be done via video conference and I will rarely meet people if I need to deal with more reserved matter,” he said……More than 65,000 people have now died of the virus in Brazil, according to figures released by the country’s health ministry on Monday. So far, 1,623,284 cases have been confirmed. With coronavirus tests hard to come by in the country, some local experts say the real number of people infected could be 12 to 16 times higher…
July 8, 2020: ABC News posted an article titled: “Trump rally likely contributed to surge in COVID-19 cases, Tulsa health official says”. It was written by Will Steakin and Olivia Rubin. From the article:
President Donald Trump’s campaign rally in late June, as well as the accompanying counterprotests, likely contributed to the area’s recent spike in coronavirus cases, Tulsa City-County Health Department Director Dr. Bruce Dart said Wednesday.“In the past few days, we’ve seen almost 500 new cases, and we had several large events just over two weeks ago, so I guess we just connect the dots,” Dart said at a press conference.Dart, who said prior to the rally he’d recommended it be postponed over health concerns, added on Wednesday that “significant events in the past few weeks” had “more than likely contributed” to Tulsa County’s surge in cases.Tulsa County reported 261 new cases on Tuesday, a new record high. The state also broke records this week with 858 new cases on Tuesday and 673 on Wednesday……Hospitals in the area are also beginning to report strain. Hillcrest HealthCare System, a major provider in Oklahoma with two hospitals in Tulsa, is nearly at capacity.“We are running at 90-95% inpatient capacity in our Hillcrest Tulsa metro hospitals and ICUs,” Dr. Guy Sneed, the chief medical officer at Hillcrest HealthCare System, told ABC News. “Many of our COVID patients are very sick and require ICU services, including mechanical ventilator support. Some are also requiring ECMO services.”“So, the strain on our existing hospital resources remains high, as it does for the other Tulsa area acute care hospitals,” he added.In the lead-up to last month’s event, health experts raised concerns that the president’s rally could end up being a dangerous event in terms of possible infections. “I’m really very concerned about this event being a superspreader-type event where there will be potentially many people coming out of this who were exposed and could become sick from COVID-19,” Dr. Lena Wen, an emergency physician and public health professor at George Washington University told ABC News…
July 8, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Kimberly Guilfoyle reports being asymptomatic and ‘feeling really pretty good’ after COVID-19 diagnosis”. It was written by Marina Pitofsky. From the article:
Kimberly Guilfoyle, a top fundraiser for President Trump’s reelection campaign and the girlfriend of Donald Trump Jr., revealed Wednesday event that she is feeling “really pretty good” after she tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month. Guilfoyle told the Trump campaign’s online show “The Right View” that “I’m doing my best and following my doctor’s orders.”…
July 10, 2020: Bloomberg posted an article titled: “Snack Food Executive to Host Trump Fundraiser With Virus Spreading”. It was written by Justin Sink, Jennifer Jacobs, and Mario Parker.
President Donald Trump is heading to coronavirus-stricken Florida for a high-dollar campaign fundraiser hosted in Hillsboro Beach by Troy Link, chief executive of Link Snacks, Inc.The event is expected to bring in about $10 million for the president’s re-election, according to a person familiar with the event. A spokeswoman for the snack food company, known for offbeat ads pitching its beef-jerky, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.The fundraiser — with tickets setting supporters back $580,600 per couple, according to the Washington Post, — comes after Trump was outraised by Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden for two consecutive months. The former vice president banked $141 million in June, according to his campaign, besting Trump’s $131 million haul.But the President’s visit to Florida also coincides with a surge in coronavirus cases in the state, where Republicans will gather for their party convention next month. On Thursday, Florida’s Department of Health announced 8,935 new cases, bringing the state’s total to over 230,000. In Miami-Dade, County some 92% of intensive care hospitals are full……Trump’s visit will also include a stop at U.S. Southern Command in Doral, where he’ll be briefed on recent efforts to intensify drug interdiction in the Caribbean Sea and east Pacific Coast…
July 14, 2020: The NSC Twitter account posted a tweet: “Very productive meeting with my #French, #German, #Italian, and #UK counterparts. We discussed the major threats and challenges facing the United States and #Europe, as well as new ways to work together in the post-#COVID19 world”.
The tweet included a photo of five men in suits standing close together for the photo. None of them are wearing masks.
July 14, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “House GOP lawmaker tests positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Cristina Marcos. From the article:
Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.) revealed on Tuesday that he has tested positive for COVID-19, making him the ninth member of Congress with a confirmed or presumed case.Griffith’s office said in a statement that he took a coronavirus test over the weekend after “developing possible symptoms” and has since been self-isolating. “Although he does not currently have significant symptoms, he will continue to self-isolate as he performs his duties on behalf of Virginia’s Ninth Congressional District,” the statement said.Griffith’s diagnosis comes five days after he participated in a press conference on Capitol Hill with members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus to push for reopening schools in the fall amid the coronavirus pandemic despite safety concerns from educators and some parents.Griffith wore a mask for parts of the press conference, which was held outdoors, but took it off to speak before the cameras…
July 14, 2020: Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.) posted a press release on his official website titled: “Griffith Tests Positive for Coronavirus”. From the press release:
Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) today was informed that he tested positive for COVID-19. Upon developing possible symptoms, he took the test and has since been self-isolating. Although he does not currently have significant symptoms, he will continue to self-isolate as he performs his duties on behalf of Virginia’s Ninth Congressional District.
July 15, 2020: ABC News posted an article titled: “Brazil’s Bolsonaro gets new positive coronavirus test result”. It was written by Mauricio Savarese. From the article:
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said Wednesday he has tested positive for the new coronavirus for a second time, following his July 7 announcement that he had COVID-19.“I did the test yesterday, and at night the result came back that I am still positive for coronavirus,” Bolsonaro said. “I hope that in the coming days I will do another test and, God willing, everything will be all right to return soon to activity.”The far-right leader said he hasn’t experienced serious symptoms of the disease as he isolates at the presidential residence in capital of Brasilia.According to the World Health Organization, the median time from onset to clinical recovery for mild cases is approximately two weeks.Before his diagnosis, Bolsonaro had spent many of his weekends since the beginning of the pandemic mingling in crowds, sometimes without wearing a mask. He is treating his COVID-19 with the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, although it has not been proven effective against the virus.Brazil, the world’s sixth most-populous nation and home to 210 million people, is one of the outbreak’s epicenters. More than 75,000 Brazilians have died from COVID-19, and almost 2 million have been infected, according to government statistics. Both numbers are the world’s second-highest totals, behind those of the U.S…
July 16, 2020: Tulsa World posted an article titled: “Watch Now: Kevin Stitt ‘pretty shocked’ to be first governor to test positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Barbara Hoberock. From the article:
Gov. Kevin Stitt said Wednesday that he has tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the first nation’s governor to contract the virus but remaining steadfast against a mask mandate.The news comes the same day the state recorded 1,075 new cases, a record for a single day. Wednesday marked the first day that Oklahoma’s daily new case count exceeded 1,000. There have been 22,813 confirmed cases of the disease since early March……Stitt said he got his positive test result around 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday.Stitt earlier that day had chaired a meeting of the Commissioners of the Land Office.Three of the five members and Rep. Mark McBride, R-Moore, met in executive session to discuss a new leader for the agency.The governor was asked Wednesday about the meeting, where Stitt did not wear a mask. McBride on Wednesday said he has canceled his upcoming events and plans to get tested.The other two members were Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell and Agriculture Secretary Blayne Arthur.In a Facebook post, Pinnell said he would be retested for COVID-19 and would continue quarantining and working from home until he has results. He reported having no symptoms currently.“No one in Oklahoma can say they don’t know anyone who has had it,” Pinnell said in his post. “We all know someone now and it should absolutely be taken seriously.”Arthur was notified Tuesday during the contact tracing process and is quarantining and working remotely, according to the Governor’s Office.Stitt’s office was asked for his schedule for the last two weeks. Baylee Lakey, a spokeswoman, said the request would have to be processed under the Oklahoma Open Records Act. Stitt’s office has been slow to respond to requests under the act……Stitt said he was “not thinking about a mask mandate at all.”“I am just hesitant to mandate something that is problematic to enforce,” the governor said.He said his wife and six children have tested negative for the virus.Stitt said he will be quarantining at home and conducting more meetings by videoconference.He said he does not second-guess his personal choices not to wear a mask despite testing positive.Stitt on June 20 attended a campaign rally in Tulsa at the BOK Center for President Donald Trump.The event attracted at least 6,200 people to the facility, which has 19,000 seats.The majority of people in attendance were not wearing masks. The state’s Republican Congressional delegation, some of whom wore masks, attended……Stitt also attended the funeral service last week for Tulsa police Sgt. Craig Johnson, who died after being shot during a traffic stop on June 30.Stitt was asked Wednesday whether his exposure likely came from the Trump rally, where he did not wear a mask. Stitt and Health Commissioner Lance Frye said the event was too long ago, adding that the exposure could have been at any point in the past two weeks…
June 18, 2020: Media Matters posted an article titled: “Vice President Mike Pence lied about Oklahoma’s coronavirus cases to defend Trump’s rally. Local TV newscasts mostly ignored it.” It was written by Zachary Pleat. From the article:
News programs broadcast in Oklahoma from dozens of television stations failed to cover a lie Vice President Mike Pence told about the state’s rising rate of coronavirus infections to defend a decision by President Donald Trump’s campaign to hold a rally in Tulsa on Saturday.On June 15, Pence said at a televised White House roundtable that Oklahoma has “flattened the curve. And today their hospital capacity is abundant, the number of cases in Oklahoma has declined precipitously and we feel very confident going forward with the rally this coming weekend.” The Daily Beast, citing a tweet from CNN reporter Daniel Dale which showed a recent surge in new coronavirus cases reported in the state, quickly explained that Pence “blatantly lied to reporters about the trajectory of COVID-19 cases in Oklahoma, where President Trump is scheduled to hold a large campaign rally on Saturday.”
July 20, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “Two Brazilian ministers test positive for coronavirus in a day”. It was written by Rodrigo Pedroso. From the article:
Two Brazilian ministers have tested positive for the coronavirus in one day, following in the footsteps of President Jair Bolsonaro and three other high-ranking government officials.Brazil’s Minister of Citizenship Onyx Lorenzoni announced that he had tested positive for Covid-19 just hours before Milton Ribiero, Minister of Education, revealed that he was also infected.In a series of tweets, Lorenzoni wrote that he was tested after he began to show symptoms last Friday. He said he had started the so-called “Covid kit” treatment, a cocktail of drugs promoted by some medical doctors who back Bolsonaro’s claim that it’s an effective treatment in the early stages of the novel coronavirus……The Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases (SBI), in a report published Friday, urged medical professionals to stop using hydroxychloroquine to treat coronavirus, because it has been proved ineffective and can cause collateral damage. A week earlier, Brazil’s National Health Surveillance Agency ANVISA, which regulates pharmaceuticals, released a statement saying there is no conclusive proof that ivermectin is effective as Covid-19 treatment.The other minister, Ribeiro tweeted on Monday: “I’ve just received a positive Covid-19 result this morning. I am already medicated, and I’ll work remotely,” but did not specify which medication he is taking. He is working from a hotel in the capital Brasília, the minister’s press officer told CNN Brasil.Brazil has now recorded more than two million cases and almost 80,000 deaths, more than any country except the United States, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University……In March, after returning from a trip to the US for meetings between Bolsonaro and US President Donald Trump, Brazil’s Mines and Energy Minister Bento Albuquerque and Institutional Security Minister General Augusto Heleno both tested positive for the coronavirus, along with Bolsonaro’s communication secretary Fabio Wajngarten, and another 15 members of the Brazilian delegation…
July 22, 2020: NBC News posted an article titled: “White House executive office cafeteria closed after positive coronavirus test”. It was written by Josh Lederman. From the article:
The White House is conducting contact tracing after a cafeteria worker tested positive for coronavirus, three Trump administration officials tell NBC News.The cafeteria and an eatery in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, or EEOB, were both closed this week after the case was discovered, officials said. It was unclear how long the facility will remain closed, although some staffers were told it could remain shuttered for two weeks……Part of the White House complex, the Eisenhower Executive Office Building sits just across West Executive Ave. from the West Wing. It houses the offices of much of the senior White House staff, including officials from the coronavirus task force, the vice president’s office, the National Security Council and several economic policy shops.Unlike the White House Mess, which is located inside the West Wing and run by the U.S. Navy, the cafeteria and an Ike’s Eatery in the neighboring EEOB are run by a government contractor. The White House referred questions about the situation to the General Services Administration, which maintains the building.“All proper protocols were in place by the vendor including masks, gloves, plastic shielding at check out, and no dine-in service,” a GSA spokesperson said. “The White House Medical Unit has done contact tracing and determined that the risk of retransmission is low.”The GSA did not say how many staffers might have been potentially exposed at the commissary or how long it will remain closed……Several White House officials and others in close proximity to the president have previously tested positive for coronavirus, leading to contact tracing efforts by the White House in the past. Although the White House recently ended regular temperature checks for all those entering the White House grounds, those coming into close proximity to the president are still given COVID-19 rapid tests at the White House.
July 23, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “DC investigator finds no Covid-related violations at Trump International Hotel”. It was written by Katelyn Polantz and Caroline Kelly. From the article:
A Washington, DC, investigator inspected President Donald Trump’s Washington hotel on Wednesday and found no violations of Covid-related regulations after images emerged of the President and others not wearing masks in the hotel’s lobby earlier in the week.The agency says it will continue to monitor the Trump International Hotel’s compliance with Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser’s regulations, which include the mandatory wearing of masks when inside businesses or the common areas of hotels……Jared Powell, spokesman for DC’s Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration, which investigates complaints about businesses not following the Covid-19 protection policy, told CNN that “during the inspection, guests and staff were observed to be wearing face masks and coverings in compliance with the Mayor’s Order.”“Reports are only generated when violations are observed in person by an investigator,” Powell added. ABRA will continue to monitor the establishment for compliance.”……The President attended “a roundtable with supporters of a joint fundraising committee,” according to the White House, at the hotel on Monday night. Footage later surfaced of Trump not wearing a mask in the hotel’s lobby.”……Per a Republican National Committee spokesperson prior to the fundraiser, it was slated to raise $5 million for Trump Victory, his joint fundraising operation with the RNC and state party committees.
July 23, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Two cafeterias used by White House staff closed after positive coronavirus test”. It was written by Justin Wise. From the article:
A pair of cafeterias regularly used by White House staff members were reportedly closed this week after an employee tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. An anonymous Trump administration official told The New York Times on Wednesday that the White House notified staffers about the closures, but said there wasn’t any reason for them to self-quarantine. The cafeterias were in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building and the New Executive Office Building, neither of which are located next to the West Wing. The worker who contracted the coronavirus is said to be a cafeteria employee, according to reports from NBC News and CNN. The White House did not immediately return a request for comment from The Hill. In addition to the closures, the White House reportedly conducted contact tracing for staffers who may have been in contact with the employee. Staff have reportedly been advised to monitor themselves for possible symptoms and remain home if they feel sick…
July 27, 2020: CNBC posted an article titled: “Trump national security advisor Robert O’Brien tests positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Kevin Breuniger. From the article:
President Donald Trump’s national security advisor, Robert O’Brien, has tested positive for coronavirus. O’Brien has “mild symptoms and has been self-isolating and working from a secure location off site,” the White House said in a statement Monday.“There is no risk of exposure to the President or the Vice President. The work of the National Security Council continues uninterrupted,” the White House said.O’Brien, 54, is among the highest-ranking members in Trump’s orbit reported to have come down with the virus……The White House has said that Trump is regularly tested, as are all officials who come into close contact with the president and vice president.O’Brien earlier this month had traveled to Europe to meet with officials from the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy. He was photographed on that trip in close proximity with his European counterparts, none of whom appeared to be wearing masks during meetings, photos from the NCS’s official Twitter account show…
July 27, 2020: The Guardian posted an article titled: “Trump’s national security adviser tests positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Joan E. Greve, Julian Borger, and Ed Pilkington. From the article:
The national security adviser, Robert O’Brien, has tested positive for the coronavirus, but the White House insisted there was “no risk” of Donald Trump being exposed.However, O’Brien recently returned from a trip to Europe where he was photographed without wearing a mask or social distancing, with several foreign officials, including his UK counterpart, Mark Sedwill; the UK ambassador to France, Edward Llewellyn; and the French national security adviser, Emmanuel Bonne…
The photographs referred to in the article from The Guardian were posted on the NSC twitter account on July 15, 2020. The tweet said: “Great to see #UK NSA @marksedwill today. We discussed important bilateral and global topics, including #HongKong, #China, #5G security, and #Iran. The U.S.-UK Special Relationship endures”.
The tweet included two photos. One was a group of eight people sitting around a table and having a meal together indoors. The other was a photo of standing close two four other people, some of whom appears to be in the photo with O’Brien that was posted by the NSC Twitter account on July 14, 2020.
July 27 2020: Tulsa World posted an article titled: “Oklahoma Gov. Kivin Stitt says he has recovered from COVID-19”. It was written by Harrison Grimwood. From the article:
Oklahoma’s chief executive reported Monday that he has returned to work about 12 days after testing positive for the new coronavirus.Gov. Kevin Stitt announced on July 15 that he tested positive for COVID-19……Stitt said he quickly quarantined and sought testing and recommended that Oklahomans react similarly should they see symptoms set in.He announced his positive test result on the same day Oklahoma first reported more than a thousand new cases of COVID-19 in any given day. And Stitt announced his return to work Monday, the highest day yet for case counts in Oklahoma at 1,401 new cases.The disease can be deadly, with 496 Oklahomans having died from it thus far, Stitt’s only symptoms, he said, were fatigue and achiness.Public health officials recommend that patients isolate for 10 days from the onset of symptoms and quarantine until they are without a fever for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicines…
July 29, 2020: Politico posted an article titled: “Louie Gohmert, who refused to wear a mask, tests positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Jake Sherman.
Rep. Louis Gohmert – a Texas Republican who has been walking around the Capitol without a mask – he tested positive for the coronavirus, according to multiple sources.Gohmert was scheduled to fly to Texas on Wednesday morning with President Donald Trump and tested positive in a pre-screen at the White House. The eight-term Republican told CNN last month that he was not wearing a mask because he was being tested regularly for the coronavirus.“f I get it,” he told CNN in June, “you’ll never see me without a mask.”……Gohmert attended Tuesday’s blockbuster House Judiciary Committee hearing with Attorney General William Barr in person, where lawmakers were seated at some distance from one another.But footage from before the hearing shows Gohmert and Barr walking together in close contact, with neither wearing a mask.Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said Barr will be tested for coronavirus on Wednesday.At one point in Tuesday’s hearing, Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) chastised several Republicans for taking off their masks, though Gohmert was not among those he scolded……Connie Hair, Gohmert’s chief of staff, declined comment. But after this article was published, Gohmert told his aides in person that he had been infected…
July 29, 2020: Representative Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) tweeted: “I want to wish @replouiegohmert a full & speedy recovery. When individuals refuse to take the necessary precautions it puts everyone at risk. I’ve regularly instructed all Members to wear their masks had hope this is a lesson by all my colleagues.” The tweet included a link to the Politico article.
July 29, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Multiple lawmakers self-quarantine after exposure to Gohmert”. From the article:
At least two lawmakers said Wednesday that they will self-quarantine after recently being around Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), who has tested positive for COVID-19.Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas) said her decision to self-quarantine came after she sat next to Gohmert on a flight from their home state over the weekend. Rep Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, also said he will self quarantine after chairing a hearing that Gohmert attended on Tuesday.Gohmert tested positive for coronavirus while he was being screened at the White House ahead of a planned trip to Texas with President Trump on Wednesday.The Texas Republican had attended multiple hearings on Capitol Hill the previous day, including the Natural Resources Committee hearing about the Park Police’s handling of protesters at Lafayette Square last month and a Judiciary hearing with Attorney General William Barr……A spokesperson for Granger said she was “seated next to Representative Gohmert on a flight from Texas Sunday evening. At the direction of the Attending Physician, and out of an abundance of caution, she is self-quarantining.”..…A spokesperson for Barr said earlier Wednesday that the attorney general will be tested for COVID-19 after being near Gohmert.And at least one member of the Capitol press corps, a reporter for Bloomberg News, also got tested on Wednesday after an encounter with Gohmert…
July 29, 2020: Reporter for Bloomberg Erik Wasson tweeted: “In line for covid testing after Gohmert encounter”. The tweet included a photo of himself outside, wearing a mask, and standing in a socially-distanced line of people who were all waiting for a coronavirus test.
July 29, 2020: Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) tweeted a thread that started with this tweet: “On Monday, I had dinner with my good friend, Rep. Gohmert. While I feel healthy, exhibit no symptoms, and have otherwise followed mask and social distancing guidelines, the attending physician has advised that I should self-quarantine for 14 days out of an abundance of caution.”
The tweet included a three-minute and fourty-four second video from Fox News of Rep. Mike Johnson speaking at the House Judiciary Committee hearing on “Big Tech Executives on Alleged Bias Against Conservatives.”
Rep. Mike Johnson is not wearing a mask in that video. The majority of the video is two other people talking about the hearing.
The second tweet said: “Recognizing the seriousness of this virus & the danger it poses to high-risk individuals I began following the attending physician’s recommendation immediately. Should the attending physician recommend at any point that I take a COVID-19 test, I will follow that guideance as well.”
The third tweet in the thread said: “In the meantime, I plan to continue my work on behalf of the people of Louisiana’s Fourth Congressional District while in isolation and, as always, I encourage constituents to reach out to my office if they need anything.”
July 29, 2020: Politico posted an article titled: “Turning Point USA co-founder dies of coronavirus-related complications”. It was written by Daniel Lippman and Tina Nguyen. From the article:
The co-founder of conservative student group Turning Point USA, Bill Montgomery, has died from complications of the coronavirus, according to two friends of his.Montgomery, who started it in 2012 with young conservative star Charlie Kirk, died at the age of 80 on Tuesday from Covid-19, according to pro-Trump conservative strategist Caleb Hull, who posted about the death on Twitter and his personal Facebook page, and Chicago-based citizen journalist Vic Maggio……Montgomery is survived by his widow, Edie, a son and a daughter.Over the course of the pandemic, Turning Point USA representative have downplayed the impact of the coronavirus on public life……In late June, Trump spoke to a packed audience of young Turning Point supporters at a megachurch in Phoenix where he was introduced by Kirk. Few people in the audience practiced social distancing or wore masks, although the organization gave masks to everyone who wanted one and provided socially distanced seating in the upper tier of the church…
June 29, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Tuberville breaks DC self-quarantine policy to campaign”. It was written by Rebecca Klar. From the article:
Alabama Republican State candidate Tommy Tuberville appears to have broken the D.C. policy requiring visitors from states with high coronavirus case counts to self-quarantine for 14 days.Tuberville defied the District’s requirement during a fundraising trip in D.C. this week, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.The Post cited a photo Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) posted to Facebook on Tuesday of the two men, neither in a mask, in the lobby of the Trump International Hotel……D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) last week announced visitors arriving to the District on nonessential business from hot spot areas will need to quarantine for 14 days. Alabama is one of more than two dozen states on the list……Tuberville, the former Auburn University football coach, beat Sessions in a runoff earlier this month. Sessions was running to reclaim his old seat.…Tuberville will face Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.) in November. Joes is considered the most vulnerable Democrat in facing reelection in 2020. The Cook Political Report rates the race as “Lean Republican”……The outlet noted that Tuberville wore a maks during his watch party early on the night of his win when he spoke to supporters but did not wear one when he gave his victory speech or when he went into the crowd and posed for photos and for hugs, handshakes and high-fives…
July 29, 2020: Vice President Mike Pence tweeted: “Thank you to Mrs. Combs’ 4th Grade Class! We are so proud and happy to see you all back in school! @Thales_Academy has taken careful steps to keep everyone healthy and we are grateful for the countless hours put in to open the academy and get kids back in the classroom!”
The tweet included four photos from the visit. In the first photo, the teacher is sitting at the front of the classroom with Mike Pence and Betsy DeVos each seated several feet away from each other. The teacher is wearing a mask. Mike Pence and Betsy DeVos are not.
The second photo shows some of the students in the classroom. three are wearing masks. The photographer focused on a child who is incorrectly wearing a mask around his neck. Behind the students are a row of photographers all of whm are wearing masks.
The third photo is very similar to the first one.
The fourth photo is centered on Mike Pence, who is not wearing a mask. He is seated in front of a whiteboard that says “Welcome Vice President Pence!”
July 30, 2020: CBS News posted an article titled: “Herman Cain, former presidential candidate, dies from coronavirus”. It was written by Grace Segers. From the article:
Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain has died from coronavirus, according to a post on his website. The businessman and right-wing media personality was 74 years old……Cain was hospitalized with COVID-19 on June 29……Although perhaps most famous for his 2011 presidential campaign, Cain had a long career as a prominent businessman. Cain received his undergraduate degree from Morehouse College and his graduate degree from Purdue University, and worked as a ballistic analyst for the U.S. Department of the Navy. He was a business executive at Burger King before he served as chairman and CEO of Godfather’s Pizza from 1986 to 1996. He also served as president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association from 1996 to 1999……Cain attended President Trump’s rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on June 20. The 2012 presidential candidate posted a photo of himself and other rally attendees, none of whom were wearing masks. Although masks were provided to attendees at the rally, wearing them was not mandatory.Trump campaign officials told CBS News that Cain sat with members of the president’s “Black Voices for Trump” advisory board, as seen in the photo he posted to Twitter, but he did not come in contact with Mr. Trump. The statement posted to Cain’s Twitter account upon his hospitalization said that “there is no way of knowing for sure how or where Mr. Cain contracted the coronavirus.” Calabrese also wrote in a column in early July that Cain had also traveled to Arizona, which is dealing with a serious outbreak, in the days after the rally…
July 30, 2020: President Trump tweeted: “My friend Herman Cain, a Powerful Voice of Freedom and all that is good, passed away this morning. Herman had an incredible career and was adored by everyone that ever met him, especially me. He was a very special man, an American Patriot, and great friend. I just got off…”
That tweet was followed by a second tweet: “….the phone with his amazing wife Gloria, daughter Melanie, and son Vincent to express my deepest condolences to the entire family. @FLOTUS Melania and I love Herman Cain, a great man. Herman, Rest In Peace!”
August 3, 2020: WKYC Studios posted an article titled: “People attending President Trump’s fundraiser at Bratenahl’s Shoreby Club will get rapid COVID-19 test: Mark Nayamik Reports”. It was written by Mark Naymik. From the article:
The Shorby Club, the private waterfront haven in Bratenahl, told its members in an email newsletter Sunday that anyone working or attending the fundraiser for President Trump on Aug. 6th will recieve a rapid COVID-19 test.They must test negative to attend the event, the email reads. The email did not specifically identify the event as the president’s fundraiser. But 3News and others reported last week that Trump is holding a fundraiser at the club on Thursday, though the exact time has not been revealed.The Shoreby Club email acknowledges members raised health safety concerns over holding such an event.Though rapid testing is not widely available, the White House has been using such tests to regularly screen those around the president, including the press. In March, Trump showed off a rapid-testing device made by Abbott Labs, which is about the size of a toaster and can produce results in about 15 minutes. It’s unclear what test will be used or what protocol is place for testing guests. The Shoreby Club, which features a large outdoor event space overlooking the water, has not returned a call for comment on the event.Thursday’s event is a joint fundraiser for Trump’s re-election campaign and the Republican National Committee. Tickets cost a minimum of $5,600. Guests who contribute $100,000 will have more exclusive access to the president and other GOP officials.RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel and RNC Co-Chairman Tommy Hicks are expected to attend the event. Among the Ohio business and civic leaders hosting the event are Debbie and Matt Crawford, Mike Gibbons, Catherine and James Kassouf, Kelly and Mel Kurtz, Lanee and Jason Lucarelli, Jenny and Tim Smucker, Pam and Bill Summers and Tim Timken, according to a copy of the invitation to the event.
August 5, 2020: ABC News posted an article titled: “Students at school touted by Pence for reopening must quarantine due to COVID-19”. It was written by Ella Torres. From the article:
Fourth graders at a school in North Carolina have been asked to quarantine for 14 days after a student there tested positive for COVID-19.The school, Thales Academy in Wake Forest, said it was notified on Monday that the student became infected after having contact with an infected family member. The student was asymptomatic and was last at school on Friday. Teachers who were exposed also will be quarantined.Thales Academy, a network of private non-sectarian community schools with eight locations in North Carolina, made the news last week after Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos visited a classroom and applauded the school for reopening.Pence and DeVos visited a campus in Apex, not Wake Forest……Thales welcomed students back July 20. It offered parents two options: fully online or fully in-person, according to ABC Durham affiliate WTVD. Students had their temperatures taken and completed a medical questionnaire after they were dropped off, according to WTVD. Staff and faculty also reminded students to wear masks.Because the school network is private, it doesn’t have to adhere to North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper’s school reopening guidelines…
August 5, 2020: WKYC Studios posted an article titled: “Gov. Mike DeWine moves coronavirus briefing to Friday due to President Trump’s planned Ohio visit”. From the article:
Governor Mike DeWine’s office announced the next coronavirus briefing has been delayed a day due to a visit by the president. President Donald J. Trump is scheduled to visit the Whirlpool plant in Clyde and hold a fundraiser in Bratenahl on Thursday. The Shoreby Club, the private waterfront haven in Bratenahl, told its members in an email newsletter Sunday that anyone working or attending the fundraiser for President Trump on Aug. 6th will receive a rapid COVID-19 test. They must test negative in order to attend the event. Thursday’s event is a joint fundraiser for Trump’s re-election campaign and the Republican National Committee. Tickets cost a minimum of $5,600. Guests who contribute $100,000 will have more exclusive access to the president and other GOP officials. RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel and RNC Co-Chairman Tommy Hicks are expected to attend the event. During his visit to the Whirlpool plant, President Trump will tour the plant and speak regarding his administration’s dedication to assist in supporting the manufacturing industry and American-made products. The governor will greet President Trump when he lands in Ohio…
August 6, 2020: Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (Republican) tweeted: “As part of the standard protocal to greet President Trump on the tarmac in Cleveland, I took a COVID test. I tested positive. I have no symptoms at this time. I’m following protocal and will quarantine at home for the next 14 days”. The tweet was posted at 9:34 AM.
August 6, 2020: Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (Republican) tweeted: “I tested negative in second test I took today for COVID-19. First Lady Fran DeWine and staff members have also all tested negative for COVID-19. Thanks to all for the well wishes.” This tweet was posted a 7:00 PM.
August 7, 2020: Cleveland.com posted an article titled: “Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine tests positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Andrew J. Tobias. From the article:
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced Thursday he has tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.DeWine was tested Thursday as part of a standard protocol as he prepared to greet President Donald Trump at the tarmac in at Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland, according to a news release issued Thursday afternoon by the governor’s office.Less than 10 hours after the initial announcement, DeWine announced he tested negative for coronavirus. The second round of testing was performed through a more sensitive test called a polymerase chain reaction, or PCR test, which detects genetic material from the new coronavirus, the governor’s office said. The earlier test delivers rapid results by testing the blood for antigens, but is a relatively unproven technology…Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, who also was in Cleveland to greet the president, tested negative, according to the governor’s office. Trump is in Ohio to visit the Whirlpool manufacturing plant in Sandusky County and has a fundraiser planned later in Bratenahl.DeWine has no symptoms, and is returning to Columbus where he will be tested again, as will Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine, the governor’s office said. He then will head to his home in Cedarville where he plans to self-quarantine for 14 days.Husted, meanwhile, continued with his plans to meet the president on the runway……DeWine becomes the second U.S. governor to test positive for COVID-19. Republican Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt tested positive on July 15. He reported to work 12 days later and has declared himself recovered, according to the Tulsa World.DeWine, a Republican, has become nationally prominent for his cautious approach to dealing with the coronavirus, including being an early advocate for the wearing of facial masks……Officials in the governor’s office said it’s unlikely that many other staffers will have to quarantine as a result of the governor’s positive test. DeWine heads to Columbus twice a week for his coronavirus briefings, but generally works from his home in Cedarville. Most of his staff also work from home. So the only other state officials DeWine likely would come in close contact with include Husted, his security detail and staffers who help with the briefings, Tierney said…
August 7, 2020: Cleveland.com (via MSN.com) posted an article titled: “6 workers at Bratenahl club where Donald Trump appeared test positive for coronavirus, but didn’t encounter the president”. It was written by Robert Higgs. From the article:
Six people who work at the Bratenahl club that hosted President Donald Trump on Thursday tested positive for COVID-19 coronavirus but were not at the clube to encounter the president.The Cuyahoga County Board of Health and the Shoreby Club each confirmed the positive tests on Friday and offered assurances that the workers posed no hazard to the president.Any food with which they might have come in contact was discarded, club General Manager Buddy Kane said in a letter to members. The club, meanwhile, was closed Friday and will be sanitized.The employees were tested Thursday morning off-site as part of preparations for the event. All were asymptomatic, Kane said in the letter to members.It is unclear yet, though, how many of the employees actually did contract the virus, Dr. Heidi Gullett, medical director for the county Board of Health, said during a Friday media briefing.The employees were given a rapid positive antigen test, which yields results quickly, but also can yield false positives.That was the case for Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who was scheduled to welcome the president to Cleveland, but instead returned to his home in Cedarville after getting a positive result from that test…
August 7, 2020: HuffPost posted an article titled: “Trump Calls Maskless Country Club Audience At Press Conference A “Peaceful Protest”. It was written by Sara Ruiz-Grossman. From the article:
President Donald Trump had dozens of guests at a press conference at his club in New Jersey, most of whom didn’t socially distance and some who didn’t wear masks for a time — appearing to flout state rules limiting indoor gatherings amid the pandemic and putting at risk the health of members of the media. At the news conference held at Trump’s private golf club in Bedminster, which Trump announced late Friday, a reporter noted that Americans continue to die of COVID-19 nationwide, and yet, “in this room, you have dozens of people, you’re not following the guidelines of New Jersey.” New Jersey’s latest order limits indoor gatherings to 25 people in an effort to curb the spread of the virus. More than 40 people can be counted in photos from the news conference.As the guests booed the reporter, Trump responded: “This is a political activity. You’re wrong on that. They have exceptions, political activity. And it’s also a peaceful protest.” Under the state’s order, there are exceptions for funerals, religious services and political activity, which can have up to 100 people. Yet Trump had announced this as a news conference, not a campaign rally……As reporters waited for the news conference to start, photos showed guests standing close together, many of them without masks on. Later, staff apparently handed out masks to Trump’s guests. The guests reportedly had their temperatures taken prior to the event…
August 7, 2020: White House Correspondent for Bloomberg, Justin Sink tweeted: “there’s currently dozens of unmasked bedminster patrons the president has invited to the bedminster ballroom where he’s scheduled to hold his press conference – a number drinking wine. btw here’s the NJ regulations for golf courses.”
The tweet included a screenshot of the New Jersey regulations for golf courses. From the regulations:
Limiting the number of patrons in any indoor premises to 25 percent capacity – excluding employeesRequiring workers and customers to wear cloth face coverings while indoors, except where doing so would inhibit that individual’s health or where the individual is under two years of ageIf a customer refuses to wear a cloth face covering for non-medical reasons then the business must decline the individual entry into the indoor premises
August 7, 2020: White House Correspondent for Bloomberg, Justin Sink tweeted: “this is the scene”.
The tweet showed a photo of a group of people, some of whom are children, standing behind a temporary barracade of chairs. They are all closely packed together. Four people in the crowd are wearing masks. The rest are not.
August 7, 2020: White House Correspondent for Bloomberg, Justin Sink tweeted: “after the press corps’ tweets, staffers asked audience members to distance more and handed out masks”
August 8, 2020: The Denver Channel posted an article titled: “President Trump signs 4 executive orders aimed at pandemic relief”. From the article:
President Trump signed four executive orders Saturday at his golf resort in Bedminster, New Jersey aimed at helping both working and unemployed Americans during the ongoing pandemic……Saturday’s event had the feeling of a political rally by the end, as members of the president’s golf club were able to attend the press briefing. As the president answered some questions from the media, audience members cheered….
August 22, 2020: HuffPost posted an article titled: “QAnon Cultists, Emboldened by Trump, Rally in Hollywood To Spread Dangerous Conspiracies”. It was written by Sebastian Murdock and Jesselyn Cook. From the article:
Hundreds of believers of the dangerous conspiracy theory QAnon rallied in Hollywood on Saturday, just days after President Donald Trump praised the cult-like group.The demonstration, purported to be about bringing awareness to child sex trafficking, was largely an opportunity for supporters of QAnon to spread various unfounded conspiracy theories; the group has co-opted anti-traffiking messaging to draw more people into its conspiratorial web. Most demonstrators did not wear masks as they marched through Los Angeles, where thousands of people have died from COVID-19……Protestors gathered next to an In-N-Out Burger on Sunset Boulevard, where they held a 20-second moment of silence, followed by a rendition of “Amazing Grace.”……Multiple protestors who declined to be interviewed by HuffPost later took part in a change of, “Where is the media?”……Days later, when asked by a reporter if he supports QAnon, Trump outright embraced the group.“I don’t know much about the movement, other than I understand they like me very much, which I appreciate,” Trump said on Wednesday. “I have heard that it is gaining in popularity… I’ve heard these are people who love our country.”
August 26, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “Melania Trump Rose Garden speech attendees not all required to get coronavirus tests”. It was written by Jeff Zeleny, Kate Sullivan and Kate Bennet. From the article:
Those who attended first lady Melania Trump’s speech in the White House Rose Garden that capped the second night of the Republican National Convention were not required to get tested for coronavirus, a person who attended the speech told CNN. There were screening questions on the form to RSVP, but no coronavirus tests or temperature checks were done at the White House, the person said. The Trump campaign said earlier in the day that about 70 people would be attending the speech, which was the first one with an in-person audience at the Republican convention. Early Wednesday morning, the first lady’s chief of staff Stephanie Grisham told CNN that the audience members “in the rows near the President and vice president” were tested for coronavirus before the speech. Grisham said most of the guests were not tested, especially those “in the last five or six rows,” but she claims anyone who came into close contact with Trump or Pence — including senior aides, staffers and Melania Trump’s parents — were tested.The vast majority of those attending did not wear masks, and the chairs provided for attendees did not appear to be placed six feet apart. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises keeping at least six feet apart from others if possible in order to prevent the spread of the virus, and the agency also advocates for face coverings, especially if it is difficult to keep six feet apart from another person……The first lady’s speech was attended by President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, second lady Karen Pence and members of Trump’s Cabinet, among others…
August 26, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Democrats press Esper on ‘concerning’ rise in Pentagon’s COVID-19 cases”. It was written by Rebecca Kheel. From the article:
A group of Senate Democrats is reviving its concerns about the Pentagon’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, citing a spike in cases in July.In a letter to Defense Secretary Mark Esper, the nine senators called reports of a rise in cases among service members “concerning”.“We are pleased to see that the department is taking some precautionary measures to address the spread of the virus, but are concerned that the department is still not properly prioritizing the health and well-being of our service members,” they wrote in the letter, dated Wednesday.As of Wednesday, the Pentagon has reported a total of 53,033 coronavirus cases connected to the department, including 36,600 cases on the military.There have been a total of 80 deaths reported across the department, including six service members. Of the troops who have died, one was an active-duty sailor, while the others were reservists or National Guardsmen.The senators specifically highlighted that the number of COVID-19 cases connected to the Pentagon gtrew by more than 21,000 in July, a more than 100 percent increase…
August 27, 2020: Senator Thom Tillis (Republican – North Carolina) tweeted: “I am honored to be in Washington for President @realDonaldTrump’s acceptance speech for the @GOP nomination, where he will share with America our continued vision of freedom, prosperity, and opportunity to live the American Dream. #RNC2020”.
The tweet included a photo of Senator Tillis looking directly into a camera, giving a “thumbs up” and wearing a face mask. Right behind him is a crowd of people, all sitting extremely close together. None of them appear to be wearing masks. A large sign that says “Trump Pence” is in the distance.
August 28, 2020: The Charlotte Observer posted an article titled: “4 people at RNC in Charlotte test positive for COVID, as GOP defends safety measures”. It was written by Alison Kuznitz and Austin Weinstein. From the article:
Two attendees and two local support staff at the Republican National Convention in Charlotte tested positive for COVID-19, Mecklenburg County and GOP officials announced Friday.The disclosures come after county health officials raised concerns about a lack of social distancing and mask wearing during the roll-call vote to renominate President Donald Trump for a second term on Monday – despite strict health protocols that were supposed to be followed. The GOP is defending the safety procedures it had in place.Local health officials said the county instructed those who were infected to isolate immediately, and people who came in close contact with them should also quarantine themselves. A county spokeswoman did not respond to questions on whether the orders were followed.It is not clear how many people at the RNC might have been exposed to the coronavirus. Almost 800 people were tested by the local hospital systems for the event.The two infected attendees drove themselves home while self-isolating, GOP spokeswoman Blair Ellis said. That action aligns with the joint guidelines from the RNC, the county and local hospitals……Ultimately, infections were to be expected when bring that many people together from across the country, according to Dana Rice, a public health professor at UNC Chapel Hill.“I’m not sure it could’ve been avoided, unless you didn’t bring people together in a room,” she said. “That was a decision that the RNC made not taking into consideration all of the public health warnings and messaging that has been out there.”The public may need to wait weeks for an “after-action” report detailing the true scope of infections linked to the RNC……The Charlotte region has been North Carolina’s epicenter for the novel coronavirus since March when the pandemic began.There have been almost 25,000 confirmed cases and 290 related deaths of county residents as of Thursday afternoon.When delegates arrived in Charlotte last week, they were tested for the virus upon registration and had regular symptom checks. Support staff from the surrounding community were also tested, Mecklenburg officials said.The RNC also used a rapid antigen testing system for other people at the convention, county spokeswoman Rebecca Carter said. “We did not manage those tests and the antigen tests do not confirm infection,” she said. Delegates also wore special badges that recorded who they came into contact with and for how long — making it easier for health officials to quell possible outbreaks.Once in town, attendees were free to move about the city, eating at restaurants and attending events. That opened up the possibility that the virus could be picked up after their Charlotte-based test, and before the convention in person. Additionally, delegates were free to travel between their test in Charlotte and when they received their results.Over the weekend ahead of the Monday renomination, delegates gathered for business meetings in a ballroom in the Westin Charlotte and mingled at a handful of events in the city, where mask wearing was not absolute……The delegates were seated at individual 6-foot tables for most of the official business of the convention.Midway through Monday’s events, Harris reached out to RNC organizers with concerns about adherence to public health guidelines. She said she was assured that RNC staff would enforce them.Shortly after, delegates swiftly converged near the stage of the Richardson Ballroom as President Donald Trump came to the podium for a surprise speech. Attendees, packed close to one another, danced the YMCA after the speech concluded — with many still not wearing face coverings.When asked why they allowed delegates to do this, an RNC staff member said that that was the purview of the U.S. Secret Service. The Secret Service did not reply to a request for comment…
August 28, 2020: The News&Observer posted an article titled: “Maskless at Trump acceptance speech, Tillis says: ‘I fell short of my own standard'”. It was written by Brian Murphy. From the article:
Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis has been adamant about the need to wear face coverings and be socially distant from others, repeatedly highlighting those precautions as keys to defeating COVID-19.Tillis, a Republican facing re-election in 2020, attended President Donald Trump’s Republican National Convention acceptance speech Thursday night on the White House’s South lawn. More than 1,000 people were there, sitting shoulder to shoulder with few wearing face coverings. There was not universal testing for attendees.“I’ve stressed the importance of mask wearing throughout this pandemic and have tried to lead by example on this issue, but last night I fell short of my own standard,” Tillis said in a statement Friday.The speech originally was scheduled for Charlotte, but Trump moved the signature event after disagreements with Gov. Roy Cooper over social distancing and limited capacity in the arena. Four people at Monday’s limited RNC event tested positive for the coronavirus…Tillis posted a photo of himself wearing a face mask before Thursday’s event started, but was captured on camera not wearing a face mask in the middle of the crowd later on…
November 25, 2020: CBS News posted an article titled: “Missouri Governor Mike Parson and his wife Teresa test positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Victoria Albert. From the article:
Missouri Governor Mike Parson and First Lady Teresa Parson have tested positive for the coronavirus, the governor’s office announced Wednesday. The Republican governor has not shown any symptoms and his wife’s symptoms are mild, the governor said. Teresa was first tested Wednesday morning after displaying minor symptoms of the virus, and the governor was tested soon after. Teresa has taken a rapid test and a swab test that came back positive, and Parson is waiting on the results of a swab test after his rapid test came back positive, according to The Associated Press. All official and campaign events have been canceled, and the governor’s staff is also getting tested, the office said….…Parson has encouraged his state to wear masks and social distance — but he has also opposed a mask mandate, according to CBS affiliate KMOV. More than 116,000 people have tested positive for the virus in the state and nearly 2,000 have died, according to the most recent data from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. The AP reported that the state broke its single-day death toll record on both Tuesday and Wednesday. When asked by the outlet on Wednesday if it was time for a statewide mandate, the state’s health director told AP that it should be decided by local officials.
September 25, 2020: CBS News posted an article titled: “Virginia Governor Ralph Northam and first lady test positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Sarah Lynch Baldwin. From the article:
Virginia’s Democratic Governor Ralph Northam said Friday that he and the state’s first lady have tested positive for COVID-19. Northam said he is asymptomatic and that his wife Pam’s symptoms are mild.“We will isolate at home for 10 days and then reevaluate our symptoms,” he tweeted. “I am in constant contact with my cabinet and staff, and will continue working from the Executive Mansion.”The couple was notified Wednesday that a member of their official residence staff had developed coronavirus symptoms and tested positive. They were then tested for the virus, which has affected nearly 7 million Americans and killed more than 200,000 according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University…CBS News
UPDATE: December 1, 2021: The Guardian reported the following:
Donald Trump tested positive for Covid-19 three days before his first debate against Joe Biden, the former president’s fourth and last chief of staff has revelaed in a new book.Mark Meadows also writes that though he knew each candidate was required “to test negative for the virus within seventy two hours from the start time… Nothing was going to stop from going out there.”Trump, Meadows says in the book, returned a negative result from a different test shortly after the positive.Nonetheless, the stunning revelation of an unreported positive test follows a year of speculation about whether Trump, then 74 years old, had the potentially deadly virus when he faced Biden, 77, in Cleveland on 29 September – and what danger that might have presented….The Guardian
The date of Trump’s positive COVID test was September 26, 2020.
Also from The Guardian:
…Meadows says Trump’s positive test result on 26 September was a shock to the White House which had just staged a triumphant Rose Garden ceremony for the supreme court nominee Amy Coney Barrett – an occasion now widely known as a super-spreader event. Despite the president looking “a little tired” and suspecting a “slight cold”, Meadows says he was “content” that Trump travelled that evening to a rally in Middletown, Pennsylvania. But as Marine One lifted off, Meadows writes, the White House doctor called.“Stop the president from leaving,” Meadows says Sean Conley told him. “He just tested positive for Covid”.It wasn’t possible to stop Trump but when he called from Air Force One, his chief of staff gave him the news…..The public, however, was not told of the president’s tests…The Guardian
September 29, 2020: President Trump tweeted: “Just arrived in the Great State of Ohio. Real Polls have been leading by even more than 2016. With Biden being against Fracking (Energy & Jobs) & your Second Amendment, we should be in very good shape!”
September 30, 2020: President Trump tweeted: “Just landed in Minnesota. Hasn’t been won by a Republican since 1972, and we saved Minneapolis. Also opened the massive and beautiful Iron Range, which Obama and Sleepy Joe closed. Thousands of jobs started back. They will close again. How can we lose?”
September 30, 2020: President Trump tweeted: “Leaving Minneapolis for a quick stop in Duluth to celebrate the opening of the Obama CLOSED Iron Range. My great honor!!!”
September 30, 2020: CBS Minnesota posted an article titled: “President Trump Returns to Minn. After Chaotic 1st Debate: “We Are Going To Win Minnesota”. It was written by Esme Murphy. From the article:
…While Democratic challenger Joe Biden focused his attention back east, President Donald Trump held a big rally at the Duluth International Airport Wednesday night. He landed there at about 8 p.m. after attending a fundraiser in Shorewood, hosted by Cambria CEO Marty Davis.In Duluth, the president spoke for what is for him an unusually short rally speech of 45 minutes. He did mention several times how cold it was. He was greeted by a crowd of what looked like several thousand enthusiastic supporters……At a drive-in event in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Biden doubled down as he focused on the pandemic.“He knew how serious this pandemic was. He knew how quickly it would spread. Thousands of people would get killed, but he forgot to say a single thing to us,” Biden said. “The man doesn’t deserve to be commander in chief.”……Republicans say they expect to see the president back in Minnesota before the election. Thursday, his son Eric Trump will campaign at a trucking company in Becker.Biden’s wife, Jill, will campaign in Minneapolis on Saturday.
October 1, 2020: Star Tribune posted an article titled: “Trump claims credit for jobs, touts mining, pipelines, at rally in Duluth Minnesota”. It was written by Katie Galioto. From the article:
Five weeks before the election, President Donald Trump was back in Minnesota on Wednesday, raising money and rallying a few thousand supporters on a cold, blustery night……It was Trump’s seventh visit to Minnesota since taking office, and his second to northern Minnesota since early voting started in the state Sept. 18, when he rallied supporters in Bemidji.Earlier in the evening, Trump attended a GOP fundraiser in Shorewood at the Lake Minnetonka home of Cambria President and CEO Marty Davis. He stayed about 90 minutes and made no public comments.According to a Republican National Committee official, the event was expected to bring in $7 million for Trump Victory, a joint fundraising committee run by and benefiting the Trump campaign and the party.Among those greeting Trump at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport were Minnesota Senate Republican Leader Paul Gazelka, House GOP Leader Kurt Daudt and U.S. Senate candidate Jason Lewis.Before Trump’s visit, Biden’s campaign released a list of endorsements from 45 leaders in Minnesota’s Iron Range.Biden, meanwhile, embarked on an eight-stop train tour through Ohio and Pennsylvania.Trump’s two-stop visit Wednesday marks the first of a series of campaign stops this week by the candidates and their surrogates.Former Second Lady Jill Biden is scheduled to campaign in Minnesota on Saturday, making her second stop in the state since her husband secured the Democratic nomination.Eric Trump, the president’s second son, will hold an event Thursday in Becker. And Biden’s running mate, California U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, is scheduled to address a virtual gathering of the DFL’s annual Humphrey-Mondale Dinner on Thursday…
October 1, 2020: Bloomberg posted an article titled: “Trump Says He Will Quarantine After Aide Falls Ill With Virus”. It was written by Jennifer Jacobs and Jordan Fabian. From the article:
President Donald Trump said that he would begin self-quarantine while waiting for coronavirus test results after Hope Hicks, one of his closest aides, tested positive for Covid-19……The development is likely to inflame criticism of the Trump administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the president’s disregard for public health measures to combat it.Trump seldom wears a mask and has belittled his re-election challenger, Joe Biden, for routinely covering his face. The president has resumed holding large campaign rallies at which thousands of his supporters gather, shoulder to shoulder, few in masks.Most of the events are held outdoors at airports but two recent events in Arizona and Nevada were indoors, a setting that public health experts warn raises the risk of virus transmission.At the debate in Cleveland, Trump’s entourage entered the debate hall without face coverings — or removed them as they sat down — and refused an offer of masks from a doctor at the Cleveland Clinic, which was co-hosting the event. Hicks was not seen in the debate hall.Biden’s guests wore masks.Hicks was seen on Tuesday riding maskless in a staff van with White House senior adviser Stephen Miller, campaign adviser Jason Miller and others.When they returned to Washington on Tuesday, Stephen Miller and Hicks were seen sharing an umbrella as they exited Air Force One in the rain. Miller’s wife, Katie Miller — Vice President Mike Pence’s press secretary — recovered from Covid-19 earlier this year.After feeling ill in Minnesota, Hicks tested positive for the virus on Thursday.Trump’s staff wear masks when traveling with him aboard the presidential helicopter, Marine One, and Hicks observed that protocol this week.But his aides worry that Trump’s lack of sleep during the final stretch of the presidential campaign could leave him especially vulnerable to infection. The president did not return to the White House until after midnight following his Tuesday and Wednesday trips. The president’s age, 74, also puts him at greater risk for serious illness from the virus…
October 1, 2020: Jennifer Jacobs, Senior White House reporter for Bloomberg News, tweeted: “NEWS: Hope Hicks, who traveled with Trump aboard Air Force One to and from the presidential debate on Tuesday, and to his Minnesota rally yesterday, has coronavirus, sources tell me.”
October 1, 2020: President Trump tweeted: “Hope Hicks, who has been working so hard without even taking a small break, has just tested positive for COVID-19. Terrible! The First Lady and I are waiting for our test results. In the meantime, we will begin our quarantine process!”
October 1, 2020: ABC News posted an article titled: “Hope Hicks, one of Trump’s closest advisers, tests positive for coronavirus, president to quarantine”. It was written by John Santucci and Katherine Faulders. From the article:
Hope Hicks, one of President Trump’s closest advisers, has tested positive for the coronavirus, ABC News has confirmed. Hicks, who serves as counselor to the president and is among a tight group of advisers to the president, tested positive this week after traveling with the president on Tuesday to and from the first presidential debate on Air Force One. The president tweeted late Thursday he would go into quarantine, though it’s unclear how that will affect his upcoming schedule. The White House declined to comment late Thursday……Hicks was also on Marine One, the president’s helicopter, when it left the White House to fly to Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday. She was seen walking to the helicopter with fellow top presidential advisers, such as Stephen Miller, Dan Scavino and Jared Kushner. None of them were wearing masks……Sources told ABC News that Hicks is experiencing symptoms and that she tested positive on Wednesday……A White House official told ABC News that they did not anticipate the positive diagnosis impacting the president’s upcoming travel. He is scheduled to travel to a rally in Sanford, Florida, on Friday night. He has two on Saturday in Wisconsin and ones on Monday and Tuesday in Arizona as well. ABC News has reached out for comment on whether they will proceed……Hicks has been one of the closest advisers to Trump since the 2016 presidential campaign. She followed the president into the White House and rose to White House communications director before departing in March 2018. She took a job as head of communications for Fox Corporation, the parent company of Fox News, but the absence did not last long.She returned to the president’s side in February to be counselor to the president. She reports to Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and senior adviser…
October 1, 2020: President Trump tweeted: “Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!”
October 1, 2020: Representative Dean Phillips (Democrat – Minnesota) tweeted: “COVID-19 is a serious and unpredictiable disease, and I wish the President, First Lady, and Hope Hicks a speedy recovery. I also have those in my district in Minnesota who may have been exposed on my mind.”
The tweet was in response to President Trump’s tweet.
October 1, 2020: Shil Kapur, national political reporter for NBC News, tweeted: “After the president’s positive COVID test, the White House announces his trip to Florida (sent out just three hours ago) is canceled. His full new schedule for tomorrow “.
The tweet included a screenshot of “Updated Daily Guidance and Press Schedule for Friday, October 2, 2020” from the Office of the Press Secretary. From the guidance and press schedule:
In-Town Pool
Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg
Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP, NYT
TV Corr & Crew: CNN
Print: Washington Times
Radio: BBC
EDT
10:00AM In-House Pool Call Time
12:15PM: THE PRESIDENT hosts a phone call on COVID-19 support to vulnerable seniors
The White House
Closed Press
October 1, 2020: Karin Caifa, reporter for CNN Newsource, Johns Hopkins, and Columbia Journal tweeted: “The White House has released this statement from President Trump’s physician, confirming that both the president and First Lady have tested positive for Covid-19.”
The tweet included a screenshot of a memorandum that was sent to Kayleigh McEnanany, Assistant to the President, by Sean P. Conley, Physician to the President. The Memorandum said:
I release the following information with permission of President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump. This evening I received confirmation that both President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus.The President and First Lady are both well at this time, and they plan to remain at home within the White House during their convalescence.The White House medical team and I will maintain a vigilant watch, and I appreciate the support provided by some of the country’s greatest medical professionals and institutions. Rest assured I expect the President to continue carrying out his duties without disruption while recovering, and I will keep you updated on any future developments.
October 1, 2020: First Lady Melania Trump tweeted: “As too many Americans have done this year, @potus & I are quarantining at home after testing positive for COVID-19. We are feeling good & I have postponed all upcoming engagements. Please be sure you are staying safe & we will all get through this together.”
October 1, 2020: Edward-Issac Dovere, staff writer for The Atlantic, tweeted: “The next Trump-Biden debate is scheduled for October 15. Trump would, if he has a full recovery, just be coming out of his 2 week quarantine. It’s not possible to put Biden, who is in the high risk group himself just as Trump is, in the same room with the president.
October 1, 2020: Weija Jiang, CBS News White House correspondent, tweeted: “.@cbsnews has learned Hope Hicks tested negative for COVID-19 Wednesday morning, so she boarded AF1. She developed symptoms during the day and received a second test, which came back positive. The White House knew about this Wed. evening but Trump still had a fundraiser Thursday.”
October 2, 2020: The Guardian posted an article titled: “Trump and first lady Melania test positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Maanvi Singh and Peter Beaumont. From the article:
The US presidential election has been plunged into disarray after Donald Trump and his wife Melania tested positive for coronavirus following weeks in which the US president sought to suggest the worst of the pandemic was over.Trump announced his positive test in a dramatic tweet at 1am, prompting US television networks to go to live coverage of the 74-year old president’s health and his election campaign cancelled a planned event in the key battleground state of Florida.The president and his wife were tested after one of his closest aides, the White House counsellor Hope Hicks, began showing symptoms earlier this week as she travelled to campaign events around the country with Trump’s entourage, including several other family members……Although Hicks was tested on Thursday after showing symptoms requiring isolation, Trump still travelled to New Jersey to meet supporters at his Bedminster Golf Club, and delivered remarks at a fundraiser despite the high risk that his counsellor may have been infected……With only a month to go until polling day on 3 November, and with Trump consistently trailing his opponent, Joe Biden, in opinion polls, the president will be forced to stay in the White House, abandoning the rallies he has employed to try to galvanise his support base.Trump’s diagnosis, so close to the election, is a brutally ironic coda in an election seen by some as a referendum on his chaotic handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed 207,000 US lives and infected 7 million others.Even in the hours before he tested positive for the virus, Trump, as he has often done, claimed without evidence that the pandemic would subside soon. “I just want to say that the end of the pandemic is in sight,” he said in prerecorded remarks……Hicks, who accompanied Trump and members of his family to the presidential debate on Tuesday and to a Minnesota rally on Wednesday, fell ill during a flight home on Air Force One on Wednesday evening and was isolated from other passengers aboard the plane.Trump has in the last days met a number of prominent figures, some of who are in high-risk categories for coronavirus complications, including his Democratic rival, Biden, whom he faced, unmasked, during Tuesday’s debate, and the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell.He said he received confirmation of the positive tests on Thursday evening. Earlier, Trump confirmed in an interview with Sean Hannity of Fox News that Hicks had contracted the virus……It is unusual for Covid-19 patients to receive a positive PCR test result one day after exposure, public health experts say, and Trump may have been carrying the virus for longer – exposing those he interacted with this week…
October 2, 2020: The New York Times posted an article titled: “Trump Tests Positive for the Coronavirus”. It was written by Peter Baker and Maggie Haberman. From the article:
President Trump revealed early Friday morning that he and the first lady, Melania Trump, had tested positive for the coronavirus, throwing the nation’s leadership into uncertainty and escalating the crisis posed by a pandemic that has already killed more than 207,000 Americans and devastated the economy.Mr. Trump, who for months has played down the seriousness of the virus and hours earlier on Thursday night told an audience that “the end of the pandemic is in sight,” will quarantine in the White House for an unspecified period of time, forcing him to withdraw at least temporarily from the campaign trail only 32 days before the election on Nov. 3.The dramatic disclosure came in a Twitter message just before 1 a.m. after a suspenseful evening following reports that Mr. Trump’s close adviser Hope Hicks had tested positive. In her own tweet about 30 minutes later, Mrs. Trump wrote that the first couple were “feeling good,” but the White House did not say whether they were experiencing symptoms. The president’s physician said he could carry out his duties “without disruption” from the Executive Mansion……Mr. Trump’s positive test result posed immediate challenges for the future of his campaign against former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., the Democratic nominee, with barely a month until Election Day. Even if Mr. Trump, 74, remains asymptomatic, he will lose much of his remaining time on the campaign trail. If he becomes sick, it could raise questions about whether he should remain on the ballot at all.The White House did not say how long Mr. Trump would have to remain isolated, but it canceled his plans to fly to Florida for a campaign rally on Friday, stripping his public schedule for the day of everything except a midday telephone call “on Covid-19 support to vulnerable seniors.” Appearances at rallies in Wisconsin on Saturday and in Arizona on Monday also appear sure to be scrapped, and the next debate, scheduled for Oct. 15 in Miami, was left up in the air……For months, Mr. Trump has refused to wear a mask in public on all but a few occasions and has repeatedly questioned their effectiveness. And as recently as Tuesday, at their opening debate, he mocked Mr. Biden for wearing one. “I don’t wear masks like him,” the president said, his voice dripping with derision. “Every time you see him, he’s got a mask.”It was not immediately clear whether Mr. Trump might have been infected by the virus at the time of the debate with Mr. Biden, 77, although the two stood far across stage and never got within six feet of each other…
October 2, 2020: First Lady Melania Trump tweeted: “Thank you all for the love you are sending our way. I have mild symptoms but overall feeling good. I am looking forward to a speedy recovery”.
October 2, 2020: Associated Press posted an article titled: “Timeline of Trump’s activities in week coronavirus hit home”. From the article:
MONDAYTrump surveys a truck produced by Lordstown Motors on the White House South lawn at an event attended by two members of Congress and three representatives from the Lordstown, Ohio, manufacturer.Trump holds a Rose Garden event to announce an administration effort to distribute millions of coronavirus test kits to states. The event is attended by administration officials including Vice President Mike Pence, members of Congress and state officials.TUESDAYTrump travels to Cleveland for a 90-minute presidential debate against Democratic rival Joe Biden. The two men are both tested ahead of the debate and stand behind lecterns positioned a good distance from one another. They do not wear masks during the faceoff….WEDNESDAYTrump travels to Minnesota for a fundraiser at a private home in suburban Minneapolis and an outdoor rally in Duluth…THURSDAYTrump flies to Bedminster resort in New Jersey for a private fundraiser. Several aids who were in proximity to Hicks scrap plans to accompany Trump…
October 2, 2020: NPR posted an article titled: “President Trump Has ‘Mild Symptoms’ After Testing Positive For The Coronavirus”. It was written by Tamara Keith, Ayesha Rascoe, Mark Katkov, Alana Wise, and Franco Ordoñez. From the article:
The country was put on edge overnight as President Trump announced that he and the first lady have tested positive for the coronavirus, a stunning announcement that raises concerns about their health and throws the final stretch of the presidential campaign — already upended by the pandemic — even further into unknown territory.Trump plans to continue carrying out his duties but is expected to remain home for two weeks, canceling campaign events as doctors watch him at the White House.Trump is 74, an age that makes him more vulnerable to the virus. White House chief of staff Mark Meadows told reporters Friday that the president has “mild symptoms.”He did not directly answer a question about the type of symptoms that Trump is experiencing. First Lady Melania Trump said on Twitter that she also has mild symptoms but is “overall feeling good.”…
October 2, 2020: NBC News posted an article titled: “Vice President Pence tests negative for Covid after Trump’s diagnosis”. It was written by Lauren Egan. From the article:
Vice President Mike Pence tested negative for the coronavirus Friday, following President Donald Trump’s announcement that he and first lady Melania Trump had become infected with the virus.Pence’s press secretary Devin O’Malley said that Pence underwent a routine Covid test Friay morning, and he and his wife Karen Pence had both tested negative. It is unclear whether or not Pence will enter isolation, as is recomended by health experts due to the incubation period of the virus……The last known public contact between Pence and Trump appeared to be an outdoor Rose Garden event on Monday. But at a campaign event in Litiz, Pennsylvania on Tuesday, ahead of the presidential debate, Pence told an indoor crowd of supporters that he had spoken with the president in the Oval Office earlier that day…“It’s gonna be a great night. I can tell you, I left the president earlier today in the Oval Office and he’s ready,” Pence said to a large crowd of mostly maskless supporters.Following Pence’s meeting with Trump Tuesday, the vice president continued to travel around the country hosting campaign events.On Wednesday Pence traveled to Atlanta where he attended a fundraiser lunch and delivered remarks at a faith conference. Pence was seen deplaning Air Force Two without a mask, later putting one on as he waved to cameras. Pence was greeted at the airport by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who gave the vice president a fist bump.On Thursday, the vice president hosted a campaign rally in Carter Lake, Iowa and spoke at a faith event in Des Moines.At many of these events, hundreds of supporters gathered indoors without masks and no social distancing. Pence was interacting with voters at the conclusion of his speeches in Atlanta and Carter Lake.Pence is scheduled to travel to Salt Lake City, Utah on Wednesday for the only vice presidential debate of the election cycle against Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif. It is unclear whether the debate can continue as planned…
October 2, 2020: Maggie Haberman, White House correspondent for The New York Times, and analyst for CNN, tweeted: “BREAKING – Ronna McDaniel, the RNC chairwoman, tested positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday, multiple sources say. She has mild symptoms. She was last with POTUS last Friday and has been in Michigan since then.”
October 2, 2020: Reuters posted an article titled: “Trump campaign directing staffers exposed to coronavirus to quarantine immediately: CBS”. From the article:
President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign has asked all staffers exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19 to self-quarantine immediately, according to a CBS reporter.Campaign manager Bill Stepian made the request in an email to staff and encouraged staff to wear masks, wash hands and socially distance, according to the email posted on Twitter by reporter Nicole Sganga. “While some public events will be taken down, the campaign office remains open,” he said in the email”.
October 2, 2020: Senator Mike Lee (Republican – Utah) tweeted an image that had text that was inside a quote bubble. It said:
Yesterday morning, I was experiencing symptoms consistent with longtime allergies. Out of an abundance of caution, I sought medical advice and was tested for Covid-19. Unlike the test I took just a few days ago while visiting the White House, yesterday’s test came back positive. On advice of the Senate attending physician, I will remain isolated for the next 10 days.Like so many other Utahns, I will now spend part of 2020 working from home. I have spoken with Leader McConnell and Chairman Graham and assured them I will be back to work in time to join my Judiciary Committee colleagues in advancing the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett in the Committee and then to the full Senate.
October 2, 2020: SCOTUS blog (which is NOT run by anyone on the Supreme Court) tweeted a response to Senator Mike Lee’s tweet. “Senator Mike Lee met with Judge Amy Coney Barrett on Tuesday September 29. He has now tested positive for Covid-19.”
October 2, 2020: Yamiche Alcindor, PBS NewsHour White House correspondent tweeted: “White House: Judge Amy Coney Barrett has tested NEGATIVE for COVID. She was with the President last on Saturday when she was nominated. She is following the CDC guidance and best practices, including social distancing, wearing face coverings, and frequently washes hands.”
October 2, 2020: Former Vice President Joe Biden (Democrat) tweeted: “I’m happy to report that Jill and I have tested negative for COVID. Thank you to everyone for your messages of concern. I hope this serves as a reminder: wear a mask, keep social distance, and wash your hands.”
October 2, 2020: Senator Kamala Harris (Democrat – California) tweeted: “Both @DouglasEmhoff and I were tested for COVID-19 this morning and thankfully we tested negative. This virus is still very much active across our country, please continue to wear a mask and maintain social distancing”.
Douglas Emhoff is Kamala Harris’s husband.
October 2, 2020: Politico posted an article titled: “White House says Trump will be at Walter Reed for ‘the next few days'”. It was written by Nick Niedzwiadek, Quint Forgey and Matther Choi. From the article:
President Donald Trump was taken to Walter Reed Military Medical Center early Friday evening and will spend “the next few days” there, the White House said after Trump announced earlier in the day that he had tested positive for Covid-19.The president was seen walking on the White House South lawn to Marine One under his own power around 6:15 p.m. and sporting a mask – notable given the president’s aversion to wearing one in public and his frequent mockery of his Democratic rival, Joe Biden, and others for doing so even when they are far from others. The president landed at 6:29 p.m., and he posted a video to his Twitter account of him assuring people that he was in good condition……In a memo released by the White House, Conley said that the president had completed an infusion of monoclonal antibodies produced by Regeneron, and was taking other medication, including aspirin, zinc and vitamin D. It made no mention of hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malarial that Trump frequently promoted — and took himself for two weeks as a precautionary measure earlier this year.First lady Melania Trump is displaying “only a mild cough and headache,” Conley’s memo says. The doctor also wrote that the rest of Trump’s family had tested negative on Friday and that the first couple were being advised by a team of experts about their next steps……The constellation of infections has quickly extended beyond just the president and those closest to him. The White House Correspondents Association revealed that at least three journalists have tested positive for Covid-19, as have president of the University of Notre Dame — who visited the White House last weekend for the nomination of alumna Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court — and 11 people involved with Tuesday’s debate in Cleveland…
October 2, 2020: New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (Democrat) tweeted: “We urge everyone who attended yesterday’s event in Bedminster to take full precautions, including self-quarantining and getting tested for #COVID19. Find your nearest testing location: http://covid19.nj.gov/testing.”
October 2, 2020: Carolina Huxley, Special Assistant to the President and Associate Director for Economic Initiatives tweeted: “.@IvankaTrump and Jared Kushner were tested again today for COVID-19 and both are negative.”
October 2, 2020: Kate Bennet, CNN correspondent, White House, tweeted: “New: Barron Trump, 14, has tested negative for the virus. @StephGrisham45 tells CNN, “Barron has tested negative and all precautions are taken to ensure he’s kept safe and healthy”.
Stephanie Grisham is White House Chief of Staff for First Lady Melania Trump.
October 2, 2020: NBC News tweeted: “President Trump has a low-grade fever after testing positive for coronavirus, according to 3 people familiar with his condition.” This tweet is the start of a short thread.
October 2, 2020: NBC News tweeted an image of a memorandum from Sean Conoly, Physician to the President, to Kayleigh McEnany, Assistant to the President and White House Press Secretary. From the Memorandum:
Health Update on President Donald J. TrumpI release the following information with the permission of President Donald J. Trump.Following PCR-confirmation of the President’s diagnosis, as a precautionary measure he received a single 8 gram dose of Regeneron’s polyclonal antibody cocktail. He completed the infusion without incident. In addition to the polyclonal antibodies, the President has been taking zinc, vitamin D, famotidine, melatonin and a daily aspirin.As of this afternoon the President remains fatigued but in good spirits. He’s being evaluated by a team of experts, and together we’ll be making recommendations to the President and First Lady in regards to next best steps.First Lady Melania Trump remains well with only a mild cough and headache, and the remainder of the First Family are well and tested negative for SARA-CoV-2 today.
October 2, 2020: CNBC posted an article titled: “Here’s everything we know about the unapproved antibody drug Trump took to combat coronavirus”. It was written by Christina Farr and Kevin Stankiewicz. From the article:
…Regeneron confirmed it provided a single, 8-gram dose of its REGN-COV2 treatment for use by the president, whose coronavirus diagnosis was announced just before 1 a.m. ET Friday. Regeneron’s antibody drug is still experimental and has not received emergency use approval from the FDA, but it was provided in response to a compassionate use request. CNBC’s Meg Tirrell on Friday reported that a “limited number of patients” had also received the drug on that basis after speaking with Regeneron’s chief scientific officer, Dr. George Yancopoulos. On Tuesday, Regeneron said its REGN-COV2 treatment improved symptoms and reduced viral loads in non-hospitalized patients who have mild to moderate Covid-19. That was based on results for the first 275 trial patients. At the time, the company indicated it plans to “rapidly” discuss the early results with regulatory agencies, including the FDA……Regeneron’s REGN-COV2 is an experimental shot of lab-generated antibodies that mimics how the body would mount a reaction to a foreign invader. The goal is to boost the immune system’s defenses, rather than to wait on human biology to do its job…
October 2, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “GOP Sen. Thom Tillis tests positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Jordain Carney. From the article:
Sen. Thom Tillis (N.C.) said on Friday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus, becoming the second GOP senator who was at the White House on Saturday to be diagnosed with the virus.“Over the last few months, I’ve been routinely tested for COVID-19, including testing negative last Saturday, but tonight my rapid antigen test came back positive,” Tillis said in a statement.The news of Tillis’s diagnosis comes as Washington was upended after President Trump disclosed that he had tested positive for the virus, jolting an already chaotic election year.Tillis, who said he is currently asymptomatic, is the fourth senator known to have tested positive, and the second member of the Judiciary Committee……”I will be following the recommendations of my doctor and will be self-isolating at home for 10 days and notifying those I’ve been in close contact with,” Tillis said.The diagnosis for Tillis and Lee is injecting fresh uncertainty into the GOP timeline for trying to confirm Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) both pledged earlier Friday that they would move ahead with Barrett’s nomination as planned, with a hearing set to start on Oct. 12…
October 2, 2020: The Chronicle of Higher Education posted an article titled: “Days After Appearing Unmasked at White House, Notre Dame’s President Tests Positive for Covid-19”. It was written by Andy Thomason. From the article:
The University of Notre Dame’s president, the Rev. John I. Jenkins, has tested positive for Covid-19 less than a week after appearing unmasked in the Rose Garden at the White House, the university announced on Friday.According to an email announcement quoted by multiple news outlets, Jenkins this week became aware that a colleague had tested positive, prompting him to seek a test, which also came back positive. “My symptoms are mild, and I will continue work from home,” Jenkins said in the message. “The positive test is a good reminder for me, and perhaps for all, of how vigilant we need to be.”The announcement came close on the heels of the bombshell revelation that President Trump had tested positive for Covid-19. Jenkins attended the Saturday ceremony in which Trump announced the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett, a Notre Dame law professor, to the Supreme Court. Jenkins was seen unmasked at the ceremony, for which he later apologized…
October 2, 2020: Kellyanne Conway, former press secretary for President Donald Trump, tweeted: “Tonight I tested positive for COVID-19. My symptoms are mild (light cough) and I’m feeling fine. I have begun a quarantine process in consultation with physicians. As always, my heart is with everyone affected by this global pandemic. “
October 2, 2020: HuffPost posted an article titled: “Kellyanne Conway Tests Positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Mary Papenfuss. From the article:
…Conway had attended a White House event last weekend announcing the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett for Supreme Court. Conway left the White House at the end of August, saying she needed time to focus on her family.
October 2, 2020: Politico posted an article titled: “Trump campaign manager tests positive for Covid-19”. It was written by Alex Isenstadt. From the article:
Donald Trump’s campaign manager has tested positive for Covid-19, dealing another blow to his reelection effort on a day that saw the president and the head of the Republican National Committee report contracting the disease as well.Bill Stepien received his diagnosis Friday evening and was experiencing what one senior campaign official described as “mild flu-like symptoms.” People familiar with the situation said the 42-year-old Stepien plans to quarantine until he recovers.Deputy Campaign Manager Justin Clark is expected to oversee the Trump team’s Arlington, Va. headquarters while Stepien works remotely, though advisers stressed that he would maintain control of the campaign……Stepien traveled to and from Cleveland for Tuesday’s presidential debate. He joined Trump and Hicks aboard Air Force One. The campaign manager was also with the president in the White House on Monday……Stepien on Saturday is slated to hold separate conference calls with campaign staff and grass-roots leaders. Pence is expected to participate in one of the calls…
October 2, 2020: WKYC Studios posted an article titled: “City of Cleveland announces 11 positive cases of COVID-19 stemming from preperations for presidential debate”. From the article:
With the news that President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have both tested positive for COVID-19, the city of Cleveland has issued a statement after the pair were among those in town for Tuesday’s presidential debate.According to the city, 11 positive cases of COVID-19 have stemmed from ‘pre-debate planning and set-up.’ The city adds that the majority of those 11 cases have occured among out of state residents. No city residents appear to have contracted coronavirus as a result of the debate, but that could still change.Cleveland Clinic issued a statement on Friday confirming that it was required maintain a safe environment during the debate that aligned with CDC guidelines- including social distancing, hand sanitizing, temperature checks and masking. The Clinic added that everyone permitted inside the debate hall tested negative for COVID-19 prior to entry.This evening, the Clinic released a second statement, saying those who tested positive did not have access to the debate space inside Samson Pavilion:“It’s important to clarify the 11 people who tested positive never accessed the debate hall. These individuals were either members of the media or were scheduled to work logistics/set-up the days prior to the event. Individuals did not receive credentials or tickets to enter the debate hall until they had a negative test, and all were advised to isolate while they awaited their test results.”Despite the statement by Cleveland Clinic, some members of the president’s family were seen seated in the audience without wearing a mask. Images show the family wearing masks when they entered the venue, other photos, however, show their facial coverings were removed while in physically distanced seats to watch the debate…
October 2, 2020: Governor Mike DeWine (Republican – Ohio) tweeted: “This evening, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine, and Ohio Lt. Goernor Jon Husted all received their results from COVID-19 tests taken today, and all tested negative.”
October 2, 2020: TIME posted an article titled: “Amy Coney Barrett had COVID-19 in Recent Months, Friends of Supreme Court Pick Say”. It was written by Tessa Berenson. From the article:
Amy Coney Barrett, President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, was believed to have COVID-19 earlier this year, according to multiple people close to her.Two friends of Barrett, who were granted anonymity because they did not feel comfortable discussing Barrett’s personal medical history on the record, confirmed to TIME that the judge had been sick in recent months and was thought to have contracted the virus. One said Barrett displayed mild symptoms and had quarantined. The other said she had received a positive test result.The Washington Post reported Friday that Barrett had been diagnosed with the virus over the summer and had recovered, citing three officials familiar with the diagnosis.The White House declined to comment. A member of Barrett’s family did not respond to a request for comment……According to the White House, Barrett is tested daily for COVID-19, and tested negative on Oct. 2…
October 2, 2020: Drew Hammel, Deputy Chief of Staff for Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, tweeted: “Out of an abundance of caution, Speaker Pelosi was tested for COVID-19 this morning by the Capitol’s Office of the Attending Physician. Dr. Monahan just informed the Speaker that she tested negative.”
October 2, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “Pelosi tests negative for Covid after Mnuchin meeting”. It was written by Haley Bird and Lauren Fox. From the article:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tested negative for Covid-19 Friday, her deputy chief of staff tweeted.The announcement comes after the California Democrat was tested following her meeting earlier this week with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to discuss a potential stimulus bill. Prior to their meeting, Mnuchin spoke with President Donald Trump, who has now tested positive for coronavirus, in the Oval Office……Pelosi is just one of several members of Congress who are being tested for the virus Friday — including Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, who flew on Air Force One with the President this week, and Sen. Rob Portman, who attended an outdoor event with Trump on Monday. Their moves to get tested highlight how the President’s positive coronavirus result has ricocheted across Washington, as White House aides and lawmakers begin retracing their steps over the last several days to identify whether they may have been exposed.Mnuchin, who announced he tested negative Friday morning, has been negotiating with Pelosi this week in an effort to strike agreement on an additional aid package to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. That effort has stalled, though Pelosi and Mnuchin continue to negotiate. House Democrats voted Thursday night to pass their own package, which has slim chances of being considered in the Republican Senate. In light of the President’s diagnosis, Pelosi called for a conclusion to those talks…
October 2, 2020: WKYC Studios posted an article titled: “Grassley, in presidential succession line, doesn’t get COVID-19 test after meeting with infected senator”. From the article:
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, the third in the line of succession to the presidency, reportedly has not gotten tested for the coronavirus after attending a meeting with another senator who announced a positive test result Friday.The line of succession has become top-of-mind for Americans now that President Donald Trump is in the hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19 Friday. The White House said Trump is expected to be there for a “few days.” The president’s physician said in a memo that Trump “remains fatigued but in good spirits,” He is undergoing an experimental antibody regimen.The Des Moines Register reports Grassley attended a Senate Judiciary Meeting with Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, on Thursday. On Friday, Lee announced he had tested positive for COVID-19……”Sen. Grassley will continue to follow guidance from the Senate’s attending physician, the CDC and local health officials,” Grassley’s office said in a statement. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance says people should be tested if they have been within six feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes. A spokesman for Grassley told the Register that the senators kept themselves at a greater distance……Grassley is president pro tempore of the Senate. He follows Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., in the presidential line of succession.Grassley is 87, putting him in the higher risk category for severe illness or death should he contract the virus.Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, the state’s other senator, was also in the meeting, according to the Register. She was reportedly tested for COVID-19 and it came back negative…
October 3, 2020: President Trump tweeted: “Going well, I think! Thank you to all. LOVE!!!”
October 3, 2020: Former Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie tweeted: “I just recieved word that I am positive for COVID-19. I want to thank all of my friends and colleagues who have reached out to ask how I was feeling in the last day or two. I will be receiving medical attention today and will keep the necessary folks apprised of my condition”.
October 3, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Sen. Ron Johnson tests positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Jordain Carney. From the article:
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) has tested positive for the coronavirus, becoming the third senator to announce in the past two days that they had contracted the virus.Johnson’s office said in a statement on Saturday that he was exposed to an individual on Sept. 29 who has since tested positive for the virus.“After learning of this exposure, the senator was tested yesterday afternoon. This test came back positive,” his office said. “Senator Johnson feels healthy and is not experiencing symptoms. He will remain isolated until given the all-clear by his doctor.”……In addition to Johnson, Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) both said on Friday that they had tested positive for COVID-19.Unlike Lee and Tillis, Johnson is not a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and was not at the White House on Saturday for Trump’s announcement that he was picking Judge Amy Coney Barrett as his Supreme Court nominee…
October 3, 2020: CNN posted in their live blog “GOP senator with Covid-19 said he learned he tested positive after attending Oktoberfest dinner”. From the post:
Sen. Ron Johnson said he learned he had tested positive for COVID-19 after he had spoken at the Ozaukee County Republican Party’s Oktoberfest Dinner on Friday night in Wisconsin. Johnson said he had no symptoms before the dinner but had decided to get tested as a precaution, after hearing that Utah Sen. Mike Lee had tested positive earlier on Friday.Johnson said he was able to get tested on Friday night before heading to the Oktoberfest dinner.At the dinner event, Johnson said he let the organizers know that he would not stick around or mingle with people, or take photographs with attendees. He said he maintained social distancing at the event and let people kbow why he was being safe.Johnson said he learned he tested positive after the event on his ride home.
October 3, 2020: Associated Press posted an article titled: “Official: Next 48 hours ‘critical’ for Trump in virus fight”. It was written by Jonathan Lemire, Jill Colvin and Zeke Miller”.
President Donald Trump went through a “very concerning” period Friday and the next 48 hours “will be critical” in his care as he battles the coronavirus at a hospital, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said Saturday. Meadows’ comments contradicted the rosy assessment of Trump’s condition offered by his staff and doctors, who took pains not to reveal the president had received supplemental oxygen at the White House before his hospital admission.“We’re still not on a clear path yet to a full recovery,” said a weary Meadows.It was a dramatically different picture than the one painted by the White House staff since Trump revealed his diagnosis as well as by his doctors, who updated the public at a press conference at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.The briefing by Navy Commander Dr. Sean Conley and other doctors raised more questions than it answered as Conley repeatedly refused to say whether the president ever needed supplemental oxygen, despite repeated questioning, and declined to discuss exactly when he fell ill. Conley also revealed that Trump began exhibiting “clinical indications” of COVID-19 on Thursday afternoon, earlier than previously known.“Thursday no oxygen. None at this moment. And yesterday with the team, while we were all here, he was not on oxygen,” Conley said.But according to a person familiar with Trump’s condition, Trump was administered oxygen at the White House on Friday before he was transported to the military hospital. The person was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity,..…And while Vice President Mike Pence is currently off the campaign trail preparing for the coming week’s vice presidential debate, he and his staff are operating under a “business as usual” approach. He’s still planning to travel to Arizona on Thursday, Indiana on Friday and Florida on Saturday for events instead of isolating himself after potential exposure and to protect himself from contracting the virus anywhere else.
October 3, 2020: President Trump tweeted: “Doctors, Nurses and ALL at the GREAT Walter Reed Medical Center, and others from likewise incredible institutions who have joined them, are AMAZING!!!Tremendous progress has been made over the last 6 months in fighting this PLAGUE. With their help, I am feeling well!”
October 3, 2020: Omaha World-Herald posted an article titled: “Sen. Sasse tests negative for COVID-19, Sen. Fischer awaiting results after attending White House event.” It was written by Joseph Morton. From the article:
Sen. Ben Sasse has tested negative for the coronavirus, while Sen. Deb Fischer is awaiting her own test results.The two Nebraska Republicans attended a White House ceremony last weekend alongside a number of individuals who have since tested positive for the virus, including President Donald Trump.Sasse plans to work remotely from Nebraska for the next week or so despite the negative test.“After consulting with the Senate attending physician and Nebraska doctors, he will work remotely from his home in Nebraska, undergoing further testing,” according to a statement by a spokesperson. “He will return to Washington for in-person work beginning Oct. 12. Ben, Melissa and their kids are praying for the president, the first lady, and a nation continuing to battle this nasty virus.”.The testing and work-from-home decision were prompted by Sasse’s “close interaction with multiple infected individuals,” according to the statement…
October 3, 2020: Reuters posted an article titled: “White House chief of staff says Trump is doing very well”. From the article:
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said on Saturday that President Donald Trump is doing “very well” and that doctors are pleased with his vital signs.“The president is doing very well. He is up and about and asking for documents to review. The doctors are very pleased with his vital signs. I have met with him on multiple occassions today for a variety of issues,” Meadows told Reuters.
October 3, 2020: Former Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie tweeted: “In consultation with my doctors, I checked myself into Morristown Medical Center this afternoon. While I am feeling good and only have mild symptoms, due to my history of asthma we decided this is an important precautionary measure.
October 3, 2020: CNN posted in a live blog a short article titled: “Chris Christie says he checked himself into the hospital after testing positive with Covid-19”. It was written by Dana Bash. From the short article:
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie told CNN he checked himself into the hospital Saturday afternoon, as a precautionary measure, after announcing earlier in the day he had tested positive for Covid-19.Christie, who suffers from asthma, said in consultation with his doctor, he decided it was best to be monitored in the hospital. He said he has a slight fever and is achy but felt well enough to drive himself to the hospital.Christie told CNN by phone from the hospital that his breathing is fine, but after being admitted, he started a course of the Covid-19 treatment remdesivir.……Christie was part of the President’s debate prep team and sat close to the President, and others who have now tested positive for coronavirus.He was also in the audience for Trump’s Supreme Court announcement last weekend.
October 3, 2020: CNN posted in their live blog: “GOP Sen. Thom Tillis “has mild symptoms,” his press secretary says”. It was written by Manu Raju and Ted Barrett.
Republican Sen. Thom Tillis is continuing to self-isolate at his home in North Carolina while experiencing “mild symptoms, and he is in great spirits,” according to a statement from his press secretary Adam Webb.Tillis tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday, days after attending a White House event where President Trump nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.Multiple attendees of that event, including Trump, have tested positive in the days since the ceremony, which featured many people wearing masks and not observing social distancing protocols.
October 3, 2020: Jennifer Jacobs, Senior White House Reporter for Bloomberg News, tweeted: “NEWS: One of Trump’s personal assistants has tested positive for coronavirus, sources tell me. Nick Luna, as bodyman, works in very close proximity to the president so it’s not surprising.”
October 3, 2020: Jennifer Jacobs. Senior White House Reporter for Bloomber News tweeted: “Another factor that is unsettling White House aides tonight is Nick Luna is married to Cassidy Dumbauld, who is an aide to Jared Kushner. More people in the circle around Trump’s senior adviser diagnosed with coronavirus.”
October 4, 2020: ABC News posted an article titled: “President did not disclose 1st positive test, sources say”. It was written by Matt Zarrell, Jon Harworth, Ivan Pereira and Marc Nathanson. From the article:
President Donald Trump’s condition is continuing to improve as he fights a coronavirus infection, doctors say, and he may be able to leave Walter Reed Medical Center as early as Monday — even as details emerge that the president allegedly initially tested positive for COVID-19 earlier than he acknowledged.Doctors also reported that Trump, over the course of exhibiting coronavirus symptoms, had earlier experienced two episodes of “transient drops” in his oxygen saturation.Yet the president was feeling well enough Sunday evening to briefly leave Walter Reed for a surprise drive-by, waving to supporters outside the hospital.Meanwhile, numerous questions remain about how many people at the highest levels of government had been exposed to the virus after a week of events involving the president where social distancing and mask-wearing were lax in the White House and elsewhere.
October 4, 2020: Josh Wingrove, White House reporter, Bloomberg, tweeted: “National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien says mask-wearing is now manditory for NSC staff. It has previously been voluntary.”
October 4, 2020: NPR posted an article titled: “Despite Risks to Others, Trump Leaves Hospital To Greet Supporters”. It was written byBarbara Sprunt. From the article:
Despite indications from doctors that he is still facing serious challenges from the coronavirus and could spread the disease to others, President Trump briefly left Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Sunday evening to wave to supporters gathered outside.A masked Trump was seen waving to small crowds from a black SUV. Other images showed Secret Service personnel in the vehicle with personal protective equipment on to protect themselves from the high exposure risk of riding in an enclosed vehicle with someone who has tested positive for the virus.Right before the drive-by, the president tweeted a video in which he thanked the doctors and staff at Walter Reed for treating him for COVID-19 and said he was about to “make a little surprise visit” outside to greet supporters……Trump has been briefed extensively about the pandemic by members of his White House coronavirus task force and other advisers.Some experts swiftly characterized Trump’s drive-by greeting as reckless.Dr. James Phillips, an attending physician at Walter Reed who is also chief of disaster medicine at George Washington University, lambasted the move as being made for “political theater.”“That Presidential SUV is not only bulletproof, but hermetically sealed against chemical attack. The risk of COVID-19 transmission inside is as high as it gets outside of medical procedures. The irresponsibility is astounding. My thoughts are with the Secret Service forced to play,” he wrote on Twitter……His brief visit outside came hours after Trump’s medical team told reporters that the president experienced two drops in his oxygen levels over the course of his COVID-19 diagnosis, is being treated with a steroid, and could be discharged from Walter Reed as early as Monday. Medical experts raised skepticism about such a quick release given the other details shared by the president’s medical team.
October 4, 2020: KSBY posted an article titled: “Attorney General William Bar to self-quarantine”. From the article:
Attorney General William Barr will self-quarantine out of caution after President Donald Trump and several other lawmakers and aides tested positive for the coronavirus.Justice Department spokesperson Kerri Kupec said Sunday that Barr has had four COVID-19 tests since Friday, and all have come back negative. She says he will self-quarantine for several days out of an abundance of caution.Barr attended one meeting at Justice Department headquarters on Friday adn stayed home during the weekend, except to be tested. He plans to remain home for several days.Barr attended the White House event for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett last weekend, and was seen on video having a conversation with former Trump aide Kellyanne Conway, who has tested positive for coronavirus. Neither was wearing a mask.
October 4, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “DeWine says White House did not contact him about possible Covid-19 exposure to Ohioans after Trump diagnosis”. It was written by Chandelis Duster. From the article:
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said Sunday that he has not been contacted by the White House about potential Covid-19 exposure in his state after President Donald Trump tested positive for the virus days after his Cleveland debate.“Well, they have not reached out to me. I know that I talked to the CEO of the Cleveland Clinic the other day who gave me an update, who gave me a report so I don’t know whether they have reached out to Cleveland Clinic or not. They have not talked to me about it, no,” the Republican governor told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union.”The President participated in the first presidential debate against Democrat Joe Biden in Cleveland last week. DeWine said that he didn’t attend the debate, but conceded to Tapper that he wished the President wore a mask more often.”Do I wish — look do I wish the President had worn a mask all the time? Of course. You know, of course,” he said……DeWine and his wife announced Friday they tested negative for the virus…
October 5, 2020: First Lady Melania Trump tweeted: “My family is greatful for all of the prayers & support! I am feeling good & will continue to rest at home. Thank you to medical staff & caretakers everywhere, & my continued prayers for those who are ill or have a family member impacted by the virus.”
October 5, 2020: Kayleigh McEnany, White House Press Secretary, tweeted an image of a statement:
After testing negative consistantly, including every day since Thursday, I tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday morning while experiencing no symptoms. No reporters, producers, or members of the press are listed as close contacts by the White House Medical Unit. Moreover, I definitely had no knowledge of Hope Hicks’ diagnoss prior to holding a White House press briefing on Thursday. As an essential worker, I have worked diligently to provide needed information to the American People at this time. With my recent positive test, I will begin the quarantine process and will continue working on behalf of the American People remotely.
October 5, 2020: Jim Acosta, CNN’s Chief White House correspondent, tweeted: “She was not wearing a mask during a gaggle with reporters yesterday.” The tweet included a photo of Kayleigh McEnany wearing black and a necklace with a cross on it. She is not wearing a mask.
October 5, 2020: Ben Siegel, ABC reporter/producer covering the 2020 campaign and Capitol Hill, tweeted: “McEnany did not wear a mask when she spoke to reporters at the White House yesterday”. The tweet is in response to Kayleigh McEnany’s tweet which included her statement.
October 5, 2020: Representative Salud Carbajal (Democrat – California) posted a press release titled: “Carbajal issues Statement After Exposure to Individual with COVID-19”. From the press release:
Congressman Carbajal issued the following statement after becoming exposed to an individual who tested positive for COVID-19:“No one is immune to contracting coronavirus and Congress is certainly no exception. Despite taking every precaution – including wearing a mask, social distancing, and hand-washing – I learned I was exposed to an individual who tested positivefor COVID-19. I immediately got tested, which thankfully came back negative and I will continue to consult with my doctor.“Given that symptoms may still appear up to two weeks after exposure to the virus, the House Attending Physician directed me to stay in Washington DC and quarantine for 14 days to self-monitor for symptoms. Accordingly, I will be carrying out my responsibilities virtually in order to protect the health and safety of others.”
October 5, 2020: Olivia Nuzzi, Washington correspondent New York Magazine, tweeted: “NEWS: @NYMag has confirmed that Pastor Greg Laurie of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California has tested POSITIVE for COVID-19. Pastor Laurie was at the Prayer March on the Mall with Mile Pence and Franklin Graham and the ABC Rose Garden event later that day.” This tweet was the start of a thread.
October 5, 2020: Olivia Nuzzi tweeted: “A church official tells me that members of the church learned of Pastor Laurie’s positive test result on SUNDAY.”
October 5, 2020: Olivia Nuzzi tweeted: “A church official tells me that Pastor Laurie “is experiencing mild symptoms and he and his family are quarantining at home.”
October 5, 2020: Olivia Nuzzi tweeted: “The Prayer March on the National Mall that preceded the ABC Rose Garden event was attended by THOUSANDS, few of them wearing masks. Laurie, who is now positive, then went to the White House. When and where was he infected? How many others from the Prayer March are sick too?” This tweet was the end of the thread.
October 5, 2020: Paula Reid, White House Correspondent CBS News tweeted: “I sat in close proximity to two maskless, now COVID positive, White House staffers at last Thursday’s briefing. So I am now working from home & getting regular COVID tests.”
The tweet included a photo of herself, sitting in an empty row of seats at and wearing a mask. Behind her are several other reporters who are wearing masks and social distancing. Two arrows have been added to the photo, both of them starting with Paula Reid. One arrow points to Kayleigh McEnany, who is speaking at a podium. Another points to a man in a suit whi is not wearing a mask. He is sitting at the end of a row of seats separate from the press area.
The tweet was the start of a thread.
October 6, 2020: Paula Reid tweeted: “Noticing a sharp uptick in social media trolling from 1am – 6am lately. * Many * of the anti-mask/disinformation comments on this tweet started around the same time people in Moscow would be getting up. “
October 6, 2020: Paula Reid tweeted: “Working from home & getting tested (seen here this AM) is what responsible adults do when exposed to COVID. But it’s much easier for those of us who have access to rapid testing & still get paid when not at work. Tested negative at WH the morning of briefing & again today. ” This was the end of the thread.
October 5, 2020: Desert Sun posted an article titled: “Riverside pastor Greg Laurie, who attended White House event, tests positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Nicole Hayden. From the article:
A Southern California pastor who attended two high-profile Washington D.C. events on Sept. 26, including a prayer march that saw an appearance by Vice President Mike Pence as well as a ceremony to nominate Amy Coney Barrett for the Supreme Court, has tested positive for COVID-19.Pastor Greg Laurie of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside – who has served as one of President Donald Trump’s key evangelical advisers – posted an Instagram video on Monday confirming his diagnosis.Laurie said he and his wife have been in quarantine since learning of his positive test. No other family members have tested positive, according to his post. Laurie recently participated in evanglist Franklin Graham’s Prayer March 2020, which drew thousands to prayer at the National Mall including Pence and his wife Karen. The event preceded Barrett’s nomination ceremony at the White House later that day……Laurie said Monday that his symptoms have been mild so far. He said his symptoms started with fatigue, aches and pains, a fever and loss of taste……Known for his large-scale evangelistic Christian events Harvest Crusades, Laurie did not mention his attendance at the Barrett nomination nor his participation in the Prayer March. However, in photos and videis that Laurie posted on his Twitter account, he can be seen without a mask and not social distancing among Prayer March attendees…
October 6, 2020: Paula Reid tweeted: “Noticing a sharp uptick in social media trolling from 1am-6am lately. * Many * of the anti-mask/disinformation comments on this tweet started around the same time people in Moscow would be getting up “
October 6, 2020: Paul Reid tweeted: “Working from home & getting tested (seen here this AM) is what responsible adults do when exposed to #COVID. But it’s much easier for those of us who have access to rapid testing & still get paid when not at work. Tested negative at WH the morning of the briefing & again today. “
The tweet showed a photo of Paula Reid in her car with the window open. She has pushed her mask down to her chin so she can self-administer a rapid COVID-19 test. This was the end of a thread.
October 6, 2020: Politico updated their article titled: “Riverside megachurch pastor who attended White House event contracts Covid-19”. It was written by Carla Marnucci. From the article:
The evangelical pastor of a high-profile California megachurch with links to President Trump announced Monday he’s among those who have contracted Covid-19 following the White House event for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett.Pastor Greg Laurie of Riverside’s Harvest Christian Fellowship confirmed on his Facebook page that he tested positive for the virus over the weekend.A week earlier, he attended the Sept. 26 Prayer March on the National Mall with Vice President Mike Pence and evangelist Franklin Graham. Laurie was also on hand for the White House Rose Garden ceremony for the nomination of Barrett……Coverage of the event show many of the attendees, including Laurie, were unmasked, shook hands and did not follow social distancing guidelines……Laurie, a resident of Newport Beach, is senior pastor of a number of large-scale evangelical churches in California – the Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside; Harvest Corona in Corona; Harvest Woodcrest in Riverside; Harvest Orange County in Irvine; and Harvest Kumulani in Kapalua, Hawaii.
October 6, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “Top White House aide Stephen Miller tests positive for Covid-19”. It was written by Kaitlan Collins and Jim Acosta. From the article:
Stephen Miller, a top aide to President Donald Trump, has tested positive for coronavirus, he said Tuesday.“Over the last 5 days I have been working remotely and self-isolating, testing negative every day through yesterday. Today, I tested positive for COVID-19 and am in quarantine,” Miller said in a statement.He is the latest official caught up at the outbreak at the White House that seen at least 10 others positive…
October 6, 2020: Politico posted an article titled: “California congresman says he got coronavirus after Sen. Mike Lee Interaction”. It was written by Jeremy B. White. From the article:
Rep. Salud Carbajal announced Tuesday he tested positive for the coronavirus and said it came after he interacted indoors with Sen. Mike Lee, who revealed he had Covid-19 hours after President Trump said he was diagnosed with the disease.Carbajal, a Central Coast Democrat, said in a statement that he began to experience “mild symptoms” and subsequently tested positive after being exposed to someone with the virus.His office later told POLITICO that Carbajal had interacted indoors with Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), who announced his positive diagnosis Friday – hours after Trump’s Covid-19 announcement. Since then, Lee’s appearance at a Rose Garden event to formally announce the Supreme Court nomination of Amy Coney Barett has been widely scrutinized, including video of Lee hugging attendees without a mask…
October 6, 2020: Politico posted an article titled: “Top military leaders in quarantine after Coast Guard admiral tests positive for Covid-19”. It was written by Sarah Cammarata, Lara Seligman and Jacqueline Feldscher. From the article:
The nation’s top military leaders, including Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, are self-quarantining after coming into contact last week with the Coast Guard’s No. 2 officer, who tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday, according to administration officials.Senior military leaders who attended several meetings at the Pentagon last week with Adm. Charles Ray, the vice commandant of the Coast Guard, tested negative for Covid-19 on Tuesday but are self-quarantining as a precaution, a defense official said.Officials believe that a Friday meeting in the “tank” — the Pentagon’s secure conference room for senior military leaders — is where the virus could have spread to others, a second defense official said.Pentagon officials are conducting additional contact tracing and taking other precautions “to protect the force and the mission,” said Pentagon spokesperson Jonathan Hoffman.“Out of an abundance of caution, all potential close contacts from these meetings are self-quarantining and have been tested this morning,” Hoffman said Tuesday afternoon. “No Pentagon contacts have exhibited symptoms and we have no additional positive tests to report at this time.”Ray was among several military leaders who attended an event at the White House on Sept. 27 celebrating Gold Star families. A day earlier, the White House held an outdoor event as President Donald Trump officially nominated Amy Coney Barrett to be the next Supreme Court justice. Many people who attended have since tested positive, including Trump himself.The admiral felt “mild symptoms” this weekend and got tested Monday, according to a Coast Guard statement.Not all of the military’s leaders are under quarantine. Marine Commandant Gen. David Berger, Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Navy Secretary Kenneth Braithwaite were traveling last week and did not attend the Pentagon meetings with Ray.Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Karl Schultz has also been on travel and has not been in contact with Ray, spokesperson Jay Guyer said.The Joint Chiefs of Staff includes the chairman, vice chairman, and the four-star heads of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Guard and Space Force…
October 6, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “Top White House aide Stephen Miller tests positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Kaitlan Collins and Jim Acosta. From the article:
Stephen Miller, a top policy advisor to President Donald Trump, has tested positive for coronavirus, he confirmed in a statement Tuesday.“Over the last 5 days I have been working remotely and self-isolating, testing negative every day through yesterday. Today, I tested positive for COVID-19 and am in quarantine,” Miller said in a statement. After working from home for several days, Miller showed up to work Tuesday and tested positive, a source familiar with what happened told CNN. He is the latest official caught up in an outbreak at the White House that has seen at least 10 others test positive. He’s also the latest member of the President’s team who prepped him for last week’s presidential debate to test positive……Miller also traveled aboard Air Force One on a Minnesota campaign trip woth Trump and Hicks. Officials have told CNN that Hicks began feeling sick while on the flight back to Washington after a fundraiser and campaign rally in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. She isolated in a separate cabin after she began displaying symptons.Miller’s wife, Katie Miller, is Vice President Mike Pence’s communications director. She already had coronavirus several months ago and tested negative again on Tuesday morning. She traveled with Pence to Salt Lake City ahead of the vice presidential debate scheduled for Wednesday, but left the trip Tuesday out of an abundance of caution…
October 7, 2020: Bloomberg posted an article titled: “White House Security Official Contracted COVID-19 in September”. It was written by Jennifer Jacobs. From the article:
A top White House security official, Crede Bailey, is gravely ill with COVID-19 and has been hospitalized since September, according to four people familiar with his condition.The White House has not publicaly disclosed Bailey’s illness. He became sick before the Sept. 26 Rose Garden event President Donald Trump held to announce his Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barett that has been connected to more than a dozen cases of the disease.A White House spokesman declined to comment on Bailey…
October 7, 2020: ABC News posted an article titled: “34 people connected to White House, more than previously known, infected by coronavirus: Internal FEMA memo”. It was written by Josh Margolin and Lucien Bruggeman. From the article:
The coronavirus outbreak has infected “34 White House staffers and other contacts” in recent days, according to an internal government memo, an indication that the disease has spread among more people than previously known in the seat of American government.Dated Wednesday and obtained by ABC News, the memo was distributed among senior leadership at FEMA, a branch of the Department of Homeland Security and the agency responsible for managing the continuing national response to the public health disaster. The memo also notes that a senior adviser to the president is among those infected. Hope Hicks and Stephen Miller, both senior aides ot the president, have tested positive in recent days……When President Donald Trump returned to the White House on Tuesday, he immediately removed his mask before entering the building — setting off concern that his behavior may put staffers, complex workers, and Secret Service agents at risk…
October 7, 2020: Democracy Now posted a short article titled: “Two Presidential Valets Who Carry Nuclear Launch Codes Test Positive for Coronavirus”. From the article:
Meanwhile, Bloomberg reports two of President Trump’s military aides tested positive. The aides act as valets who always travel with the president, carrying nuclear launch codes in a briefcase known as the “nuclear football.” Trump took the football with him to Water Reed hospital over the weekend, where he was administered the steroid dexamethasone, which has been linked to grandiose delusions and psychosis in some patients. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists wrote in response, “To state the obvious, we should not entrust nuclear launch authority to someone who is not fully lucid.”
October 7, 2020: Senator Cory Booker (Democrat – New Jersey) posted a press release titled: “Booker Seeks Answers from Secret Service Director James Murray and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows on White House-Linked Outbreak of COVID-19”. From the press release:
U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) sent two letters seeking answers on the White House-linked outbreak of COVID-19. In a letter to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, Booker requested an overview of steps that are being taken to protect the health and safety of the individuals who work on the White House grounds. In a separate letter to the Director of U.S. Secret Service James Murray, Booker requested that a full list and contact information of all individuals who attended or worked at President’s October 1st political event in Bedminster, New Jersey, be sent to the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) to assist with contact tracing efforts.“My concerns have only grown with recent reports that multiple support staff have contracted COVID-19, likely stemming from contact with President Trump, other White House staff, and non-essential visitors,” Senator Booker wrote in the letter to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. The President of the United States and his senior aides have access to some of the best medical care in the world, but many White House workers may not. These workers, like many Americans, may have pre-existing conditions that place them at heightened risk of contracting COVID-19, or they may be caring for loved ones who are at greater risk of suffering serious illness or death should they contract the disease. While the President and senior staff have openly flaunted CDC guidelines designed to halt the spread of the virus and the disease, support staff should not be forced to risk exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19 in the course of carrying out their essential duties.”In the letter to Director of U.S. Secret Service James Murray, Senator Booker also wrote, “New Jersey was among the hardest hit areas of the country by the COVID-19 pandemic. The progress New Jersey has made in bringing infection rates down to the lowest in the country is a testament to the leadership of Governor Phil Murphy and the collective restraint and solidarity of New Jersey’s nearly nine million residents.”Senator Booker continued, “In order to prevent further transmission of COVID-19 in New Jersey and beyond, a full accounting and contact information of all individuals who attended, staffed, or were otherwise in close proximity to participants at the event is essential for timely contact tracing and testing.”The full text of the letter to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows can be viewed here, and the full text of the letter to the Director of U.S. Secret Service James Murray can be viewed here.October 7, 2020: Daily Beast posted an article titled: “White House Quietly Told Vets Group It Might Have Exposed Them To COVID”. It was written by Spencer Ackerman, Asawin Suebsaeng, Erin Banco, and Sam Stein. From the article:On the same day President Donald Trump acknowledged contracting the coronavirus, the White House quietly informed a veterans group that there was a COVID-19 risk stemming from a Sept. 27 event honoring the families of fallen U.S. service members, the head of that charitable organization told The Daily Beast.The White House warning, which came on Oct. 2, is the earliest known outreach to visitors of the complex that there was a risk of coronavirus emerging from the grounds where the president, the first lady, and at least 17 of his aides, according to Politico, have now tested positive for the virus……Pictures from the Gold Star family event, which Trump attended, show minimal mask wearing and social distancing. It took place indoors, though attendees said they were tested prior to attending. A Republican close to the White House also told The Daily Beast that others present at the event received outreach from a White House office—though not the medical office—late last week urging them to get coronavirus tests. The source described a chaotic scene in the White House as it tries to manage the internal outbreak……The Gold Star families event was attended by the vice commandant of the Coast Guard, Adm. Charles W. Ray. The Pentagon annnounced on Tuesday that Ray tested positive for coronavirus, prompting “self-quarantining” from several members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other senior military leaders Ray met with last week. Also at the event were Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who has tested negative, and Army Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff……”As a veterans organization, we are bipartisan and stay out of politics,” said Davis . “All Gold Star families that attended the event at the White House are doing great and have no symptoms of COVID.”Daily Beast
October 8, 2020: Military Times posted an article titled: “Trump suggests he may have contracted coronavirus from Gold Star Families”. The article was written by Leo Shane III. From the article:
President Donald Trump suggested he may have contracted the virus from families of fallen troops during a White House event late last month because he couldn’t observe social distancing when “they want to hug me and they want to kiss me.”The comments, made by Trump during an appearance on Fox Business on Thursday morning, come one week after administration officials announced that Trump has tested positive for the virus and 11 days after the meeting, held on Gold Star Families day……White House officials have come under public scrutiny in recent days for not requiring social distancing and mask wearing during events with numerous guests, including the announcement of Trump’s latest Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett, the day before the Gold Star families event.But administration officials have downplayed those concerns, saying that all visitors to the White House complex are tested and monitored for signs of illness……In recent days, Coast Guard Vice Commandant Adm. Charles Ray and Marine Corps Assistant Commandant Gen. Gary Thomas have tested positive for the virus, which has killed more than 210,000 Americans in the last seven months.Members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff – most of whom attended the Gold Star Families event – have gone into self-quarantine in recent days in response to their exposure to those senior officials and the president.Defense Secretary Mark Esper also attended the event. Pentagon officials said he tested negative for the virus and spent most of the last few days on official travel away from Washington……On Thursday, the Commission on Presidential Debates announced it will change next week’s scheduled event featuring Trump and is Democratic rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, to a virtual event because of Trump’s positive coronavirus diagnosis. Trump said in the Fox Business interview he plans on skipping the debate as a result…Military Times
October 10, 2020: Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie tweeted: “I am happy to let you know that this morning I was released from Morristown Medical Center. I want to thank the extraordinary doctors & nurses who cared for me for the last week. Thanks to my family & friends for their prayers. I will have more to say about all of this next week.”
October 10, 2020: The New York Times posted an article titled: “Trump Makes First Public Apperance Since Leaving Walter Reed”. It was written by Annie Karni and Maggie Haberman. From the article:
The White House had not made public the results of President Trump’s latest coronavirus test, which he claims he took on Friday. But Mr. Trump, eager to prove he had fully recovered a week after being hospitalized for Covid-19, appeared briefly on Saturday afternoon in front of hundreds of chanting supporters gathered at the White House.“We’ve got to vote these people into obilivion,” Mr. Trump said, re-entering the arena with his signature bluster and without any acknowledgement that he might still be contageous to those around him. His short speech, delivered from the Blue Room balcony overlooking the South Lawn, was the first time he has been seen in public since leaving the hospital on Monday. (A television interview with Fox News that aired Friday night had been pretaped).Mr. Trump, who emerged wearing a white surgical mask, peeled it off as he began his remarks. His voice sounded strong and his aggressive message playing down the threat of the virus was unchanged. But the event that the White House had previewed as a huge “peaceful protest for law and order”, was uncharacteristically brief.White House officials said the president would speak for 30 minutes, but he kept his remarks to just 18 minutes in total. A typical Trump rally, in contrast, often runs for at least 90 minutes. A large bandage on top of his right hand was a reminder of the treatments and infusions he had recieved over the past week. And atypical for a president who usually keeps crowds waiting, Mr. Trump started right on time……One White House official said that about 2,000 invitations had been sent out. But the crowd on Saturday was made up of a few hundred attendees, many of whom were in town for a gathering of the so-called Blexit movement, started by the right wing firebrand Candace Owens, which encourages Black voters to leave the Democratic Party.Attendees were asked to fill out questionnaires and undergo temperature screenings before entering the White House complex. They were also advised to wear masks, although many in the audience did not follow those directions…
October 10, 2020: The Guardian posted in their live blog “Trump supporters gather at White House – many without masks”. From the live blog:
Trump supporters are starting to gather for his address at the White House later. White House officials have said attendees will be required to wear masks and have their temperature checked before entering. Early photos suggest that many of them are definitely not wearing masks before the address. Maybe they’re heeding the president’s workds when he said Americans shouldn’t be “afraid” of a virus that has killed more than 210,000 people in the US……If you’re wondering why the crowds are less white than the president’s usual events, it’s because it has partly been organized by conservative activist Candace Owens who is behind Blexit, a campaign to get Black voters to leave the Democratic party. There are reports that some of the attendees have been paid to travel to the event.
The post included three photos of the crowd. Most people are wearing Trump hats and light blue shirts that say “We The Free”. Two people in the crowd is wearing a mask correctly. Several people were wearing a mask incorrectly – by pushing down to their chin, leaving their mouth and nose exposed.
October 12, 2020: CBS News posted an article titled: “Trump’s physician says president tested negative for COVID-19”. It was written by Kathryn Watson. From the article:
President Trump’s physician said the president has tested negative for COVID-19, according to a memo released by the White House on Monday afternoon, about 90 minutes before he is set to hold a rally in Florida. According to Dr. Sean Conley, the president’s physician, the president has tested negative “on consecutive days,” and is “not infectious to others.” Conley did not say on which days the president tested negative, and said rapid tests were used to determine the results, which are less accurate than PCR tests. “It is important to note that this test was not used in isolation for the determination of the president’s current negative status,” Conley said. “Repeatedly negative antigen tests, taken in context with additional clinical and laboratory data, including viral load, subgenomic RNA, and PCR cycle threshold measurements, as well as ongoing assessment of viral culture data, all indicate a lack of detectable viral replication. The comprehensive data, in concert with the CDC’s guidelines for removal of transmission-based precautions, have informed our medical team’s assessment that the president is not infectious to others.”Mr. Trump is set to take the stage in Sanford, Florida, at 7 p.m., for his first trip since his COVID-19 diagnosis and subsequent hospitalization…
October 13, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Labor secretary’s wife tests positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Tal Axelrod. From the article:
Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia’s wife tested positive for the coronavirus, the Labor Department announced Tuesday.Trish Scalia is currently experincing “mild symptoms but doing well,” the department said. Eugene Scalia tested negative for the virus……It was not immediately clear where Trish Scalia contracted the virus. Both Scalias attended the Rose Garden event where President Trump announced his nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, which has been linked to multiple COVID-19 cases within Trump’s circles…
October 14, 2020: The U.S. Department of Labor posted a news release titled: “Statement from U.S. Department of Labor”. From the news release:
This afternoon, doctors confirmed that U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia’s wife, Trish, tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Mrs. Scalia is experiencing mild symptoms but doing well. This evening, Secretary Scalia received a test and the results were negative; he has experienced no symptoms. The Secretary and Mrs. Scalia will follow the advice of health professionals for Trish’s recovery and the health of those around them. For the time being, the Secretary will work from home while continuing to carry out the mission of the Department and the President’s agenda.
October 14, 2020: First Lady Melania Trump posted an essay titled: “First Lady Melania Trump: “My personal experience with COVID-19” on the White House website. From the essay:
It was two weeks ago when I received the diagnosis that so many Americans across our country and the world had already received—I tested positive for COVID-19. To make matters worse, my husband, and our nation’s Commander-in-Chief, received the same news.Naturally my mind went immediately to our son. To our great relief he tested negative, but again, as so many parents have thought over the past several months, I couldn’t help but think “what about tomorrow or the next day?”. My fear came true when he was tested again and it came up positive. Luckily he is a strong teenager and exhibited no symptoms. In one way I was glad the three of us went through this at the same time so we could take care of one another and spend time together. He has since tested negative.I was very fortunate as my diagnosis came with minimal symptoms, though they hit me all at once and it seemed to be a roller coaster of symptoms in the days after. I experienced body aches, a cough and headaches, and felt extremely tired most of the time. I chose to go a more natural route in terms of medicine, opting more for vitamins and healthy food. We had wonderful caretakers around us and we will be forever grateful for the medical care and professional discretion we received from Dr. Conley and his team. It was an unfamiliar feeling for me to be the patient instead of a person trying to encourage our nation to stay healthy and safe. It was me being taken care of now, and getting first-hand experience with all that COVID-19 can do. As the patient, and the person benefitting from so much medical support, I found myself even more grateful and in awe of caretakers and first responders everywhere. To the medical staff and the residence staff who have been taking care of our family—thank you doesn’t say enough.Recovering from an illness gives you a lot of time to reflect. When my husband was taken to Walter Reed as a precaution, I spent much of my time reflecting on my family. I also thought about the hundreds of thousands of people across our country who have been impacted by this illness that infects people with no discrimination. We are in unprecedented times—and with the election fast approaching, it has been easy to get caught up in so much negative energy.It also cheered me to think of all the people I have met across our country and the world—and the goodness and compassion that exists if you seek it out. Our country has overcome many hardships and much adversity, and it is my hope COVID-19 will be another obstacle we will be able to tell future generations we overcame—and learned from in the process……I am happy to report that I have tested negative and hope to resume my duties as soon as I can. Along with this good news, I want people to know that I understand just how fortunate my family is to have received the kind of care that we did. If you are sick, or if you have a loved one who is sick—I am thinking of you and will be thinking of you every day. I pray for our country and I pray for everyone who is grappling with COVID-19 and any other illnesses or challenges…
October 14, 2020: CBS News posted an article titled: “Barron Trump tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month”. It was written by Kathryn Watson. From the article:
Barron Trump tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month, first lady Melania Trump announced in a a personal essay posted on the White House website. The 14-year-old has since tested negative, as have the first lady and the president, since the two contracted the virus earlier this month. Mr. Trump, has described his battle with the virus to supporters but has not said much about his family’s experience with COVID-19. Mrs. Trump said Barron exhibited no symptoms…
October 14, 2020: Paso Robles Daily News posted an article titled: “Congressman Carbajal shares update on recovery from COVID-19”. It includes a video and a transcript of the video. From the transcript:
Hi everyone, I wanted to take a minute to thank you for all the well-wishes you continue to send to me through my office and my staff.I also wanted to give you a brief update about my experience isolating, quarantining here as directed by my physician.For the most part, my symptoms have been mild – I’ve had fatigue, body aches, fever, loss of appetite, and chills. Oftentimes, the symptoms would come and go.For the most part, they’ve dissipated and the doctor’s told me that as soon as they completely dissipate I should be able to complete my quarantine and isolation.I’m very grateful for the care I’ve received from our physicians – although it’s been remotely and phone check-ins.As you can see, I’ve lost some weight since I last communicated with you via video. Certainly, not having an appetite it was difficult to eat anything.But now I’m on the mend and again just wanted to let you in on an update about my status and to again remind you to please wear masks and social distance.I’m lucky I’ve had more mild symptoms, but others have had real challenges with this virus. So, please, please follow our physicians and our medical providers’ suggestions, make sure you’re social distancing, make sure you’re wearing a mask.And I hope to see you all very soon.
October 14, 2020: Representative Bill Huizenga (Republican – Michigan) tweeted: “Earlier today, I was expected to appear with the Vice President. While taking part in offsite testing protocols, I took a rapid test that came back positive for COVID-19. I am awaiting the results of a PCR test and I am self isolating until I have confirmed results”.
October 15, 2020: Representative Bill Huizenga (Republican – Michigan) tweeted: “Quick update: I have recieved my results from the PCR test confirming that I am positive for COVID-19. I will continue to self-isolate through the duration and serve the people of West Michigan. Thank you to the medical professionals who deal with these cases on a daily basis.” This wa the start of a thread.
October 15, 2020: Representative Bill Huizenga (Republican – Michigan) tweeted: “I deeply appreciate all those who have reached out and will continue to keep West Michigan updated on the status of my recovery.” This was the end of the thread.
October 15, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “Biden campaign halts Kamala Harris’ travel after two people in campaign’s orbit test positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Eric Bradner. From the article:
Joe Biden’s campaign is halting the travel of his running mate, California Sen. Kamala Harris, through this weekend after two people — a flight crew member and Haris’ communication director, Liz Allen — tested positive for coronavirus.A staff member for the charter company that flies Biden also tested positive Thursday, his campaign said, but Biden’s travel schedule is not changing because the former vice president did not come within 50 feet of the person.Harris was not in what the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention define as close contact with either person, Biden campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon said in a statement. Still, Harris’ planned trip to North Carolina on Thursday was scrapped, and she will remain off the road until Monday, she said……Harris has taken two PCR tests for coronavirus since October 8, including a test Wednesday, and has tested negative, O’Malley Dillon said.The Biden campaign’s immediate disclosure of the positive results was in stark contrast with how Trump’s campaign and White House have handled positive coronavirus tests from Trump himself as well as top campaign officials and aides. Trump’s White House still has not disclosed when Trump had most recently tested negative for coronavirus prior to his positive test.The two people were with Harris on a flight on October 8, the day after her debate with Vice President Mike Pence……Before and after the flight, both Allen and the flight crew member tested negative, and all other staffers on the flight have tested negative, she said……Biden’s campaign also scrapped the plans of Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, to travel to Minnesota, where he’d planned to campaign with Jill Biden, on Thursday. But because he had not been in contact with either person, the campaign said, he will return to in-person campaigning on Friday.Hours after announcing the change to Harris’ schedule, Biden’s campaign said it had learned — through the process of contact tracing following the Harris flight crew member who tested positive — that an administrative staffer for the charter flight company that flies Biden also tested positive…
October 20, 2020: Steve Holland, who covers the White House and U.S. politics for Reuters, tweeted: “From Melania Trump chief of staff Stephanie Grisham: “Mrs. Trump continues to feel better ever day following her recovery from COVID-19, but with a lingering cough, and out of an abundance of caution, she will not be traveling today.”
October 24, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Two Loeffler staffers test positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Jordan Williams. From the article:
Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) has tested negative for coronavirus after two of her staffers tested positive.Loeffler’s office said in a statement on Saturday that she was tested for COVID-19 on Friday after two of her staffers tested positive. It is unclear when the staffers were tested.“On Friday, Senator Loeffler was tested for COVID-19 after learning that two of her Senate staffers had tested positive,” the statement said. “Senator Loeffler tested negative.“Senator Loeffler is more than energized than ever to vote to confirm Amy Coney Barrett as the next Supreme Court Justice on Monday, returning home and traveling the state to meet with hardworking Georgians,” her office said…
October 24, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Pence Adviser Marty Obst tests positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Mariana Pitofsky. From the article:
One of Vice President Pence’s closest advisers, Marty Obst, tested positive for COVID-19 this week, according to multiple reports.The adviser tested positive on Wednesday, Bloomberg News first reported. It was not immediately confirmed whether Obst is experiencing symptoms from the virus. Obst is not a Trump administration employee, although he is frequently in contact with the vice president and visits the grounds of the White House, according to Bloomberg. He was last in contact with Pence about a week ago. Pence on Saturday traveled to Florida to give a speech at a campaign event…
October 24, 2020: The Hill posted article titled: “Pence’s chief of staff tests positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Brett Samuels. From the article:
Vice President Pence’s chief of staff tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, but the vice president intends to plow ahead with a busy campaign schedule, his office said.“Today, Marc Short, Chief of Staff to the Vice President, tested positive for COVID-19, began quarantine and assisting in the contact tracing process,” Pence’s press secretary Devin O’Malley said in a statement. “Vice President Pence and Mrs. Pence both tested negative for COVID-19 today, and remain in good health.”“While Vice President Pence is considered a close contact with Mr. Short, in consultation with the White House Medical Unit, the Vice President will maintain his schedule in accordance with the CDC guidelines for essential personnel,” O’Malley said.Short is the latest White House official to contract the virus, and he is the second person close to Pence whose case became public on Saturday. But Short is in regular contact with the vice president, increasing Pence’s risk of exposure.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines urge individuals who are considered a close contact of someone with COVID-19 to stay home for 14 days from their last contact with that individual.Pence has maintained an aggressive travel schedule in recent weeks, and it is only expected to intensify in the final week of the campaign. He spent Saturday in Florida and will travel to North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Minnesota in the coming days, among other states…
October 24, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Documents show Trump campaign ignored coronovirus guidelines at guidelines at Duluth rally: report”. It was written by Celine Castronuovo. From the article:
President Trump’s reelection campaign seemingly ignored previously agreed upon health guidelines at its Sept. 30 rally in Duluth, Minn., just two days before the president was diagnosed with COVID-19, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post. The Post reported Saturday that in the days leading up to the Duluth rally, the Trump campaign signed an agreement with local officials to follow health guidelines aimed at limiting the spread of the virus, including capping rally attendance at 250 people. However, as Trump supporters arrived at the tarmac of Duluth International Airport hours ahead of the rally, with many not socially distancing or wearing face masks, an airport official contacted the campaign. “We have been notified that the 250 person limit has been exceeded,” an airport representative reportedly wrote in an email. “This email serves as our notice of a contract violation and we are requesting you remedy the situation.”According to the Post, the campaign did not respond to the email or take any actions to address the warning. Airport officials later estimated that more than 2,500 people attended the Duluth rally. The Post reported that additional emails and documents obtained through open-records requests showed that while local officials suspected the campaign would not adhere to the agreement, they resisted directly enforcing the guidelines due to fear of backlash.“We will not incite an incident by unilaterally taking physical action to close the event,” Tom Werner, the airport’s executive director, reportedly wrote to the airport’s appointed board members the morning before the rally.In a statement to the Post, the Duluth Airport Authority (DAA) said, “It was made clear to the Trump Campaign, in the lead up to the event, that compliance with the State of Minnesota’s current public health executive orders was an expectation of the DAA.” According to the Post, Minnesota public health officials have traced 19 coronavirus cases to a pair of Trump rallies in the state in September, with three tied to the Duluth event…
October 25, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “At least 5 of Vice President Pence’s aides test positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Kaitlan Collins, Jeremy Diamond, Jim Acosta, Daniella Diaz, Kevin Liptak and Betsy Klein. From the article:
At least five people in Vice President Mike Pence’s orbit have tested positive for coronavirus in recent days, including chief of staff Marc Short, close aide Zach Bauer and outside adviser Marty Obst, sources told CNN……Vice President Mike Pence and second lady Karen Pence each tested negative for coronavirus on Sunday, a White House official said. Despite contact with multiple people who recently tested positive, Mike Pence is refusing to quarantine in defiance of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.Pence’s office announced Saturday evening that Short had been diagnosed with Covid-19. Sources told CNN that Obst, who is a senior political adviser to Pence but is not a government employee, and at least three staffers in Pence’s office have also tested positive for the virus. Bauer, one of the staffers who tested positive, according to two sources familiar with the matter, is Pence’s “body man,” meaning his job is to accompany Pence throughout the day and night helping him with a wide range of duties, putting him in close proximity to the vice president. A source familiar with the matter told CNN that Bauer has not been in the office since Tuesday, when he went home to quarantine after coming into contact with Obst. Bauer tested positive Saturday……Pence — who is the head of the White House’s coronavirus task force — plans to continue traveling and campaigning every day in the final stretch to Election Day, an official told CNN.After North Carolina later on Sunday, Pence is going to Minnesota on Monday and back to North and South Carolina on Tuesday. He’s also expected to return to the upper Midwest this week. The official said Pence would continue to be tested but, like Trump, still plans to be on the road every day for the next week. The developments raise new questions about safety protocols and transparency within the White House as the pandemic has killed at least 225,000 Americans……Pence, who is known to rarely wear a mask while flying on Air Force Two, traveled on Saturday to Florida for campaign rallies in Lakeland and Tallahassee. The vice president walked across the tarmac from Marine Two in a mask and boarded Air Force Two about an hour behind schedule……Short has been seen on the campaign trail actively eschewing the use of masks for months, including earlier this week traveling aboard Air Force Two. Neither Pence nor Short wore a mask on Pence’s trip on Thursday and Friday.As chief of staff to Pence, Short has been a key aide involved with the US coronavirus response. He has been reported to have advocated for an economy-first approach to the pandemic……The CDC has issued guidance that says people should stay home for 14 days after having contact with a person who has Covid-19…
October 30, 2020: Governor Brian Kemp (Republican – Georgia) tweeted an image with the following statement:
Statement from the Office of Gov. Brian P. Kemp“Following a negative COVID-19 PCR test result for both the Governor and the First Lady, the Governor is currently quarantining due to direct exposure within the last 48 hours to an individual who recently tested positive. At this time, the First Lady is not known to have been exposed to a confirmed case. The Governor is not currently experiencing any symptoms and will be quaranting, per Department of Public Health guidance. The Governor spoke with Dr. Toomey this afternoon and will continue to follow her expert guidance. We will provide futher updates at the appropriate time.”
Governor Brian Kemp’s tweet was retweeted by First Lady Marty Kemp.
October 30, 2020: Representative Drew Ferguson (Republican – Georgia) tweeted an image with the following statement:
“Last night I began feeling mild symptoms consistent with a cold, with no fever. This morning when I began running a slight fever, I immediately took a COVID test which has come back positive. Following the advice of my physician, I will be self-quarantining and working from home. I have also notified the Office of the Attending Physician in Congress and asked for their guidance. While the vast majority of my recent schedule has been virtual, we are beginning the process of reaching out to anyone I have seen in recent days. I am eager to get back to work and will do so as soon as I have fully recovered.”
October 30, 2020: The Hill reported: Ferguson attended a rally Tuesday with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) and Kemp’s wife, who both announced Friday that they are quarantining while awaiting test results.
October 31, 2020: CNBC posted an article titled: “Trump campaign rallies led to more than 30,000 coronavirus cases, Stanford researchers say”. It was written by Berkley Lovelace Jr. From the article:
President Donald Trump’s campaign rallies led to more than 30,000 coronavirus cases, according to a new paper posted by researchers at Stanford.Researchers looked at 18 Trump rallies held between June 20 and Sept. 22 and analyzed Covid-19 data the weeks following each event. They compared the counties where the events were held to other counties that had a similar trajectory of confirmed Covid-19 cases prior to the rally date. Out of the 18 rallies analyzed, only three were indoors, according to the research.The researchers found that the rallies ultimately resulted in more than 30,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19. They also concluded that the rallies likely led to more than 700 deaths, though not necessarily among attendees.The researchers said the findings support the warnings and recommendations of public health officials concerning the risk of Covid-19 transmission at large group gatherings, “particularly when the degree of compliance with guidelines concerning the use of masks and social distancing is low.”“The communities in which Trump rallies took place paid a high price in terms of disease and death,” said B. Douglas Bernheim, chairman of Stanford’s economics department and a lead author of the paper, wrote.The paper, which has not undergone a peer review yet, was published on open access preprint platform SSRN….…The researchers said they had to overcome “significant challenges,” acknowledging that the dynamics of Covid-19 are “complex,” and “even the most superficial examination of the data reveals that the process governing the spread of Covid-19 differs across counties.”The new research comes as the coronavirus continues to rapidly spread across the United States. The U.S. continued to set new highs for infections this week, with Friday marking a record 99,321 daily new cases, bringing the seven-day average of daily new cases to a new high at 78,738, a CNBC analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University showed…
November 6, 2020: Bloomberg posted an article titled: “Trump’s Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows, Infected By Coronavirus”. It was written by Jennifer Jacobs, Tyler Page, and Mario Parker. From the article:
President Donald Trump’s chief of staff, Mark Meadows, has told associates he has coronavirus, according to people familiar with the matter, adding to the outbreaks connected to the White House.It wasn’t immediately clear when Meadows learned that he had contracted the virus, or whether he had developed symptoms of Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus. He informed a close circle of advisers after Tuesday’s election, one of the people said……A Trump campaign aide, Nick Trainer, is also infected, according to two people familiar with the matter. He and campaign spokespeople declined to comment……Meadows was at Trump’s bedside when the president was hospitalized last month with Covid-19…
November 6, 2020: Kaitlan Collins, CNN White House Correspondent, tweeted: “Worth noting that Mark Meadows was at the election night party at the White House Tuesday that hundreds of people attended. Officials said everyone would be tested beforehand.”
November 6, 2020: Jennifer Jacobs, Senior White House reporter for Bloomberg News tweeted: “Meadows was at campaign HQ on Tuesday with Trump without a mask and again on Wednesday – also without a mask, aides tell me.”
November 6, 2020: Jennifer Jacobs, Senior White House reported for Bloomberg News tweeted: “NEWS: Along with Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows, at least FOUR other White House aides currently have coronavirus, per sources. Pains where taken to keep Meadows’ illness a secret, I’m told. And people around him who knew him were told to keep quiet.”
November 9, 2020: ABC 7 WABC-TV posted an article titled: “HUD Sec. Ben Carson tests positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Jeremy Diamond and Betsy Klein from CNN. From the article:
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson tested positive for coronavirus on Monday, his deputy chief of staff Coalter Baker confirmed to CNN.“Secretary Carson has tested positive for the coronavirus. He is in good spirits and feels fortunate to have access to effective therapeutics which aid and markedly speed his recovery.” Baker said in a statement.An aide added that Carson, 69, tested positive Monday morning at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center after experiencing symptoms. He is no longer at the hospital.Carson’s chief of staff Andrew Hughes disclosed the secretary’s positive diagnosis in an all-staff letter, writing: “He is resting at his house and is already beginning to feel better.”Hughes also said staff would be notified if they’d been in contact with Carson and that “all precautions are being taken.”……Carson attended an election night party where White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and nearly every other attendee was not wearing a mask. Meadows and four others in Trump’s orbit tested positive last week.Carson, a retired neurosurgeon and a member of the White House coronavirus task force, was spotted maskless at several Trump campaign events in the lead up to Election Day, including a Trump campaign rally in Waterford Township, Michigan, on October 30……Black Voices for Trump posts indicate that Carson and his wife, Candy, traveled to events in Florida and Georgia ahead of the election. Masks went largely unworn during the events. And the Carsons were photographed without masks, posing shoulder-to-shoulder with supporters…
November 9, 2020: USA Today posted an article titled: “David Bossie, Trump campaign adviser overseeing campaign legal challenges, has COVID-19”. It was written by Savannah Behrmann. From the article:
David Bossie, an adviser for President Donald Trump’s campaign, has tested positive for COVID-19, according to several outlets, becoming the latest in Trump’s orbit to contract the virus.Bossie was tapped just a few days ago to head the Trump campaign’s legal challenges in contesting the outcome of the presidential election, which the president is projected to have lost.According to ABC, Bossie tested positive on Sunday. He was in Phoenix, Arizona on Thursday to participate in a press conference with the state’s Republican party about the election, and has traveled to the Trump campaign’s headquarters in Virginia several times in the last week. He was often seen not wearing a mask.Bossie’s diagnosis was reported Monday, just a few hours after news broke that Ben Carson, the Housing and Urban Development secretary, also had tested positive for COVID-19…
November 12, 2020: Representative Don Young (Republican – Alaska) tweeted: “I have tested positive for COVID-19. I am feeling strong, following proper protocols, working from home in Alaska, and ask for privacy at this time. May God Bless Alaska.”
November 12: 2020: KTOO posted an article titled: “Alaska Rep. Don Young, 87, says he’s diagnosed with COVID-19”. It was written by Nathaniel Herz. From the article:
U.S. Representative Don Young, 87, has tested positive for COVID-19, he announced in a tweet Thursday……Young, a Republican, was first elected in 1973 and is now the Dean of the House, meaning he’s the longest-serving member of Congress. He’s also the chamber’s oldest member.The Associated Press declared Wednesday that Young has won re-election over Democratic Party-endorsed independent Alyse Galvin. He was photographed at one of his fundraisers not wearing a mask and said he did not require them at this political events……Young made headlines early in the pandemic when he jokingly referred to COVID-19, a type of coronavirus, as the “beer virus.” He later said he didn’t fully grasp the severity of the virus and the associated public health crisis.”
November 13, 2020: Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak (Democrat – Nevada) tweeted: “As part of a regular testing protocal, I underwent routine COVID-19 testing in Friday, November 13 in Carson City. A rapid test provided a positive result. I also recieved a diagnositc PCR test and those results are pending at this time”.
The tweet included screenshots of a press release:
As part of a regular testing protocol, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak underwent routine COVID-19 testing on Friday, November 13 in Carson City. A rapid test provided a positive result. The Governor also received a diagnostic PCR test and those results are pending at this time.At this time, the Governor is not experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms. Earlier this week, the Governor expressed feeling fatigue, however he attributed it to his demanding schedule. No other symptoms were experienced.“It was important to me to notify Nevadans as soon as possible of my positive COVID-19 test results. I am currently not experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms and I have returned to my residence to begin the quarantine and isolation process. Shortly after the test result came back, I underwent a disease investigation interview with Carson City Health and Human Services,” said Gov. Sisolak. “I want to thank the health officials who assisted me through this process. They serve as a strong reminder of how proud we should all be of our State’s public health workers. With my case, I want to underscore the importance of Nevadans to stay home as much as they possibly can at this time. There were more than 1,800 new cases identified in Nevada yesterday and cases are growing at a rate of 1.3 percent, or 1,402 new cases per day.”Prior to today’s test, the Governor has received negative results on all previous tests – including his last two regular COVID tests conducted on Monday, Nov. 2 and Friday, Nov. 6.Consistent with guidelines from the CDC and the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the Governor will isolate and continue to monitor his symptoms. He will receive daily monitoring provided by the Local Health Authority, in addition to regular check-ins from a local physician.The Governor has been interviewed by state and local public health officials and has also proactively reached out to those who may have been close contacts. Formal contact tracing efforts are underway to ensure all close contacts are notified and informed of next steps in accordance with public health guidelines.All public events have been cancelled at this time. The Governor remains in constant contact with his staff and his Cabinet and the work of the Governor’s Office will continue remotely.The Governor was last in the Carson City office on Thursday, November 12. Out of an abundance of caution, all staff in the Carson City office transitioned to work from home status today. Any staff members deemed close contacts through the contact tracing process will remain in quarantine for the full period in compliance with CDC guidelines and must receive a negative test result before returning to the office upon completion of their full quarantine period.All relevant staff members will continue to self-monitor for symptoms and quarantine at this time – including staying at home and separating themselves from others, in accordance with public health guidelines. Those staffers will be working from home and are able to conduct their regular business during this time.
November 16, 2020: Representative Don Young (Republican – Alaska) posted a press release titled: “Health Update from Congressman Don Young”. From the press release:
“There has been much speculation in the media on my current condition, and I want Alaskans to know that their Congressman is alive, feeling better, and on the road to recovery. As you know, last week, I tested positive for COVID-19. Over the weekend, I was admitted to Providence Hospital for treatment and monitoring. The team at Providence did an outstanding job, and their commitment to patient care is to be commended. I have been discharged and continue recovering and working from home in Alaska. Very frankly, I had not felt this sick in a very long time, and I am grateful to everyone who has kept me in their thoughts and prayers.Unfortunately, a lot of what you may have heard about my condition was based on speculation in the media that did not respect my privacy. This is irresponsible, and I do not want any Alaskans to be scared of seeking testing or treatment out of privacy concerns. COVID-19 is a serious virus, and its recent surge in our state has made this a critical moment. I encourage all Alaskans to continue following CDC guidelines: practice social distancing; use a mask; avoid crowds whenever possible.The economy, in both Alaska and our entire nation, has been devastated by this virus. This is not just a public health emergency, but an economic crisis as well. Today, we received encouraging news that a second COVID-19 vaccine candidate has shown to be successful. This development represents tremendous potential, but we must continue looking out for one another. Fighting the spread of this virus is crucial if we are to recover. We cannot hunker down forever, but I sincerely believe that we will be successful in fighting COVID-19, so that we can restore our economic health in the present, and secure a bright future for all Alaskans; our children and grandchildren are depending on us. Stay safe, and may God Bless Alaska and our frontline workers.”
November 16, 2020: Representative Cheri Bustos (Democrat – Illinois) tweeted: “I have tested positive for the COVID virus. I am experiencing mild symptoms, but still feel well. I have been in contact with my medical provider and, per CDC guidance, am self-isolating”. This tweet was the start of a thread.
November 16, 2020: Representative Cheri Bustos (Democrat – Illinois) tweeted: “Consistent with medical advice, I will be working remotely from my home in Illinois until cleared by my physician. All individuals that I had been in contact with have been notified. Across the country and the Congressional District I serve, COVID case numbers are skyrocketing.”
November 16, 2020: Representative Cheri Bustos (Democrat – Illinois) tweeted: “We must all continue to be vigilant in following public health best practices: wear a mask, practice social distancing, get your flu shot and wash your hands. The only way we will get this pandemic under control is by working together”. This tweet was the end of the thread.
November 16, 2020: Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak (Democrat – Nevada) tweeted: “Today, I wanted to provide an update on my #COVID19 diagnosis. I continue to remain in good spirits with only mild head congestion. I appreciate the ongoing outpouring of support and well wishes!”
The tweet included two screenshots of a press release:
Today, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak announced he continues to be in good spirits and has only experienced mild head congestion related to his positive COVID-19 diagnosis. As part of a regular testing protocol, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak underwent a routine COVID-19 testing on Friday, November 13 in Carson City. A rapid test provided a positive result. The Governor also recieved a diagnostic PCR test at that time, which has also returned a positive result.“I appreciate the outpouring of support and well wishes from Nevadans and those across the country who have taken time to check in on me,” said Gov. Sisolak. “I again want to thank the health officials who assisted me through this process. They serve as a strong reminder of how proud we should all be of our State’s health workers. My focus remains on addressing the record surge the State is currently experiencing and my administration continues to work around the clock to serve Nevadans through this ongoing pandemic.”The Governor continues to isolate and monitor symptoms. He is recieveing daily monitoring provided by the Local Health Authority, in addition to check-ins from a local physician.Prior to the positive results on Friday, the Governor has received negative results on all previous tests – including his last two regular COVID tests conducted on Monday, Nov. 2 and Friday, Nov. 6.The Governor remains in constant contact with his staff and his Cabinet and the work of the Governor’s Office will continue remotely.The Governor was last in the Carson City office on Thursday, November 12. Any staff members deemed close contacts through the contact tracing process will remain in quarantine for the full period of compliance with CDC guidelines and must receive a negative test result before returning to the office upon completion of their full quarantine period. Those staffers will be working from home and are able to conduct their regular business during this time.The Governor’s Office has followed all public health and safety protocols including temperature checks, wearing face coverings, social distancing and strict hygiene procedures.
November 17, 2020: Senator Chuck Grassley (Republican – Iowa) posted a statement titled: “Statement from Sen. Grassley on Exposure to COVID-19”. From the statement:
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley today issued the following statement regarding exposure to COVID-19.“I learned today that I’ve been exposed to the coronavirus. I will follow my doctors’ orders and immediately quarantine as I await my test results. I’m testing well and not currently experiencing any symptoms, but it’s important we follow public health guidelines to keep each other healthy.”Grassley will continue his business for the people of Iowa virtually at home.
November 17, 2020: CBC News posted an article titled: “Chuck Grassley, second oldest senator, tests positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Grace Segers. From the article:
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, who at 87 is the second oldest member of the Senate, said in a statement that he had been tested positive for the coronavirus. Grassley announced that he had been exposed to someone with the virus earlier on Tuesday.“This morning, I learned that I had been exposed to the coronavirus. I received a COVID-19 test and immediately began to quarantine. While I still feel fine, the test came back positive for the coronavirus. I am continuing to follow my doctor’s orders and CDC guidelines,” Grassley said. He added that he would continue to work from home, and said his Senate offices would remain open…In his statement earlier on Tuesday, Grassleysaid he would “immediately quarantine” as he awaited test results……Grassley did not get tested for the coronavirus after Senator Mike Lee, a felow member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, tested positive last month…
November 17, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Colorado Democrat Ed Perlmutter tests positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Tal Axelrod. From the article:
Colorado Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D) announced Tuesday that he’s tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the latest House lawmaker to be diagnosed with the virus.Perlmutter said in a statement that he is currently asymptomatic and will isolate in his Washington apartment as he works remotely.“I’ve been taking precautions like so many other Coloradans over the past eight months. This serves as an important reminder that this virus is highly contageous and should be taken seriously. As we enter the holiday season, I encourage everyone to heed the warnings of no personal gatherings, social distancing and wearing a mask,” he said……Perlmutter’s diagnosis comes amid a spike in COVID-19 cases across the country. The Capitol’s attending physician launched a new testing program for members and staff on Monday amid the surge to try to ensure that a building that houses employees who travel between Washington, D.C., and their districts across the country is not ravaged by a related flood of infections.
November 18, 2020: Representative Dan Newhouse (Republican – Washington) tweeted: “I began to feel a little run down yesterday, so I took a COVID-19 test. Last night, the results came back positive for the virus. My symptoms remain mild, and I am following CDC guidelines. I am quarantining and will continue to serve the people of Central Washington from home.”
November 18, 2020: The Hill reported: Newhouse voted on the House floor Monday night with several other lawmakers.
November 20, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Ben Carson says he’s ‘out of the woods’ after being ‘extremely sick’ with COVID-19”. It was written by Tal Axelrod. From the article:
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson said Friday that he is feeling better after what appeared to be a serious bout of the coronavirus.In a Facebook post, Carson, who is a medical doctor, said he believes he is “out of the woods” after being “extremely sick” with the highly infectious virus and that he believes an experimental treatment he took saved his life.“I was extremely sick and initially took Oleander 4X with dramatic improvement. However, I have several co-morbidities and after a brief period when I only experienced minor discomfort, the symptoms accelerated and I became desperately ill. President Trump was following my condition and cleared me for the monoclonal antibody therapy that he had previously received, which I am convinced saved my life,” he wrote, referring to a treatment that is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or a proven COVID-19 therapeutic… …Carson, 69, first announced earlier this month that he’d tested positive for the coronavirus. It was not immediately clear which monoclonal antibody treatment Carson received or if he received Regeneron’s experimental antibody treatment that Trump received when he had his own battle with the coronavirus…
November 20, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “Florida Republican senator says he has Covid-19”. It was written by Daniella Diaz. From the article:
Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida said in a statement Friday morning he has tested positive with Covid-19, adding to the number of lawmakers in recent days that have tested positive with the virus.“After several negative tests, I learned I was positive this morning,” he said in a statement. “I am feeling good and experiencing very mild symptoms. I will be working from home in Naples until it is safe for me to return to Washington D.C.”Scott, who is the chairman of the Senate Republicans’ campaign arm, had campaigned last week with Republican Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler who are both facing January runoff races for reelection in Georgia. Scott announced last Saturday that he had been possibly exposed to the virus and that he would isolate while awaiting test results……This case brings CNN’s tally to 26 House members and nine senators that have so far tested positive or been presumed positive since the start of the pandemic.The increased number in positive lawmakers from both parties and chambers of Congress coincides with the uptick of cases across the country. The House began offering Covid-19 testing for members this week, eight months after the pandemic began.
November 20, 2020: The Associated Press posted an article titled: “Spokesman: Trump’s eldest son tests positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Jonathan Lemire. From the article:
Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of President Donald Trump, was quarantining Friday after learning he has been infected with the coronavirus, a spokesperson said.The younger Trump learned his diagnosis at the beginning of the week and has had no symptoms, said the spokesperson, who was granted anonymity to discuss private medical information.Trump Jr. is following all medically recommend guidelines for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, the spokesperson added.The 42-year-old is the latest member of the president’s family to become infected with a virus that has killed more than 250,000 Americans and infected nearly 12 million others…
November 20, 2020: Andrew H. Giuliani (son of Rudy Guliani) tweeted: “This morning I tested positive for COVID-19. I am experiencing mild symptoms, and am following all appropriate protocals, including being in quarantine and conducting contact tracing.”
November 20, 2020: Jenna Ellis, Senior Legal Advisor for Trump’s legal team, tweeted: “Mayor @RudyGiuliani and I have both tested negative for COVID-19. The entire legal team will continue to follow the advice and protocols of our doctors.”
November 21, 2020: The New York Times posted an article titled: “Andrew Giuliani, a White House official, tests positive after attending a news conference with his father and other Trump lawyers”. It was written by Maggie Haberman and Katherine J. Wu. From the article:
Andrew Giuliani, a White House official and son of President Trump’s personal lawyer, announced on Twitter on Friday that he had tested positive for the coronavirus. He is the latest in a string of administration officials, including Mr. Trump himself, to contract the virus……Mr. Giuliani, who is not known to wear a mask at the White House, attended a news conference on Thursday with his father, Rudolph W. Giuliani, the president’s personal lawyer who is leading efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.The news conference was held in a small room packed with dozens of people at the Republican National Committee in Washington. Three other lawyers that the elder Mr. Giuliani called the president’s “elite strike force” team were also at the lectern: Jenna Ellis, Joseph diGenova and Sidney Powell……The elder Mr. Giuliani and the younger Mr. Giuliani had spent most of the week together, according to a person familiar with their interactions, blurring the timeline during which the virus could have hopped from one to the other……Andrw Giuliani is only the latest case in what one White House official not authorized to speak publicly described on Friday as another outbreak at the complex. There are at least four other people who have tested positive in the recent days in addition to the younger Mr. Giuliani, said the official.Those test results have come as the small dining room near the West Wing, referred to as the Navy Mess, was reopened this week with limited seating, the official said…
November 21, 2020: Stephen Lawson, a spokesperson for Kelly Loffler’s campaign, tweeted: “My statement on Senator Loeffler’s COVID testing. She has no symptoms and is in good spirits, and appreciates everyone’s well wishes and support.”
The tweet included the statement:
Loeffler Campaign Statement on COVID TestingToday, Loeffler campaign spokesperson Stephen Lawson issued the following statement:“Senator Loeffler took two COVID tests on Friday morning. Her rapid test results were negative and she was cleared to attend Friday’s events. She was informed later in the evening after public events on Friday that her PCR test came back positive, but she was retested Saturday morning after conferring with medical officials and those results came back inconclusive on Saturday evening. Senator Loeffler followed CDC guidelines by notifying those with whom she had sustained direct contact while she awaits further test results.She has no symptoms and she will continue to follow CDC guidelines by quaranting until retesting is conclusive and an update will be provided at that time.”
November 21, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Loeffler isolating after possible COVID-19 infection”. It was written by Jordan Williams. From the article:
Sen. Kelly Loffler (R-Ga.) is self isolating after a possible COVID-19 infection, her campaign said Saturday night.Stephen Lawson, a spokesperson for her campaign, said in a statement, that Loeffler, took two tets Friday morning, including a rapid test that was negative, and she was cleared to attend two campaign events with Vice President Pence.After her events, she was told that a polymerase chain reaction test (PCR) came back positive, the spokesman said. The senator was retested onSaturday and the results were “inconclusive,” Lawson said……Loeffler is facing reelection against Democratic challenger Rev. Raphael Warnock in a runoff on Jun. 5. The race is one of two that will determine which party controls the U.S. Senate.Recently, she’s held joint events with Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.), who is facing his own critical runoff against Jon Ossoff (D), and campaigned with Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.). He campaign events have drawn large crowds where not many people wear masks and socially distance, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported.
November 22, 2020: California Governor Gavin Newsom (Democrat – California) tweeted: “Late Friday evening, @JenSeibelNewsom and I learned that 3 of our children had been exposed to an officer from the California Highway Patrol who had tested positive for COVID-19”. This is the start of a short thread.
November 22, 2020: California Governor Gavin Newsom (Democrat – California) tweeted: “Jen and I had no direct interaction with the officer and wish them a speedy recovery. Thankfully, the entire family tested negative today. However, consistent with local guidance, we will be quarantining for 14 days.”
November 22, 2020: California Governor Gavin Newsom (Democrat – California) tweeted: “We are grateful for all the officers that keep our family safe and for every frontline worker who continues to go to work during this pandemic.” This is the end of the thread.
November 25, 2020: Congresswoman Susie Lee (Democrat – Nevada) tweeted: “My statement on my mothers’ passing and my COVID-19 positivity”.
The tweet included a screenshot of her statement, titled; “Rep. Lee Statement on Mother’s Passing, Congresswoman’s COVID-19 Positivity”. From the statement:
U.S. Rep. Susie Lee (Nev.-03) released the following statement on the passing of her mother, Joan Kelley, and on the Congresswoman’s positive COVID-19 test result:“It is difficult for me to write this tonight, but I am heartbroken to share the news that my mother passed away yesterday evening after months of deteriorating health. This has been an extremely difficult couple of days for my family. I’m going to share more in the coming days about my mom and the pivotal role she played in shaping my life and the lives of my siblings.“I traveled to Ohio on Monday because my mother had begun to recieve in-home hospice care. I took precautions to maintain social distance and wear a mask, and out of an abundance of caution, took a COVID-19 test before arriving in Ohio and again today. While I tested negative as recently as Sunday, I unfortunately tested positive today for COVID-19. I am curently asymptomatic and plan to participate in remote memorial services for my mother over the weekend. Starting next week, I will continue my congressional work remotely while isolating until I know it is safe to exit isolation.”
November 25, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “USAID administrator tests positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Justine Coleman. From the article:
John Barsa, the acting administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), tested positive for COVID-19, a spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday.Acting USAID spokesperson Pooja Jhunjhunwala told The Hill in a statement that Barsa tested positive on Wednesday for the coronavirus after a rapid diagnostic test.“The Acting Deputy Administrator has been isolating since he began exhibiting symptoms late Monday, November 23, and will continue to until a retest is conclusive,” Jhunjhunwala said.Barsa reportedly informed senior staff on Wednesday of his positive test, two sources familiar with the call told Axios. Staffers told the news outlet that Barsa rarely wears a mask in their office……The acting USAID administrator was scheduled to travel to Honduras this weekend after the country was hit by Hurricane Eta and Hurricane Iota, but administrators told Axios they believe the trip will be canceled after the test results…
November 25, 2020: CBS News posted an article titled: “Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon tests positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Jordan Freiman. From the article:
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon has tested positive for COVID-19, his office announced Wednesday.“Governor Mark Gordon received results today of a COVID-19 test that showed he is positive for the virus,” the governor’s office said in a statement. “He has only minor symptoms at this time and plans to continue working on behalf of Wyoming remotely.”Last Thursday, Gordon, a Republican, announced new restrictions in the state as COVID-19 infection rates surged there and throughout the country. Indoor gatherings are limited to 25% capacity with social distancing while outdoor gatherings are capped at 50% capacity with social distancing. No mask mandate was announced.The state has reported over 26,000 confirmed cases and 215 deaths, according to the Wyoming Department of Health…
November 25, 2020: Colorado Governor Jared Polis (Democrat – Colorado) tweeted: “This evening, I learned that I was exposed to an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19. I took a test tonight and tested negative but will begin quarantine, per CDC and CDPHE guidance.”
The tweet included an image of a statement from Governor Jared Polis. It provided information that was similar to what was in the tweet.
November 28, 2020: Colorado Governor Jared Polis (Democrat) tweeted: “This evening I learned that First Gentleman Marlon Reis and I have tested positive for COVID-19. We are both asymptomatic, feeling well, and will continue to isolate at home.”
The tweet included a screenshot of a statement:
This evening, Governor Polis and First Gentleman Reis learned that they have tested positive for COVID-19. They are both asymptomatic, feeling well, and will continue to isolate in their home.“Marlon andI are feeling well so far, and are in good spirits. No person or family is immune to this virus. I urge every Coloradan to practice caution, limit public interactions, wear a mask in public, stay six feet from others, and wash your hands regularly,” said Governor Polis.The Governor will continue to be closely monitored. Gov. Polis will continue to fulfill his duties and responsibilities and continue to work remotely…
December 6, 2020: Colorado Governor Jared Polis (Democrat) tweeted: “Tonight, First Gentleman Marlon Reis started experiencing slightly worsening cough and shortness of breath. I took him to the hospital for review and treatment”.
The tweet included a screenshot of a statement:
Over the last 24 hours, First Gentleman Marlon Reis started to experience a slightly worsening cough and shortness of breath on day eight after being diagnosed with COVID.As a precaution, the First Gentleman has been transported to the hospital for review and treatment. Governor Polis is not experiencing any additional symptoms at this time.The Governor drove the First Gentleman in his personal vehicle to the hospital. We will continue to update the general public as new information is available.
December 6, 2020: President Donald Trump tweeted: “.@RudyGiuliani, by far the greatest mayor in the history of NYC, and who has been working tirelessly exposing the most corrupt election (by far!) in the history of the USA, has tested positive for the China Virus. Get better soon, Rudy, we will carry on!!!”
December 6, 2020: The Guardian posted an article titled: “Rudy Giuliani has coronavirus, Donald Trump says”. It was written by Amanda Holpuch. From the article:
Donald Trump’s personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, has tested positive for COVID-19, the president tweeted on Sunday.Giuliani, 76 and a former mayor of New York City, has been leading Trump’s attempt to overturn his election defeat by Joe Biden, through lawsuits in battleground states.Trump did not specify when Giuliani tested positive or if he was experiencing symptoms. Giuliani did not immediately comment. Citing an anonymous source, the New York Times reported that Giuliani was being treated at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington DC……Hours before Trump made the announcement, Giuliani was interviewed on Fox News. He appeared in good spirits while sharing baseless claims of election fraud during the 10-minute interview.Though Giuliani is a high risk of complications from the virus because of his age, he has been traveling frequently in the aftermath of the election, often appearing in public without a mask.Last week, he appeared maskless before state lawmakers in Michigan, to challenge votes in the state. On Thursday, he spoke at the Georgia capitol building in a crowded legislative session, again without a mask……Giuliani has repeatedly been exposed to be others who tested positive including after his son, Andrew……As Christmas approaches, the White House is hosting a string of holiday parties featuring large crowds indoors. Photos from a party on Tuesday showed people without masks engaging in the festivities…
December 6, 2020: AZCentral posted an article titled: “Arizona Legislature shuts down after Rudy Guiliani possibly exposed lawmakers to COVID-19”. From the article:
The Arizona Legislature will close for a week “out of an abundance of caution” after Rudy Giuiliani, Donald Trump’s personal attorney, possibly exposed several Republican lawmakers to COVID-19.The president announced Giuliani had tested positive for the virus Sunday, less than a week after the former New York City mayor visited Arizona as part of a multistate tour aimed at contesting 2020 election results. He was later admitted to Georgetown University Medical Center.Giuliani spent more than 10 hours discussing election concerns with Arizona Republicans – including two members of Congress and at least 10 current and future state lawmakers – at the Hyatt Regency Phoenix last Monday. The 76-year-old led the meeting maskless, flouting social distancing guidelines and posing for photos.He also met privately with Republican lawmakers and legislative leadership the next day, according to lawmakers’ social media posts….…U.S. Reps. Paul Gosar and Andy Biggs attended Giuliani’s Phoenix meeting, sitting behind Giuliani. State lawmakers Mark Finchem, Bret Roberts, Nancy Barto, Leo Biasiucci, David Cook, Kelly Townsend, David Gowan, Sonny Borrelli and Sylvia Allen sat together on a panel at the front of the room. A handful of other GOP legislators were in the audience.They spend hours listening to Giuliani question multiple “witnesses” – who were not placed under oath – about how elections can be infiltrated and why they thought Arizona’s election results may have been compromised.Some GOP lawmakers scheduled to take office next month, such as Representative-elect Judy Burges and Senator-elect Wendy Rogers, were in the audience. Attendees were spread out, but a photo posted by the Arizona Republican Party showed many participants, including Giuliani and Trump legal adviser Jenna Ellis, posing close together for a group photo.On Tuesday, Giuliani met with more Republican lawmakers, including House Speaker Rusty Bowers, House Majority Leader Warren Peteren, Senate President Karen Fann, Senate Majority Leader Rick Gray and Sens. Michelle Ugenti-Rita and Vince Leach, according to Leach and Peterson…
December 6, 2020: Rudy W. Giuliani tweeted: “Thank you to all my friends and followers for all the prayers and kind wishes. I’m getting great care and feeling good. Recovering quickly and keeping up with everything.”
December 7, 2020: Colorado Governor Jared Polis (Democrat) tweeted: “Update on First Gentleman Marlon Reis: He is in good spirits and looks forward to returning home soon. Marlon and I appreciate all your kind words and support.”
The tweet included a screenshot of the following statement:
First Gentleman Marlon Reis was diagnosed with COVID-19 nine days ago and last evening he was admitted to the hospital following shortness of breath and a worsening cough.The First Gentleman and Governor appreciate all of the kind words and support they have received during this time and continue to urge all Coloradans to do their part to slow the spread of this virus. That means wearing a mask in public, staying six feet from others, avoiding large gatherings, and washing your hands regularly.The First Gentleman has normal oxygen saturation, is in good spirits, and looks forward to returning home soon. He has received dexamethasone for inflammation and remdesivir and has not required oxygen. Governor Polis is not experiencing any symptoms at this time and will return to public as soon as doctors clear him to be around others. We will continue to provide updates as new information is available.
December 7, 2020: CNBC posted an article titled: “Michigan, Arizona legislatures postpone work due to Covid diagnosis for Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani”. It was written by Dan Mangan. From the article:
The legislatures of Arizona and Michigan said that they would postpone work as a result of a positive coronavirus test for President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who appeared without a mask at information sessions hosted by Republican lawmakers from both states in the past week.Arizona’s Senate and House on Sunday are closing for a week “out of an abundance of caution for recent cases and concerns relating to covid-19,” according to a letter sent to lawmakers.In Michigan, state Speaker of the House Lee Chatfield said the House would be in session on Tuesday, “but no voting will take place and attendance will not be taken.”“Multiple representatives have requested time to receive results from recent COVID-19 tests before returning to session, out of an abundance of caution,” Chatfield said in a statement.The moves came in reaction to Trump’s announcement Sunday on Twitter that Giuliani, who had been leading the president’s last-ditch, long-shot efforts to reverse Joe Biden’s win in the presidential race, had tested positive for the coronavirus.The former New York City mayor and top federal prosecutor on Monday was at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C., with mild symptoms, according to a source who spoke to NBC News……In a statement issued Sunday night, the Trump campaign said, “Mayor Giuliani tested negative twice immediately preceding his trip to Arizona, Michigan, and Georgia.”“The Mayor did not experience any symptoms or test positive for COVID-19 until more than 48 hours after his return,” the campaign said. No legislators in any state or members of the press are on the contact tracing list, under current CDC Guidelines.”“Other team members who are defined as having had close contact will be following their physicians’ directives and CDC guidelines on self-isolation and testing.”…
December 7, 2020: El Paso Times posted an article titled: “Lilian Blancas, election runoff candidate for El Paso municipal court, dies from COVID-19”. It was written by Aaron Martinez. From the article:
El Paso County Magistrate Judge Lillian Blancas, who was in a runoff for the El Paso Municipal Court 4 judicial seat, died Monday from COVID-19.Blancas, 47, had been in the hospital since Nov. 9, according to family friends. This was her second time in the hospital because of COVID-19……Blancas finished first in the Nov. 3 election with about 40% of the vote, ahead of associate judge and private defense attorney Enrique Holguin……The runoff was triggered because no candidate received more than 50% of the vote…If Blancas wins the runoff election, the El Paso City Council will vote to appoint a candidate, according to Deputy City Clerk John Glendon.
December 8, 2020: Colorado Governor Jared Polis (Democrat) tweeted: “First Gentleman Marlon Reis is back home from the hospital. Marlon and I are so thankful for the doctors, nurses, and staff who took care of him while he was there.”
The tweet included a screenshot of a statement:
First Gentleman Marlon Reis was diagnosed with COVID-19 ten days ago, and was admitted to the hospital for treatment this weekend and today he has been successfully discharged and returned home.“I am so thankful to the doctors, nurses, and staff and for the support and well wishes we have received from friends and neighbors, and Coloradans during this time,” said First Gentleman Reis. “I hold everyone who has been affected by this deadly virus in my heart. Jared and I continue to encourage our fellow Coloradans to remain vigilant, wear masks, stay six feet apart, avoid gatherings, and wash your hands regularly.”The First Gentleman is feeling well and his doctor advised him to take the steroids for two more days. The First Gentleman was treated at UCHealth at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and the Governor drove him home this morning. Governor Polis continues to not experience any symptoms and will return to public activities as soon as doctors clear him to be around others.
December 8, 2020: Axios posted an article titled: “Scoop: West Wing fears COVID spread after Trump lawyer Jenna Ellis attends WH party”. It was written by Jonathan Swan. From the article:
President Trump’s lawyer Jenna Ellis has informed associates she tested positive for the coronavirus, multiple sources tell Axios, stirring West Wing fears after she attended a senior staff Christmas party on Friday….…The revelation follows Sunday’s news that Ellis’ legal sidekick Rudy Giuliani was hospitalized after testing positive……Ellis showed up to the White House senior staff party in the East Wing on Friday as the guest of Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro and was not seen wearing a mask, according to sources who attended the event…
December 8, 2020: The Guardian posted an article titled: “Rudy Giuliani expects to leave hospital soon following Covid-19 diagnosis”. From the article:
Donald Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani on Tuesday said he is feeling better after contracting Covid-19 and expects to leave the hospital on Wednesday.The 76-year old former New York City mayor, who is spearheading Trump’s flagging effort to overturn the Republican president’s election loss to Democrat Joe Biden, said he began to feel unusually tired on Friday.By Sunday, when his diagnosis was announced, Giuilani said he was showing other “mild symptoms” but that currently he has no fever and only a small cough.“I think they are going to let me out tomorrow morning,” Giuliani said in an interview with WABC Radio in New York. He was at Georgetown University hospital in Washington, two sources familiar with the situation said on Sunday.Giuilani plans to attend a virtual hearing this week with Georgia lawmakers, one of the sources said on Tuesday……In Georgia, state lawmakers are due to hold a virtual meeting on Thursday to discuss election issues, after a hearing last week in which Giuliani urged the lawmakers to intervene to overturn Biden’s victory in the state. Giuliani made similar pleas last week in Michigan and Arizona….…In his radio interview, Giuliani said he had tested negative just before his trip to the three states.He also confirmed that Jenna Ellis, an attorney with whom he has worked side-by-side on Trump’s legal challenges, also had contracted the coronavirus.
December 8, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Giuliani from hospital calls COVID-19 ‘a curable disease'”. It was written by John Bowden. From the article:
President Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani said Tuesday from his hospital bed that COVID-19, which has infected more than 12 million Americans and killed more than a quarter million, was a “curable” disease.Giuliani, who was taken to the hosptial two days ago following his COVID-19 diagnosis, called in to his daily radio program on 77 WABC in New York to lament that restrictiosn around the country meant to control the spread of the deadly disease were “destroying American business,” according to The Associated Press.“This is a curable disease at this point,” Giuliani said……”I’d rather stay at risk than live in a basement all my life,” Giuliani added, an apparent reference to criticsm of President-elect Joe Biden by President Trump for holding campaign events and meetings from his home earlier this year while many states instituted bans on large public gatherings…
December 9, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf tests positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Jessie Hellmann. From the article:
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) has tested positive for COVID-19 but says that he is currently experiencing no symptoms.Wolf said in a statement that he tested positive Tuesday after a “routine” test.“I am continuing to serve the commonwealth and performing all of my duties remotely, as many are doing during the pandemic.” he said.“As this virus rages, my positive test is a reminder that no on is immune from COVID, that following all precautions as I have done is not a guarantee, but it is what we know to be vital to stopping the spread of the disease and so I ask all Pennsylvanians to wear a mask, stay home as much as possible, social distance yourself from those not in your household, and, most of all, take care of each other and stay safe.”His wife Frances Wolf is awaiting the results of her test, and both he and his wife will quarantine at home…
December 30, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Friends and colleagues mourn loss of Louisiana Rep.-elect Luke Letlow”. It was written by Juliegrace Brufke. From the article:
Lawmakers and senior staffers are mourning the loss of Rep.-elect Luke Letlow (R-La.), who died of complications from COVID-19 on Tuesday.The 41-year-old Louisian Republican was slated to succeed retiring Rep. Ralph Abraham (R-La.), whom he previously served as chief of staff.Letlow’s colleagues and friends described him as a loving father to his two young children and husband to his wife, Julua, and as somene who was committed to serving his community……Letlow’s death has led some Democrats pointing to the need to practice social distancing and wear masks……But Letlow’s campaign chairman and friend Scott Franklin told Business Insider that Letlow took precautions on the campaign trail during the pandemic.”…Letlow was first admitted to St. Francis Medical Center due to complications from the coronavirus on Dec. 19 before being transferred to the Ochsner LSU Health ICU on December 23. He suffered a heart attack following a procedure related to the virus…
December 31, 2020: U.S. Candidate for Senate David Perdue (Republican – Georgia) tweeted: “Statement from our campaign:””. The tweet included a screenshot of the statement:
“This morning, Senator Perdue was notified that he came in close contact with someone on the campaign who tested positive for COVID-19. Both Senator Perdue and his wife tested negative today, but following his doctor’s recommendations and in accordance with CDC guidelines, they will quarantine. The Senator and his wife have been tested regularly throughout the campaign, and the team will continue to follow CDC guidelines. Further information will be provided when available.”
December 31 2020: The Guardian posted an article titled: “Republican senator David Perdue to quarantine after Covid-19 exposure”. It was written by Lauren Gambino. From the article:
The Republican senator David Perdue of Georgia will quarantine after being exposed to someone infected with Covid-19, taking him off the campaign trail just days before a fiercely-contested runoff election to keep his seat.The senator was notified on Thursday that he had come into “close contact with someone on the campaign who tested positive for Covid-19”, according to a statement released by his campaign.“Both Senator Perdue and his wife tested negative today, but following his doctor’s recommendations and in accordance with CDC guidelines, they will quarantine,” the statement said.The campaign did not specify how long the senator planned to quarantine. Donald Trump is expected to hold a rally in support of the Republican candidates in Georgia on Monday, the eve of the runoff elections that will determine control of the Senate.Perdue is being challenged by Jon Ossoff while the senator Kelly Loeffler, who was appointed to her seat last December, faces Raphael Warnock. Neither Perdue or Loeffler cleared the 50% threshold required to win their seats outright, triggering the runoffs on 5 January…
December 31, 2020: NBC News posted an article titled: “New York restaurant loses liquor license after ‘Covid conga line’ party”. It was written by David K. Li and Ali Gostanian. From the article:
New York state authorities yanked the liquor license of a restaurant that played host to a “Covid conga line” and might have led to at least one infection, officials said Tuesday……The Whitestone Republican Club threw its Christmas bash at Il Bacco on Northern Boulevard in the borough of Queens, and the group danced the night away without masks.In widely circulated video footage, nearly a dozen revelers – none of whom were wearing a mask – could be seen dancing and singing to the Bee Gees’ “You Should Be Dancing.” The head of the conga line appeared to be holding a flag in support of President Donald Trump.“After video surfaced of a potential superspreader holiday party at Il Bacco with maskless dancing, the SLA immediately launched an investigation,” the State Liquor Authority said in a statement.“During a follow-up inspection, investigators found flagrant violations of indoor dining regulations and existing health safety and Alcoholic Beverage Control laws, while verifying the maskless party depicted in the video did in fact occur.”At least one guest at that party has tested positive for coronavirus, the Whitestone Republican Club said Thursday…
January 1, 2021: The Ronaoke Times posted an article titled: “State Sen. Ben Chafin, R-Russell, dies from complications of COVID-19”. It was written by Amy Freidenberger. From the article:
State Sen. Ben Chafin, R-Russell, died Friday from complications related to COVID-19, according to his legislative office.Gov. Ralph Northam and the Virginia Senate Republican Caucus confirmed Chafin died Friday night. He represented a swath of far Southwest Virginia, including part of the New River Valley. He was 60……While several other Virginia lawmakers have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since March, Chafin is the first to die from complications related to the coronavirus……Chafin, an attorney who lived in Lebanon in far Southwest Virginia, and his family keept the information about the senator’s diagnosis private for weeks. Lawmakers and people in political circles heard about Chafin having the disease caused by the novel coronavirus in mid-December when he was hospitalized at VCU Medical Center in Richmond. His office did not responde to repeated requests from The Roanoke Times in December for information about his health.Towards the end of December, a member of his church posted in a Facebook group that he was “suffering from complications due to COVID-19” and that his family was asking for prayers…
January 1, 2021: The Hill posted an article titled: “Giuliani, Trump Jr. among guests at Mar-a-Lago New Year’s party ditched by Trump: report”. It was written by Zack Budryk. From the article:
President Trump’s two adult sons and his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani were reportedly among the guests at a New Year’s Eve party at the president’s Mar-a-Lago club, which the president himself did not attend despite previously planning to do so.The president returned to Washington from Florida early with no official explanation, but his Thursday arrival came days before Congress is set to certify the results of the Electoral College vote amid the president’s repeated attempts to overturn its results.Without the president, the highest-profile attendees included Giuliani and Trump’s sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, as well as Fox News host Jeanine Pirro and performers Berlin and Vanilla Ice, CNN reported Friday. The latter’s name trended on Twitter after a clip of his performance surfaced.A person familiar with preparations told CNN that numerous bookings were made when the buyers believed the president would be at the party, with some performers reluctant to commit to attending without knowing whether he would be there.Trump, who forewent his usual Thanksgiving visit to the club, was expected to ring in the new year in Florida as late as Wednesday before it became clear that evening that he and first lady Melania Trump would leave for Washington.The club set tables for 10 people with no social distancing measures, according to the network, and few party attendees wore masks.
January 4, 2021: The Texas Tribune posted an article titled: “Texas Congresswoman Kay Granger tests positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Alex Samuels. From the article:
U.S. Rep. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth, a high ranking member of Texas’ congressional delegation, has tested positive for the coronavirus, her office announced Monday afternoon.Granger, who was on the U.S. House floor during swearing-in proceedings in Congress on Sunday, is a ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee. Granger tested positive for the respiratory disease after arriving in Washington D.C. and is “asymptomatic and feeling great,” her office said in a statement. Granger said she will remain under the care of her doctor and has been quarantining…
January 5, 2021: Representative Kevin Brady (Republican – Texas) tweeted: “Tonite the Office of House Physician informed me that I’ve tested positive for Covid 19 & am quarantined. As recommended, I received a first dose of the Pfizer vaccine Dec 18 & also recently tested negative for Covid on New Years Day. Begin treatment tomorrow. Shld be fine “
January 5, 2021: Reuters posted an article titled: “U.S. House Republican Kevin Brady tests positive for COVID-19”. From the article:
U.S. Representative Kevin Brady, the top Republican on the House of Representatives tax-writing Ways and Means Committee, said on Tuesday that he had tested positive for coronavirus weeks after receiving a first dose of the Pfizer Inc COVID-19 vaccine……Experts say a second dose of the vaccine is needed to ramp up protection against the virus…
January 6, 2021: Representative Jake LaTurner (Republican – Kansas) tweeted: “Late Wednesday evening, Congressman Jake LaTurner received a positive test result for COVID-19. Congresman LaTurner took the test as part of Washington DC’s travel guidelines that require visitors be tested. He is not experiencing any symptoms at this time.” This tweet is the start of a short thread.
January 6, 2021: Representative Jake LaTurner (Republican – Kansas) tweeted: “Congressman LaTurner is following the advice of the House physician and CDC guidelines and, therefore, does not plan to return to the House flor for votes until he is cleared to do so.” This tweet is the end of the thread.
January 8, 2021: Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester (Democrat – Delaware) tweeted: “While I was disappointed in my colleagues who refused to wear a mask, I was encouraged by those who did. My goal, in the midst of what I feared was a super spreader event, was to make the room at least a little safer.”
January 11, 2021: Representative Pramila Jayapal (Democrat – Washington) tweeted: “I just recieved a positive COVID-19 test result after being locked down in a secured room at the Capitol where several Republicans no only cruely refused to wear a mask but recklessly mocked colleagues and staff who offered them one.”
The tweet included a link to Representative Jayapal’s statement on her website: United States Representative Pramily Jayapal (WA-07) recieved a positive COVID-19 test result tonight after being locked down in a secure room at the U.S. Capitol where numerous Republican lawmakers recklessly refused to wear masks in the moments after the January 6 attack. Dr. Brian Monahan, the Attending Physician of the United States Congress, advised representatives and Congressional staff on Sunday that those in the secured room could have, “been exposed to another occupant with coronavirus infection”. The duration in the room was multiple hours and several Republicans not only cruelly refused to wear a mask but mocked colleagues and staff who offered them one.“Too many Republicans have refused to take this pandemic and virus seriously, and in doing so, they endanger everyone around them. Only hours after President Trump incited a deadly assault on our Capitol, our country, and our democracy, many Republicans still refused to take the bare minimum COVID-19 precaution and simply wear a damn mask in a crowded room during a pandemic — creating a superspreader event on top of a domestic terrorist attack,” said Congresswoman Jayapal. “While I am isolating per the Capitol Physician’s instructions, I will continue to work to the best of my ability because the deep urgency of our many crises is paramount. I share the outrage and anger of my constituents and those across this country who have watched Donald Trump fail to combat this raging pandemic and refuse to take care of Americans who are suffering, dying, and devastated. Now, we have also watched him openly fuel and incite these insurrectionists who attacked the Capitol and our democracy on January 6—so I will not rest until I do everything in my power to remove this President from office.”“I am also calling for serious fines to be immediately levied on every single Member who refuses to wear a mask in the Capitol,” Jayapal continued. “Additionally, any Member who refuses to wear a mask should be immediately removed from the floor by the Sergeant at Arms. This is not a joke. Our lives and our livelihoods are at risk, and anyone who refuses to wear a mask should be fully held accountable for endangering our lives because of their selfish idiocy.”Jayapal began quarantining immediately after the attack on the U.S. Capitol, fearing and foreseeing exactly what would occur given the number of maskless lawmakers sitting in the same room as her and her colleagues. In an interview with The Cut on Thursday, she said, “I’m quarantining now because I am convinced that where we ended up, in the secured room — where there were over 100 people and many were Republicans not wearing masks — was a superspreader event.”
January 11, 2021: Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman (Democrat – New Jersey) posted a press remease on her website titled: “WatsonColeman Recieves Positive Coronavirus Test Following January 6 Capitol Lockdown”. From the press release:
Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson (NJ-12) received a rapid antigen test result for COVID-19. She believes she was exposed during protective isolation in the U.S. Capitol building as a result of insurrectionist riots. As reported by multiple news outlets, a number of members within the space ignored instructions to wear masks.“I received a positive test result for COVID-19, and am home resting at this time. While I am experiencing mild, cold-like symptoms, I remain in good spirits and will continue to work on behalf of my constituents.”Watson Coleman is isolating and awaiting the results of PCR testing: she previously received the first dose of the Pifzer/BioNTech COVID19 vaccine, which has been made available to members of Congress, the Supreme Court, and the Executive Branch agencies for the purposes of continuity of goverment operations.
January 12, 2021: Representative Brad Schneider (Democrat – Illinois) tweeted: “Unfortunately, I received a positve COVID-19 test this morning following being tested yesterday on the advice of the House Attending Physician”. This tweet was the start of a thread.
January 12, 2021: Representative Brad Schneider (Democrat – Illinois) tweeted: “Last Wednesday, after narrowly escaping a violent mob incited by the President of the United States to attack the Capitol and its occupants, I was forced to spend several hours in a secure but confined location with dozens of other Members of Congress.”
January 12, 2021: Representative Brad Schneider (Democrat – Illinois) tweeted: “Several Republican lawmakers in the room adamantly refused to wear a mask, as demonstrated in the video from Punchbowl News, even when politely asked by their colleagues”.
The tweet included a link to that video.
January 12, 2021: Representative Brad Schneider (Democrat – Illinois) tweeted: “Today, I am now in strict isolation, worried that I have risked my wife’s health and angry at the selfishness and arrogance of the anti-maskers who put their own contempt and disregard for decency ahead of the health and safety of their colleagues and our staff.
January 2021: Representative Brad Schneider (Democrat – Illinois) tweeted: “I am at least the third Member from that room paying the price, including Rep. Pramala Jayapal and Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, a 75-year-old cancer survivor”.
January 12, 2021: Representative Brad Schneider (Democrat – Illinois) tweeted: “Wearing a mask is not a political statement, it is public health guidance, common courtesy, and simply what should be expected of all decent people.”
January 12, 2021: Representative Brad Schneider (Democrat – Illinois) tweeted: “We can no longer tolerate Members coming to the floor or gathering in the halls of Congress without doing the bare minimum to protect those around them.”
January 12, 2021: Representative Brad Schneider (Democrat – Illinois) tweeted: “Those that flout public health guidance should be sanctioned and immediately removed from the House floor by the Sergeant at Arms for their reckless endangerment of their colleagues.”
January 12, 2021: Representative Brad Schneider (Democrat – Illinois) tweeted: “Thankfully, I have not yet experienced symptoms and am in the care of capable physicians”.
January 12, 2021: Representative Brad Schneider (Democrat – Illinois) tweeted: “Since driving home to Deerfield from Washington, I have remained isolated as much as possible from my wife in our house and have not experienced other close contacts since my exposure on Wednesday.”
January 12, 2021: Representative Brad Schneider (Democrat – Illinois) tweeted: “This week, the House is doing critical work to protect our national security, our democracy, and our Constitution, moving to remove the President from office after he incited this angry mob of domestic terrorists. I regret that I must make these votes by proxy.” This tweet is the end of the thread.
January 12, 2021: Vox posted an article titled: “Lawmakers are testing positive for Covid-19 after the Capitol lockdown”. It was written by Sean Collins. From the article:
A growing number of lawmakers have tested positive for the coronavirus since Trump supporters staged an insurrection on January 6 at the US Capitol. Currently, at least five lawmakers have said they are infected……All are self-isolating following their results. LaTurner said he is asymptomatic, while Fleischmann on Suday said, “I currently feel okay.” Watson Coleman’s office said she is “experiencing mild, cold-like symptoms.” Jayapal did not share whether she is experiencing symptoms in her announcement of her test results. And as of Tuesday, Schneider said, “I have not yet experienced symptoms.”These positive test are a reminder of the importance of taking preventative action to guard against the coronavirus, and mask-wearing alone in crowded, indoor spaces with limited airflow isn’t enough to prevent transmission – particularly if others who may be contagious refuse to wear masks. Research has suggested that mask-wearing by all parties in a given encounter could reduce the risk of spread by nearly 80 percent.LaTurner tested positive the evening of the storming of the Capitol, suggesting he was infected prior to the insurrection; Fleischmann announced his results Sunday. Watson Coleman’s results came Monday, while Jayapal and Schneider recieved theirs Tuesday. Fleischmann and all three Democrats discovered they’d been infected days after being sequestered with other lawmakers and Hill staffers in a crowded safe rom amid the attack.As Punchbowl News reported many Republican lawmakers in the safe room – including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Green, Andy Biggs, Scott Perry, Michael Cloud, and Markwayne Mullin – refused to wear masks despite the crowded conditions, even when Delaware Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester offered them…
January 12, 2021: BuzzFeed News posted an article titled: “Three Democrats Now Have COVID-19 After Republicans Refused To Wear Masks During The Capitol Attack”. It was written by Salvador Hernandez. From the article:
…Among the members of Congress who were seen wearing no masks and refusing one when offered were Mullin and Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.Greene is a new member of Congress who has openly supported and spread lies of the mass delusion QAnon and reportedly refused to wear a mask earlier this month on the floor of the House. She later did don a mask that read “Trump won,” propelling the lie that President Donald Trump won the election.Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona, Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Rep. Michael Cloud of Texas, and Rep. Doug LaMalfa of California were also seen in the video without masks…
THIS BLOG POST WILL BE UPDATED WHEN MORE INFORMATION IS FOUND.
This is How it Spreads is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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July 7, 2020image by vonpics on Pixabay
My neighbor who loudly and frequently builds stuff, has wheeled a kayak holder to the back of his pickup. I’m fairly certain he built the holder himself. A familiar rattling and squealing noise was my first clue that the kayaks were coming out.
Of course, I decided to look out the window to see what was happening.
Neighbor puts his two kayaks into the back of his red pickup truck. One falls out, squeaking its way to the ground. Neighbor stands and stares at it, momentarily dumbfounded.
He picks up the escaping yellow kayak and places inside the back of his red pickup, next to the blue kayak that was already in there. They are side by side now, and filling up the entire back of the truck.
Neighbor attempts to shut the tail gate on the back of the pickup. The blue kayak is too long for the truck, and it is sticking out past the end of it.
Neighbor cannot close the the tail gate.
He fiddles with the kayaks for a while, and eventually realizes there is no possible way to make the blue kayak fit inside the bed of the pickup truck. He leaves the tail gate open, and begins an attempt to find some way to secure the kayaks.
I predict that both kayaks will fly out of the pickup bed when the truck reached speed.
Neighbor walks away for a moment. When he returns, he stacks the yellow kayak on top of the blue one. A small, square, red flag-like piece of fabric has been attacked to the end of the blue kayak.
Next, he begins filling up the rest of the truck bed with all manner of things. Some folding chairs go in, along with a small cooler, possibly some fishing gear, and what might be a small grill.
This pickup truck, unlike some others, lacks the part that looks something like a net. It is the part that stretches across the end of the truck bed, just before the spot where the tail gate is supposed to close.
All of the things he put into the truck bed are going to fall right out the back – which he cannot close due to the length of the blue kayak.
A fishing pole is now leaning against the back of the pickup truck. It is tall. No idea how he’s gonna fit that in the truck bed.
It looks like he is planning on spending Memorial Day at one of the nearby bodies of water. In the past, what he is currently attempting would be a perfectly normal thing to do on a three day weekend.
But, this is 2020, and COVID-19 is still out there. There is no vaccine, and the virus doesn’t take vacations.
My neighbor is outside a lot, but never wears a mask of any kind. I figure he’s not gonna social distance at whatever body of water he is about to drive to.
And he just coughed a very dry cough.
Parks in my county are open with restrictions. Social distancing is required. No group gatherings are allowed. It is ok to have a picnic or BBQ with household members, only. I think masks are strongly suggested, but no one seems to be enforcing that.
I figure I’m gonna see this neighbor on one of those videos where a bunch of idiots get in the water in big groups, without masks or social distancing, sometime later tonight.
Neighbor has decided to bend the tall fishing pole into the opening of the blue kayak (the one that has a red flag hanging from it). That cannot possibly be good for the fishing pole. Neighbor has curved the pole into the shape of a letter U.
The kayaks are still not secured. Neither is anything else that he has placed into the truck bed.
Neighbor takes a moment to get a cloth and wipe off the condensation that has collected on the side mirrors of his red pickup truck.
When finished, he stows the cloth inside the truck somewhere. Then, he stands next to the pickup bed, intently staring at it, trying to solve the puzzle of his own making.
Suddenly, he pounces! Neighbor is now making a half-assed attempt to secure all the non-kayak objects that are in the back of the pickup. He seems to have realized that there is a good chance that some of this stuff will fall out after he starts driving to his destination.
Neighbor places some of the stuff into the back of the truck, behind the driver’s seat. The cooler gets securely stowed.
Next, he unbends the U shaped fishing pole as he slides it out of the kayak. Neighbor tries to find a way to get the fishing pole into the back seat of the truck. He turns it this way… he turns it that way. He even tries bending it into a somewhat larger U shape.
The fishing pole ends up right back inside the blue kayak.
He takes another moment to stare at the back of the truck again, pondering his options.
It ain’t gonna work!
Two white plastic bags, of the kind you get from a grocery store, have been added to the truck bed. The bags have taken on that round shape that indicates they have been filled with something.
Neighbor takes a minute to try and determine whether the bags should have their handles propped up, or if it is better to shove the handles inside the now rounded part of the bags.
I think the bags will be equally aerodynamic no matter what way the handles are placed. I expect the bags, and whatever they are holding, to be the first to fly out when he starts driving.
The neighbor now appears to be having some second thoughts. It is as though he has acknowledged to himself that being unable to close the tail gate could perhaps be a problem.
I imagine him picturing the contents of the truck bed slowly floating out and away as he drives, like white dandelion seeds catching the wind when the summer is over. Unlike the fluffy seeds, these objects are very likely to cause destruction.
Neighbor walks away once more, and returns with what looks like an elastic rope of some kind. Neighbor begins attaching it to end of the truck bed, where the tail gate hangs open.
The elastic rope stretches across the truck bed in a skinny, straight, line. It goes across the tip of end of the blue kayak, which is hanging several inches out of the truck bed. Neighbor fiddles with the red flag he attached to the blue kayak.
It ain’t gonna work.
The elastic string is not securing the yellow kayak that has been placed on top of the blue one. Not at all. The string won’t help if the blue kayak below the yellow one falls out of the back of the pickup.
Neighbor just pulled out a bright orange, thick, string. Or is it a cable? He stretches this across the open tail gate, and it reaches… right over the top of the blue kayak. He has now unsuccessfully secured both of his kayaks.
The woman who lives next door, and who I hardly ever see, walks out the door of the house and gets into passenger seat of the pick up. Her hair is wet, and she might be still in the process of waking up.
Neighbor woman gets out of the pick up. She returns with her adorable pug dog, whom I love. The dog makes the cutest “wuf wuf” sounds when it thinks that there might be a human on the other side of the tall fence his owner built and installed shortly after moving in.
The pug dog is on a leash that is connected to the halter that the dog is wearing. Neighbor woman picks up the pug, and it happily gets itself into the back seat of the pickup.
The pug dog is more secured than anything that is in the truck bed.
The neighbor gets into the pickup and slowly, very slowly, drives down the alleyway a little bit. He stops. He wipes the condensation of the side mirrors once again.
Neighbor climbs into the pick up bed and starts moving around some of the items. The two folding chairs that were in the truck bed are removed and placed into the back seat of the truck. The pug dog is likely back there somewhere, and I hope he has enough room to be comfy on this poorly planned road trip.
And.. they’re off!
I watch as the neighbor drives extremely slowly up the ramp that leads out of the mobile home park and onto the street. The incline is a feature, not a bug, and was put in place when a crew came to repair and replace the roads in the mobile home park a while back.
Neighbor is probably going to have to drive faster than that once he gets onto a highway. I can neither predict exactly what items he will lose on the way, nor how many he will return home with.
I watch as the neighbor’s truck turns onto the road, and drives away. They are on their way to gather with a bunch of other people who won’t wear masks, and who don’t practice social distancing. Whatever body of water they are heading for might become the next COVID-19 hotspot.
I remain inside my home, windows closed and air conditioning on, with every intention of staying put this entire three day weekend.
It Ain’t Gonna Work is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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June 30, 2020Image by LoveYouAll from Pixabay
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected people in many ways. For me, the biggest problem wasn’t running out of toilet paper, or losing my job. What I needed, and could not immediately get, was a dental appointment.
In February of 2020, I unexpectedly cracked a permanent cap. I wasn’t eating anything crunchy at the time. It didn’t hurt, because that particular tooth had a root canal done on it several years ago.
Knowing that I had a dentist appointment – for a checkup and cleaning – scheduled in March, I decided to wait. The dental assistant could clean my teeth, and the dentist could take a look at the cracked permanent cap, on the same visit.
About a week before my “check up and cleaning” dental appointment, I started getting what seemed like two of the three symptoms of COVID-19. I called the dentist’s office and explained the situation to the receptionist. We decided that it was best that I NOT go to my March appointment.
The receptionist scheduled me a new appointment – in May.
The symptoms I was experiencing turned out not to be COVID-19. The third one (of the three that were known at the time) never appeared.
Meanwhile, the cracked permanent cap started separating. There was an obvious crack down the center of it that I could see when I looked in the mirror (and moved my head around enough to get some light cast on it).
I was starting to get a bit nervous. Maybe this was more serious than I thought? But, I had a dentist appointment coming up at the beginning of May. I could wait until then.
In the middle of March, my county issued “stay at home” orders, followed by my State doing the same. There was no information on when those orders would be lifted. It all depended on whether or not people followed the order, stayed home, and helped to stop the spread of COVID-19.
On April 30, my dentist’s office sent me an email. They had decided to close “for now”. I wasn’t entirely surprised, because the “stay at home” order included the requirement that only “essential services” stay open. Dentists were not considered to be providing “essential services”, apparently.
Based on the email, it was clear that all scheduled “checkup and cleaning” appointments had been canceled. The dentist’s office would reschedule patients whenever they were allowed to do that again. Those who felt that they were having a “dental emergency” could call the dentist himself (on a separate phone number), and he would determine whether or not it was really an emergency.
The permanent cap I cracked was getting worse. It was now hard to eat on that side of my mouth. Of course, this tooth was a molar, which people need if they want to chew food. To me, it looked like the crack was widening.
Eventually, I called the dentist’s office, and left a message in which I explained the situation. I left it up to the receptionist whether or not what I was experiencing was a dental emergency.
This resulted in a dentist appointment on May 19th My hope was that the dentist would take a quick look at the broken permanent cap, perhaps remove it, and set me up with a temporary cap.
My husband and I took a Lyft to the dentist’s office. Both of us wore masks, and the driver did, too. This was the first time I’d gone outside since March 5th.
The front door of the dentist’s office was closed, which was confusing, because that’s the only entrance we knew about. The receptionist, who was wearing a mask, opened the door and came outside.
She explained that they had closed off the waiting room, and that we could wait in our car until it was time for my appointment. We explained that we don’t have a car. The compromise was to go sit on a nearby bench and wait for the receptionist to appear at the back door and wave me over.
It was very windy outside. I learned that the cloth mask I was wearing functioned quite well at filtering out dust and pollen. To my surprise, my mask was helping me to breathe better than before the pandemic started, when no one here was wearing masks.
I’m going to start wearing masks on days when the pollen is too high for me to safely go outside. So far, this is the one incredibly positive thing I’ve had happen as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The receptionist came out the back door of the office and waved at me. She made it clear that my husband could not come inside. I was quickly escorted to one of the three “rooms” in the dentist office.
It took less than a minute for the dentist to take a look at the cracked permanent cap – poke it with a dental tool – and listen to me make an unhappy noise.
He informed me that not only did I crack the permanent cap, but I also had destroyed what was left of the tooth underneath it. I was going to need an extraction, something I was not at all prepared to experience that day. The dentist explained he would not do it today, but would schedule another appointment for it.
“It was such a beautiful cap,” the dentist lamented.
I vaguely remember trying to explain that when I first cracked the cap, I had an appointment scheduled. But, that appointment didn’t happen. It was shocking to realize how much damage I had done to myself.
The dentist said that there was only a tiny percentage of a chance that what happened to me could happen. I was just unlucky.
The dentist prescribed an antibiotic – since I had a gum/tooth infection that I wasn’t even aware of. He also prescribed a painkiller. The receptionist gave me the prescriptions, urged me to start taking the antibiotic right away – tonight. She gave me a new appointment for the extraction, and what I later realized was also for a bone graft.
The receptionist also handed me a paper that itemized the amount of money each part of the upcoming procedures would cost. It was astounding. I’m not good with numbers, but even I could tell that this was going to wipe out all of our savings.
This appointment, however, was free of charge.
As my husband and I waited for another car to pick us up, I explained to him the situation. We needed to go to our regular pharmacy and get the prescriptions.
The driver was wearing a mask, and was very nice. Even with the mask on, it was obvious that I had been through some sort of dental thing. He dropped us off right at the door of the pharmacy.
Everyone in the pharmacy was wearing masks. Everyone seemed to be taking great care to engage in social distancing.
Unfortunately, the pharmacist didn’t have what I needed. He explained that he could give me the antibiotic – they had plenty of it – but they were out of the painkiller I had been prescribed. He suggested we go to a different pharmacy – a different company – who might have the painkiller.
This was disappointing. A second pharmacist joined the conversation, and recommended that we take these prescriptions to the pharmacy downtown (which was the same company as this one). She was certain they had everything I needed.
This time, my husband and I took the bus. The buses were running for free while the “stay at home” order was in place. The purpose was to ensure that people who were working in “essential services” could get to and from work.
The second pharmacy had everything I needed – but couldn’t get it for me immediately. We were told to come back in half an hour or so. This resulted in my husband and I aimlessly wandering around downtown, killing time.
The weather was nice. Most of the people we passed by were wearing masks. Some were in groups of two, with their masks under their chin. They immediately put the masks back in place when they saw other people coming.
We ended up sitting on a bench near a big Catholic church. I was exhausted both physically and mentally. My best guess was that the reason I’d been exceptionally tired lately was due to the infection.
When the pharmacy called, we walked back over to pick it up. The antibiotic cost $2.00. The pain killer cost $1.27. I think we took another bus back home, but am not sure. I was “out of spoons” by then.
As instructed, I took the first antibiotic immediately after I got home (and ate some food). The pain killer would wait until I needed it. The dentist said it was an opioid, and that made me not want to take it. The antibiotic kicked in, and I ended up taking a long nap.
A decision needed be made. My options were to do a bridge – where a fake tooth is connected to two real teeth, or to have a titanium implant placed in my jaw (with a fake tooth on top of it). The dentist suggested the implant was better.
“With a bridge, you have to damage two healthy teeth,” he explained. After my nap, I did some research, and decided I agreed with his assessment. The next day, I called the dentist’s office to let them know I wanted the implant.
The cost for the next appointment was $715. My husband said we had the money for that part of the bill. The rest? Was going to be a struggle.
The first step of the process would begin with an appointment two days from the quick one. I wasn’t especially worried about it because I have a really good dentist and a very high pain tolerance.
The receptionist sent me a text that morning, asking if I could come in fifteen minutes earlier than the time the appointment was scheduled for. My husband and were able to summon an Uber, and I texted back and forth with the receptionist to let her know we were on the way.
At the dentist appointment I was given novocaine. The dentist and I had a conversation about video games as we waited for it to kick in. Unfortunately, it quickly became apparent that the novocaine had epinephrine in it. It makes me shake.
The dentist said the “cure” for this problem was to have something with sugar in it. The sugar stops the shaking. He left and returned with a sealed bottle of juice. The first two ingredients, I could tolerate. The third one was something I was allergic to, and I handed the bottle back to him.
He did not seem to know what to do next. I suggested he hand me my purse, where I had a tin box of mints that had sugar in them. We talked more about video games as we waited for the mint to melt and take away the shaking.
Without going into too many details, today’s appointment was specifically for the extraction of whatever was left of the tooth I destroyed. The cracked permanent cap was easily removed. I didn’t feel anything at all while the extraction was happening.
I was too out of it to realize at the time, but this appointment was when a bone graft was placed in my jaw. I remember the dentist saying, “Don’t swallow, this is gonna taste real bad.” I assumed it was an antibiotic, but no. The dentist was able to “remove the infection” and reshape another tooth that I didn’t know had become infected.
There were sutures done to put things back together, and that was that.
I remember the dental assistant (not the one who does the checkups and cleanings) wiping off my face with a wet wipe before letting me move from the chair. I have borderline anemia, and it takes a while for me to clot.
The dentist recommended that I take one painkiller after I go home and the novocaine wears off. He said to take one more before going to bed so I could get some good sleep. I was shown a video about what NOT to do, and given a handout with the same instructions.
As before, Shawn could not come into the dentist’s office while I was there. The waiting room was still closed off. I remember texting him to say I was all done, and to ask which credit card to use. The bill for today’s work was $715. (That’s with dental insurance coverage, by the way).
I was given an appointment for June 1st, to take the sutures out.
There is a thing called “fibro fog”. It happens when a person who has fibromyalgia does too much or experiences trauma. Everything from this point on was a blur. My husband summoned a Uber while I explained what happened at this dental appointment and when the next one would be. For some reason, there weren’t any Lyft drivers available at that moment.
While waiting, I tried to use my phone to post on social media that I was finished with the dental work of the day. Looking back upon those posts as I write this blog, I realize that I barely made any sense.
This experience made me realize just how important a molar is. Now that one was missing, it had become difficult to eat food. Soft foods were recommended, and I think the first thing I tried to eat was a banana. The trick was to find ways to eat it without letting the food touch the newly placed sutures.
The novocaine was starting to wear off, so I started doing some research about the opioid I had been prescribed. It turned out that I had been prescribed a generic form of the same pain killer I was prescribed years ago, when that tooth had a root canal. This eased my mind because it meant I was not a person who becomes addicted to this particular opioid.
If I remember correctly, the previous time I was prescribed this particular pain killer for dental work, it was fine. The “worst” thing that happened as a result of taking this type of pain killer was that I spent hours playing World of Warcraft and leveling up my fishing skill.
This time, when the novocaine wore off to the point where I was really uncomfortable – I took a pain killer. It helped.
As directed, I took one more before going to sleep that night. The instructions I was given stated that I should sleep with extra pillows, so I would be propped up. The pain killer made falling asleep incredibly easy, and that’s coming from me, a person who is always exhausted due to chronic illnesses!
Days went by, and I was starting to lose track of time passing. Between the antibiotics that made me super sleepy, and the pain killers that made the world more foggy than “fibro fog” does, things got surreal.
One of the things I posted on social media that day was:
“I am awake right now waiting for when I can take my next antibiotic. Could feel the previous one wearing off a while ago.
This means I will have to eat again, which is difficult, due to dental surgery (part 1).
Antibiotics make me super sleepy, and I will lose much of the day due to being asleep.
Also, talking kinda hurts right now, due to dental surgery.”
Later on, I posted this:
“eight more antibiotics to go, eight hours apart from each other.
social distancing antibiotics”
And not long after that, I posted:
“Antibiotic is kicking in.
Gonna take a nap now.”
Sometime the next day, I posted:
“four more antibiotics to go!”
followed by:
“3 antibiotics left!”
The next day, I posted:
“2 antibiotics left”
followed by:
“one more antibiotic to go!”
The day after that I posted:
“Finished the antibiotics”
The only one of these I vaguely remember posting was the one with the phrase “social distancing antibiotics”.
On May 27th, I appeared to have had a moment of clarity. I mean, the thing I posted did include some information regarding the dental work that I’d already posted about on social media (probably more than once). But, I didn’t realize it at the time.
The point of that post was to say that my next appointment was scheduled for June 1st. It would be a quick appointment where the dentist removes the sutures. That appointment was free of charge.
After that appointment, I was told they would check up on me monthly, for four months, to see how I was healing. At some point, the dentist would declare that I had healed enough to get the titanium implant placed.
This gave my husband and I some time to gather up enough money to at least pay for for part 2 of the dental work.
On May 29th, I made what I think of as a “note to self” post on social media. The purpose was to keep track of how many opioids I had taken.
“I have been prescribed a painkiller.
Here’s how many I’ve taken: (as of May 21)
1 when the novocaine wore off (as directed by my dentist)
1 to sleep that night (as directed by my dentist)
1 to sleep the next night
1 a few days after that because it turns out having a bone graft in my jaw around the now extracted tooth can cause pain
1 right now – same reason (and I want to sleep)
5 total
Next appointment June 1 – to get stitches removes
On June 1st, I once again attempted to “live blog” on social media about my experience at the dentist. This time, the front door of the office was open, and the waiting room was accessible. Once again, I was wearing a mask, which I did not intend to remove until the dentist needed me to.
I stood in front of the receptionist’s desk, and waited. She wasn’t there, and I figured that maybe she was on a break. I moved away from the desk, and kept typing into my phone.
A man who looked to be about my age, came into the waiting room. He stood and stared at the empty receptionist desk for a while. This man was not wearing a mask, so I backed away from him.
A little while later, the man leaned over the desk, and looked both ways. The receptionist wasn’t there. He then walked into the open door that separates the waiting room and the area where the dentistry happens.
No one back there immediately responded to the man, so he turned around and looked at me. He asked if there was a receptionist today. I shrugged.
The woman who does the cleaning and checkups – which the dentist office was once again able to offer, took a second to talk to the unmasked man. She explained that they were short handed today, and that he could wait in the waiting room.
He pointed at her, and she raised her arms and nodded her head. The dental assistant was covered from head to toe in PPE. She even had a face shield.
The man then went and sat in a chair. I picked a place to sit that looked about six feet away from him. He decided to talk to me.
He asked if I was there for a checkup. He was there for a checkup. I explained that no, I was not here for a checkup. The man didn’t seem to be able to hear me, possibly because of the mask I was wearing. Instead of taking it off, I just used my voice-work skill to project my voice farther.
I told him I was there to get sutures removed. He said he took out his own sutures. This was something he seemed proud of. I responded that I’d rather have the dentist do mine for me, and went back to looking at my phone.
The dentist came to get me, and we went to the first “room” (when I had the extraction done). No novocaine was needed. It only took a couple of minutes for him to remove the sutures. The dentist said I was healing well, and there were no signs of infection. He was pleased.
I’m writing this blog post on June 30th, 2020. In between then and now, I called the dentist’s office to see when they wanted to schedule me for my next appointment. No one has responded yet.
Dental Care During a Pandemic is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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March 29, 2020Image by 024-657-834 from Pixabay
Many changes have been made as a response to dealing with COVID-19. Most of them involve things people can do to avoid catching – and spreading – the virus. My state has ordered (almost) everyone to “shelter at home”.
The result has caused changes that I would not have guessed would become “the new normal” in 2020.
On March 18, 2020, the county I live in issued a “Shelter at Home” order. The goal was to prevent the spread of COVID-19, a virus that has no cure and is especially contagious. Requiring people to stay home (with the exception of people who provide essential services) makes sense.
The very next day, the Governor of the State of California, Gavin Newsom, issued a “Stay home except for essential needs” executive order. It is in place “until further notice”, and is a statewide order.
Essential services will remain open, including: gas stations, pharmacies, grocery stores, food banks, convenience stores, take-out and delivery restaurants, banks, laundromats, and essential state and local government functions.
The smaller farmers’ markets in my county are allowed to continue, so long as everyone stays at least six feet away from each other the entire time. My county has the largest farmers’ market in the United States, which happens on Thursday night – unless it rains. It has been canceled. There is no easy way to ensure a crowd that large can do effective “social distancing”.
Californians can still go to the pharmacy to pick up their medication, and are allowed to grocery shop while keeping a careful distance from the other shoppers. Eye exams, teeth cleaning, and elective procedures are required to be rescheduled until… some day in the future when we are no longer required to “shelter at home”.
I was supposed to have a teeth cleaning this month. Unfortunately, a few days before I was supposed to go, I developed two out of the three symptoms of COVID-19. I was having some difficulty breathing, and had developed a dry cough. There was no fever.
This put me in the position of trying to guess if these symptoms were allergies, or COVID-19. There is some overlap between the two. This is not a game that I, a person with a weak immune system, wanted to play.
The pollen count got too high for me to handle around the end of January. I’ve barely left the house since. This is not unusual for me during what I have come to think of as “allergy season”.
So far, I have gone outside to:
Bring my mail-in-ballot to the County Clerk’s office. My husband and I prefer doing it that rather than dropping them into the mail and hoping they get where they need to go. We then got breakfast at a local restaurant.I went to my acupuncturist’s office for an appointment.I walked a couple of blocks with my husband to a restaurant so he could pick up a take-out order. This was before “shelter at home” went into effect, so we were able to sit in the restaurant while waiting for his food. I’m allergic to everything this restaurant serves.I went to the DMV to replace my soon-to-expire driver’s license with a Real ID. Doing so required me to put my thumb on a tiny scanner several times. NO ONE WAS WASHING THE SCANNERS. I suspect this pushed my immune system into more distress than typical.
First, I called my doctor’s office, at what I refer to as “the clinic for the poor people.” The receptionist sounded a bit tired, and extremely nervous about the virus.
“Oh my god!”, she said. “I’ve never seen anything like this! It’s like a movie.”
She told me some of her relatives had COVID-19 and were at home watching movies about pandemics. She told them she didn’t want to know how those movies ended.
We decided that, since I didn’t have a fever, I could just wait and see what happens. I remember telling the receptionist that I didn’t want to take away a test from someone who is worse off then I am. At the time, it was clear that there was a severe shortage of tests.
Next, I called my dentist’s office. The receptionist sounded absolutely exhausted. I asked her if she was ok, and she insisted she was. Our conversation went as follows:
“I have two out of three symptoms of COVID-19. Do you still want me to come in for my appointment in a few days?”
“NO!”
We rescheduled. It is unclear to me if that appointment will happen, considering we don’t know how long “shelter at home” will last. Since then, my dentist’s office sent me an email to let me know they have closed. The dentist might or might not be able to treat dental emergencies, on a case by case basis.
My husband and I are lucky, in a way, because we both work from home. I started working as a freelance writer in 2010, and he began working from home some time before that. So far, our income has been stable.
Both of us are disabled. He is legally blind (which cannot be cured). I have tons of allergies and fibromyalgia (neither of which have a cure). Working from home is our “normal” and pretty much the only way we can maintain a job.
Today, all across the country, people are working from home. This amazes me, because for years, the “go-to” for businesses was to insist that employees could not work from home. It was too complicated to manage; way too difficult to set up; employees would still have to commute to the office for in-person meetings.
We now know that that all of those excuses were lies. The shift from the idea that everyone must be in the office, to everyone must work from home, went lightning quick (especially for the huge tech companies).
I believe that working from home will become the new normal, whenever “shelter at home” ends. It has been said that anything a person does for 30 days in a row becomes a habit. The longer people work from home, the more they become used to it. My hope is that working from home will become a common option for people who have disabilities.
Because my husband and I are both disabled, neither of us can drive anymore. He never could, and I lost the ability several years ago when fibromyalgia stole my ability to move my body fluidly and quickly enough to be a safe driver. I move too slowly now to see if there’s a car in the other lane, and lack the grip strength to turn the wheel.
Renewing my driver’s license seemed easier than switching to a State ID, in part because I have yet to qualify for Social Security Disability. Having a driver’s license doesn’t mean I am required to drive, after all.
There is a grocery store within walking distance – which also is near a bus stop. I cannot reliably go there, due to my chronic illnesses.
Eventually, my husband and I switched to having groceries delivered. At first, that felt like I was giving up, letting my chronic illnesses “win”. Over time, I realized just how helpful grocery delivery was for people like us.
But now, in the time of COVID-19, grocery delivery itself has become unreliable. We had one successful order from a store that has plenty of gluten-free foods that are safe for me to eat.
The next order was delayed, and the delivery person was unable to find all the things on our list. The store had no toilet paper, and most of the gluten-free stuff was out of stock.
The order after that never happened. The website allowed us to pick items from the few things that were still in stock. But, it refused to allow us to select a time when we wanted the food delivery to arrive.
My husband has gone outside to get whatever groceries were available. We have plenty of toilet paper, for now. It is unclear if the gluten-free foods will return. We’ve been buying more fruits and veggies than usual, in part because some of them are safe for me to eat and all of them are gluten-free.
Many of the local restaurants are overjoyed to take an order and deliver it to our home. This might be the only thing keeping some of them in business. One restaurant now allows people to have both food and beer delivered. That didn’t happen before COVID-19.
For me, “shelter at home” is normal. I end up stuck inside for a few months every spring when the pollen is too high for me to physically handle. The same thing happens in the fall when ragweed pollen is ever-present. There are also days when my fibromyalgia decides to act up and cause me a whole lot of pain.
A friend on social media pointed out that choosing to stay inside, and being required to stay inside, are two different things. This is one situation where I think healthy people are having a harder time coping with the world than I am.
I’m having conflicting emotions about “shelter in place”. I’m more frightened than typical about going outside now, worried that my already weak immune system will make me a big target for the virus. But, I’m starting to miss little things like playing Pokémon GO, and being able to eat in one of the few restaurants that serves food that I’m not allergic to.
Welcome to my world. All of you have to live like me now.
Shelter At Home is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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Cockatiels
August 26, 2022CockatielsLucy is a white cockatiel who is incredibly smart and sweet. She is having a snack.
#Blaugust2022
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January 1, 2022CockatielsI had a minor cough attack due to allergen exposure.
All of my cockatiels made sounds that imply they are concerned. One did a short song, while others made worried noises.
And then they waited.
“I’m still alive,” I responded.
The cockatiels made pleased sounds and one sang a slow version of his little song.
“Thanks for your support… I guess?”
One cockatiel finished the song, while the other two made noises that sound like “noooo”.
They are not ready to wake up yet.
Cockatiel Stories: Cockatiels and Allergies was originally posted on Book of Jen. It is not allowed to be posted to other websites.
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September 26, 2021CockatielsOur flock of cockatiels let us know when they want to “go to sleep” for the night. Typically, they take a little nap, and then move around the cage. They eat more food, get a drink of water, and find a spot to sleep in.
This photo is from February of 2021.
Usually, I am able to properly cover the birdcage. But this new birdcage is tall, and I am short. I didn’t realize that I failed to cover up the cage all the way.
After a while, I had the sense that I was being watched. I looked down the hall… and there was Pinky, looking back at me. The sight of him, patiently waiting for me to return and cover the entire cage this time made me giggle!
This is what a cocktail looks like when he is “not angry… just disappointed”.
Fortunately, cockatiels are generally happy little birds, and they forgive and forget easily.
Photo by Jen Thorpe
Pinky is Disappointed is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. If you enjoyed this blog post please consider supporting me Ko-fi. Thank you! [...]
World of Warcraft
August 27, 2022World of Warcraft / World of Warcraft otherThe original Pet Biscuit in World of Warcraft was called Papa Hummel’s Old-Fashioned Pet Biscuit. If I remember correctly, I won this item from the All Things Azeroth podcast in 2009. To obtain it, I had to log into World of Warcraft, do some traveling, pick up the item, and then use it.
Thrisper was my very first World of Warcraft character. She was probably Level 14 when she started this adventure to obtain Papa Hummel’s Old Fashioned Pet Biscuit. Thrisper was a Hunter, with a pet cat named Elowell. The name was inspired by the LOL Cats, which were popular at the time. I decided to give the cat a more phonetic name.
Thrisper had yet to unlock flying, so she and Elowell had to go swimming in order to reach Janerio’s Point. She waited for the large boat to go by, before swimming into Booty Bay.
Eventually, Thrisper and Elowell discovered Booty Bay. There was a large dock ahead of them, with someone standing at the end of it.
Thrisper and Elowell climbed out of the water and dried off in the sun. She then set out to find Landro Longshot, the Goblin from which she could obtain Papa Hummel’s Old-Fashioned Pet Biscuit from.
Landro Longshot: Welcome, Thrisper. I am Landro Longshot – manager of the Black Flame. Perhaps You’ve not heard of the Black Flame until now. That doesn’t surprise me; we work to keep things that way. We prefer to avoid… factional entanglements.
The Black Flame specializes in providing the finest services and entertainment money can buy, whether they happen to be hard to find items, gladiatorial combat, or lucrative games of chance.
Are you seeing something specific?
“What promotions do you have?”, Thrisper asked Landro Longshot.
Landro Longshot: Ah – oddities and rarities. We specialize in Azeroth’s more unique items for the discerning adventurer.
Since you’re speaking with me, you must already have an idea of what you’re looking for.
The options were:
Heroes of AzerothThrough the Dark PortalFires of OutlandMarch of the LegionServants of the BetrayerHunt for IllidanDrums of WarPoints Redemption
Thrisper chose “Points Redemption”. The Papa Hummel’s Old-Fashioned Pet Biscuit was a trading card item. In 2009, you had to travel to Booty Bay, go through the Landro Longshot interface, and then put in the code that was on the trading card.
Papa Hummel’s Old-Fashioned Pet Biscuit: (Soulbound) Use: Right-Click to feed this magical biscuit to a targeted Non-Combat Pet, doubling its size for as long as it remains at its master’s side.
This item came with a total of 50 Papa Hummel’s Old-Fashioned Pet Biscuits.
Papa Hummel’s Old-Fashioned Pet Biscuits cannot be used on combat pets – like Elowell. Thrisper decided to use it on her Baby Blizzard Bear – which is a companion pet. It is a little bit larger than the sheep that is watching Thrisper.
The Papa Hummel’s Old-Fashioned Pet Biscuits are very effective! The Baby Blizzard Bear has grown about twice as big as it was before. It started out as a Level 1 pet – and still has those stats.
It became abundantly clear why the Pet Biscuits cannot be used on combat pets. I don’t think it would change the stats of a combat pet, but it would make that pet look much more dangerous than typical!
The nearest town was Goldshire, so Thrisper, Elowell, and the (now bigger) Baby Blizzard Bear went for a walk. What would the people in Goldshire think of this large baby Polar Bear?
Thrisper hesitates for a moment, considering what Goldshire can be like at its worst.
Instead of going into Goldshire, Thrisper took her pets to a nice spot with some large trees. It is kind of astonishing how big the Baby Blizzard Pet is compared to Elowell.
Thrisper and her Baby Blizzard Pet found a beam of light to sit in. Elowell, who prefers to be in shadows, has no interest in sitting in the light.
@Blaugust2022
World of Warcraft: Pet Biscuit is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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November 21, 2020World of Warcraft / World of Warcraft otherThe Sprite Darter’s Wings transmog was given for free to players who have a six-month World of Warcraft subscription. That’s how I got it. Players who don’t have a six-month WoW subscription can buy it for $20.00 from the Blizzard Shop.
Enchant your friends and beguile your foes with this eight-piece transmogrification set inspired by the fey dragons of Azeroth. This appearance features cosmetic wings and a mesmerizing mask that make you a sprite to behold and will take the breath away from friend, foe, and dragonkin alike.
This colorful transmog set was perfect for Meipo, my Gnome Mage. She is based on one of my Dungeons & Dragons characters named Meepo. (WoW wouldn’t let me have that spelling). Meepo is a Kobold Sorcerer who loves bright colors and shiny things.
Each piece of the Sprite Darter set can be found in your Appearances tab. Splitting it up means you have to search around each piece in order to do the entire transmogrification.
The advantage of splitting up this transmogrification set into pieces means that a player can pick and choose which parts to transmog. For example, maybe you just want to use the wings – but not the rest of the set.
If I remember correctly, it cost one gold for each piece I chose to transmog.
Here is the entire Sprite Darter transmogrification set on my Gnome. I honestly love it! The colors and goofiness of the set is perfect for Meipo.
This is what the back of the Sprite Darter wings look like.
The Sprite Darter set transmog doesn’t match the Steamscale Incinerator.
The set matches quite well with the Squeakers, The Trickster mount. It makes Miepo look like a tiny fairy dragon who is riding a mouse.
Sprite Darter’s Wings is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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October 30, 2020World of Warcraft / World of Warcraft Pets and MountsThe Steamscale Incinerator was offered to players who had six-month World of Warcraft subscriptions. To me, it looks like a steampunk dragon.
The World of Warcraft Steamscale Incinerator was presented to players who had six-month World of Warcraft subscriptions on July 9, 2020. It would be waiting for me where the rest of my mounts were located – but it wouldn’t wait forever.
“Thanks for purchasing a 6-Month Subscription to WoW! Please, enjoy this majestic mount on us. Claim by January 31, 2021. Not usable in WoW Classic.”
A mad gnomish inventor had a dream to ride a dragon, so he created this metal monstrosity. He powered it with a trapped demon, in order to create “an authentic dragon soul,” and did not survive its activation.
Here’s what this mount looks like when walking on the ground. (Stormwind City Guard for scale).
The Steamscale Incinerator looks awesome when flying at night. The underside of the dragon glows a bright red that seems to pulse. There are two large cogs spinning where the wings attach to the body.
I took this screenshot on a whim while flying around Stormwind.
Just for fun, I took this screenshot of the Steamscale Incinerator in Ironforge while the 2020 Hallow’s Eve event was taking place.
Steamscale Incinerator is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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TV & Movie Reviews
August 10, 2020TV and Movie ReviewsI recently watched Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace for the second time. The first time was in the theater when it was released. There’s a lot going on in this movie that I missed the first time around.
What I want to focus on in this blog post (and the upcoming ones) is the relationship between Padmé Amidala and Anakin Skywalker. They started out as friends, despite their age difference and the imbalance of power between them.
Anakin Skywaker lives with his mother, Shmi Skywalker. Both of them are slaves on Tatooine. They are owned by Watto, a cantankerous Toydarian junk dealer with a gambling problem.
When Anakin and Padmé first meet, he asks her if she is an angel. He tells her she is one of the most beautiful beings he has ever seen. This question immediately catches Padmé’s attention, and the two have a conversation.
Anakin reveals that he and his mother are slaves. Padmé is shocked by this. “I can’t believe there is slavery out here! The Republic banned slavery some time ago.” She learns that the Republic pretty much doesn’t exist on Tatooine.
Anakin vehemently responds that he is not a slave. “I’m a person!”, he shouts. It is a show of defiance and refusal to accept his current status and reality. From there, Anakin tells Padmé that he is a Pod Racer, something he obviously is excited about. His thought process is pretty typical for a nine-year-old, quickly changing subjects in an effort to talk about something he is intensely interested in.
Padmé asks Anakin how long he has lived there. He thinks about it for a minute, trying to remember, then says he was “just a little kid” when his mom brought him here. About three-years-old, he figures. Anakin has lived the majority of his life as a slave.
Anakin tells Padmé that he had a dream that he was a Jedi who came back to free the slaves. This moment of vulnerability is not unusual for kids his age who believe they are talking with a friend. It also shows that Anakin is very innocent, and genuinely wants to make life better for those who are in bad situations.
Padmé arrived on Tatooine under a false persona. She is actually Queen Amidala, but has been disguised as one of her handmaidens. In her place, pretending to be Queen, is Padmé’s bodyguard. Padmé is fourteen-years-old and one of the youngest queens Naboo has elected.
When Qui-Gon Gin and Obi-Won Kenobi are preparing to leave Naboo, they are told that the Queen insists that her handmaiden accompany them. The two Jedi are not at all interested in taking her along, but eventually give in to the Queen’s demands.
They have no idea who she really is, and neither does Anakin. I think the reason why Padmé finds this nine-year-old interesting is because he is someone she can be herself with. When she talks with Anakin, she doesn’t have to be super careful about what she says – for fear of starting a war.
I’m not sure how Naboo elects its queens, but it says something that Padmé is one of the youngest. I suspect that those who want to become queen must go through some kind of instruction and training before they run for that office.
She is only fourteen-years-old as queen, which means she likely spent years of her childhood practicing the skills she would need to use if she is elected. There is no doubt in my mind that it is the daughters of the elite and wealthy who are considered eligible to become queen, because that’s how it goes in the real world.
Padmé has a group of handmaidens, and a bodyguard, who surround her. They appear to be about the same age as she is. But, they cannot truly be friends because a queen has more power than her handmaidens do. There is no room for any of them to paint each other’s nails while talking about whomever they have a crush on.
Anakin, however, doesn’t know he is talking to the Queen of Naboo. He starts a conversation with her as though she’s just a regular person. This must be refreshing for Padmé, who doesn’t have to carefully calculate her responses to Anakin. She can simply be herself.
Right before the Pod Race, Anakin and Padmé ride in on a large lizard, alongside Shmi and a friend of Anakin’s who are riding another lizard. Anakin and Padmé are laughing and having fun. They get a moment to be kids – despite their age difference.
Qui-Gon Gin made a bet with Watto before the race started. Under the pretense that the Pod Racer Anakin had been building belonged to Qui-Gon, he makes a deal. If Anakin wins the race, Watto gets the profits – minus the cost of the parts that Qui-Gon needs to fix his ship. If Anakin loses the race, Watto gets to keep both the Pod Racer and Qui-Gon’s ship. Watto accepts.
Shortly before the race begins, a second bet is made. If Anakin wins, Qui-Gon wants the boy and his mother. Watto refuses, saying he won’t give both of them. Watto throws a chance dice that has red and blue sides. If it lands on blue, its the boy. If it lands on red, its his mother.
Qui-Gon uses the force to make sure the chance dies lands on blue.
Anakin wins the Pod Race, in part because of Qui-Gon Gin’s instructions to use his emotions to solve problems while racing. By this point, Qui-Gon is aware that Anakin doesn’t have a father and that he is unusually strong with the force.
The bets are settled, and Anakin happily returns home to his mother, with Qui-Gon accompanying him. Anakin thought that both he and his mother were now free, and becomes upset when he learns that he has been freed – but she is still a slave.
This entire scene is heartbreaking. Anakin wants to become a Jedi, and Qui-Gon Gin is willing train him (if the Jedi Council allows it). But, Anakin also doesn’t want things to change. His mother gently talks him into following his heart.
Anakin leaves, with his mother standing in the doorway of their home. All of a sudden, he rushes back to her arms. “I can’t do it,” he says. He asks if he will ever see her again.
“What does your heart tell you?”, Shmi asks. Anakin focuses for a moment, and responds, “I hope so. Yes. I guess so”. He promises to come back to Tatooine to free his mother.
This scene emphasizes that Anakin is still just a little boy. He still needs his mother. He is about to embark upon a journey with people he doesn’t know very well to places he’s never been. It makes sense that he is scared.
Qui-Gon Gin’s ship takes off, and Anakin becomes uncomfortably cold. He sits in a corner, shivering and looking miserable. Padmé doesn’t notice him at first because she is making a call to Naboo to learn about what is happening there.
“You seem sad,” Anakin says after she finishes her call.
Padmé walks over to Anakin and covers him with the cloak she had been wearing, as if it was a blanket. She explains that space is cold, and that he is used to being on a very warm planet.
“The Queen is worried because people are dying. Suffering.” Padmé explains. “She must convince the Senate to intervene. I’m not sure what will happen.” Padmé intentionally does not tell Anakin that she is Queen Amidala.
Anakin hands her a bead he carved, to remember him by. She accepts the bead, smiles, and tells him she doesn’t need a bead to remember him.
Padmé tries to prepare Anakin for what might be coming. She tells him that a lot of things are going to change, but her caring about him is not one of them.
Anakin says, “I care about you, too. It’s just…”
“You miss your mother,” Padmé responds. He nods.
To me, it looks like the two of them have begun seeing each other as siblings. She is mothering him, making sure he stays warm, and trying to prepare him for things to come. He lets her know that he sees that she seems sad, and hands her something he made by hand so she won’t forget about him.
Their age difference, and differences in power, prevent them from truly becoming friends. Instead, they sort of adopt each other as family.
Upon landing, Padmé returns to her handmaidens. Anakin is questioned by the Jedi Council, who think he is too old to start training as a Jedi. Typically, Jedi are taken from their families (hopefully with the parent’s permission) when they are toddlers. Eventually, the council allows Qui-Gon Gin to train Anakin.
Anakin tries to visit Padmé to let her know he is going away to become a Jedi. He asks Queen Amidala where Padmé is. Queen Amidala tells Anakin that Padmé is not there now, and pretty much implies that she will be given his message when she comes back.
It is unclear if the Queen Amidala Anakin was speaking to was Padmé or her bodyguard. Based on later events in the movie, I suspect it was the bodyguard, who did not seem prepared to have a nine-year-old come by and ask for the real Queen Amidala by her first name.
Anakin simply trusts that his message will be sent to Padmé. He leaves the room and walks away, presumably to begin training.
There are a lot of other plot points weaving through The Phantom Menace, and an entire blog post could be written about several of them. I’ve left out large pieces of the story specifically so I could focus on this part of it.
They Started Out Friends is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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June 2, 2017TV and Movie ReviewsGrace and Frankie is a show on Netflix. It is a Netflix Original.
Grace (Jane Fonda) is married to Robert (Martin Sheen). Frankie (Lilly Tomlin) is married to Sol (Sam Waterson). In the very first episode, right at the start, the husbands announce they want to divorce their wives.
The reasons why the men want divorces is because they have fallen in love… with each other. And they want to get married.
Warning: There are tons of spoilers.
Episode 1:
The husbands announce they want to divorce their wives because they have fallen in love with each other and want to get married. Robert: “We can do that now.”
When Robert married Grace, and Sol married Frankie, same-sex marriage wasn’t legal anywhere in the United States. Robert and Sol have been having a secret love affair for the past 20 years.
Later, Sol and Frankie are alone back at their home. Frankie asks Sol if that is why he got Cialis. Sol answers: “Everyone gets Cialis at my age.”
Robert and Grace are alone at their home. She is sad. Robert tries to console her. “Were you ever really happy with me?” he asks.
Grace thinks about it. She says they didn’t have the most romantic life. “But I thought we were normal”. This indicates that Grace and Robert hadn’t had a sex life together in a very long time. Grace thought the end of their sex life was a normal part of being a couple, or maybe because of their age. Now, she discovers that wasn’t so. She DOES NOT say she was happy with Robert.
Robert says that he “wanted more.” The implication is that he wasn’t happy in his marriage with Grace, and found what he needed with Sol.
* Both couples have children who are now adults. Sol and Frankie’s sons (Coyote and Nwabudike) try and console their mother. They repeat a lot of the positive encouraging phrases she must have told them. She tells them all that is “bullshit”.
Grace and Robert’s daughters, (Brianna and Mallory) are angry about what happened. They immediately take their mother’s side, and don’t want to talk to their father right then.
Mallory has kids. She asks “How am I going to explain this to my kids?” I don’t think this question is entirely about her father’s relationship with Sol. It’s also about the sudden divorce.
* A chair is delivered to Robert and Grace’s house. She opens the box, and finds a chair that has a photo of Ryan Gosling’s face on the seat. Robert is delighted that the chair arrived so quickly and explains it is a joke between him and Sol.
* For the first time, Grace notices that Robert’s office has a framed drawing of a nude man. She notices a small frame on the shelf that contains a old photo of two men, one of whom has taken the arm of the other (as a man might do with a woman). She sees books on the shelf, one of which is called “The Male Member”. And suddenly, she realizes she’s missed all these signs.
* Grace and Frankie get into an argument over which one of them is more upset. Frankie says “I lost my best friend. You never liked Robert.”
* Robert says he can finally breathe again – now that he’s divorcing Grace to be with Sol. Sol says he feels really guilty because he devastated someone he loves very much. It’s clear that Sol and Frankie were not just spouses, but also good friends. Grace and Robert were not friends.
* Grace freaks out about the divorce. “I did everything right. I played by the rules.” She is angry. Grace asks Frankie why she isn’t angry. Frankie says she is heartbroken.
* Later, Frankie acknowledges that there were times she “knew” but ignored it. She says Sol once asked her to wear a dildo. She and Grace think that could only mean that Sol was gay.
Episode 2:
* Sol and Robert spent the night together and are still snuggling in bed. Sol says he wants to go up on the roof and shout: “I am a homosexual and I am in love with Robert Hanson, who is also a homosexual.” Robert smiles, and jokingly talks him out of it.
* As the men are getting ready to go to work, Robert says “Just because we’re out now doesn’t mean we’re gonna be gay with a vengeance.”
* Two of Frankie’s friends come over to console her and take her to lunch. One of the friends is gay. Sol and Robert aren’t the only gay men in Frankie’s life. Sol sent the two friends over because Frankie won’t answer her phone when he calls her and he was worried about her.
* Robert cuts off Grace’s credit card (which she discovers while trying to pay for lunch). It turns out Sol cut off Frankie’s credit card, too. Robert feels absolutely nothing about doing this to Grace – citing that he and Sol are divorce lawyers and that’s what people who are divorcing are supposed to do. Sol feels terrible about it and is upset that he knows Frankie will be upset when she finds out.
* Robert asks Sol, “Which is better, feeling terrible with me, or without me.” Sal says “with you.”
* Grace sends her daughters to her (and Robert’s) home to get some of her things. (She’s staying at the beach house). The daughters notice the remains of breakfast on the table and realize that Sol spent the night there. They look sad.
* Frankie has a fight with Sol and kicks him out of their house. She tells him to go live with Robert. Sol says they weren’t ready to move in together yet.
* Later, Frankie asks: “Was any of it real?” That’s a normal question people ask after a breakup. But, Frankie is also asking if her marriage to Sol, who had been having an affair with Robert for 20 years, was ever real.
Episode 3:
* Robert and Sol are having their children over for dinner. Sol is nervous. Robert tries to calm him by saying they’ve already had lots of dinners together. Sol responds: “That was before I became their new stepmother.”
* Mallory and Brianna arrive together for dinner. They wait at the door of the house they grew up in. Brianna wants to just walk in. Mallory stops her and says they can’t do that because it’s not their house anymore.
Brianna responds “I’ve lost both of my virginities in that house” and proceeds to just walk right in.
* During dinner, Robert and Sol hold hands for a brief moment. Robert’s daughters and Sol’s sons stare at them – not really knowing how to feel about that.
* Coyote tells Mallory (who is mad at him) “We’re step people now.”
* Brianna and Bud have a conversation in the kitchen. Bud is preparing a cake. Brianna mentions something about how Bud seems fine with what their dad’s are doing. She asks “Would you be cool with it if they had cheated with women?”
* After returning to the table, after everyone starts eating cake, an argument ensues where the kids let out some of their anger and frustration. Bud says he is “not allowed to be mad”. When Sol asks why not, Bud answers “because you’re gay.”
Episode 4:
* Someone who worked with Robert and Sol has died. They are going to the funeral. Sol says that this will be the first time people see him without his wife by his side. Robert says the funeral “is not our coming out party.”
* Meanwhile, Grace is pushing Frankie to get ready to go to the funeral early – so they can leave before it becomes Robert and Sol’s coming out party.
* Grace and Frankie see Robert and Sol – as a couple – for the first time at the funeral reception. It makes Grace and Frankie sad.
* Grace notices that Sol is wearing a tie that she gave to Robert as a Father’s Day present. This makes her angry. Frankie is angry too. “They can’t leave us AND share clothes!”
* Robert and Sol haven’t decided what to call each other. Robert think’s they’re too old for boyfriend.
“Soulmate?” Sol asks. Robert responds, “No! I don’t even like that one with straight people.”
At the funeral reception, Sol tries to use the word partner, but then awkwardly explains that they are business partners at the law firm, but also partners with each other. He confuses the people he was speaking to.
* A very old man who must have worked at the same company as the deceased tells Robert and Sol that he knows they are a couple – and that they are brave. He then asks: “When did you know you were attracted to men?” He goes on to say that he had “an experience” when he was in Korea. Sol kindly walks away with him and answers the man’s question.
* Robert’s sister tells Grace that she had no idea that her brother was gay.
* Later, Robert’s sister accidentally mentions that her daughter is having a baby shower. It becomes clear that Grace was not invited. Robert’s sister explains that the aunties would be there (Robert’s family is Irish) and that there would be drama and it was the daughter’s day. She asks if Grace understands. Grace says of course she understands, it’s for family. After Robert’s sister walks away, Grace looks sad.
* Robert gets frustrated with Sol and yells at him for talking to the widow for too long. He yells at Sol about his shoes (that Robert doesn’t like). Robert yells “You’re just not doing anything right.”
Sol responds: “Oh my god. You’re angry that I’m not Grace.” Robert sits down and starts to sob. It’s probably the first time he’s cried about the divorce. Sol consoles him, saying something like he “has one, too”. Robert apologizes, and they start using the word “boyfriend”.
* Frankie speaks with the widow. The widow says to her: “Oh, I think your situation is much worse than mine.” The widow points out that Frankie might live another 20 years. The implication is that Frankie will be spending those 20 years alone.
* As they are leaving the funeral reception, Grace tells Robert she is so mad at him. “I’ve lost everything,” she says. She lost her husband, her house, her family…
* Frankie, upset by what the widow said, and by an unfortunate comment Grace said to Robert about Frankie when Grace was expressing her anger at Robert, leaves the funeral with Grace trailing behind her. Sol drives up in his car – to pick up Robert. Frankie gets into the passenger seat out of habit. She quickly realizes what she has done, gets out, and tells Robert “I think this is for you.”
Episode 5:
* Brianna tells her mother, Grace, that Grace needs a boyfriend. Grace tells her daughter, Brianna “I’m sending that sentence right back to you.” Brianna is single. Her sister, Mallory, is married with two kids.
* Brianna shows Grace a profile of a handsome doctor on a dating website, in an effort to convince Grace to make a profile there. Brianna says she has used dating websites and has met some “passable” guys. Brianna mentions that one of the guys had a micropenis. Apparently, Brianna still considered him “passable”.
* Grace tries to make a profile on the dating site. She struggles to describe herself. Brianna sees that Grace listed her age as 70 – which is her age. Brianna argues that Grace should say she is 65, because she looks 65. Grace says that wouldn’t be honest. Brianna says it is honest because that’s the age Grace looks.
* Grace doesn’t know what to put in the section of the profile marked “turn-ons”. Frankie walks past the couch Grace and Brianna are sitting on and suggests: “That he’s NOT gay!”
Brianna tells her mother to say she is “open minded”. Grace hesitates, concerned that it might mean some “weird sex thing”.
* Later in the episode, Grace apologizes for saying something unkind about Frankie at the funeral. Frankie accepts her apology, but wants Grace to treat her better. Frankie points out that she is Grace’s friend. Frankie also says “I’m the other person this happened to” – meaning both she and Grace are going through divorces because their husbands are gay and their husbands want to marry each other.
* Grace eventually finished filling out her dating profile and posting it.
* During the episode, Grace drives Brianna and Frankie to the frozen yogurt shop (at their request). Both Brianna and Frankie are high. Brianna notices that the cashier is named Brian, and that he and her have the same name – except for the “na”.
Later, Brianna tells Grace and Frankie that Brian sent her friend request on Facebook. She says “That must have taken a lot of stalking,” followed by “That was sweet.” She smiles.
Episode 6:
* Someone on the dating website wants to have lunch with Grace. The two of them have been briefly talking on the website for a while. The man wants to have lunch with Grace today – and she doesn’t want to go because she thinks she isn’t ready for that yet. She tells Frankie she likes the attention she gets on the dating website – and likes that she can get that attention and stay home.
Frankie encourages her to go to lunch with the man from the dating website. Grace says she doesn’t know him. Frankie informs her that this is what going to lunch is for – to get to know him and to get laid.
* Grace realizes that this will be her first date in 40 years.
* Frankie gives Grace some condoms. Grace says she doesn’t need them because she’s well past being able to get pregnant. Frankie tells Grace that because of the “penis drugs”, older people are having sex and aren’t using condoms – and are spreading STDs. Frankie says she read that in an AARP article.
There is, in fact, an AARP article from 2010 that explains why older people should use condoms. The article is written by Dr. Pepper Schwartz.
* An earthquake happens, and Frankie freaks out. Robert and Sol had just made plans for dinner. (They plan to order paella from a restaurant). Immediately after the earthquake is over, Sol tells Robert that Frankie is terrified of earthquakes and that he needs to go help her calm down.
Sol says: “It’s her first quake alone, and she only has Grace to comfort her.” Robert immediately responds: “Go!”
* Coyote rides his bike over to Mallory’s house to deliver a children’s book called And Tango Makes Three. The book was written by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell and was published in 2005.
The story is about three Chinstrap penguins at the Central Park Zoo, and is based on something that really happened. Roy and Silo were two male penguins in the zoo’s penguin exhibit.
Roy and Silo liked to do everything together. A zookeeper noticed that they built a nest together, just like the other penguins couples do. But, Roy and Silo could not lay an egg. One day, the zoo had an extra Chinstrap penguin egg that was produced by another penguin couple who could not care for it. The zookeeper gave the egg to Roy and Silo, who took turns keeping it warm until the egg hatched. The zookeeper named the baby penguin Tango because “it takes two to tango”. Tango is a girl.
Coyote takes the book to Mallory because he remembered that Mallory said that her kids were having a difficult time understanding what was happening with their grandfather and Sol. Coyote is working as a substitute teacher, so it makes sense that he had heard of this children’s book.
* Grace’s date does not go well. After they are seated, she asks Charles if he’s “done it a lot”. He gives her a funny look. She clarifies that she means “this” and gestures at the table. She wanted to know if he goes to lunch with women he met on the dating website a lot. He obviously thought she was asking him if he had a lot of sex.
* Charles tells Grace to watch out for liars on the dating website. It’s an odd comment to start out a new (potential) relationship with. He gives the example of someone who said she loved to play tennis – but he later learned that she was in a wheelchair.
It’s hard to know if Charles was making up that example, or if he met someone like that.
As the lunch date goes on, Charles gets stranger and stranger. He doesn’t seem to understand the subtle social cues Grace gives him indicating she doesn’t think he’s funny. He tells her if he’s too much to say: “Charlie it’s too much.”
Grace immediate responds: “Charlie, it’s too much.” Charlie laughs and doesn’t take her seriously. Not long after that, Charlie starts making inappropriate, and gross, comments about Grace’s mouth and the steak she is eating, and this makes Grace so uncomfortable that she quickly ends the lunch date.
* After helping Frankie calm down, Sol asks if she would like to get a bite to eat. They go to lunch. Sol texts Robert that he is going to be late (which leads to a misunderstanding – more on that in a bit).
During lunch, Frankie asks Sol how it started with Robert. Sol is a bit taken aback. He didn’t expect to be sharing that today. Frankie honestly wants to know, so Sol tells her.
Robert and Sol were at a law conference together, and later got drunk together at the hotel bar. They rode the elevator together. Sol says Robert gave him this look that scared him. The look gave him a feeling. Robert kissed Sol.
Frankie asked if it was a big kiss. Sol says they kept kissing until the elevator stopped at their floor – the 26th floor. Sol says his whole body became alive.
Frankie asks if that’s when their relationship started. Sol says no, that he and Robert didn’t talk about what happened. Frankie asks: “Why not?” Sol says they couldn’t talk about it – they didn’t know how to talk about it.
The relationship between Robert and Sol evolved from sex to love. Sol didn’t want to tell Frankie about it because he loved her, and he loved their family, and he didn’t want to hurt them or lose them.
* Grace returns home after the awful lunch date and finds one of Frankie’s art students in the kitchen, eating a ham sandwich. Grace has seen all three of Frankie’s students once before, the day she was trying to rush Frankie to get ready for the funeral. Grace knows the men in Frankie’s art class are all “ex-cons.”
Grace is surprised and asks how he got in there. She tells him Frankie wasn’t home. The man says he found the studio empty so he went inside the house to make sure Frankie was ok.
The man starts flirting with Grace. She is so surprised, she drops her purse. The condoms Frankie gave her fall out, and the man sees them. He makes a comment, and Grace clarifies that Frankie put those into her purse.
It is clear that Grace is attracted to the man. She is a bit flustered. He tells her that he knows about her husband and Frankie’s husband. He says: “Please tell me that if he wasn’t fucking you somebody else was.” Another earthquake tremor happens, and Grace and the man end up passionately kissing in the kitchen (which leads to them making out for a little while before Grace stops it). The man leaves. Grace is smiling.
* Later, Grace tells Frankie that one of her students was in the kitchen, eating a ham sandwich. Frankie says “That must be Byron. He loves ham.” Grace doesn’t mention the kissing.
* Sol comes home to Robert three hours late. Robert invited some friends over (Al and Eddie, who are a couple). They are eating Paella. Robert and Sol start bickering, and Al and Eddie run away. Robert and Sol have an argument. Robert asks “Why did we blow up our lives if you are just going to go running back to her?” Sol said he texted Robert that he would be late, and thought Robert said it was ok. It turned out there was a miscommunication. The two make up.
Robert goes to get some food for Sol. While he isn’t looking, Sol texts Frankie “goodnight”.
Episode 7:
* Grace comes home from an awful date. Grace tells Frankie that she took her anecdote (about saving a little bird). Frankie isn’t thrilled with that. Grace goes on to say that her date’s anecdote was about his fatty lipoma. He had a tumor that he named Farley – and it had teeth.
A lipoma is a slow-growing fatty lump that’s most often situated between your skin and the underlying muscle tissue. It can feel doughy. It is not cancer.
* Grace says she has another date tomorrow. Frankie points out that would be three dates in one week.
* Brianna is cooking because she has a date coming over. She calls Bud to help her. Bud points out that she destroyed the Brisket, so he’s going to help her make stew out if it.
Brianna says stew isn’t a second date food. Bud infers her date is with “Racist Dave”. Brianna corrects Bud – “Border Patrol Dave”. Dave sends Brianna a text, in which he cancels the date. Brianna now calls him “Racist Dave”.
Brianna says that she doesn’t know what she wants (meaning in a relationship). Bud says she wants what everyone wants “Someone you can come home to at the end of the day who is happy to see you.” Brianna says she is getting a dog.
* A big part of this episode focuses on the Spelling Bee, which is televised. Frankie and Sol watch it every year (it’s one of their rituals). Frankie can’t get Grace interested in the Spelling Bee, and Sol can’t get Robert interested in it.
Sol unexpectedly brings Frankie a bread maker and some laser discs. Frankie sees that as an excuse to come over. Sol asks her to come over and watch the Spelling Bee with him. Frankie hesitates, unsure if that’s a good idea now that they are getting a divorce. Sol wants to continue their rituals, like watching the Spelling Bee together. Frankie says that she will be strong and say “no”.
* Brianna adopts a foster dog she saw on the internet. The man who is fostering the dog brings him over. The man is cute and near Brianna’s age. She flirts with him – badly. He doesn’t appear to be interested in her, but is excited to give this great dog a forever home.
Brianna is not so enthused about the dog. The dog is shy, at first. Brianna says the dog is ugly, and asks if it is the dog she saw on the internet. The foster dog “dad” gives Brianna the food the dog has been eating, and his toys. He makes a joke (about the dog leaving his patio furniture and grill so the other dogs could use it) – which Brianna doesn’t get. Foster dog man says she can call him if she has any trouble.
Brianna spends hours trying to get the dog to love her. She fails at it.
So, she calls the Foster dog guy, who comes over. He doesn’t see any problem with the dog (who is happily waltzing down the hallway and checking out other rooms.). The Foster dog guy makes a comment implying he thinks Brianna called to get HIM to come over. She basically agrees.
They have sex. He leaves right after. Brianna is sad – until the dog leaps into her arms and starts loving her.
* Frankie ends up going over to Sol and Robert’s to watch the Spelling Bee with Sol. She brought popcorn and tea. He is thrilled! They have a great time until Robert comes home and looks upset. Frankie leaves.
Robert is miffed about Sol hanging out with Frankie.Robert admits that he is scared about Sol’s relationship with Frankie. He didn’t like that Sol didn’t tell him Frankie was coming over. Sol said he didn’t know she was coming over. Sol tells Robert that Frankie will always be part of his life, and that Robert has nothing to worry about. Robert agrees to watch the Spelling Bee with Sol – and they both have fun!
* Grace goes on date three (of the week). It is with a man who owns a yacht and is an architect. His “name” on the dating website is “yachtcatect”. Grace thinks that is clever.
She gets a table where they are supposed to meet. Unexpectedly, she sees a friend whom she hasn’t seen in years. His name is Guy, and he is a world traveler. But now, he wants to settle down.
The yacht guy shows up, but hasn’t seen Grace yet. He is dressed like a television captain – hat, coat, and all. Guy asks Grace if she wants to meet that man. She doesn’t. Guy offers to sneak her out of the restaurant if she will have ice cream with him.
They have ice cream together. Guy says he thinks there has always been a spark between them. They slowly start a relationship. He takes Grace to her door, and Grace kisses him. Neither expected that.
Frankie sees Grace kiss Guy through the window. She leaves the television on – and the Spelling Bee – and goes upstairs.
Episode 8:
* Grace lets Frankie know that Guy is coming over for dinner (and she wants Frankie to either leave or stay in her room). Frankie says that Grace and Guy are gonna have sex.
Frankie asks Grace if she is worried “because it’s the first time a straight man has seen you naked in 40 years.” Grace says she isn’t worried because she will turn the lights out (and he won’t see her naked).
Frankie asks Grace if she is worried about vaginal dryness. Grace responds: “I am now.”
* Frankie gives Grace something Frankie refers to as her “secret weapon”. It is a jar of “Frankie’s homemade yam lube.” Frankie calls it “Vag-a-kadabra.” She keeps it in the refrigerator. Grace is disturbed because she’s been eating the yam lube on toast. Frankie reassures Grace that that is good, and that her gynecologist says “You shouldn’t put anything in your vagina that you wouldn’t put in your mouth.”
Overall, this advice is not a bad idea.
* Grace doesn’t want to hear about the yam lube. Frankie says “It’s not a dildo. It’s a facilitator!” Frankie also says that she makes dildos.
* Grace tells Frankie that men and women cannot be friends. Frankie disagrees. She is friends with Sol, and several other men, including Jacob (who grows the yams Frankie uses in her lube). Grace later informs Frankie that Jacob was flirting with Frankie. This takes Frankie by surprise.
* Guy comes over for dinner with Grace. They sit on the couch afterward making boring small talk. Eventually, Grace asks: “Do you want to have sex?” Guy responds: “Oh boy yes.”
Grace does, in fact, keep the lights out and does not let Guy see her naked.
* The next day, Frankie asks Grace how the sex was, and wants to hear details. Grace says Guy “was no slouch in the boudoir.” Cut scenes make it clear that Grace and Guy had sex, but it was far from being good sex. Frankie asks if the sex was bad. Grace doesn’t really answer. Frankie asks Grace if she had an orgasm. Grace angrily responds: “You’re a child!” Frankie concludes, “So, that’s a no.”
* Later, Frankie tries to encourage Grace to tell Guy what she likes in bed. She asks if he knows that clitoral stimulation is important. Grace is mortified – and it’s only her and Frankie who can hear this conversation. Grace says she has never talked about her clitoris.
* The next day, Grace gets off the phone and tells Frankie “Well, Guy and I made plans for him to have another orgasm tonight.”
* Frankie realizes that Jacob is flirting with her. She tells Grace, who gives Frankie some advice – but Frankie isn’t skilled at flirting. Eventually, she let’s Jacob know that Grace thought he was flirting with her, and so she tried to flirt with him – but is bad at it.
Jacob says he thought Frankie was having a heart attack. The two of them smoke pot together. Right before Jacob leaves, he tells Frankie that he WAS flirting with her.
* Guy comes over. He says he brought a flashlight. (He injured himself trying to find the bed in the dark the other night). He wants to take Grace upstairs. She stops, plays some music, and guides Guy through dancing with her. This is the closest Grace has probably ever gotten to telling a sexual partner what she likes. The dance becomes a metaphor for sex.
Episode 9:
* Grace got an invite to Robert and Sol’s wedding. She and Frankie make fun of the script (which is florid and loopy and overdone). Frankie asks: “I wonder how they decided whose name goes on top.” That conversation quickly ends.
Typically, wedding invitations go one of two ways: (1) The parents who are hosting the wedding are listed, followed by the parents who are not hosting the wedding – and then it states that the parents are inviting people to the wedding. (2) If the couple is hosting the wedding themselves, the name of the bride always appears first (or “on top”).
Neither Grace nor Frankie want to consider which of their husbands is “on top” in the bedroom, or to wonder if the order of names on the invitation match that situation.
* Frankie, after seeing the wedding invitation, asks Grace to pull her finger, which Grace refuses. Frankie was asking for help – because she tried to remove her wedding ring the day of the funeral but it was stuck on her hand. Grace helps Frankie take off the wedding ring.
* Frankie is making another batch of her “Vag-a-kadabra” homemade yam lube. Brianna comes over (to pick up her dog that Frankie was babysitting). Brianna asks what Frankie is making, and Frankie tells her.
Brianna responds: “Mom, Frankie verbally molested me!”
Surprisingly, it is Grace who explains the virtues of the lube that Frankie is making. The reason is because Brianna took over Grace’s company when she retired. Grace thinks Brianna could sell the lube because it works, and cites a statistic of how many women have dry vaginas (especially older women). This, of course, grosses out Brianna.
Grace says: “It’s all natural – from farm to vagina.” Frankie says: “Personal lubricant is for everyone.”
Grace makes Brianna take a jar of the lube with her to work.
* Frankie calls out Grace for lying. Guy likes golf, and hoagies, and Grace is pretending to like those things too – but she really doesn’t like those things. Frankie keeps insisting that Grace needs to tell Guy the truth.
Eventually, Grace says that when you are in a new relationship you lie and pretend to like things that you don’t like. Grace is worried that Guy will break up with her if he learns that they don’t like the same things. Grace is afraid of losing Guy if she is honest with him.
Frankie encourages her to be honest with Guy, anyway.
* Grace takes a small revenge on Robert by asking him to come over while Guy is there. Robert is coming over to borrow Grace’s wedding book – a huge binder that apparently has tons of information that is useful for people who are planning huge weddings. Grace wants Robert to know that she has a boyfriend.
Robert comes over to get the wedding book and sees that Guy is there – and is overjoyed! They are friends. They are happy to see one another. Grace makes it clear that she and Guy are in a relationship. Robert is surprised, but seems ok with that. Guy says that he and Robert should get together – and Robert agrees and says he will call Guy.
Grace says the she will attend Robert’s wedding – with Guy as her date.
Later, Grace goes golfing with Guy, and Robert shows up. Guy says he invited Robert. The three go golfing, with Grace trying to quietly tell Robert that she doesn’t want him there. She accuses him of trying to flirt with Guy.
Guy hits the ball very far, and Robert congratulates him. The two men put their arms around each other, and Guy recites part of a poem (written by Rumi)
It turns out that Robert said he had no one to officiate the wedding, and Guy, who is an officiant, volunteered. He hoped Robert liked the poem so he could use it at the wedding. Robert later tells Grace that he thought having Guy officiate was perfect because Sol wanted a multicultural wedding and Guy has been around the world.
* Brianna takes the yam lube to work and repeats what Grace said about it, and the “personal lubricant is for everyone” statement that Frankie told her. She puts some yam lube into small containers and asks her team to try it for themselves, and then come back the next day to talk about it how it made them feel. Brianna wants to move the company in a new direction with this product.
Brianna mentions dry vaginas a lot – grossing out one of her team members. The team is made up of a woman (who just broke up with her boyfriend) a guy who is straight and may or may not be single, and a guy who is gay. The guy who is gay does not want to hear about vaginas.
Brianna ends up using the yam lube with a co-worker – Barry, who is an accountant. She has sex with someone she not only works with but also is one of her employees. The next day, when the team is sharing their experiences with the yam lube, Brianna insists she used the lube “with herself”.
* Frankie gets upset because Grace got an invitation to Robert and Sol’s wedding, but she did not. She makes an unexpected visit to Sol, who is living with Robert. Frankie brings him a chip and dip plate shaped like a sombrero. She also used the bread maker Sol brought her to make bread – which she brought to Sol – along with “better” (a non-dairy form of butter she hand made.)
Sol asks why she brought him those things. She said she was there to remind him to get a flu shot – and that this is the last time she will remind him – because they need to have boundaries. He agrees, and the two try and work on that. Before she leaves, she tells Sol she is upset that Grace got an invite and she did not.
Sol insists that Robert mailed Frankie an invite.
This leads to a big, confusing, fight between Sol and Robert about why Frankie’s invite didn’t arrive. (Which gets resolved later.)
Later, Sol visits Frankie (who is still living at the beach house with Grace). Frankie is in her studio, working on some art. Sol hands Frankie her invitation. She sets it aside – with a pile of mail, which has Frankie’s invitation. She made some art on the envelope, and forgot about it.
Sol and Frankie get serious and ask their subconsciouses (which they have given names to) if Frankie really wants to go to Sol’s wedding. She discovers that she doesn’t want to go because it would be too painful. Sol is sad, but understands. They start acknowledging that they need to work on “divorce stuff”.
* Frankie got so caught up with Sol that she accidentally blows off Jacob (the yam man). She stands him up on a lunch date, and he sends her a text. They reschedule, and she stands him up again (before rushing over to meet with him.) Jacob gently breaks up with her. She’s not ready to date yet.
* Eventually, Grace starts being honest. She tells Guy that she doesn’t like golf, or hoagies (and adds some other things she doesn’t like). He accepts it. She tells him she was afraid that he would walk away if she told him, and that was scary, especially since she really likes him. Being honest solidified their relationship.
Grace them goes over to Robert’s to tell him that Guy can’t be his officiant because Guy is her boyfriend. Robert shrugs that off and accepts. He tells Grace that he and Sol are getting into big fights about planning the wedding and maybe they should just elope like Sol wanted. Sol didn’t want a big wedding.
Grace asks Robert what he wants. Robert wants the big wedding. He wants to tell the world that he loves Sol. Grace encourages Robert to keep planning the wedding, and points out that wedding planning is stressful. Grace says Robert would know that if he helped plan their wedding or the wedding of his daughter.
There is a moment where they wonder if things would have gone differently if they had both been honest with each other about how they were feeling years ago. They decide that things would have gone the way they did anyway, but might have been less bad.
Episode 10:
* The episode starts with Robert and Sol, and Grace, and Frankie, and Bud in an elevator. They had just signed divorce papers. The elevator gets stuck, and Grace freaks out because she is claustrophobic. The episode is a “flashback” episode to events that took place long before the events in Episode 1 did.
* The “flashback” takes place at the beach house where Grace and Robert, and Frankie and Sol, are spending the Labor Day weekend. Bud, Coyote, and Brianna are also there. Robert and Sol planned to tell their wives that they had become a couple and wanted a divorce.
* Robert and Sol start trying to tell Grace and Frankie – when Mallory walks in with her husband. Mallory is super pregnant, and therefore, was not expected to arrive at all. This interrupts what Robert and Sol were trying to say – so it doesn’t get said.
* Frankie is over the moon about Mallory’s pregnancy. Mallory’s husband says he sees pregnant women at work all the time, but none of them are as excited as Frankie is. Sol explains that Frankie “never got to do it herself.” Both Coyote and Bud are adopted.
It has been established before this episode that Sol and Frankie are both Jewish. This makes me wonder if they chose not have biological children because they both carry a recessive gene for Tay-Sachs.
* Mallory spends a lot of time in the pool. She asks Coyote to come over so she could talk to him. She asks Coyote how much cocaine he is on. He says he is naturally energetic. (Shortly before that, Coyote and Mallory’s husband smoked pot together, and Coyote snorted cocaine.)
They talk a little about her pregnancy. Coyote starts to say something, that Mallory stops him from saying. She says something about “the thing we agreed never to talk about.” Coyote says “Imagine me with a 9 year old.”
I think this means that Mallory and Coyote were a couple nine years ago and they either had a pregnancy scare (that turned out not to be a pregnancy) or Mallory had an abortion. Based on the timeline – Coyote and Mallory probably were in high school when the pregnancy (or pregnancy scare) happened.
* Grace makes a mean comment about Frankie not knowing anything about pregnancy because she hasn’t been pregnant. Later, after Mallory unexpectedly gives birth at the beach house, fully clothed, while the family watches, Grace apologizes. She tells Frankie something like that she didn’t feel like a mother until she held her baby in her arms. Frankie says “Me too.”
* Grace, who has been on the phone handling work related things for most of the day, later tells Robert that she wants to retire and give the business to Brianna. Grace says she hopes that her retiring will rekindle the relationship between her and Robert.
* Fast forward to them all stuck in the elevator, and Robert explains why he stayed with Grace. “My heart broke for you, and I had to give you what you wanted.”
* Bud reveals something he feels guilty about. That weekend in the beach house, he was sleeping on the couch. Robert and Sol were on the porch outside that room. Bud woke up and saw Robert and Sol kissing. Bud felt guilty about not telling his mom about that.
Frankie and Grace reassure Bud that even if he had told – they wouldn’t have believed him. Frankie says “You gave me five more years with your father.”
Episode 11:
* Guy has been spending a lot of time at the beach house. Today, he admits that he “ambien eats” after Frankie notices more food missing from the refrigerator. Guy goes shopping to replace what he ate while he was asleep.
He also says he “ambian orders” on Amazon, and has purchased the same pair of shoes, while sleeping, four times.
* Frankie tells Grace she thinks Grace is going too fast with Guy. Grace says she is lucky to have him. She points out most men their age date younger women “who don’t have sagging breasts and chin hair.”
* Frankie’s art student, (the one that kissed Grace during the earthquake), comes in the house to say goodbye. He is going to Mexico. (All of Frankie’s art students are ex-cons and all are adults.) Grace is flustered. He kisses her. Frankie comes in with the student’s painting – and sees them kiss.
Grace says it was a goodbye kiss, to which Frankie points out that means there was a hello. Grace ends up telling Frankie about the day of the earthquake when the student first kissed Grace.
* Robert and Sol are tasting food so they can pick a caterer for their wedding. The caterers have come over and are preparing food. Frankie calls Sol and tells him “Grace kissed a convict”. When Sol gets off the phone, he tells Robert about Grace kissing a convict.
Robert smiles and says: “Good. She deserves some fun.” Sol is surprised by that response, and points out “but Grace is dating your friend Guy.” Robert says something like “but they aren’t married”. Long story short, Sol asks Robert if he kissed anyone else while they were together. Robert does not immediately respond – and Sol gets very upset.
Later, Robert admits he slept with someone. Sol demands to know who. This conversation is happening while the caterers (who are a gay couple) are there. Sol says “We know five gay people in the world and two are in the kitchen.” It turns out Robert slept with one of the caterers, 12 years ago, when Robert and Sol were broken up. The caterer tries to console Sol by saying that he and Robert were incompatible. This does not make Sol feel any better.
The caterer mentions something about how gay couples don’t have to fit into heterosexual norms. Later, Sol asks Robert “Are we doing this wrong?” He is referring to their upcoming wedding. He is worried they are getting out of one box and going into another.
Eventually, Robert and Sol make up after talking things out. They end up choosing these caterers because their food is delicious.
* Grace discovers that Frankie told Sol about her “kissing a convict” – and that Sol told Robert. She is absolutely livid! She tells Frankie that she is a private person and expected her to keep what she shared a secret.
They argue, and Frankie tries to apologize. At this moment, Guy returns with the food he bought for Frankie. He overhears that Grace kissed a convict – that day – shortly after he left. Guy leaves, but comes back hours later.
When Guy returns, he tells Grace that he is in love with her. Grace gives him a hug, but doesn’t say anything. She looks troubled by this news.
* Later, Frankie tries to make amends by giving Grace one of her most embarrassing secrets. It is a VHS tape. The tape is a sex tape that she and Sol recorded in the 80′s, while wearing gladiator costumes. Frankie tells Grace she can watch it, laugh at it, tell the kids, put it on the six-o’clock news, do whatever she wants with it.
Grace asks: “Can I burn it?” Frankie responds: “Please do.”
Frankie says that the idea of watching yourself have sex is much better than actually watching yourself have sex. Frankie offers to give Grace $50 and another one of her secrets. Grace accepts.
Frankie says: “I once made out with a monkey.” It turns out she made out with Mickey Dolenz from The Monkees.
Episode 12:
* Frankie makes a video on her phone saying she is moving on from Sol. She takes off her wedding ring (forever) and puts it into a box.
* Bud and Coyote are tasked with throwing their father, and Brianna and Mallory’s father, a bachelor party. Bud and Coyote don’t know what to do. Mallory quickly puts together ideas for food and drinks, gets supplies, etc.
Brianna thinks the Dads need to have a tacky bachelor party with jokes about balls. Bud and Coyote think the Dads want a classy party. Coyote sent invitations that had a cowboy in “assless chaps” on them.
A friend of the Dads, named Nelson, arrives unexpectedly. Nelson is from Utah and doesn’t really approve of same-sex marriage. This makes the Dads feel like they HAVE TO keep the party very classy.
The party is boring, so Bud and Coyote call Brianna for help. She orders a huge, pink, penis – that functions like a mechanical bull – and has it placed on the front lawn of the Dad’s home. Robert and Sol freak out.
Nelson gets mean – telling Robert and Sol he doesn’t mind that they are homosexuals, but doesn’t want them to “throw it” into his face. Robert nearly punches Nelson, but Sol stops him.
Meanwhile, the rest of the guests – all men (most of whom are heterosexual) are lined up around the penis/mechanical bull, waiting for their turn. Brianna’s idea made the party fun.
Robert and Sol choose to stay inside – and do not want to ride the mechanical penis that is on their front lawn.
* Frankie is sad – and Grace tries to cheer her up. They end up doing a “Say Yes” night. It is something that Frankie and Sol used to do. You have to say “yes” to everything that is offered the whole night – until you go home or get arrested.
Frankie and Grace end up having fun. The fun includes accepting whiskey flights from two men at the bar Frankie selected. The two men are around the same age as Frankie and Grace. Frankie and Grace end up dancing on the bar and get kicked out. Meanwhile, Frankie’s car got towed. Frankie decides that, for those reasons, this “Say Yes” night is at least in “the top five”.
* Grace admits to Frankie that when Guy told her that he was falling in love with her, Grace didn’t say it back.
Episode 13:
* Inside Frankie’s studio, near the door, there is a bumper sticker that has been posted sideways. It says “Viva Gore Lieberman 2000”. It is a political bumper sticker that was promoting Al Gore for President and Joe Lieberman for Vice President. The bumper sticker was for the 2000 election.
* Grace wants to break up with Guy, but has been avoiding it. She says she is afraid that if she breaks up with him she might be alone forever. Frankie says that Grace needs to vlog about it.
That evening, Grace had dinner with Guy and they watched two movies together. Grace didn’t break up with Guy, but still wants to.
Guy comes downstairs and starts eating lasagna. Grace breaks up with him, and he takes it quite well. He offers to leave, but Grace insists that he stay because it was the middle of the night. She sleeps on the couch.
The next morning, Frankie finds Grace on the couch and asks about Guy. Grace says she broke up with him. Guy comes downstairs and, based on his mood and words, doesn’t seem to be aware that Grace broke up with him.
Frankie figures out the problem. “It was an Ambien breakup”. Guy was sleep-eating when Grace broke up with him.
Grace eventually takes Frankie’s advice and vlogs (using FaceTime). She mentions Guy, and Robert, and then unexpectedly mentions a man named Phil whom she was in a relationship with. She discovers what she wants in a relationship, and that she isn’t getting it with Guy. Later, Grace tells Frankie that she has broken up with Guy (for real this time).
* Robert is trying to write his vows but is having difficulty. It is important to Sol that they both write their own vows. Sol has already written his. Robert’s daughters find them and feel all kinds of emotions – so what Sol wrote must have been really good.
Robert eventually writes a ridiculously long thing that was supposed to be vows but sounds like something written for a court case. Brianna asks her dad “Are you suing Sol for his love?” Brianna and Mallory take away the legal brief and edit it into something beautiful (and very appropriate as wedding vows).
* Frankie goes to the home she and Sol once shared because it is moving day. They sold the house and need to pack up things and take them away. Frankie, Sol, Coyote, and Bud are going through boxes and sharing memories. They have a big, family hug.
Sol says they should light the Shabbat candles one more time. The family agrees. Sol lights the candles and begins a prayer, but then gets too emotional and starts crying. Frankie sends their sons to go do the plans they had that night, and consoles Sol.
Sol says “I have so much love for all of you my heart….” Frankie finishes “Hurts?” Sol nods.
Frankie and Sol kiss, and they end up having sex. Both of them look quite distressed about that afterwards.
* Grace comes home and finds Sol in the beach house. Frankie is not there. Sol looks extremely upset, and he’s not making a lot of sense. He says he wanted to make sure Frankie was ok. Grace eventually figures out that they slept together. She yells at Sol and tells him to go away, and that she will take care of Frankie.
Sol is afraid to go home. To summarize, Grace convinces Sol that he has to tell Robert about what happened between him and Frankie, “or live the rest of your life the way you spent the past 20 years.”
Sol goes home, still visibly upset. The viewer can hear Robert practicing his vows by reading them out loud as Sol stands at the front door, gathering courage to go inside. It doesn’t appear that Sol can hear Robert.
Frankie was out on the beach. Frankie says something about not realizing it was over until now, and that Grace figured out it was over right away. Frankie says that sleeping with Sol “didn’t feel right”. She explains, “It felt like we don’t go together anymore.”
This review of Grace and Frankie – Season One is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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April 24, 2017TV and Movie ReviewsUnbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is a Netflix Original TV series that is about a woman who is rescued from a doomsday cult. Kimmy is trying to make a new life. The show is goofy and weird.
I put together some notes about things that stuck in my mind after watching each episode.
Warning: There are spoilers.
Episode 1:
* Kimmy and her “sisters” were taken into a bunker by the Reverend Richard Wayne Gary Wayne. He told the girls that the world had ended at Y2K (2000) and that nothing was left outside.
People really did believe that something would end at Y2K, but it wasn’t the end of the world – it was the end of computer networks. Computer analysts speculated that the all the computer networks would crash at midnight on January 1, 2000. This would, they said, cause mass dysfunction because of how many things relied on those computer networks (including banking, satellites, etc).
Way back in the 1970s, computer programs included a date code that started with 1900. Every year, the computers would automatically go up one year. By 1999, people started realizing that the computers would not be able to go to 2000, because they hadn’t been programmed that way. One speculation was that the computers would just roll the year over to 1900 – which would obviously screw up a lot of things.
Of course, the world didn’t end at Y2K, and the computers somehow managed not to revert back to 1900.
So, it makes sense that Kimmy and her “sisters” would believe that the world ended at Y2K.
* Bunkers exist. President Kennedy urged Americans to build bomb shelters to protect them from nuclear fallout in the event of a nuclear war. A year later, the Cuban Missile Crisis happened, and some people built bomb shelters – just in case.
Today, people who call themselves “Preppers” build or purchase bunkers (or bomb shelters) for their families to live in – just in case the world ends or anarchy happens.
So, what I’m trying to say is it would be plausible that Reverend Richard Wayne Gary Wayne had a bunker.
* Doomsday cults also exist, but I couldn’t find any that held people in an underground bunker.
* Kimmy had a Baby-Sitter’s Club book when she was in the bunker. That series was published in 1986. It was a series designed for middle-school aged girls to read. That fits the timeframe of when Kimmy would have been kidnapped and taken to the bunker.
* Kimmy and her “sisters” were on TV (as “the mole women”). Her “sister” Gretchen says that she met Reverend Richard Wayne Gary Wayne after he bought some of her hair on Craigslist. Apparently, it is possible to buy human hair on Craigslist.
Episode 2:
* Titus mentions something about needing to pay Columbia House or his tapes wouldn’t be sent to him. Columbia House would let people buy 11 cassette tapes for a penny. Then, they would sign you up for membership in a club or service, and you would start getting monthly shipments of cassette tapes – which you would be billed for. The process is called “negative billing” and (may not be legal anymore).
Columbia House originally sold record albums, and later sold compact discs.
* Kimmy realizes that Xanthippe, the bratty stepdaughter of Jacqueline (the woman who hired Kimmy) has been telling her friends a lie. Xanthippe said she had a boyfriend who was a surfer and that they had sex on the beach, and they only meet at night.
Kimmy figures out that the story that Xanthippe is telling matches the story in The Baby-Sitter’s club Mystery #12.
She threatens to tell Xanthippe’s friends. This would, of course, embarrass the stepdaughter who was trying to look cool to her friends. Those books are made for middle schoolers, and the stepdaughter is a high schooler.
* The Baby-Sitter’s Club Mystery #12 includes a surfer named Thrash, who meets Dawn (one of the Baby-Sitters Club girls who has moved to California). Thrash calls Dawn “kelea” (after a Hawaiian goddess). Thrash is about 20, and Dawn thinks he’s too old for her (but she has a crush on him.) Thrash fakes his death and disguises himself, but Dawn figures that out. He then tampers with another surfer’s board (because that guy tampered with his) – and there’s some kind of surfing competition going on.
The book does not involve any characters having sex on the beach.
Episode 3:
* Titus shows Kimmy an old photo of himself. He is wearing a t-shirt that says Dole – Kemp – ‘96. Bob Dole (Republican) was running for president. His running mate was Jack Kemp. They lost to Democrats Bill Clinton and Al Gore.
* In the same photo, Titus had a “flat top” haircut, that was really tall. It was probably inspired by the “flat top” worn by Kid (of Kid ‘n Play).
* Kimmy is given a smartphone to use. She flips it over and asks: “Is that a Macintosh?” People used to call computers made by Apple “Macintosh” computers, or “a Macintosh”. That changed to “Mac” later – but Kimmy would have been in the bunker when that happened.
Episode 4:
* Kimmy drags a huge tube television into the apartment. She says she can’t believe people throw away good TVs. Titus insists the TV must be broken and won’t work. Somehow, when Kimmy plugs it in – the TV works.
* Jacqueline (whom Kimmy calls Mrs. Voorhees) tells Kimmy she needs to send a photo of herself to Buckley’s school. One of Kimmy’s jobs is to pick him up from school. Kimmy asks where there is a Sears Portrait Studio. The last of the Sears Portrait Studios closed in 2013. Jacqueline teaches Kimmy how to take a selfie (after explaining what a selfie was.)
* Titus and Kimmy go to a video arcade because Titus needs to use the photo booth to make headshots for his audition. Kimmy comes back from the arcade and says she didn’t like how she looked in the selfie, and wants to use a different photo.
The photo she wants to use is a “Baby-o-matic” photo that shows what Kimmy and Titus’s baby would look like. It is hideous. Today, there are several apps for that.
Episode 5:
* Kimmy invites her mole woman “sister” Cyndee to visit her in New York. Cyndee brings with her a boyfriend that Titus is convinced is gay. Later, it turns out that Cyndee knows Brandon is gay, but doesn’t care. He was her middle school crush and after leaving the bunker, she set out to achieve all of the plans she made when she was in the bunker.
The reason I put this into this post is because I’m also watching Grace and Frankie (another Netflix original series) at the same time. Two completely different shows that handle the concept of a woman dating/married to a gay man in very different ways.
Episode 6:
* Kimmy is trying to get her GED. She is attending an adult education class in a public school. The teacher has totally given up and plays VHS movies instead of teaching math.
The teacher has tenure, which he believes means he can never be fired no matter what he does. In reality, tenure gives a teacher the right to due process. It means that a tenured teacher cannot be fired without a school presenting evidence that the teacher is incompetent or behaves unprofessionally. Or, they have to prove that there is no funding for whatever class, course, or subject the teacher teaches.
In this case, Kimmy’s teacher could be fired because he is clearly incompetent. Kimmy talks to the school secretary, who makes it clear that this teacher has been incompetent for years.
Teachers do not automatically get tenure. There is a probationary period of three or four years before a teacher can get tenure. Once they have tenure, it is possible for a teacher to be laid off (which happened to a lot of teachers in 2008-2009 during the recession.). A union cannot prevent an incompetent teacher from being fired or competent one from being laid off.
In short, the room that Kimmy’s teacher showed her, that looked like a teacher’s lounge where all the teachers were sitting and reading magazines – and getting paid to do it – doesn’t exist.
* Somewhere in this episode, The Expos baseball team is mentioned. This team started as the Montreal Expos. They moved to Washington D.C. in 2005.
Kimmy is surprised to hear that the Expos moved. She would have been in the bunker by the time the Expos played their first game as the Washington Nationals. The Washington Nationals used a red cap that had a curly W on it – which was originally used by the Washington Senators.
Episode 7:
* Jacqueline went to China and returned with her husband. Kimmy asks “Was everything there upside down?”
This is an another example of Kimmy’s limited education before she was kidnapped and put in the bunker. In an earlier episode, it is revealed she never finished eight grade. In the previous episode, Kimmy tries to enroll in a Middle School, but is told she cannot do that – and that she should get her GED instead.
* Jacqueline tells Kimmy that she thinks her husband is having an affair. She says that he is on the phone, and laughing, and she wants to know who he is talking to. Kimmy suggests “Maybe Gallagher?”
Gallagher is a comedian best known for his Sledge-O-Matic sketch (in which he smashes a watermelon with a sledgehammer). He is still touring today.
* Jacqueline decides to hold a fancy party and invite the person she thinks her husband is having an affair with. She has a plan to catch him cheating on her.
Kimmy is working at the party, and needs to look fancy (which Titus helps her with). Kimmy was able to hire Titus to sing at the party. Before the party starts, Kimmy tells Jacqueline that she feels like she’s on Bravo. “They still show operas, right?”, Kimmy asks.
Bravo is an American basic cable and satellite television network and flagship channel. It launched on December 1, 1980. Bravo originally focused on programming related to the fine arts and film. In the early 2000s, Bravo changed its format and started focusing on reality shows, fashion and makeover shows, and celebrities. Kimmy would have been in the bunker when Bravo changed its format.
* At the party, an attractive man with an accent starts talking to Kimmy. He is a guest, and he makes an excuse about why he ended up arriving to the party early. The man assumes that Kimmy is also a guest, so she decides to pretend that she is a guest.
The man notes that Kimmy has arrived early, too. Kimmy tells him that her assistant put the wrong time into her PalmPilot.
The PalmPilot 1000 was introduced by U.S. Robotics in 1996. It cost $299, had 128k of memory and a monochrome, touch-screen display. 3Com acquired U.S. Robotics in 1997.
In 1998, 3Com had to stop using the name “Pilot” because of a legal dispute with the Pilot Pen company. The PalmPilot became the Palm. The Palm III organizer was based on the Palm 3.0 OS. It cost $399.
By 1999, more than five million PalmPilots had been sold. 3Com started selling the first Palm device with a wireless antenna, the Palm VII, for $599. Today, Palm and the PalmPilot are no longer used because people use smartphones instead.
Kimmy has a iPhone (which Jacqueline gave to her earlier in this season). It seems that Kimmy doesn’t quite understand that the status of having an iPhone would be much greater than having a PalmPilot. When Kimmy was a kid, having a PalmPilot meant you were rich and important. This is likely why she told the man that she had a PalmPilot when she was pretending to be a guest.
Episode 8:
* Kimmy uses Titus’s Walkman. It plays cassette tapes. It runs out of batteries while she was using it. Kimmy was singing “Unbelievable” by EMF. When the batteries die, she says “Unbelievable!” The song topped the Hot 100 Chart in 1991.
* Kimmy tried to have her GED classmates meet together as a study group in the library. Almost all of them stopped coming. Kimmy goes down the list of classmates, noting what happened to them. “Fatima got deported,” Kimmy says.
* Jacqueline tells Kimmy that she is getting a divorce. She tells Kimmy about friends of hers who got divorced. One friend’s ex-husband “died on top of his girlfriend”. Kimmy asks, “You mean… like bunk beds?”
* Titus starts his new job at a themed bar and grill. To make a long story short, he is dressed as a werewolf. Kimmy is excited. “You’re a werewolf! Just like in the Bible!”
* Kimmy finally tells Jacqueline that she was a “mole woman”. Kimmy tells her this because she is trying to show Jacqueline that women can be strong (so Jacqueline will go through with her divorce).
To paraphrase, Kimmy tells Jacqueline that she and her “sisters” ate bags of dirt and passed it into a kiddy pool to survive. Jacqueline says she hopes that was a metaphor. Kimmy says it wasn’t a metaphor – they needed the iron.
Scientific American posted an article in 2012 about geophagia (people and animals eating dirt and/or clay). The article noted that dirt can contain iron. it also noted that dirt can also contain parasites.
Episode 9:
* Kimmy has turned 30. She says she hit the big 30-oh. She probably meant the big three-oh.
* Kimmy throws herself a birthday party and invites friends. Somehow, the detective that found her (when she was in the bunker) arrives at her apartment with his teenage daughter. He wants to give Kimmy her birthday present.
Kimmy is not happy to see them. The detective (Randy) married her mother while Kimmy was in the bunker. Her mom and the detective had a baby girl (the teenager that the detective has brought with him). Then, her mom disappeared. Kimmy tells them to leave. (They do, but then appear at the party later.)
The daughter (who is named Kymmi “Kee- Me”) is played by Kiernan Shipka – who played Sally Draper on Mad Men. I find this interesting because I finished watching all seven seasons of Mad Men right before I started watching Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
* Kimmy asks Titus to select the playlist for her birthday party. She says “I haven’t been to a Sam Goody since 1988.” The last Sam Goody store closed in 2012. It was in San Diego. Kimmy is in New York City.
* During the party, the detective (Kimmy’s stepfather) gives Kimmy a necklace that has a locket on it. Later, she takes it off and her stepsister, Kymmi, grabs it, saying it is hers and that it belonged to her mother. Kimmy points out that they have the same mother. The heart shaped locket on the necklace holds a photo of Kimmy and a photo of Kymmi.
* Kymmi says she wants to go to the Olive Garden in New York City that has three floors. It exists.
Episode 10:
* Kimmy’s boyfriend, Logan (who she met at Jacqueline’s party) wants Kimmy to stop being friends with Dong (who she met at the GED class). Logan and Dong got into a physical fight at Kimmy’s birthday party.
* Logan apologizes to Kimmy for the fight, and says he overreacted because he is not used to obstacles. Kimmy asks “What would the Care Bears say” about how Logan has been acting. He responds: “It would depend on the Care Bear.” Kimmy accepts this response.
* Kimmy tells Titus that she decided to stay with Logan, and that she will have to say goodbye to Dong. Titus responds: “Oh no! Am I gonna teach you about birth control?” He seems appalled by the idea. Kimmy says “not yet.” In another scene, it becomes clear that Kimmy understands kissing but doesn’t have a clue what making out or sex is supposed to be like.
* Xanthippe calls Kimmy a bitch. Kimmy responds: “You mean, the thing that makes puppies? Thanks!”
* Kimmy goes to the restaurant that Dong delivers food from to say she can’t see him anymore. She discovers that immigration came and took almost everyone who worked there away while Dong was out making deliveries. Now, he needs to find someplace else to live because immigration is after him.
Season One of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt was released in 2015. I’m watching it in 2017. What may have been an uncomfortable joke in 2015 has become reality for undocumented immigrants in the United States in 2017.
Kimmy brings Dong to her apartment (which she shares with Titus) and tells Dong he can sleep on her couch. After they get there, she tells Dong that Logan is her boyfriend and she can only be friends with Dong.
* Long story short, Xanthippe creates this ridiculous scene in an effort to encourage her mother to decide to let Xanthippe live with her father. Kimmy ends up kissing Dong. He leaves, saying he will find a new place to live. There is chemistry between them.
* Logan later tells Kimmy that he was the one that called immigration. He thinks he’s hilarious. Kimmy breaks up with him, and rushes to find Dong before he gets on a bus. They become a couple. Dong says that he is still worried about immigration coming for him – and says it would be safer if he and Kimmy got married.
Again, what was a dramatic moment in the 2015 TV show is something that has become reality for some people in the United States in 2017. That being said, the rules have changed, and American citizens who were married to undocumented immigrants have actually had their spouse deported (or prevented from entering the country.)
Episode 11:
* Kimmy gets summoned to testify at a trial against Reverend Richard Wayne Gary Wayne. She doesn’t want to go.
* Kimmy talks to Jacqueline about all the things she’s worried about. Kimmy worries about getting Jacqueline through her divorce. She is worried about maybe marrying Dong. And now, she’s worried about the trial.
Jacqueline takes Kimmy to a spin class called “Spiritual Spinning.” Jacqueline says it gets her mind off of everything except herself.
* This is the episode where it is revealed that Jon Hamm is playing Reverend Wayne Gary Wayne. Jon Hamm played Don Draper on Mad Men. So, that’s two people from Mad Men (which I finished watching before I started watching this) who have appeared in Season 1 of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
* The trial is a farce. Kimmy’s “sister” Cyndee keeps calling Kimmy, leaving messages and texts, in the hopes that she will come to the trial. Kimmy and Cyndee have smartphones and know how to use them. Gretchen arrives at the trial still dressed like she was in the bunker.
* Titus helps Kimmy see that the Spiritual Spinning class is basically a cult. It’s run by an (apparently) charismatic man, who tells them what to think (and what NOT to think about) and who rewards some of them with extra attention.
Kimmy eventually gets what Titus is saying. She agrees it is a cult, and asks “Why does this keep happening?” This realization makes Kimmy decide to go to the trial and testify against the Reverend. But first, Kimmy shows the entire spin class that the guy running it is a fraud.
Episode 12:
* Kimmy and Titus ride a bus to Indiana so Kimmy can testify at the trial against Reverend Richard Wayne Gary Wayne. Titus is reading a magazine called “Land Mall”.
It appears to be the bus version of Sky Mall, a magazine that people find on airplanes. Sky Mall is filled with stuff for people to buy (most of which are things that no one really needs). Land Mall doesn’t exist.
* Later in the episode, Titus is wearing a t-shirt that has Z 101 FM on it. He got the t-shirt because he was on the air (probably talking about the trial Kimmy is testifying at).
The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt aired in 2015. I am watching it in 2017. Right now, Z 101 FM is a Spanish language radio station from Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.
* This episode reveals what the real purpose of the “Mystery Crank” in the bunker was.
Episode 13:
* Part of this episode, and the previous one, mentions viral videos. The man who sings in the intro of the show warns Titus that having a video go viral isn’t necessarily a good thing. The viewer can assume that the intro of the show was a remixed viral video that included an interview he gave to a TV crew as the “mole women” were being rescued from the bunker.
Titus, who gave a hysterically bad interview on TV in the previous episode, had become the star of a viral video (when someone else remixed it). He is certain that the video will make him famous – and that being famous will solve all his problems.
The first season of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt takes place on 2015. If I remember correctly, at that time, videos that went viral made the news (and made it onto multiple news channels and websites). That doesn’t really happen anymore.
* The trial against Reverend Richard Wayne Gary Wayne takes an unexpected turn when Kimmy introduces a video tape that … oddly enough… is sort of a remix of its own. Each clip had the date and time it was taken right there on the screen.
* The first season of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt wraps up the main storyline of the show. It also starts some new storylines that will probably be picked up in the next Season.
Notes About Things in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt – Season 1 is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
If you enjoyed this blog post please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. Thank you! [...]
Coloring
June 3, 2023ColoringI am slowly working my way through the pages of the 2018 Johanna Basford Coloring Calendar. A friend of mine gave it to me as a Christmas gift, and I’m really enjoying it. At some point, I got too busy to keep up with the coloring and failed to post the months that I managed to color.
I decided to seek out the May 2018 coloring pages and post them here.
May 1
May 2
May 3
May 4
May 5 and 6
May 7
May 8
May 9
May 10
May 11
May 12 and 13
May 14
May 15
May 16
May 17
May 18
May 19 and 20
May 21
May 22
May 23
May 24
May 25
May 26 and 27
May 28
May 29
May 30
May 31
Johanna Basford Coloring Calendar – March is a post created by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
December 27, 2021ColoringD&D Beyond had an advent calendar that included one special item or offer each day. If I remember correctly, the calendar didn’t include the entire month of December. The things in it that caught my attention the most were the coloring sheets.
At the top of this blog is a cropped version of a coloring sheet that included the D&D Beyond logo. It resembled the front of one of their player’s handbooks. I gave this character, who might be a magic user, red and green colored clothing. There is a yellow glowing light hovering over her hand.
This coloring sheet was probably intended to be colored and then sent out to friends and family who play Dungeons & Dragons. It features a Beholder, which is a creature with a large eye and a mouth full of sharp teeth. Each of the Beholder’s tentacles has its own eye at the end of it.
I find it very amusing that the Beholder is wearing a large Santa hat and that each of its tentacles are also wearing smaller Santa hats. That’s just adorable (in a very creepy way).
The use of the word behold is clever. “Behold!” is at the top of the card. It references the Beholder creature, of course. It also reminds me of the part from the movie “A Charlie Brown Christmas” where Linus gives a speech that includes that phrase: “For Behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all my people.” The result mixes a reference from the Bible with a terrifying monster that wants nothing more than to kill of your entire adventuring party.
I think this coloring sheet might also have been intended as a card. It shows a festive table with a fancy tablecloth, candles, bottles of alcohol and glasses to pour it in. Your adventuring party might be tempted to eat or drink something. As you reach for the goodies, the large present that is on the table opens it’s mouth, showing rows of sharp teeth! Beware, adventurers! These mimics want to have you for their dinner!
This coloring sheet could also be used as a card. I’m not sure if anyone sends out New Year’s Eve cards, though. It was fun to color this band of adventurers who appear to be having a celebration. I kind of wonder where the wizard learned to make fireworks like those!
The D&D Beyond Holiday Coloring Sheets that you see in this blog post came from D&D Beyond’s 2021 Advent calendar. I enjoyed coloring them. [...]
October 14, 2021ColoringThis is a Porg. These little goofy birds are my absolute favorite of all the creatures in Star Wars. When my husband and I visited Disneyland, we found Porg stuffed animals in the Batuu section.
This Porg design is connected to the “Star Wars Galaxy of Creatures”. It is part of the Star Wars Kids brand. You can download the Porg coloring sheet from the Disney website and color it however you want. [...]
Medium
November 21, 2023Mediumtrans flag by Alexander Grey on Unsplash
On November 20, 2023, President Joe Biden wrote a statement that was posted on the WhiteHouse.gov website.
“There is no place for hate in America and no one should be discriminated against simply for being themselves. Today, on Transgender Day of Remembrance we are reminded that there is more to do meet that promise, as we grieve the 26 transgender Americans whose lives were taken this year. While each one of these deaths is a tragedy — the true toll of those victimized is likely even higher, with the majority of those targeted being women of color.
“It’s unacceptable and it’s why my Administration has taken action to strengthen the rights, and protect the safety of transgender and all LGBTQI+ Americans. My Administration ended the ban on transgender Americans serving our country and I signed historic executive action to strengthen civil rights protections for all LGBTQI+ Americans.
“The Department of Homeland Security, with the support from the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services, have launched the LGBTQI+ Community Safety Partnership that works hand-in-hand with LGBTQI+ community organizations to provide critical safety resources.
“We must never be silent in the face of hate. As we mourn the loss of transgender Americans taken too soon this year, we must also recommit ourselves to never stop fighting until all Americans can live free from discrimination.”
The Hill reported that Biden’s statement comes as Republican-led states have rolled back transgender rights over the past few years, and Republican presidential candidates have vowed to restrict support for gender-affirming care and lashed out against the inclusion of transgender women and girls in sports.
According to The Hill, President Biden touted his administration has taken to strengthen rights for the LGBTQ community, citing the reversal of the Trump White House’s decision to ban transgender individuals from serving in the military and an executive order to bolster civil rights for all LGBTQ Americans.
Personally, I believe that it is extremely important that we as a nation protect the rights of transgender people. It is unacceptable to allow bullies to force transgender people away from the gender-affirming health care they need, and to make their lives harder due to discrimination and hate.
The ACLU reported that Republican members of the House of Representatives have inserted anti-LGBTQ provisions into all 12 of the must-pass appropriation bills. These riders include restrictions on gender-affirming care, allowances for discrimination against same-sex couples, prohibitions against drag performances, banning of pride flag displays, and restrictions on diversity and inclusion programs.
According to the ACLU, out of all the appropriations bills, the Labor, Health, and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill for FY 2024 is arguably the most nefarious and dangerous bill for the transgender community.
The anti-LGBTQ riders in this bill seek to prohibit funds from being used for implementing anti-discrimination and equity programs, taking discriminatory action against anyone that speaks or acts in accordance with the belief that marriage is between a man and a woman, or displaying pride flags. Section 534 of this bill would also prohibit funds from being used for gender-affirming surgical procedures or hormone therapies. If this passed, this would have extensive, damaging effects.
That’s why it was so important for President Biden to affirm that no one should be discriminated against for simply being themselves. He is the only President to be outspoken about protecting transgender adults and children.
I am writing this as a non-binary person who is part of the LGBTQIA+ community. We cannot allow a mean-spirited group of bullies, who happen to be in Congress, to terrorize people who are transgender. President Joe Biden’s message appears to target nasty republicans who refuse to acknowledge that trans people have the right to exist. [...]
November 19, 2023MediumBack in the day, Twitter was an interesting and fun social media platform. It helped people find new friends, to learn about things happening in the news, and — sometimes — also encouraged people to hold “Twitter Meetups”.
Twitter wasn’t perfect. Few social media sites are. After Jack Dorsey abandoned Twitter, the platform got much worse. Elon Musk begrudgingly purchased Twitter, fired a lot of employees, and changed the name to “X”.
Media Matters reported that IBM announced yesterday that it is suspending its advertising on X (formerly Twitter) after Media Matters reported that the platform placed its ads next to content promoting Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party.
IBM isn’t alone in having issues when advertising on the platform: following our report yesterday, (Media Matters wrote) we additionally found ads for Amazon, NBA Mexico, NBCUniversal Catalyst, Action Network, and Club for Growth next to white nationalist hashtags like “KeepEuropeWhite,” “white pride,” and “WLM” (“White Lives Matter”).
According to Media Matters: “X’s problem with advertising comes as owner Elon Musk praised the pernicious antisemitic conspiracy theory that Jewish communities were supporting ‘hordes of minorities’ who are ‘flooding’ the country to replace white people. Musk’s endorsement is just the latest example of him embracing rhetoric and conspiracy theories from the far-right fringes.”
In short, Elon Musk appears to be embracing and glorifying Nazis on his social media platform. Media Matters posted a list that points out that X’s remaining advertisers are especially affected by hateful rhetoric that seems to be in the form of advertisement purchased by Nazis.
Here is a list of what Media Matters found:
Pro-Hitler account: X placed ads for brands including The New York Times Co.’s The Athletic, Major League Baseball, the Atlanta Falcons, Sports Illustrated, USA Today, Amazon and Office Depot on a verified pro-Hitler account that encourages antisemitic harassment.
Holocaust deniers: X placed ads for brands such as The Wall Street Journal, Nokia, FanDuel, and Thermo Fisher on the accounts of antisemites who have denied the Holocaust.
Leading white nationalist group: X placed ads for Dish, Samsung, and The Wall Street Journal on the verified Twitter account of Dare, a leading white nationalist group.
Pro-killing of LGBTQ advocates and politicians: X placed ads for MLB, Bayer, Tyson Foods, and eBay on the account of Stew Peters, a white nationalist streamer who uses the social platform to endorse the killings of politicians and LGBTQ advocates.
Neo-Nazi group: X placed ads for Honeywell, Discovery, National Women’s Soccer League, the Pittsburg Steelers, USA Today, and Manchester City on the verified account of the Nationalist Socialist Network, a leading neo-Nazi group.
Pro-Hitler and Holocaust denier account: X placed ads for major sportsbooks BETMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel on the verified account that has drawn millions of views for posts that lionize Hitler and deny the Holocaust. The account has also said it’s been paid $3,000 this year by X.
Antisemitic conspiracy theories about 9/11: X placed ads for the NFL, MLB, T-Mobile, and eBay alongside content pushing unhinged conspiracy theories about Jewish people orchestrating 9/11 attacks.
October 11: NeimanReports posted: “Six Months Ago NPR Left Twitter. The Effects Have Been Negligible”
A lot of people threaten to leave Twitter. Not many of them have actually done it.
This was true even before Elon Musk’s purchase of the platform a year ago. But the parade of calamities since — cutting back on moderation, unplugging severs, reinstating banned accounts, replacing verified check marks with paid subscriptions badges, throttling access to news sites, blaming the Anti-Defamation League for a decline in advertising — has made stepping away more appealing, either because the timeline is toxic or because the site simply doesn’t function the way it used to.
Last April, the company gave NPR a reason to quit — it labeled the network as “U.S. state-affiliated media,” a designation that was at odds with Twitter’s own definition of the term. NPR stopped posting from its account on April 4. A week later, it posted its last update — a series of tweets directing users to NPR’s newsletters, app, and other social media accounts. Many member station across the country, including KUOW in Seattle, LAist in Los Angeles, and Minnesota Public Radio, followed suit.
Six months later, we can see that the effects of leaving Twitter have been neligible. A memo circulated to NPR staff says traffic has dropped by only a single percentage point as a result of leaving Twitter, now officially renamed X, through traffic from the platform was small already and accounted for just under two percent of traffic before the posting stopped…
November 11: The Hollywood Reporter posted: “Disney joins Advertisers In Pausing Spend On X Amid Reported Rise in Antisemitic Speech”
Major advertisers are pausing their ad campaigns on Elon Musk’s social media platform X, including Disney, which has a Wish in the works on its release calendar for Nov. 22. Lionsgate also said it would be pulling ads from the platform, just as its Hunger Games prequel is hitting movie theaters.
Warner Bros. Discovery said Friday evening that it would be pausing its campaigns on the platform. Paramount and Sony Pictures also followed suit in halting spending.
Comcast NBCUniversal was the latest company to pause advertising on the site, which is particularly significant as X CEO Linda Yaccarino left the company to join X…
November 16: FT (Financial Times) Technology News posted on X: “IBM pulls adverts from X after report finding they ran next to Nazi content.”
From FT: IBM said it has pulled its global advertising from Elon Musk’s X following a report that the social media platform ran the tech company’s adverts alongside pro-Nazi material, in a fresh blow to the company’s efforts to bring back sales revenues…
“IBM has zero tolerance for hate speech and discrimination and we have immediately suspended all advertising on X while we investigate this entirely unacceptable situation,” the company said in a statement.
Comcast said it was looking into the matter. Apple and Oracle did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
According to FT, Musk relaxed moderation policies and cut many staff involved with safety on the platform when his $44bn acquisition closed last year. Many brands, wary of being placed next to toxic content, pulled their advertising. Ad revenues fell about 50 per cent, Musk said in July…
November 17: The New York Times posted on X: “Breaking News: Disney, Apple and Lionsgate halted ads on X as Elon Musk faced a furor over his endorsement of an antisemitic conspiracy theory on the social media app, formerly known as Twitter.”
November 17: Axios posted “EXCLUSIVE: Apple to pause advertising on X after Musk backs antisemitic post.”
Axios wrote: Apple is pausing all advertising on X, the Elon Musk-owned social network, sources tell Axios.
Why it matters: The move follows Musk’s endorsement of antisemitic conspiracy theories as well as Apple ads reportedly being placed alongside far-right content. Apple has been a major advertiser on the social media site and its pause follows a similar move by IBM…
…Musk posted to X on Wednesday “ have the actual truth” in response to an X post that claimed Jewish communities support “dialectical hatred against whites.”
That drew widespread condemnation from the White House. “It is unacceptable to repeat the hideous lie behind the most fatal act of Antisemitism in American history at any time, let alone one month after the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust,” White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said in a statement.
November 17: CNBC posted: “Apple, Disney, other media companies pause advertising on X after Elon Musk boosted antisemitic tweet”
According to CNBC: Apple and Disney have paused online advertising campaigns on X, formerly Twitter, after Elon Musk said he agreed with a social media post accusing “Jewish communities” of pushing “hatred against whites,” according to sources familiar with both companies moves.
Warner Bros Discovery, Paramount Global, and Lions Gate Entertainment are also suspending campaigns on the social media service, spokespeople for the company confirmed. Additionally, a spokesperson for Comcast, which owns Bravo and Xfinity and is also the parent company of CNBC, said Friday that it is pausing its online advertising campaigns on the real-time messaging service…
In my opinion, it appears that Elon Musk’s decision to host content from Nazis on his platform is making his life much harder. Social media websites typically need to have a way to monetize their users so the platform can stay alive, offer interesting new features, and attract new users.
The most interesting thing about various well-known companies pausing advertising right is that they are sending a message. They don’t want to be connected to Nazi content or accounts, and they shouldn’t have to. The result is that some of the largest companies are, effectively, shutting off cash flow to X in what might be a protest to Elon Musk’s terrible choices. [...]
November 18, 2023MediumGeorge Santos (Republican) is one of the strangest people to have ended up in the U.S. Congress. He makes some questionable decisions that most lawmakers wouldn’t do.
Here are some examples:
December 22, 2022: Swooping in during the final stretch of 2022 is a brazen new entry for scammer of the year: Rep.-elect George Santos, a 34-year-old Republican from Long Island who seems to have completely made up key parts of his work, education, and personal background.
Santos would be the first Brazilian American and the first openly gay nonincumbent Republican elected to Congress. While campaigning for office, he referenced his Jewish roots and touted his experience on Wall Street and philanthropic work. But a New York Times article on Monday revealed glaring holes in his résumé, casting serious doubt on his claims.
…Santos has claimed that his mother is Jewish and that his maternal grandparents “fled Jewish persecution in Ukraine” during World War II…
…A distant relative of Santos on his father’s side who researched the family tree told Forward that there were no Ukrainian or Jewish roots on that side of the family.
…Santos has said that he graduated from Baruch College with a bachelor’s degree in economics and finance. But, the university told the New York Times that it had no record of anyone with Santos’s name, or variation of his name, graduating in 2010 as he claimed.
…The National Republican Congressional Committee said in Santos’s biography that “he attended Baruch College and NYU where he got degrees in finance and economics.”
NYU told the Times that there were no attendance records under Santos’s name. (BuzzFeed News)
January 1, 2023: …The surfacing of the Wiki biography is another twist in a weeks-long saga of lies and embelishments. The New York Republican has been caught fabricating his own resume on everything from his business career, educational achievements and the nature of his mother’s death. He has admitted that he misled about critical parts of his biography, but has also insisted that other politicians have done the same.
…In a 2011 Wiki bio, the user “Anthony Devolder” sprinkles show business credits that ring similarly untrue. He describes his Hollywood career as taking off after a meeting with a producer of the 1996 “Independence Day.” He name drops the director Steven Spielberg (he misspelled his last name as “Spilberg”), and claims to have stared in “a few T.V. shows and DISNEY Channel shows such as “the suite life of Zack and Cody” and the hit “Hanna Montana.” (Politico)
January 10, 2023: The House of Representatives on Monday passed a new set of rules that weaken the ability of the Office of Congressional Ethics to investigate ethics-related complaints about members of Congress.
“I think it’s fantastic,” Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., told Insider in an interview on Monday. (Salon)
January 11, 2023: Virtually the entire Republican leadership of New York’s Nassau County called on Rep. George Santos to resign from Congress, saying he was “disgraced” and needed to step aside.
Santos represents New York’s 3rd District, which includes most of the county and the call Wednesday from the leadership of his own party is the strongest yet against the embattled freshman…
…“His lies were not mere fibs,” (Nassau County GOP Committee Chairman Joseph Cairo Jr.) “He disgraced the House of Representatives. In particular, his fabrications went too far, many groups were hurt — specifically, I look at those families who were touched by the horrors of the Holocaust.”
…Republican donors say they were “duped” by Santos; Democrats have already filed ethics complaints against him, and a campaign finance watchdog has also lodged a complaint with the Federal Election Commission regarding fundraising irregularities…(NBC New York)
January 11, 2023: House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Wednesday that embattled freshman GOP Rep. George Santos of New York, who is facing growing calls to resign after he admitted having fabricated much of his personal biography, should not be seated on any top committiees.
“No,” McCarthy, R-Calif., said emphatically as he headed into a GOP Steering Committee meeting where members were deciding which colleagues should serve on certain committees.
Although Democrats and some Republicans have said Santos should not get any committee assignments at all, McCarthy confirmed later in the day that he would serve on at least one… (NBC News)
January 13, 2023: There are mounting calls from both politicians and voters to force the newly elected apparent fabulist U.S. Rep. George Santos from Congress following revelations he fabricated his background and other details of his life.
But New York’s 3rd Congressional District voters, who elected Santos as their representative in November 2022, cannot directly force him out of office until the next election, in November 2024.
It appears that Santos, who beat Democrat Robert Zimmerman during the 2022 midterm election, has woven a web of lies about his personal and professional background, some of them touching in major historical and tragic events. Santos falsely claimed, for example, to have Jewish ancestry and said that his maternal grandparents fled to Brazil during the Holocaust. He also said that the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks seemingly “claimed” the life of his mother — who actually died in 2016 (The Conversation via Y! News)
January 17, 2023: The House Steering Committee on Tuesday recommended that embattled George Santos (R-N.Y.) sit on the House Small Business Committee and House Science, Space and Technology Committee, according to sources familiar with the assignments.
Santos’s assignment to the panels comes after multiple members of his own party have called on him to resign over his admitted fabrications about his work history and education, questions about his campaign finances, misleading claims of Jewish heritage and reported charges in Brazil related to checkbook fraud (which Santos has denied), among other issues… (The Hill — via Y! News)
January 20, 2023: Among the few allies George Santos has sought to maintain during his brief time in the political spotlight is a group of young Republicans with connections to white nationalists, conservative conspiracy theorists and far-right European parties…
…Santos, who has been a regular member of The New York Young Republican Club since at least 2019, donated $3,750 to it through his campaign committee between 2020 and 2021, according to FEC filings. He hired the group’s executive secretary, Viswant Burra, as the congressman’s operations director — a senior role in the congressman’s Washington D.C. office…
…A spokesperson for Santos, who is under investigation over his finances amid questions about how he was wealthy enough to lend his campaign $700,000, did not return a message for comment. (Politico)
January 26, 2023: A set of updated campaign finance reports are deepening the mystery surrounding the source of high-dollar loans that Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) made to his campaign last year.
Santos’s campaign previously reported that a pair of six-figure loans from the candidate — one for $500,000 that was made last March and another for $125,000 in October — came from his personal funds.
But in an amended filing with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) on Tuesday, Santos’s campaign unchecked a box indicating that the $500,000 loan came from personal funds. Similarly, a separate updated report left the same box unchecked for the $125,000 loan.
…Further complicating the matter is the fact that filings from later in 2022 still mark the $500,000 loan as coming from personal funds, leaving the source of the money unclear. Campaign finance experts are struggling to unpack the latest disclosures from Santos’s campaign, which they say are riddled with potential errors and descrepancies…(The Hill — via Y! News)
January 27, 2023: In September 2020, George Santos’s congressional campaign reported that Victoria and Jonathan Regor had each contributed $2,800 — the maximum amount — to his first bid for a House seat. Their address was 45 New Mexico Street in Jackson Township, New Jersey.
A search of various databases reveals no one in the United States named Victoria or Jonathan Regor. Moreover, there is nobody by any name living at 45 New Mexico Street in Jackson. That address doesn’t exist. There is a New Mexico Street in Jackson, but the numbers end in the 20s according to Google Maps and a resident of the street.
Santos’s 2020 campaign finance reports also list a donor named Stephen Berger as a $2,500 donor and said he was a retiree who lived on Brant Road in Brawley, California. But a spokesperson for William Brandt, a prominent rancher and Republican donor, tells Mother Jones that Brandt has lived at that address for at least 20 years and “neither he or his wife (the only other occupant ) have made any donations to George Santos. He does not know Stephen Berger nor has Stephen Berger ever lived at… Brandt Road.” (Mother Jones)
January 31, 2023: Embattled New York Republican Rep. George Santos is voluntarily stepping down from his committee assignments amid outcry over his fabricated biography and ongoing questions about his personal campaign finances.
“With the ongoing attention surrounding both my personal and campaign financial investigations, I have submitted a request to Speaker McCarthy that I be temporarily recused from my committee assignments until I am cleared,” Santos said in a statement.
Santos later told reporters he was confident he would be cleared “because I have nothing to hide.” (NPR)
February 1, 2023: The FBI has contacted a Navy veteran, Richard Osthoff, as part of an investigation into embattled Rep. George Santos and a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for Osthoff’s sick service dog.
Osthoff confirmed the call from the FBI, and sources familiar with the matter confirmed the nature of the investigation — which adds to the growing list of controversies Santos, R.N.Y., is facing.
…According to previous ABC News reporting, a source familiar said Santos, using the name Anthony Devolder, ran a GoFundMe account in 2016 under the auspices of a charity, Friends of Pets United, and raised some $3,000 to ostensibly help Osthoff pay for surgery to remove a tumor from his dog.
Osthoff told ABC News that Santos did not come through with the money and ignored text messages about it. Osthoff says his dog, Sapphire, ultimately died from her condition. (ABC News)
February 9, 2023: Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) is once again dogged by controversy and, once again, that controversy concerns dogs.
According to Politico, Santos was charged with theft by deception in 2017 in Pennsylvania’s Amish County after a series of bad checks totaling $15,125 were written in his name to dog breeders in the area.
But while the truth-challenged congressman was charged with the crimes, it was later expunged from Santos’ record after he claimed his checkbook had been stolen. (HuffPost)
February 15, 2023: One of Rep. Santos’ first-known forays into politics was an attempt to raise $20,000 for a pro-Trump rally in 2019 in Buffalo, N.Y. that never happened.
The five-figure fundraising goal drew questions from members of the small New York state-based group United For Trump. Santos — who was the group’s president at the time — claimed he needed $750 to hire an accountant, $2,500 to keep a lawyer on retainer and thousands more for a keynote speaker.
The plans were “over-the-top,” group member Lisa Bennet Joseph said in an interview. Santos wanted to raise too much money, she said. “You have to start small and local.” (Politico)
February 16, 2023: George Santos hid inside his district office as constituents attempted to deliver a petition calling for his resignation on Wednesday, according to multiple reports.
…A staffer told the group that Santos was in the building but added that he refused to meet with a “mob”, according to the UK newspaper The Independent.
A group of around 25 constituents chanted as they attempted to hand over the petition, which they said had more than 1,000 signatures, per the paper.
George Santos tweeted: “Let me be very clear, I’m not leaving, I’m not hiding I am NOT backing down…”
The group confronting him is known as the Concerned Citizens of NY-03. Last week, they traveled to Capitol Hill to call for the expulsion of their congressman… Their Facebook group boasts more than 700 members…(Business Insider — via Y! News)
February 16, 2023: The campaign of scandal-plagued Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) is not short on problems, including a reported federal investigation. But it is short on one critical thing: money.
As Santos reported weighs whether to run again in 2024, that spells real trouble — because the campaign hasn’t been legally allowed to raise or spend money for nearly two weeks, according to campaign finance experts who have reviewed recent Federal Election Commission filings.
…News reports this week suggested that the FEC’s letter was a warning, giving Santos 10 days to comply or shut down financial activity.
But the letter itself doesn’t say that, and legal experts told The Daily Beast that the 10-day window appears to have closed on Feb. 4…
…But when it comes to what consequences Santos’ campaign might face if it raises or spends money when it’s not legally allowed to, the situation was so bizarre that it left experts stumped. (The Daily Beast via Y! News)
March 2, 2023: Rep George Santos (R-NY) introduced his first piece of legislation in Congress.
The SALT Relief Act, which aims to increase the limitation on deductions for state and local taxes, is intended to help with the growing cost-of-living crisis, he said in a statement.
“Long Island residents specifically in Nassau County are paying some of the highest property taxes in the country. In 2018 for Nassau County, the average SALT amount (property tax liability income or sales tax liability) reported among itemizing filers was $30,227.21, but due to the $10,000 cap, the average SALT deduction claimed was $9,023.79,” Santos said. (Washington Examiner)
March 15, 2023: Federal and state investigators are probing Rep. George Santos’ role in the sale of a $19 million yacht involving two of his wealthy donors, according to a law enforcement official.
The law enforcement interest in the sale first reported by The New York Times, underscores the far reaches of the investigations into the embattled congressman’s finances. Santos previously told Semafor he collected referral fees by brokering these sorts of deals.
…Santos has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. On Wednesday, his attorney, Joe Murray, said he could not comment on the substance of any allegations against his client, but said: “I’m getting a little tired of all these investigations being leaked into the public.
…The New York Times reported that prosecutors and federal agents have recently tried to question the owner of the yacht — Raymond Tantillo, a New York auto dealer — about the purchase and his interactions with Santos, including political donations.
Tantillo purchased the boat from Mayra Ruiz, a GOP donor for Miami, with Santos negotiating the payment and helping arrange the logistics, the Times reported.
Both Ruiz and Tantillo donated to Santos’ congressional campaign, federal records show. There is no suggestion that either has acted improperly.
…In an interview last December with Semafor, Santos sought to explain the source of his newfound wealth, describing Devolder as serving in the capital introduction business. He said that included “deal building” and “specialty consulting” for “high net worth individuals.” (CNN)
May 9, 2023: Justice Department prosecutors have charged George Santos, R. N.Y., with federal offenses, four sources familiar with the matter told NBC New, the most significant escalation in a growing pile of investigations that have plagued him since before he even took office.
A source with direct knowledge of the matter confirmed to NBC News that Santos, who was spotted in the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, is expected to appear at the Long Island Federal Courthouse in the Central Islip, N.Y., on Wednesday.
…In December, two federal law enforcement sources confirmed that federal prosecutors from the Eastern District of New York had opened an investigation into Santos and were examining his finances, including irregularities involving financial disclosures and loans he made to his congressional campaign. (NBC News)
May 10, 2023: George Santos has pleaded not guilty to 13 federal charges, including allegations of fraud related to Covid-19 unemployment benefits, misusing campaign funds and lying about his personal finances on House disclosure reports.
Santos was released on a $500,000 bond, according to the US Attorney’s Office in New York. He was ordered to surrender his passport and will need permission to travel outside of Washington DC, New York City, and Long Island.
…The charges inject fresh uncertainty into the political future of Santos, a freshman congressman whose astonishing pattern of lies and fabrications stunned even hardened politicos who led top Democrats and some New York Republicans to call for his resignation earlier this year.
The congressman said on Wednesday that he will not resign from his seat and that he still plans to seek reelection next year… (CNN)
May 10, 2023: The Independent posted an article titled: “George Santos: Every lie disgraced Republican Congressman has been accused of making”
He went to college: Mr. Santos’s claim that he obtained degrees from NYU and Baruch College, another New York City-based school.
As it turns out, not only did he not graduate from either school, officials at both said there was no record of him attending under any alias. Mr. Santos has now admitted this, chalking it up to the effort to make his resume more impressive.
He went to prep school: Mr. Santos claimed in a campaign biography during his failed 2020 bid for Congress (in the same district) that he had briefly attended a prestigious prep school in New York.
“He began at Horace Mann preparatory school in the Bronx, however, did not graduate from Horace Mann due to financial difficulties for his family,” read the biography.
As you might expect, Horace Mann officials said there was no record of him ever attending. Mr. Santos has not responded to discovery of this apparent fabrication.
He worked at banks: Mr. Santos did not, as it turns out, work at either Citigroup or Goldman Sachs. He has now admitted that this too was a fiction: Instead, he claims to have worked for two banks through a third company, though he has provided no evidence to back that claim up.
He ran a charity: Mr. Santos previously claimed to have founded a charity group called Friends of Pets United, taking credit for supposedly saving thousands of dogs and cats. But no IRS records of the group could be found, and Mr. Santos himself even backed away from the claim that he founded the group, later telling reporters that he only campaigned for the group and tried to find foster homes for some animals.
He knew victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting: Among many other claims, Mr. Santos told WNYC last year that he personally had “lost” four of his employees at the tragedy at Pulse nightclub in 2016.
It was later determined by news reports that no one on the list of those killed in the mass shooting were identifiable as being employees of any business owned by Mr. Santos.
May 11, 2023: GOP Rep. George Santos on Thursday voted for a bill he co-sponsored that would crack down on a crime he is accused of — unemployment fraud.
The measure, the “Protecting Taxpayers and Victims of Unemployment Fraud Act,” passed 230–200, would provide incentives to help states recover money lost to COVID unemployment fraud.
Under the bill, states would retain 25% of recovered fraudulent overpayments and the statute of limitations for federal criminal charges or civil enforcement actions related to unemployment insurance fraud would be extended from five to 10 years.
On Wednesday, Santos was indicted on 13 criminal counts, including allegedly fraudulently applying for and receiving unemployment benefits during the COVID pandemic when he had a $120,000 salary working as a regional director of an investment firm, according to the charging documents (ABC News)
July 15, 2023: Embattled freshman U.S. Rep. George Santos, a Republican from New York charged with a host of financial crimes, including embezzling money from his campaign, withdrew $85,000 from his campaign to help repay hundreds of thousands of dollars he loaned himself to get elected in 2022.
Congressional campaign records released Friday show Santos raised a relatively paltry $138,000 during the last three months for a reelection bid that is expected to be one of the country’s most-watched and hotly contested races in 2024.
The records show he spent nearly $118,000, the bulk of it to begin repaying the more than $700,000 he loaned himself for his successful but surprising victory last year.
…Santos pleaded not guilty in May to a 13-count federal indictment charging him with looting campaign coffers, fradulently receiving unemployment and lying to Congress about being a millionaire. He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
A day later, he signed an agreement with Brazilian officials that allowed him to avoid prosecution for forging two stolen checks in 2008. (ABC News)
August 16, 2023: A campaign fundraiser for indicted US Rep George Santos has been charged for allegedly impersonating a high-ranking congressional aide to solicit contributions for the New York Republican’s campaign in 2021, according to court documents.
A federal grand jury in Brooklyn indicted Samuel Miele, who worked for the Santos campaign during the 2020 and 2022 election cycles, on four counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft in the alleged scheme to defraud prospective donors, according to the indictment unsealed Wednesday.
…Miele surrendered Wednesday morning and pleaded not guilty at an arraignment in Brooklyn federal court later in the day.
He was released on a $150,000 bond…(CNN)
October 6, 2023: The ex-treasurer for US congressman George Santos pleaded guilty Thursday to a fraud conspiracy charge and implicated the indicted New York Republican in a scheme to embellish his campaign finance reports with a fake loan and fake donors.
Nancy Marks, who was a close aide to Santos during his two congressional bids, entered the plea at the federal courthouse on Long Island, where she was a longtime political operative and bookkeeper for multiple candidates.
Speaking to the judge, Marks said that among other things, she and Santos had submitted bogus campaign finance reports falsely saying he had loaned his campaign $500,000 — even though in reality he did not have that kind of money and that the loan did not exist. She said the purpose of the fake loan was to make it look as if he was richer than he really was, which might attract other donors, including a Republican committee…(The Guardian)
October 10, 2023: The U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of New York has added an additional ten counts of conspiracy, wire fraud, false statements, identity theft and other charges against Congressman George Santos.
The New York Republican was already facing 13-counts from a May indictment. In this latest court filing, federal prosecutors allege Santos made false statements to the Federal Election Commission and then falsified records to obstruct the FEC.
The 23-count superseding indictment also accuses the first-term Congressman of identify theft, device fraud, and wire fraud.
In the scene, prosecutors accuse Santos of running a credit card fraud scheme using his political donors’ credit cards, while also allegedly attempting to scam the national Republican Party.
“Santos is charged with stealing people’s identities and making charges on his own donors’ credit cards without their authorization,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace in a statement Thursday. (NPR)November 16, 2023: Republican Rep. George Santos announced he will not seek reelection to the House next year, following the Ethics Committee’s release of a long-awaited report on Thursday, which concluded that there is “substantial evidence” that the New York Congressman used campaign funds for personal purposes.
The committee said it uncovered additional “uncharged and unlawful conduct” by Santos that go beyond the criminal allegations already pending against him, and would immediately refer the allegations to the Justice Department for further investigation.
Santos engaged in “knowing and willful violations” with regard to financial disclosure statements filed with the House, according to the panel, and “knowingly caused his campaign committee to file false or incomplete reports with the Federal Election Commission.”
The committee concluded that Santos “sought to fraudulently exploit every aspect of his House candidacy for his own personal financial profit.”
Following the release of the report, Santos announced that he will not seek reelection, though he remained defiant and denounced the investigation, calling it a “biased report.”
“It is a disgusting politicized smear that shows the depths of how low our federal government has sunk. Everyone who participated in this grave miscarriage of Justice should all be ashamed of themselves,” Santos wrote on X. He went on to say, “I will however NOT be seeking re-election for a second term in 2024 an my family deserves better than to be under the gun from the press all the time.”
The New York Republican later said that he will hold a press conference outside the Capitol on November 30 — the week Congress returns from Thanksgiving recess, and likely after the House votes on whether to expel him. Expulsion is exceedingly rare and requires the high bar of a two-thirds majority vote in the House to succeed. (CNN)
October 13, 2023: New York Intelligencer posted: “George Santos Has Meltdown While Holding Mystery Baby”
…So, here’s what happened. We’ve all had an extremely long week, as you’re likely aware. On Friday afternoon, George Santos, the New York representative whose tally of alleged federal crimes is now up to 23, was spotted screaming in the hallway of the Longworth House Office Building. It appears Santos — who famously suggested his family was Jewish then revised it to “Jew-ish” — was accosted by pro-Palestinian protesters.
Normally, neither a small protest on Capitol Hill nor George Santos shouting in front of a gaggle of reporters would be all that notable. But there’s the twist: Santos was holding a 2-month-old baby when this all went down.
…Matt Rice posted on Twitter: George Santos just left Tim Burchett’s office with a baby in his arms. When asked if it was his baby, he said “not yet.”
November 9, 2023: The House of Representatives Committee on Ethicsposted “In the matter of allegations relating to Representative George Santos”. Here is the Introduction:
A fundamental tenet of government service is that public office is a public trust. As noted in extensive detail below, the evidence uncovered by the Investigative Subcommittee (USC) revealed that Representative George Santos cannot be trusted. At nearly every opportunity, he placed his desire for private gain above his duty to uphold the Constitution, federal law, and ethical principles.
On February 28, 2023, the Committee on Ethics (Committee) unanimously voted to impanel an ISC to review whether Representative Santos may have: engaged in unlawful activity with respect to his 2022 congressional campaign; failed to properly disclose required information on statements filed with the House; violated federal conduct of interest laws in connection with his role in a firm providing fiduciary services; and/or engaged in sexual misconduct towards an individual seeking employment in his congressional office.
In May 2023, the ISC expanded its jurisdiction to review additional allegations that were the subject of a federal indictment filed against Representative Santos in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York (EDNY). A superseding indictment was filed on October 10, 2023, charging Representative Santos with a total of 23 counts of criminal activity. The ISC reviewed the allegations underlying those charges, as well as a broader range of alleged misconduct beyond the scope of the indictments.
Representative Santos has been the subject of significant public reporting about his many alleged fabrications, including allegations that he has lied about his degrees, his religion, his work experience his family, and numerous other aspects of his biography. But Representative Santos’ lies go beyond inaccuracies on a resume.
The ISC’s investigation revealed a complex web of unlawful activity involving Representative Santos’ campaign, personal, and business finances. Representative Santos sought to fraudulently exploit every aspect of his House candidacy for his own personal financial profit.
He blatantly stole from his campaign. He decieved donors for his personal benefit. He reported fictitious loans to his political committees to induce donors and party committees to make further contributions to his campaign — and then diverted more campaign money to himself as purported “repayments” of those fictitious loans. He used his connections to high value donors and other political campaigns to obtain additional funds for himself through fradulent or otherwise questionable business dealings. And he sustained all of this through a constant series of lies to his constituents, donors, and staff about his background and experience…
November 16, 2023: The New York Republican congressman, fabulist and criminal defendant George Santos said he would not seek re-election next year, after the US House ethics committee issued a report detailing “grave and pervasive campaign finance violations and fraudulent activity” and recommended action against him.
…But after the report detailed his conduct, moves for a new expulsion resolution began.
“Representative Santos sought to fraudulently exploit every aspect of his House candidacy for his own personal financial profit,” the committee said.
“He blatantly stole from his campaign. He deceived donors into providing what they thought were contributions to his campaign but were in fact payments for his personal benefit.
“He reported fictitious loans to political committees to induce donors and party committees to make further contributions to his campaign — and then diverted more campaign money to himself as purported ‘repayments” of those fictitious loans.
“He used his connections to high-value donors and other political campaigns to obtain additional funds for himself through fraudulent or otherwise questionable business dealings. And he sustained all of this through a constant series of lies to his constituents, donors, and staff about his background and experience.”
…On Thursday, the New York Democrat Dan Goldman said: “More than 10 months after Congressman Torres and I filed a complaint… the committee has… concluded that George Santos defrauded his donors, filed false Federal Commission reports, and repeatedly broke the law in order to fraudulent win his election last November.”
Promising to “file a motion to expel Santos from Congress once and for all” after the Thanksgiving break, Goldman said Republicans “no longer have any fictional excuse to protect Santos in order to preserve their narrow majority.” (The Guardian)
November 16, 2023: The House Ethics Committee in a scathing report Thursday said it has amassed “overwhelming evidence” of lawbreaking by Republican Rep. George Santos of New York that has been sent to the Justice Department, concluding flatly that he “cannot be trusted” after a months-long investigation into his conduct.
Shortly after the panel’s report was released, Santos blasted it in a tweet on X as a “disgusting politicized smear” but said he would not be seeking reelection to a second term. He gave no indication, however, that he would step aside before his term ends next year, vowing to pursue his “congressional values in my remaining time in Congress.”
But a renewed effort to expel him from the House was quickly launched. The House could vote on his expulsion as soon as it returns from the Thanksgiving holiday later this month.
…The investigation also looked into at least $200,000 that was transferred from a Florida-based company, RedStone Strategies LLC, to Santos’ personal bank accounts. The report said at least three people transferred money to RedStone after being told the money would be used for political purposes but the funds were transferred to Santos’ personal accounts.
…If Santos were to be expelled, it would narrow the GOP’s already thin majority in the House, which now stands at 221–213. But many of his Republican colleagues from New York support booting Santos from the House as they seek to distance themselves from his actions. (The Hill) [...]
Biden-Harris Administration
October 1, 2023Biden-HarrisHere is everything you need to know about the Government Shutdown that took place during the Biden-Harris Administration. This is not the first time the U.S. government has faced a shutdown. In this blog post, I provided as much as I could find about the government shutdown in September of 2023.
In 2018-2019, (then) President Donald Trump caused a shutdown because he wanted money for a border wall. This resulted in several weeks of having the U.S. government experience a partial shutdown.
You can read more about the Trump shutdown here:
A Timeline of the 2018-2019 Partial Government Shutdown – Week One
A Timeline of the 2018-2019 Partial Government Shutdown – Week Two
A Timeline of the 2018-2019 Partial Government Shutdown – Week Three
A Timeline of the 2018-2019 Partial Government Shutdown – Week Four
A Timeline of the 2018-2019 Partial Government Shutdown – Week Five
Will There Be Another Partial Government Shutdown?
September 19, 2023:
September 19: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities posted a Statement titled: “House Republican Budget Reflects Disturbing Vision for the Country” From the Statement:
Statement of Sharon Parrott, CBPP President, on House Budget Committee Chair Arrington’s budget resolution released today:
It’s tempting to ignore a budget resolution released just days before the start of the fiscal year that it’s meant to guide, and amid the chaotic debate around a short-term extension of government funding to avoid a shutdown. But House Budget Committee Chair Jodey Arrington’s proposed budget is important for the country: health care stripped away from millions of people, higher poverty and hunger, capitulation to climate change, and more tax cheating by high-income people, and large-scale disinvestment from the building blocks of opportunity and economic growth – from medical research to educational child care. It would narrow opportunity, worsen racial inequities, and make it harder for people to afford the basics. It reflects the wrong priorities for the country and should be soundly rejected.
Chair Arrington made clear in his remarks the intent to extend the expiring tax cuts from the 2017 tax law, which included large tax cuts for the wealthy. In addition, the budget resolution itself would pave the way for unlimited, unpaid-for tax cuts that could go well beyond those extensions. The extensions alone would give annual tax breaks averaging $41,000 to tax filers in the top 1 percent and cost more than $350 billion a year, the Congressional Budget Office estimates. The budget reflects none of these costs and fails to explain how – or whether – they will be offset.
A shocking share of the spending cuts Chair Arrington specifies target people with low and moderate incomes, including $1.9 trillion in Medicaid cuts and hundreds of billions in cuts to economic security programs, such as cuts to assistance that helps people afford food and other basic needs. Just last week the Census Bureau released data showing that poverty spiked last year, more than doubling for children. Rather than proposing policies that could reverse this deeply troubling trend, the budget proposal would deepen poverty and increase hardship.
The budget would also make deep cuts in the part of the budget that is funded annually through appropriation bills. Disingenuously, the budget resolution shows that these cuts total more than $4 trillion over ten years – but hides the program areas that would be cut, labeling them “government-wide savings.” But this year’s House Appropriations bills – which include substantial cuts – make clear that the cuts would fall on a wide range of basic functions and services that support families, communities, and the broader economy, including services that support families, communities, and the broader economy, including Social Security customer service, support for K-12 and college education, funding for national parks and clean air and water, rental housing assistance for families with low incomes, and more.
Chair Arrington claims the budget’s deep and damaging program cuts are in the name of deficit reduction. But the failure to identify a single revenue increase for high-income people or corporations – and in fact, to potentially shower them with more unpaid-for tax cuts – is an extreme and misguided approach. Moreover, calling for a balanced budget in ten years is merely a slogan that has little to do with addressing our nation’s needs – and the budget resolution resorts to gimmicks and games to even appear to get there, including $3 trillion in deficit reduction it claims would accrue from higher economic growth it assumes would be achieved by budget policies.
A budget plan should focus on the nation’s needs and lay out an agenda that broadens opportunity, invests in people and families, reduces the too-high levels of hardship and financial stress faced by households across the country, and raises revenues for those investments. But the Arrington budget blueprint would shortchange much-needed investments and lock in wasteful tax cuts to the already wealthy for the next decade.
House Republicans are pursuing a damaging agenda at every turn – first threatening the nation with default, and now demanding deep cuts in an array of priorities in this year’s appropriations debate, risking a government shutdown, and proposing a budget blueprint that would take the country in the wrong direction.
September 25, 2023:
September 25: Roll Call posted an article titled: “Military pay, typically exempted during shutdowns, is at risk” From the article:
Why is this shutdown, if one occurs, not like the others in recent history? U.S. military servicemembers, who have to report for duty anyway because of the critical nature of their jobs, wouldn’t get paid.
During the prolonged partial government shutdowns in late 1995-early 1996, 2013 and the late 2018-early 2019 – the longest in modern history at 21, 16 and 34 days, respectively, – active-duty military and reservists received their salaries during the funding lapses.
That’s because the full-year Defense appropriations bill had already become law or, in the case of the October 2013 shutdown, Congress preemptively passed legislation guaranteeing military pay. With no enacted Defense bill even close, the only chance for military servicemembers to still get their paychecks if there’s a shutdown is for lawmakers to go the 2013 route…
…Big numbers
There are currently almost 2.1 million active-duty military servicemembers and reservists who would e forced to report for duty without pay.
Of the roughly 804,000 civilian Pentagon employees, about 199,000 would be required to work without pay given their “excepted” roles considered “necessary to protect life and property,” while 439,000 would be required to work without pay given their “excepted” roles considered “necessary to protect life and property,” while 439,000 would stay home without pay, according to the department’s contingency plan. The remainder are compensated outside of annual appropriations and wouldn’t be affected…
…The Coast Guard’s roughly 50,000 employees, including nearly 42,000 active-duty military, fell completely through the cracks during the 2018-19 shutdown because the Homeland Security spending bill didn’t become law in advance as the Defense bill did. So they didn’t get paid until the shutdown ended…
…When the shutdown ends, all federal workers who went without their paychecks would receive retroactive compensation, thanks to a law signed shortly after the 2018-19 shutdown…
…But employees working on contract providing services for the federal government aren’t covered by that law. After the last shutdown, estimates were upward of 1 million contractors, many of them lower-paid employees, never got paid for over one month of lost work.
September 26, 2023:
September 26: The White House posted a Statement titled: “Extreme Republican Shutdown Would Force Troops To Work Without Getting Paid and Undermine Our National Security” From the Statement:
With less than one week before the end of the fiscal year, extreme House Republicans are playing games with peoples’ lives and marching our country toward a government shutdown that would have damaging impacts across the country – including undermining our national security and forcing service members across the country and around the world to work without pay.
During an Extreme Republican Shutdown, service members would continue working every day to keep our country safe, including our 1.3 million active-duty troops – but wouldn’t receive their paychecks until funding becomes available. Department of Defense would also be furloughed, affecting the ways in which the Department manages its affairs globally, including the vital task of recruiting new members of the military. All of this would prove disruptive to our national security.
The reason these national security priorities are now at risk: extreme House Republicans’ relentless efforts to slash funding for vital programs rather than work in a bipartisan manner to keep the government open and address emergency needs for the American people. House Republicans have turned their backs on the bipartisan budget deal that two-third of them voted for just a few months ago and have instead proposed devastating cuts to programs that millions of hardworking Americans count on.
(The statement includes a long state-by-state breakdown of the 1.3 million active-duty servicemembers at risk of not getting paid during an Extreme Republican Shutdown).
September 26: The White House posted a Statement from Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on the Senate Bipartisan Bill to Prevent an Extreme Republican Shutdown” From the Statement:
The Senate’s bipartisan continuing resolution will keep the government open, make a down payment on disaster relief, and is an important show of support for Ukraine. House Republicans should join the Senate in doing their job, stop playing political games with peoples’ lives, and abide by the bipartisan deal two-thirds of them voted for in May.
September 26: The U.S. Department of Defense posted news titled: “Key Official Says Shutdown Would Damage National Defense” From the news:
The Chinese army is not facing a shutdown nor is Russia shutting down its efforts to conquer Ukraine, and the U.S. Congress must take steps to avoid a government shutdown, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks said.
Congress must fund the government or pass a continuing resolution by the end of the fiscal year on Saturday to avoid a government shutdown Oct. 1.
“We need to avert any kind of effect that a shutdown could have, not just on the Defense Department but throughout the federal government,” Hicks said last week.
DOD leaders would like to see a full-funding bill passed, but Hicks said a continuing resolution would be preferable if a government shutdown could be avoided. A continuing resolution continues appropriations at the same level as the previous fiscal year for a certain amount of time.
“As bad as it could be to have a CR – which we always want to avoid – it would be even worse for the defense of the nation to have a shutdown,” Hicks said.
The government must close is there is a lapse in appropriations, but there are exceptions to that rule. During a government shutdown, DOD still must continue to defend and protect the United States and conduct on-going military operations.
DOD would continue activities funded by the Defense Working Capital Fund, a revolving fund that funds businesses-like DOD activities. These activities are in the Defense Logistics Agency, the Defense Information Systems Agency and the Defense Finance and Accounting Agency.
There are also excepted activities mostly centered around duties necessary for the safety of human life and the protection of government property.
“A shutdown would degrade and impact our operational planning and coordination, impact our more than 800,000 civilians, and severely diminish our ability to recruit and retain quality individuals for military service,” DOD officials said.
On a strategic level, a shutdown would play into the hands of U.S. competitors. A shutdown requires money, and it also requires money when the government starts up again – not to mention the lost time. “No amount of funding can make up for lost time,” the official said. “A shutdown impacts our ability to outcompete the PRC – it costs us time as well as money, and money can’t buy back time, especially for lost training events.”
On a practical level, a shutdown would have significant repercussions for military members and their families. Military personnel on active duty – including reserve component service members on active duty – will continue to report for duty and carry out assigned duties without pay. Most military permanent change of station moves will be halted.
Post and base services would be closed or limited. Elective surgeries and procedures in DOD medical and dental facilities are not excepted activities and these would have to be postponed.
The Defense Commissary Agency would close commissaries in the United States but would keep overseas facilities open.
DOD civilians, including military technicians, who are not necessary to carry out or support excepted activities would be furloughed. “Permanent change of station for civilian personnel will continue only to the extent expenses are chargeable to a funded PCS order issued prior to the funds lapse,” officials said.
Once a continuing resolution or appropriations act is signed, employed will be paid retroactively for unpaid hours worked and time charged as furlough as soon as feasible, officials said.
Active and reserve component service members will receive September’s end-of-month paychecks on Sept. 29. Military members cannot be paid during the lapse unless legislation is passed appropriating funds. “October mid-month, military pay will be delayed if a continuing resolution or appropriation is not passed by Oct. 11,” officials said. “Leave and earnings statements will not be released.”
Military retirees and annuitants are not paid from appropriations, so their payments will continue as scheduled, officials said.
September 27, 2023:
September 27: The White House posted a Statement titled: “Extreme Republican Shutdown Would Risk Delays for Travelers and Force Air Traffic Controllers and TSA Officers to Work Without Getting Paid” From the Statement:
With less than one week before the end of the fiscal year, extreme House Republicans are playing games with peoples’ live and marching our country toward a government shutdown that would have damaging impacts across the country – including risking significant delays for travelers and forcing air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Officers to work without pay.
During an Extreme Republican Shutdown, more than 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Officers – in addition to thousands of other Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel – would have to show up to do their critical jobs without getting paid until funding becomes available. In previous shutdowns, this led to significant delays and longer wait times for travelers at airports across the country. Additionally, an Extreme Republican Shutdown would halt air traffic controller training – potentially leading to long-term disruptions to the industry at a moment when we’ve seen critical progress filling a backlog of controllers.
The reason these transportation priorities are now at risk: extreme House Republicans’ relentless efforts to slash funding for vital programs rather than work in a bipartisan manner to keep the government open and address emergency needs for the American people. House Republicans have turned their backs on the bipartisan budget deal that two-third of them voted for just a few months ago and instead proposed a continuing resolution (CR) that proposes devastating cuts to programs that millions of hardworking Americans count on – including rail safety inspections and the Transportation Security Administration. Their extreme CR also failed to provide the urgent funding President Biden requested to avoid disruptions to FAA air traffic operations…
September 27: ABC News posted an article titled: “Military families brace for a loss of paycheck, services under a government shutdown” From the article:
As the nation nears another government shutdown, military families face an uncertain financial future where they may not receive a paycheck unless a spending deal passes in time…
…A government shutdown appears increasingly likely with just a few days until the funding expires.Lawmakers have until the end of the day Sept. 30 to pass a spending deal to avert the shutdown.
As many as 4 million workers could lose pay as a result of the shutdown — about half of whom are military troops and personnel…
…For some military families, that may mean losing services they have come to rely on: everything from nutrition assistance to health care, mental health care, after-school activities for their kids, and even childcare centers…
…A recent “Pulse Check” survey that Blue Star Families conducted of its members found that most active-duty families — 54% — said they would be “greatly impacted” by a government shutdown. In open-ended responses from the more than 600 respondents, many cited the pay as the most common concern…
September 27: NPR posted an article titled: “What a government shutdown would mean for the U.S. military – and national security” From the article:
The federal government will shut down on October 1 if Congress doesn’t pass funding legislation for the next fiscal year before then – which is looking extremely likely.
That raises plenty of questions. Among them: What happens to the military?
Service members will continue to report for duty, though they will not get paid during a shutdown. And many of the hundreds of thousands of civilians who work for the Department of Defense will likely be furloughed, said White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby.
“And they do vital, critical work on a daily basis to keep the department going,” Kirby told Morning Edition.
Separately, the Department of Defense says post and base services would be closed or limited, while elective surgeries and procedures would be closed or limited, while its medical and dental facilities would have to be postponed. Commissaries would remain open overseas but close in the U.S.
And certain Pentagon activities, like operational planning and military recruitment, will be paused…
…Kirby agrees that a prolonged shutdown could harm national security, especially when it comes to delayed management of DOD contracts for things like maintenance, logistics and procurement.
He says the White House is working to make sure employees understand what a shutdown could mean for them and to make plans in case they are affected. It’s also urging Congress to do its job. Though, Kirby notes, the issue is really between House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and the small group of hardline House Republicans demanding steps budget cuts…
September 28, 2023:
September 28: The White House posted a Statement titled: “Extreme Republican Shutdown Would Delay Nearly 2,000 Long-term Disaster Recovery Projects and Undermine Community Preparedness” From the Statement:
With just days left before the end of the fiscal year, extreme House Republicans are playing partisan games with peoples’ lives and marching our country toward a government shutdown that would have damaging impacts across the country – including delaying long-term disaster recovery and undermining preparedness in communities across the country. Their bipartisan approach stands in start contrast to the Senate’s bipartisan progress towards keeping the government open and making a down payment on disaster relief funding.
As the Administration has continued to call on Congress to provide disaster relief funding, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) continues to dwindle and is now forced to prioritize only immediate lifesaving and life sustaining operations. An Extreme Republican Shutdown would leave the DRF underfunded – delaying nearly 2,000 long-term recovery projects in communities across the country. For example, Wilson County School in Tennessee would continue being unable to push forward with rebuilding due to a deadly tornado that left 100 teachers and 1,000 students without classrooms. In New Jersey, millions of dollars meant to help rebuild a senior citizen building following Hurricane Ida would remain frozen. And in Florida, hundreds of millions of dollars of Hurricane Ian recover obligations would continue to be delayed.
An Extreme Republican Shutdown would also undermine communities’ preparedness by preventing fire departments from accessing funding necessary to retain firefighters and purchase equipment, halting first responder training, and jeopardizing access to grants for disaster and terrorism preparedness.
The reason these disaster recovery and preparedness priorities are now at risk: extreme House Republicans’ relentless efforts to slash funding for vital programs rather than work in a bipartisan manner to keep the government open and address emergency needs for the American people. House Republicans have turned their backs on the bipartisan budget deal that two-thirds of them voted for just a few months ago and instead proposed a continuing resolution (CR) that proposes devastating cuts to programs that millions of hardworking Americans count on – including to FEMA. Their extreme CR also fails to provide the urgent funding President Biden requested for FEMA’s DRF…
September 28: Politico posted an article titled: “It’s not just a shutdown – Congress has no plan for the FAA either” From the article:
It’s not just a broader government shutdown. By Sunday, the aviation system could also have almost all of its funding cut off if Congress can’t stop squabbling.
And House Republicans don’t seem to have a plan to avoid that, either.
It’s a crucial moment for the Federal Aviation Administration, which is faced with a possible lapse in its statutory authorization for the first time since 2011, as well as a possible gap in funding if the entire government shuts down this weekend. The funding cliff comes as the powerful agency has been without a Senate-confirmed leader since April 2022 at a time when near-misses have spiked and air travel surged.
If Congress can’t act to head off a shutdown and FAA lapse by Sunday, most air traffic controllers will continue working without pay, but some 2,600 controllers in training – including 1,000 that are already working in FAA centers nationwide – will be forced to go home, putting significant strain on an already stressed system. Grant money for important safety improvements will stop and some regulations in process, such as ones intended to shore up passenger protections, will grind to a halt. And the country’s aviation system will lose an estimated $54 million a day in fuel and fare tax revenues…
…There is bipartisan support in both chambers for sparing the FAA the brunt of a lapse. But how to get that result while also threading the needle of the fractious House Republican conference, portions of which are spoiling for a shutdown, has remained elusive. Meanwhile, the FAA is estimating that travel will reach its peak for the year heading into Indigenous People’s Day weekend, which will begin in a week.
Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s office did not respond to a request for comment…
September 28: The Keystone posted an article titled: “Food Banks Brace for Government Shutdown” From the article:
Millions of Pennsylvanians could have trouble finding a hot meal if the federal government shuts down next week. A shutdown could compound food shortage problems that food banks are facing around the country.
With the possibility of a federal government shutdown looming, food banks in the Pittsburg area are bracing for the impact it will have on the community.
A government shutdown threatens the well-being for the millions of Americans who struggle to pay for groceries and sometimes have to rely on food banks. It will also impact government workers and contractors who will miss paychecks, which could jeopardize their ability to put food on their families table.
“Any level of government shutdown will have adverse effects across our 11-county service area, including potential impacts to SNAP payments and reduced food supply,” Lisa Scales, president and CEO of Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank said.
“We have also learned from past experience that federal employees, active-duty military members and federal contractor employees will face a new reality of needing help to feed their families.”
A shutdown could hit food banks at one of the worst possible moments. Food banks around the country facing a food supply crisis and many are struggling to meet sustained and heightened needs. A Feeding America survey found that around 70% of responding food banks reported seeing demand for food assistance increase or stay the same in July 2023 compared to June.
Close to 2 million residents across the commonwealth are at risk of feeling pain even if the shutdown doesn’t last very long. A brief shutdown has the potential to disrupt Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for families if there’s a lack of funding or a delay in processing benefits, or both…
September 28: Politico posted an article titled: “House GOP leaders plan to scrap vote on agriculture spending bill. From the article:
House GOP leaders are planning to abandon efforts to hold a stand-alone vote on their troubled agriculture spending bill and will pivot Friday to move on a House GOP stop-gap measure that could avoid a government shutdown, according to three House GOP lawmakers…
Senior Republicans are instead pushing hard to amend and pass three other spending bills to fund the Departments of State, Defense and Homeland Security.
GOP leaders are not pushing to fix abortion police and agriculture spending issues that complicated the passage of the legislation, according to the three Republican lawmakers…
…Many opposed are rural Republicans angry about steep spending cuts to key agriculture programs. About 10 of the opposed GOP members are livid about the inclusion of a controversial GOP ban on mail delivery of abortion pills, which they believed last week would be addressed in order to secure their support, according to another Republican lawmaker and a GOP aide.
Several House Republicans had expected Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) to offer an amendment to strip the GOP’s controversial ban on mail delivery of abortion pills from the agriculture spending bill.
But, according to the three House Republican lawmakers, GOP leaders blocked that move…
…Despite the likelihood of the agriculture spending bill being abandoned, there haven’t been any changes to the floor schedule and GOP leaders are planning to vote on all four spending bills Thursday night, according to a senior GOP aide.
If they don’t flip several dozen votes, though, the bill will fail on the floor. That would allow GOP leaders to show they have exhausted all options to fund the government, giving more urgency to a passage of a stop-gap measure ahead of the Oct. 1 shutdown.
September 28: Congress of the United States sent a letter to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. From the letter:
As the U.S. House of Representatives continues to consider appropriations in the run-up to the expiration of government funding on October 1, 2023, we urgently request that the following information be provided to Members of the House Republican Conference.
What is the plan to address the public and widely reported issues threatening final passage of the four appropriations bills being considered on the House floor?
What is the schedule for the other five bills reported by the House Appropriations Committee to come to the floor?
When will the House Appropriations Committee mark up and report the last two appropriations bills?
What is the plan to implement additional spending reductions in the remaining appropriations bills to reach the topline discretionally level of $1.526 trillion, which largely was agreed upon by the House Republican Conference last week?
Will the House of Representatives remain in session to continue working until all 12 individual regular appropriations bills have passed?
Will you publicly refute and reject the Schumer-McConnell Continuing Resolution, and what is being done to proactively oppose and defeat this “Omnibus Preparation Act?”
No Member of Congress can or should be expected to consider supporting a stop-gap funding measure without answers to these reasonable questions. We remain ready to continue working in good faith with our colleagues across the Republican Conference to advance appropriations; likewise, we expect you to take every step necessary to pass these bills – starting with the four bills now under consideration to fund approximately two-thirds of the federal government.
Mr. Speaker, we need leadership and a clear plan on spending to get to an end game here – most importantly, with wins for the American People.
September 28: Politico posted an article titled: “The House Freedom Caucus wants answers from Kevin McCarthy on the path forward on government funding – and a rebuke of the Senate stopgap” From the article:
More than two dozen members of the House Freedom Caucus are demanding Speaker Kevin McCarthy answer questions about the path forward on government funding while also publicly denouncing a bipartisan Senate stopgap proposal.
“No Member of Congress can or should be expected to consider supporting a stop-gap funding measure without answers to these reasonable questions,” the letter, signed by 27 members the conservative caucus, reads.
The letter is just the latest data point for how hard it will prove for McCarthy to round up sufficient GOP support for any short-term spending measure. He can lose but a handful off votes without the support of Democrats.
McCarthy has indicated he’ll consider a CR with additional border security funding and policy changes. However, a bloc off far-right Republicans are dug in against any sort of government funding patch.
September 28: The Augusta Chronicle posted an article titled: “Pay, services may be altered for Georgia military bases if federal government shuts down” From the article:
With the threat of a looming government shutdown, many federal employees could be furloughed, or may have to report for work without pay – including military service members.
Georgia has the fifth highest number of Department of Defense employees in the country, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development, with at least eight military installations across the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marines. Even if a government shutdown does occur, however, military bases will carry on with their essential duties.
In the event of a shutdown, the Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield U.S. Army Garrison team will continue to deliver life, health, and safety services for those working and living on the installation,” wrote Kevin Larson, chief of public communications for Fort Stewart near Savannah. “We remain in communication with our team and will continue to provide specific information as events unfold.”
Other than that, Larson said they are still awaiting official guidance.
According to the Department of Defense, services on bases could be limited, including postponing elective and closing commissaries in the U.S. (although not overseas). At the end of the shutdown, people who worked unpaid hours will receive backpay…
September 28: Politico posted an article titled: “House GOP’s spending gambit flops” From the article:
House Republicans failed late Thursday night to pass one of their party’s slimmed-down spending measures, another fumble by GOP leaders just days before an impending government shutdown.
Speaker Kevin McCarthy plans to move Friday to a narrower GOP stopgap funding patch that’s loaded up with spending cuts and border policies, though that measure currently lacks the votes from his own party that it needs to pass. House and Senate leaders are still not coordinating on a deal to stave off the funding lapse that’s set to take effect midnight Sunday.
In the end, Republicans faltered on one out of the four full-year measures bills, only the bill that funds the Department of Agriculture. A separate measure on Ukraine aid, which was stripped out of GOP’s Pentagon funding bill earlier this week, was also approved overwhelmingly, with all Democrats joining to back the bill.
Still, none of those measures – to fund the Pentagon, the State Department or the Homeland Security department – would help Congress deal with a funding deadline just two days away. McCarthy and his team will now pivot to rounding up the votes for a GOP-drafted short-term funding bill, which includes billions of spending cuts and new border security provisions. That measure is seen as a path to negotiating with the Senate and, perhaps, ultimately striking a deal…
…So far though, McCarthy and his allies remain short on the votes for any stopgap – even loaded up with GOP policies. McCarthy plans to hold a press conference Friday morning to discuss next steps…
…The Senate, meanwhile, has begun working on its own stopgap bill, which lawmakers on that side of the Capitol hope to pass on Saturday – hours before funding would expire – though the timing remains fluid. That bill could include a possible side deal on border policy, as dealmakers such as Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) and John Cornwyn (R-Texas) work toward a multi-billion dollar proposal to win support from the House GOP.
It’s unclear how Republicans will proceed if they are unable to lock down the votes for a short-term bill before Saturday.
But what is unlikely: Finding agreement to pass the GOP’s own agriculture bill, which has been stalled for weeks. Dozens of Republicans have privately said they would oppose the bill, thanks to abortion policy and steep cuts to farm programs…
September 28: Politico posted an article titled: “Senate advances shutdown-averting bill as GOP discusses changes” From the article:
The Senate voted Thursday to advance its bipartisan stopgap spending bill, though GOP senators are actively discussing changes to make the measure more palatable for House Republicans.
The upper chamber voted 76-22 to proceed on the stopgap. Before the vote, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said another key procedural vote could be held Saturday, “if not sooner.” But without consent from all 100 senators, the timing would all but guarantee that a shutdown kicks in Sunday before the Senate can vote on final passage of the bill, which would extend government funding through Nov. 17.
Key context: The Senate’s addition of $6 billion in Ukraine aid has made an already unpopular stopgap essentially off the table in the House, where a handful of Republicans say they’re outright opposed to passing any continuing resolution to keep the government open.
Senators are now considering a possible amendment that would deliver as much as $6 billion in border funding to appease House Republicans, according to a GOP aide granted anonymity to discuss planning.
Asked if that amendment would include possible policy changes, requiring 60 votes for passage in the upper chamber, Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) said, “We’ll see. There are still a couple of issues that are up in the air about how we might actually get this attached to the bill.”
Some Republican senators have also pushed to strip out Ukraine aid, with Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s right flank vehemently opposed to providing more money to the allied country. That funding is a major priority for Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell, however.
Across the Capitol: At this point, it is unclear if McCarthy would even put a Senate-passed bill on the floor…
September 28: ABC News posted an article titled: “Could a government shutdown affect Fat Bear Week? From the article:
If funding runs out, many government agencies are not permitted to update social media.
Call it potentially “unbearable” — at least for wildlife fans.
The looming government shutdown would affect Fat Bear Week, the annual celebration of wild bears who put on weight to prepare for hibernation.
From Oct 4. through Oct. 10, the bears of Alaska’s Katami National Park face off March Madness-style on the Fat Bear Week website, where people can vote to crown the best and chunkiest bear.
But timing-wise, there could be some complications.
The House and Senate have until the end of the day Saturday to pass a spending deal to avert a partial government shutdown, which would have rippling consequences for numerous workers, recipients of social services, and more.
During a shutdown, many agencies such as the National Park Service are also not permitted to update websites and social media pages. That means the viral park service social media promotions of Fat Bear Week would halt.
And those posts are paw-pular: The post last month on X (formerly Twitter) announcing Fat Bear Week’s return has been viewed more than 943,000 times, retweeted more than 2,000 times and has more than 11,000 comments.
The Fat Bear Week voting occurs on an outside platform — the livecam site Explore.org, so voting may not go dark if a shutdown happens…
September 28: ABC News posted an article titled: “As government shutdown approaches, agencies tell workers that furloughs are coming” From the article:
OMB gave agencies the official heads up of a looming shutdown, officials said.
Government agencies began warning their workers Thursday that they are preparing for a government shutdown — and that they might have to go without pay.
Lawmakers have until the end of the day Sept. 30 to reach a deal to fund the federal government. If Congress doesn’t act, the government will shut down at 12:01 a.m. ET on Sunday — a situation that appears increasingly likely.
On Wednesday, the Office of Management and Budget gave the agencies the official heads up of a looming shutdown, according to two officials.
Then on Thursday, the top officials at each agency began sending out official notices to their workforce.
The Department of Homeland Security, a federal agency created in the aftermath of 9/11 terror attacks, told workers Thursday that it’s preparing for a shutdown, but didn’t say how long it expects the shutdown to last.
In a memo obtained by ABC News, a senior official told the workforce that “prudent management” requires that the DHS prepare for the possibility that a lapse in funding could occur…
…At the Department of Veterans Affairs, employees were told that much of their work would be paid for with money already passed by Congress, including relying on leftover funds.
Of the 440,437 employees, only 15,620 were at risk of being furloughed if those funds ran out.
Payments from Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, as well as health benefits for service members and veterans are not expected to be impacted by the shutdown because of their status as “mandatory” programs.
Many employees were told to wait for further instructions on whether they will be furloughed or required to come to work without pay…
…The union for the United States Capitol Police warned its members that it believes the shutdown could last two to four weeks. The union note tells personnel to await an email and mailed letter advising them of their work status.
The Capitol Police, which protect members of Congress, as well as other law enforcement agencies are considered “excepted” services and would still report to work during a shutdown. They would receive back pay once the spending deal is passed. Other federal employees are furloughed and sent home without pay.
All federal workers would receive back pay once the spending deal is passed, although union officials say it’s not a good solution. In the last shutdown in 2018, many essential employees called in sick because they struggled to pay for child care, gas and other expenses to work…
September 28: The Hill posted an article titled: “House overwhelmingly approves Ukraine Aid” From the article”:
The House late Thursday night overwhelmingly approved $300 million in new aid to Ukraine.
The 311-117 vote came after House GOP leaders on Wednesday stripped the Ukraine assistance from a Pentagon funding bill. All “no” votes came from Republicans.
Though it drew broad support, the funding has been a source of controversy for the past week.
The $300 million was initially included in legislation funding the Department of Defense for fiscal 2024, which drew opposition from hard-line Republicans.
Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) told reporters last week that he would remove the $300 million from the defense bill and hold a separate vote on the funding after Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) joined a band of conservatives in sinking a procedural vote to advance the Pentagon measure…
…The House went ahead and adopted a combined rule – which governs debate on legislation – for the two measures and two other appropriations bills. Greene was the lone “no” vote.
An amendment sponsored by Andy Biggs (R -Ariz.) that would strip the $300 million from the legislation was voted down Wednesday in a 330-104 vote, with all support coming from Republicans.
House Republicans also soundly rejected an amendment from Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) to prohibit security assistance for Ukraine in a 339-93 vote.
But late Wednesday night, amid uncertainty over whether the legislation had enough support to pass, the House Rules Committee convened a last-minute hearing to strip the $300 billion from the Pentagon bill and hold a separate vote on the funding…
September 28: NBC News posted an article titled: “Government shutdown poised to halt federal flood insurance program” From the article:
A looming government shutdown could delay hundreds of real estate transactions each day and cause a shock to the industry because some home buyers will be unable to secure flood insurance, industry and flood experts said.
The authorization of the National Flood Insurance Program expires alongside the government’s funding at 12:01 a.m. Sunday. If lawmakers do not reauthorize the program, about 1,300 property closings each day could be delayed, according to estimates from the National Association of Home Builders.
“Closings are going to stop,” in flood-prone areas, said Jim Tobin, the organization’s chief executive officer. “It’s going to have some lasting effects, really putting a lot of real estate transactions on hold for some time.”
That could force builders to hold on to properties longer than expected and also leave buyers in the lurch and waiting on Congress…
…When a person wants to purchase property in an area with a significant flood risk – called a special flood hazard area – flood insurance must be secured to get a mortgage loan. The National Flood Insurance Program provides that insurance.
If the program expires, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and its partners won’t be able to issue new policies until it is reauthorized by Congress…
…About 4.7 million flood insurance policies in the United States are from the National Flood Insurance Program, according to the Congressional Research Service.
Existing policies would remain in effect and FEMA would still be able to pay out claims until the program’s funding runs out. Last month, the program had about $3.8 billion in its funds, including reserves, according to the research service.
A prolonged shutdown and lapse to the program could strain FEMA’s ability to pay out claims after multiple disasters. Atlantic hurricane season ends Nov. 30. (Several months after Hurricane Ian in 2022, the program paid out almost $4 billion for that flooding event, according to a FEMA news release.)…
September 29, 2023:
September 29: Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) posted on X “The Republican House has already done what many in the media said was impossible – we voted to fund more than 70% of government spending. To date, the Senate has done zero.
Join me live in a few minutes with @RepMarkGreen, @RepMonicaDLC and @RepDesposito speaker.gov/live”
The White House account on X (@WhiteHouse) responded: “So close! The government needs to be funded 100% to stay open. Hope this helps.”
September 29: The White House posted “Statement from Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on House Republicans’ Extreme 30% Cuts” From the Statement:
Extreme House Republicans are now tripling down on their demands to eviscerate programs millions of hardworking families count on – proposing a devastating 30% cut to law enforcement, Meals on Wheels, Head Start, and more. They are breaking their word, abandoning the bipartisan deal that two-thirds of them voted for just four months ago, and marching our country toward an Extreme Republican Shutdown that will damage our economy and national security. The path forward to fund the government has been laid out by the Senate with bipartisan support – House Republicans just need to take it.
September 29: The Hill posted an article titled: “The Hill’s Morning Report – Weekend forecast: A shutdown is very likely” From the article:
A government shutdown is looking inevitable as Congress heads into the weekend without a funding plan lined up.
Ahead of the Sept. 30 deadline, GOP opponents of the Senate’s bipartisan stopgap bill -which the chamber voted 76-22 to advance – are seeing to drag out the process beyond Sunday. Critics of the measure want to delay vote to give the House a chance to pass its own temporary funding bill, spearheaded by Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), which would give conservatives in both chambers more leverage.
Even with changes – like stripping out Ukraine aid and adding more border security funding – it’s unlikely the fractious House GOP conference would support the Senate bill, as House leaders have been unable to rally members around their own spending measures.
September 29: NBC News posted an article titled: “House passes spending bills and Ukraine aid, but still no deal” From the article:
Late yesterday, the House passed three of four spending bills that the Republican leadership put on the floor this week in an attempt to move forward on funding the government.
While money for State, Defense and Homeland Security was passed, a bill to fund the Agriculture Department and the Food and Drug Administration failed by a 46-vote margin, with 27 Republicans voting against it; sticking points for some GOP members included the level of spending cuts to the department and a provision to block the FDA’s decision to let pharmacies mail the abortion pill mifepristone, Rep. Dusty Johnson R-S.D., told reporters before the vote.
The House also passed $300 million in aid for Ukraine in a 311-117 vote – money that had been stripped from the defense spending bill to boost support for that measure. All the votes against the aid bill came from Republicans.
The Senate is not expected to pass the bills in their current form, meaning a shutdown at 12:01 a.m. Sunday is no less likely. House GOP leadership and other negotiators had hoped progress on the bills would pave the way for a Republican-authored stopgap spending measure, called a continuing resolution, to prevent a government shutdown, but at least nine Republicans have said they won’t vote in favor of such a measure. Still, McCarthy has said he will put a short-term spending bill to a vote today…
September 29: The White House posted a Statement titled: “By the Numbers: Impacts on Extreme House Republicans’ 30% Cuts” From the Statement:
With one day before the end of the fiscal year, instead of following the bipartisan lead of the Senate to keep the government open, 90% of House Republicans just voted for a partisan bill to eviscerate programs millions of hardworking families count on – with a devastating 30% cut to law enforcement, Meals on Wheels, Head Start, and more. They are breaking their word, abandoning the bipartisan deal that two-thirds of them voted for just four months ago, and marching our country toward an Extreme Republican Shutdown that will damage our economy, our communities, and national security. Here’s what it would mean for the American people if extreme House Republicans’ 30% cuts were extended for the entire year.
IMPACTS OF EXTREME REPUBLICANS’ 30% CUTS:
12,500 fewer FBI personnel, including agents who investigate crimes and keep guns out of the hands of felons and domestic abusers
Nearly 1,000 fewer agents at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). ATF agents are often some of the first federal law enforcement on the scene of a mass shooting to help local law enforcement identify at-large shooters
500 fewer members of local law enforcement
2,215 fewer prosecutors fighting to keep America safe
250,000 children would lose access to child care
290,000 children would lose access to Head Start slots
1 million seniors would be robbed of nutrition services like Meals on Wheels
3.2 million women, infants, and children would lose vital nutrition assistance through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
13,000 fewer National Institutes of Health research project grants, stalling research progress cancer and Alzheimer’s
Up to 145,000 teachers and staff could be removed from classrooms and school
100,000 students would lose access to Pell Grants
10,000 fewer rail safety inspection days next year alone, and roughly 44,000 few miles of track inspected annually – enough track to cross the United States nearly 15 times
850,000 households could lose access to Housing Choice Vouchers
1 million American workers would be denied job training and employment services, with 135,000 fewer workers gaining the opportunity of a Registered Apprenticeship
180,000 workers would lose an average of $1,000 in back wages that they are owed
240 Social Security field offices could be forced to close or shorten the hours they are open to the public
37,000 fewer Americans would receive substance use treatment services.
September 29: The Hill posted an article titled: “White House warns about hit on small business loans if government shuts down” From the article:
The White House warned Friday that small businesses would miss out on $100 million per day in loans if there is a shutdown because Congress is unable to fund the government before a weekend deadline.
Administration officials argued in a memo that a shutdown would have “devastating consequences for small businesses and needlessly undermine America’s economic progress.”
A shutdown, according to the White House, would force the Small Business Administration (SBA) to stop processing new loans for small businesses, and small business loan applications wouldn’t move forward each weekday the government is shut down. The White House said a shutdown would deny more than $100 million in financing to small businesses every weekday during a shutdown.
“These delays can have devastating consequences for small business owners and the communities they support, including losing the ability to purchase critical real estate or equipment, losing out on business deals and opportunities, and being forced into high-interest, price-gouging loan,” the memo states.
Congress faces a late Saturday deadline to pass legislation to fund the government and prevent a shutdown, but House Republicans have been unable to agree to a plan to fund the government despite a deal that set ceilings on spending for the next fiscal year…
September 29: American Battle Monuments Commission posted “ABMC policy to continue operations during a lapse in appropriations” From the post:
AMBC policy is to continue operations during a lapse in appropriations if sufficient prior year funds are available. ABMC sites both in the U.S. and overseas remain open to the public. Additionally, guests are welcome to access and experience AMBC’s sites any time online through the ABMC Virtual 360s platform.
September 29: ABC News posted an article titled: “House Republicans fail to pass short-term funding bill as shutdown deadline looms” From the article:
House Republicans on Friday failed to pass a short-term funding bill to keep the government open until Oct. 31.
Earlier in the day, a procedural vote to start debate on the bill advanced 218-210, prompting Republican applause in the chamber.
However, more than a dozen Republican hard-liners voted against final passage — a blow to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy as Saturday night’s shutdown deadline looms.
The final vote was 198 for, 232 against.
McCarthy, earlier Friday, tried to make the case for the bill by playing up the border security provisions being added to the stopgap measure.
“Every member will have to go on record on where they stand,” McCarthy said at a press conference. “Are they willing to secure the border or do they side with President Biden on an open border And vote against a measure to keep the government open?”
Border provisions were from Republicans’ major legislation passed earlier this year, such as a restart of border wall construction and tougher penalties for visa overstays.
The proposal also included keeping government spending to a lower level while maintaining Veterans Affairs and military spending, which would result in dramatic cuts to social spending programs and other areas across the government.
But it still wasn’t enough to appease Republican hard-liners, who’ve previously threatened to oust McCarthy as speaker of the spending battle…
…Even if the House measure were to pass, it is out of step with the Senate’s bipartisan 45-day stopgap proposal, meaning that passage is no guarantee to keep the government from running out of money over the weekend…
September 29: The Executive Office of the President – Office of Management and Budget posted a “Statement Of Administration Policy – H.R. 5525 – Spending Reduction and Border Security Act of 2024” From the statement: (written by Rep. Donalds, R-FL)
The Administration strongly opposes House passage of H.R. 5525, making continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2024, and for other purposes. Hours before a Government shutdown, House Republicans are playing partisan games instead of working in a bipartisan manner to fund the Government and address emergency needs.
In a blatant violation of the funding agreement the Speaker and the President reached just a few months ago, the bill endangers vital programs Americans rely on by making reckless cuts to programs, regardless of the consequences for critical services from education to food safety to law enforcement to housing to public health. It also failed to address key emergency funding needs where lives are at stake, ignoring the Administration’s request for resource to combat the fentanyl crisis and effectively manage the border, support the people of Ukraine as they defend their homeland from Russia’s illegal war, and stand with the communities across America as they recover from natural disasters.
In addition, H.R. 5525 fails to provide the resources needed to avoid severe disruptions to Government services – risking unnecessary delays for travelers by underfunding the Federal Aviation Administration; loss of access to nutritious food for pregnant and postpartum women and children by underfunding the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children; and deterioration in service for the over 71 million Americans who rely on the income support Social Security programs provide.
The bill also includes harmful, partisan border legislation that would further exacerbate the challenges at the border. It would cut off most access to humanitarian protections in ways that are inconsistent with the Nation’s values and international obligations. In addition, the bill would make processing less efficient by prohibiting the CBP One mobile application to process noncitizens and restricting the Department of Homeland Security’s parole authority, such that successful programs like “Uniting for Ukraine” would be prohibited. House Republicans propose these harmful policies while providing none of the supplemental funding needed to manage the border; we need real actions to secure the border.
The Administration urges House Republicans to follow the Senate’s lead and engage in a bipartisan, appropriations process that funds the Federal Government in a responsible manner, consistent with the bipartisan agreement earlier this year.
If the President were presented with H.R. 5525, he would veto it.
September 29: NBC News posted an article titled: “Craft beer, marriages, and air travel: The collateral damage of a government shutdown” From the article:
The federal government does an almost unfathomable number of things, so a shutdown would likely affect everyday Americans more than they realize.
While the 4 million people who work for the federal government would be most affected, their lost wages and halted operations would reduce overall economic growth forecasts by 0.1% or 0.2% each week, a range of economists, including the White House Council of Economic Advisers, estimate.
Those employees would eventually get paid, meaning taxpayers could be on the hook for billions of dollars in wages for millions of hours not worked, according to the Office of Management and Budget. And during a shutdown, the government ends up having to pay late fees and interest on bills it had to delay as it loses revenue that would otherwise be generated by furloughed IRS workers…
Here’s what might happen if the government shuts down again:
The National Park Service plans to close its parks and furlough park rangers if the government shuts down on Sunday. In that event, a senior official with the Department of Interior said the park service intends to restrict access to parks as much as possible, including shuttering visitor centers, locking gates and bolting bathrooms.
Areas where its difficult to restrict access – like the National Mall in Washington, trailheads or a campground without a gate – will remain accessible to the public, but those areas may not have services such as trash collection and emergency response…
Smithsonian and other federal museums
According to the Smithsonian’s plan, the institution would use “available prior-year appropriations” so that it’s museums can remain open to the public “as long as funding permits,” that includes the National Zoo, which could see an interruption in planned commemorations of the departure of the zoo’s remaining pandas.
Smithsonian museums are free, but they lost an estimated $4 million in revenue from food and other sales during the 2013 shutdown.
The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington would remain open, since it can tap a different pot of money, the museum said. Some presidential libraries would remain open as long as they have sufficient funds, but others would close and research services be reduced.
Military cemeteries
The American Battle Monuments Commission would be forced to close the two dozen overseas military cemeteries it manages, mostly in Europe and Southeast Asia, where more than 200,000 Americans killed in World War I and World War II are buried.
The commission said the closures could cause “families of the war dead, veterans’ groups, and others to miss what may be once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to visit these overseas commemorative sites” during the shutdown.
Arlington National Cemetery would continue normal operations, at least for a while, thanks to funds that have already been appropriated…
September 29: The Hill posted an article titled: “Conservative opposition imperils GOP bill to avoid shutdown” From the article:
The House on Friday is poised to vote on a measure to prevent a government shutdown, but opposition from within the GOP puts its passage at risk.
The conservative pushback also undercuts Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as he seeks to fund the ggovermentn and unite his party after weeks of turmoil.
At least eight House Republicans are against or are leaning against the short-term funding stopgap.
With Democrats expected to universally oppose it, Republicans can afford to lose only four votes, assuming full attendance…
…GOP Reps. Tim Burchette (Tenn.), Eli Crane (Ariz.), Matt Gaetz (Fla.) Cory Mills (Fla.), Andy Ogles (Tenn.) and Matt Rosendale (Mont.) have said they are against any kind of short-term stopgap bill, insisting that Congress focuses instead on passing regular appropriations bills…
…The opponents of the measure voted Friday to advance it past a procedural hurdle, but Gaetz said he voted in favor of the rule “so I can vote against this bad CR,” and that the bill “does not have the votes to pass.”…
…The opposition comes despite looming peril. Government funding is set to expire Saturday night, and discord in the House GOP and the gulf between the House and Senate – which is also yet to pass any sort of short-term funding patch – is all but assuring a government shutdown when the clock strikes midnight to end Saturday.
Friday’s House GOP stopgap bill would extend government funding until Oct. 31 with deep spending cuts for the duration, along with a swath of border policy changes and the creation of a commission to examine the national debt.
McCarthy is hoping that passing a House GOP funding bill would set up his conference to negotiate border policy concessions on a compromise bill with the Senate.
Instead, Friday’s vote could continue a long headache for McCarthy and GOP leaders, who were forced to pull a previous version of the stopgap last week due to the opposition…
September 29: The U.S. Department of the Interior posted a press release titled: “Government Shutdown Will Close America’s National Parks, Impede Visitor Access” From the press release:
The Department of the Interior is committed to upholding the highest standards of public access to and maintenance of America’s national parks and public lands. Our national parks reflect who we are as a country and unite us in our common purpose to not only enjoy their beauty, but also to preserve them for all Americans to enjoy.
However, in the event of a lapse in annual government appropriations, National Park Service (NPS) sites will be closed. This means that the majority of national parks will be closed completely to public access. Areas that, by their nature, are physically accessible to the public will face significantly reduced visitor services.
At NPS sites across the country, gates will be locked, visitor centers will be closed, and thousands of park rangers will be furloughed. Accordingly, the public will be encouraged not to visit sits during the period of lapse in appropriations out of consideration for protection and natural and cultural resources, as well as visitor safety.
Services and Sites Impacted by Lapse in Appropriations
Visitors should expect that many of the services and facilities they depend on at national parks will be closed or largely unavailable during a shutdown.
Due to the dramatic differences in accessibility, operations, size, visitation, location and infrastructure represented in NPS sites, the number of employees on site will vary. As a general rule, if a facility or are is locked, secured or otherwise inaccessible during non-business hours (buildings, gated parking lots, bathrooms, etc.) or is closed regularly for safety or resource protection, it will be locked or secured for the duration of the lapse in appropriations. Parks will not provide regular road or trail conditions updates. As a part of their orderly shutdown activities, park staff will post signs as appropriate to notify visitors that services, maintenance or other non-emergency management activities will not be conducted.
At parks with areas that are physically accessible to the public – meaning that due to their physical characteristics it is impossible or impractical to restrict public access, including park roads, lookouts, trails, campgrounds and open-air memorials – these areas will remain physically accessible to the public. This would include the National Mall and Memorial Parks in Washington D.C. However, staffing levels and services including restroom and sanitation maintenance, trash collection, road maintenance, campground operations, and emergency operations will vary and are not guaranteed.
Concessions located in areas that are accessible to the public may continue to operate during a lapse in appropriations if no NPS resources are required to support concession operations beyond excepted services and critical health, safety and protection services.
Subject to the approval of the NPS Director, parks may enter into non-reimbursable arrangements with state, local or Tribal governments, cooperating associations, and/or other third parties for donations to fund the full operation of an individual park site or of specified services that clearly benefit the park and public by providing enhanced visitor health, protection and safety. The NPS is not authorized to reimburse third parties that provide donations for such services.
Activities to Protect Life and Property Will Remain Ongoing
During a potential lapse in government funding, the NPS will continue activities necessary to protect life and property, expressly authorized by law, and necessarily implied by law, including:
Law enforcement and emergency response
Border and coastal protection and surveillance
Fire suppression for active fires or monitoring areas currently under a fire watch
Protection of federal lands, buildings, waterways, equipment, and other property within the National Park system, including research property
Activities that ensure production of power and maintenance of the power distribution system
And other services and activities designated in the National Park Service’s contingency plan.
Additional contingency plans for bureaus and offices across the Department can be found online at doi.gov/shutdown.
September 29: Taxpayer Advocate Services (IRS.Gov) posted an article titled: “NTA Blog: If There Is a Government Shutdown, the Taxpayer Advocate Service Will Not Be Permitted To Assist Taxpayers” From the article:
As of today, it appears Congress may not approve appropriations legislation to fund parts of the government, including the IRS, by the start of the fiscal year that begins on Sunday, October 1st. As a result, today is the last workday I can post a blog before a potential shutdown.
Taxpayers and their representatives should be aware that if there is a lapse in appropriations, the Taxpayer Advocate Services (TAS) will not be permitted to assist taxpayers until the government reopens.
That means that if the IRS has already issued a notice requiring an employer to garnish a taxpayer’s paycheck or requiring a bank to levy a taxpayer’s bank account and those collections actions cause an economic hardship for the taxpayer, the taxpayer will have no way to get help from TAS.
This is a terrible result for taxpayers who are experiencing economic hardships and will not be able to obtain relief from TAS.
Here is a quick primer on why this is so: Article I of the Constitution provides that “No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequences of Appropriations made by Law.” To implement this requirement, Congress has passed several statutes, most notably the Antideficiency Act (ADA). The ADA generally prohibits the U.S. government from making or authorizing an expenditure or obligation unless funding has previously been made available through an appropriation or other funding mechanism. The ADA contains a general prohibition against the acceptance of voluntary services (i.e., services for which compensation has not yet been paid or obligated), except for “emergencies involving the safety of human life or the protection of property.” (Emphasis added.)…
...Question: What if a taxpayer is experiencing an economic hardship as a result of an IRS levy and stands to be evicted due to nonpayment of rent? Or if the IRS was simply mistaken in taking the collection action?
Answer: TAS won’t be able to help because the taxpayer’s abode is not government property…
…Not only will taxpayers be harmed by collection actions taken during a shutdown, but they may also be harmed by collection actions taken in the weeks preceding a shutdown. For example, a bank usually has up to 21 days to remit levied bank proceeds to the IRS. Therefore, at a minimum, taxpayers will continue to be affected by levies issued before September 11 if the government shuts down on Sunday. And if a taxpayer is facing an economic hardship, the Revenue Officer who issued the levy will probably not be in the office on Monday to assist the taxpayer, nor will my TAS Case Advocates…
As the National Taxpayer Advocate, I am beyond frustrated that TAS cannot help taxpayers who are experiencing economic hardships during a government shutdown. Helping vulnerable taxpayers is a big part of our mission…
September 29: The Hill posted an article titled: “House GOP tanks its own funding bill, edging closer to shutdown” From the article:
A band of House conservatives Friday voted down a GOP bill to avoid a government shutdown.
The vote marked a significant – and embarrassing – defeat for Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as a shutdown this weekend appears increasingly inevitable.
More than 20 Republicans joined Democrats in opposing the legislation, bringing the final tally to 232-198.
The 20 GOP lawmakers who voted against the bill were: Reps. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Dan Bishop (N.C.), Lauren Boebert (Colo.), Ken Buck (Colo.), Tim Burchette (Tenn.), Eric Burlison (Mo.), Michael Cloud (Texas), Eli Crane (Ariz.), Matt Gaetz (Fla.), Paul Gosar (Ariz.), Marjorie Taylor Green, (Ga.), Wesley Hunt (Texas), Nancy Mace, (S.C.), Mary Miller (Ill.), Cory Mills (Fla.), Alex Mooney (W. Va.), Barry Moore, (Ala.), Troy Nehls (Texas), Andy Ogles (Tenn.) Matt Rosendale (Mont.), and Keith Self (Texas)…
…The bill did not stand a chance in the Senate, where Democrats were sure to line up against it. And the White House Friday morning issued a veto threat for the bill.
The tally was largely expected after a handful of conservatives – more than McCarthy could afford to lose in his narrow majority – lined up against the measure.
But the failed vote, nonetheless, marks a setback for McCarthy, who has pushed his GOP colleagues to clear a partisan stopgap bill so his conference could have greater leverage in funding negotiations with Democrats in the Senate and White House.
And it increases the odds of a government shutdown, which will go into effect Saturday night unless Congress passes a short-term funding bill by then…
September 29: NBC News posted an article titled: “Why Biden is taking a hands-off approach to the looming shutdown” From the article:
…Biden’s hands-off approach to the looming shutdown is intended to project an image of him out in the country executing on what he considered key accomplishments as House Republicans fight over how to fund the government, White House officials say.
But a shutdown could scramble Biden’s strategy by grinding his travels to a halt.
The White House has been planning an aggressive travel schedule for Biden in October to tout his economic agenda, including a long-teased trip to the Georgia district of one of his loudest House Republican critics – Marjorie Taylor Greene. Vice President Kamala Harris and other top administrations officials are also set to crisscross the country next month amplifying his message.
But White House officials say they’re now looking at other ways to execute what they’ve dubbed a “split-screen” strategy, acknowledging that one of the impacts of a shutdown would be to curtail Biden’s ability to hit the road. Events that have already been scheduled for the coming weeks, such as Harris’ tour of college campuses, are expected to be postponed, an administration official said.
The contrasting White House approaches to a potential shutdown and the debt limit crisis in May are by design. While White House officials are deeply concerned about the political and economic fallout from a debt default, they say Republicans alone are responsible for the latest round of brinkmanship…
September 29: The Hill posted an article titled: “House GOP passes Pentagon funding bill after failed tries” From the article:
House Republicans late Thursday night approved legislation to fund the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2024, a success for GOP leaders after they decided to strip Ukraine funding from the legislation following two failed procedural votes.
The chamber cleared the measure in a 218-210 vote.
Approving the measure will not help Congress avert a shutdown before the September 30 government funding deadline, but House GOP leaders are hopeful that moving the legislation and another full-year funding measure will help convince conservatives to get on board with a short-term funding stopgap.
The Pentagon spending bill – which is the largest of the 12 full-year appropriations measures – has been a source of consternation for Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and its passage marks an incremental win for the Speaker…
…In an effort to shore up support for the legislation, McCarthy told reporters last week that he would remove the $300 million in Ukraine aid from the Pentagon bill and hold a separate vote on the money. but he reversed on that stance one day later after recognizing that a bill funding the State Department also included aid for Ukraine.
McCarthy said it would be “too difficult” to remove the assistance from the State Department bill, and as a result decided to keep in in both measures. The House ended up advancing both bills, along with two other spending measures, in a largely party-line vote, with Greene being the only GOP lawmaker to oppose the procedural vote.
The House on Wednesday overwhelmingly rejected an amendment to strip $300 million from the legislation, defeating the measure in a 330-104 vote.
But late Wednesday night, amid concerns that the Pentagon bill did not have enough support to pass, the House Rules Committee convened a last-minute meeting and moved to strip the $300 million from the legislation. The House advanced the separate Ukraine funding bill earlier on Thursday.
House Republicans proposed more than $820 billion in new funding for defense operations in the Pentagon appropriations bill. That includes what negotiators touted earlier this year as historic “investment in security cooperation funding for Taiwan,” pay bumps for military personnel and boosts for the National Guard Counterdrug Program.
The bill also included a spate of riders that Democrats have slammed as diverse and said could hurt recruitment, such as measures targeting efforts aimed at diversity, equity, and inclusion, and others the party says would be potentially harmful to those in the LGBTQ community.
September 29: NBC News posted an article titled: “Conservative rebels tank McCarthy’s funding bill, raising odds of a shutdown” From the article:
A band of conservative rebels on Friday revolted and blocked the House Republicans’ short-term funding bill to keep the government open, delivering a political blow to Speaker Kevin McCarthy and likely cementing the chances of a painful government shutdown that is less than 48 hours away.
Twenty-one rebels, led by Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., a conservative bomb-thrower and a top Donald Trump ally, voted Friday afternoon to scuttle the 30-day funding bill, leaving Republicans without a game plan to avert a shutdown.
The vote failed, 198-232.
The hard-liners say they are unconcerned if the government shuts down, as it appears likely to do at 12:01 a.m. Sunday. They want the House to pass all 12 appropriations bills, with steep spending cuts, then negotiate funding with the Democratic-controlled Senate.
Moderate Republicans lashed out with fury at the conservatives who voted down the funding bill, with specific criticism reserved for Gaetz, whom they accused of fomenting chaos to oust McCarthy…
…In a bid to reset, House Republicans huddled behind closed doors in the Capitol basement for nearly three hours Friday to try and hash out their differences. But they emerged from that meeting without consensus on how to move forward and keep the government open.
The House will return for a rare Saturday session, but it’s unclear what they will vote on. McCarthy said that after the meeting he’s now eyeing a clean funding bill – with no Ukraine aid – that would originate in the House, but added that Democrats likely would not support it…
September 29: The White House posted a Statement titled: “During an Extreme Republican Shutdown, American Small Businesses Would Lose Out on More Than $100 Million in Critical Financing Every Day” From the Statement:
With just one day before the end of the fiscal year, extreme House Republicans are playing partisan games with peoples’ lives and livelihoods and marching our country toward a government shutdown that would have devastating consequences for our small businesses and needlessly undermine America’s economic progress. Their partisan approach stands in stark contrast to the Senate’s bipartisan action toward keeping the government open and abiding by the bipartisan budget deal two-thirds of House Republicans voted for just four months ago.
An Extreme Republican Shutdown would force the Small Business Administration (SBA) to stop processing new business loans for small businesses. Each weekday the government is shut down, hundreds of small businesses would see their 7(a) and 504 loan applications fail to move forward. That means extreme House Republicans would deny more than $100 million in critical financing to American small businesses every day.
These delays can have devastating consequences for small business owners and the communities they support, including losing the ability to purchase critical real estate or equipment, losing out on business deals and opportunities, and being forced into high-interest, price-gouging loans. A shutdown would also make it harder for small businesses to access federal contracting opportunities by halting the processing of applications for nearly all government contracting programs – only months after the SBA announced that the Biden-Harris Administration had awarded a record $163 billion in contracts to small businesses in Fiscal Year 2022. And an Extreme Republican Shutdown would close the SBA’s district offices, preventing more than 2,000 Americans every day from receiving assistance.
During the first two years of the Biden-Harris Administration, Americans filed more than 10.5 million applications to start new small businesses, the two strongest years on record – part of the President’s Bidenomics agenda to grow the economy from the middle out and the bottom up.
The reason this critical support for small businesses is now at risk: extreme House Republicans’ relentless efforts to slash funding for vital programs – including those that help small businesses – rather than work in a bipartisan manner to keep the government open and address emergency needs for the American people. House Republicans have turned their backs on the bipartisan budget deal that two-thirds of them voted for just a few months ago and instead proposed a continuing resolution (CR) that would make devastating cuts to programs that millions of hardworking Americans count on – including to the Small Business Administration…
September 29: NBC News posted an article titled: “What will happen to health programs if the government shuts down?” From the article:
The vast majority of what the federal government spends on health care is on big entitlement programs – Medicare and Medicaid. Those are not directly affected by a government shutdown, according to Larry Levitt, executive vice president for health policy at KFF, formerly known as the Kaiser Family Foundation.
However, a prolonged shutdown could hamper the federal government’s oversight of Medicaid, which provides health coverage for people with low incomes. That oversight is particularly important right now as a pandemic-era rule that kept people enrolled in the program ends and millions of people begin to lose coverage. More than 90 million people in the U.S. get their coverage through Medicaid, according to the KFF.
If the shutdown persists, Levitt said, the effects will be felt directly in poor communities as funding for health clinics and other programs dependent on federal grants dries up. These clinics typically offer a wide range of services, including primary and preventative care, dental care and mental health services.
September 29: The Hill posted an article titled: “In a shift, McCarthy floats a clean stopgap without Ukraine aid” From the article:
Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Friday evening floated passing a “clean” continuing resolution without Ukraine aid, marking a clear shift in the possibilities he is willing to consider to avert – or end – a shutdown after being repeatedly undercut by his own party.
The Speaker on Friday did not commit to putting such a measure on the floor, and other Republicans leaving a conference meeting said that lawmakers are still exploring GOP-only possibilities to bring up for a vote on Saturday.
But it is clear that McCarthy has nearly exhausted his options for working exclusively within his own party. Earlier on Friday, 21 House Republicans voted against a 31-day GOP-crafted stopgap bill that included deep spending cuts and conservative border policy changes.
“I think if we had a clean one without Ukraine on it we could probably be able to move that through,” McCarthy said after a lengthy GOP conference meeting on Friday when asked about a clean continuing resolution. “I think if the Senate puts Ukraine on there and focuses Ukraine over America, I think that could cause real problems.”
The Senate is considering a separate, bipartisan continuing resolution that would fund the government until Nov. 17 and includes $5.99 billion for disaster relief and $6.15 billion for Ukraine – a figure that has drawn criticism from Republicans in both chambers.
And Senate leaders appear to have little incentive to strip the Ukraine funding. The Senate bill overwhelmingly cleared to procedural hurdles with support from both sides of the aisle. And in the House, more than two-thirds of the chamber – all Democrats and a little less than half of Republicans – voted in favor of a separate $300 million Ukraine funding measure…
September 29: NBC News posted an article titled: “NASA will maintain people to ‘protect life and property,” including ISS Crew” From the article:
In a statement today, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said, “If House Republicans force a shutdown, it will have devastating consequences for NASA, families across the country, and America’s global competitiveness.”
NASA will “maintain the people to protect life and property – operational missions, such as satellites, landers, and rovers, as well as the International Space Station and its crew,” according to Nelson.
The agency is still identifying just how many people would need to keep working through a shutdown.
September 29: The Hill posted an article titled: “Biden: McCarthy making a ‘terrible bargain’ with ‘MAGA Republicans’ in spending fight” From the article:
President Biden had harsh words for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, saying he made a “terrible bargain” with the conservative wing of his party in a battle over spending which has made a government shutdown likely.
Biden, in an upcoming interview, argued McCarthy is making a deal with “MAGA Republicans” – which have been loyal to former President Trump – and putting his speakership before the needs of the people.
“The speaker’s made a terrible bargain. In order to keep the speakership, he’s willing to do things that he, I think, he knows are inconsistent with the constitutional processes,” he told ProPublica’s John Harwood in an interview set to air on Sunday.
“There is a group of MAGA Republicans who genuinely want to have a fundamental change in the way that the system works,” the president said. “And that worries me the most.”…
September 29: NBC News posted an article titled: “Lawmakers with babies and toddlers push Congress to stop the ‘child care cliff'” From the article:
Millions of families are at risk of losing child care after this weekend when emergency funding allocated to providers during the coronavirus pandemic expires. Congress faces a Saturday deadline to act before the $24 billion Child Care Stabilization Program ends, putting thousands of day care centers, preschools and other child care centers in jeopardy.
At the forefront of the fight to extend the funding are lawmakers who themselves rely on child care to be able to do their jobs: moms and dads of babies and toddlers. With the government also barreling toward a shutdown this week, some of them are sounding the alarm that time to take action is running out…
…Seventy thousand child care programs are projected to close as a result of the funding loss, and at least 3.2 million young kids could lose their child care, according to an analysis from the Century Foundation, a progressive think tank.
The impact will snowball, the report says, costing families an estimated $9 billion every year in lost earnings. And with more people pushed out of the labor market because of struggles to find or afford child care, the economic ramifications could be huge.
At the center of the lawmakers’ efforts to stave off the crisis is the Child Care Stabilization Act to extend the critical funding. It has the backing of at least 111 House members and 37 senators. But all are Democrats (or caucus with Democrats), and with Republicans in control of the House, it faces a slim chance of passing this year…
…Among those pushing the bill is one of the most prominent new voices for child care funding, Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., who co-founded the Congressional Dads Caucus after he took his infant son on the House floor during some of the many rounds of votes to confirm Republican Kevin McCarthy of California as House speaker in January…
September 30, 2023
September 30: The Guardian posted an article titled: “The hidden cost of a shutdown: America’s battle with food insecurity” From the article:
With 1 October looming, a US government shutdown appears imminent, and the farm bill is set to expire. Members of both the House and Senate have been drafting proposals for its renewal, which happens every five years. The bill is responsible for financing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that many Americans rely on to feed their families.
Though hunger prevention advocates are calling for Congress to renew the bill before its expiration, the likelihood of a freshly revised iteration being near completion by the end of the day is low. Yet, food insecurity continues to rise in America.
More than 34 million people, including nine million children, are struggling to put food on the table.
In a recent household survey conducted by the US Census Bureau, more than 26 million Americans said they did not have enough to eat during the 12-day period of the study that concluded this month. That sample represents nearly a 50 percentage increase during a similar window from 2021. This upsurge is due to a number of factors, including the end of pandemic-era aid.
Another study released this month by Feeding America reflected a similar finding, emphasizing the far-reaching consequences of hunger.
That report is underscored how the pandemic reshaped the landscape of food insecurity and its lingering effects, signaling one of America’s gravest growing crises. Approximately 80% of Americans experiencing hunger believe that inflation and rising food costs have worsened the issue of hunger nationwide and 93% of those surveyed expressed concern that the situation will deteriorate even more. They highlighted factors such as rising housing costs, job loss, unemployment, the presence of chronic health conditions or disabilities, and an abundance of low-paying jobs as significant contributors and interconnected root causes of their food vulnerability…
…Another element of the rise in food insecurity, which saw almost 50 million Americans turning to food pantries and soup kitchens in 2022, is cuts to social assistance and fixed-income programs like food stamps, the child tax credit and pensions…
…The pandemic has also particularly aggravated food insecurity among families with children and communities of color, who were already disproportionately affected by hunger before the outbreak. Many of these households don’t meet the eligibility criteria for federal nutrition programs, forcing them to turn to local food banks and other community food assistance programs for additional support. Research shows that there is a higher prevalence of hunger in African American, Latino and Native American communities that can be attributed to systemic racial injustices…
September 30: The Hill posted an article titled: “McConnell announces Senate Republicans will defer to House spending Bill. From the article:
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R.-Ky.) announced Senate Republicans will vote against advancing the chamber’s bipartisan stopgap spending bill, instead of deferring to a bill coming from the House as the main way to avoid a government shutdown.
McConnell told reporters that the House bill, which is a 45-day continuing resolution that includes disaster aid funding but no money for Ukraine, is the preferred option of his members, and that they will overwhelmingly vote against cloture in order to focus on that option.
Shortly after McConnell’s remarks, that bill passed in the House in an overwhelming bipartisan 335-91 vote and heads to the Senate.
“I’m fairly confident that most of my members – our members – are going to vote against cloture,” McConnell said of the Senate-crafted bill. “Not necessarily because they are opposed to the underlying bill. But to see what the House can do on a bipartisan basis, and then bring it over to us.
The Senate is expected to vote on the House’s stopgap bill Saturday evening.
September 30: The White House posted a Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and Office Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young” Here is a portion of that Press Briefing:
…And finally, before I do turn it over to our guest, I wanted to make one more thing very clear, which we have been doing as an administration from here for the past couple of days.
Now, as you all know, extreme House Republicans are so- – are solely – solely to blame for marching us toward a shutdown. That is what we’re seeing right now. It is a basic fact and one that many of you have already reported.
I know how much you will love when I quote, folks, so here we go.
Politico wrote, and I quote: “Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s choice to go back on the deal he made with President is about a plunge – is about to plunge the federal government into chaos,” end quote.
Punchbowl says, and I quote, “McCarthy is the only congressional principal no longer abiding by the agreement,” end quote.
Washington Post writes, quote, “Of course, Biden has played no role in bringing Congress to the brink of a shutdown,” end quote.
And it’s not just what you are all reporting. It’s also what Republicans are saying themselves.
Leader McConnell said, and I quote, “Shutting down the government is a choice. And it’s a choice that would make the crisis at our Southern border even worse,” end quote.
Speaker McCarthy said, some individuals, quote, “just want to burn the whole place down,” end quote.
Represen – Representative Garret Graves said, “The arsonists have li – have lit their house on fire.”
Representative Matt – Matt Gaetz said, “We cannot have a government shutdown and… We cannot blame Joe Biden… We cannot blame House Democrats.”
Representatives George Santos and Ralph Norman admitted in saying – by saying, “Shut it down.” Those are their words.
But no one can explain what House Republicans are shutting down the government over. It’s a serious question, and they don’t have a good answer for it.
As Nich – Newt Gingrich said, and I quote, “I frankly don’t understand it – I think it’s sort of nuts. There are times when people vote yes one day, and then they come back and vote no the next day and can’t explain why they switched,” end quote.
So, here we are today facing a possible shutdown. Because even after Speaker McCarthy said that the bipartisan budget agreement would help “Congress work again to do their jobs, the appropriation bills,” he chose a different path – an extreme partisan path toward a shutdown – a Republican – extreme Republican shutdown…
…So, let me step back for now. For more on how the Speaker has broken his word and the impacts of the devastating cuts he is proposing, we have our OMB Director Shalanda Young to talk through those – those impacts…
DIRECTOR YOUNG: Hi.
Q: Hello.
DIRECTOR YOUNG: Who all thought I’d be back here so soon? (Laughter.) Maybe you all did. I certainly hoped I would not.
It’s been just four months since President Biden, House Republicans, House Democrats, Senate Republicans, Senate Democrats all made a bipartisan budget deal. You all were there. I was there. You remember what it took to get to that deal.
We shook hands, two thirds of Congress voted for it, and the President signed it into law – a commitment to the American people that reduced the deficit, protected critical programs, and ensured their government remained open.
Today, four of those five sides I just listed are sticking by that deal. The one side, House Republicans, are refusing to live up to their end of the bargain. They have turned their back on the deal. They are on an island entirely by themselves and entirely of their own making. Their chaos – and their chaos alone – is now threatening to push us into a shutdown.
This is not only a violation of the deal; the President signed this deal into law. And let’s be very clear about what they are demanding as a condition of keeping the government open. It’s all right there in the CR they’re considering right now. plain black and white.
Their bill includes devastating 30 percent cuts. You heard me: 30 percent cuts.
And listen to what that means. It would eliminate 12,000 FBI agents, almost 1,000 ATF agents, and more than 500 local law enforcement; kick almost 300,000 children out of Head Start; rob more than a million seniors of nutrition services, like Meals on Wheels.
And guess what? If they don’t get their way, if we don’t go along with the devastating cuts I just listed here, they want to force a shutdown that will hurt our economy and national security.
What would a shutdown mean? More than 2 million service members wouldn’t get their paycheck. Long-term disaster recovery would be further delayed. Nutrition assistance for nearly 7 million women and children who rely on WIC would be jeopardized. Small businesses would lose out on more than $100 million a day in loans. What kind of choice is that?
In addition to the more than 2 million service members who won’t get their paychecks, we’re talking about more than 1.5 million federal civilian employees, by current estimate – roughly a quarter of whom are veterans – missing paychecks. Meat and food inspectors, Border Patrol agents, air traffic controllers, TSA agents – just a small example.
On top of that, federal contractors have no guarantee of back pay. None. The thousands of federal contractors who serve the mission of this country to serve the American people, no guarantee that they’re made whole.
Folks who I see around my office every day, people you see around here cleaning, who can least afford to miss a paycheck no guarantee they will be made whole.
Our message is simple. House Republicans need to stick to the agreement we already reached and they already voted for, do the job they were elected to do.
And we know it’s not a lot to ask for because just yesterday an overwhelming 76 senators, Democrats and Republicans, voted to move forward on a bipartisan bill to keep the government open.
Enough is enough. A deal is a deal. Extreme House Republicans need to stop playing political games with people’s lives, keep their promise, and keep the government open.
Here are some of the questions asked of Director Young by the press:
Q: I know you mentioned a couple workers – cleaning staff, people in your office. Can you give us a bigger picture of who at the White House will be affected? Who will be deemed essential and – and who will be furloughed, including the press team for –
DIRECTOR YOUNG: Yeah, I think –
Q: – our purposes? (Laughter.)
DIRECTOR YOUNG: Yeah, no. (Cross-talk.)
DIRECTOR YOUNG: I’ll let them read out the specifics of who will be here. But just like every federal agency, there are legal definitions about who can work during a time of shutdown. No one, clearly, gets paid, but there are people who will be furloughed, and there are people who will be excepted, who –
And just at a macro level, about 800,000 people would be excepted across the government out of the one and a half million civilians I talked about, and about 700,000 would be furloughed.
I don’t want to get into specifics of different agencies and the White House. We can read out – I’m sure you talk to the various offices later. But that is a large amount of people who will be furloughed across the government.
The White House and OMB will feel the same as the rest of the agencies. We will do the best we can to continue to service the American people. Clearly, our men and women in uniform will be at their duty stations – without pay, unfortunately. So, we will keep vital national security things going – life and safety.
But it will be hard to do everything government should do for the American people in a shutdown.
Q: And then, quickly, do you and President Biden regret trusting McCarthy?
DIRECTOR YOUNG: Look, I won’t go there. (Laughter.) And it’s not a trust exercise, right? We passed a law.
Q: Well – well, but you had –
DIRECTOR YOUNG: It’s not a trust – I didn’t fall backwards in the woods. (Laughter.) It’s not a trust exercise.
Q: But when you cut –
DIRECTOR YOUNG: Yeah, we’re not – we’re not – it –
Sev- — seventy percent of House Republicans voted for a bill. So it’s beyond trust; we have a law. What else are we supposed to do?
This President is committed to governing, committed to doing the right thing. This is who the Republican Conference elected to be their speaker. He asked to work with us on the budget deal. We did that. We find ourselves here.
Q: Thank you.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Colleen.
Q: I wondered if you could talk about the U.S. assistance to Ukraine in the face of a shutdown? What happens to it? How does it work? Do you know?
DIRECTOR YOUNG: Well, just like the rest of defense and our diplomacy efforts, we do as much as we can. Clearly, there is carryover money to keep some things going. But it’s impacted – just like if we don’t get further assistance, that is impacted.
You cannot do more with less when you talk about a wartime effort. It just doesn’t exist. And there are rules for a reason. You must have money to buy things.
So, we also worry about our own stockpiles. So, even if we could continue to deliver, what can we do to ensure American readiness does not suffer?
So, I worry about that in a shutdown. And I worry about that if we don’t keep the – critical aid going to Ukraine, which is why you saw, on a bipartisan basis, the Senate move forward to keep that going.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead.
Q: Thanks, Karine. Hi, Director.
Q: What do you see as the end game here? Are you willing to make any concessions to the hardline Republicans? And for how long are you expecting this shutdown to last?
DIRECTOR YOUNG: So, one, I think you get into real trouble in this town trying to play crystal-ball maker. I will tell you what the fastest path is to make sure this does not happen. You saw it in the Senate, with bipartisan vote to keep the government running.
I think we have to remember the we’re talking about: 47 days. Not a year, not two – 47 days. The point of a CR – we call them “stopgaps” – you keep stuff going. What did you do on September 30th as a government? You should keep doing that on October 1.
This is not hard. It is not meant to come back and negotiate and – and redo things we just agreed to do three months ago. It is to keep the government open to give congressional negotiators more time on long-term bills. This is not an exercise in reopening negotiations. We negotiated, at the Speaker’s request, three months ago.
My life is still recovering from it. I remember it very vividly. There are no negotiations left to have on a 47-day bill.
The conversation that needs to happen is with the Speaker and the Republican conference, period.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, MJ.
Q: Thank you, Director Young. Given that FEMA is already only prioritizing urgent and life-and-death operations, in the even of a shutdown, how long can even just those operations be sustained?
DIRECTOR YOUNG: Look, it depends on – we’re still in hurricane season. People think that it ends in August, September. So, my answers will be assuming no more major disasters happen. Everything is on the – off the table if something really truly catastrophic happens. But on due course, we think we can continue to do life and safety from FEMA.
But you’re right, FEMA is holding over 2,000 projects in abeyance because of their current fiscal situations. When did we tell Congress about this? In mid-August. It’s now late September. We told them we cannot pay our disaster relief bills in mid-August. It’s now late September, and they are now marching us towards a shutdown where those 2,000 projects just get longer and longer and longer.
So, if you are my home state of Louisiana, if you are Puerto Rico, if you are Texas, anyone who has a major de- — declaration in the past who are doing long-term recovery, we have to continue to hold to pay for those – those projects that are needed to continue to rebuild.
Q: But the life-and-death operations, though, they can continue indefinitely?
DIRECTOR YOUNG: They can continue. But I want you to know, that statement applies if there are no more large, large events. You know, I – we will have a different answer if there is a catastrophic event that pushes FEMA past the point of being – having enough money to do life and safety.
Right now, if there are no catastrophic events, we can continue to do life and safety.
Q: But if there are, then that may not be possible?
DIRECTOR YOUNG: I mean, that is alway the answer. I’ve done FEMA budgets since I was a baby staffer on Appropriations. All rules, all statements are out the windows when you have large, large events. They just skew the numbers needed so greatly.
Q: Thank you.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Patsy.
Q: Thanks, Karine. (Inaudible.) Do you have a – and I’m sorry if you mentioned this at the topper. Do you have an estimate of how much does it cost when we have a shutdown and then we reopen the government again – an estimate of, you know, per day or per week or however long it goes?
DIRECTOR YOUNG: Yeah, we’ll say – look our analysis on a shutdown really is tied to how long it happens. But one can expect, like, a 0.1 to 0.2 percent – I think most economists agree – hit to GDP.
The hope is, though, during a shutdown, if that happened, the economy would be able to pick that GDP loss up in the next quarter. So, it may not be a permanent loss.
But why risk our economy for a manufactured shutdown, all a problem within one conference in Congress?
I say 0.1 and 0.2, and that doesn’t sound big – 0.1 percent of our economy is $26 billion.
Q: I’m sorry if I wasn’t clear. That’s a hit to the economy. But is there an actual cost to, you know, shutting down the government and then reopening again, like any kind of logistical admin costs?
DIRECTOR YOUNG: So, it will not cost anything that would be outside of our normal – our normal spin rate, like the people in the office on – not the 30th, because the 30th is a Saturday – on the 29th will do the work they need to do today. They will pr- –be provided, like, four hours on their devices to – to send people – and have out of office, send people last messages.
But there tends not to be – we don’t have to go close major infrastructure. There’s not a large spike in spending in order to close down.
What is really expensive is the hit to – to GDP, the inability of people to access services like WIC. And it’s not just new people signing up for things like WIC; it is people who are on WIC currently. They cannot get access to the meals they would normally get. That is the real impact to the American people.
…MS. JEAN-PIERRE: … But go ahead, Ed.
Q: Great to be here. Thank you Shalanda. So, the Treasury Department now says the federal deficit is at $1.5 trillion. You know, that’s more than the CBO projected. The President has pushed the bipartisan infrastructure bill, he’s pushed the Inflation Reduction Act, the American Rescue Plan. He signed spending $5.8 trillion over the past two years.
Spending is at the heart of this impasse. So, does the President bear any responsibility for a shutdown?
DIRECTOR YOUNG: Absolutely not. And by the way, the deal was to ensure that we had a fiscally responsible plan – I think the name of the bill was the Fiscal Responsibility Act – that saved a trillion dollars over a decade.
And, look, if House Republicans want to join us in the Fiscal Reduction Act, I’m happy to talk to them about the tax cuts they have pending in Ways and Means that add to the deficit. I’m also happy to talk to any Republican who voted for two and a half trillion dollars of tax cuts, unpaid.
So, the problem I have is when people vote for that, bust the deficit on tax cuts for the wealthy, and then come and say we’re doing to much for Head Start and childcare and cancer research. Because that’s what we’re talking about.
They’ve taken the smallest amount of spending, do nothing about taxes for the rich, and they want to cut the smallest amount of spending. That’s not serious fiscal conversation. Anybody in D.C. will tell you, you cannot get on a better fiscal path by going after these domestic programs. They’re the smallest portion of our budget. It ain’t going to happen. It’s not serious. Even cutting it 30 percent doesn’t put you on a better fiscal path.
So, let’s just get real. It’s not about that.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: All right.
Q: (Inaudible)- has one more. So the House Speaker Kevin McCarthy says that he’s not going to take a salary during the shutdown. Does the President plan to pause his salary also?
DIRECTOR YOUNG: Look, I’m glad that the Speaker has made that statement. By the way, members of Congress have to get paid, constitutionally, so maybe he’ll out it in a sock drawer. I don’t know. (Laughter.) But they have to get paid during a shutdown. That’s theater. That is theater.
I will tell you, the guy who picks up the trash in my office won’t get a paycheck. That’s real. And that’s what makes me angry.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Peter. Thanks for your patience.
Q: If I can ask you very briefly about – we’ve been – we’ve seen this show before where it goes down to the wire and then, at the last minute, something happens or several days pass before anything happens. Can you just talk about, fundamentally, the impact – even if this were to be resolved – of playing this game where it goes to the last minute before there’s a short-term spending bill, how that sort of impacts the way our country runs? Because a lot of Americans see that, and they know that’s not the way it can work in their own homes.
DIRECTOR YOUNG: You’re right, and you’re right. I mean, we have time – what’d the President say? There’s nothing inevitable in politics. We don’t have to go down this road; House Republicans don’t have to take us down this road.
So, you’re right. There – there is always a chance that people can do the right thing and the government remain open or have a quick reopening.
Q: But even getting to this place, there’s already –
DIRECTOR YOUNG: Right.
Q: – been a ton of money lost, right?
DIRECTOR YOUNG: Not a ton of money lost. The confidence in government is what I worry about. People watching this – the dysfunction sowed. And I think there are a small amount of people who know that. You know, it’s the – it’s the carelessness by which people is like, “Oh, this shutdown is not much of government” Well, you tell people who live paycheck to paycheck that.
I know it’s not popular to defend federal workers. I know it’s not. But a lot of them live paycheck to paycheck. “The get repaid.” What are they supposed to do in the meantime? What are they supposed to do?
And then people can’t get government services. You go sign up for WIC. You finally convinced this mother it’s the right thing to do, because a lot of families are embarrassed about taking aid from the government. You finally convince this young mother to go do that. Not available. Confidence lost in government.
It’s one more knock on democratic institutions. And that worries me.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Joey.
Q: Yeah, as we get closer to a shutdown at the end of the week, does it remain the case that President Biden is unwilling to meet with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, as he’s suggested he would like to do?
DIRECTOR YOUNG: It’s not an unwillingness. We’ve talked. We talked a lot. The President talked a lot to Speaker McCarthy. We got a deal. This is the easy part.
Pe- — the debt deal was two and a half years. Now we’re talking about 47 days to keep the government running, to give Congress time to work on full-year spending bills. This is not hard. This is just not hard.
And, by the way, every day I read some other reason why they can’t vote on the Senate bill – the Senate bipartisan bill. It changes every day.
So, there’s not – not an unwillingness. We’ve had this conversation. The Speaker wanted to set towlines. We set them. Now he needs to talk to whomever he needs to talk to in the Republican conference and live up to that deal.
Q: What will be the engagement from President Biden to lawmakers, particularly as we get, you know, closer, Saturday – tomorrow?
DIRECTOR YOUNG: You’re talking about a president who was a former senator for 36 years. He has close relationships on the Hill. He stays in dialogue with Congress.
Clearly, there’s going to be an uptick in that as we are led down this path by House Republicans. And that’ll continue. The President is constantly updated on what is happening.
But, I’ll tell you, we’re at the 29th. We have until midnight tomorrow. What needs to happen is the one corner out of five who is having problems with their votes and their strategies need to find a path to meet the other four – four corners at the deal we all signed up for in early summer.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Okay. A couple more. Go ahead, Michael.
Q: Thanks, Karine. Director Young, can you talk a bit more about the impact a shutdown will have on the crisis at the Southern border?
DIRECTOR YOUNG: We asked for $4 billion to help deal with migration challenges at the border. You wouldn’t know that to hear what Republicans talk about. If border is an issue for House Republicans, where’s the dialogue on what the President asked for to help with enforcement, to help with transportation costs, to help with detention capacity?
You know, I’ve done this a long time. This is just a new – a new, interesting time in our political atmosphere where we can’t get Republicans to really engage us on more money to help control migration issues at the border. Almost no dialogue. No interest in talking on the President’s requests. No interest in dealing with fentanyl issues that we asked for more money to deal with to put equipment to find fentanyl coming through.
So, there is serious, and there is not serious. The president asked for money to help deal with the issues that hurt people: disaster, Ukraine, and border. We appreciate the Senate meeting us to make sure Ukraine aid continues, disaster aid continues.
But let’s not forget: This president asked for money to deal with the situation at the border. And you’re absolutely right. During a shutdown, not only do we not get the $4 billion we asked for to help, we’re asking CBP agents, ICE agents to go without pay. How is that helping?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Director. I’ve been speaking to many mothers who rely on WIC for food for their babies, and they don’t follow the ins and outs of politics and whether a shutdown would be the fault of Congress, the White House, the President. They just can’t believe that this country’s leaders would allow babies to go hungry. So, what would you say to them?
DIRECTOR YOUNG: I’d go back to my answer earlier. You know, I worry about people’s engagement and thought about their government. It worries me tremendously that people will show up on Wednesday or Thursday, trying to decide whether they were going to even apply for this aid, because a lot of people don’t trust – like, their friends tell them to go get this, and they’re like, “Ah, it’s going to be difficult – a lot of paperwork.” So, it takes convincing for people to go seek this aid. And then be told, “Never mind. Never mind, the government is closed, shut down.”
They don’t follow the ins and outs. It’s a pox on all of our houses. That’s why four out of five corners are trying not to go there. We’re doing everything we can to plead, beg, shame. “House Republicans, do the right thing. Don’t have this happen.”
The cavalier-ness is what gets me. I’ve heard people say in the Republican – in House Conference, “Oh, a shutdown is not that bad. It’s not like the debt ceiling.” Well, you go tell people who cannot pay their daycare bill. You go tell people that. You go tell men and women in uniform that they don’t get a paycheck when they show up to work every day. You got tell that mother that she cannot get formula after having had to be convinced to even give government at try. It’s the cavalier-ness that really really gets me.
And you’re right. It’s – it sets an expectation for how people deal with their government throughout their lives. And something we should work really hard to avoid.
Q: And to follow on that, could you clarify the total number of workers that would go without paying next week, and now many of them would still be required to show up to work?
DIRECTOR YOUNG: So, in civilians, 1.5 million – about 800,000 of them would be excepted and have to show up to the office.
As you know, depending on how long shutdowns go, people can be called back into work if their job and their duties, you know, start to fall into one of the categories that’s excepted. So, there could be – there will be – would be changes in those numbers if a shutdown would continue.
Q: And what about the breakdown for the military’s 1.3 million active-duty troops and the reservists plus DOD personnel?
DIRECTOR YOUNG: Right. It’s a little over $2 million – 2 million people who serve who are all expected to show up to their duty stations.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: All right. Just the last two. Go ahead, Aurelia.
Q: Thank you so much. Thank you, Director. You said this shutdown could be a knock on democratic institutions. What about the international reputation of this country when it seems like the United States is going from one major fiscal crisis into another?
DIRECTOR YOUNG: I think you just answered it. You know, this country, we owe our services to the American people. We talked a lot about one of those in WIC, we talked about cancer research. But our diplomatic efforts – this President has worked harder than most to hold alliances together that represent democratic institutions, the Western alliance, and ensure that the world knew America was back.
I do believe we will continue to do most of our missions as best as possible. We will show up where needed. But it certainly makes that more difficult the longer and longer this goes on. But in a very short-term situation, I think we will remain the same – with the same posture across the world.
Now the question is how we’re viewed. You know, it – it is not the shining example we want to portray that we continue to have fiscal crises because other world leaders look at that.
But I’m still hoping – I’m still remaining an optimist that we have a day and a half to work out in one corner what is needed to take the deal that is laid before them by the United States Senate. So, there’s still a chance.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Last question.
Q: Thank you, Director. Given that we’ve seen in prior shutdowns that some of these workers have to go to work without pay, including in the travel industry, FAA and others, that they might report – call in sick in greater numbers. Do you have any guidance around that or any estimates as to how that might affect the shutdown period?
DIRECTOR YOUNG: Look we don’t shut down often…
…So, it doesn’t happen often, so there aren’t numbers. We certainly have anecdotal evidence that that happens on occasion. And it goes back to what I talked about earlier: People make decisions that are best for their families.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: All right. Thank you so much, Director. We appreciate it.
DIRECTOR YOUNG: Thank you. Thank you.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Thank you so much, Director Young.
I do want to add something that the Director said, which I think was really important, about how this affects families. I think I’ve seen on some of the cable news networks this morning – if it was this morning – that you’ve seen, like, federal workers being interviewed and members of the military. And you see people – I thin one interview, someone was crying about how this is going to affect this – this shutdown that we’re – that Republicans in the House are barreling – barreling just to is going to affect them.
And we’re – this is real. This is real-life – real-life changes and real-life impact on people across the country.
And there was one military person who was interviewed who said that one of the reasons they went into the military is to have that stability – right? – is to make sure that they have a stability in their life.
And when you have one of the five groups who are taking away that stability because of a political stunt, because of their chaos within their own – within their own caucus, and they do that to a military member – personally who is really, truly putting their lives on the line for this country, and they’re saying that they no longer have the stability that they thought the military would bring them, I think that’s devastating.
And that’s, you know – this should not be partisan. This should be bipartisan. This is supposed to be basic, basic duty of Congress to do this – to do their jobs. And its going to have – if we do indeed have a shutdown, it is going to truly, truly hurt some of the people that we rely on every day, as well as cutting some key programs that families – that families need.
With that, Colleen, you want to kick us off?
Q: Sure. Can you say anything more about what the President’s plans are going to be this weekend in the face of the shutdown? What’s he going to be up to?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I can say that the President is going to be in Washington, D.C. And he’s going to remain in touch with congressional – well, our team here is going to continue to remain in touch with congre- -congressional leaders and members of both parties.
Certainly, he’s going to get updates on what’s – what’s happening – what’s happening on – on the Hill. But again, if – this is an – this is going to be the extreme part of the House Republican – this is going to be their shutdown. So, we do not – I don’t expect any travel outside of D.C. from this president. But, of course, if that changes, we certainly would communicate that. But the President will be here.
He’ll be getting updates from his team and the team more broadly. As you saw, the – the Director was here.
And – and also our Office of Leg Affairs is going to stay close in touch with members – with leaders – congressional leaders on the Hill.
Q: Would he be meeting with anybody in person this weekend?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I – no, I don’t have any – I don’t have any meetings or – to read out as it relates to – to Congress. But what I can say: This is something – and we’ve said it over and over again, and it needs to be repeated – this is something that Congress can fix. This is something that extreme – those extreme Republicans in the House can fix. They know how to fix this.
We just heard the process that the OMB Director went through – right? – earlier – earlier this summer, late spring on making that – helping to make that bipartisan deal become a law.
And so, this – we should not be here. We should – she shouldn’t have been here at this podium talking about a potential shutdown. It should not have been this way. And they can fix it.
Q: On the auto workers strike – so, it’s expanded now. And I just wondered if the White House is concerned about broader economic impact of a strike as it, sort of, wears on – I think it’s two weeks in? Two weeks in?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, a couple of things – and I’ve been asked this question about the potential impacts. Look, we always – we always take a look at what a major economic situation – the potential impacts could have, certainly, in our economic – in our economy more broadly.
But I will just go back to what I’ve said. This does – as it relates to the shutdown, the shutdown doesn’t need – does not need to happen. These programs that families need should be continuing. This – we should not be in this position that we’re in.
This is something that Republicans in Congress – in the House, more specifically, – are heading – heading us towards. And you – you saw there was a – there was a chart that was up when we were speaking. And, you know, Senate – Senate Republicans, Senate Democrats, House Democrats, the President, we’re all on the same page here. And for some reason, extreme House Republicans refused. They refused to get on – to get on board here.
And as it relates to the shutdown: should not be happening. This can be avoided. They can fix this if they choose – if they choose.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Karine. I hear what you’re saying and –
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: About what?
Q: About Republicans –
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.
Q: – and that they have to fix this. “It’s their problem. It’s not ours.” And that’s exactly what the White House said before the deal was struck about raising the debt ceiling. Initially, you guys weren’t going to touch any kind of negotiation because you said it was solely up to House Republicans, up to Congress to raise the debt ceiling.
But then, the President did intervene to avoid the U.S. defaulting. So, I’m just trying to understand at what point would the President intervene to avoid a shutdown?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I understand your question as well. Here’s the thing. And – and I think Director Young did a really good job laying this out. What we are talking about is a bill – a bipartisan bill that became law. That’s what we are talking about. Something that became law that was agreed by the five sides, right? The House Republicans even themselves, two thirds of them voted for this.
This is law. This is an agreement that was already made, that multiple conversations were had about this. This should be simple. This should be easy.
And that’s what we’re talking about. We’re talking about something that already existed not that long ago that they all literally voted for in the House and in the Senate, in a bipartisan way – something that I’ve said before – that’s what Americans want us to do here in – in Congress and in the Whi – in the White House – right? – in the federal government: to get things done in a bipartisan way so that it helps American families.
And that’s what they’re doing – they can fix it. There’s no conversation that needs to be had because they literally can fit this. It is their chaos. They can fix this. And what they’re putting at risk is our economy; our national security, as we just talked about the military personnel. It’s a – you know, and –
You know, we have been able – the President in the last two years have been able to get our economy back on track, right? We’ve talked about the 13.5 million jobs. We talked about unemployment being under 4 percent. And what they’re doing is incredibly irresponsible, and it is reckless.
So, that’s the difference. When you’re asking me – you know, you don’t quite understand and are trying to figure out what we’re talking about. We already made the deal. That’s why we keep saying “a deal is a deal.”
And it’s not just – it’s majority of Congress that agrees with us, right? When you think about what the Senate – the Senate actually moved forward and kept their deal. When you think about 77 senators who are moving forward – who voted to move forward with their CR. They are keeping the deal.
We’re talking about a small fraction of Congress. And that’s – and that’s reckless. That’s irresponsible. And that’s why we’re saying it is not us – for us to – it’s not on us to fix. It’s not on this president to fix it. It is on Congress to fix.
And it’s not just us. You – I started the briefing listing out – listing out quotes from – from Republicans in Congress themselves…
…MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead.
Q: Thank you. Does the President plan to take up McCarthy’s offer to meet, and does the White House see any value in that?
MS JEAN-PIERRE: Look, I’m going to be very clear. The per- the person that McCarthy – or the people that McCarthy needs to talk to is his own caucus. That’s who he needs to have a conversation with, not the President.
The President had multiple conversations with Speaker McCarthy very early on to get this bipartisan deal. That two thirds of the House – Republican House – Republican House voted on. The conversation is not between the President and McCarthy. He needs to – he needs to –
Q: So, he’s turning it down?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: He needs – what I’m saying very clearly is the conversation needs to happen between Speaker McCarthy and his – and his caucus. That’s where – that’s the fix. That’s the chaos that we’re seeing. And that’s where he needs to focus on….
September 30: The Hill posted an article titled: “House Republicans to vote on 45-day clean stopgap funding bill” From the article:
The House will vote Saturday on a 45-day “clean” stopgap funding bill that includes money for disaster relief, a major turn in strategy for Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) ahead of a midnight showdown deadline.
The clean continuing resolution (CR) would require support from two-thirds of the House for passage because it is being considered under a fast-tracked mechanism called suspension of the rules. That means it would rely heavily on Democratic support to pass.
It will not have border policy changes, a non-starter for Democrats, or funds for Ukraine that some Republicans opposed.
McCarthy announced the plan following a nearly two-hour closed-door conference meeting.
“We will put a clean funding stopgap on the floor to keep government open for 45 days for the House and Senate to get their work done,” McCarthy told reporters after the meeting. “We will also, knowing what had transpired, through the summer, the disasters in Florida, the horrendous fire in Hawaii, and also the disasters in California and Vermont. We will put the supplemental portion that the president asked for in disaster there too.”
“Keeping the government open while we continue to do our work to end wasteful spending and the wokeism and most important, secure our border,” he added.
If the bill does not pass, Republicans plan to bring up several measures to mitigate the effects of a government shutdown, multiple members said…
September 30: The Hill posted an article titled: “Embattled Congress lurches toward midnight shutdown” From the article:
Congress is lurching toward a shutdown that would begin early Sunday morning, with House Republicans battling one another and the Senate moving forward with a bipartisan plan that Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has not committed to bringing to a vote in the House.
Senators are poised to vote Saturday afternoon on a bill to fund the government until Nov. 17. The legislation includes $6.15 billion for Ukraine and $6 billion for disaster relief.
McCarthy has drawn a line in the sand on Ukraine funding, and floated the idea of a “clean” measure that would not include funding for Ukraine.
A number of conservative in McCarthy’s conference would oppose such a measure, and it would need Democratic support to pass.
The Senate bill, if approved by the upper chamber, would likely pass the House if it were given a vote on the floor.
But a majority of the House GOP conference voted against a measure Thursday on Ukraine aid, and bringing the bill to the floor could come with political pain for McCarthy, who is working under the threat of a “motion to vacate” from Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and other opponents that would essentially be a vote to remove him as Speaker.
McCarthy, who refuses to work with House Democrats, hasn’t been able to pass a government funding stopgap with just Republican votes because a small group of conservatives has refused to go along with his spending strategy…
September 30: CNN posted an article titled: “Biden aides are sure Republicans will be blamed for a possible government shutdown” From the article:
As Speaker Kevin McCarthy tries to placate his House Republican conference in the fight over spending, the White House is holding out hope of a bipartisan deal brokered days ago in the Senate can eventually overcome the standoff.
Until then, however, President Joe Biden’s aides are confident that any blame for a government shutdown will land squarely on McCarthy and his fellow Republicans, according to sources familiar with the matter.
“There’s no expectation that McCarthy will be able to pass something on his own” that could clear the Senate, one senior administration official said. How long a potential shutdown lasts “depends on how much pain McCarthy can endure.”
Watching the chaos unfold from the other end of Pennsylvania Ave, Biden and his aides have adopted a mostly hands-off approach, accusing McCarthy of reneging on a spending deal and listing the ways a shutdown would inflict damage on normal Americans.
McCarthy has declined to schedule a House vote on the Senate bill, which includes $12 billion in total aid for Ukraine and domestic disasters and would keep the government open until November 17. Hardline House Republicans have been seeking steep, across-the-board spending cuts to federal agencies and funding for border enforcement – and are waging a battle to remove McCarthy as speaker if they don’t get it.
“I think that the speaker is making a choice between his speakership and American interests,” Biden told Democratic donors in San Francisco this week, highlighting the administration’s view that Republicans will ultimately suffer politically if they fail to avert a shutdown…
…”The people that McCarthy needs to talk to is his own caucus,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters when asked whether Biden would consider meeting with the speaker. “The conversation needs to happen between Speaker McCarthy and his caucus.”…
September 30: The White House (@WhiteHouse) posted on X “With just three hours left, Congress has passed a bipartisan bill to avert a government shutdown – excluding the demands of the Extreme House Republicans.
Now it’s on the way to President Biden’s desk where he will promptly sign it into law.
It never should have been this close.”
September 30: The White House posted a Statement titled: “Statement from President Joe Biden on Passage of the Bipartisan Bill to Keep the Government Open” From the Statement:
Tonight, bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate voted to keep the government open, preventing an unnecessary crisis that would have inflicted needless pain on millions of hardworking Americans. This bill ensures that active-duty troops will continue to get paid, travelers will be spared airport delays, millions of women and children will continue to have access to vital nutrition assistance, and so much more. This is good news for the American people.
But I want to be clear: we should never have been in this position in the first place. Just a few months ago, Speaker McCarthy and I reached budget agreement to avoid precisely this type of manufactured crisis. For weeks, extreme House Republicans tried to walk away from that deal by demanding drastic cuts that would have been devastating for millions of Americans. They failed.
While the Speaker and the overwhelming majority of Congress have been steadfast in their support for Ukraine, there is no new funding in this agreement to continue that support. We cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted. I fully expect the Speaker will keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and secure passage of the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment.
September 30: The Hill posted an article titled: “Congress votes to avert shutdown” From the article:
Congress averted a shutdown with just hours to spare, capping a dramatic day that started with a lapse in government funding appearing all but inevitable.
The Senate voted 88-9 to pass a “clean” continuing resolution (CR) that funds the government at current levels through Nov. 17 and gives the Biden administration $16 billion it requested to assist victims of natural disasters. The House had earlier passed the measure in a bipartisan 335-91 vote.
The CR notably lacks any funding for Ukraine, spending cuts or border policy changes.
The bill now heads to President Biden’s desk for his signature before midnight, with both sides claiming victory.
“Bipartisanship, which has been the trademark of the Senate, has prevailed. And the American people can breathe a sigh of relief,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said.
The vote âme together after a hectic day on both sides of the Capitol, one Schumer descried as full of “twists and turns.”
House Republicans huddled in the morning and Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) – having exhausted all options to pass a GOP-only stopgap plan – made a sharp shift in strategy and announced the clean CR, dealing a blow to hardline conservatives who have stymied leadership at every turn in recent weeks…
…”Let me tell you, today wasn’t a choice we wanted to have. We tried to pass the most conservative stopgap measure possible,” McCarthy said after Saturday’s vote. “Unfortunately, we didn’t have 218 Republicans.”
But it wasn’t immediately clear the measure would get the Democratic votes it needed to pass.
September 30: The White House posted “Press Release: Bill Signed: H.R. 5860” From the Legislation:
On Saturday, September 30, 2023, the President signed into law:
H.R. 5860, which provides fiscal year appropriations to Federal agencies through November 17, 2023, for continuing projects at the Federal Government and extends several expiring authorities.
September 30: The White House posted a Presidential Action titled: “Message to the Congress on Designation of Funding as an Emergency Requirement in Accordance with Section 114(c) of division A of the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024 and Other Extensions Act” From the Presidential Action:
In accordance with section 114(c) of division A of the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024, and Other Extensions Act (H.R. 5860; the “Act”), I hereby designate as emergency requirements all funding (including the transfer and repurposing of funds) so designated by the Congress in the Act pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as outlined in the enclosed list of accounts.
The details of this action are set forth in the enclosed memorandum from the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. – JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
September 30: CNN posted an article titled: “READ: The 45-day spending bill that passed the House” You can find an embedded copy of the bill in the CNN article.
September 30: Stars and Stripes posted an article titled: “Government shutdown averted with little time to spare as Biden signs funding before midnight” From the article:
The threat of a federal government shutdown suddenly lifted late Saturday as President Joe Biden signed a temporary funding bill to keep agencies open with little time to spare after Congress rushed to approve the bipartisan deal.
The package drops aid to Ukraine, a White House priority opposed by a growing number of GOP lawmakers, but increases federal disaster assistance by $16 billion, meeting Biden’s full request. The bill funds government until Nov. 17.
After chaotic days of turmoil in the House, Speaker Kevin McCarthy abruptly abandoned demands for steep spending cuts from his right flank and instead relied on Democrats to pass the bill, at risk to his own job. The Senate followed with final passage closing a whirlwind day at the Capitol.
“This is good news for the American people,” Biden said in a statement.
He also said the United States “cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted” and expected McCarthy “will keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and secure passage of the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment.”
It’s been a sudden head-spinning turn of events in Congress after grueling days in the House pushed the government to the brink of a disruptive federal shutdown.
The outcome ends, for now, the threat of a shutdown, but the reprieve may be short-lived. Congress will again need to fund the government in coming weeks risking a crisis as views are hardening, particularly among the right-flank lawmakers whose demands were ultimately swept aside this time in favor of a more bipartisan approach… [...]
June 28, 2023Biden-HarrisPhoto by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash
Obergefell v. Hodges was a landmark case that gave people who are LGBTQ+ the right to marry the person that they love. In this blog post, I will provide plenty of information about the case and how it positively affected a group who were previously not allowed to marry their partner.
NCLR (National Center for Lesbian Rights) posted a press release on June 26, 2020, titled: “NCLR Celebrates Five Year-Anniversary of Obergefell, Historic Supreme Court Ruling On Marriage Equality” From the press release:
“Obergefell was about much more than simply winning the freedom to marry.”
The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) today joins with millions of LGBTQ people and allies in celebrating the five-year anniversary of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling establishing marriage equality in all 50 states.
On June 26, 2015, the Court issued a historic decision in Obergefell v. Hodges holding that same-sex couples have a fundamental right to marry and to all of the protections and benefits provided by marriage. Today also marks the seven-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in United States v. Windsor, striking down the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, which prohibited the federal government from recognizing the marriages of same-sex couples, and the seventeenth anniversary of Lawrence v. Texas which struck down state laws criminalizing same-sex intimacy.
NCLR was proud to represent three same-sex couples from Tennessee whose case was heard by the Supreme Court along with Obergefell and two other cases…
…NCLR litigated Tanco v. Haslam, the Tennessee marriage case that was consolidated and decided with Obergefell, with Abby Rubenfeld, one of the most storied civil rights litigators in the LGBTQ movement, as well as: Douglas Hallward-Driemeier, Thomas Brown, John Day, Paul Kellogg, Joshua Goldstein, Samira Omerovic, and Emerson Siegel of Ropes & Gray LLP; William Harbison, Phillip Cramer, Scott Hickman and John Farrianger of Sherrard & Roe, PLC; Maureen Holland; Regina Lambert, and David Codell…
…In the decades preceding Obergefell, NCLR’s legal team played a leading role in securing marriage equality in a number of key states. In 2008, NCLR Legal Director Shannon Minter argued before the California Supreme Court in In re Marriage Cases, a landmark case that made California the second state in the country to permit same-sex couples to marry. When California voters subsequently enacted Proposition 8, re-imposing a marriage ban, NCLR won another state supreme court case holding that marriages that had taken place were valid and could not be retroactively nullified.
In addition, to California, NCLR won marriage equality victories in Utah, Idaho, Florida, Alabama, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming…
Constitutional Accountability Center provided some background about the case:
Obergefell v. Hodges, and three cases consolidated with it by the Supreme Court – Tanco v. Haslam, DeBoer v. Snyder, and Bourke v. Beshear – were federal-court challenges to state laws and constitutional amendments adopted by the voters of Ohio, Tennessee, Michigan, and Kentucky that prohibited same-sex couples from marrying and/or forbid the state from recognizing the marriages of same-sex couples lawfully entered into in other states.
On November 6, 2014, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, in an opinion written by Judge Jeffery Sutton (and joined by Judge Deborah Cook), upheld the discriminatory marriage laws of each of those four states. Judge Martha Daughtrey dissented.
With this decision, the Sixth Circuit became the first federal court of appeals since United States v. Windsor to uphold a state law denying same-sex couples the freedom to marry, creating a split among the circuits. The plaintiffs challenging these laws asked the Supreme Court to review the Sixth Circuit’s decision, and on January 16, 2015, the Court agreed to do so, consolidating all four cases for purposes of review. In Obergefell and the cases consolidated with it the Court considered two questions: (1) whether the Fourteenth Amendment requires states to license marriages between two people of the same sex, and (2) whether the Fourteenth Amendment requires states to recognize same-sex marriages legally entered into in other states.
On March 6, 2015, CAC filed an amicus curiae brief in the consolidated cases, urging the Supreme Court to reverse the Sixth Circuit’s ruling. Our brief (CAC) demonstrated that in denying same-sex couples the right to marry and empowering the people of Ohio, Tennessee, Michigan and Kentucky to impose a badge of inferiority on those couples, the Sixth Circuit “misapprehended the Fourteenth Amendment’s guarantee of equal protection… and disregarded vital principles of constitutional supremacy.” As the Supreme Court has repeatedly held, ” cannot use the democratic process to write inequality into law or deny to minorities core aspects of liberty.” Contrary to Judge Sutton’s opinion, there is simply no “will of the majority” exception to the Fourteenth Amendment’s protection of individual liberty against state infringement and its guarantee of equality under the law.
The court heard the oral argument on April 28, 2015…
Legal Defense Fund posted information about the Obergefell v. Hodges court case:
In March 2015, LDF filed an amicus brief in Obergefell v. Hodges, the case that ultimately recognized marriage equality. The brief explained that the arguments advanced against marriage equality were the same as those that were raised – and rejected – by the Supreme Court in Loving v. Virginia. LDF’s brief also noted that because there is a long history of discrimination and excluding against the LGBTQ+ community – similar to the history of discrimination against the Black community – state bans on same-sex marriage relegate gays and lesbians to an unequal and inferior status as a group.
LDF’s argument was central to the Court’s decision, which noted that a “first premise of the Court’s relevant precedents is that the right to personal choice regarding marriage is inherent in the concept of individual autonomy. This abiding connection between marriage and liberty is why Loving invalidated interracial marriage bans…
Britannica posted information about the Obergefell vs Hodges court case:
Obergefell v. Hodges, legal case in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled (5-4) on June 26, 2015, that state bans on same-sex marriages and on recognizing same-sex marriages duly performed in other jurisdictions are unconstitutional under the due process and equal protection clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution.
The two questions presented by the case – the constitutionality of same-sex marriage bans, (the “marriage question”) and the constitutionality of bans on recognizing same-sex marriages (the “recognition” question) – were among various issues jointly presented in several related cases heard by a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in August 2014.
In a single opinion issued in November, the panel held (2-1), among other things, that the Fourteenth Amendment as well as the Supreme Court’s own precedents were not inconsistent with state laws and constitutional amendments that defined marriage as a legal relation between one man and one woman only or that denied legal effect to same-sex marriages performed out-of-state.
The plaintiffs in the cases immediately filed for certiorari with the Supreme Court, which was granted in a consolidated case, Obergefell v. Hodges, in January 2015, limited to the marriage and recognition questions. Oral arguments were heard on April 28.
Writing for the majority, Justice Anthony Kennedy asserted that the right to marry is a fundamental right “inherent in the liberty of the person” and is therefore protected by the due process clause, which prohibits the states from depriving any person of “life, liberty, or property without due process of law.” By virtue of close connection between liberty and equality, the marriage right is also guaranteed by the equal protection clause, which forbids the states from “deny to any person… the equal protection of the laws.”
Kennedy then argued at length that “the reasons marriage is fundamental,” including its connection with individual liberty, “apply with equal force to same-sex couples.” Such considerations, he concluded, compel the court to hold that “same-sex couples may exercise the fundamental right to marry.”
His opinion was joined by Justices Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elana Sagan, and Sonia Sotomayor. The lead dissenting opinion was written by Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., and joined by Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, both of whom also wrote their own dissents, as did Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr.
Wikipedia provided information about the Supreme Court Justices’s opinion on Obergefell v. Hodges:
Majority Opinion
Justice Anthony Kennedy authored the majority opinion and was joined by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan. The majority held that state same-sex marriage bans are a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses.
“The Constitution promises liberty to all within its reach,” the Court declared, “a liberty that includes certain specific rights that allow persons, within a lawful realm, to define and express their identity. Citing Griswold v. Connecticut, the Court affirmed that the fundamental rights found in the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause “extend to certain personal choices central to individual dignity and autonomy, including intimate choices that define personal identity and beliefs,” but the “identification and protection” of these fundamental rights “has not been reduced to any formula.” As the Supreme Court found in cases such as Loving v. Virginia, Zablocki v. Redhail, and Turner v. Safley, this extension includes a fundamental right to marry.
The Court rejected respondent states’ framing of the issue as whether there were a “right to same-sex marriage,” insisting its precedents “inquired about the right to marry in its comprehensive sense, asking if there was a sufficient justification for excluding the relevant class from the right.” Addressing the formula in Washington v. Glucksberg that fundamental rights had to be “deeply rooted” in the nation’s history and traditions, “inconsistent with the approach this Court has used” in Loving, Turner, and Zablocki. It continued, “If rights were defined by who exercised them in the past, then received practices could serve as their own continued justification and new groups could not invoke rights once denied.” Citing its prior decisions in Loving and Lawerence v. Texas, the Court framed the issue accordingly in Obergefell.
The Court listed four distinct reasons why the fundamental right to marry applies to same-sex couples, citing United States v. Windsor in support throughout its discussion. First, “the right to personal choice regarding marriage is inherent in the concept of individual autonomy.” Second, “the right to marry is fundamental because it supports a two-person union unlike any other in its importance to the committed individuals,” a principle applying equally to same-sex couples. Third, the fundamental right to marry “safeguards children and families and thus draws meaning from related rights of childrearing, procreation, and education; as same-sex couples have children and families, they are deserving of this safeguard – through the right to marry in the United States has never been conditioned on procreation. Fourth, and lastly, “marriage is a keystone of our social order,” and “here is no difference between same- and opposite-sex couples with respect to this principal”; consequently, preventing same-sex couples from marrying puts them at odds with society, denies them countless benefits of marriage, and introduces instability into their relationships for no justifiable reason.
The Court noted the relationship between the liberty of the Due Process Clause and the equality of the Equal Protection Clause and determined the same-sex marriage bans violated the latter. Concluding that the liberty and equality of same-sex couples was significantly burdened, the Court struck down same-sex marriage bans for violating both clauses, holding that same-sex couples may exercise the fundamental right to marry in all fifty states “on the same terms and conditions as opposite-sex couples.”
Due to the “substantial and continuing harm” and the “instability and uncertainty” caused by state marriage laws differing with regard to same-sex couples, and because respondent states had conceded that a ruling requiring them to marry same-sex couple would undermine their refusal to hold valid same-sex marriages performed in other stats, the Court also held that states must recognize same-sex marriages legally performed in other states.
Addressing respondent states’ argument, the Court emphasized that, while the democratic process may be an appropriate means for deciding issues such as same-sex marriage, no individual has to rely solely on the democratic process to exercise a fundamental right. “An individual can invoke a right to constitutional protection when he or she is harmed, even if the broader public disagrees and even if the legislature refuses to act,” for “fundamental rights may not be submitted to a vote; they depend on the outcome of no elections.” Furthermore, to rule against same-sex couples in this case, letting the democratic process play out as “a cautious approach to recognizing and protecting fundamental rights” would harm same-sex couples in the interim.
Additionally, the Court rejected the notion that allowing same-sex couples to marry harms the institution of marriage, leading to fewer opposite-sex marriages through the severing of the link between procreation and marriage, calling the notion “counterintuitive” and “unrealistic.” Instead, the Court stated that married same-sex couples “would pose no risk of harm to themselves or third parties.” The majority also stressed that the First Amendment protects those who disagree with same-sex marriage.
In closing, Justice Kennedy wrote for the Court:
“No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were. As some of the petitioners in these cases demonstrate, marriage embodies a love that may endure even past death. It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilizations’ oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.”
Dissenting Opinions
Chief Justice Roberts
Chief Justice Roberts wrote a dissenting opinion, which was joined by Justices Scalia and Thomas. Roberts accepted substantive due process, by which fundamental rights are protected through the Due Process Clause, but warned it has been missed over time to expand perceived fundamental rights, particularly in Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857) and Lochner v. New York (1905). Roberts stated that no prior decision had changed the core component of marriage, that it be between one man and one woman; consequently, same-sex marriage bans did not violate the Due Process Cause. Roberts also rejected the notion that same-sex marriage bans violated a right to privacy, because they involved not government intrusion or subsequent punishment. Addressing the Equal Protection Clause, Roberts stated that same-sex marriage bans did not violate the clause because they were rationally related to a governmental interest: preserving the traditional definition of marriage.
More generally, Roberts stated that marriage, which he proposed had always had a “universal definition” as “the union of a man and a woman,” arose to ensure successful childrearing. Roberts criticized the majority opinion for relying on moral convictions rather than a constitutional basis, and for expanding fundamental rights without caution or regard for history. He also suggested that the majority opinion could be used to expand marriage to include legalized polygamy. Roberts chided the majority for overriding the democratic process and for using the judiciary in a way that was not originally intended. According to Roberts, supporters of same-sex marriage cannot win “true acceptance” for their side because the debate has now been closed. Roberts also suggested that the majority’s opinion will ultimately lead to consequences for religious liberty, and he found the Court’s language unfairly attacks opponents of same-sex marriages.
Justice Scalia
Justice Antonin Scalia wrote a dissenting opinion, which was joined by Justice Thomas. Scalia stated that the Court’s decision effectively robs the people of “the freedom to govern themselves”, noting that a rigorous debate on same-sex marriage had been taking place and that, by deciding the issue nationwide, the democratic process had been unduly halted. Addressing the claimed Fourteenth Amendment violation, Scalia asserted that, because a same-sex marriage ban would not have been considered unconstitutional at the time of the Fourteenth Amendment’s adoption, such bans are not unconstitutional today. He claimed there was “no basis” for the Court’s “lacking even a thin veneer of the law.” Lastly, Scalia faulted the actual writing in the opinion for ‘diminish this Court’s reputation for clear thinking and sober analysis” and for ‘descend from the disciplined legal reasoning of John Marshall and Joseph Story to the mystical aphorisms of the fortune cookie.
Justice Thomas
Justice Clarance Thomas wrote a dissenting opinion, which was joined by Justice Scalia. Thomas rejected the principle of substantive due process, which he claimed, “invites judges to do exactly what the majority has done here – Roa at large in the constitutional field guided only by their personal views as to the fundamental rights protected by that document”; in doing so, the judiciary strays from the Constitution’s text, subverts the democratic process, and “exalts judges at the expense of the People from whom they derive their authority.” Thomas argued that the only liberty that falls under Due Process Clause protection is freedom from “physical restraint”. Furthermore, Thomas insisted that “liberty has long been understood as individual freedom from governmental action, not as a right to a particular governmental entitlement” such as a marriage license. According to Thomas, took issue with the majority’s holding also undermines the political process and threatens religious liberty. Lastly, Thomas took issue with the majorities view that marriage advances the dignity of same-sex couples. In his view, government is not capable of bestowing dignity; rather, dignity is a natural right that is innate, within every person, a right that cannot be taken away even through slavery and interment camps.
Justice Alito
Justice Samuel Alito wrote a dissenting opinion, which was joined by Justices Scalia and Thomas. Invoking Glucksberg, in which the Court stated the Due Process Clause protects only rights and liberties that are “deeply rooted in this Nation’s history and tradition,” Alito claimed any “right” to same-sex marriage would not meet this definition; he chided the justices in the majority for going against judicial precedent and long-held tradition. Alito defended the rationale of the states, accepting the premise that same-sex marriage bans serve to promote procreation and the optimal childrearing environment. Alito expressed concern that the majority’s opinion would be used to attack the beliefs of those who disagree with same-sex marriage, who “will risk being labeled as bigots and treated as such by governments, employers, and schools,” leading to “bitter and lasting wounds.” Expressing concern for judicial abuse, Alito concluded, “Most Americans – understandably – will cheer or lament today’s decision because of their views on the issue of same-sex marriage. But all Americans, whatever their thinking on that issue, should worry about what the majority’s claim of power portends.”
Katie Couric Media posted an interview with Jim Obergefell on June 26, 2023:
June 26 marks a key milestone for the LGBTQ community in more ways than one. It’s the anniversary of three landmark U.S. Supreme Court decisions, starting with Lawrence v. Texas in 2003, which struck down sodomy laws that restricted same-sex intimacy behind closed doors. Then there was United States v. Windsor, in 2039, which ruled that the Defense of Marriage Act, a federal law defining marriage as a union between one man and one woman, was unconstitutional. Both of these cases helped pave the way for Jim Obergefell, whose own case, Obergefell v. Hodges legalized gay marriage nationally in 2015.
Obergefell’s victory was no means a certainty, but he says both of those previous decisions gave him home at a time when a win wasn’t a guarantee. “Given the fact that those two other cases came out on June 26, we felt pretty optimistic that more good news was on the way – and that’s exactly what happened.”
Sadly, his husband, John Arthur, who died in 2013 of ALS, didn’t live to see the decision, but Obergefell says the love that they shared continues to live on. “The first thought I had was, ‘John, I wish you were here. I wish you could experience this. I wish you could know that our marriage can never be erased.”…
Things To Know About Obergefell v. Hodges Case was put together from several different sources. It is not allowed to be copied. [...]
July 26, 2022Biden-HarrisPerson using wheelchair outside by SHEVTS productions on Pexels
In November of 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) sued Uber over “Wait Time” fees. These fees were being charged to passengers who, because of a disability, needed more time to enter a car. In July of 2022, Uber settled this lawsuit.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) posted a news release on July 18, 2022. It was titled: “Uber Commits to Changes and Pays Millions to Resolve Justice Department Lawsuit for Overcharging People with Disabilities”. From the news release:
The Department of Justice filed in court today a multi-million-dollar settlement agreement with Uber Technologies Inc. (Uber) to resolve a lawsuit alleging that Uber violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Under the agreement, Uber will offer several million dollars in compensation to more than 65,000 Uber users who were charged discriminatory fees due to disability.
In November 2021, the department filed a lawsuit alleging that Uber violated Title III of the ADA, which prohibits discrimination by private transportation companies like Uber. According to the complaint, in April 2016, Uber began charging passengers wait time fees in a number of cities, eventually expanding the policy nationwide. The wait time fees started two minutes after the Uber car arrived at the pickup location and were charged until the car began its trip.
The department’s complaint alleged that Uber violated the ADA by failing to reasonably modify its wait time fee policy for passengers who, because of disability, needed more than two minutes to get in an Uber car. Passengers with disabilities may need additional time to enter a car for various reasons. A passenger may, for example use a wheelchair or walker that needs to be broken down and stored in the car. Or a passenger who is blind may need additional time to safely walk from the pickup location to the car itself. The department’s lawsuit alleged that, even when Uber was aware that passengers’ need for additional time was clearly disability-based, Uber started charging a wait time fee at the two-minute mark.
Under the two-year agreement, Uber has committed to waive wait time fees for all Uber riders who certify that they (or someone they frequently travel with) need more time to get into an Uber car because of a disability. Uber also will ensure that refunds are easily available for anyone who does not have a waiver and is charged a wait time fee because of disability. Uber will advertise the wait time fee waiver program and train its customer service representatives on the waiver program and refund process to ensure that people with disabilities are not charged illegal fees.
Additionally, Uber will credit the accounts of more than 65,000 eligible riders who signed up for the waiver program for double the amount of wait time fees they were ever charged, which could amount to potentially hundred of thousands or millions of dollars in compensation. Uber will also pay $1,738,500 to more than one thousand riders who complained to Uber about being charged wait time fees because of disability, and $500,000 to other harmed individuals identified by the department…
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was first made into law in 1990. There have been amendments to it since then. The main purpose is as follows:
To provide a clear and comprehensive national mandate for the elimination of discrimination against individual with disabilities;
To provide clear, strong, consistent, enforceable standards addressing discrimination against individuals with disabilities;
To ensure that the Federal Government plays a certain role in enforcing the standards established in this chapter on behalf of individuals with disabilities; and
To invoke the sweep of congressional authority, including the power to enforce the fourteenth amendment and to regulate commerce, in order to address the major areas of discrimination faced day-to-day by people with disabilities.
In short, Uber never had the right to impose a wait fee on riders because of their disabilities. The ADA does not allow that because doing so is (obviously) discrimination against people who have a disability.
In my opinion, there must have been a high-up person at Uber believed they would get away with charging “wait fees” to riders who have disabilities. Uber was wrong about that and is now, quite literally, paying the price. I cannot understand why the company thought they could ignore a law that has provided protections from discrimination against people who have disabilities since 1990.
Here are some quotes from the DOJ News release:
“People with disabilities should not be made to feel like second-class citizens or punished because of their disability, which is exactly what Uber’s wait time fee policy did,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This agreement sends a strong message that Uber and other ride sharing companies will be held accountable if their services discriminate against people with disabilities. The Civil Rights Division remains committed to enforcing the ADA and ensuring that people with disabilities can travel free from barriers and indignities.”
“Ensuring equal access to transportation for those with disabilities is an important goal of the ADA,” said U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds for the Northern District of California. “People with disabilities must have access to ridesharing services provided by Uber and similar companies without enduring discriminatory wait time fees. This agreement removes that barrier to equal access for passengers with disabilities and provides a mechanism to compensate those harmed by Uber’s wait fee policy.”
Bloomberg reported a quote from Uber regarding the settlement:
“We’re pleased to have reached this agreement with the Department of Justice, and look forward to continuing to help everyone move easily around their communities,” an Uber spokesperson said in a statement. “It has long been our policy to refund wait time fees for riders with a disability when they altered us that they were charged, and prior to this matter being filed we made changes so that any rider who shares that they have a disability would have wait time fees waived automatically.”
The Hill reported that same quote from Uber, and added more information:
“We are always working to improve accessibility for all users and encourage riders with a disability to utilize our self-declaration form to have wait time fees waived.”
TechCrunch reported the following:
Uber’s agreement to settle this case means more than getting justice for people with disabilities who have suffered discrimination. It is also yet another case of Uber being forced to settle a dispute that identifies the ride-hail giant as a transportation company, rather than just a platform that connects independent drivers with riders, as Uber has tried to define itself in the past. For example, in February, Uber settled a class action lawsuit from California drivers, paying $8.4 million for misclassifying them as contractors rather than employees.
The U.S. Department of Justice posted its news release in July – which just so happens to be Disability Pride Month.
Caroline Casey, writing for Forbes, explained:
Disability Pride Month looks to celebrate disability as an identity by sharing the experiences of the disabled community. The reason behind this month is a chance to share the joy and pride that disabled people can bring to their local and global communities. The disabled community is a vibrant part of society and makes up 15% of the population, and we are proud of that.
Cathy Reay, writing for Mashable, provided some history of Disability Pride Month:
Disability Pride Month started with a parade in Boston, US, in 1990 to celebrate the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a law that prohibits the discrimination of disabled people in the U.S. There is an equivalent law in the UK, the Equality Act (2010). There was another parade in Boston in 1991 and the main event moved to Chicago, where the first parade was held on 2004. New York City has held annual parades since 2015.
Both my husband, and myself, have disabilities. It is reassuring to know that the U.S. Department of Justice (during the Biden-Harris administration) will stand up for people who have disabilities.
Uber Settles DOJ Lawsuit Over Wait Fees is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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California
September 27, 2023CaliforniaThe California 2022 Midterm Elections were held on two separate dates. The Nonpartisan Primary for the U.S. House was held on June 7, and the General Election for U.S. House was held on November 8, 2022.
In this blog post, I will provide information about the candidates who ran for the Midterm Elections, the winners and losers, and more.
California Governor Election – 2022
March 11, 2022: The Associated Press posted an article titled: “California cakewalk? No big-name rivals for Gov. Newsom” From the article:
Six months after winning a recall election that could have ousted him from office, California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is in an enviable position as he raves up a reelection campaign that could give him a second four-year term.
No top-tier competitor has emerged to stand in his way and he’s flush with campaign cash. He had roughly $25 million in his main political committee at the end of 2021.
All of the most-recognized Republicans who ran in the recall have decided not to run again. They include conservative radio talk show host Larry Elder and former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, who made his announcement a day before Friday’s deadline for candidates to enter the race…
…A certified list of candidates is not due from state election officials until later this month, but Newsom’s challengers are expected to include state Sen. Brian Dahle, a little-known Republican from rural Northern California. Dahle has called it a David and Goliath matchup.
Democratic candidates hold commanding advantages in liberal-leaning California. The party holds every statewide office, and dominates the Legislature and congressional delegation. The party also holds a roughly 2-1 advantage in voter registration over Republicans…
Newsom discouraged competition with a strong showing in last year’s recall. After appearing imperiled during the depths of the pandemic, he rebounded and defeated by a landslide margin the attempt to push him out. Instead, a field of little-known rivals will take on the incumbent in a June 7 primary election…
…The Republican Party has been withering away in California for years: statewide GOP registration has slipped under 24%, compared to 46.7% for Democrats. Most of the remainder are independents who tend to lean Democratic. In the last two U.S. Senate races, the November ballot included only Democratic candidates after no GOP candidates finished second to earn a place in the general election.
The lack of competitive GOP candidates at the top of the ticket could hurt candidates down the ballot, including those in a string of competitive U.S. House races that are expected to play into the fight to control Congress…
June 8, 2022: The Associated Press posted an article titled: “Newsom wins California primary, is big favorite in November”. From the article:
In a year when Democrats across the county have been bracing for a mid-term backlash at the polls, voters in California delivered decisive victories for the party during Tuesday’s primary, led by Gov. Gavin Newsom crushing a field of 25 other candidates less than a year after voters tried to recall him from office.
Newsom got about 59% of the votes and has more than $23 million in the bank for a November general election against Brian Dahle, a largely anonymous state senator from the sparsely populated northeast corner of the state.
Dahle is best known for his quest to get a giant new reservoir built in Northern California, had about 15% of the votes and finished second. In California’s primary system, the top two vote-getters advance to the general election…
…His first task will be to raise money necessary to compete with Newsom statewide. It won’t be easy. Many Republican voters will be loathe to back a longshot candidate when they instead might invest in a handful of congressional races in the state that could determine control of the U.S. House…
June 10, 2022: Politico posted an article titled: “Newsom recall opponents sit out 2022 California governor’s race”. From the article:
California Gov. Gavin Newsom recall opponents have opted out of a second round.
Former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s camp confirmed to POLITICO on Thursday that Faulconer would not contest Newsom’s reelection push this year. With that, every high-profile Republican who ran to replace Newsom in last year’s recall has bowed out of the 2022 contest.
In a statement Thursday night, Faulconer said it was “not the right time” to run for governor and that “the lingering effects of the circus that unfolded toward the end of last year’s recall make it extremely difficult to relaunch the type of campaign I would want to run.”
Conservative talk show and top replacement candidate vote-getter host Larry Elder removed himself from the running months ago, and businessperson Assemblymember Kevin Kiley is running for Congress. Former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner has not sought a second act in California politics…
…Newsom’s 2022 opponents will include Republican state Senator Brian Dahle; GOP Navy veteran Shawn Collins; and independent Michael Shellenberger, who has gained attention for his arguments that progressive governance exacerbated San Francisco’s homeless crisis.
June 24, 2022: The New York Times reported: Gov. Gavin Newsom is overwhelmingly favored to win re-election after defeating a recall drive last year. Republicans have thrown their support behind Brian Dahle, a state lawmaker, while the author Michael Shellenberger, an independent, is hoping to rely on his large social media presence to reach the general election.
Gavin Newsom: 3,888,543 – 56.2% votes
Brian Dahle: 1,214,317 – 17.5% votes
Michael Shellenberger: – 284,664 – 4.1% votes
These results where posted with 95% of the votes recorded.
If you want to know more about the California Recall of Governor Gavin Newsom, here are a few articles I wrote about that:
Facts About the California Recall
Here’s Why Governor Newsom Won’t Be Recalled
The Republican Recall in California Failed!
Official Results of California Recall
August 23, 2022: Institute of Governmental Studies UC Berkeley posted “Release #2022-13: Newsom holds big lead in re-election bid for governor.” From the release:
Newsom holds big lead in re-election bid for governor. – His challenger Republican Brian Dahle is unfamiliar to a majority of the state’s voters –
The latest Berkeley IGS Poll finds finds Governor Newsom holding a commanding lead in his fall re-election bid against Republican challenger, state Senator Brian Dahle. The poll finds Newsom currently leading by 27 points among the state’s registered voters and 24 points among voters considered most likely to vote in the November general election.
Newsom finished first in a field of 26 candidates in the state’s June top-two primary for governor, capturing 55.9% of the vote. He will face off in the November general election against second place finisher Dahle, who received 17.7% of the primary vote.
While the incumbent Governor is nearly universally known to the electorate, a majority of voters (58%) is unable to offer an opinion of Dahle. Both candidates are viewed more positively than negatively among those offering an opinion.
The poll also finds that 53% of the state’s voters approve of the job Newsom is doing overall while 42% disapprove. This is slightly better than the last time the Berkeley IGS Poll asked voters about the Governor’s job performance in February. However, more voters continue to believe that things in the state are moving in the wrong direction than those that feel California is heading in the right direction by 52% to 40%.
Opinions about the job Newsom is doing and his re-election bid are highly partisan with Democrats offering a very positive assessment of the job performance and solidly backing his reelection. By contrast, Republicans hold a decidedly negative view of the Governor’s performance in office and overwhelmingly oppose his re-election.
Newsom holds big lead over Dahle in November gubernatorial election.
When voters are asked their voting preferences for gubernatorial in the fall general election the poll finds Newsom holding a commanding twenty-seven-points lead over Dahle (52% to 25%) among the overall electorate and leading by twenty-four points (55% to 31%) among those considered most likely to participate in the election.
Support for Newsom’s reelection is greatest among registered voters in his home region, the San Francisco Bay Area (64%) as well as voters in the state’s Central Coast region (55%), Los Angeles County (55%) and San Diego County (54%).
Newsom’s support is broad-based across the major demographic subgroups of the state electorate. Newsom holds a huge lead over Dahle among the state’s Democratic voters, who outnumber Republicans greater than two to one. Other subgroups where Newsom receives strong backing include voters registered as No Party Preference, liberals, Blacks, and college graduates.
Early vote support for Dahle is coming primarily from fellow Republicans, who back his candidacy 71% to 7%. On a regional basis, Dahle does best among voters in the sparsely populated counties of the North Coast and Sierras, his home region…
Said IGS co-director Eric Stickler of the findings, “Newsom is in a strong position for reelection, with Republicans facing an uphill climb given the huge partisan advantage that the Democrats hold over the GOP in party registration across the state.”
September 23, 2022: Merced Sun-Star posted an article titled: “He earned trust in Sacramento, but Californians still don’t know Newsom challenger Brian Dahle”. From the article:
Less than seven weeks from the November midterm election, state Sen. Brian Dahle may be better known as the highest bidder for a slaughtered goat than as Gov. Gavin Newsom’s opponent.
A Republican candidate for governor must be either a celebrity, independently wealthy, or outlandish to have a shot – at least that’s the conventional wisdom in California politics.
Yet Dahle, a conservative farmer from the state’s rural north who didn’t go to college is sticking to his nice-guy vibe…
…Dahle’s family-run campaign is being drowned out by Newsom’s money and incumbency. The governor’s decisive defeat of last September’s recall and the more than 2-to-1 registration advantage enjoyed by Democrats in California make Dahle’s mission quixotic at best…
…The governor, who recently agreed to an October debate with Dahle, is so confident in his re-election that he spent campaign dollars to buy television spots, newspaper ads, and billboards in red states like Texas and Florda to promote California as an abortion refuge…
…Whether the candidate can reach and appeal to Independents and or even Democrats is another matter. If last year’s recall election is any indication, issues promoted by a conservative like Dahle are out of step with the state’s largely liberal electorate…
…Newsom is in a commanding position. Even before turning last year’s recall, he won the 2018 governor’s race by the largest margin in half a century.
In 2022, he has the time and wherewithal to build a national profile as a Democrat unafraid to pick a fight Republican governors like Florida’s Ron Desantis. His campaign account has $20 million, more than 11 times what Dahle has raised.
At 56, Dahle has run for office eleven times, but a statewide race is a different beast. He served on the Lassen County Board of Supervisors for 16 years before being elected to the state legislature in 2012, where he served as Assembly Republican leader with policy specialties are in water, forestry, and wildlife issues. He entered the state Senate in 2018…
…This election is the first time in almost a quarter century that the California GOP has run a gubernatorial candidate with previous experience in public office, said Dan Schnur, a political science lecturer at USC and UC Berkeley. Perhaps it’s a sign…
November 8: The Hollywood Reporter posted an article titled: “Gavin Newsom Wins Second Term as California Governor”. From the article:
Democrat Gavin Newsom easily won a second term as California’s governor on Thursday, beating a little-known Republican state senator by mostly ignoring him while campaigning against the policies of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, two leading Republicans who like Newsom may run for president.
Early returns showed Newsom with 61 percent of the votes in a state where there are nearly twice as many registered Democrats as Republicans.
It was the second decisive statewide victory for Newsom in barely a year. In September 2021, he easily beat back an attempt to kick him out of office that was fueled by anger over his pandemic policies. The failed recall solidified Newsom’s political power in California, leaving him free to focus on the future – which many expect will include a run for the White House…
…The GOP candidate, state Sen. Brian Dahle, could not raise enough money to run an effective campaign. Dahle, a farmer from the state’s rural northwest corner who also owns a trucking company, spent the final weeks of the campaign trying to draw attention by driving a semi truck around the state with a large campaign banner…
November 8: NPR (KCBXfm) posted an article titled: “Democrat Gavin Newsom sails to reelection as California Governor” From the article:
Gavin Newsom will get another term as governor of California after winning reelection Tuesday night, according to a race call by the Associated Press.
Newsom led Republican challenger Brian Dahle, a state senator from rural Northern California.
The incumbent governor was in a comfortable position after fending off a recall last year, with 62% of voters opting to keep him in office during the 2021 special election. Newsom spent much of this fall’s campaign season stumping for other Democratic candidates and causes, including a ballot proposition to add the right to an abortion to California’s constitution.
The governor has focused on his efforts to expand reproductive rights and to go after oil companies for earning record profits amid high fuel prices. But he’s faced criticism from opponents for the growing number of homeless people living on the streets and refusing to lower the state’s 54-cent-per-gallon gas tax.
NPR posted the following results (with 63% of votes in):
Gavin Newsom (Dem) – 58.26%
Brian Dahle (GOP) – 41.74%
Ballotpedia provide the results of the Nonpartisan primary for Governor of California:
Gavin Newsom (D): 55.9% – 3,945,748 votes
Brian Dahle (R): 17.7% – 1,252,800 votes
Michael Shellenberger (Independent): 4.1% – 290,286 votes
Jenny Rae Le Roux (R): 3.5% – 246,665 votes
Anthony Trimino (R): 3.5% – 246,322 votes
Shawn Collins (R) 2.5% – 173,083 votes
Luis Rodriguez (Green Party): 1.8% – 124,672 votes
Leo Zack (R): 1.3% – 94,521 votes
Major Williams (R): 1.3% – 92,580 votes
Robert Newman (R): 1.2% – 82,849 votes
Joel Ventresca (D): 0.9% – 66,885 votes
David Lozano (R): 0.9% – 66,542 votes
Ronald Anderson (R): 0.8% – 53,554 votes
Reinette Senum (Independent) 0.8% – 53,015 votes
Armando Perez-Serrato (D): 0.6% – 45,474 votes
Ron Jones (R): 0.5% – 38,337 votes
Daniel Mercuri (R): 0.5% – 36,396 votes
Heather Collins (Green Party): 0.4% – 29,690 votes
Anthony Fanara (D): 0.4% – 25,086 votes
Christian Morales (R): 0.3% – 22,305 votes
Lonnie Sortor (R): 0.3% – 21,044 votes
Frederic Schultz (Independent): 0.2% – 17,502 votes
Woodrow Sanders III (Independent): 0.2% – 16,204 votes
James Hanink (Independent): 0.1% – 10,110 votes
Serge Fiankan (Independent): 0.1% – 6,201 votes
Bradley Zink (Independent): 0.1% – 5,997 votes
Jeff Scott (American Independent Party) (Write-In): 0.0% – 13 votes
Guinder Bhangoo (R) (Write-In) 0.0% – 8 votes
November 8: KRCA 3 (via Yahoo! News) posted an article titled: “Republican Brian Dahle speaks after losing governor race” From the article:
Democrat Gavin Newsom easily won a second term as California’s governor on Tuesday, beating a little-known Republican state senator by mostly ignoring him while campaigning against the policies of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, two leading Republicans who like Newsom may run for president…
November 10: The Sacramento Bee posted an article titled: “Californians fear the economic words + Newsom gets new second-term staff + Dahle concedes” From the article:
…DAHLE CONCEDES GUBERNATORIAL RACE
Newsom’s gubernatorial opponent conceded the race on Wednesday after news organizations announced the governor’s victory on Election Night.
Results early Wednesday showed Newsom with 58% of the vote after 41% of ballots had been counted.
In his statement, Dahle thanked his volunteers, his three children and his wife, Assemblywoman Meghan Dahle, R-Bieber.
“Thank you, California!” Dahle said. “Thank you for your incredible support, and I’m honored to have earned the trust and vote of so many Californians. Our grassroots campaign across the state was an opportunity to give a voice to so many who have felt left behind.”…
November 12: Politico posted information about the California Election Results. Here is what Politico had to say about the California Governor’s race:
Gavin Newsom (D) won the race for California Governor.
“As expected, Gov. Gavin Newsom has easily won a second term. Any potential drama evaporated when Newsom crushed last year’s recall – the Democratic governor was confident enough to divert re-election funds to ads in red states. A convincing win certainly won’t mute presidential chatter”. – Jeremy B. White, California politics reporter.
November 14: ABC7 News posted an article titled: “2022 Midterm California Election Results: Who won governor race, propositions”. From the article:
…ABC News project Gavin Newsom has been re-elected as governor of California defeating Republican challenger State Senator Brian Dahle.
It was the second decisive statewide victory for Newsom in barely a year. In September 2021, he easily beat back an attempt to kick him out of office that was fueled by anger over his pandemic policies. The failed recall solidified Newsom’s political power in California, leaving him free to focus on the future – which many expect may include a run for the White House.
Newsom and Dahle agreed to just one debate…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the General election for Governor of California:
Gavin Newsom (D): 59.2% – 6,470,104 votes
Brian Dahle (R): 40.8% – 4,462,914 votes
California Lt. Governor Election
Ballotpedia wrote the following about Eleni Kounalakis (Democratic Party). She is the Lieutenant Governor of California. She assumed office in 2019. Her current term ends on January 2, 2023.
Kounalakis ran for re-election for Lieutenant Governor of California. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Kounalakis is a former ambassador to Hungary and a senior advisor for the Albright Stonebridge Group. During the 2016 election cycle, she was a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign and part of Clinton’s foreign policy advisory team…
Ballotpedia also wrote the following about Angela Underwood Jacobs (Republican Party). She ran for election for Lieutenant Governor of California. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Underwood Jacobs was a district-level delegate to the 2016 Republican National Convention from California. All 172 delegates from California were bound by state party to support Donald Trump at the convention. The winner of the Republican nomination needed approximately 1,542 delegates. The winner of the Republican nomination needed the support of 1,237 delegates. Trump formally won the nomination on July 19, 2016.
September 23: LA Times posted an article titled: “California Politics: Q&A with Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis” from the article:
…The lieutenant governorship may be elusive to the average voter, but there is good reason to pay attention to Kounalakis: Both Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Gov. Gray Davis served as lieutenant governor before being elected to the top spot.
Mackenzie Mays sat down with Eleni Kounalakis, a Democrat who previously served as a U.S. ambassador to Hungary under President Obama, to talk about her reelection campaign, her relationship with Newsom, and her gubernatorial aspirations…
…So what’s it like to be governor right now?
Kounalakis: I believe has a lot of bills on his desk, but he has plenty of time to sign them when he gets back. So it isn’t as though there’s anything that needs to be done in that space. I’m sure he would appreciate it if I didn’t go dip my pen in ink and start signing away.
During COVID, for 2 1/2 years, he barely left the state. He really had to be here most of the time. So in some ways, it’s kind of a new experience…
…It’s interesting, you know, the California Constitution does provide that when the governor is out of state, all the powers fall to the lieutenant governor. But the governor and I have a very positive working relationship. I would argue it’s one of the most positive in generations…
…Will you run for governor? And when?
I’m acting governor of California right now. That experience that I am getting in this job is the kind of experience that does prepare you to be governor.
We have never had a woman governor of the state of California. If I don’t try to organize a campaign to be the first, who will?
I’m on the ballot in November. I hope I will be reelected. And I hope that I will continue to show the people of California that if they want a woman governor, that four years from now, that I’m a good candidate for that…
November 3: (Updated November 7): San Diego Union Tribune posted an article titled: “Voter guide to the California lieutenant governor’s Underwood Jacobs vs Kounalakis”. From the article:
Incumbent Democrat Eleni Kounalakis and Republican Angela Underwood Jacobs are vying for the seat of lieutenant governor, a position that sits on a range of state boards and commissions and steps in when the governor is out of state.
The lieutenant governor also acts as the president of the state Senate, casting a legislative vote in the case of a tie, and can be influential on higher education policy, with a role overseeing the University of California, California State University, and community college systems.
While the elected office is often under-the-radar and ceremonial, governors of the past have used it as a steppingstone, including Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Who are the candidates?
Kounalakis’ campaign for reelection includes a focus on climate justice and women’s rights, while Underwood Jacobs is pushing for lower taxes and improving public safety as part of her platform.
After being sworn in as the first woman lieutenant governor of California in 2019, Kounalakis went on to become the first woman in state history to sign a bill into law to extend renter protections, stepping in for Newsom while he was traveling out of state earlier this year.
Having previously served as U.S. ambassador to Hungary under President Obama, Kounalakis’ focus in her first term has centered on the state’s international relations.
If reelected, she said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times that she would focus on making college in California “more accessible and affordable” and would continue to promote legislation regarding equity issues.
Kounalakis is favored in the race: She has outraged Underwood Jacobs by more than $4.6 million; led in the primary with 53% of the vote and has the endorsement of top Democratic officials in a state where a Republican has not been elected statewide since 2006.
Underwood Jacobs is a deputy mayor for the city of Lancaster, where she previously served as a City Council member.
She declined to respond to requests for an interview with The Times, but according to her website, if elected, her primary focus would include being “tough on crime” and boosting police support.
She has also voiced to reduce taxes in California and act as a “counter” to Newsom and the Democratic-ruled state Legislature…
Where they stand on homelessness
Kounalakis said if reelected, creating more affordable housing would be a priority, calling a current shortage of options the No. 1 contributing factor to the state’s homelessness crisis.
Infrastructure would also be a priority, she said, adding that first responders and teachers need to be able to afford to live near the places they work in order for communities to thrive…
…Underwood Jacobs lists “reforms to truly solve homelessness” as a priority on her campaign website. She has called homelessness in California “out of control.”
“Providing help to those in need is necessary; however, if individuals are unwilling to take the help offered, we cannot let them ruin parks, sensitive ecological areas, and public areas like streets,” she said…
Where they stand on abortion
Kounalakis was a co-sponsor of Proposition 1, a measure on the November ballot that will let voters decide whether to guarantee access to abortions after the overturning of federal protections.
“California will continue to lead the nation to ensure that Californians, and those who come here to seek care, are able to access safe and legal abortions,” she said. “Abortion is a decision that should be between a woman or pregnant person, and their healthcare provider.”
Underwood Jacobs said in a Q&A survey administered by the San Diego Union Tribune that she supports letting voters decide on what the state should do about abortion…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan primary for Lieutenant Governor of California:
Eleni Kounalakis (D): 52.7% – 3,617,121 votes
Angela Underwood Jacobs (R): 19.9% – 1,365,468 votes
David Fennell (R): 13.4% – 922,483 votes
Clint Saunders (R): 4.5% – 306,216 votes
Jeffery Higher Morgan (D): 3.3% – 229,216 votes
Mohammad Arif (Peace and Freedom Party): 2.7% – 183,150 votes
William Saacke (D): 2.5% – 171,800 votes
David Hillberg (Independent): 1.1% – 74,289 votes
James Orlando Ogle III (No party preference) (Write-In): 0.0% – 25 votes
November 9: KSWB-TV San Diego (Via MSN) posted an article titled: “Eleni Kounalakis re-elected as Lieutenant Governor” From the article:
California Lieutenant Gov. Eleni Kounalakis has been elected for another term, defeating Republican challenger Angela Underwood Jacobs. Kounalakis was sworn in as the Golden State’s 50th lieutenant governor by Gov. Gavin Newsom in January of 2019…
…With 42% of the vote reported, Kounalakis is at 57.82% compared to Underwood Jacobs at 42.19%. Kounalakis’ win followed news of Newsom’s re-election. The governor easily cruised to a second term with AP projecting him as the winner within minutes of the polls closing Tuesday…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the General election for Lieutenant Governor of California:
Eleni Kounalakis (D): 59.7% – 6,418,119 votes
Angela Underwood Jacobs (R): 40.3% – 4,332,602 votes
California Attorney General Election
Ballotpedia provided information about the Attorney General Primary election:
Rob Bonta (D): 54.3% – 3,756,486 votes
Nathan Hochman (R): 18.2% – 1,256,465 votes
Eric Early (R): 16.5% – 1,142,747 votes
Anne Marie Schubert (Independent): 7.7% – 539,746 votes
Daniel Kapelovitz (G): 3.2% – 219,912 votes
April 19: Cal Matters posted an article titled: “What would Nathan Hochman do as California attorney general?” From the article:
What does California’s attorney general actually do? According to Republican Nathan Hochman, who wants to be the next one, the job description is simple: Enforce the law.
That’s why during his 70-minute sit-down interview with CalMatters reporters, the longtime Los Angeles lawyer was quick to emphasize the depth of his experience as a federal prosecutor, defense attorney and tax law expert. It’s also why he was happy to speak at length about crime across the state and to lay the blame at the feet of current Attorney General Rob Bonta.
But on nearly all questions of policy preference and political point of view, he took the proverbial Fifth.
“If I want to go ahead and legislate California policy, I’d run of the state Assembly or the state Senate or maybe even for the governor,” he said. “I view the job of California attorney general as enforcing the laws on the books of the state of California, full stop.”
Hochman was also mum when he was asked for his views on the death penalty. “I’m signing up for a job that’s enforcing the law, not making the law.”
And ditto on gun control measures and additional support for out-of-state women seeking abortions in California, both under consideration by the Legislature. “That’s for the California Legislature to decide,” he said.
Did the self-described “pragmatic” Republican vote for Trump? “I’m not willing to answer that question.”
Hochman’s “just the facts, ma’am” approach could reflect his earnest belief in the nonpartisan nature of the position. But steering clear of controversy could also be his best shot at winning over a general left-of-center electorate that hasn’t put a Republican in statewide office since 2006.
Either way, he has his work cut out for him if he wants to become California’s next attorney general.
First, Hochman, who has never held elected office, will have to introduce himself to the states roughly 22 million voters. Then he’ll have to persuade the Democratic-voting majority to overlook his party affiliation and pick him over Bonta, a Democrat; Sacramento District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert who is running without a political party label; or anyone else vying for the job of California’s top cop.
Finally, he’ll need to convince voters that legal experience really does matter more than partisan affiliation – and to forgive him for his silence on most of the hot-button issues of the day…
…Only the top two vote-getters in the June 7 primary will move on to the November ballot. And with most rank-and-file Democrats likely to back Bonta, Hochman will be competing most directly with Schubert…
October 12: Los Angeles Times (via Yahoo! News) posted an article titled: “Your guide to the California attorney general election: Rob Bonta vs. Nathan Hochman” From the article:
Democratic incumbent Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta will face Republican Nathan Hochman in the contest for California’s top cop, a position responsible not only for increasing public safety but also defending state laws on gun control and abortion access.
Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Bonta, a former state lawmaker from Alameda, as California’s first Filipino American attorney general last year. Hochman is a former U.S. assistant attorney general and assistant U.S. attorney with an array of experience in the courtroom.
As California’s top law enforcement officer, the attorney general oversees investigations into deadly police shootings and organized crime rings and runs the state’s forensic crime labs. The office is also charged with helping the state meet its climate and housing goals by enforcing environmental regulations and holding local governments accountable to production requirements.
The state attorney general is one of the most important statewide offices in California. The role has become even more prominent in the wake of two U.S. Supreme Court decisions this summer that rolled back broad access to abortion and strict gun control policies, key issues that are likely to be top of mind for California voters as they had to the polls Nov. 8.
Who are the candidates?
Before he was elected to the state Assembly in 2012, Bonta served as a deputy city attorney in San Francisco and vice mayor for the city of Alameda. As a state lawmaker, Bonta earned a reputation for his left-leaning legislative record and support for criminal justice reform policies, which include bills to phase out private prisons and detention facilities in California and to eliminate cash bail.
Since taking the helm of the state Department of Justice, Bonta has focused on prosecuting hate crimes, launched a program last year to apprehend human traffickers and cracked down on organized retail theft.
Bonta says that public safety is “priority and job number one, two and three,” but he’s faced pushback for laws he supported that his critics blame for an increase in certain crimes and the drug addiction crisis.
Hochman said his message appeals to Democrats and independents who want an attorney general in the “hard middle” of the political spectrum and who’ve grown weary of California’s commitment to criminal justice reform efforts that he said have jeopardized public safety.
His résumé includes experience as both a federal prosecutor and defense attorney, skills he said would serve him well as California’s top law enforcement officer. Hochman has blasted Bonta’s lack of experience as a prosecutor as evidence that he’s the better fit for the job…
October 13: Cal Matters posted an article titled: “What would Rob Bonta do next as California attorney general?” From the article:
California’s attorney general is often described as the state’s top prosecutor, but that shorthand doesn’t do the position justice. At least not according to Rob Bonta, the current holder of that office.
Since Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed him to the role in March 2021, Bonta has broadened the scope and emphasis of the Department of Justice into areas of the law once considered the principal domain of local prosecutors, elected officials and private litigants.
Taking on the role of housing enforcer, Bonta has threatened lawsuits against apartment-averse cities, while issuing guidance to locals on where they can permit new construction.
With new bureaus and empowered by new laws, his office now serves as an investigative unit for discriminatory law enforcement and police shootings of unarmed civilians.
Just last month, Bonta announced the creation of a new office tasked with researching and disseminating gun violence prevention tactics. The office still only exists on paper, but the proposal itself says a lot about Bonta’s view of his office’s expansive domain. For a department known for its gun-toting officers, academic research is a unusual pivot.
And as Los Angeles weathers scandal after scandal, Bonta has stepped in in lieu of local prosecutors, announcing that his office will investigate potential voting rights violations during the local redistricting process, a subject at the center of racist conversations that forced the city council president to resign Wednesday…
…Early in his political career, he said he was told to “focus on a handful of things – maybe one, two or three – make those your signature issues, get known for those and make a difference there,” he said. “I’ve never, ever followed that advice.”
It’s a contrast with Bonta’s opponent in the Nov. 8 race for attorney general, former federal prosecutor and longtime defense attorney Nathan Hochman. A Republican from Los Angeles, Hochman has spent the campaign stressing his apolitical instincts and his emphasis on criminal enforcement.
October 18: ABC 10 News posted an article titled: “Who is Nathan Hotchman? The candidate vying for California Attorney General” From the article:
California Attorney General candidate Nathan Hochman is rolling through the state this week on a bus tour hoping to win votes.
The bus tour is called ‘Experience Matters’ because Hotchman says that’s what he’s got compared to current Attorney General Rob Bonta.
“I have 30 years of experience in criminal justice issues from being a federal prosecutor, a U.S. assistant attorney general, and a defense attorney,” Hochman says.
What’s Hotchman’s plan?
Hochman wants to eradicate the list of prohibited persons in California who are convicted of crime, but are still in possession of a gun or guns.
“On that list are people were subjected to domestic violence orders, mental health orders, who are not allowed to have guns,” Hochman said. “There’s over 26,000 people right now on that list, a list that has only grown under the last year of Rob Bonta’s stewardship than actually shrink.”
Hochman vowed to clear the list and remove guns from people who aren’t supposed to have them within 18 months of taking office.
He also wants to work with lawmakers to reform Proposition 47, which voters passed in 2014 to make anything stolen valued at under $950 a misdemeanor instead of a felony…
…Hochman said he takes issue with the cash-bail reform Bonta efforts during his time in the legislature.
“You got to look at each individual criminal history, what crime they committed, and the often overlooked impact on the victim to determine who are the true public safety threats and need to be behind bars, and who are not a first-time nonviolent offenders who can serve their debt to society in some other way.”
The Public Policy Institute of California said from 2019 to 2021, gun-related homicides and aggravated assaults surged by 52% and 64%…
…Hochman said he is a moderate Republican. He said he’s always been pro-choice, believes in climate change and has never voted for former President Donald Trump…
October 18: ABC 30 Fresno (via MSN) posted an article titled: “Nathan Hotchman challenges Rob Bonta on race for California Attorney General” From the article:
Election day is just a few weeks away and candidates are making their final push for your vote.
Democratic Incumbent Attorney General Rob Bonta is facing Republican Nathan Hochman in the race for California’s attorney general.
Tuesday, Hochman made a stop in Fresno to campaign as part of his nine-day statewide bus tour.
He’s going after Rob Bonta’s spot at as the state’s attorney general, saying he’s better qualified for the job.
In the primary election, Bonta received 54% of the vote compared to Hochman’s 18%.
But at that time, he was the only democrat in a five-way field. Now, they’re going one-on-one…
…Hochman says he’s focused on bringing back a sense of safety and security to people by combatting crime.
If elected, he wants stricter punishments for thieves and smash-and-grab robbers who are arrested multiple times within a certain time period.
“The goal is not to be putting as many people as possible in jail. The goal is to deter people from committing in the first place,” Hochman said.
For homelessness, he wants to bring back an option for judges to require mandatory substance abuse and mental health treatment instead of jail time.
To get fentanyl off the streets, Hochman says he plans to organize a federal state and local taskforce.
He wants harsher punishment if someone dies from a fentanyl overdose…
Hochman will face off against incumbent Bonta.
The Democrat was appointed by Gov. Newsom last year to fulfill Xavier Becerra’s term after Becerra was confirmed as the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Bonta has also put a focus on preventing fentanyl deaths, announcing just last week more than 4 million fentanyl pills had been seized across California since April of last year.
“Every one of those represents a potential injury or death, but we are seeing a crisis and what do you do in a crisis? All hands on deck,” Bonta said.
Bonta says he’ll continue to protect civil rights and take on big polluters.
In an effort to prevent crime, in September, Bonta announced the creation of the “Office of Gun Violence Prevention”.
It brings together local, state and federal partners to reduce and prevent gun violence, firearm injury and the trauma that comes with it.
“When is the violence going to end? We’re here to help answer that question. We are in a full crisis. A full-on state of emergency and in order to fight this epidemic, it’s going to take new efforts, creative approaches and new action,” Bonta said…
November 8: NBC Bay Area posted an article titled: “Rob Bonta Wins California Attorney General Race” From the article:
Rob Bonta won the re-election as California attorney general, NBC News projected Tuesday night.
Bonta had a big lead in early ballot returns Tuesday in his race to win a full four-year term after Gov. Gavin Newsom last year picked him to fill an unexpired term as the most populous state’s top lawman.
Bonta was outpolling Republican challenger Nathan Hochman with 61% of the votes, as expected in a state dominated by Democrats.
Because Bonta, 50, was appointed more than midway through his predecessor’s four-year-term, he’s eligible to run for two additional terms, which could allow him to serve nearly 10 years in an office that already has given him a national stage on issues as diverse as abortion, climate change, gay rights and gun control…
…Bonta took over when Xavier Becerra left to become the Biden administration’s health secretary, and Becerra succeeded Kamala Harris, who went on to the U.S. Senate and now is vice president…
…The state’s first Filipino-American attorney general is a particularly hot draw at events featuring the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, which makes up about 16% of California’s nearly 40 million residents.
Hotchman, a former federal prosecutor, tried to tap into voter anger over rising crime and homelessness, decrying what he called the state’s “spiral of lawlessness.” He had more campaign cash than all but one other GOP statewide candidate, but concentrated his TV advertising in the Los Angeles area with one commercial trying to tie Bonta to progressive LA County District Attorney George Gascón and another featuring an endorsement by a co-founder of Death Row Records.
Bonta released a single online ad two weeks before Election Day that never mentioned Hotchman but emphasized Bonta’s defense of reproductive rights. He also announced forming a California Reproductive Rights Task Force along with 14 local law enforcement officers to confront abortion restrictions in other states and protect access and privacy in California.
November 9: Omaha World Herald posted an article titled: “California Attorney General Bonta leading in early returns”. From the article:
California Attorney General Rob Bonta had a big lead in early ballot returns Tuesday to win a full four-year term after Gov. Gavin Newsom last year picked him to fill an unexpired term as the most populous state’s top lawman.
Bonta was outpolling Republican challenger Nathan Hochman with 60% of the votes after about a third of votes were counted, as expected in a state dominated by Democrats.
Bonta thanked voters for their “vote of confidence” and said he is readying to battle potentially renewed Republican influence at the federal level, much as when his predecessor filed dozens of lawsuits challenging initiatives by then-president Donald Trump…
Bonta released a single online ad two weeks before Election Day that never mentioned Hochman but emphasized Bonta’s defense of reproductive rights. He also announced forming a California Reproductive Rights Task Force along with 14 local law enforcement officials to confront abortion restrictions in other states and protect access and privacy in California.
Yet Hochman said he too favors abortion rights and supported the measure on Tuesday’s ballot that would enshrine them in California’s constitution…
November 12: Los Angeles Times (Via MSN) posted an article titled: “Democratic incumbent Rob Bonta beats Republican Nathan Hochman in California attorney general race” From the article:
Incumbent Democratic Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta won by a wide margin over Republican defense attorney Nathan Hochman in California’s race for top cop – a position that rose in importance and relevance after two U.S. Supreme Court decisions this summer rolled back laws on gun control and abortion access.
The Associated Press called the race, though official results will take longer to finalize. Bonta was leading with more than 57% of the votes counted.
Bonta, a former San Francisco Bay Area state lawmaker known for his progressive views on criminal justice, campaigned on the promise to defend California’s robust abortion laws and continue his work to end gun violence and illegal firearm ownership…
…Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Bonta last year after Xavier Becerra resigned to become U.S. Health and Human Services secretary. This was Bonta’s first run for statewide office.
During his tenure, Bonta prioritized ending an “epidemic of hate” against communities of color and other vulnerable groups and has used a new “housing strike force” within the California Department of Justice to pressure local governments into compliance with state laws.
Ballotpedia reported the results for the Attorney General of California:
Rob Bonta (D): 59.1% – 6,339,441 votes
Nathan Hochman (R): 40.9% – 4,390,428 votes
California State Controller Race
Ballotpedia reported the following information about the California Controller election:
The Controller serves on the Board of Equalization and the Franchise Tax Board. The areas of government audited and reviewed by the controller include school districts, the California State Lottery, oil and gas lease royalties, state agencies, and a multitude of local governments.
Cohen was elected to the California State Board of Equalization in 2018, representing District 2. Her professional experience included working for Power Forward Consulting and the Corporate Strategy and Communications team for the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco…
Chen’s career experience included working as a Stanford University professor and researcher at the Hoover institute. Chen was nominated by President Barack Obama (D) and confirmed by the United States Senate in 2013 to serve as a member of the Social Security Board…
…As of September 24, 2022, Chen led in fundraising, having received $4.1 million in contributions to Cohen’s $2.4 million. According to The Los Angeles Times, “Most of Chen’s funds have gone toward campaign consultants and campaign workers’ salaries,” while the “vast majority of Cohen’s spending, more than $1.1 million, has been on TV or cable airtime and production.”
Malia Cohen (D) defeated Lanhee Chen (R) in the race for California controller on November 8, 2022. Incumbent Betty Yee (D) was not able to file for re-election due to term limits.
Ballotpedia stated that both candidates filled out the Candidate Connection survey:
Malia Cohen answered the following questions:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: I was born and raised in San Francisco and attended public schools in the City. I earned a BA from Fisk University and a Master’s in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University. In 2010, I was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors where I served on the Budget and Finance Committee. I was elected to the State Board of Equalization in 2018 and serve as Chair overseeing over $80 billion in property taxes. I’ve served as President of the San Francisco Police Commission and as President of the San Francisco Employee Retirement System. I’m currently running for Controller to build a fairer, more equitable California for all.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
A:
I plan to be a watchdog over California’s tax dollars to ensure that communities across the state are getting the funding they deserve. I have the experience needed to do this job having served as the Budget and Finance Chair for the San Francisco Employees Retirement System, Chair of the San Francisco Board of Supervisor’s Budget and Finance Committee, and Chair of the State Board of Equalization. I want to work to reduce fraud and waste in the system while also modernizing our state’s technological infrastructure.
I want to bring equity and justice to the State Controller’s office to reduce historic inequalities. The Controller has the ability to spotlight issues and can produce data to inform policymakers on important decisions. I have done this throughout my career. While on the Board of Supervisors, I passed legislation requiring the San Francisco Police Department to produce quarterly reports on the use of force. I’ve also worked to make the San Francisco budgeting process more transparent to end political payouts that hinder the process. I am committed to transparency and making decisions that help build a California where everyone thrives.
I have the values to do this job. While overseeing the San Francisco Employees Retirement System, I divested the City’s pension fund from fossil fuels to reaffirm our commitment to fighting climate change. While on the board of supervisors, I cracked down on fake health center spreading false information relating to women’s reproductive health. While on the Board of Equalization, I have emphasized affordable housing and tax incentives that help minority homeowners. I am the only candidate in the race that has the values that reflect California voters.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
A: I am passionate about issues involving justice and equity. I want to create a fair and transparent financial system in the state that delivers on its promise to building a California where everyone thrives. This means holding corporations accountable for paying their fair share and improving state technological infrastructure to create a system that everyone can use. I have done this throughout my career and will continue to do so as the next Controller.
Lanhee Chen answered the following questions:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: I am a leader, problem-solver and educator. I’ve built my career on tackling some of California and America’s biggest fiscal policy challenges. I was raised in Southern California and am the son of immigrants from Taiwan. After earning four degrees from Harvard University, including a law degree and doctorate in political science, I served in senior roles in both Republican and Democratic presidential administrations.
Today, I teach at Stanford University, where I also conduct research at the Hoover Institution, a public policy think tank. I have helped leaders in California and around the country develop policies to address some of our society’s most pressing problems – like improving our health care system, saving Social Security, and growing our economy. My writings have appeared in America’s biggest newspapers and I have frequently shared my ideas on television news programs across America.
I built my own small business, which provides advice on fiscal and other policy issues to leaders in the public and private sectors. I am an investor who works with entrepreneurs to help them grow their businesses and create jobs. I am currently the Chair of the Board of Directors of El Camino Health, a health care system in my community.
Q: Please list below 3 messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
A:
The Controller is California’s independent fiscal watchdog. That means that I won’t need the legislature or governor’s permission to audit state and local agencies and programs. As Controller, I will use my audit authority aggressively and frequently, particularly in examining state programs that may be ripe for fraud and abuse. Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program, is just one example. The number of Californians enrolled in the program has increased by about 50 percent since 2014, but the Controller’s Office has only periodically reviewed its operations. And that’s just one example. There are many others from high-speed rail to California’s fraud-ridden unemployment insurance program, that taxpayers deserve to know more about.
As Controller, I will hold policy makers accountable for keeping the promises they make. For too long, the one-party monopoly in Sacramento has resulted in politicians protecting one another rather than being accountable taxpayers. This is particularly important as we consider the challenges that we faced during the recent pandemic. California taxpayers deserve answers to questions like how tens of billions of dollars in federal assistance during the pandemic were spent. And whether school districts are actually using the funding they’ve received to help get our kids back into the classroom safely. These are the sorts of questions that, as Controller, I will answer on behalf of taxpayers.
The Controller’s Office was unable to disclose to the public where each one of the roughly 50 million payments it made – totaling over $300 billion in 2018 alone – went. The state’s comprehensive financial reporting system, Fi$Cal, was supposed to be finished already, but is over-budget, late, and expected to lack some functions that were originally promised. As Controller, I will put an end to the Sacramento excuses and produce results. I will leverage the innovation and technology we have in our state to insure that taxpayers have access to a best-in-class system to see these payments and understand exactly how their money is being spent.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
A: I have a deep passion for fiscal responsibility, transparency, and government accountability. I believe that sunshine is the best disinfectant, and if we give Californians true and full transparency into how their tax dollars are spent, they will demand a more accountable and efficient state government. As Controller, I will put an end to the Sacramento excuses and produce results. I will use my audit authority to carefully examine all state and relevant local spending and leverage the innovation we have in our state to ensure that taxpayers have access to a best-in-class system to see details about all outgoing state payments.
Lanhee Chen also answered several more questions, which you can find on Ballotpedia.
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan primary for California Controller:
Lanhee Chen (R): 37.2% – 2,533,305 votes
Malia Cohen (D): 22.7% – 1,542397 votes
Yvonne Yiu (D): 15.1% – 1,024,707 votes
Steve Glazer (D): 11.1% – 756,518 votes
Ron Galperin (D): 10.1% – 690,484 votes
Laura Wells (Green Party): 3.8% – 258,053 votes
October 20: Associated Press posted an article titled: “Candidate hopes to break GOP’s California losing streak”. From the article:
In their quest to win back statewide office in deep-blue California, Republicans have set their sights – and money – on controller candidate Lanhee Chen.
The race usually attracts little attention compared to other statewide offices, but this year, without an incumbent in the running, contributions to Chen and Democratic candidate Malia Cohen have far outpaced the last election cycle.
Chen, a former policy adviser to Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign, has crafted himself as an independent manager who can bring order to the state’s finances. Cohen, who serves on a state tax board, says her past role leading the San Francisco Board of Supervisors’ budget and finance committee makes her uniquely qualified for the job.
Chen has defied the path of recent Republican candidates in the heavily Democratic state. He’s raised more money than Cohen and his fellow Republicans seeking state office. He won the June primary against four Democrats who split their party’s vote…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the General election for California Controller:
Malia Cohen (D): 55.3% – 5,936,856 votes
Lanhee Chen (R): 44.7% – 4,789,345 votes
November 15: CBS News Sacramento posted an article titled: “‘I’m excited to get started”: Democrat Malia Cohen wins California state controller race”. From the article:
Democrat Malia Cohen has won the race for California controller, beating out a Republican who gave his party its best shot in years to end its losing streak in statewide elections.
Cohen will become the state’s first Black controller, a role that involves disbursing state funds, auditing government agencies and serving on more than 70 boards and commissions. She says her past role leading the San Francisco Board of Supervisors’ budget and finance committee makes her uniquely qualified for the job.
“As your controller, I will make sure our tax dollars address the homelessness crisis, protect our environment, and provide access to healthcare and reproductive freedom. Let’s build a California where everyone thrives,” Cohen said in a statement. “We have work to do, and I’m excited to get started.”
Cohen declared victory on election night, but the Associated Press did not call the race until the following Tuesday. Cohen was leading with 55% of the vote after more than 8 million ballots were counted…
Alameda County Municipal Elections
Ballotpedia provided information about the Alameda County District Attorney Race:
Alameda County, California, held primary elections for assessor, auditor/controller, district attorney, sheriff/coroner, treasurer/tax collector, superintendent of schools, board of supervisors, county board of election, Union Sanitary District, and superior court judges on June 7, 2022.
Candidates could win outright with a majority of the vote in the primary. If no candidate received a majority, the top two vote-getters advanced to the general election scheduled for November 8, 2022. The Alameda County Flood Board of Directors Zone 7 also held an election on June 7, 2022.
The county also held general elections for AC Transit District board of directors, water, district board, BART board, part district board, municipal utility district, healthcare district board, and community college district boards on November 8, 2022. Elections could be canceled if only one candidate filed.
Nonpartisan primary for Alameda County Assessor:
Phong La (Nonpartisan): 100.0% – 207,562 votes
Nonpartisan primary for Alameda Auditor-Controller:
Melissa Wilk (Nonpartisan): 100.0% – 204,908 votes
Nonpartisan primary for Alameda County District Attorney:
Pamala Price (Nonpartisan): 43.2% – 117,280 votes – winner
Terry Wiley (Nonpartisan): 27.1% – 73,595 votes
Jimmie Wilson (Nonpartisan): 19.6% – 53,094 votes
Seth Steward (Nonpartisan): 10.1% – 27,313 votes
General election for Alameda County District Attorney:
Pamala Price (Nonpartisan): 53.1%.- 228,954 votes – winner
Terry Wiley (Nonpartisan): 46.9% – 201,827 votes
Nonpartisan primary for Alameda County Sheriff-Coroner:
Yesenia Sanchez (Nonpartisan): 52.8% – 141,763 votes – winner
Gregory Ahern (Nonpartisan): 31.2% – 83,777 votes
Joann Walker (Nonpartisan): 15.9% – 42,762 votes
Nonpartisan primary for Alameda County Superintendent of Schools:
Alysee Castro (Nonpartisan): 53.2% – 130,558 votes – winner
Karen Monroe (Nonpartisan): 46.9% – 114,976 votes
Nonpartisan primary for Alameda County Treasurer-Tax Collector:
Henry Levy (Nonpartisan): 100.0% – 205,044 votes
Board of Supervisors:
Nonpartisan primary for Alameda County Board of Supervisors District 2:
Richard Valle (Nonpartisan): 100.0% – 32,313 votes
Nonpartisan primary for Alameda County Board of Supervisors District 3:
Rebecca Kaplan (Nonpartisan): 41.0% – 20,150 votes – winner
Lena Tam (Nonpartisan): 28.1% – 13,823 votes
David Kakishiba (Nonpartisan): 18.3% – 8,970 votes
Surlene Grant (Nonpartisan): 12.5% – 6,194 votes
General election for Alameda County Board of Supervisors District 3:
Lena Tam (Nonpartisan): 52.1% – 40,232 votes
Rebecca Kaplan (Nonpartisan): 47.9% – 36,978 votes
County Board of Education:
District 1 Nonpartisan primary election: The primary election was canceled. Joaquin Rivera (Nonpartisan) won the election without appearing on the ballot.
District 4 Nonpartisan primary election: The primary election was canceled. Aisha Knowles (Nonpartisan) won the election without appearing on the ballot.
Nonpartisan primary for Alameda County Board of Education Trustee Area 7:
Cheryl Cook-Kallio (Nonpartisan): 53.2% – 21,761 votes – winner
Diemha Dao (Nonpartisan): 26.3% – 10,755 votes
Eric Dillie (Nonpartisan) 20.6% – 8,418 votes
SPECIAL DISTRICTS
General election for Alameda County Flood Control Board of Directors Zone 7 (4 seats):
Dennis Gambs (Nonpartisan): 27.0% – 29,311 votes -winner
Sarah Palmer (Nonpartisan): 22.6% – 24,513 votes – winner
Olivia Sanwong (Nonpartisan): 22.5% – 24,428 votes – winner
Dawn Benson (Nonpartisan): 21.8% – 23,677 votes – winner
Todd Shinohara (Nonpartisan): 6.2% – 6,768 votes
Union Sanitary District Nonpartisan primary election: The primary was canceled. Tom Handley (Nonpartisan) and Jennifer Toy (Nonpartisan) won the election without appearing on the ballot.
AC Transit District general election 2022:
At-Large
Joel Young (Incumbent) – winner
Alfred Twu
Ward 3
Stewart Chen
Sarah Syed – winner
Ward 4
Murphy McCalley (Incumbent) – winner
Barisha Spriggs
Ward 5: The general election was canceled and this candidate was elected: Diane Shaw (incumbent)
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Board:
District 2: The general election was canceled and this candidate was elected: Mark Foley (incumbent)
District 4: The general election was canceled and this candidate was elected: Robert Raburn (incumbent)
District 6:
Liz Ames (incumbent) – winner
Shyam Chetal
Lance Nishihira
There are more Alameda County elections to be found on Ballotpedia.
June 7: Oaklandside posted an article titled: “Alameda County District Attorney election results: Pamala Price leads” From the article:
Civil rights attorney Pamela Price held her lead in the field of four candidates in the Alameda County district attorney’s race, according to an updated count of ballots Friday evening.
Price, who also ran in 2018, had 40% of the vote, followed by Terry Wiley, an assistant DA, who gained 30%.
The Alameda County Registrar of Voters office on Thursday estimated that there were more than 100,000 ballots left to count. If the results continue to hold after more ballots are counted in the next few days, Price and Wiley will face off against each other in the November general election…
…County voters were asked for the first time in decades to elect a District Attorney who wasn’t an incumbent or someone appointed to the position. District Attorney Nancy O’Malley announced she was stepping down in 2021 after three terms…
…O’Malley has not faced an opponent until 2018, when Price challenged her as part of a wave of progressive candidates challenging siting DAs. Price ran again in 2022…
Oaklandside posted the results of the General Election for Alameda County District Attorney Election:
Pamala Price: 116,987 votes – 43%
Terry Wiley: 73,454 votes – 27%
Jimmie Wilson: 52,987 votes – 20%
Seth Steward: 27,253 votes – 10%
September 6: Ballotpedia posted an article titled: “All candidates for Alameda County, California, District Attorney complete Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey” From the article:
…Here are excerpts from candidates’ responses to the question: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Price: “Pamela Price knows that our current legal system is dysfunctional and that it disproportionately targets Black and Brown communities. Every other candidate for DA in Alameda County is a “law and order” candidate, while Pamela Price is committed to pushing away from our addiction to incarceration. A graduate of Yale and UC Berkley Law School, her outspoken leadership in support of alternatives to incarceration has pushed every candidate’s platform to the left, resulting in more conversations about diversion programs, ending the practice of charging youth as adults, and investing in community.”
Wiley: “Terry Wiley has spent 30 years in the Alameda County District Attorney’s office fighting crime. He knows how to keep our communities safe – we need to tackle crime from every direction. Terry has taken on the toughest prosecutions and he knows that we can make progress on safety – quickly – by focusing on repeat and violent offenders. Just 2,000 offenders commit the majority of crimes in Alameda County. As DA, Terry will start by focusing on these offenders. But he won’t stop there. He will make sure we focus on drug treatment, mental health, job training and excellent schools to keep kids out of the criminal justice system.”…
November 3: ABC 7 News posted an article titled: “Alameda Co. voters to make history electing 1st Black DA: Here are candidates’ stances on issues” From the article:
For the first time in nearly four decades there’s no incumbent or appointed successor in the race for district attorney in Alameda County. The race between the two candidates Terry Wiley and Pamala Price is wide open.
The two candidates offer different visions for policing, public safety and accountability.
Pamala Price is a civil rights lawyer who bills herself as a reform candidate campaigning on progressive policies like ending cash bail.
In her own words, she stands for “integrity, independence, transparency, equity and accountability.”
Terry Wiley is a 32-year veteran of the Alameda County District Attorney’s office. He now serves as a chief deputy district attorney and is serving on a more “pragmatic approach” to the job.
“I stand for a safe community. If someone should happen to come into contact with the criminal justice system I want it to be a fair and just system,” he said…
…Here’s what each candidate vows to tackle immediately if elected:
Price said she would work to immediately implement the mandates of the Racial Justice Act.
The law makes it illegal for the state to pursue a criminal conviction on the basis of race, ethnicity, or national origin and addresses disparities in sentencing.
She also mentioning the need to address people being prosecuted who have a mental illness…
…Wiley is distancing himself from his current boss Nancy O’Malley, who is retiring after a controversial 13-year tenure as DA.
Wiley said he wants to change the culture by diversifying the DA’s office. This includes tripling the number of Asian American prosecutors.
This is Price’s second run for office. She ran against O’malley in 2018, winning 42% of the vote.
Price also claimed more votes than Wiley in the June primary, which featured four candidates.
The two candidates do agree on some changes they would implement, like never seeking the death penalty, increasing transparency in the office by releasing more stats on who is being prosecuted and decreasing the criminalization of minors.
But there are several areas where they differ, including what to do with the crowded Santa Rita Jail in Dublin — one of the largest jails in the country with growing concerns over the treatment of people being held in custody…
…Price said she would decrease the jail population by 25% in her first term by expanding diversion programs and decreasing the use of cash bail.
Wiley agreed on limiting cash bail for non-violent property crimes, but wouldn’t commit to decreasing the jail population…
November 9: The Mercury News posted an article titled: “Alameda County DA election results: Wiley jumps out to early lead over Price”. From the article:
In the race to replace outgoing Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley, Terry Wiley has jumped out to an early lead over Pamela Price.
In the early vote count, Wiley is holding his lead over Price with 52 percent of the vote to 48 percent. An untold number remain uncounted.
Neither candidate returned requests for comments on the early results…
…The June primary – where Price received 43 percent of the vote but failed to secure the majority needed for an outright victory – was seen as a silver lining by progressive justice reform advocates who were dealt a blow by the recall of Chesa Boudin in San Francisco…
…Both campaigns held election watch parties in Oakland. Wiley’s campaign party was at Mimosa Two on Grand Avenue, while Price held hers at Everett and Jones Barbecue on Broadway…
November 18: Berkleyside (via MSN) posted an article titled: “Pamela Price defeats Terry Wiley in Alameda County District Attorney race”. From the article:
Civil rights attorney Pamela Price wins tight race for Alameda County District Attorney after the registrar’s office released the completed results Friday night.
Price won 53% of the votes to defeat Terry Wiley, the county’s chief deputy district attorney.
An audit will be done to confirm the results.
Price will replace Nancy O’Malley, who decided not to seek a fourth term.
The DA is responsible for representing the people of California in criminal, civil and juvenile cases, and decades of whether or not a person should face criminal charges following an arrest by police.
They oversee an office of hundreds of lawyers who have the authority to set policies like whether or not to seek prison or jain sentences for people convicted of drug offenses or theft or to divert these people into treatment programs or other alternatives…
…The election results revealed a stark divide. Communities of color most impacted by crime and mass incarceration chose reform candidate Price, while more affluent suburban areas in the Tri-Valley and southern Alameda County voted for O’Malley…
…Price is endorsed by scholar and activist Angela Davis, actor Danny Glover, civil rights attorney Carl E. Douglas, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, Anti-Policy Terror Project co-founder Cat Brooks, and other Oakland police reform advocates and former Oakland Mayor Jean Quan.
Wiley’s endorsements include Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, civil rights attorneys including John Burris, Congressman Eric Swalwell, several labor unions including the Alameda County Prosecutors’ Association and many county elected officials.
November 20: NBC Bay Area posted an article titled: “Alameda County Announces Pamala Price as Next District Attorney” From the article:
Alameda County voters have elected a new district attorney for the first time in 37 years.
The county’s Department of Elections confirmed that 53 percent of the votes for district attorney were in favor of Pamala Price, who will replace incumbent Nancy O’Malley.
Price, a longtime civil rights attorney, defeated Terry Wiley, a county prosecutor who was endorsed by the outgoing O’Malley.
Price makes history as the first Black woman elected to the position…
Ballotpedia posted the General Election for Alameda County District Attorney results:
Pamela Price (Nonpartisan): 53.1% – 228,954
Terry Wiley (Nonpartisan): 46.9% – 201,837
San Francisco District Attorney Recall Election – 2022
RESULTS:
San Francisco County – Proposition H (Recall Chesa Boudin)
Yes / Si – 60% – 74,336 votes (WINNER)
No / No – 40% – 49,591 votes
June 3, 2022: San Francisco Examiner posted an article titled: “Examiner poll finds voters will recall Chesa Boudin despite strong support for reform”. From the article:
It’s hardly news at this point, but San Francisco voters will almost certainly oust District Attorney Chesa Boudin next week. A new Examiner poll of 541 likely voters conducted by Change Research from May 26-29 shows 56% in favor of recalling the DA, who has a disapproval rate of 62%.
The poll is the latest public survey to show Boudin losing big. While I don’t support the recall, I’m also not a fan of poll-denialism. Barring a literal miracle, Boudin is done.
Many will interpret his defeat as a verdict against criminal justice reform, but the poll suggests the truth is more complicated. While most voters disapprove of Boudin and 66% say they feel less safe than they did 10 years ago, they continue to express strong support for reform.
They may not like Boudin, but they also don’t like the prison industrial complex.
When asked whether they supported “Expanding mental health treatment and stopping the use of jail as a mental health facility,” 85% of voters expressed support.
When asked whether they support sending low-level criminals to diversion programs instead of jail, 68% expressed support.
Even the much vilified policy of eliminating cash bail – a signature Boudin policy – has support from 50% of voters, with only 31% expressing opposition.
These voter attitudes might seem contradictory, but strong support for reform is nothing new. Last June, a David Binder Research poll found 61% of California voters favored treatment and rehabilitation over imprisonment even though 65% believed crime was getting worse…
…If anything, Tuesday’s election will deliver a resounding defeat for some of criminal justice reform’s loudest opponents. Just watch what happens to Michael Shellenberger and Anne Marie Schubert, who are running “tough on crime” campaigns focused on drugs and homelessness.
Despite their fanatical criticism of Democratic reforms and their promises to crack down, neither of these retrograde reactionaries is expected to survive the primary. Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta – the state’s main reformers – will sail to victory in November…
June 5, 2022: ABC 7 News posted an article titled: “Rev. Jesse Jackson lends support to San Francisco DA Chess Boudin in recall election” From the article:
As we approach Tuesday’s election, those for and against the recall of San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin are in the final stretch.
The embattled DA now has one of the nation’s most well-known civil rights leaders on his side.
The Reverend Jesse Jackson is lending his support to fighting a recall effort that’s gained national attention.
“It’s unnecessary,” said Jackson.
Jackson believes Boudin’s work as DA must continue…
…Boudin has been district attorney since 2019 and says his goal has been reforming the criminal justice system. But those supporting the recall believe his approach to crime has led to increased crime rates.
Supporters of the recall stood in the rain on 19th Avenue, telling votes why Boudin’s got to go…
…A recent poll by the San Francisco Standard found over half of registered voters, 57% support recalling Boudin, while 22% plan to reject the recall.
Boudin’s campaign tweeted its internal polling suggests the race is tied 48% to 48%.
But no one is claiming victory until the votes are counted.
June 7, 2022: NBC Bay Area posted an article titled: “San Francisco Community Reacts to District Attorney Chesa Boudin Recall”. From the article:
District Attorney Chesa Boudin Tuesday became the fourth San Francisco politician to be removed from office in just the last few months.
His 18 months in office were dominated by the COVID pandemic and the outbreak of widespread property crimes, including a rash of mass retail break-ins and assaults on several members of the AAPI community.
Many of those victims complained that Boudin declined to pursue hate crime charges in those assaults and several of his former deputy prosecutors also became some of his loudest critics.
They complained about the way the district attorney, a self-described reformer, would handle prosecutions. Often opting for what they described as “lenient plea deals.”
After the results came in, he addressed his supporters saying he’s the victim of the anger voters felt because of the pandemic.
“People are angry, and they’re frustrated. And I want to be very clear about what happened tonight,” he said. “The right-wing billionaires outspent us three to one. They exploited an environment in which people are appropriately upset. And they created an electoral dynamic in which we were literally shadow boxing.”
Boudin did not take any questions from reporters, including if he plans on running again….
…Boudin’s recall now means Mayor London Breed will be appointing someone else to the DA’s office for the second time since she’s been in office…
June 8, 2022: The New York Times posted an article titled: “Voters in San Francisco topple the city’s progressive district attorney, Chesa Boudin”. From the article:
Voters in San Francisco on Tuesday put an end to one of the country’s most pioneering experiments in criminal justice reform, ousting a district attorney who eliminated cash bail, vowed to hold police accountable and worked to reduce the number of people sent to prison.
Chesa Boudin, the progressive district attorney, was removed after two and a half years in office, according to The Associated Press, in a vote that is set to reverberate through Democratic politics nationwide as the party fine-tunes its messaging on crime before midterm elections that threaten to strip Democratic control over Congress.
Early returns showed 60 percent of voters in the city approving of the recall.
Ultimately, the election was a contest between progressive Democrats who saw Mr. Boudin as a key leader of a national movement to address mass incarceration and a backlash by more politically moderate San Franciscans – a coalition of Democrats, independents and Republicans – who grew agitated by persistent property crimes and open drug use during the pandemic. The backlash won.
Locally, the resounding recall suggested that many in San Francisco’s Democratic hierarchy are out of step with – and further left than – the city’s voters, one of the most liberal electorates in the country.
In February, the Democratic County Central Committee voted 20-2 to oppose the recall of Mr. Boudin, with the two contrary votes coming from candidates who had run against him for the job. In addition, only two members of the 11-member Board of Supervisors, the city’s top legislative body, publicly supported removing Mr. Boudin; one of them was a former spokesman for the police department and the other is rumored to want Mr. Boudin’s job…
…Mr.Boudin’s replacement will be chosen by Mayor London Breed, who has made public safety a cornerstone of her tenure, including her unusual move in December to declare a state of emergency in the city’s Tenderloin neighborhood, the center of the city’s illicit drug trade…
…The vote was seen by many as an accumulation of frustration by city residents over squalid street conditions, including the illicit drug sales, homeless encampments and untreated mental illness. During the campaign, Mr. Boudin repeatedly pointed out that he was not responsible for many of the street conditions that San Francisco residents are decrying but he recognized that he had become a vessel for their anger…
…Tuesday’s vote had echos of another tectonic election in the city, the ouster of three school board members in February, a recall that reflected voters’ sour mood during the pandemic and an assertion of political power by the city’s Asian Americans.
Many of the volunteers in both recall elections were from the Chinese community, members of whom were stung by burglaries and shoplifting and who felt particularly vulnerable after a spate of attacks on Asian Americans in the city during the pandemic…
Who became the next San Francisco District Attorney?
The current San Francisco District Attorney is Brooke Jenkins, who was sworn in as San Francisco’s 31st District Attorney on January 2023. Jenkins leads the District Attorney’s office and its mission to promote public safety and advance justice for all and is committed to implementing important and vital criminal justice reforms responsibly.
A Bay Area native and Black and Latina woman, District Attorney Jenkins has seen the imbalance and disproportionate impacts of the criminal justice system firsthand. She has had family members on both sides of the courtroom and has seen and felt the impacts of police violence and misconduct. She believes reforms are necessary to ensure that justice is proportional and fairly executed for every person in San Francisco regardless of who they are or where they are from.
Since the beginning of her career in the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, District Attorney Jenkins has dedicated her life and career to the pursuit of justice, to advocating for victims and striving to make San Francisco a safer place to live, work, and visit.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Race
Ballotpedia posted information on Alex Villanueva. From the information:
Alex Villanueva is the Los Angeles County Sheriff in California. He assumed office in 2018. His current terms ends December 5, 2022.
Villanueva ran for re-election for Los Angeles County Sheriff in California. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Villanueva completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Alex Villanueva is the 33rd Sheriff of Los Angeles County, and he is the first Spanish-speaking sheriff in the county. In 2018, retired sheriff’s lieutenant Villanueva defeated incumbent Sheriff Jim McDonnell, becoming the first to unseat the incumbent in over 100 years. Sheriff Villanueva also became the first Democratic Sheriff in LA County in almost 140 years.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Reduce Violent Crimes: We must end the hiring freeze and begin to get more cops and detectives on the street.
Expand Homeless Outreach Service: We must help our unhoused get the help they need while regulating public space.
Dismantle Homeless Industrial Complex: use those valuable resources to fund proven methods to treat drug addiction and mental health. If the board won’t do it, we’ll take it to the ballot.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am passionate about public service. I have dedicated my life to making the L.A. county’s sheriff department better. Four years ago I ran on a promise to Rebuild, Restore, and Reform the department. We have delivered on the promise!
Here is my record. All sheriff deputies on patrol are now equipped with body worn cameras and body cameras in county jails are coming soon. We promoted a record number of Asian, Latino, African American, female and LGBTQ+ deputies and executives. All transfers of inmates to ICE have been permanently banned.
Perhaps most important, we publicly banned deputy gangs, which led to his policy becoming state law. From day one, we have had zero tolerance of deputy misconduct, 154 individuals fired, 1,000 more disciplined.
Ballotpedia posted information about Robert Luna. From the information:
Robert Luna is the Los Angeles County Sheriff-elect in California. Luna assumed office on December 5, 2022.
Luna ran for election for Los Angeles County Sheriff in California. Luna won the general election on November 8, 2022.
Luna completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am running to restore public trust and reform the Sheriff’s Department.
I worked in law enforcement for 36 years, and was promoted through every rank of the Long Beach Police Department. For 20 years, I served in executive level positions and in 2014, was appointed to serve as the Long Beach Police Chief where I managed the second largest police department in Los Angeles County.
As Police Chief in Long Beach, I proved that you can decrease crime while increasing law enforcement accountability and transparency.
During my tenure, violent crime decreased by 6.5% and property crime decreased by 10%. During the same time, officer involved shootings decreasing 33% and citizen complaints alleging excessive force decreased by 34%.
As Sheriff, I will work to reduce crime address homelessness, restore public trust in the Sheriff’s Office, reform and modernize the Department, and improve deputy and employee wellness.
I have a reputation for listening, problem-solving and being able to work in partnership with our community, and have earned the endorsement of Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, the entire Long Beach City Council, all 5 LA County Supervisors, the LA County Democratic Party and the LA Times.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Reduce Violent Crime and Property Crime – The people of Los Angeles County are concerned about the trajectory of crime and are looking for a proven leader to keep people safe. As Police Chief in Long Beach, during my tenure violent crime decreased 6.5% in Long Beach and property crime by 10%. To address crime, law enforcement must implement a data-driven approach, be relentless in investigations, and be surgical with interventions. In addition, law enforcement must coordinate with the DA’s Office to create a plan for habitual offenders, especially for individuals accused of gun violence. We must also invest in long-term solutions to reduce crime, including prevention strategies like community engagement and social services.
Address Homelessness – Homelessness is the humanitarian crisis of our time. Los Angeles County has the largest unsheltered population in the nation and the status quo is not working. I understand the complexities of homelessness because I worked on homelessness in Long Beach. As Sheriff, I will make sure that case management and diversion programs are offered on our streets, in our jails, and also our courtrooms. I also support the creation of a multidisciplinary team to respond to non-life-threatening emergencies. These alternate responses free up our deputies to respond to crime. And, I will advocate for additional accountability and transparency of our partners who recieve public resources to address homelessness.
Restore Public Trust in the Sheriff’s Office – The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is in a crisis of leadership, accountability, and public trust. After nearly a decade of scandals, the current Sheriff was elected on the promise of reform and to clean up the department. Instead, the current Sheriff has failed to root out misconduct, rejected oversight, and destroyed public trust. Restoring public trust requires leadership experience and a proven commitment to transparency and accountability. As Sheriff, I will be transparent with all community partners, especially the Civilian Oversight Commission.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Improve Deputy and Employee Wellness – As Sheriff and senior management for more than ten thousand deputies, I will improve the working conditions within LASD by eradicating gangs and providing wellness programs to deputies and employees. With more than three decades of police experience, I have seen first-hand that the personal needs of law enforcement officers and employees go ignored too often, which leads to negative consequences. The Sheriff’s Department has been plagued by gangs and cliques for decades. As Sheriff, I will eradicate gangs and cliques within the Department by repairing the management structure, implementing protocols to stop deputies from participating in gangs, and enforcing consequences when we find staff who are involved in gang activities.
As Sheriff, I will reform LASD’s culture and policies to support the wellbeing and safety of the brave women and men who chose to serve their community. This includes being attentive to equipment and uniform needs, providing mental healthcare, and creating peer counseling and mentoring programs. And, just as importantly, I will work to reduce any stigma associated with mental health care to ensure that all deputies take full advantage of these services. Strengthening law enforcement safety and wellness are not only essential for employees, but also for public safety.
November 5: The New York Times posted an article titled: “Democrats Ushered In the Los Angeles Sheriff. Now Many Want Him Gone.” From the article:
…Elected four years ago as sheriff of Los Angeles County, Mr. Villanueva, 59, has become one of California’s most polarizing figures, his tenure punctuated with what many see as combative behavior, perplexing politics, and the antics of a cowboy lawman.
Recoiling from efforts to regulate his power, he has battled with public officials and antagonized his critics. Among them are Ms. Kuehl, who serves on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors – the governing body that oversees the sheriff’s department budget – and Ms. Giggans, who sits on the county civilian oversight commission. Both have called for the sheriff’s resignation.
Unlike police chiefs who are appointed, sheriffs in most states answer directly to voters, giving them largely unchecked powers over an array of law enforcement matters, from issuing gun permits to running the jails. Few have pushed the bounds of their authority like Sheriff Villanueva.
In his first term running the largest sheriff’s department in the nation, he has been accused of opening criminal investigations into his detractors, covering up intimate abuse and deputy misconduct, unlawfully reinstating a friend fired for alleged domestic abuse and bullying a county executive, which led to a $1.5 million settlement…
…His actions have prompted the county supervisors to place an extraordinary measure on the ballot allowing them to oust him – if he survives the election on Tuesday against a former police chief, Robert Luna, who has been endorsed by prominent Democrats and labor unions.
November 15: Los Angeles Times posted an article titled: “Sheriff Villanueva’s chances for second term dwindle as Luna’s holds strong”. From the article:
With Robert Luna continuing to hold a commanding lead in the race for Los Angeles County sheriff, Alex Villanueva’s chances of winning a second term have all but vanished, election results show.
With 1.8 million ballots counted as of Monday evening, Luna has won 60% of the vote and Villanueva has received 40% – a gap that has remained relatively steady since the first batch of ballots were counted on election night last Tuesday.
While the exact number of outstanding ballots is not known, on Monday election officials estimated there were 655,300 ballots still left to count.
To catch up to Luna, Villanueva would need to win three out of every four of the remaining ballots. The likelihood of Villanueva mounting a comeback of that size is very low given that he has won only about four in 10 of the votes counted so far.
On Tuesday, the Sheriff’s Department announced that Villanueva planned to address the media at 2 p.m., fueling speculation that he might concede to Luna…
…Villanueva struggled to build momentum throughout the campaign. He finished first in the primary in June, but won only 31% of the vote – and underwhelming performance for an incumbent and not nearly enough to avoid a runoff against Luna, who finished in second with 26% of the vote.
Luna, who headed the Long Beach Police Department for seven years before retiring last year, positioned himself during the campaign as the level-headed alternative to Villanueva and vowed he would work with the county elected officials Villanueva has vilified. He received the endorsements of all five county supervisors, and the sheriff candidates he beat in the June primary threw their support to him.
November 15: ABC7 posted an article titled: “LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva concedes to Robert Luna, wishes ‘the incoming sheriff well'”. From the article:
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva conceded the race one week after the election, wishing Robert Luna well as the former Long Beach police chief will succeed him as head of one of the largest law enforcement agencies in the U.S.
During a Tuesday afternoon news conference, Villanueva blamed his loss on what he describes as a sweeping misinformation campaign and the use of “false narratives” focused on issued including alleged deputy gangs, his appeared resistance of oversight by the county and Civilian Oversight Commission and other allegations of internal harassment and retaliation against purported whistleblowers.
Villanueva has trailed Luna as results from last week’s election continued to be tallied.
According to the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s Office, Luna had a lead of 324,837 votes, up from 259,184 when the last update was released Saturday.
The results from last Tuesday’s election stood at 987,730 votes for Luna, or 59.8%, and 622,893 for Villanueva, or 40.2%
The next update is expected to be released Tuesday afternoon, according to election officials.
The article included the following information about the vote totals (as of November 15):
Luna – 60% – 1,040,727
Villanueva – 40% – 693,527
November 18: LAist posted an article titled: “LA Sheriff-Elect Robert Luna Promises ‘Open Arms, Ears Open'” From the article:
In his first news conference as Los Angeles County’s sheriff-elect, Robert Luna on Friday announced the members of his transition team and promised to work with community and county leaders to resolve the many controversies the Sheriff’s Department remains embroiled in.
He vowed to repair relations with the Board of Supervisors and the Civilian Oversight Commission, bodies outgoing Sheriff Alex Villanueva constantly battled throughout his four years in office…
…Luna said that over the next several months he will be working towards new policies and strategies to address crime, “repair relationships in our community and across the board,” address homelessness, modernize the department, and “improve employee wellness.”…
December 5: (published November 8:) LAist posted an article titled: “LA County Sheriff Results: Sheriff Villanueva Concedes Race to Robert Luna. What’s Next For LASD?” From the article:
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva conceded Tuesday that he had lost his bid for reelection to former Long Beach Police Officer Robert Luna.
After Tuesday’s vote update, Luna has opened up a 20-point lead over Villanueva.
In a statement on Twitter Tuesday,Luna said he is “deeply honored and humbled that you have elected me as your next sheriff.”
His full statement on Twitter said:
“Thank you, L.A. County!
I’m deeply honored and humbled that you have elected me as your next Sheriff.
With your vote, you have entrusted me with a clear mandate to bring new leadership and accountability to the Sheriff’s Department.
And that’s exactly what I will do.
I want to offer my best wishes to Sheriff Villanueva and his family.
And I look forward to working with the talented and courageous sworn and professional staff of the Sheriff’s Department who are dedicated to keeping our communities safe.”
– Sheriff Robert Luna
California Propositions 2022 Midterm Elections
CalMatters provided information about the various Propositions on the 2022 Ballot:
Proposition 1: Putting Abortion Safeguards In The California Constitution
After the news leaked in early May that the U.S. Supreme Court was planning to rule that the federal constitution doesn’t guarantee the right to an abortion – and it did reverse the five-decade-old precedent on June 24 – California’s top Democrats vowing to “fight like hell,” proposed adding the protection to the state constitution. The proposed constitutional amendment was introduced in the Legislature in early June and was passed with the overwhelming support of both chambers by the end of the month. If approved by the voters, it would bar the state from denying or interfering with a person’s right to choose an abortion and contraceptives…
CalMatters also provided the following information about Proposition 1:
This ballot measure amends the California Constitution to enshrine a fundamental right to reproductive freedom. That includes the right to choose to have an abortion and the right to choose or refuse contraceptives. Because these rights are already protected by state law, Prop. 1 is unlikely to have any financial impact on California, unless court interpreted it as expanding the government’s obligation to pay for contraception and abortion procedures, which it already does for low-income residents.
Why was it on the ballot?
There is already a right to privacy guaranteed in the California Constitution, but it is not explicitly defined. Historically, the language has been understood to preserve reproductive rights, including a decision by the California Supreme Court. Abortion and contraceptive access were later expressly protected in state law.
The U.S. Supreme Court decision in June overturning Roe v. Wade, however, has raised fears that a change in legal interpretation or partisan control of the now-overwhelmingly Democratic state Legislature could undermine those protections for Californian’s in the future.
Backed by abortion rights advocates and Gov. Gavin Newsom, lawmakers rushed to place Proposition 1 on the ballot to ensure that reproductive health care remains a constitutional right in California.
Supporters of Proposition 1 argue that Proposition 1 will prevent California from going backwards on reproductive rights. By putting the right to abortion and contraception directly into the California Constitution, they say that reproductive health care will always be a medical decision, not a political one, no matter what party controls state government.
Supporters include:
Yes on 1 committee
Abortion rights groups, including Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California and NARAL Pro-Choice California
California Medical Association
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
League of Women Voters of California
SEIU California
California Democratic Party
Equality California
Gov. Gavin Newsom, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla and other Democratic statewide elected officials
Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon and dozens of other Democratic legislators
Hillary Clinton
Health Care for All-California
Opponents of Proposition 1 say that Prop. 1 is unnecessary to protect reproductive rights in California but is written so broadly that it could face years of protracted court battles to clear up the language, costing the state millions of dollars in legal fees. They raise particular concern that the measure would override state regulations that now limit abortions after the point when a fetus is viable on its own outside the womb, at about 24 weeks of pregnancy. These late-term abortions are currently only legal if the health or the life of the mother is threatened. Supporters say the measure does nothing to change that.
Opponents include:
No on 1 Committee
California Alliance of Pregnancy Care (a faith-based organization)
Pacific Justice Institute (a non-profit legal defense organization specializing in the defense of religious freedom, parental rights, and other civil liberties)
California Catholic Conference
International Faith Based Coalition
California Republican Party
August 16: Politifact posted an article titled: California Together, No On Proposition 1″.
“With Proposition 1, the number of abortion seekers from other states will soar even higher, costing taxpayers millions more.” California Together, No on Proposition 1 on its website, Aug. 16, 2022.
Politifact’s “Truth-O-Meter” declaring that quote to be “Mostly False”.
California Together, a campaign led by religious and anti-abortion groups, is hoping to persuade voters to reject a ballot measure that would cement the right to an abortion in the state’s constitution. The group is warning that taxpayers will be on the hook for an influx of abortion seekers from out of state.
Proposition 1 was placed on the ballot by the Democratic-controlled legislature in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. If passed, it would protect an individual’s “fundamental right to choose to have an abortion,” along with the right to birth control.
California Together’s website says: “With Proposition 1, the number of abortion seekers from other states will soar even higher, costing taxpayers millions more.”
The campaign raised similar cost concerns in a voter information guide that will be mailed out to every registered voter ahead of the Nov. 8 election. One prominent argument is that Proposition 1 will turn California into a “sanctuary state” for abortion seekers, including those in late-term pregnancy – and that would be a drain on tax dollars.
We decided to take a closer look at those eye-catching statements to see how well they hold up when broken down.
We reached out to California Together to find out the basis for its arguments against the measure. The campaign cited an analysis from the pro-abortion rights Guttmacher Institute, which estimated before Roe was overturned that the number of women ages 15 to 49 whose nearest abortion provider would be in California would increase 3,000% in response to state abortion bands . The Guttmacher analysis said most of California’s out-of-state patients would likely come from Arizona because it’s within driving distance.
California Together does not cite a specific cost to taxpayers for the measure. Rather, it points to millions of dollars the state has already allocated to support abortion and reproductive services as an indication of how much more the state could spend if the proposed amendment passes.
Sources indicate that people are already coming to the state for abortion services.
Jessica Pinckney, executive director of Oakland-based Access Reproductive Justice, which provides financial and emotional support for people who have abortions in California, said the organization has experienced an increase in out-of-state calls even before the high court ruled in June. Pinckney anticipates handling more cases as more states restrict abortion – regardless of Proposition 1’s outcome.
Will it cost taxpayers millions?
In its fiscal year 2022-23 budget, California committed more than $200 million to expanding reproductive health care services, including $20 million for a fund to cover the travel expenses of abortion seekers, regardless of what state they live in. Once it’s up and running in 2023, the fund will provide grants to nonprofit organizations that help women with transportation and lodging.
However, none of this spending is connected to Proposition 1, said Carolyn Chu, chief deputy legislative analyst at the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office. It’s already allocated in the budget and will be sold out next year, regardless of what happens with the ballot measure.
In the end, the Legislative Analyst’s Office found “no direct fiscal effect” if Proposition 1 passes because Californians already have abortion protections. And people traveling from out of state don’t qualify for state-subsidized health programs, such as Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program, Chu added in an interview.
“If people were to travel to California for services, including abortion, that does not mean they’re eligible for Medi-Cal- she said.
Still, Proposition 1 opponents see the cost argument playing out differently.
Richard Temple, a campaign strategist for California Together, said a “no” vote will send lawmakers a mandate to stop the support fund.
“Defeat Prop. 1, and you send a loud signal to the legislature and to the governor that you don’t want to pay for those kinds of expenses for people coming in from out or state, Temple said.
What about an influx of abortion seekers?
A key element of California Together’s argument is pegged to the idea that California will become a sanctuary state for abortion seekers. Opponents assert that Proposition 1 opens the door to a new legal interpretation of the state’s Reproductive Privacy Act. Currently, that law allows abortion up to the point of viability, usually around the 24th week of pregnancy, or later to protect the life or health of the patient.
An argument made in the voter guide against the constitutional amendment is that it would allow all late-term abortions “even when the mother’s life is not in danger, even when the healthy baby could survive outside the womb.“
Because the proposition says the state can’t interfere with the right to abortion, opponents argue that current law restricting most abortions after viability will become unconstitutional. They contend that without restrictions, California will draw thousands, possibly millions, of women in late-term pregnancy.
Statistically, that’s unlikely. The state doesn’t report abortion figures, but nationwide only 1% of abortions happen at 21 weeks or later, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Whether there will be new interpretation if Proposition 1 passes is up for debate…
…California voters will soon have their say.
Polling has found widespread support for the constitutional amendment. An August survey by the Berkeley IGS Poll found 71% of voters would vote “yes” on Proposition 1. A September survey by the Public Policy Institute of California pegged support at 69%.
Our Ruling
California Together warns voters: “With Proposition 1, the number of abortion seekers from other states will soar even higher, costing taxpayers millions more.”
Proposition 1 would protect and individual’s “fundamental right to choose to have an abortion.”
It could lead to more people going to California for abortion services, but that’s already happening, even before voters decide on the measure.
Also, Proposition 1 doesn’t allocate any new spending. So, the $20 million state fund to cover travel expenses for abortion seekers would exist regardless of whether it is adopted. Bottom line: a nonpartisan analyst found there would be no direct fiscal impact to the state and out-of-state residents don’t qualify for state-subsidized health programs.
It’s speculative that Proposition 1 would expand abortion rights beyond what’s currently allowed or that the state would allocate money for out-of-state residents.
Because the statement contains some truth but ignores critical facts to give a different impression, we rate the statement Mostly False.
November 12: The New York Times reported the following results on Proposition 1:
Yes – 65.7%
No – 34.4%
This count was tallied with 69% of the votes in. CalMatters declared Proposition 1 as “Passed”.
Proposition 26: Legalize Sports Betting At Tribal Casinos
CalMatters reported that Proposition 26 would have allowed tribal casinos and the state’s four horse race tracks to offer in-person sports betting. At race tracks, sports betting could only be offered to people 21 or older. Age restrictions on sports betting at tribal casinos would need to be negotiated by California’s governor and each tribe, and written into each tribe’s compact with the state.
The proposition would also have allowed tribal casinos to begin offering roulette and dice games, including craps.
It taxes sports bets placed at horse race tracks. It doesn’t tax tribes, which are sovereign nations, but it requires tribes to reimburse the state for the cost of regulating sports betting.
The proposition also would have created new ways of enforcing some gaming laws, allowing anyone to bring a lawsuit if they believe the laws are being violated and the state Justice Department declines to act. Any penalty and settlement money that results would go to the state.
State analysts say the proposition could generate as much as tens of millions annually for the state. It’s difficult to know the exact amount for a few reasons. New tribal-state compacts might require tribes to pay more to local government, for example, and it’s unclear how much money will result from the new private lawsuits. The revenue would first be spent on education spending commitments and regulatory costs. If there’s any money left over, it would go to the state’s discretionary fund, as well as to problem gaming and mental health research, and the enforcement of gaming rules.
Why was it on the ballot?
Tribes have long had the exclusive right to offer certain forms of gambling in California, including slot machines and certain card games, such as 21 and baccarat. But sports betting – besides horse racing – isn’t legal in California currently.
Since the Supreme Court ruled that states could legalize sports betting in 2018, 35 states plus Washington D.C. have made the leap. In California, lawmakers tried to negotiate a deal on sports betting in 2020, but weren’t able to work it out in time to get a measure on the ballot.
Elsewhere it’s proven popular – and lucrative. Americans bet more than $57 billion on sports in 2021. The massive expansion has also concerned advocates, who say that gambling addiction will increase, and that research into long-term effect of legalizing sports betting has fallen short.
Two different sports betting measures made it onto the ballot for the 2022 election. Prop. 27 would allow sports betting across the state, while Prop. 26 would allow in-person betting only at tribal casinos and horse race tracks. If both pass, both could go into effect, but all likelihood a court would decide.
Supporters of Proposition 26 argue it will increase tribal self-sufficiency by bringing more business to tribal casinos. Tribal casinos create jobs, and help tribes pay for services like health care and education. Supporters also say it will protect against underage gambling by requiring people to be physically present to make bets, and by prohibiting advertising to people under 21. They also say it will generate money for the state of California.
Supporters include:
27 tribes and tribal organizations, led by tribes with casinos, including Federated Indians of Groton Rancheria, Pechanga Band of Indians, Mocha Dee Wintun Nation
NAACP, California-Hawaii state conference
Labor leader Dolores Huerta, and Communications Workers of America
Lieutenant Gov. Eleni Kounalakis
Treasurer Fiona Ma
California Young Democrats, and many local Democratic committies
California District Attorneys Association
Opponents of Proposition 26 argue the new gaming law enforcement mechanism will be used by tribal casinos to sue competing card rooms and drive card rooms out of business. If that happens, they argue, it will lead to lost jobs and tax revenue, often in communities of color. Some casinos allow 18 year olds to gamble, so opponents argue the initiative could lead young people to develop gambling addictions. They also argue it will revive the shrinking horse racing industry, which they say endangers horses.
Opponents include:
No on 26 committee
Cities including Clovis, Commerce, Compton, and Huntington Park
California Republican Party
American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees California
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals chapters and local humane societies
California Black Chamber of Commerce and California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
CalMatters reported that voters resoundingly rejected Proposition 26, with nearly 70% against in early returns. Proposition 26 failed.
What did California Tribes Think About Proposition 26?
November 4: 23ABC Bakersfield posted an article titled: “Tejon Tribe of California weighs in on Propositions 26 and 27, tribal gaming rights, and gambling restrictions”. From the article:
Propositions 26 and 27 are both aimed at sports betting and have to do with California tribes’ exclusive rights to offer certain types of games.
Prop 26 would give the green light for tribes to offer in-person sports betting at their casinos. It would also empower officials to crack down on non-native businesses that illegally offer games that are supposed to be exclusive to tribes.
The Tejon Indian Tribe of California is the only federally recognized tribe in Kern County, and tribal leaders are currently looking forward to their first commercial venture, the creation of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino that would be built near Mettler.
23ABC spoke with Councilwoman Sandra Hernandez about the tribe’s stances on two California ballot measures when it comes to gambling and tribal rights.
“I think all it does is really put those wardrooms that are operating illegally in check. And it will bring those parameters into place that you’re not allowed to game in this manner,” Hernandez said. “And while it’s maybe already existing and happening now, that it would be something that would become a little bit more regulated with this.”
She says Prop 27, which legalizes mobile sports betting and is funded by large companies including casino groups in Las Vegas, doesn’t respect tribal sovereignty, as tribes who make deals with these groups would have to give up certain rights that were passed by voters.
“It gives these out-of-state corporations the same ability to game that the California tribes received through California’s voters,” Hernandez said. “And I think that that’s something that’s very important to California and the state, and that recognition of realizing where gaming stands right now with California tribes.”
More than 50 tribe are in support of Proposition 26, including The Tejon Indian Tribe of California. Hernandez says tribe officials believe the measure strengthens the gambling system that’s already in place here in California, and is the best option to help everyone regardless of tribal affiliation…
CalMatters wrote that Proposition 26, with nearly 70% against in early returns – Failed.
Proposition 27: Allow Online Sports Betting
CalMatters reported that Prop. 27 would have allowed licensed tribes and gaming companies to offer mobile and online sports betting for adults 21 and older outside Native American tribal lands. Gaming companies – such as FanDuel and DraftKings – could only offer sports betting if they made a deal with a tribe.
The measure creates extremely high thresholds for gaming companies to do business in California, making it all but impossible for smaller companies to compete.
The proposition would have created a new division within the state’s Justice Department to regulate online sports wagering. That division could also decide whether to approve new forms of gambling, such as betting on awards shows and video games. It also gives the Justice Department additional powers to address illegal sports betting.
Tribes and gaming companies would pay fees and taxes to the state that could total several hundred million dollars a year, state analysts estimate. The actual amount is uncertain, in part because gaming operators are allowed to deduct certain expenses to reduce their tax bill.
After covering the state’s new regulatory costs, most of the money would be used to address homelessness and for gambling and addiction programs, while 15% would go to Native American tribes that aren’t involved in sports betting.
Why was it on the ballot?
Sports betting – other than on horse racing – isn’t legal in California currently.
The U.S. Supreme Court allowed states to legalize sports betting in 2018. Since then, 35 states plus D.C. have made the move. It’s proven to be big business: Americans bet more than $57 billion on sports betting in 2021. The explosion of sports betting has also concerned advocates, who say that gambling addiction will increase, and that research into the long-term effects of legalizing sports betting has fallen short.
California lawmakers tried to negotiate a deal on sports betting in 2020, but weren’t able to work one out in time to get a measure on the ballot. Then came a rush of groups trying to qualify their own sports betting initiatives for the 2022 election. Ultimately, two different measures made it onto the ballot. Prop. 27 would allow online sports betting only at tribal casinos and horse race tracks. If both pass, both could go into effect, but in all likelihood, a court would decide.
Supporters of Prop. 27 say it would create a permanent source of funding to reduce homelessness and will allow every tribe to benefit – including tribes that decide not to offer sports betting. it would protect against underage gambling with fines for violators and would prohibit betting on youth sporting events.
Supporters include:
Yes on Prop 27 committee
FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, and four other gaming companies, which are funding the measure
Three Native American tribes: Santa Rosa Rancheria Tachi Yokut Tribe, Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians, and Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians
Mayors of Fresno, Sacramento, Oakland, and Long Beach
Some homeless advocates including Bay Area Community Services and Sacramento Regional Coalition to End Homelessness
Major League Baseball
Opponents include:
Opponents say that Prop 27 would turn every cellphone and computer into a gambling device. They say it would escalate the risks of underage and problem gambling. They also say it would drive business away from tribal casinos and threaten tribal sovereignty because tribes would have to give up some of their rights in order to offer sports betting. And they argue that most of the money would go to companies in other states.
Opponents include:
No on Prop. 27 committee
50 Native American tribes and tribal organizations
California Democratic Party
California Republican Party
Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis
Gov. Gavin Newsom
California Teachers Association, Communications Workers of America, United Food and Commercial Workers, labor leader Dolores Huerta
Homelessness and housing advocates, including Coalition on Homelessness San Francisco and California Coalition for Rural Housing
CalMatters reported that “voters didn’t just reject Proposition 27, they are headed to defeating it by one of the largest margins for initiatives, with more than 80% opposed in early returns.” CalMatters marked Proposition as “Failed”.
Proposition 28: Guarantee Funding For Arts And Music Education
CalMatters reported that Proposition 28 easily passed, with more than 60% of the vote in early returns.
What will it do?
Proposition 98 requires the state to spend a certain percentage of its general fund on public education. This measure will require the state to add an amount equal to 1% of Prop. 98 funding – money guaranteed for public schools and community colleges in the state budget – for music and arts educations. That’s estimated to be a $1 billion annual set aside. This measure would not raise taxes, so the additional money would have to come from elsewhere in the state’s general fund. Proponents say the state’s recent surplus should cover the cost. Schools with high proportions of students from low-income households would get more funding. School districts will be required to spend 80% of the new funding on hiring arts and music instructors, and they will have to publish annual reports on how they spend the money.
Why was it on the ballot?
State law requires instruction in visual and performing arts for grades 1-6. For grades 7-8, schools must offer arts classes either during or after school. High school students must take either a year of art, a foreign language or career and technical education to graduate. But most California high schools require students to take art to align with the admissions requirements for the California State University and University of California systems.
But when school district budgets are cut during economic downturns, arts and music programs are often the first to be downsize. So former Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Austin Beutner said he launched the Prop. 28 campaign to turn the arts into a core subject along with math, science and reading.
He said the push for more arts education was inspired by conversations he had with educators during his time leading the state’s largest school district. Citing a 2021 study by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Beutner said giving students the space to express themselves creatively leads to a sense of belonging, which in turn helps them in math and reading.
“Math has rules. Grammar has rules. Art is unbounded,” Beutner said. “And if you think about preparing students for critical thinking, art isn’t just the sprinkles on an ice cream sundae. It’s an essential piece.”
Arguments For Prop. 28
Beutner, who donated more than $4 million to the campaign, and other supporters also say that arts and music instruction could help address the mental health crisis facing California’s youth as they recover from the pandemic.
Along with Beutner, supporters include Sylvester Stallone and other Hollywood stars and musicians such as Andersan Paak, and Barbara Streisand. Prop. 28 also has strong support from teachers unions, as the arts funding is expected to generate jobs for educators.
Fender Musical Instruments donated more than $1 million to the campaign. Fender CEO Andy Mooney said the company has donated more than 10,000 guitars to Los Angeles Unified and hopes Prop. 28 will allow Fender to donate instruments to other districts.
Supporters for Prop 28 include:
Vote Yes on 28 committee
SEIU California
California Democratic Party
Local arts organizations
Local music and arts education groups
CalMatters wrote that no opposition filed. But critics, including some newspaper editorial boards, call it “ballot box budgeting” that locks in even more spending for schools and that could force cuts to other important programs in the next recession. [...]
September 27, 2023CaliforniaPart of the California 2022 ballot included a series of Propositions that voters could vote for, or against. CalMatters provided information about the various Propositions.
Proposition 1: Putting abortion safeguards in the California constitution:
After the news leaked in early May that the U.S. Supreme Court was planning to rule that the federal constitution doesn’t guarantee the right to an abortion – and it did reverse the five-decade-old president on June 24 – California’s top Democrats, vowing to “fight like hell,” proposed adding the protection to the state constitution.
The proposed constitutional amendment was introduced in the Legislature in early June and was passed with the overwhelming support of both chambers by the end of the month. If approved by voters, it would bar the state from denying or interfering with a person’s right to choose an abortion and contraceptives.
California has long been a safe haven for abortion access. In 1969 the state Supreme Court ruled that the California’s constitution’s right to privacy implies the right to an abortion. Reproductive access is also protected by statute. Supporters hope this amendment will reiterate that policy more explicitly and render it harder to reverse in the future, though some legal scholars say the language is still too ambiguous.
Ballotpedia reported about the results of Proposition 1:
Proposition 1: Provide a state constitutional right to reproductive freedom, defined to include abortion and contraceptives.
Yes Votes: 7,176,883 (67%) – Approved
No Votes: 3,553,561 (33%)
WHY WAS IT ON THE BALLOT?
CalMatters reported: There is already a right to privacy guaranteed in the California Constitution, but it is not explicitly defined. Historically, the language has been understood to preserve reproductive rights, including through a decision by the California Supreme Court. Abortion and contraception access were later expressly protected in state law.
The U.S. Supreme Court decision in June overturning Roe v. Wade, however, has raised fears that a change in legal interpretation or partisan control of the now-overwhelmingly Democratic state Legislature could undermine those protections for Californians in the future.
Backed by abortion rights advocates and Gov. Gavin Newsom, lawmakers rushed to place Proposition 1 on the ballot to ensure that reproductive health care remains a constitutional right in California.
Proposition 26: Legalize sports betting at American Indian gaming casinos and licensed racetracks in California
After the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a federal law banning state-regulated sports betting, two big spending interests stepped up with California legalization proposals.
CalMatters reported that Prop. 26, supported by some of the state’s tribal governments, would only legalize sports betting in-person at tribal casinos and designated horse tracks. The measure, which would also allow tribes to offer roulette and other dice games, would raise potentially tens of millions of dollars for the state budget, most of which would be spend at the discretion of the governor and Legislature.
Ballotpedia provided information about Proposition 26:
Proposition 26: Legalize sports betting at American Indian gaming casinos and licensed racetracks in California
Yes Votes: 3,514,593 votes (33%)
No Votes: 7,129,122 votes (67%) – Defeated
CalMatters wrote about what Proposition 25 would have done:
Proposition 26 would have allowed tribal casinos and the state’s four horse race tracks to offer in-person sports betting. At race racks, sports betting could only be offered to people 21 or older. Age restrictions on sports betting at tribal casinos would need to be negotiated by California’s governor and each tribe, and written into each tribe’s compact with the state.
The proposition would also have allowed tribal casinos to begin offering roulette and dice games, including craps.
It taxes sports bets placed at horse race tracks. It doesn’t tax tribes, which are sovereign nations, but it requires tribes to reimburse the state for the cost of regulating sports betting.
The proposition would also have created a new way of enforcing some gaming laws, allowing anyone to bring a lawsuit if they believe the laws are being violated and the state Justice Department declines to act. Any penalty and settlement money that results would go to the state.
State analysts say the proposition could generate as much as tens of millions annually for the state. It’s difficult to know the exact amount for a few reasons. New tribal-state compacts might require tribes to pay more to local governments, for example, and it’s unclear how much money will result from the new private lawsuits. The revenue would first be spent on education spending commitments and regulatory costs. If there’s any money left over, it would go to the state’s discretionary fund, as well as to problem gaming and mental health research, and the enforcement of gaming rules.
WHY WAS IT ON THE BALLOT?
Tribes have long had the exclusive right to offer certain forms of gambling in California, including slot machines and certain card games, such as 21 and baccarat. But sports betting – besides horse racing – isn’t legal in California currently.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states could legalize sports betting in 2018, 35 states plus Washington D.C. have made the leap. In California, lawmakers tried to negotiate a deal on sports betting in 2020, but weren’t able to work it out in time to get a measure on the ballot.
Proposition 27: Legalize Online and Mobile Sports Betting In California
Proposition 27: Legalize online and mobile sports betting in California
Yes: 1,906,339 (18%)
No: 8,849,200 (82%) – Defeated
CalMatters reported: Voters didn’t just Proposition 27, they defeated it by one of the largest margins for initiatives, with 82% opposed.
WHAT WOULD IT HAVE DONE?
CalMatters reported: Prop 27 would have allowed licensed tribes and gaming companies to offer mobile and online sports betting for adults 21 and older outside Native American tribal lands. Gaming companies – such as FanDuel and DraftKings – could only offer sports betting if they made a deal with a tribe.
The measure creates extremely high thresholds for gaming companies to do business in California, making it all but impossible for smaller gaming companies to compete.
The proposition would have created a new division within the state’s Justice Department to regulate online sports wagering. That division could also decide whether to approve new forms of gambling, such as betting on awards shows and video games. It also gives the Justice Department additional powers to address illegal sports betting.
Tribes and gaming companies would pay fees and taxes to the state that could total several hundred million dollars a year, state analysts estimate. The actual amount is uncertain, in part because gaming operators are allowed to deduct certain expenses to reduce their tax bill.
After covering the state’s new regulatory costs, most of the money would be used to address homelessness and for gambling addiction programs, while 15% would go to Native American tribes that aren’t involved in sports betting.
WHY WAS IT ON THE BALLOT?
Sports betting – other than horse racing – isn’t legal in California currently.
California lawmakers tried to negotiate a deal on sports betting in 2020, but weren’t able to work one out in time to get a measure on the ballot. Then came a rush of groups trying to qualify their own sports betting initiatives for the 2022 election. Ultimately, two different measures made it onto the ballot. Prop. 27 would allow online sports betting across the state, while Prop. 26 would allow in-person sports betting at tribal casinos and horse race tracks. If both passed, both would go into effect, but in all likelihood a court would decide.
Proposition 28: Require funding for K-12 art and music education
Proposition 28: Require funding for K-12 art and music education
Yes: 6,924,613 votes (64%) – Approved
No: 3,827,964 votes (36%)
CalMatters provided information about Proposition 28: Set aside school funding for arts and music:
Sponsored by former Los Angeles Unified School District superintendent Austin Beutner, this measure would require the state to set aside a share of its revenue – likely between $800 million to $1 billion per year – for arts and education classes. The new money would be disproportionately reserved for schools with many low-income students to hire new arts staff.
Ballotpedia provided information about Proposition 28:
What did Proposition 28 do?
Proposition 28 required a minimum source of annual funding for K-12 public schools, including charter schools, to fund arts education programs. The annual minimum amount established by the law was equal to, at minimum, 1% of the total state and local revenues that local education agencies received under Proposition 98 (1988) during the prior fiscal year. The minimum under the proposed law was in addition to the funding required by Proposition 98. According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the ballot initiative would result in increased spending of $800 million to $1 billion each fiscal year.
How did Proposition 98 relate to school funding?
In 1988, Californians approved Proposition 98 by a margin of 50.7% to 49.4%. Proposition 98 amended the state constitution to require a minimum percentage of the state budget to be spent on K-14 education (kindergarten through two-year community college), which is referred to as the minimum guarantee.
Proposition 98 established two formulas or tests to determine the minimum guarantee, which is the highest funding level produced by Test 1 or Test 2. Test 1 links the minimum guarantee to about 40% of the state General Fund, which is equal to California’s 1986-87 funding level of public education. Test 2 calculates the minimum guarantee by adjusting the prior year’s minimum guarantee by student attendance and changes in the cost of living.
Who supported and opposed Proposition 28?
Yes on 28 – Californians for Arts and Music in Schools led the Vote Arts and Minds campaign in support of the initiative. The campaign received endorsements from former Superintendent of Los Angeles Unified School District Austin Beutner, former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan (D), the California Teachers Association, and several celebrities and musicians.
Beutner and Duncan said in a joint statement, “Only 1 in 5 public schools in California has a dedicated teacher for traditional arts programs like music, dance, theater and art, or newer forms of creative expression like computer graphics, animation, coding, costume design and filmmaking… This initiative is timely as our country seeks to create a more just and equitable future for all children. A boost in arts and music education will help ensure the future workforce in media and technology properly reflect the diversity of the children in our public schools.”
The campaign reported receiving over $10.6 million in contributions according to its latest campaign finance filings. Ballotpedia has not identified any committees registered in opposition to the initiative.
Proposition 29: Enact staffing requirements, reporting requirements, ownership disclosure, and closing requirements for chronic dialysis clinics
Proposition 29: Enact staffing requirements, reporting requirements, ownership disclosure, and closing requirements for chronic dialysis clinics
Yes: 3,364,404 (32%) votes
No: 7,281,196 (68%) votes – Defeated
CalMatters reported: Proposition 29: Kidney clinic rules, third time’s a charm?
This measure slaps dialysis clinics with a host of new restrictions, including a requirement that a doctor, nurse practitioner, or a physician assistant be on side during all treatment hours. Centers would also be required to get state approval before reducing services and to publicly list any doctors who have at least a 5% ownership stake in a clinic.
Sound familiar? That’s because the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, the union supporting this measure, has tried and failed to persuade voters to support new dialysis center regulations twice before, in 2018 and 2020, over vehement and very costly industry opposition.
CalMatters provided additional information about Proposition 29:
This is the third time since 2018 that a measure similar to Proposition 29 failed, with 68% voting “no” this year.
WHAT WOULD IT HAVE DONE?
This measure would have required kidney dialysis clinics to have at least one physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant with six months of relevant experience available on site or, in some cases, via Telehealth. It would also have required that clinics report infection data to the state, a well as publicly list physicians who have ownership interest of 5% or more in a clinic. The measure also would have prohibited clinics from closing or reducing services without state approval and from refusing treatment to people based on their insurance type.
WHY WAS IT ON THE BALLOT?
This is the third time a labor union, Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, goes after dialysis clinics via the ballot process. The union says it wants to reform the booming industry and increase transparency, while dialysis companies that spent millions to defeat the two prior measures say it’s a union ploy to pressure clinics and organize dialysis workers.
There are about 650 dialysis clinics across the state and about 80,000 Californians receive the life-saving treatment. State analysts estimate that the clinics have total revenue of about $3.5 billion a year and that two private, for-profit companies – DaVita Inc. and Fresenius Medical Care – own or operate about. three-fourths of the clinics.
Proposition 30: Create a 1.75% tax on personal income above $2 million and allocate revenue for zero-emissions vehicle and wildfire programs.
Proposition 30: Tax on Income Above $2 Million for Zero-Emissions Vehicles and Wildfire Prevention Initiative (2022)
Yes: 4,560,483 votes (42.37%)
No: 6,203,806 votes (57.63%) – Defeated
CalMatters posted information about Proposition 30:
Millionaires paying for electric cars: This measure would impose a new 1.75% tax on any individual’s income of more than $2 million per year to raise between $3 billion to $4.5 billion each year to fund a collection of greenhouse gas reducing initiatives. Most of the money would go toward new incentives for Californians to buy zero-emission vehicles and to build new electric charging or hydrogen fueling stations. (Lyft, which is required to move toward ZEV’s is a major funder). A quarter of the new money would go toward wildfire fighting and prevention efforts.
Ballotpedia provided information about Proposition 30:
What would Proposition 30 have done?
Proposition 30 would have increased the income tax by an additional 1.75% on income over $2 million for individuals. At the time of the election, income above $2 million for individuals was taxed at the rate of 13.3% in California. The additional tax would have taken effect on January 1, 2023. The initiative provides that the tax would have ended on the earliest of the following dates:
January 1, 2043, or
January 1 after three consecutive calendar years after January 1, 2030, of statewide emissions reduced by 80% of 1990 levels.
Revenue from the increased income tax would have been appropriated into the Clean Cars and Clean Air Trust Fund (CCCAFT). It would then have been allocated to the following three sub-funds: Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Investment Plan Sub-Fund (35% of revenue), Zero-Emission Vehicle and Clean Mobility Sub-Fund (45% of revenue), and Wildfire Green House Gas Emissions Reduction Sub-Fund (20% of revenue). The sub-funds would have funded zero-emission vehicles, charging stations, and infrastructure, as well as hiring training firefighters.
Who supported and opposed Proposition 30?
Yes on 30: Clean Air California led the campaign in support of Proposition 30. It received endorsements from the California State Association of Electrical Workers and California Environmental Voters. Two other committees also registered in support of Proposition 30: Yes on 30: Working Families and Environmental Voters to Expose Greedy Billionaires and CEOs, and California Environmental Voters Issues Committee. Together the committees reported $48.1 million in contributions.
Lyft was the top contributor with $45.2 million in contributions. Bill Magavern, one of the authors of the initiative, said, “We need to protect the health of Californians. California needs to step up to protect its own. The state is doing a lot to reduce harmful emissions but the budget, even with the governor making the commitment he has, is insufficient to address these problems.”
There are two committees registered in opposition to Proposition 30: No on 30 and No on 30 – Educators Opposed to Corporate Handouts. The committees reported $31.9 million in contributions. Proposition 30 has received opposition from Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), the California Teachers Association, and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. Gov. Newsom (D), said, “Prop. 30 is a special interest carve-out – a cynical scheme devised by a single corporation to funnel state income tax revenue to their company… Californians should know that just this year our state committed $10 billion for electric vehicles and their infrastructure.”
Proposition 31: Flavored Tobacco Products Ban Referendum (2022)
Proposition 31: Flavored Tobacco Products Ban Referendum
Yes: 6,803,425 (63.42%) – Approved
No: 3,923,383 (36.58%)
CalMatters provided information about Proposition 31: Reconsidering a flavored tobacco ban:
In 2020, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill banning the sale of all flavored tobacco products, whether smoked, chewed or vaped. The tobacco industry gathered enough signatures to ask voters to overturn the law with this referendum. (A reminder: Voting “yes” is to keep the law; voting “no” is to get rid of it.)
CalMatters reported about the Flavored Tobacco Products Ban Referendum
WHAT WILL IT DO?
The referendum decided whether to overturn a 2020 law that prohibits the sale of some flavored tobacco products. A “yes” vote upheld the current law; a “no” would have struck down the law and allow the sale of flavored tobacco products.
The approval of Prop. 31 will impact the state budget because the state could lose as much as $100 million in annual tobacco tax revenue from the sale of flavored tobacco.
WHY WAS IT ON THE BALLOT?
In 2020, the Democratic-controlled Legislature passed and Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law to ban the sale of certain flavored tobacco products – including those made to taste like cotton candy, honey, and mango – as well as menthol cigarettes, both in stores and vending machines.
The ban includes flavored cigarettes, e-cigarettes, pods for vape pens, tank-based systems and chewing tobacco. The law does not affect premium handmade cigars, loose leaf tobacco and hookah tobacco sold by certain hookah tobacco retailers and used at the store.
The law was intended to keep flavored tobacco away from kids and teens, who report in high numbers that they often started smoking with a flavored product. According to Tobacco Free Kids, youth smokers 12 to 17 use menthol cigarettes more than other age groups. At least 60 cities and counties across California have already banned the sale of some flavored tobacco products and menthol cigarettes.
The law has not yet gone into effect because tobacco companies funded and qualified this referendum. After Prop. 31 passed, R.J. Reynolds sued the state over the ban.
Ballotpedia provided information about the Post-Election lawsuit that took place after Prop. 31:
On November 9, 2022, R.J. Reynolds filed a lawsuit in federal court arguing that the approved ban violated the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clauses. The lawsuit says, “The ban falls under the TCA’s express preemption clause, ‘which preempts’ any requirement’ that is ‘different from, or in addition to’ a federal requirement about a tobacco product standard. A flavor ban is a paradigmatic tobacco product standard.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) said in a statement, “Time and time again, Big Tobacco has attempted to steam roll state efforts to protect our youngest residents from the damaging effects of tobacco use. While we have not yet been formally served with the lawsuit, we look forward to vigorously defending this important law in court.”
On November 29, 2022, R.J. Reynolds and other tobacco companies filed a request with the U.S. Supreme Court to ask the court to order an emergency stop on the state from enforcing the flavored tobacco ban.
On December 12, 2022, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously to not issue an emergency order stopping the ban.
Ballotpedia provided an Overview about Proposition 31:
Opponents of Proposition 31 sought to overturn Senate Bill 793 (SB 793), which was signed into law on August 28, 2020. SB 793 was designed to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products and tobacco product flavor enhancers, with exceptions for hookah tobacco, loose leaf tobacco, and premium cigars. The bill was designed to fine retailers $250 for each sale violating the law.
The California State Legislature passed SB 793 in August 2020. The Legislation received support from most legislative Democrats (84 of 89) and a quarter of legislative Republicans (8 of 30). One legislator voted against the bill, and the remaining legislators were absent or abstained.
State Sen. Jerry Hill (D-13), the legislative sponsor of SB 793 said, “Using candy, fruit and other alluring flavors, the tobacco industry weaponized its tactics to beguile a new generation into nicotine addiction while keeping longtime uses hooked. SB 793 breaks Big Tobacco’s death grip.”
The California Fuels & Convenience Alliance, which opposed SB 793, described the flavored tobacco ban as “misguided policy that will do more harm than good” and “hurt small businesses, eliminate necessary tax revenue, and perpetuate dangerous and avoidable police interactions in our communities.”
No on Prop 31 – Californians Against Prohibition is campaigning for the veto referendum to repeal SB 793. Through October 27, 2022, the campaign had received over $23.2 million, including $9.7 million from R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and $9.5 million from Philip Morris USA.
SUPPORT FOR THE “YES” VOTE
Yes On Proposition 31, Committee to Protect California Kids led the campaign in support of a ‘yes’ vote on Proposition 31, which upheld the legislation.
SUPPORTERS
Officials: Governor Gavin Newsom (D)
Political Parties:
Democratic Party of California
Peace and Freedom Party of California
Unions:
California Teachers Association
SEIU California State Council
Organizations: League of Women Voters of California
ARGUMENTS
Lindsey Freitas, advocacy director for Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids: “We know Big Tobacco has hidden behind smoke and lies for years to hook generations of young people on deadly tobacco products, and this referendum is just one more tactic to continue the status quo.”
State Sen. Gerald Hill (D-13): “California fought Big Tobacco and won. This shameless industry is a sore loser and it is relentless. It wants to keep killing people with its candy-, fruit-, mint-, and menthol-flavored poison. The adults who are hooked on nicotine aren’t enough for Big Tobacco; it wants our kids too.”
Jim Knox, managing director of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Inc.: “The tobacco industry has always shown it will go to any length to decide the public about its deadly product. We are too confident that if it gets the ballot, that California voters will see through this despicable tobacco industry ploy to continue to lure kids into a lifetime of tobacco addiction.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D): “Big Tobacco has been targeting our kids, trying to hook our kids on tobacco products, killing literally a generation. It’s time for us to stand up and protect our kids and to push back against Big Tobacco, not just in terms of their efforts to go after our kids but their racist marketing. Enough’s enough, this is about as easy a question that we’ll be asked this November.”
The official argument in support of Proposition 31 found in the Official Voter Information Guide:
Official Voter Information Guide: YES ON 31. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Lung Association in California, and the American Heart Association support YES on 31 because it will save lives. Yes on 31 protects kids by ending the sale of candy-flavored tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and minty-menthol cigarettes. Big Tobacco uses candy-flavored products to target kids – including cotton candy, chocolate, strawberry, and minty-menthol – and lure them into a lifelong addiction to nicotine. In fact, 4 of 5 kids who have used tobacco started with a flavored product. Get the facts at VoteYesOn31.com.
YES ON 31 PROTECTS KIDS FROM GETTING HOOKED ON HIGHLY ADDICTIVE NICOTINE Tobacco companies use candy flavors to hide strong hits of nicotine, a highly addictive drug that is especially dangerous for kids, harming brain development and impacting their attention, mood, and impulse control. With a Yes on 31 vote, we can stop Big Tobacco from using flavors to get kids hooked on nicotine and profiting from addiction, disease, and death.
In California, almost all high school e-cigarette users prefer flavored products. Today – over 2 million middle and high school students nationwide use e-cigarettes. The American Lung Association in California says, “Using candy flavors to trick kids into trying nicotine is the cornerstone of Big Tobacco’s deadly business model. Yes on 31 will save lives – protecting kids from ever getting hooked on tobacco in the first place.”
YES ON 31 SAVES LIVES AND TAXPAYER MONEY Tobacco is the #1 preventable cause of death in California, where tobacco-related diseases kill 40,000 people each year. Smoking kills more than alcohol, AIDS, car accidents, illegal drugs, murders, and suicides combined. Of all the kids who become new smokers each year, almost a third will ultimately die from it. Every time Big Tobacco addicts another generation of kids, they put taxpayers, whether they smoke or not, on the hook for billion of dollars in tobacco-related healthcare costs.
YES ON 31 PREVENTS BIG TOBACCO FROM CAUSING MORE HARM TO BLACK COMMUNITIES Big Tobacco preys on Black neighborhoods, spending billions to lobby, advertise and market minty-menthol cigarettes – the original candy-flavored cigarette. In the 1950s, fewer than 10% of Black Americans who smoked used minty-menthols. Today, 85% do.
The NAACP says, “Tobacco companies use minty-menthol to mask the harsh taste of tobacco, which makes smoking easier to start and harder to quit. After targeting African Americans for decades, Big Tobacco is turning an enormous profit – while rates of tobacco-related heart disease, stroke and cancer skyrocket. Yes on 31 will take Big Tobacco’s candy-flavored tools of addiction out of our communities, saving lives and improving public health.”
PROTECT KIDS. VOTE YES ON 31 will protect kids from ever trying tobacco and help users quit – saving hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars annually, and saving countless lives. If we can save even a few lives by ending the sale of candy-flavored tobacco, it will be worth it. — Karmi Ferguson, Executive Director, American Academy of Pediatrics, California; Kathy Rogers, Executive Vice President, American Heart Association; and Jose Ramos, National Board Member, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.
SUPPORT FOR THE “NO” VOTE:
The No on Prop 31-Californians Against Prohibition led the campaign in support of a ‘no’ vote on Proposition 31, which would have repealed the legislation.
OPPONENTS
Political Parties: Republican Party of California
Corporations:
ITG Brands, LLC
Philip Morris USA, Inc
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
Swedish Match North America LLC
Organizations
National Association of Tobacco Outlets
Arguments
California Coalition for Fairness: “We agree that youth should never have access to any tobacco products, but this can be achieved without imposing a total prohibition on products that millions of adults choose to use. This law goes too far and is unfair, particularly since lawmakers have exempted hookah, expensive cigars, and flavored pipe tobacco from the prohibition. Moreover, a prohibition will hurt small, local businesses and jobs as products are pushed from licensed, conscientious retailer to an underground market, leading to increased youth access, crime and other social or criminal justice concerns for many California residents.”
Joe Lang, managing partener at Lang, Hansen Giroux & Kidane: “It’s already illegal for anyone under 21 to use any tobacco product flavored or not. Prop 31 is not a ban on flavored tobacco for children – that’s already illegal. It’s a ban on legal regulated sales to adult customers.”
Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association: “Although the law bans the sale of flavored tobacco products to all customers regardless of age, lawmakers named it the “Stop Tobacco Access to Kids Enforcement Act.” They claimed it was needed to stop underage tobacco use – because only kids, apparently, like flavor. To be sure, no one wants children smoking or vaping, but it’s already illegal in California to sell or give tobacco and vapor products to anyone under the age of 21. If prohibition worked, then we wouldn’t have a problem.”
The official argument in opposition to Proposition 31 found in the Official Voter Information Guide:
Official Voter Information Guide: The politicians who wrote Proposition 31 say it will reduce underage tobacco use – but it’s already illegal to sell any tobacco product to anyone under the age of 21 in California, with big penalties for breaking the law.
PROP. 31 IS ADULT PROHIBITION Prop. 31 enacts a sweeping new ban on menthol cigarettes, flavored smokeless tobacco, and other flavored non-tobacco nicotine products for adults over the age of 21. Prohibition has never worked – it didn’t work with alcohol or marijuana, and it won’t work now. And Prop. 31’s prohibition will impact minority neighborhoods more than any other, criminalizing the sale of menthol cigarettes which are primarily the choice of adult tobacco consumers in these communities.
PROP. 31 WILL INCREASE CRIME Almost half of all cigarettes in California are sold in the underground market, smuggled in from other states or countries like China and Mexico. Prop. 31 will drive even more sales underground from licensed neighborhood retailers to gangs and organized crime. What’s worse, Proposition 31 does not add a single penny to law enforcement to fight the violent crime that will follow.
“Proposition 31 is practically unenforceable. It will put criminals in charge and convert a highly regulated tobacco market into an unregulated criminal market, creating unnecessary and potentially dangerous police interactions.” – Edgar Hampton, Retired California Police Officer.
PROP. 31 WILL COST TAXPAYERS A legislative analysis found that Prop. 31 will lead to “significant revenue losses” that will exceed $1 billion in the next four years. That means less money for healthcare, education, programs for seniors and law enforcement.
PROP. 31 Bans FDA AUTHORIZED REDUCED HARM PRODUCTS AND COULD INCREASE CIGARETTE USE AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE The Food and Drug administration (FDA) now has regulatory authority over tobacco and vapor products and already has banned many flavored tobacco products, but Prop. 31 goes too far – banning the sale of flavored reduced-risk, smoke-free products authorized by the FDA “appropriate for the protection of public health” for adults 21 and over.
When adult consumers are denied access to potentially less harmful products authorized by the FDA, they continue with traditional cigarettes that produce second-hand smoke. San Francisco’s flavor ban is a perfect example of the impact on youth as well: a Yale University study found there was a significant INCREASE in cigarette smoking among high school students – the exact opposite result the politicians promised.
PUBLIC EDUCATION IS BETTER THAN PROP. 31 California led the nation in raising the age to purchase tobacco to 21, has among the toughest anti-tobacco laws in the country, and spends over $140 million a year to help people quit tobacco and stop kids from starting. The results are clear: Youth vaping is down 59% in the last three years, and youth smoking is at an all-time low of just 1.9% according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration.
California should not abandon what is clearly working and replace it with a failed policy of the past – prohibition – that will increase crime, cost taxpayers, and backfire on the communities we are trying to protect. Please join us and vote NO on Prop 31 — Michael Genest, Former Director, California Department of Finance; Julian Canete, President, California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce; and Tom Hudson, President, California Taxpayer Protection Committee. [...]
September 27, 2023CaliforniaCalifornia has a unique voting system, which includes a Top Two Primary system. This blog post provides information about what it is like to vote in California.
TOP TWO PRIMARY SYSTEM
The first thing to know is that California uses a Top Two Primary System. California voters approved this system for statewide offices in June of 2010. With the Top Two Primary, all candidates running for an office are listed on one ballot, regardless of party preference. A candidate’s party has no impact on how the election is conducted or who is allowed to advance to the General Election. Instead, candidates go on to a run-off election based solely on how many votes they receive in the Primary.
It does not matter if one candidate receives a majority of the votes cast: the top two vote getters advance to the general election.
Even if only one or two candidates are running for a Top Two office, there will still be a primary election for that office.
Because candidates are not appearing on the ballot representing a party, it is possible for two candidates from the same party to be the top two vote-getters and advance to the General Election.
The Top Two Primary applies to the following offices:
United States Senators
Congressional Represenatives
State Senators
Assembly members
Governor
Lt. Governor
State Treasurer
Secretary of State
State Attorney General
On June 6, 2022, @CASOSVote tweeted: “As of May 23, there were 21,941,212 registered voters in California, which is 81.53% of eligible Californians, the highest percentage of Californians registered heading into a Gubernatorial Primary in 68 years…”
Voting Rights in California
Californians Experiencing Homelessness Can Vote
June 2, 2022: CapRadio posted an article titled: “Californians experiencing homelessness have the right to vote. Here’s how it works:” From the article:
Eligible Californians of all backgrounds – including those experiencing homelessness – can vote in the June 7 primary election.
Election officials and advocates for unhoused people say it’s not well known that people without a permanent address can register and cast a ballot. But over the past four decades, state and federal courts have ruled that homeless people cannot be denied the right to vote simply because they lack a roof over their head.
The courts have found unhoused residents can register by listing a shelter, landmark, park or street corner close to where they sleep as their address.
Despite the rulings, as few as 10% of homeless people vote in elections, compared with 54% of the country’s voting-age population, according to an article by Dora Kingsley Vertenten, a professor of public policy at the University of Southern California…
…Here is how the process works
In Sacramento County, election officials are encouraging homeless residents to take advantage of their rights.
“We just want to make sure that people know that this option exists,” said Janna Haynes, a spokesperson for Sacramento County, which recently issued a news release explaining how the process works. “We want to do everything we can to give them the opportunity to vote.”
Relatively few unhoused residents are registered to vote in the county compared with their overall numbers. The county’s most recent count in 2019 found 5,500 people were experiencing homelessness, though those number are expected to increase after this year’s count.
But election officials have mailed only about 450 ballots to unhoused residents, mainly those who live at shelters or use a service provider’s address, Haynes said. Officials are encouraging unsheltered homeless people to register and vote at any county voting center by submitting a general location such as a park or nearby intersection as their address…
…The same process applies in Yolo County where elections staff provided this guidance for unhoused residents:
“If you are unsheltered or homeless, you only need a description of where you live,” the county’s election website states. “If you do not have a street address, provide an exact description, including cross streets. If applicable, identify the corner or area where you live. For instance: ‘Northwest corner of 1st St. and Court St.'”…
September 20, 2022: CBS News posted an article titled: “Yolo County pushes voter registration ahead of midterms”. From the article:
…In West Sacramento, Yolo County officials held a voter registration drive…
…Voting advocates also say Californians who are being supervised by probation or parole or serving a jail sentence are eligible to vote. An exception is for anyone currently incarcerated due to a felony.
The Center for Inclusive Democracy released a report highlighting the barriers formerly incarcerated people face in the state.
“If you are unsheltered or homeless, you only need a description of where you live,” the county’s election website states. “If you do not have a street address, provide an exact description, including cross streets. If applicable, identify the corner or area where you live. For instance: ‘Northwest corner of 1st St. and Court St.'”…
September 20, 2022: CBS News posted an article titled: “Yolo County pushes voter registration ahead of midterms”. From the article:
…In West Sacramento, Yolo County officials held a voter registration drive…
…Voting advocates also say Californians who are being supervised by probation or parole or serving a jail sentence are eligible to vote. An exception is for anyone currently incarcerated due to a felony.
The Center for Inclusive Democracy released a report highlighting the barriers formerly incarcerated people face in the state.
September 26, 2022: Redding Record Searchlight posted an article titled: “Shasta County elections office warns of potential voter intimidation ahead of 2022 midterms”. From the article:
Shasta County residents are being warned about the potential for voter intimidation after reports of people canvassing neighborhoods and contacting voters at their homes.
The reports of alleged voter intimidation come six weeks before the Nov. 8 election.
County Clerk and Register of Voters Cathy Darling Allen said she has been contacted four times since Sept. 17 by four different voters about people wearing reflective vests who claim they are part of a “voter task force.”
“They are questioning who lives at the address, who is registered at the address and who voted at the address,” Darling Allen said.
Darling Allen said she was told the questioners were, “very aggressive”.
Department will not come to your home and question you. People who preform this kind of activity are violating the law and intimidating voters,” Darling Allen said in a news release…
…Darling Allen has contacted the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office, Redding Police Department and Anderson Police Department, the Secretary of State, and the U.S. Department of Justice, which launched a task force to combat threats against election workers in June 2021…
Mail-In Ballots
Every registered voter in California received a mail-in ballot. This gives voters the option to take their time to look up information about candidates, propositions, and more from the comfort of their own homes. It is also especially good for people who have disabilities that would make it hard for them to stand in a line for a long time.
There is also the option to go to a polling place and vote in-person. Either way will do – so long as people chose ONE way to vote.
The mail-in ballot envelope included a pamphlet with helpful information:
Every registered voter in California received a mail-in ballot. This gives voters the option to take their time to look up information about candidates, propositions, and more from the comfort of their own homes. It is also especially good for people who have disabilities that would make it hard for them to stand in a line for a long time.
There is also the option to go to a polling place and vote in-person. Either way will do – so long as people chose ONE way to vote.
The mail-in ballot envelope included a pamphlet with helpful information:
WARNING: CORRUPTING THE VOTING PROCESS IS PROHIBITED!
VIOLATIONS SUBJECT TO FINE AND/OR IMPRISONMENT
WHAT ACTIVITIES ARE PROHIBITED:
DO NOT commit or attempt to commit election fraud.
DO NOT provide any sort of compensation or bribery to, in any fashion by any means induce or attempt to induce, a person to vote or refrain from voting
DO NOT illegally vote
DO NOT attempt to vote or aid another to vote when not entitled to vote
DO NOT engage in electioneering; photograph or record a voter entering or leaving a polling place; or obstruct ingress, egress, or parking.
DO NOT challenge a person’s right to vote or prevent voters from voting; delay the process of voting; or fraudulently advise any person that he or she is not eligible to vote is not registered to vote.
DO NOT attempt to ascertain how a voter voted on their ballot.
DO NOT possess or arrange for someone to possess a firearm in the immediate vicinity of a polling place, with some exceptions.
DO NOT taper or interfere with any component of a voting system.
DO NOT forge, counterfeit, or tamper with the results of an election.
There was also a VOTER BILL OF RIGHTS, which states the following:
You have the right to vote if you are a currently registered voter. You are eligible to vote if you are a U.S. citizen living in California, at least 18 years old, registered where you currently live, not currently serving a state or federal prison term for the conviction of a felony, and not currently found mentally incompetent to vote by a court.
You have the right to vote if you are a registered voter even if your name is not on the list. You will vote on a provisional ballot. Your vote will be counted if elections officials determine that you still have the right to vote.
You have the right to vote if you are still in line when the polls close.
You have the right to cast a secret ballot without anyone bothering you or telling you how to vote.
You have the right to get a new ballot it, prior to casting your ballot, you believe you made a mistake. You can ask an election official at a polling place for a new ballot, exchange your vote-by-mail ballot for a new one at an elections office, or at your polling place, or vote with a provisional ballot.
You have the right to get help casting your ballot from anyone you choose, except from your employer or union representative.
You have the right to drop off your completed ballot at any polling place in California.
You have the right to get election materials in a language other than English if enough people in your voting precinct speak that language.
You have the right to ask questions to elections officials about election procedures and watch the election process. If the person you ask cannot answer your questions, they must send you to the right person for an answer. If you are disruptive, they can stop answering you.
You have the right to report an illegal or fraudulent election activity to an elections official or the Secretary of State’s office.
Voting in the 2022 Midterm Elections
November 5: NBC Bay Area posted an article titled: “Levi’s Stadium to Serve as One of the Biggest Polling Centers in Bay Area”. From the article:
Levi’s Stadium will be playing a big role in the upcoming midterm elections.
The stadium is opening Saturday as one of the biggest polling centers in the Bay Area.
Voters will have a chance to go there and vote early starting 9 a.m. Saturday through Monday afternoon.
On Election Day, the polling center at Levi’s Stadium will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
November 5: KCRA 3 posted an article titled: “El Dorado County reports low early voting turnout, prepares for upcoming severe weather”. From the article:
With the oncoming threat of rain and snow in the forecast, El Dorado County officials are doing what they can to make sure every vote is counted come Election Day.
The elections office is working with the sheriff’s department as well as the road crews in case roads get bad on Tuesday. Generators are also being dropped off at polling places as a backup if the power goes out.
“Primarily in South Lake Tahoe the amount of snow they’re talking about is two to three feet that could end up closing down some of the areas up there and make it really difficult for people to get to vote centers or drop boxes,” said Bill O’Neill, the registrar of voters for El Dorado County.
Weather can have a major impact on voter turnout and with snow and rain in the forecast people should be prepared to stand outside.
“Wear a nice warm jacket and umbrella and just be patient. We’re going to move people through as quickly as we can,” O’Neill said.
Ahead of the storms, the elections office said they haven’t seen quite the turnout they wanted for early voting.
“Both in-person voting, as well as mail, has been pretty low. We’re at about 24% right now. It’s a low turnout for the general elections. So far out of 138,000 voters, we have just over 32,000 ballots back,” O’Neill said.
Despite the low turnout, they say hundreds of people are calling the office daily trying to figure out how to vote…
November 6: 10 News San Diego posted an article titled: “Early voting in San Diego County by the numbers” From the article:
The San Diego County of Registrar of Voters released early voting data ahead of the midterm Election Day this upcoming Tuesday…
Expected turnout: 60% to 65%
Historical Turnout for Gubernatorial General Elections:
Sept. 14, 2021: California Gubernatorial Recall Election – 59.93%
Nov. 6, 2018: Gubernatorial General Election – 66.42%
Registered Voters (as of close of registration, Oct. 24)
Total Registered Voters: 1,925,738
Democratic: 799,375
Republican: 519,234
Nonpartisan: 487,197
Other: 119,932
Mail Ballots:
Number issued: Over 1.9 million
Number already returned: Over 480,000
141 Ballot Drop Box locations, including Registrar of Voters office
Number of drop-offs: Over 106,000 (as of Nov. 5)
Early Voting at the Registrar of Voters
Over 7,000 voters (as of Nov. 5) – Centers open Oct. 29 through Nov. 7…
November 7: ABC 10News San Diego posted an article titled: “Thousands already casts votes in Midterm Election” From the article:
Democracy is at work even ahead of Election Day in San Diego County.
“Incredibly easy, in fact, I’ve had this in my car for a few days and I work just around the corner so I had to get it done today. I love mail-in balloting,” said Buddy Voit, a voter.
“It’s easy. It’s so easy. There’s no reason why we can’t, but I really hope that everyone does their research,” said Gabriel Adona, a voter.
More than 1.9 million people are registered to vote in San Diego Country.
As of Sunday morning, more than 480,000 voters have dropped off their ballots.
Voters that ABC 10News spoke to said the future was top of mind.
“It’s what we want for our kids and for our families,” said Jessica Peter, a voter.
Voit agreed.
“A lot of the propositions – there’s so much advertising and it’s just all negative not informative, but its just telling you don’t do this so you really have to take some time to read it,” expressed Voit.
Voters say educating yourself is also important.
This midterm election has proven to be heated across the country with other states seeing armed people outside of ballot drop-off areas and people making threats.
But the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department tells ABC 10News in a statement there is a there have been no threats so far.
“We believe we have adequate staffing on duty and have additional resources available if needed. The Registrar of Voters has been working very hard to ensure a safe and secure election process. We have been working and collaborating with our local, state, and federal partners and are ready to respond appropriately to any incident. As of this moment, we have no intelligence or information of any threats to the County of San Diego.”
November 7: KTLA 75 posted an article titled: “Los Angeles Metro offers free Election Day rides on all busses, trains, and more” From the article:
Anyone can get free Election Day rides on Los Angeles County Metro buses, trains and more to encourage people to get out and vote Tuesday.
The Metropolitan Transit Authority voted in 2019 to permanently offer free rides on federal and statewide election days to make it easier for people to travel to and from local polling places…
…Free rides will run from midnight to 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 8 and will also include free access to Metro’s Bike Share and Metro Micro options…
…Metro Bike Share users will receive a free 30-minute ride with fees costing $1.75 per 30 minutes after the first half hour. Riders trying to access the deal will need to enter code 110822.
Metro Micro users will need enter code Vote2022 for unlimited free ride in all Metro Micro zones Nov. 8.
November 7: CBS News posted an article titled: “UC Davis report studies political violence ahead of midterms” From the article:
Sacramento – What is on the minds of voters as Election Day approaches?
In California, there is inflation, economy, crime, abortion, and homelessness. But the issue most pressing to some voters is not even on the ballot.
This election cycle, America’s democracy seems fragile to some voters…
…It is not merely a feeling.
A new UC Davis report examined supporters of the former president to see how likely they are to support violence to advance political objectives.
According to researchers, respondents believed another U.S. civil war is likely and that it’s more important to have a strong leader than democracy in America.
“However, they are not more likely to say that they would engage in that violence themselves,” said Dr. Garen Wintemute, an emergency physician and director of the Violence Prevention Research Program at UC Davis.
With the visibility of acts and threats of political violence, is it possible to reverse course?
Researchers believe dialing down the rhetoric is a start and people need to sound the alarm…
…Threats of political violence, skyrocketing costs and quality-of-life issues have people stressed.
A poll shows more than a quarter of adult Americans are so stressed, they cannot function.
But experts believe there are ways around stress, especially with elections…
November 7: Bakersfield.com posted an article titled: “Polls open in Kern County Tuesday”. From the article:
The polls are open Tuesday, Kern County, and another election cycle is here.
Voters in the Central Valley, across California and the country will return to polls on Tuesday, be it in person or by mail, to consider a host of candidates and issues that will determine, in many respects, the nation’s trajectory.
From 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, more than 100 poll sites and 17 official drop boxes in Kern County are open to registered voters who will decide the fate of a tightly contested midterm election, with many seats attracting national attention.
“I think the most important thing is for us to vote for local elections, where we get to call the shots,” said Cathy Abernathy, a prominent Kern County Republican strategists. Statewide, they have more impact. But we can make a difference on the City Council and Board of Supervisors.”
Races include two U.S. congressional elections, state legislative offices, Kern County Board of Supervisors seats, and Bakersfield City Council, among others. There are also several critical ballot measures for voters to consider.
According to county statistics, Kern has approximately 426,000 registered voters, a slight increase from 2018 numbers. In line with past elections, 36 percent label themselves Republican, barely edging a 35 percent Democratic base. Past races in the Central Valley have come down to the sway of moderates, which means a victory may likely come by a couple of hundred votes.
“When T.J. Cox defeated David Valadao, it was by a couple dozen votes. Many of these elections could be decided by a couple dozen votes.”…
…Kern County election officials reported receiving 73,000 ballots through Saturday. According to Kern County Registrar Mary Bedard, officials are rushing to process early votes quickly to better be prepared for election night.
“Elections are extremely important in our civic life, since it is the time when all citizens can make their voices heard,” she said.
Historically, midterm years usually see a lower turnout and less interest compared to presidential elections…
November 7: KCRA posted an article titled: “Political Data Inc. exec breaks down California ballot returns, forecasts for 2022 midterm elections” From the article:
As of Monday, Nov. 7, 20% of ballots sent our to registered voters in California have been returned, according to Political Data Inc. That’s 4.3 million out of more than 21 million sent out.
KCRA spoke with the vice president of Political Data Inc. to go through who is voting early, how it compares to past elections and the forecast results.
“In 2018, we only had 20 million voters. Now we have 22 million voters. So it is kind of like apples to oranges,” PDI Vice President Paul Mitchell said. “We can look more at the recall election.”
the returns are lower so close to the deadline for this election.
“The ballot we got this year is a lot more complicated than the recall,” Mitchell said. “So, a lot of people might be waiting to vote and kind of figuring out the judges or propositions before they turn in the ballot.”
November 7: Fox 5 posted an article titled: “San Diego County Registrar of Voters assure election and voting security” From the article:
San Diego County Registrar of Voters, Cynthia Paes said they are staying prepared as they continue welcome more voters to cast their ballots ahead of Election Day. This includes making sure security features are in place.
“Get out there exercise your right to vote,” said Paes.
Voting securely, while being safe is a top priority for the San Diego County Registrar of Voters Office. Paes said their election officials or workers have not received any threats, violence or intimidations.
San Diego County Registrar of Voters, Cynthia Paes said they are staying prepared as they continue welcome more voters to cast their ballots ahead of Election Day. This includes making sure security features are in place.
“Get out there exercise your right to vote,” said Paes.
Voting securely, while being safe is a top priority for the San Diego County Registrar of Voters Office. Paes said their election officials or workers have not received any threats, violence or intimidations.
November 7: KCRA 3 posted an article titled: “Control of the House is primary focus for California Democrats, Republicans ahead of Election Day” From the article:
California voters on Tuesday will help determine which party controls the U.S. House of Representatives, the top priority for the Democratic and Republican parties in California.
“We’re working to make sure we hold the house and holding the house runs through California,” said California Democratic Party Chairman Rusty Hicks.
Democrats are on defense after having majority control over Congress over the last two years. Party leaders say protecting abortion access and democracy is part of the party’s key messaging ahead of Tuesday.
“Given what we saw in 2020 and on Jan. 6, I think we all recognize the race for 2024 is on here and now, and ensuring the preservation and protection of our democracy includes holding the house, Hicks said.
The California Democratic Party has five must-win races, according to campaign emails sent to supporters this week. These races are:
District 9: Josh Harder (D) vs Tom Patti (R)
District 13: Adam Gray (D) vs John Duarte (R)
District 26: Julia Brownley (D) vs Matt Jacobs (R)
District 47: Katie Porter (D) vs Scott Baugh (R)
District 49: Mike Levin (D) vs Brian Maryott (R)
The California Republican Party has several get-out-the-vote events in those districts this weekend ahead of Election Day.
“Californians are absolutely feeling it, whether that’s the economy of inflation, the cost of everything from gas to groceries or the crime we see on our streets,” said California GOP Chairwoman Jessica Millan Patterson.
The party said it feels confident about picking up at least the five seats needed to take back the House…
…Gov. Gavin Newsom is also getting involved.
Newsom’s campaign Friday announced he would spend the day in Southern California on Sunday to rally for congressional candidates in tight races, including Katie Porter and Christy Smith.
Newsom has raised $6 million this election cycle for causes and candidates outside of his own campaign for reelection.
November 7: Ventura County Star posted an article titled: “Ventura County voters get a last chance to cast ballots in the midterm election Tuesday”. From the article:
Voters get their last chance to cast a ballot in California’s midterm election on Tuesday as a winter storm sweeps into Ventura County.
After some showers Monday, the bulk of the rain and snow will hit Southern California on Election Day, said Kristen Stewart, meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Oxnard office. Heavier rain is expected to reach the county just after dawn – likely in time for the morning commute and vote centers opening – and last throughout the day, she said.
In all, the storm is expected to drop 1 to 3 inches of rain in coastal and valley areas, and 2 to 5 inches in the foothills and mountains.
How the store affects voter turnout remains to be seen, said county elections chief Mark Lunn. The good news is that voters have a lot of ways to turn in their ballots, he said.
Ballots may be turned in at one of the county’s dozens of drop boxes or 51 vote centers. They also may be mailed for free, but Lunn recommended against using the Post Office so close to Election Day.
All ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 8 and received at the elections division by Nov. 15 to be counted…
…As of Monday morning, the elections devision had received roughly 130,000 ballots or 25% of the more than 505,000 sent to registered voters. That figure includes ballots received by mail, dropped off at the vote centers or left in drop boxes.
Earlier this year, the county switched to the state’s Voters Choice Act election model that requires mail-in ballots for all registered voters and extended in-person voting days but reduces the number of voting locations.
Instead, hundreds of polling places, a smaller number of vote centers are open for additional days. Voters also can cast ballots at any center in the county, not just those closest to them…
November 7: San Francisco Examiner posted an article titled: “New poll shows S.F. not buying false claims of illegal voting”. From the article:
Amid overwhelming evidence illegal voting is rare, not nearly pervasive enough to sway elections and persistent false claims to the contrary, fewer Bay Area voters identify it as a threat to American democracy than their statewide peers in a new poll.
The UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies Poll asked registered voters a number of questions late last month about the state of U.S. democracy, including the potential dangers it faces, ahead of Tuesday’s midterm elections.
Asked whether “people voting or casting ballots illegally in elections” poses a major threat, a minor threat, or no threat at all to American democracy, 48% of registered Bay Area identified voter fraud as no threat. That was at least nine percentage points higher than every region of the state, including Los Angeles, where 34% of voters said the same.
Forty-eight percent of registered voters in the Bay Area’s nine countries identified illegal voting as a threat of some kind to democracy in the U.S. Twenty-nine percent said it was a major threat, while 19% said it was a minor one.
“Some vague feelings that voter fraud is a problem are not unusual,” Jason McDaniel, an associate professor of political science at San Francisco State University who specializes in voting behavior and urban politics, told The Examiner in an interview on Monday…
…Statewide, a higher percentage of voters (39%) said that illegal voting was a major threat than those who said it wasn’t at all (34%) even though it is, in actuality, far from widespread in American elections.
The Associated Press in July found that the expanded use of ballot drop boxes in the 2020 presidential election led to no associated fraud cases that could have affected the results, seven months after finding just 475 cases of voter fraud out of more than 25 million votes in six battleground states that President Joe Biden won…
…Yet, as conspiracy theories about election results continues to spread, perceptions of illegal voting also persist.
Former President Donald Trump has falsely and repeatedly claimed that voter fraud was widespread in the 2016, 2018, and 2020 elections, the latter of which was echoed by rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 2021 in an effort to halt the certification of Biden’s electoral college victory…
…False voter fraud claims have become widespread within Trump’s party. Ninety percent of registered Republican voters in California polled by Berkeley IGS identified illegal voting as a threat of some kind to democracy, compared to just 45% of Democrats…
November 7: The Sacramento Bee posted an article titled: “‘We want election integrity.” The life cycle of a Sacramento County ballot”. From the article:
If Sacramento County Elections Manager Karalyn Fox could tell voters one thing, it would be this: “If you have questions, come observe the process. Get your answers here.”
It seems like a simple request. But in the post-2020 era of skepticism so severe it’s metamorphosed into wild conspiracy theories and occasional violence, the work that officials like Fox are doing to make elections more transparent matters.
“We are really hard workers,” she said. “We want election integrity.”
The Voter Registration and Elections Office has taken just about every imaginable step to detail for voters what happens to their ballot – especially since more people than ever are mailing them or using drop boxes before the election. One such step is a thorough tour of the county elections office and follow-up Q&A sessions.
For those unable to attend in-person, The Sacramento Bee went for you.
The Process
If you didn’t use the U.S. Postal Service and took your ballot instead to a voting center or drop box, its journey begins with a team of two election staffers – everything is done in pairs, no one goes alone, in an AirTagged county vehicle. They collect them and drive to an unassuming office building in an unassuming part of South Sacramento, just off off Florin Road, around the corner from the Walmart Supercenter.
The county elections office is as anodyne as any other county facility, only on the inside, its employees are doing some of the most important work they’ll do all year.
Ballots are sorted by precinct and run through an industrial mail sorter called the BlueCrest machine. It scans the bar code on the ballot envelope and captures the signature, too. Election staff compare the signatures with those on voter registration forms to make sure they match.
The Duplication Team looks for potential damage to, or writing on, the ballot that might cause problems when it’s tabulated – like tearing, or use of red pen – that may warrant a duplication. If necessary, the team will put the information on a clean ballot so that it can be tabulated.
In a separate room with a 24/7 livestream available to anyone, ballots are put through the tabulator machine. If something is unclear – a vote is crossed out and re-done, for example – a team of adjudicators will assess the ballot for voter intent.
Ballot tabulators are used in over 90% of election jurisdictions in the United States and are widely regarded as both accurate and efficient. This has not stopped conspiracy theories – reinforced by former President Donald Trump and those who believe the 2020 election was stolen from him – from spreading. Namely, Trump and his supporters thought that the machines were rigged.
No credible evidence of such tampering has surfaced…
November 8: The San Luis Obispo Tribune posted an article titled: “What we will – and won’t – know on election night in California midterms”. From the article:
…What Will You Know On Election Night In California?
You won’t know official election results on election night. For those, we’ll all be waiting for the counties and Secretary of State to certify the count.
How does California Count Ballots?
You won’t know official election results on election night. For those, we’ll all be waiting for the counties and Secretary of State to certify the count.
The Secretary of State then will receive a certified statement of the election by county officials.
By the 38th day after the election, the Secretary of State must determine the winners, certify the results, and deliver certificates of election to the elected candidates.
Official results will be posted by Dec. 16 to the Secretary of State’s website.
November 8: Cal Coast Times posted an article titled: “Poll workers accused on misconduct in San Luis Obispo County”. From the article:
After poll workers at multiple polling places in San Luis Obispo County refused to provide ballots to voters, several voters contacted both the SLO County Clerk Recorder and the FBI regarding workers’ failures to follow election laws.
Voters are permitted to vote at the polls, and many exchange their mail-in ballots for poll ballots. However, multiple poll workers are telling voters to fill in their mail-in ballots and drop them in the box without the envelope, which disqualifies their votes.
Voters are required to use poll ballots at the polling places, unless they place their mail-in ballot in the envelope provided, which then must be signature approved at the clerk recorder’s office, and will not be counted on election night…
Poll workers argued that there was no reason to give her another ballot and told her to fill out the mail-in ballot and drop it in a box without the envelope, which would invalidate her vote.
then called County clerk Recorder Elaina Cano who agreed that mail-in ballots dropped without envelopes at polling places would be disqualified. Cano said she would resolve the issue, said…
January 27: Reuters posted “Fact Check – 10.8 million ‘unaccounted for’ ballots in 2022 midterm in California not an indication of fraud”. From the article:
The state of California automatically sends ballots to all registered voters, who are then permitted either to vote by mail or in person. During the 2022 midterm elections in California, 21.9 million ballots were sent out and 11.1 million people voted, leaving around 10.8 million ballots sent to voters who did not cast them.
Posts on social media are sharing this figure alongside claims that it is indicative of election fraud. However, there has been no evidence presented that those uncast ballots were used for fraud. Several other U.S. states and foreign countries also mail ballots toll voters, a practice that always implies that a percentage of ballots sent out will not be used. The office of California’s Secretary of State said there were ample fraud protection measures in place.
A Facebook user shared the claim that 10.8 million mail ballots were “Unaccounted For” in 2022 and wrote “A CLEAN ELECTION RIGHT? NOTHING HERE RIGHT? NO EVIDENCE OF FRAUD RIGHT? TRUMP SUPPORTERS ARE DENIERS HOW SILLY RIGHT? DEMOCRATS 1001 WAYS TO CHEAT THE 2022 MID TERM ELECTION!!!”
(NOTE: Facebook added a Missing Content label to that post. “Independent fact-checkers say this information could mislead people.”)
Some of the claims link to a Breitbart article that says 10.8 million midterm ballots were “unaccounted for” in California. The article cites data and text from the conservative elections group Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) that says “there were more than 10 million ballots left outstanding, meaning election officials do not know what happened to them.”…
…Joe Kocurek, a spokesperson for the CA Secretary of State’s office, described measures to prevent fraud. Voters can track their own ballots (voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/). The tracking includes being able to check “when it has been mailed to them, whether it was returned to their election official, whether it was counted, and if it wasn’t counted the reason for not counting it,” Koucurek said.
“If a voter does not receive their ballot, they can request a replacement ballot through Election Day. This replacement ballot is subject to verification that the missing ballot was not cast,” Kocureck said. A unique number is assigned to each ballot and voters’ signatures are verified.
Several voting rights groups told Reuters that the safeguards in California’s system, as in other states, are designed to prevent fraudulent voting, such as attempts by voters to cast more than one ballot…
...VERDICT
Misleading. Nearly 10.8 million mail-in ballots were sent to voters who did not vote in the 2022 general election, but there has been no evidence that this represents fraud, as said by social media posts. All California registered voters receive ballots, and the percentage of those ballots that were cast were similar to turnout in past midterms… [...]
September 25, 2023CaliforniaCalifornia was not the only state that held Senate Elections during the 2022 election. California decided to hold two Senate elections concurrently on November 8, 2022. One was for a special election, and the other was for a general election full term.
Wikipedia provided information about the 2022 United States Senate elections in California:
Two 2022 United States Senate elections in California were held concurrently on November 8, 2022, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of California. There were two ballot items for the same Class 3 seat: a special election to fill the seat for the final weeks of the 117th United States Congress (ending on January 3, 2023), and a general election for a full term (beginning on the same day), starting in the 118th United States Congress.
Incumbent Democratic Senator Alex Padilla was appointed in 2021 by Governor Gavin Newsom to fill the vacancy created by Kamala Harris’s election to the vice presidency in 2020, and he sought a full term.
A jungle primary: is a primary election in which all candidates for the same elected office run against each other at once, regardless of political party. In most cases, two winners advance to the general election, in which case it is called a top-two primary. If more than two candidates are selected for the general election, it may be known as a top-four primary or top-five primary. It is also known as a jungle primary. It took place on June 7, 2022.
The top two candidates in each primary, regardless of party, advanced to the special and regular general elections in November. With his advancement out of the primary, Mark. P. Meuser became the first Republican since 2012 to advance to the general election, as both the 2016 and 2018 Senate elections solely featured Democrats at the top two candidates.
This race was a rematch between the two, as both had previously run for the Secretary of State in 2018. Padilla ultimately won both elections. Padilla became the first Latino elected to the U.S. Senate from California, and the first male elected to the Senate from California since Pete Wilson was re-elected in 1988.
Ballotpedia provided information about the United States Senate election in California, 2022:
Voters in California elected one member to the U.S. Senate in the general election on November 8, 2022. The primary was scheduled for June 7, 2022. The filing deadline was March 11, 2022.
The election filled the Class III Senate seat held by Alex Padilla (D), who first took office in 2021 after Kamala Harris (D) was elected vice president.
There was also a special election to fill the remainder of the term Harris won in 2016, ending in January 2023. According to Ballotpedia, the special election became necessary after Kamala Harris (D) was elected Vice President of the United States.
The outcome of this race affected the partisan balance of the U.S. Senate in 2022. Democrats retained their majority and gained one net seat, with the Senate’s post-election partisan balance at 51 Democrats and 49 Republicans.
Thirty-five of 100 seats were up for election, including one special election. At the time of the election, Democrats had an effective majority, with the chamber split 50-50 and Vice President Kamala Harris (D) having the tie-breaking vote. Of the seats up for election in 2022, Democrats held 14 and Republicans held 21.
Ballotpedia provided information about California’s Nonpartisan primary for U.S. Senate in 2022:
Ballotpedia provided information about Alex Padilla:
Alex Padilla (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. Senate from California. He assumed office on January 20, 2021. His current erm ends on January 3, 2029.
Alex Padilla (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Alex Padilla also ran in a special election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. He won in the special election on November 8, 2022.
On December 22, 2020, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) appointed Padilla to fill the U.S. Senate vacancy created by Sen. Kamala Harris becoming vice president of the United States. He was sworn in on January 20, 2021. Padilla will serve the remaining two years of Harris’s term.
Padilla previously served as the California Secretary of State. He was first elected 2024 and was re-elected in 2018. He left office on January 18, 2021, in order to be sworn in as a member of the United States Senate.
Padilla is a former Democratic member of the California State Senate, representing District 20 from 2006-2014. He was ineligible to run for re-election in 2014.
Prior to serving in the California Senate, Padilla was on the Los Angeles City Council from 1999-2006, serving as its president from 2001-2006.
Alex Padilla earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1994 and graduated from the Coro Fellowship Program in Leadership and Public Affairs in 1995. Padilla’s career experience includes working as a staffer, political director, or campaign manager for several Democratic politicians in California, including Dianne Feinstein, Richard Alarcon, Gilbert Cedillo, and Tony Cardenas. He serve as the president of the League of California Cities and as a member of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials.
Ballotpedia provided information about Mark P. Meuser:
Mark Meuser (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Mark Meuser also ran in a special election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. He lost in the special election on November 8, 2022.
Mark Meuser was a 2012 Republican candidate for District 7 of the California State Senate.
Ballotpedia provided information about Cordie Williams:
Cordie Williams (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. He lost in the primary on June 2022.
Cordie Williams served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1998 to 2022.
Cordie Williams completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions they answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Dr. Cordie Williams is a husband, father, Marine Veteran, and doctor. When the government began its response to COVID in early 2020, Dr. Cordie felt the rights of Americans were being violated. He knew he had to be the man to stand up. Dr. Cordie picked up a megaphone and began speaking up in defense of liberty and protests all across California.
Dr. Cordie Williams is a strong advocate for personal freedoms which are enshrined in our Constitution. In the United States Senate, he will uphold the foundational belief that the citizens of California, and all Americans, are at their best when they decide what it is in their own best interest. Faith, family, and freedom are at the very core of who Dr. Cordie is. He is unashamed to put his values, shared among most Californians, on full display.
After serving in the United States Marine Corps, the American dream of entrepreneurialism came to fruition for Dr. Cordie as he and his wife Dr. Tania Williams started, and continue to operate today, a successful chiropractic practice in Southern California. Dr. Cordie has put all the he has worked for on the line to ensure that all Californians remain free from government control over their daily lives.
Please list below 3 messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Parental Rights
Personal Freedom
Election Integrity
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Through his unshaken faith, raising a family, service to Country, and business experience, Dr. Cordie Williams has witnessed the greatness of this Country. He believes that through limited government, personal responsibility, and individual liberty, we can and will restore the American spirit. In 1998, Dr. Cordie took an oath to protect and defend the Constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic. He is running for the U.S. Senate to continue upholding this oath.
Ballotpedia provided information about Jonathan Elist:
Jonathan Elist (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Jonathan Elist also ran in a special election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. He lost in the special primary on June 7, 2022.
Jonathan Elist was born in Los Angeles. California. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Princeton in 2007, a graduate degree from Stanford in 2012, and a graduate degree from Harvard in 2013. His career experience includes working as a CEO of a medical device company. Elist has served on the board of directors for the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles.
Elist completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am an experienced government advisor, successful businessman, and upset parent who is determined to bring a fresh perspective to DC. As the son of Iranian immigrants, I was determined to make the most of the American Dream, earning international affairs and business degrees from Princeton, Stanford, and Harvard.
I’ve had a diverse blend of professional experience in both the public and private sectors: the Small Business Administration, the US Department of Commerce, and in government consulting with international, federal, state, and local government entities. I launched a successful urology medical device company. Alongside my professional experience, I have volunteered my time with major philanthropic organizations with a leadership role.
As a dedicated father and husband, I am concerned about my family’s future. This was the driving force behind my candidacy; America gave the opportunity to my parents and me, and now it is time that I continue to fight for our future generations. Politicians like Alex Padilla, George Gascon, and Gavin Newsom do not represent us. It is time we bring common sense leaders back to our nation.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Vibrant Economy -What do out-of-control inflation, record gas prices, and a housing crisis have in common? They are caused by tone-deaf politicians who refuse to pass sensible legislation to provide relief to Americans. With 64% of Americans living paycheck to paycheck, it is critical that we address the silent tax of inflation.
Safe Communities – Violent crime is skyrocketing, and our communities feel less safe by the day. Our “leaders” have failed us because they refuse to prosecute crime. I would help direct resources to hire more police officers, provide them with dignified compensation, and bolster efforts to prosecute criminals.
World-Class Education – The educational system is failing our children. As a father, I’ve watched California consistently rank at the bottom of education, even with all of the resources we have expended. We need to strengthen our educational institutions by pushing for accountability and transparency while incentivizing competition in the market. Most importantly, we need to ensure that parents have a seat at the table when it comes to major curriculum decisions for their children.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I believe I have the necessary experience and passion in the policy areas of health, economics, and foreign affairs. I have served as a government efficiency consultant with major public sector entities, and as a successful medical device CEO, I understand the necessity of market-driven solutions to help make government more efficient. Finally, as the son of Iranian immigrants, former employee of the U.S. Embassy in Argentina, and a strong supporter of Israel, I acknowledge the importance of our interconnected world and the need for strong leadership.
Ballotpedia provided information about Chuck Smith:
Chuck Smith (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. He lost in the primary won June 7, 2022.
Chuck Smith was born in Sacramento, California. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1968-1973. He earned an associate degree from American River College in 1974. His career experience includes working in law enforcement.
Chuck Smith completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am a Conservative, Christian, Republican. I am married to my wife, Linda, for the past 30 years. We have 3 grown children and 3 grandchildren. I served in the US Marie Corps for 5 years and am a combat Vietnam Veteran. I am a retired Sacramento Police Officer. Combined with my time as Yolo County Deputy Sheriff, I spent 13 years as a graveyard street cop on patrol until I retired in 1990 due to an on the job injury. I also worked at the Sacramento Federal Courthouse for 25 years as a Court Security Officer. Currently I have been retired for the past 5 years. I have volunteered for the Trauma Intervention Program in Sutter County and volunteered for 2 years on the Sutter County Grand Jury. As you can see by my background, I am not a politician. However, I am a Patriot, Warrior and a Fighter and I promise that I will do my best and fight for the people of California and this Greatest Nation on Earth. God Bless America.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
I stand for: Our Constitution, strong Law Enforcement and Military, Robust Economy, Secure Borders, 2nd Amendment, Smaller Government, Term Limits, Less Taxes.
I am not a politician so I don’t have any allegiance to Big Money, Big Pharma, or Lobbyists. My only allegiance is to our Constitution and the people of America.
The American Dream is being destroyed by Corrupt politicians and their personal Agendas. I believe in America First Policies and that the American Citizens are our first priority.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
If we continue on this Administrations Economical Policies, America and its Citizens will become bankrupt. America will become a Socialist Nation and a Third World Country.
If our crime way is not stopped, there will be anarchy throughout our Nation.
Our Nation is being overrun by illegal Immigrants from around the globe. Many are bringing diseases into the country. Many are Cartel members and they are bringing in illegal and deadly drugs, sex and human trafficking rings and are attempting to take over and control our city’s with their criminal activities.
All of these issues, and more, have to be addressed and fixed or changed before its too late.
Ballotpedia provided information about James P. Bradley:
James P. Bradley (Republican Party) is running for election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. He declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
James P. Bradley received his MBA in financial management and international business from National University. His professional experience includes serving as a chief financial officer and chief operating officer, beginning in 2015. Bradley also served in the United States Coast Guard from 1981-1986.
Ballotpedia provided information about Douglas Howard Pierce:
Douglas Howard Pierce (Democratic Party) is running for election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. He declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Ballotpedia provided information about John Thompson Parker:
John Thomas Parker (Peace and Freedom Party) ran in a special election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. He lost as a write-in in the special primary on June 7, 2022.
John Thomas Parker also ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
John Thomas Parker was born in Jersey City, New Jersey. His career experience includes working as a coordinator for the Harriet Tubman Center for Social Justice.
John Thomas Parker completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
John Parker is the coordinator of the Harriet Tubman Center for Social Justice and leading board member of the Socialist Unity Party. He accompanies former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark on many anti-war delegations abroad. Parker was only 18 when he organized his first union election – at a small steel plant in New Jersey. An African American, he has worked at a variety of other jobs, including teaching at a public school in Newark.
After moving to Los Angeles with his family in 1998, he became a leader in the anti-war movement. Parker sparked the minimum wage increase proposals in Los Angeles by being the first to author and initiate the Los Angeles $15 minimum wage ballot initiative in 2013 that would have taken effect immediately upon voter approval.
Parker recently attended the inauguration of socialist President Xiomara Castro at the invitation of the Libre Party, due to his solidarity work with Honduras after the 2009 U.S. supported coup.
Legislative/Legal Struggles:
Initiator and author of $15 Minimum Wage Ballot Initiative of 2014
Leading current lawsuit against Kroger’s for closing Ralphs grocery store in South Central Los Angeles, on behalf of plaintiff: Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Los Angeles
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Call for an immediate cessation of U.S. wars and proxy wars and the funding of wars and occupations; divert the funding to vital social programs and for use in programs to reverse environmental damage, prioritizing global warming.
Immediately call for a state of emergency in Black and Brown neighborhoods to address police murder with the initial step of ceasing the use of deadly force by police in communities where a majority of residents are Black or Latinx.
Institute a referendum calling for the conversation of privately owned vital industry into public ownership.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
It has become crystal clear during this pandemic and the current push by the U.S. -led NATO for World War III, that the institutions in this country, and those who support them and enable them, can no longer be trusted to provide even the most basic protections of life, and increasingly threaten the existence of others beyond its borders. It is therefore time to take a sober look at our world and the rapidly deteriorating effects this systemic incompetence is having on our communities, our workplaces, and our families.
The two-party system in the U.S. of Democrats and Republicans are two sides of the same coin, funded by and serving the same corporate masters. Their politicians, in general, will continue to make decisions of war, climate change, growing economic impoverishment and racist and sexist state repression based on the sole motivation of maximizing profits for their masters – who have ultimate control over the use of those profits. It’s our work, day in and day out that make those profits possible, yet this system does not allow us any real say in the consistent decision to spend trillions on war and relative pennies on social necessities. This will only change when corporate and financial monopoly ownership of the industries of production and finance are transferred to the majority – to those who it oppresses and exploits. This campaign is about building a movement to make that systemic change possible.
May 20: The Sacramento Bee posted an article titled: “A socialist, a billionaire, a podiatrist: Alex Padilla’s Senate Challengers in California” From the article:
…Twenty-three candidates are on the California secretary of state’s certified list to run for a full, six-year term. Of those, eight are also running to fill the remainder of his current term and thus will appear on the ballot twice.
Sen. Alex Padilla, the Democratic incumbent, is running both to finish this term and serve the next one. He is strongly favored to win both.
California’s first Latino U.S. senator, Padilla, was appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to fill the remainder of Vice President Kamala Harris’ unexpired term. He previously served as California’s Secretary of State.
Under California law, the governor must call for an election during the regularly-scheduled primary and general election to fill a vacated Senate seat. The governor appoints someone to serve in the interim.
Since joining the Senate in January 2021, Padilla, 49, has worked on COVID-19, wildfire, water and housing relief. He has also spearheaded bills on immigration reform called to end the filibuster rule and pushed for voting rights legislation.
“I’m seeking a full term as Senator to continue delivering for Californians and to continue fighting for the critical issues at stake for our country – the fundamental right to choose, the right to vote, immigration reform and the protection of our democracy,” he said in a statement sent to The Bee…
...DEMOCRATS
Among Padilla’s Democratic challengers is Dan O’Dowd, a billionaire tech entrepreneur who is running for both the remainder of this term and the next one. His mission is to “make computers safe for humanity,” including by bolstering cybersecurity and taking Tesla’s full self-driving car technology off the market until it is safer.
“We need to stop putting lives at risk with bad software, poorly designed software that’s going to fail,” he told The Bee.
Timothy J. Ursich Jr. a chiropractor and sports medicine specialist, will also be on the ballot for both terms.
Three Democrats are seeking only the full term: Akinyemi Agbede, a mathematician; Douglas Howard Pierce, a missing children’s advocate, and Obaidul Huq Pirjada, an attorney.
Pirjada told The Bee his priorities would be tamping down on inflation, enhancing the child tax credit and aiding seniors and veterans, among other groups. He said that, although his campaign might not gain the backing of top-dollar donors, his background helps him connect on a personal level with immigrants, communities of color and families.
“I speak for the community of the common people,” he said.
REPUBLICANS
Four Republicans are contending for both the remainder of this term and the next one.
Jon Elist is founder and chief executive officer of a medical device company. He has the most campaign cash on hand of any of Padilla’s challengers.
Elist is focused on the economy, immigration reform, crime and parental choice in their children’s education. Most of his solutions involve bipartisan compromise, such as better pathways to citizenship for those seeking it.
“I’m a very independent-minded candidate. I certainly lean conservative, but at the end of the day, I’m a pragmatist,” he told The Bee. “Even on a personal level, having a personal relationship with people across the aisle.”
James P. Bradley once worked in search and rescue for the Coast Guard and the health care business. In a poll of voters by iSideWith, a non-partisan political discussion and polling platform, Bradley ranks second to Padilla with 14% of the vote. Padilla sits at 50%.
Bradley told The Bee that tax holidays to help small business owners and entrepreneurs were among his priorities for the economy, housing and education.
“The big one is the future of our children. There are many bills being passed into law eroding parental rights and their ability to do proper parenting,” Bradley said.
Mark P. Meuser is an attorney who focuses on election and constitutional law. He advocated against prolonged remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic and was an attorney in a lawsuit against California leaders over the policy.
Dr. Myron L. Hall is a podiatrist and former naval officer who opposes pandemic mandates, is pro-life and backs the Second Amendment. In response to a query for an interview, a representative for Hall simply responded, “The goal is to win.”
Six Republicans are running just for the full term.
Pastor Sarah Sun Lew, a businesswoman and non-profit director, is running to support small business owners, students, those with temporary worker visas and health care leaders.
“We have to make them street smart,” she said of students. “There are not enough internships. They wouldn’t have all those college loans if we were to support those connections as entrepreneurs and students work together.”
Robert George Lucero Jr., a consultant, prioritizes preventing nuclear war, solving the homeless crisis and boosting jobs.
Enrique Petris is a businessman and former federal worker calling for tighter border security free community college for students and infrastructure jobs…
May 20: KCRA 3 posted an article titled: “It’s not a mistake. California voters will vote for the same U.S. Senate seat twice” From the article:
…June 7 is something of a checkpoint for most races, where the top two vote-getters regardless of political affiliation will advance to the November Election. If you’ve already received your ballot, you might have noticed that the office of U.S. Senate is on your ballot twice.
It’s not a mistake; its not a typo.
It’s something more of an anomaly stemming from when then-Sen. Kamala Harris became vice president of the United States. That created a vacancy that Gov. Gavin Newsom filled with the appointment of then-California Secretary of State Alex Padilla. But that appointment is only temporary because of a California law signed shortly after Padilla’s appointment that gives votes the chance to decide whether an official appointed to a U.S. Senate seat should serve out the remainder of the term.
Newsom has faced criticism stating the U.S. Senate seat is an office chosen by the people, and that an appointee could not fill out the rest of the term without competing in an election.
So, this year, voters will cast their choice for U.S. Senate twice. The first race is a special one to fill the remainder of the term – it ends Jan. 3, 2023 – that Padilla is currently holding. The winner of that race advances to November. From there, the victor in November will fill out the rest of the term through Jan. 3…
May 25: CalMatters posted an article titled: “Two elections for the same seat” From the article:
When you get your November 2022 ballot, it might feel as though you’re seeing double: For the first time in history, a race for the same California seat in the U.S. Senate will likely appear twice.
That’s because lawmakers are rushing to tweak a piece of California’s election law that experts say could violate the U.S. Constitution. The problem became apparent when Kamala Harris resigned from the Senate to become the vice president, and Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Alex Padilla to fill the seat through the end of Harris’ term in January 2023.
That apparently put the state in danger of contradicting the U.S. Constitution, which says governors’ temporary appointees can hold their positions only “until the people fill the vacancies by election.” And there’s an election in November 2022 – two months before Harris’ term ends.
To address the constitutional snag, the state Assembly on Monday passed a bill that calls for an election whenever a Senate seat becomes vacant. It also generally requires that election to be held the same day as a regularly scheduled statewide election, “to ensure the greatest participation” and “to avoid the costs and disruptions of standalone statewide special elections whenever possible,” according to the bill’s author, Menlo Park Democratic Assemblymember Marc Berman.
Therefore, if the state Senate also passes the bill, your November 2022 ballot will contain two elections for the same U.S. Senate seat: One of the remainder of Harris’s term running from November 2022 to January 2023, and one of the new six-year term beginning January 2023.
But Assemblymember Kevin Kiley, the Rocklin Republican who flagged the constitutional issue for the Legislature’s lawyers, told me the bill solves the problem in “the most undemocratic way possible” and argued Newsom should have called a separate election for Harris’ seat much earlier. The latter point was echoed by Christine Pelosi, chair of the California Democratic Party Women’s Caucus, in a November San Francisco Chronicle op-ed.
Ballotpedia provided information about the U.S. Special Election in California 2022:
On November 8, 2022, there was a special election to fill the rest of the six-year term that Kamala Harris (D) was elected to in 2016. A primary was scheduled for June 7, 2022. The filing deadline was March 11, 2022.
The special election became necessary because after Kamala Harris (D) was elected Vice President of the United States.
Ballotpedia provided information about the Special Nonpartisan Primary for U.S. Senate California:
Alex Padilla (D): 55.0% – 3,740,582 votes
Mark Meuser (R): 22.1% – 1,503,480 votes
James P. Bradley (R): 6.9% – 472,052 votes
Jonathan Elist (R): 5.9% – 403,722 votes
Timothy Ursich Jr. (D): 3.3% – 226,447 votes
Dan O’Dowd (D): 2.8% – 191,531 votes
Myron Hall (R): 2.1% – 143,038 votes
Daphne Bradford (Independent) 1.6% – 112,191 votes
John Thompson Parker (Peace and Freedom Party) (Write-in): 0.1% – 9,951 votes
Irene Ratliff (No Party Preference) (Write-in): 0.0% – 12 votes
Ballotpedia provided information about the Special General Election for U.S. Senate California:
Alex Padilla (D): 60.9% – 6,559,308 votes
Mark Meuser (R): 39.1% – 4,212,450 votes
Ballotpedia provide the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. Senate California:
Alex Padilla (D): 54.1% – 3,725,544 votes
Mark Meuser (R): 14.9% – 1,028,374 votes
Cordie Williams (R): 6.9% – 474,321 votes
Jonathan Elist (R): 4.2% – 289,716 votes
Chuck Smith (R): 3.9% – 266,766 votes
James P. Bradley (R): 3.4% – 235,788 votes
Douglas Howard Pierce (D): 1.7% – 116,771 votes
John Thompson Parker (Peace and Freedom Party): 1.5% – 105,477 votes
Sara Sun Liew (R): 1.1% – 76,994 votes
Dan O’ Dowd (D): 1.1% – 74,916 votes
Akinyemi Agbede (D): 1.0% – 70,971 votes
Myron Hall (R): 0.8% – 58,349 votes
Timothy Ursich Jr. (D): 0.8 votes – 58,358 votes
Robert Lucero (R): 0.8 votes – 53,398 votes
James Henry Conn (Green Party): 0.5% – 35,983 votes
Eleanor Garcia (Independent): 0.5% – 34,625 votes
Carlos Guillermo Tapia (R): 0.5% – 33,870 votes
Pamela Elizondo (Green Party): 0.5% – 31,981 votes
Enrique Petris (R): 0.5% – 31,883 votes
Obaidul Huq Pirijada (D): 0.4% – 27,889 votes
Daphne Bradford (Independent): 0.4% – 26,900 votes
Don Grundmann (Independent): 0.1% -10,181 votes
Deon Jenkins (Independent): 0.1% – 6,936 votes
Mark Ruzon (No Party Preference) (Write-In): 0.0% – 206 votes
Lilly Zhou (R) (Write-In): 0.0% – 58 votes
Irene Ratcliff (No Party Preference) (Write-In): 0.0% – 7 votes
Marc Roth (No Party Preference) (Write-In): 0.0% – 1 vote
June 7: CBS News reported brief a description of the California Senate Midterm elections for District 20:
Alex Padilla (Democrat) advances to November general elections for U.S. Senate in California for both the short-term and full-term elections. A short term election will fulfill the term initially intended for current Vice President Kamala Harris, while the long would put Padilla in place for a six-year term at the end of the short-term.
Alex Padilla (Democrat) got a total of 391,297 votes (53%). Mark P. Meuser (Republican) got a total of 120,008 votes (16%). Cordie Williams (Republican) got 42,584 votes (6%).
The San Diego Union-Tribune wrote the following about Senator Alex Padilla:
…The future of Alex Padilla – the son of Mexican immigrants and an MIT engineering graduate – has been a source of speculation since 1999, when the political wunderkind joined the Los Angeles City Council at age 26 and the became that council’s youngest president two years later. High expectations were met on a career arc that took him from state Senate in 2006 to his 2014 election as California Secretary of State to his 2021 appointment by Gov. Gavin Newsom to fill the U.S. Senate seat Kamala Harris vacated when she became vice president. Padilla became the first Latino senator in California, where four out of 10 residents are Latino.
It was no surprise that Padilla fit in quickly in Congress with an unusually productive first 100 days as senator. He emerged as a studious, effective lawmaker who pushes his longtime causes of STEM education, voting access, immigration reform and reducing gun violence. And as he said in a May zoom interview with The San Diego Tribune Editorial Board, he’s felt particularly compelled as a former elections official to take on those who spread the “Big Lie” that Biden stole the 2020 election from Trump. He’s also become an even more forceful advocate of reproductive rights in the wake of the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Given this history, Padilla was already likely to be elected this Nov. 8 both to fill out the final two months of Harris’s term – in a quirky election required by state law – and to a full, six-year term of his own. His victory was made all the more certain by the fact that in both races, his opponent is Mark Meuser, a Bay Area lawyer and Donald Trump admirer making his latest bid for elected office. In his Q&A with The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board, Meuser took radical stands on issues like the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and the climate emergency and – like far to many others seeking office – showed zero familiarity with what life is like at the San Diego-Tijuana border. The contrasts with Padilla are striking.
Now, just 49, Padilla may be a senator for decades. We were eager to discuss many issues with him, only starting with the twin threats of Trump’s continuing 2020 election lies and potential 2024 candidacy – and the failure of Padilla and others in Congress to do more about cross-border sewage spills and long border wait times. Unfortunately, Padilla’s aides declined the request last month, saying he was “unavailable due to scheduling constraints” and then didn’t respond to a follow-up email expressing surprise and disappointment that someone who has so often stressed the importance of well-informed voters couldn’t find one hour in three months to discuss his priorities over Zoom. The choice in the race is clear, but so is the fact that Padilla shouldn’t avoid questions with so much at stake in the San Diego-Tijuana region and for democracy.
The Union-Tribune Editorial Board endorses Alex Padilla for Senate and hopes to connect soon.
Cal Matters provided a Professional Profile of Mark Meuser:
Mark Meuser is a career lawyer whose work has never strayed far from conservative politics. Born in Huntington Beach, Meuser got a law degree at Oak Brook Christian, a correspondence college. After a brief detour working for a Republican state senator in Missouri, he set up his own private practice in the East Bay before landing a job at a law office perhaps best known for waging legal war against California’s liberal laws.
This isn’t the first time Meuser has run for office. It’s not even the first time he’s run against Alex Padilla. In races for state senator to Secretary of State, the Republican hasn’t been deterred by the long odds of pitching his red policies to mostly blue voters. Now, he’s seeking his highest office yet. Could this time be different? The June 7 primary results aren’t encouraging. On both U.S.Senate elections on the ballot (yes, there are two), he trailed Padilla by more than 30 percentage points…
Experience:
Lawyer: 2005 – present
Took a job at Dhillon Law Group, the law office of California Republican National committee woman Harriet Dhillon, where he worked on cases challenging the states COVID public health restrictions in churches, Gov. Newsom’s executive order to mail every voter a ballot, and the state’s voter registration system, which he argued, without evidence, enables non-citizens to illegally vote.
Out if his private practice in Walnut Creek, Meuser won an airline passenger the right to sue United Airlines for violating the Americans with Disabilities Act and defended a far-right blogger who was subpoenaed amid a legal battle between the National Abortion Foundation and anti-abortion activists.
...Candidate and political activist
In 2018, an election year that would retrospectively be dubbed the year of the GOP-crushing “blue wave,” Meuser ran to be California’s top election administrator on the specter of voter fraud. He lost to incumbent Alex Padilla by 29 percentage points.
In 2012, it was the Battle of the Marks: Meuser, then 38, ran in the state Senate district that included his hometown of Walnut Creek on a conservative platform against Democrat Mark DeSaulnier. Meurcer lost. When DeSaulnier hopped over to Congress two years later, Meuser announced that he would run to take his seat, but decided against it at the last minute.
Co-led the unsuccessful 2008 anti-abortion campaign to change the Colorado state constitution to define a fertilized human egg as a legal person.
June 8: Desert Sun posted an article titled: “California primary: Padilla to face GOP’s Mark Meuser in November election for U.S. Senate” From the article:
Heavy favorite and incumbent Democrat Alex Padilla and Republican attorney Mark Meuser have advanced to the November general election for U.S. Senate in California, Associated Press said Tuesday evening.
With 100% of the precincts reporting, Padilla and Meuser were outdistancing the 23-person field by enough votes to declare them the two winners who will now square off in November, not once, but twice.
Padilla has 53.5% of the vote, while Meuser was well behind him at 14.3% of the vote, but no one else in the field had more than 6.7% of the vote.
In Tuesday’s primary, Padilla’s seat was the subject of two different votes, which may have caused some confusion for voters…
…In 2021, U.S. Senator Kamala Harris became vice president. This gave Gov. Gavin Newsom the opportunity to appoint Padilla, who was then California’s Secretary of State. The 17th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution says Senate appointees should serve “until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.”
So, in Tuesday’s primary, one of the votes was for a special election for someone to fill the 56 or so days (from when election results are certified in November until Jan. 3, 2023) that will be left on Harris’ original term. Eight people were competing for that position. And the second vote was for the full six-year term beginning in January.
Padilla (51.3%) and Meuser (21.6%) advanced as the candidates in the short stint race as well.
Padilla, who has the backing of the Democratic establishment in the state, was the odds-on favorite. Meuser has been a critic of some of the state’s coronavirus health restrictions and has slammed Padilla for the state of the current economy in California.
Meuser, who is from Pasadena, issued a statement Tuesday night.
“I am beyond grateful for the support of the people of California for giving me the opportunity that a Republican hasn’t received in 10 years: to be on the ballot in the general election for one of California’s U.S. Senate seats,” said Meuser.
“The fact that this is happening is a telling sign of a shift in the minds of California voters and their excitement for this campaign. They are tired of the continued one-party rule that has dominated this state for over a decade and the continued representation in Washington from rubber stamp politicians from the same party. 2022 will be a red wave year and California is going to be a part of it.”…
Ballotpedia provided information about the General Election for U.S. Senate California:
Alex Padilla (D): 61.1% – 6,621,621 votes
Mark Meuser (R): 38.9% – 4,222,029 votes
Wikipedia provided information about Shirley Weber:
The Secretary of State of California is the chief clerk of the U.S. state of California, overseeing a department of 500 people. The Secretary of State is elected for four year terms, like the state’s other constitutional officers; the officeholder is restricted by term limits to two years.
The current Secretary of State is Shirley Weber, who assumed the role following the resignation of Alex Padilla, who as appointed to become the U.S. senator for California following Kamala Harris’ resignation to become the vice president of the United States. [...]
September 24, 2023CaliforniaCalifornia is a very large state and has more congressional districts than most other states do. This blog post focuses on districts 51-53. These are the last districts in California (including one that disappeared after the 2020 census.)
California’s 51st Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 51st congressional district:
California’s 51st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. The district is currently represented by Democrat Sara Jacobs. The district currently includes central and eastern portions of San Diego, as well as eastern suburbs such as El Cajon, La Mesa, Spring Valley, and Lemon Grove.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 51st congressional district is located in Southern California. It is almost entirely within the San Diego Metropolitan Area of San Diego County.
San Diego County is split between this district, the 50th district, the 48th district, and the 52nd district. The 51st and 48th are partitioned by Sabre Springs Openspace, Scripps Miramar Openspace, Beeler Canyon Rd, Sycamore Canyon Openspace, Weston Rd, Boulder Vis, Mast Blvd, West Hills Parkway, San Diego River, Highway 52, Simeon Dr, Mission Trails Openspace, Fanita Dr, Farmington Dr, Lund St, Nielsen St, Paseo de Los Castillos, Gillespie Air Field, Kennedy St, San Vincente Freeway, Airport Dr, Wing Ave, W Bradley Ave, Vernon Way, Hart Dr, E Bradley Ave, 830 Adele St-1789 N Mollison Ave, Peppervilla Dr/N Mollison Ave, Pepper Dr, Great St/Cajon Green Dr, N Mollison Ave/Buckley Dr, Denver Ln, Broadway Channel, N 2nd St, Flamingo Ave/Greenfield Dr, Dawnridge Ave/Cresthill Rd, Groveland Ter/Camillo Way, Sterling Dr, Kumeyaay Highway, E Madison Ave, Granite Hills Dr, E Lexington Ave, Dehesa Rd, Vista del Valle Blvd, Merritt Ter, E Washington Ave, Merritt Dr, Dewitt Ct, Emerald Heights Rd, Foote Path Way, Highway 8, Lemon Ave, Lake Helix Dr, La Crux Dr, Carmichael Dr, Bancroft Dr, Campo Rd, and Sweetwater River.
The 51st and 50th are partitioned by Camino del Norte, Highway 15, Carmel Mountain Rd, Ted Williams Parkway, Del Mar Mesa Openspace, Los Penasquitos Creek, Inland Freeway, Governor Dr, Pavlov Ave, Stetson Ave, Milikin Ave, Regents Rd, Ducommun Ave, Bunch Ave, Branting St, Streseman St, Pennant Way, Highway 52, San Diego Freeway, Sea World Dr, Friars Rd, Kumeyaay Highway, and Highway 805.
he 51st and 52nd are partitioned by Cajon Blvd, 58th St, Streamview Dr, College Ave, Lemarand Ave, Highway 94, Charlene Ave, 69th St, Imperial Ave, Larwood Rd, Taft St, Lincoln Pl, Glencoe Dr, Braddock St, Carlisle Dr, Carlsbad Ct/Osage Dr, Potero St, Carlsbad St, Innsdale Ave, Worthington St/Innsdake Ln, Brady Ct/ Innsdale Ln, Parkbrook Way/Alene St, Tinaja Ln/Bluffview Rd, Highway 54, Sweetwater Rd, and Bonita Rd.
The 51st district takes in the cities of El Cajon, Lemon Grove, La Mesa, and National City, as well as the census-designated place La Presa. It also encompasses the San Diego neighborhoods of Paradise Hills, Mira Mesa, Miramar, San Carlos, Sorrento, Clairemont, Normal Heights, Allied Gardens, Grantville, Balboa Park, Linda Vista, and Serra Mesa.
Ballotpedia provided information about Sara Jacobs:
Sara Jacobs (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 51st Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2023. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Sara Jacobs (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 51st Congressional District. She declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Sara Jacobs was a candidate for California’s 49th Congressional District in the U.S. House. Jacobs lost the primary on June 2018.
Sara Jacobs was born in San Diego, California. Jacobs earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University. Her career experience includes working as a policy advisor with Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign; in policy positions with the U.S. State Department, UNICEF, and the United Nations; and the CEO of Project Connect. Jacobs founded San Diego for Every Child: The Coalition to End Child Poverty and served as the CEO of Project Connect.
Ballotpedia provided information about Stan Caplan:
Stan Caplan (Republican Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 51st Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Stan Caplan lives in San Diego, California. Caplan’s career experience includes owning a business.
Stan Caplan did not fill out Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Stan Caplan’s campaign website.
REDUCE GAS PRICES AND LOWER ENERGY COSTS:
Stop tax and regulation policies that punish everyday Americans
Produce more U.S. oil and natural gas
Restore energy independence
Increase reliable and affordable renewable resources
EASE INFLATION AND LOWER FOOD PRICES:
Shrink government and reduce spending
Decrease taxes on low and middle wage earners
Reduce supply chain regulations
Use private enterprise, not government, to grow the economy
HELP SMALL BUSINESSES:
Incentivize small business creation
Reduce taxes, regulation, and bureacracy
Ensure fair competition with big business
EDUCATE CHILDREN:
Stick to practical STEM learning
Teach honest and constructive U.S. History and Civics
Cultivate values of individual character, not decisive race-based constructs
GIVE PARENTS SCHOOL CHOICE:
Encourage educational competition between schools
Reward innovative and effective teachers
Provide wide range of learning opportunities
Let parents tailor education to their children’s individual needs
GIVE PARENTS A VOICE:
Let parents decide cirruculum
Give parents authority over all sexuality teaching
Protect parents from being characterized as terrorists
You can read more of Stan Caplan’s views on Ballotpedia.
Ballotpedia provided information about Jose Cortes:
Jose Cortez (Peace and Freedom Party of California) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 51st Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Jose Cortez was born in Lakewood, California. Cortes’ career experience includes working as a healthcare and benefits administrator.
Jose Cortez completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am a proud socialist who grew up in East County San Diego. I identify as Chicano or Latino. I am very close with my parents and extended family, most of whom also live in San Diego County. As I studied at the University of Buffalo, I began to think critically about U.S. foreign policy. I also worked various blue collar jobs including as a security guard and a night janitor, where I experienced the alienation and exploitation of capitalism firsthand.
I remember hearing that El Cajon PD shot an unarmed Ugandan refugee named Alfred Olango. The murder occurred right in the parking lot of my dentist’s office. At that time, I was working as an aide for children with special needs at a school, and supervised the after-school care program as well. We had just finished studying and learning about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights era with the kids, so I felt compelled to join the protests. That was where I met the Party for Socialism and Liberation, and became a revolutionary organizer.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Housing and healthcare should be Constitutionally guaranteed human rights
We must end the endless wars and bring all the troops home. We should use the money to pay for important social services, and pay reparations to all nations affected by imperialism and colonialism.
Full rights for all immigrants, abolish ICE/DHS. Defund and demilitarize the police. Jail killer cops!
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
We need socialism, a system where the workers are empowered to make the most important decisions affecting their lives, and human needs and the long-term wellbeing four planet come before corporate profits.
In 2020, the number of people who became homeless for the first time in San Diego County more than doubled. We need to take immediate action to ensure access to housing for everyone in our community. This is not an issue of supply and demand: in 2020 there were an estimated 5 thousand people living on the streets of San Diego, and about 57,000 housing units sitting empty on any given night. This level of inequality and inefficiency in our economic system is absurd, inhumane and unacceptable; we need socialism.
When the costs of food, housing, and medication go up, people find a way to pay for them, because we have no other option. We need to dispel the myth that a capitalist “free market” will make essentials of life like housing or healthcare less expensive. This has been proven false time and time again. Housing and healthcare should not be profit-making ventures.
Capitalism drives our government to engage in endless wars for political influence and profit, corrupts our political system, hurts our communities. It is causing the destruction of our environment and climate catastrophe and we urgently need to transition to a socialist economy so we can use centralized planning to address climate change.
Ballotpedia provided information about Barrett Holman Leak:
Barrett Holman Leak (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 51st Congressional District. She lost as a write-in in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Barrett Holman Leak completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions she answered.
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am a multiethnic Black Jewish woman who is a lifelong Democrat. University educated (master degree) and in the United States of America and Europe, I flipped burgers and packed fries at Burger King, was a freelance journalist and served as a federal government employee for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, during college to pay my tuition. Over the last 20+ years, I have worked as a fulltime professional journalist, small business owner and a children’s author. My platform includes (but is not limited to) small business support, Medicare For All, expanded voting rights, climate action/justice, women’s rights (from healthcare to wage equity), LBGTQ+ rights, labor rights, affordable housing and effective solutions for houseless people, eliminating child poverty and rebuilding American manufacturing (infrastructure).
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your time in office?
The time is now for change. We have had the same types of representatives of 172 years. Representation matters. We deserve and need a diverse, working class representative for our divers (45%+POC) district. We need a leader with solid work and life experience who focuses on all segments of our district. I bring more than 2 decades of life and work experiences that make me able to relate well to all people.
Voting for me is voting for a person of integrity who will not, as our representative had done, take foreign business lobbyist money and junkets to other countries: Voting for me means having a representative who does not make stock investments that profit from the pain of other people. Voting for me means choosing a representative who has the common sense, compassion, vision, and resilience. I know through personal experience what it is to got through hard times and what it takes to come through the struggles.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am personally passionate about voting rights, affordable housing, small business support, equitable wage laws, healthcare and criminal justice reform.
December 21, 2021: Times of San Diego posted an article titled: “Reps. Jacobs, Issa to Seek Reelection in New 51st, 48th Congress Districts in 2022” From the article:
First-term Rep. Sara Jacobs announced Tuesday that she will seek re-election to the House of Representatives in the new 51st District in 2022. Hours later, Republican Darrell Issa said he’d seek the new 48th District seat.
The announcements follow the release of the final redistricting maps by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission.
The new district in San Diego includes much of Democrat Jacobs’ current 53rd District, but also parts of the county previously represented by Reps. Scott Peters, Issa, and Juan Vargas…
…”It has been the honor of my life to serve the people of California’s 53rd Congressional District, and with these new maps, I am excited to continue to serve so many of my current constituents and a number of new communities that mean so much to San Diego in the 51st District,” Jacobs said.
January 15: Liberation News posted an article titled: “Socialist Jose Cortes announces run in new California 51st Congressional District” From the article:
Jose Cortes, a socialist candidate for U.S. Congress in 2022, filed to run in California’s new 51st Congressional District (CA51) on Jan. 3. After previously running as a Peace and Freedom Party candidate in CA50, the change comes after redistricting in California following the 2020 U.S. census. Cortes’ 2020 campaign earned more votes than any other independent or third party candidate in the race.
Cortes’ 2022 House of Representatives campaign is already endorsed by South Bay Union School District president and candidate for state superintendent of public instruction Marco Amaral, the Peace and Freedom Party, the Green Party of San Diego County and others. Cortes is a longtime member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation and a leader in local struggles against war, racists police terror and housing injustice.
Instead of facing off against incumbent far-right Republican Darrell Issa, Cortes will now be running against billionaire heiress and current CA53 representative Sara Jacobs. The statewide midterm primary elections are on June 7.
For working class representation in power
Through the campaign has its sites set on winning the seat, Cortes and volunteers say their main goal is to intervene in the electoral sphere by exposing the current system and showing voters that a socialist, working-class alternative to the two political parties exists.
During a campaign volunteer orientation on Jan 8, Cortes said: “I’m running because as a former Qualcomm janitor and current health insurance worker I see people being ground up like meat by this capitalist system. We say no more! Now is the time to build a movement demanding basic human dignity for all workers.”
Right now, campaign volunteers are gathering signatures to get Cortes on the ballot. They have from Jan. 3 to Feb. 9 to gather some 1,300 signatures. When Liberation News asked about the scale of this challenge, Cortes’ 2020 campaign manager Juliana Musheyev replied, “I absolutely think it can be done. I’m pretty confident that it will be done because I know how dedicated and organized our volunteers are.”
Mushevey continued, “Since we don’t receive funding from wealthy donors and corporations, we depend on these signatures to offset the cost of getting on the ballot. Each signature chips away at the fee. Many of the campaign volunteers have full time jobs and family obligations, but we are dedicating our evenings and weekends to going door-to-door and standing outside busy shopping centers…
…The Cortes for Congress campaign is fighting for the end of imperialism, poverty, and all forms of oppression and exploitation. Rather than proposing economic or military war on people, thousands of miles away, Cortes advocates friendship with workers around the world and works to build a united front against fascism and positive social change.
May 19: Fox 5 San Diego posted an article titled: “Meet the congressional candidates running to represent San Diego County” From the article:
…The 51st Congressional District map covers the heart of urban San Diego, from the College Area to Normal Heights and Kensington, Linda Vista and Clairemont, Mira Mesa, Scripps Ranch and more. This solid blue district is home to San Diego’s youngest member of Congress and a conservative businessman hoping to unseat her.
Sarah Jacobs (D) (Incumbent)
Rep. Sara Jacobs, a Democrat, was elected in 2020 and serves on the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committees. A member of the powerful local family behind Qualcomm, Jacobs was a policy expert who worked at the United Nations and UNICEF before her election.
In an April interview with the San Diego Union-Tribune, Jacobs touted her role in temporarily expending the child tax credit, and vowed to continue fighting to make that benefit permanent. She also highlighted pieces of the Build Back Better COVID-19 recovery plan that she co-authored, including sections on environmental measures. Jacobs called for a transition to a “clean energy economy,” driven by major investments in new infrastructure.
Jacobs advocates for a complete overhaul of the U.S. immigration system, a pathway to citizenship for “Dreamers” and an immediate increase in the number of federal immigration judges available to process a backlog of asylum requests and other cases.
Stan Caplan (R)
Republican Stan Caplan is a small business owner. He highlights his personal experience as a longtime San Diego resident and a single parent who can speak for “common sense solutions” instead of “political nonsense.”
Caplan lists reducing gas prices and overall energy costs as a top priority, saying the U.S. should produce more of its own oil and natural gas. He also calls for lifting taxes and regulations related to energy. Caplan says he can help ease inflation and lower expenses for consumers by shrinking government spending and decreasing taxes on low- and middle-wage earners.
The candidate claims that tax laws in California encourage crime, and calls for harsher penalties for criminal offenses. He also supports stricter enforcement of immigration law…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 51:
Sara Jacobs (D): 60.5% – 91,329 votes
Stan Caplan (R): 37.2% – 56,183 votes
Jose Cortes (Peace and Freedom Party of California) 2.2% – 3,343 votes
Barrett Holman Leak (D): (Write In): 0.0% – 55 votes
June 8: NBC San Diego posted an article titled: “California Primary Election: Sara Jacobs Leads 51st Congressional District Race” From the article:
Democratic Congressmember Sara Jacobs took a big early lead in her bid to represent California’s 51st Congressional District.
By 10 p.m. on Election night, with 54% of the vote counted, Jacobs was in the lead with 63% of the vote. Republican challenger Stan Caplan was in position to advance to November’s General Election with 35% of the vote.
“I first ran for Congress because I knew we needed a new generation of leaders who will do things differently, listen to everyone, respect everyone, and actually get things done for the community,” Jacobs said in a statement sent Tuesday night. “I’m looking forward to meeting more of the vibrant CA-51 community, hearing from you, and earning your support in November.”
Caplan, a small business owner, told NBC 7 he’s happy it appears he’ll be going head-to-head with Jacobs in November.
“My hope is people will see the issues and what’s important their constitutional rights are in jeopardy and they’ll start saying I don’t want the structure of our government to change to Socialism so it’s not that I’m so pretty it’s just said they’ll vote against what’s there.”…
November 1: NBC SanDiego posted an article titled: “What’s the Scoop on Congressional Races in San Diego?” From the article:
…The 51st District spans most of San Diego and is currently represented by the most junior member of San Diego’s congressional delegation, Democrat Sara Jacobs. Her challenger is Republican business owner Stan Caplan.
“It’s a very blue district. She faces a Republican opponent, but Sara Jacobs has that name recognition, a. track record and a district that should be safe for a number of elections going forward,” Thad Kousser said…
November 9: Fox 5 San Diego posted an article titled: “Jacobs wins reelection in 51st Congressional District” From the article:
Rep. Sara Jacobs, a Democrat incumbent, has won reelection in the 51st Congressional District, the Associated Press projected Tuesday night.
Jacobs, San Diego’s youngest member of Congress, has garnered 59% of the vote compared to her Republican challenger Stan Caplan’s nearly 41%, elections results showed as of Wednesday afternoon…
…Jacobs was first elected in 2020 and serves on the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committees. A member of the powerful local family Qualcomm, Jacobs was a policy expert who worked at the United Nations and Unicef before her election.
In an April interview with the San Diego Union-Tribune, Jacobs touted her role in temporarily expanding the child tax credit, and vowed to continue fighting to make that benefit permanent. She also highlighted pieces of the Build Back Better COVID-19 recovery plan that she co-authored, including sections on environmental measures. Jacobs called for a transition to a “clean energy economy,” driven by major investments in new infrastructure.
Jacobs advocates for a complete overhaul of the U.S. immigration system, a pathway to citizenship for “Dreamers” and an immediate increase in the number of federal immigration judges available to process a backlog of asylum requests and other cases.
Ballotpedia provided the results of the General election for U.S. House California District 51:
Sara Jacobs (D): 61.9% – 144,186 votes
Stan Caplan (R): 38.1% – 88,886 votes
California’s 52nd Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 52nd congressional district:
California’s 52nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. State of California. The district is currently represented by Democrat Juan Vargas.
The district currently includes south western portions of San Diego County. Cities in the district include National City, Chula Vista and most of Imperial Beach.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 52nd congressional district is located in Southern California. It encompasses the South Bay region of San Diego County.
San Diego County is split between this district, the 50th district, and the 48th district. The 52nd and 49th are partitioned by San Miguel Rd, Proctor Valley Rd, Camino Mojave/Jonel Way, Highway 125, Upper Otay Reservoir, Otay Lakes Rd, Otay Valley Regional Park, Alta Rd, and Otay Mountain Truck Trail.
The 52nd and the 50th are partitioned by Iowa St, University Ave, Inland Freeway, Escondido Freeway, Martin Luther King Jr Freeway, John J Montgomery Freeway, and San Diego Bay.
The 52nd and the 51st are partitioned by El Cajon Blvd, 58th St, Streamview Dr, College Ave, Meridian Ave, Lemerand Ave, Highway 94, Charlene Ave, 69th St, Imperial Ave, Larwood Rd, Taft St, Lincoln Pl, Glencoe Dr, Braddock St, Carlisle Dr, Carlsbad Ct/Osage Dr, Potero St, Carlsbad St, Innsdale Ave, Worthington St/Innsdale Ln, Braddock St, Carlisle Dr, Carlsbad Ct/Osage Dr, Potero St, Carlsbad St, Innsdale Ave, Worthington St/Innsdale Ln, Brady Ct/Innusdale Ln, Parkbrook Way/Alene St, Tinaga Ln/Bluffview Rd, Highway 54, Sweetwater Rd, and Bonita Rd.
The 52nd district takes in the cities of Chula Vista, National City, Imperial Beach, as well as the census-designated place Bonita. It also encompasses the San Diego neighborhoods of Paradise Hills, Logan Heights, Encanto, Mountain View, Barrio Logan, Shelltown, Lincoln Park, Nestor, Otay Mesa, and South San Diego.
Ballotpedia provided information about Juan Vargas:
Juan Vargas (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 52nd Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Juan Vargas (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 52nd Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
In 2018, Vargas defeated Republican Juan Hidalgo Jr. (R) by a vote of 71 percent to 29 percent.
Vargas is a former Democratic member of the California State Senate, representing District 40 from 2010 until his resignation on January 2, 2013. Prior to his election to the California State Senate, Vargas served in the California State Assembly from 2001 to 2006. He was also a member of the San Diego City Council.
As of 2019, Vargas served on the Committee on Financial Services, including the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit and the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
Juan Vargas earned his B.A. in political science from the University of San Diego in 1983. He went on to receive his M.A. in humanities from Fordham University. He then earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School.
Vargas worked for Luce, Forward, Hamilton and Scripps as an Associate Attorney.
Ballotpedia provided information about Tyler Geffeney:
Tyler Geffeney (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 52nd Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Tyler Geffeney was born in California. Geffeney earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1995 and a graduate degree from Biola University in 2010. His career experience includes owning a mortgage finance business and working as a minister.
Typer Geffeney completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I believe wholeheartedly in the American dream as my life is a testimony to it. Raised by a single mother and then later with my stepfather, our family subsisted at times on food stamps until I eventually worked my way through high school and college, graduated from U.C.Berkeley Hass School of Business in just over 3 years, and then launched and ran several mortgage finance companies while at the same time serving as a minister and pastor on behalf of the church.
Yet our coveted American dream is under assault by an insidious leftist agenda coming out of the Democratic Party whose intentions are clear; destroy Western culture and everything that formed the foundation to American exceptionalism. So now I seek to go to our capital to stop the leftist insanity and restore the original biblical foundations of our government. My plan will oppose the Democrats via (1) the reestablishing free-market economics policies (2) fix election integrity (3) abolish government overreach in all its forms (4) uphold individual and family rights (5) abolish the slaughter of innocent babies in the womb,… and much more. Together we will once again restore our constitutional republic which once made America exceptional – and will do so again!
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Restore faith in God. John Adams wisely state “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” He was and is right. And today we are seeing the utter breakdown of society on account of having lost site of this vital foundation for American governance. We are at a watershed moment in our nation’s history where we are experiencing large-scale corruption of our government, dishonest media, the moral breakdown of families, rampant dishonesty in business, evil indoctrination in government schools, and an increasingly enticed populous. If we are to flourish as a nation we must restore biblical virtue to our country.
Skyrocketing crime under Democratic policies are fueling the meltdown of society. Defunding the police is true idiocy. Pitting races against each other as “oppressors and the oppressed” via CRT curriculum is not the solution. Relaxing sentencing and changing laws to decriminalize what we all recognize as wrong is not the solution. We need to revers the work of the Democratic party initiatives and empower the police and the prosecutors to do their jobs and restore law and order. Tying the hands of law enforcement and passing ridiculous criminal “reform” that decriminalizes felonies will of course decrease crime stats while increasing actual crime. No sane person wants the anarchy of the Democratic policies. We must reverse course.
Inflation cripples the poor hardest. Rising gas, food, and home prices are the direct result of numerous Democratic derelictions: Consider gas 1) CA has a special blend of gas that the rest of the nation does not use and drives our prices up. 2) CA has the highest gas tax in the nation. 3) Continuing to print money for “free stuff” leads to the collapse of a currency and shutting down businesses during covid cuts supply and together leads to inflation. We must reverse the Democratic policies which included inflation and bring back the economy of the former Republican administration.
What areas of public policy are you personally interested about?
You can see what I am most passionate about by visiting my website at www.tyler4congress.com
Ballotpedia provide information about Joaquín Vázquez:
Joaquín Vázquez (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 52nd Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Joaquín Vázquez was born in San Diego, California. He earned an associate degree from San Diego City College in 2012, a bachelor’s degree in political science and international relations from the University of California at Davis in 2016, and a master’s degree in public policy and administration from Northwestern University in 2018. Vázquez’s career experience includes founding Organizing For Progress and working as its executive director, as an analyst with the Housing Rights Center, as a financial regulatory compliance consultant, in public policy with the Obama Administration, and as a community engagement director at Border Angels. Vázquez has been affiliated with Organizing For Progress; Obama’s Organizing For Action, and the National Democratic Redistricting Committee.
Joaquín Vázquez completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
You are you? Tell us about yourself.
I’m a son of working-class Mexican immigrants, born and raised in City Heights, San Diego. I overcame childhood family separation and homelessness after my father’s deportation, which led to my family’s eviction. I have lived a transborder life since then, crossing often between San Diego and Tijuana to be close to my parents. My life experience is what has driven me to give back to the community as an organizer, empowering working-class and marginalized families to be civically engaged.
I served in the federal government in Washington, DC during the Obama Administration, working on economic, labor, and environmental policy within the Department of Commerce and then the Executive Office of the President.
Internationally, I saved the UN Refugee Agency, and worked on development policy in Geneva for the UN Conference on Trade and Development, helping least developed countries get a seat at the table at the United Nations & World Trade Organization. I hold a Bachelor’s in Political Science & International Relations focused on Poverty & Economics from UC Davis and a Master’s in Public Policy & Administration from Northwestern University. During COVID-19, I founder Organizing For Progress, a national nonprofit dedicated to building civically engaged grassroots leaders, assisted governments via the Housing Rights Center to provide emergency rental assistance funds to impacted tenants and landlords, and helped migrants as Border Angels’ Community Engagement Director.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
We need policies like a Green New Deal and Medicare For All to transform the economy into a just one, leveling the playing field to guarantee economic opportunity for all, fight the climate crisis, and a federal jobs guarantee that secures good paying jobs with livable wages for everyone.
I am fighting to end homelessness through enacting a national homes guarantee. I am fighting for immigration reform to ensure that we finally provide a pathway to citizenship for the more than 11 million undocumented immigrants in America,. I am also fighting to pass sensible gun laws to protect our communities, keep children safe, and ensure that we end the gun violence epidemic the avoidable massacres we’ve seen at schools no longer happen.
Protect Democracy: We must get greed and corrupt money out of politics through campaign finance reform, and establish term limits so that politicians work for the people and not for their corporate donors and special interests in Washington, while they sit in these seats of power for a life time once elected.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
The economy, immigration, healthcare, gun laws, environment, jobs, small businesses, education, criminal justice, equality, ending corruption, protecting voters and democracy, justice for veterans, mass transit, financial systems reform and ensuring the wealthiest of our country pay their fair share of taxes.
January 31: Patch San Diego, CA posted an article from City News Service titled: “Vazquez Announces Candidacy For 52nd Congressional District Seat” From the article:
Community organizer Joaquin Vasquez has announced plans to run in the June primary in the reapportioned 52nd Congressional District, facing Rep. Juan Vargas, a fellow Democrat.
Vazquez was born and raided in City Heights. During the coronavirus pandemic, he has advocated for housing rights and worked with the San Diego area non-profit Border Angels. He is the executive director for Organizing For Progress.
“(Vasquez) is eager to ring a new approach to local politics, with experience, a voice of conscience, and empathy to get the necessary resources for working families to bounce back from the global pandemic through legislation that helps them retake control of their lives,” a campaign news release said.
Vasquez finished 11th in a field of 15 in the 2020 primary in the 53rd Congressional District, receiving 3,078 votes, 1.5%, for the seat won by Sara Jacobs.
Vagas, D-San Diego, announced Jan. 7 that he would seek reelection in the 52nd District.
May 2: Patriots for Freedom PAC posted an release titled: “PATRIOTS FOR FREEDOM PAC ENDORSES TYLER GEFFENEY CA-CONGRESS DISTRICT 52” From the release:
Today May 2, 2022, Patriots for Freedom PAC announced its official endorsement of Tyler Geffeney for Congress District 52.
Tyler Geffeney is a husband, father, and a Pastor since 2009. Tyler’s devotion to God and love of humanity brings a solid reprieve to his district. He recognizes the unlawfulness in legislature, the over taxation that has led businesses to flee California marking us the 50th in rank as worst state to own a business in. Tyler plans to address congress and hold them accountable for unlawful actions against the people and our U.S. Constitution. Tyler’s actions are to fight for meaningful immigration reform as our current process creates chaotic border policies, violent crime, trafficking, drug addiction and a troubling environment for all. His focus is to restore common sense law and remove tyrannical rule.
Tyler stands for the following: Education, Safe, Legal Immigration, Right to Life, Family, Freedom and Liberty, Economic Opportunity, Housing and Homelessness, Upholding Constitution Protections and Faith in God. Geffeney is running to restore American exceptionalism for our children, future, and the world. It’s no surprise that Tyler is the one for the job. He focuses on Election Integrity, education, currency stability, lowering taxes, balanced budget, resolve government debt, free market with decreased government regulation combined with incentives to invigorate the economy and expansion that will solve problems. His knowledge, understanding, resolutions, strategic measures and community involvement will serve his district well.
Patriots for freedom wholeheartedly endorses Tyler Geffeney for Congress District 52…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 52:
Juan Vargas (D): 59.1% – 56,827 votes
Tyler Geffeney (R): 30.5% – 29,348 votes
Joaquín Vázquez (D): 10.4% – 9,965 votes
October 24: FOX 5 San Diego posted an article titled: “Meet the congressional candidates running to represent San Diego County” From the article:
The 52nd Congressional District map encompasses San Diego County’s South Bay, with Chula Vista and National City along with Imperial Beach and the border communities of San Isidro and Otay Mesa. The same Democratic congressman has represented parts of those communities since 2013 and is vying to continue…
…Juan Vargas (D) (Incumbent)
Rep. Juan Vargas, a former San Diego City council member, serves on the House Financial Services and Foreign Affairs committees. Issues specific to border communities have often Benn central to his work in office.
Vargas lists tackling climate change among his top priorities, saying he supports the Green New Deal framework that calls for massive investments in clean technology, strict cuts to carbon emissions, and to specifically address the way “underserved communities and people of color are disproportionately impacted by the effects of climate change.”
Vargas also highlights his support for U.S. military veterans, calls for comprehensive immigration reform and anti-discrimination laws that protect people’s sexual orientation and gender identity.
Tyler Geffeney
Tyler Geffeney is a minister and pastor who has run several mortgage finance companies, according to his campaign website.
On his website, Geffeney, who is anti-abortion, calls for the expansion of pregnancy support centers and CalWORKS programs. He also calls for safe and legal immigration, saying “we need to close off our porous border while making the pathway to legal citizenship achievable.”
In the education sphere, Gefenney is a proponent of school choice. When it comes to the economy, Geffenney vows to “reinvigorate the economy of the 52nd district through decreased regulations” and incentives that are business-friendly.
Ballotpedia provided information about the General Election for U.S. House California District 52:
Juan Vargas (D): 66.7% – 100,686 votes
Tyler Geffeney (R): 33.3% – 50,330 votes
November 9: Fox5 San Diego posted an article titled: “Vargas wins reelection in 52nd Congressional District” From the article:
Incumbent Rep. Juan Vargas has won reelection in the 52nd Congressional District, the Associated Press projected Tuesday night.
Results in the California General Election as of Wednesday afternoon showed Vargas, a former San Diego County Council member, had garnered 64% of the vote compared to his Republican challenger, Tyler Geffeney’s nearly 36%…
…The Cook Political Report and other non-partisan analysts rate the 52nd a “solid Democratic” district, indicating it would be an uphill climb for a Republican candidate to win there.
Vargas serves on the House Financial Services and Foreign Affairs committees. Issues specific to border communities have often been central to his campaigns and work in office.
Vargas lists tackling climate change among his top priorities, saying he supports the Green New Deal framework that calls for massive investments in clean technology, strict cuts to carbon emissions and to specifically address the way “underserved communities and people of color are disproportionately impacted by the effects of climate change.”
Vargas also highlights his support for U.S. military veterans, calls for comprehensive reform and anti-discrimination laws that protect people’s sexual orientation and gender identity.
California’s 53rd Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 53rd Congressional District:
California’s 53rd congressional district was a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. It was last represented by Sarah Jacobs, who succeeded Susan David following the 2020 election. It was eliminated during the 2020 United States redistricting cycle.
The district was recently in San Diego County. It included eastern portions of Chula Vista, western portions of El Cajon, central and eastern portions of the city of San Diego, as well as eastern suburbs such as Bonita, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, and Spring Valley in their entirety.
The district was abolished following the 2022 United States census. It was the first congressional seat to be lost after a census in California’s history. [...]
September 20, 2023CaliforniaCalifornia has more districts than most states. Here is the outcome of the California U.S. House Elections in 2022. This blog focuses on Districts 41 – 50. Many of these districts are connected to Los Angeles, Orange County, or San Diego county.
California’s 41st Congressional District
Wikipedia posted information about California’s 41st Congressional District:
California’s 41st congressional district is a congressional district in Riverside County, in the U.S. state of California. The district is currently represented by Republican Ken Calvert.
It includes the cities of Palm Springs, Menifee, Calimesa, Norco, Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta, and most of Corona. The representative for the 41st is Ken Calvert, who was redistricted from the 42nd district. It contains most of the western part of the Palm Springs Area with the exception of Cathedral City, as well as commuter towns in the Greater Los Angeles area, and exurban and rural areas in South-Western Riverside County.
Now that the district contains the heavily Democratic cities of Palm Springs and Palm Desert, along with the swing city of Corona and conservative areas in western Riverside County, such as Norco, Lake Elsinore, Menifee, Wildomar, and Calimesa. The district is considered a swing seat, rated as a “Toss Up” by the Cook Political Report.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 41st congressional district is located in the Inland Empire in Southern California. It is located entirely within Riverside County.
Riverside County is split between this district, the 25th district, the 39th district, and the 48th district. The 41st and 25th are partitioned by Terwillinger Rd, Bailey Rd, Candelaria, Elder Creek Rd, Bonny Ln, Tule Peak Rd, Eastgate Trail, Goldfish Rd, Rule Valley Rd, Laura Ln, Dove Dr, Lago Grande, Barbara Trail, Valley Dr, Foolish Pleasure Rd, Highway 371, Gelding Way, Puckit Dr, Indian Rd, Wellman Rd, El Toro Rd, Burnt Valley Rd, Cahuilla Rd, Highway 74, Bull Canyon Rd, Santa Rosa-San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, Fred Waring Dr, Washington St, Highway 10, Davall Dr, Dinah Shore Dr, Plumley Rd, Gerald Ford Dr, E Ramon Rd, San Luis Rey Dr, San Joaquin River, Stetson Ave, Hemet St, Cornell St, Gerard St, E Newport Rd, Domenigoni Parkway, Leon Rd, Grand Ave, State Highway 74, California Ave, W Devonshire Ave, Warren Rd, Ramona Expressway, San Jacinto River, Highway 79, Oak Valley Parkway, Champions Dr, Union St, Brookside Ave.
The 41st and 39th are partitioned by Corona Freeway, River Trails Park, Redley Substation Rd, Arlington Ave, Alhambra Ave, Golden Ave, Doheny Blvd, Bolivar St, Campbell Ave, Pierce St, Quantico Dr, Collett Ave, Buchanan St, Highway 91, 12397 Doherty Way-Magnolia Ave, BNSF Railroad, N McKinley St, N Temescal St, E 16th St, S Neece St, Indiana Ave, Skyridge Dr, Fillmore St, 2969 Fillmore St-La Sierra Ave, Cleveland Ave, McAllister Parkway, Corsica Ave, Hermosa Dr, John F. Kennedy Dr, Wood Rd, Colt St. Dauchy Ave, Van Buren Blvd, Bobbit Ave, Chicago Ave, Krameria Ave, 16510 Sendero del Charro-Mariposa Ave, Barton St, Cole Ave, Rider St, Greenwood Ave, Kabian Park, Goetz Park, Ethanac Rd, McLaughlin Rd, Sherman Rd, Tumble Rd, Watson Rd, Escondido Expressway, Mapes Rd, Ellis Ave, Antelope Rd, Rico Ave, San Jacinto River, Ramona Expressway, Lake Perris State Recreation Area, Gilman Springs Rd, Moreno Valley Freeway, Quincy St, Cloud Haven Dr, Holly Ct, Reche Vista Dr, Reche Canyon Rd, and Kessel Rd.
The 41st and 48th are partitioned by Ortega Highway, Tenaja Truck Trail, NF-7506, Tenaja, San Mateo Creek, Los Alamos Rd, Und 233 S Main Dv, Wildomar, Grand Ave, Rancho Mirlo Dr, Cooper Canyon Park, 42174 Kimberly Way-35817 Darcy Pl, Escondido Expressway, Scott Rd, Warren Rd, Summitville St, Indian Knoll Rd, E Benton Rd, Rancho California Rd, Overhill Rd, Green Meadow Rd, Crossover Rd, Exa-Ely Rd, Denise Rd, Wiley Rd, Powerline Rd, Wilson Valley Rd, Wilson Creek, Reed Valley Rd, Centennial St, Beaver Ave and Lake Vista
Dr. The 41st district takes in the cities of Wildomar, Canyon Lake, Menifee, Palm Springs, La Quinta, Lake Elsinore, Norco, and Corona, as well as the census-designated places Cherry Valley, Nuevo, Homeland, Sage, Idyllwild-Pine Cove and Woodcrest.
Ballotpedia provided information about Ken Calvert:
Ken Calvert (Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 41st Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Calvert (Republican Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 41st Congressional District. He declared his candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Calvert was first elected to the U.S. House in 1992 to represent California’s 43rd Congressional District. He was elected to California’s 44th Congressional District in 2002 and served until his election to California’s 42nd Congressional District.
From 1992 to 2018, Calvert captured an average of 58.5 percent of the vote in each general election. The percentage of the vote he captured was lowest in his first election in 1992 where he garnered 46.7 percent of the vote. It was the highest in 2000 when he faced a Libertarian Party and Natural Law Party candidate in the general election and garnered 73.7 percent of the vote.
Ken Calvert was born in Corona, California. Calvert graduated from Corona High School in 1971. He earned an A.A. from Chaffey College in 1973 and a B.A. from San Diego University in 1975.
Calvert’s experience includes owning a business and working as a restaurant manager. He served as the chair of the Riverside County Republican Party.
Ballotpedia reported that Ken Calvert did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Ballotpedia provided information from Ken Calvert’s campaign website from 2012:
Calvert’s campaign website listed the following issues:
Economy
Excerpt: “I began working in our family business in Corona at a young age. Before long, I started and ran my own business, learning valuable lessons about small businesses along the way. With an economics degree from San Diego State University and decades of community leadership and business experience, I understand what it means to sign the front of a payroll check, and what that paycheck means to families.”
Education
Excerpt: “Communities across our country must constantly ask themselves if our children are getting the best possible education. It is not often that I agree with President Obama, but I do share his support for using meaningful performance pay systems to improve teacher quality and effectiveness. If we are going to give our students the best education, we must reward teachers who excel and give an extra effort.”
Energy
Excerpt: “I believe the best way to confront our country’s energy challenges is by adopting an “all of the above” energy policy that takes aggressive steps towards reducing our dependance on foreign sources of energy. Federal incentives and coordinated research in developing energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies are a critical component of solving our energy problems.”
Healthcare
Excerpt: “I voted against ObamaCare and I believe it should be repealed. The process Washington Democrats used to produce the health care law was fraught with sweetheart deals, special interests carve outs, and forced on America under undemocratic rules. I believe Congress should repeal and replace the health care law with a renewed focus on the health care reform elements most Americans agree on.”
Immigration
Excerpt: “As most Americans know, our immigration policies are broken. The worst step we can take is to grant amnesty to people who entered our country illegally. I oppose amnesty because it sends a horrible message to those who entered our country legally and to those thinking about immigrating to America in the future.”
Ballotpedia provided information about Will Rollins:
Will Rollins (Democratic Party) is running for election to represent California’s 41st Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Will Rollins was born in Torrance, California. Rollins earned a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College in 2007 and a Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School in 2012. His career experience includes working as an assistant U.S. attorney.
Will Rollins completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Will Rollins is a former federal prosecutor who focussed on counterterrorism and counterintelligence cases in Southern California. He’s running for Congress because the attack on the U.S. Capitol underscored why America needs a new generation of leaders to end the toxic divisions that threaten our democracy and prevent us from solving problems together. After helping to prosecute some of the insurrectionists who attacked the US Capitol on January 6, Will decided to challenge Republican Congressman Ken Calvert, who voted to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Coming of age at at time when being gay was a crime in some states, Will and his partner Paolo know that government-sponsored discrimination has lasting effects on all Americans, our economy, and our national security. That has motivated Will to improve the lives of others who face discrimination. Will’s mother and father, a public defender and a journalist, stressed the importance of justice and free speech at a young age. His parents taught him that although the system may not be perfect, every generation has a responsibility to improve it. With this in mind, Will is running for Congress to serve the 41st district of California and bring justice and accountability back to Washington.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your time in office?
I became a national security and terrorism prosecutor because of 9-11. I wanted to help keep America safe. But over my career, I’ve seen the threats to our country change. Today, some of our biggest threats are right here at home, as people become radicalized by conspiracy theories and QAnon lies that spread across social media and echo on Fox News. This is a systemic problem. Extremists, Big Tech and media outlets are profiting from spreading division based on lies, even as they erode our democracy and make it easier for adversaries like China and Russia to exploit us.
If Americans can start agreeing on basic facts again, we can start working together to tackle the big issues of our generation: reforming our criminal justice system, improving access to health care, growing our economy, and protecting our planet.
Let’s kick out extreme politicians like Ken Calvert who spread the big lies and elect a new generation of leaders willing to save our democracy.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Fixing our broken information system, lowering costs on working families, expanding access to healthcare, and protecting the planet.
Ballotpedia provided information on Shrina Kurani:
Shrina Kurani (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 41st Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Shrina Kurani was born in Riverside, California. Kurani earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of California at Riverside in 2013. Her career experience includes working as the vice president of business and the chief of staff of the financial services company Republic, the CEO of FoodNest, and an engineer.
Shrina Kurani completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Here are some of the questions she answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Growing up in Riverside County, I saw the lack of quality career opportunities. I’m a first-generation American and learned the value of hustle from my parents, who didn’t take a day off in 10 years as the family worked together to build a successful pool supply business.
Those opportunities are still out of reach for far too many people and career Washington politicians are too busy helping themselves, their political parties, and their corporate donors.
I’m an engineer, entrepreneur, and fact-based problem solver, not a politician. I’ve spent my career building businesses that reduce waste and create quality jobs. I’m running for Congress to make things work better in Washington so we can develop a sustainable future and build an Inland Empire where people feel safe, healthy, and have opportunities to succeed in fulfilling careers.
Please list below key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
I’m an engineer, entrepreneur, and fact-based problem solver, not a politician
I’ve spent my career building businesses that reduce waste and create quality jobs.
I’m running for Congress to make things work better in Washington so we can develop a sustainable future and build an Inland Empire where people feel safe, healthy, and have opportunities to succeed in fulfilling careers.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am passionate about (1) creating economic opportunity, including expanding quality jobs that support families by investing in training for skilled trades and technology jobs, and provide direct relief to address the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, (2) making living more affordable by reducing prices for goods and repairing our supply chain so we produce critical supplies and medicines here at home, and cracking down on corporations that are taking advantage of the pandemic and inflating prices for their own profit, and (3) protecting our environment by taking bold, immediate action to tackle climate change, pushing for initiatives that increase the use of renewable energy, and prioritizing access to clean air, water, land and parks for everyone.
What was your very first job? How long did you have it?
I grew up in my parents small business, a swimming pool and spa supply store. I learned learned the values of hard work, hustle, and resourcefulness from my parents while they worked seven days a week, with my brother and I helping after school and in the summers. The seed of entrepreneurship was planted for me as I saw my parents work together to grow the business to over 14 locations throughout the Inland Empire, with my mother managing the accounting and my father overseeing the employees and also engaging in the local community through the Chamber of Commerce and as a planning commissioner.
Ballotpedia provided information about John Michael Lucio
John Michael Lucio (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 41st Congressional District. Lucio lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
John Michael Lucio was born in Long Beach, California. Lucio served in the U.S. Navy. He earned a B.A. and an M.B.A. from Pepperdine University in 2008 and 2011, respectively.
Ballotpedia provided information about Anna Nevenic
Anna Nevenic (Independent) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 41st Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Anna Nevenic earned a B.S. in political science from San Francisco State University. Nevenic’s career experiences includes owning OAKS Nurses Registry and working as a nurse. She founded and has served as the director of United Children’s Network.
Ballotpedia provided information about Brandon Mosely
Brandon Mosely (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 41st Congressional District. He did not appear on the ballot for the primary on June 7, 2022.
Brandon Mosely was born in California.
Mosely completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Here are the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A life-long resident of Riverside County, Brandon grew up the working-class son of a pastor and public-school bust driver. His parents moved there to start their family, escaping gang violence in Compton after his mother was nearly the victim of a drive-by shooting. The church helped Brandon’s parents find a better path forward, and it helped a young Barndon discover his passion: helping others. Brandon has been leading his community for practically his entire life – he preached his first sermon at 6 and was immediately hooked on the transformative power of service. After graduating from Vista del Lago High School in 2005, Brandon became the first in his family to attend college, matriculating into Cal State Dominguez Hills. Brandon likes to say he attends college on a “hope scholarship” – he always hoped he’d find a way to pay for it. With little support to fall back on, he had to pay his own way working full time; he’s still paying the loans off. Today, Brandon is a proud teacher and chair of the Rancho Verde High School Social Science Department. His work with ethnic studies has led to Val Verde Unified School District adopting the subject as a graduation requirement. He is the co-founder of People United Servicing Hope (PUSH), a non-profit that is helping disenfranchised communities throughout the Inland Empire. As an AVID teacher, Brandon is personally responsible for dozens of kids going to college every year.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
As an educator and pastor, I have assisted countless children to get the skills, preparation and mentorship needed to go on to attend and graduate College. Support that so many young people in the Inland Empire don’t have today.
As a non-profit leader, I continue to work every day to fight injustices in our communities. We deserve a leader that is going to fight for a more just future and deliver families: affordable healthcare, a quality education and more pathways to reach the middle class.
Ken Calvert has neglected working people for three decades and has spent his time cozying up to high-powered lobbyists and corporations to raise millions of dollars in special interest money.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
No American should have to make the choice between paying for their prescription drugs or the rent. In Congress, I’ll do everything in my power to expand access to quality and affordable healthcare and bring down the soaring costs of prescription drug pricing. I’ll push back against the insurance and pharmaceutical companies that put profits ahead of people. I’ll fight to strengthen the Affordable Care Act and ensure that those with preexisting conditions can’t be denied coverage.
Our COVID-19 crisis has further demonstrated how far out of reach access to basic healthcare is for so many Inland Empire residents. As we work to pull ourselves out of the pandemic, it has never been more imperative that we bring equity to our healthcare system.
We have seen during our Covid-19 crisis how the economy is stacked against working people. Too many hard-working people in the Inland Empire continue to be left behind. Our poverty rate in Riverside County is still higher than the national average. It’s imperative that we invest in quality job training and apprenticeship programs and provide small businesses with the relief them need to hire workers and pay a fair wage.
I support a national paid family leave program that provides workers with adequate protections when suffering from an illness or injury and focuses on strengthening our families. We need to ensure that hard-working people don’t lose their jobs for looking after their own wellbeing and those in their family.
February 22: Desert Sun posted an article titled: “Meet the three Democrats vying to challenge incumbent Ken Calvert for Congress” From the article:
In what could be one of the more competitive congressional races in California, a trio of Democrats are vying to be the main challenger against long-time GOP Rep. Ken Calvert, who will be seeking re-election in a new district that includes parts of Coachella Valley.
California’s once-in-a-decade redistricting process, which wrapped up in December, guaranteed that much of the valley will be represented by a new person in Congress. Democratic Rep. Raul Ruiz, who has represented the entire valley since 2013, is running in a district that includes Indio, Coachella, Cathedral City, and Desert Hot Springs, as well as Imperial County and a sliver of San Bernardino County.
Calvert has comfortably won re-election races over the past decade, but the state’s redistricting process resulted in him now running in a district with a fairly even ideological split: Republicans comprise 36.7% of voters in the new district, while Democrats make up 36.2% of the electorate, according to Political Data Inc., a statewide voting analytics firm.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee also has targeted the district as one to flip, adding it to its nationwide list of “districts in play” in January.
Each of the Democrats running in the district – Will Rollins, Brandon Mosely and Shrina Kurani – are seeking victories that would mark historic milestones.
Rollins, a former federal prosecutor, would be the first openly gay man to represent the Cochella Valley in Congress, while Mosely, a teacher and nonprofit founder, is seeking to be the state’s first Black man sent to Congress in more than two decades. At 29, Kurani would be the youngest U.S. representative currently serving from California…
…At the local party’s pre-endorsement meeting in mid-February, none of the candidates garnered the requisite 70% threshold to gain the nomination, but Rollins led the pack with 57% of the vote, while Mosely got roughly 33% and Kurani had about 9% of the members’ support.
Rollins, the former federal prosecutor, is the only Democrat seeking the congressional seat who lives in the Coachella Valley, after moving with his partner from Canyon Lake to Palm Springs earlier this year…
…While working as a federal prosecutor in the Central District of California, a post he held until starting his campaign, Rollins says he saw a steady rise in domestic extremism and hate crimes that culminated with the Jan 6. 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol – an event that he says drove him to run for office.
“I think that seeing Ken Calvert vote to overturn the election after 140 police officers were injured in that attack – five officers died as a result of that attack – I think that’s what prompted me to (run),” Rollins said. “I didn’t want to look back on my life and regret not trying to unseat a Republican who undermined our democracy at a moment that is critical in the country’s history.”…
…Rollins also said he wants to serve in Congress by “improving the lives of the people who actually live here.” The 37-year-old criticized Calvert for supporting a GOP tax bill in 2017 that slashed rates for corporations and lowered individual rates at each income level.
“That’s a product of Calvert’s votes,” Rollins said.
Calvert responded to the criticism by pointing to the country’s 2019 unemployment rate, which was at its lowest level since 1969, as evidence of Republicans’ successful approach toward the economy…
…Since launching his campaign, Rollins has accrued several endorsements from larger organizations, including Equality California and the LGBTQ Victory Fund, as well as local officials, such as Palm Springs council members Geoff Koss and Christy Holstege. He also received the endorsement of the Desert Stonewall Democrats in mid-February…
…At 29, Kurani would be one of the youngest members of Congress if elected, and she believes her scientific background as a mechanical engineer – which led her to consult on environmental projects for Sempra Energy, NASA and a few international companies – would serve her will in helping craft federal climate policies.
“(Climate change) is a big part of what we need to get done in Congress, because that intersects with the economy, the cost of climate change – what we’re seeing, for example, with increased wildfire risk here, and what that does to debris falls and mudslides that are effecting residents,” Kurani said. “Often, everyday Americans end up footing the bill because we don’t have the proper insurance mechanisms in place.”
“If we’re going to protect our environment for future generations, for my future children and my future grandchildren, then we’re going to need to vote out the biggest enemies to climate legislation in Congress,” she added…
…Kurani, who also attended the United Nations climate negotiations in Glasgow last year, took aim at Calvert for his record on climate change, noting he has a lifetime voting score of 7% from the League of Conservation Voters.
In response, Calvert said he views climate change as an issue, but he criticized President Biden’s approach toward energy production, arguing the federal government should pursue policies that promote natural gas, which emits about half as much carbon dioxide as coal and 30% less than oil, according to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions…
…Mosley, a teacher and chair of the social sciences department at Rancho Verde High School in Moreno Valley, was the first Democrat to announce his campaign to unseat Calvert, and he argues the work of Congress will improve if more working-class people win election to some of its seats.
“If we can send people who actually care about the average person to Congress, anything is possible,” Mosley said. “We keep saying: Can we get Medicare for All? Can we get student debt forgiveness? Can we get the Green New Deal? We can, if we change the people we send to Congress.”
Mosley, 35, considers himself to fall on the “progressive” end of the Democratic Party’s political spectrum, though he is wary of using labels that can cause people to “throw out” ideas…
…Mosley, who also directs a local non-profit focused on community-based mentoring and policing reforms, said he would continue to push for components of the Democrats’ roughly $2 trillion Build Back Better proposal, which as stalled in the Senate after passing the House in November.
“The (expanded) child tax credit, I think we don’t do enough messaging on that, and understand that we need to get that permanent and push for that,” Mosely said, adding that Democrats also “cannot give up” on paid family and medical care.
Calvert opposed the Build Back Better bill during the House vote in November, later telling The Desert Sun that the proposal would “be like pouring gas on a fire” for the country’s high inflation rates.
In seeking the seat, Mosely – who has picked up endorsements from Riverside County Democratic Party Chair Tisa Rodriguez and state Assemblymenber Sabrina Cervantes, D-Corona, – also hopes to break a decades-ling streak: A Black man has not represented California in Congress since 2000…
Ballotpedia provided information about Melissa Melendez
Melissa Melendez (Republican Party) was a member of the California State Senate, representing District 28. She assumed office on May 18, 2020. She left office on December 5, 2022.
Melendez (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 41st Congressional District. She did not appear on the ballot for the primary on June 7, 2022.
Melendez attended the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California. She earned her B.A. in history and political studies and her M.B.A. in June 2008. She served in the United States Navy for ten years.
March 8: News Channel 3 KESQ.Com posted an article titled: “Senator Melissa Melendez files paperwork to run for 41st Congressional District” From the article:
Republican State Senator Melissa Melendez has filed papers to run in the newly drawn 41st Congressional district. The new district includes most of the Coachella Valley.
Melendez won a special election for the State Senate in May 2020. She is not able to seek reelection due to term limits.
Melendez is a U.S. Navy veteran who moved to California and started a small business. She served on the Lake Elsinore city council and eventually became mayor. A rising star within the party, Melendez was then elected to represent the 67th district state assembly in 2012, a position she held until being elected to the state senate in May.
The race for the 41st district is shaping up to be one of the most competitive congressional races in California.
Democrat Will Rollins and longtime Republican Congressman Ken Calvert have already announce their plans to run. Calvert would be seeking re-election…
March 8: The Desert Sun posted an article titled: “Republican state Sen. Melissa Melendez to run for Congress against GOP incumbent Ken Calvert” From the article:
…State Sen. Melissa Melendez, R-Lake Elsinore, filled paperwork Monday with the Riverside County Registrar of Voters to run for California’s 41st congressional district, entering the fray in a race that already includes incumbent Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona, one of the longest serving members of Congress, and three Democrats.
The 41st District was created last year in California’s latest round of redistricting, including Palm Springs, La Quinta, Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert, along with Menifee, Norco, and Corona in western Riverside County.
For the past decade, the entire Coachella Valley has fallen within a single congressional district, the 36th, represented since 2013 by Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-La Quinta. Ruiz is now seeking re-election in the newly drawn 25th District, which includes Indio, Coachella, Cathedral City, and Desert Hot Springs, as well as Imperial County and a sliver of San Bernardino County.
Melendez, a Navy veteran who has represented the Coachella Valley in the State Senate since winning a special election in May 2020, cannot seek re-election due to term limits, and is inspired to seek a seat in Congress.
“I have immense support for my opponent; however, when Ken Calvert was first elected to Congress, I was in the military serving my country during Operation Desert Storm,” Melendez told the Desert Sun. “Since then, two of my five children have gone on to serve in the U.S. Navy, yet our representation in Washington has remained the same.”
“This is a clear indication to me it’s time for fresh ideas when it comes to representing Riverside County in our nation’s capital,” she continued. “I’ll have further comments once the filing deadline closes on Friday.”…
…”I’m running for re-election because I have the experience and seniority that enables me to deliver results for Riverside County, as I have done for many years,” Calvert said.
Melendez, a former mayor of Lake Elsinore, previously represented the 67th District in California’s Assembly for eight years before winning election to the Senate in 2020. During her tenure in the Legislature, she has heavily criticized Democrats’ approach on issues such as homelessness and criminal justice.
She has also been a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump, meeting with the president in May of 2018 at the White House alongside other state Republicans.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Melendez has been an outspoken critic of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s policies. In late 2020, she introduced a proposal that would end Newsom’s declared state of emergency and thereby terminate the governor’s COVID-19 emergency powers. That resolution is now set for a Senate hearing on March 15…
…The new district features a fairly even partisan split, with Republicans comprising 36.7% and Democrats making up 36.2% of its registered votes, according to Political Data Inc., a statewide voting analysis firm…
March 15: News Channel 3 KESQ.Com posted an article titled: “Melissa Melendez misses filing deadline to run for Congress” From the article:
Republican State Senator Melissa Melendez will not be running for Congress. On Tuesday, News Channel 3 learned that Melendez missed the filing deadline to run in the newly drawn 41st congressional district.
The new district includes most of the Coachella Valley and is currently held by longtime Republican Congressman Ken Calvert…
May 18: Idyllwild Town Crier posted an article titled: “Anna Nevenic seeks Congressional seat” From the article:
Anna Nevenic is a No Party Preference candidate in the race for the 41st Congressional seat. However, many voters may recognize her as the frequent Democratic candidate in elections for state steps over the past decade.
In 2010, she entered the race that former Sen. Bill Emerson won to replace John Benoit as the state Senate member. She ran again for that office in 2014 and 2018 against Sen. Jeff Stone and in the 2020 election to replace him, which Sen. Melissa Melendez won.
Nevenic should be familiar to Hill voters despite her notoriety of unsuccessful efforts to gain elected office. However, she doesn’t find it discouraging.
“Thinking you can pull people out of misery, that is a sufficient force for me,” she believes.
Born in Yugoslavia, where she earned a nursing degree, at a young age in 1976 she immigrated to the United States. Eventually, she settled down in San Francisco, earned a degree from San Francisco State University in political science and German, married and raised a son who is a doctor. Divorced, she eventually moved to the desert where she now lives, to enjoy the warmer climate…
…”If I am elected, maybe I can help change consciences,” she believes. “I’ve worried about human suffering since I was a little child.”
Nevenic’s priorities and issues she favors starts with comprehensive, universal health care with major emphasis on preventative care. She advocated education reforms and emphasizes increasing literacy, job training for the new economy, after school programs and building healthy lifestyles. And infrastructure is a part of her platform. She would increase investments in renewable energy and expand all modes of public transportation…
May 26: The Desert Sun posted an article titled: “41st Congressional District: Candidates discuss views on inflation, Roe v. Wade, climate” From the article:
…In congressional and legislative races, the top two finishers in the primary election – regardless of party – will advance to the state’s general election Nov. 8.
With voting underway in California’s primary election that concludes on Election Day June 7, here are the written responses to questions posed by The Desert Sun from Calvert, Kurani, Rollins, Nevenic and Lucio.
Editor’s note: Responses have not been edited for spelling or grammar. (The Desert Sun)
What drove you to run for election in California’s 41st Congressional District?
Ken Calvert: The main reason I’m running is because we need to get our country back on track. Under President Biden and one-party Democrat rule in Washington we have seen one crisis after another. Recent polls show only 2 in 10 Americans think our country is on the right track. The Democrats in this race will be a rubber stamp for the Biden/Pelosi agenda that Americans are suffering under.
I’m also running because I want to continue delivering results for Riverside County. I have experience and seniority, especially on the House Appropriations Committee, that puts me in a unique position to ensure our region’s priorities are met. I am the only major party candidate who has lived in this district all their life. As a former small business owner, I also understand how difficult the times are for people trying to stay afloat right now and will work to relieve the inflationary pressures on businesses that translate into higher costs for consumers.
Shrina Kurani: My parents immigrated her in the ’80s, and they came to the United States seeking opportunity. I was born and raised in Riverside, and I grew up in my parents’ small business. They worked seven days a week, and I spent my summers and days after school playing amongst the pool filters and pumps, until I stared helping myself, sweeping floors and testing water for chlorine and alkalinity.
I graduated from US Riverside as a mechanical engineer and I’ve focused my career on how to make things work better. I’ve facilitated $2 million to small businesses in the area and over half a billion dollars across the nation, including to women-owned, LGBTQ-owned, and veteran-owned businesses, which has been critical throughout the pandemic.
If you look at Ken Calvert’s track record for the past three decades, he’s consistently voted against the interests of our community. Even during the pandemic, he voted against the American Rescue Plan which would bring $479 million to Riverside County, and is now voting against women’s rights and addressing the baby formula shortage…
Will Rollins: I became a national security and terrorism prosecutor because of 9/11. But over my career, I’ve seen the threats to our country change. Today, some of our biggest threats are right here at home, as people become radicalized by far-right conspiracy theories and disinformation. I have been on the front lines in the fight against extremism, helping to prosecute those who attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6th and QAnon conspiracy theories.
This is systemic problem. Extremists, Big Tech, and media outlets are profiting from spreading division based on lies, even as they erode democracy and make it easier for adversaries like China and Russia to exploit us. We might not agree on who’s to blame for partisan disinformation, but we should agree that this level if divisiveness is unhealthy for our democracy and our communities. We need to end this cycle of division-for-profit by updating our laws to break down information bubbles and propaganda networks, to require transparency in advertising, and to create a modern Fairness Doctrine that protects the public’s right to be informed. And we need to get rid of politicians like Ken Calvert who believe service to one party – and one president – matters more than service to America itself.
If Americans can agree on basic facts again, we can stop fighting each other and start working together on issues like our economy, infrastructure, and climate change. That’s why I’m running for Congress.
Anna Nevenic: We need a change of direction in Washington. Most elected officials are too tied up to special interest and Super PAC’s to make progress on the issues that affect average Americans. I care deeply about the future of our country. As a nurse, volunteer and community activist, I worked and conversed with thousands of people from all walks of life. Those roles have prepared me, to be an effective advocate for schools, seniors, veterans, homeless people, and all residents in the district. I will support a plan that works for seniors instead of drug companies. There are economic, social, and conservation solutions based on successful programs. We must focus on our common goals, a better future for our children and grandchildren.
John Michael Lucio: Compared to other candidates who have been planning on running against the incumbent for a while, it was the January 6th insurrection on the Capitol and then how Calvert participated in trying to overturn the election that go me interested in running. Looking at Calvert’s 30-year history, Democrats were never able to competitively challenge Calvert. My seriousness in running originally was to try and pull Republican votes away from Calvert.
After seeing multiple Democratic candidates running in an open primary, there was no way my original plan would work. At that point, I decided I had to be in it to win it. What the 41st needs is an option besides right-leaning and left-leaning candidates. Candidates who only see the district as red or blue.
Besides the events of January 6th, the period after has been full of rhetoric, name calling, misinformation, and lies. I, like many other people, are just tired of the bullshit in politics. We need politicians who are about working together, doing what is right, and being transparent. Not anymore who are primarily swayed by party politics. That’s why I’m running to win…
June 7: Desert Sun posted an article titled: “41st Congressional District: Calvert, Rollins set to face off in November general election” From the article:
Republican Rep. Ken Calvert, the incumbent in California’s newly drawn 41st Congressional District, and Democrat Will Rollins are set to face off in the general election, after easily outpacing the three other candidates in the primary race to represent the district.
With 100% of the precincts reporting, Calvert led the five candidates with 34,002 votes – or 43.6% – according to results posted by the California Secretary of State’s office.
Rollins, who has won the endorsement of several Democratic members of Congress, came in second behind Calvert, with 27,733 votes, or 35.6%…
…Election night vote counting is complete but results are not final, according to the Riverside County Registrar of Voters. Approximately 150,000 vote-by-mail and 2,000 provisional ballots still must be processed. Ballots that are postmarked on or before Election Day also remain to be counted. The updated results are expected at 6. p.m.
The Secretary of State must certify the results by July 15.
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan Primary Election for California District 41:
Ken Calvert (R): 48.2% – 72,700 votes
Will Rollins (D): 30.4% – 45,923 votes
Shrina Kurani (D): 15.6% – 23,483 votes
John Michael Lucio (R): 4.6% – 6,880 votes
Anna Nevenic (Independent): 1.2% – 1,862 votes
November 14: Business Insider posted an article titled: “Results: Republican Rep. Ken Calvert defeats Democrat Will Rollands in California’s 41st Congressional District election” From the article:
Republican Rep. Ken Calvert eked out a narrow victory against Democratic challenger Will Rollins in California’s 41st Congressional District.
Polls closed in the state at 8 p.m. local time, or 11 p.m. EST.
Calvert is a senior member of the House Committee of Appropriations. First elected to the US House in 1992 to represent California’s 43rd Congressional District, Calvert is the longest-serving Republican of the state’s congressional delegation and one of the most senior members serving in the legislative body.
Prior to his time in Congress, the Riverside County Republican served in leadership roles with several local community volunteer organizations, including the Corona Chamber of Commerce, the Corona Rotary, and the Corona-Norco Family YMCA.
Calvert, who clinched former President Donald Trump’s endorsement along with endorsements from the California Republican Party and the state’s entire Republican House delegation, previously opposed same-sex marriage but joined 46 of his GOP colleagues to vote in support of the Respect for Marriage Act, which would codify the right to same-sex marriage in federal law.
Rollins, Calvert’s challenger, is a former federal prosecutor who focused on counterterrorism and counterintelligence cases in Southern California. He decided to run for Congress after witnessing the January 6 attack on the US Capitol and working on some of the insurrection cases. A gay man, Rollins lives and campaigns with his partner.
Rollins trailed behind Calvert in the nonpartisan primary, securing 30.4% of the vote to Calvert’s 48.2%. Both men advanced to the general election. A month after the primary, Rollins was added to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s “Red to Blue” program, which pumps resources into tight races that national Democratic Party leaders believe can be flipped from Republican to Democrat…
…According to OpenSecrets, Calvert raised more than $3.3 million, spent $3 million, and had $730,000 on hand, as of October 19. His opponent, Rollins, raised more than $3.3 million, spent more than $2.5 million, and had $755,000 cash on hand.
As of late October, more than a dozen super PAC’s, national party committees, politically active nonprofits, and other non-candidate groups together spent more than $900,000 to advocate for or against candidates in this race, including during the race’s primary phase. Most of the spending was in support of Rollins…
Ballotpedia posted the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 41:
Ken Calvert (R): 52.3% – 123,869 votes
Will Rollins (D): 47.7% – 112,769 votes
California’s 42nd Congressional District
Wikipedia posted information about California’s 42nd Congressional District
California’s 42nd congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in California. The district is currently represented by Democrat Robert Garcia.
The 42nd district is located entirely within Los Angeles County, and is centered around Long Beach and its surrounding suburbs.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California 42nd congressional district has been geographically shifted to the South Bay region of Los Angeles Country. This district also takes in 2 of the Channel Islands, Santa Catalina and San Clemente, in the Southern California Bight.
Los Angeles County is split between this district and the 34th district, the 37th district, the 45th district, the 44th district, the 47th district and the 43rd district. The 42nd, 34th, and 38th are partitioned by S Gerhart Ave, Simmons Ave, Dewar Ave, W Beverly Blvd, Repetto Ave, Allston St, S Concourse Ave, Ferguson Dr, Simmons Ave/S Gerhart Ave, Highway 72, Goodrich Blvd, Telegraph Rd, S Marianna Ave, Noakes St, S Bonnie Beach Pl, Union Pacific Ave, S Indiana St, Union Pacific Railroad, Holabird Ave, S Grande Vista Ave, AT & SF Railway, Harriet St, and E 25th St.
The 42nd, 37th, and 43rd are partitioned by S Alameda St, E Slauson Ave, S Central Ave, Firestone Blvd-E 90 St, S Central Ave, E 103rd St, Success Ave, E 92nd St, Croesus Ave, and E 97th St.
The 42nd, 38th, 45th, and 47th are partitioned by Yates Ave, E Acco St, 6866 E Washington Blvd-2808 Vail Ave, S 14th St, AT & SF Railway, Church Rd, Telegraph Rd, Rio Hondo River, Veterans Memorial Park, Suva St, Guatemala Ave, Shady Oak Dr, Coolgrove Dr, Gallatin Rd, Samoline Ave, Paramount Blvd, Arrington Ave, Suva St, Charloma Dr, Lubet St, Highway 5, San Gabriel River, Palo Verde Ave, South St, Del Amo Blvd, Pioneer Blvd, Coyote Creek, Centralia Creek, Hawaiian Ave, Verne Ave, Bloomfield Park, Highway 605, 226th St, Dorado Cir, Cortner Ave, E Woodson St, Bloomfield Ave, Lily Ave, Marna Ave, Los Almos Channel, and the San Gabriel Bike Path.
The 42nd and 44th are partitioned by S Alameda St, Southern Pacific Railroad, Ardmore Ave, Long Beach Blvd, Pacific Blvd, Cudahy St, 2622 Cudahy St-3211 Santa Ana St, Santa Ana St, Salt Lake Ave, Patata St, 7038 Dinwiddle St-10112 Karmont Ave, Imperial Highway, Old River School Rd, Union Pacific Railroad, Gardendale St, Century Blvd, Highway 19, Laurel St, Clark Ave, Beach St, Bellflower Blvd, E Carson St, Woodruff Ave, Gonda Ave, E Wardlow Rd, N Los Coyotes Diagonal, McNab Ave, E Spring St, E Harvey Way, Faculty Ave, E Carson St, Norse Way, Lakewood Golf Course, Cover St, E 36th St, Cherry Ave, Atlantic Ave, W 25th St, W Willow St, Middle Rd-East Rd, 2300 E Pacific Coast Highway-W Anaheim St, E Anaheim St-Cerritos Channel, Piers S Ave, Highway 47, and Navy Mole.
The 42nd district takes in the cities of Downey, Huntington Park, Bell, Bell Gardens, Maywood, Signal, south Long Beach, east side Lakewood, and most of Bellflower.
Ballotpedia provided information about Robert Garcia:
Robert Garcia (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 42nd Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Garcia (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 42nd Congressional District. He declared his candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Garcia served as mayor of Long Beach, California, from 2014 to 2022. Before becoming mayor, Garcia served on the Long Beach City Council from 2009 to 2014, representing District 1. During his last two years on the city council, he served as vice-mayor.
Robert Garcia was born in Lima, Peru. Garcia earned a B.A. in communication studies from California’s State University at Long Beach, an M.A. in communication management from the University of Southern California, and an Ed.D. in higher education from California State University at Long Beach. His career experience includes working as a professor of public policy and communications at the University of Southern California, California State University at Long Beach. His career experience includes working as a professor of public policy and communications at the University of Southern California, California State University at Long Beach, and Long Beach City College.
Ballotpedia provided information about John Briscoe:
John Briscoe (Republican Party) was a member of the Ocean View Board of Education At-large in California.
Brisco (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 42nd Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
John Briscoe was born in Altadena, California. Briscoe earned bachelor’s degrees in psychology and speech communication from California State University at Long Beach, a master’s degree in public administration from California State University at Long Beach, and a master’s degree in business administration from Claremont Graduate University in 1989. His career experience includes working as a broker and a property asset manager with Crestview Property Management. Briscoe has served as the vice president of the Ocean View School District Board of Education.
Ballotpedia provided information about Cristina Garcia:
Cristina Garcia (Democratic Party) was a member of the California State Assembly, representing District 58. She assumed office on December 3, 2012. She left office on December 5, 2022.
Garcia (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 42nd Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
On February 9, 2018, Garcia announced that she was taking unpaid leave from her position in the Assembly due to an investigation into sexual misconduct allegations. On May 17, she was stripped of her committee assignments after the State Assembly investigation into her actions concluded.
Cristina Garcia lives in Los Angeles, California. Garcia earned a bachelor’s degree from Pomona College and a master’s degree and secondary teaching credential from Claremont Graduate University.
Ballotpedia provided information about Peter Mathews:
Peter Mathews (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 42nd Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Peter Mathews earned a bachelor’s degree and a graduate degree from University of North Texas in 1973 and 1989, respectively. Mathews’ career experience includes working as a professor of political science and international relations at Cypress College. He is affiliated with the Progressive Democratic Club, California Teachers Association, and Progressive Democrats of America.
Peter Mathews completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Peter Mathews has spent 30 years as a College and University Professor. Peter Mathews is a full-time Professor of Political Science at Cypress College, an adjunct Professor of Sociology at Long Beach City College, has taught at California State University, Fullerton, and is currently featured as a Political Analyst and Commentator on several television and radio programs.
During 2012 and 2013, Peter Mathews served as a Political Analyst on KTLK Progressive Talk Radio’s popular “The David Cruz Show” in Los Angeles. Since 2003, Peter has been serving as a Political Analyst on CNN, CNN International, KNBC-TV, KCBS-TV, KTLA-TV, Sky News TV, Al Jazerra English TV, TRT World News TV, CNN radio, KPFA radio and guest host on KPFK radio, guest on NPR stations, and as a commentator on KNX News Radio and other venues.
On several occasions during 2014, Peter Mathews was a guest host on Pacifica Radio’s KPFK 90.7. FM with the theme of “Standing Up for Economic and Social Justice.” He was a contributing columnist for the Long Beach Register and on-line Orange County Register. and other publications.
He has been a guest op-ed writer in the Long Beach Press Telegram. Having lived, traveled, taught and conducted research in 27 countries including Britain, France, Denmark, Germany, Canada, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, India, and elsewhere, Peter Mathews has gained first-hand knowledge of public policy issues such as healthcare, education, economic development, international relations…
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
The Green New Deal to Combat Climate Change and Create High-Paying Jobs, with Full Employment and a Federal Jobs Guarantee In order to combat global climate change, Peter Mathews strongly supports the transition to a 100% renewable energy system that is carbon-free.
Reduce Income Inequality to help the Working Poor and the Working Middle Class achieve the American dream. Skyrocketing income and wealth inequality is destroying democracy in America and dismantling the working middle class. There is something profoundly wrong with the income distribution in the United States Right now. It allows the top 1% to control the lives of the 99%. To help achieve this goal Peter Mathews believes we must guarantee tuition free college/Univerisyt and cancel student debt.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Reduce Income Inequality to help the Working Poor and the Working Middle Class do better and achieve the American Dream
Medicare for All, Single Payer Healthcare
Cancel Student Debt
Fully and Equally Funded Public Schools K-12
$20 Minimum Wage with Lower Taxes and Increased Federal Funding for Small Businesses to help pay their employees the minimum wage
Tuition Free College, Technical, Trade and Arts Schools for All
Women’s Rights / Gender Equity
Full Reproductive Freedom for Women
Get Corporate Money Out of Politics / Establish Public Financing of Elections
Fully Fund and Support Programs for Seniors (Expand Social Security)
Support LGBTQIA+
(You can read the rest of the list on Ballotpedia.)
Ballotpedia provided information about Nicole López:
Nicole López (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 42nd Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Nicole López’s career experience includes working as an organizer and advocate.
Ballotpedia provided information on Julio Cesar Flores:
Julio Cesar Flores (Green Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 42nd Congressional District. Flores lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Julio Cesar Flores was born in Los Angeles, California.
Ballotpedia provided information about William Summerville:
William Summerville (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 42nd Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
William Summerville was born in Champaign, Illinois. Summerville served in the U.S. Air Force from 2001 to 2008. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Henderson University in 2000 and a graduate degree from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in 2003. Summerville’s career experience includes working as a pastor and a hospice and hospital chaplain. Summerville has been affiliated with the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, American Baptist Churches of Rochester/Genesee Region, Feel the Bern Democratic Club Orange County, Association of Professional Chaplains, and Boy Scouts of America.
Summerville completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Reverend William Moses Summerville has a background in public service as far back as being in the Boy Scouts, a commissioned officer in the US Air Force Reserve as a Chaplain Candidate (2nd Lieutenant), and currently serves as a Pastor and Hospice/Hospital Chaplain. Politically, he was a top elected delegate for the 48th CA congressional district at the 2016 and 2020 DNC Convention, supporting Senator Bernie Sanders. He also served as a top elected 73rd Assembly District delegate for the CA State Democratic Party from 2017 through 2019. For his current run for congress, he has recruited a campaign staff that reflects the diversity of our country and the 42nd district. Reverend Summerville’s career as a chaplain and pastor, informed by his past struggles of financial and personal hardships, is what inspires him to fight for an America committed to justice. A justice that includes economic, racial, social, health care, and environment justice for us all. “I believe America should be a beacon of hope for humanity and the world. I am running on a simple platform: to “Serve the People.”
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
We need Medicare for All. Our health care system is in shambles and hurts the poor and struggling. We need a system where people don’t have to choose between putting food on the table or paying for the medication their children need. We need a system that emphasizes preventative health care to reduce overall costs and lighten the load on emergency rooms and urgent care clinics. We need to fully fund mental health services for wellness, social services, and spiritual care services. And we need a system that doesn’t put profit over people’s lives and stop electing officials that are indebted to health insurance companies. We need to pass healthcare legislation that will actually serve the people.
We need Climate Justice. This is more than just fighting climate change. It’s being aware of how policy choices disproportionally impact deprive and disenfranchised communities. We need clean water, environmentally conscientious food production, and clean air for all. We have to redirect our efforts into re-inventing our energy and transportation systems to focus on clean energy instead of fossil fuels, leading to a better environment and millions of good-paying jobs. We have to preserve and protect national parks and lands from predatory corporate mining and lumber companies that destroy the environment. We need to invest in alternative clean construction resources that are cost effective and do less harm to the environment.
We need Comprehensive Reparations. We fix racism, we fix America. We must root out systemic racism that is built into our political, financial, educational, and law enforcement institutions through meaningful policy change. Descendants of US chattel slavery need to be identified as a protected class and financially compensated for their enslaved ancestors on whose backs the wealth of our nation was built. The purpose of Comprehensive Reparations benefits everyone by correcting the wrongs of American history and creating a system of equality and egality for all.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
1. We need Campaign Finance Reform that takes corporations of dirty money out of the process. They have too much influence on candidates and expect quid-pro-quo from elected officials that end up putting the needs of a few wealth/corporate donors over the needs of the constituency. This includes reversal of Citizens United.
2. We need Voter Rights protections for all Americans. This means national standards that prevent gerrymandering and political bias that targets specific groups to disenfranchise them. Outlawing states from creating laws or government positions that allow public officials to overturn the popular vote. This also means making election day a national holiday so that the working classes can vote. In addition, we need to incorporate non-partisan civic organizations/programs for oversight of voting procedures and vote counting.
3. We need Public Education Reform. Increase federal and state funding for early childhood education, child care, public schools, educators, community schools, and after-school programs. Free public financing for public community colleges, universities, and vocational training schools. Cancel student debt. Seat a higher minimum salary that adjusts with the rate of inflation to attract and keep the best public school teachers. Invest in the right of teachers and their unions to collectively bargain for better wages, benefits, and working conditions.
Ballotpedia provided information on Joaquín Beltrán:
Joaquín Beltrán (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 42nd Congressional District. Beltrán lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Joaquín Beltrán was born in Los Angeles, California. Beltrán’s career experience includes working as an engineer. He co-founded a public-private partnership.
Joaquín Beltrán did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Joaquín Beltrán’s campaign website:
“COVID SAFETY
CREATE JOBS AND GROW SMALL BUSINESSES
AFFORDABLE HOMES AND RENT
QUALITY, AFFORDABLE, ACCESSIBLE HEALTH CARE
ADVANCING EDUCATION FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
CONSERVATION AND ANIMAL PROTECTIONS “
February 22: Latino Rebels posted an article titled: “Young Latina Running to Represent Her Hometown in California” From the article:
Nicole López is running for Congress like her life and her family’s lives depend on it.
“When I first started running for Congress, people said I needed to get my narrative right about why. So I boiled it down to one sentence: because of the pandemic. But the real story is more nuanced, says López, 27, a candidate in California’s newly redrawn 42nd congressional district, which will include parts of Southeast Los Angeles and Long Beach after the election.
“The part of the district I’m running for has been my home since birth. My dad grew up there. My grandmother and grandfather came here through the bracero program and set down roots in L.A., López tells Latino Rebels. “My district has a lot of heart. We work really hard.”
A half-century ago, López’s grandfather left his hometown in Michoacán, México to start a small business in Los Angeles transporting migrants from the border to Yakima, Washington, a family enterprise that has grown over the generations but was threatened by the pandemic.
“Like a lot of immigrant families, mine didn’t know how to fill out the applications for PPP loans,” recalls López. “As I spoke to the community members, they didn’t even know who their congressperson was. But people needed help. They needed to be kept safe during the pandemic. They needed to know how to reach out to their government for help. No one was helping them. Elected officials who claimed to represent our communities were not.”
López faces an uphill battle to win a seat in Congress after her hometown was redistricted last year. The districts currently represented by Reps. Lucile Roybal-Allard (40th) and Alan Lowenthall (47th) were combined following the 2020 census, and both California Democrats joined the wave of retirements their party faces this year, leaving the 42nd district with no incumbent…
April 12: Political Life posted an article titled: “Other than Robert and Cristina Garcia, who else is running for the 42nd Congressional District?” From the article:
…Joaquin Beltrán, Engineer/Community Organizer, Democrat
According to his website, Beltrán was born in East L.A., and grew up in Downey. He is the son of a seamstress and a machine operator. He states that his family has had their own small business, and that he has advocated for small businesses before the City Council.
On Twitter, Beltrán says he was on the Biden-Harris 2020 team, as well as Obama 2008. Facebook pictures show him many other elected officials, including Downey and East L.A.’s current Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, Supervisor Hilda Solis, Governor Gavin Newsom, and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Beltrán’s major policy headlines include “job creation,” “quality, affordable, accessible health care,” “make homes more affordable”, “action on climate change”, and “conservation and animal protections.”…
…Julio Cesar Flores, Education Administrator/Entrepreneur, Green
Julio Cesar Flores is the only candidate in the race who is not running in the two-party system. His website asks voters to support his “independent, third party candidacy.” In his bio, Flores says he was born in East L.A. and grew up in Huntington Park, and that his family faced many challenges. He narrates being homeless during his community college years, living out of his car, and eventually transferring to UCLA.
Flores previously ran for the 33rd State Senate seat, to represent much of the same area in the 42nd Congressional District. His campaign Facebook shows that he was active in the anti-war movement during the Trump era; he appears in pictures with Amy Martin, host of the anti-war Empire Files.
On the policy front, Flores is calling for Medicare for All, Gasoline Under $2, Housing the Veterans and Homeless, Publicly Owned Utilities, Green New Deal, and Immediate Citizenship for 14 million…
…Peter Mathews, Professor, Democrat
Peter Mathews is a Professor of American Government at Cypress College. On his teaching website, he quotes the late U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone for, “Politics is not about money and power games, it’s about improving people’s lives.”
Alongside his academic and teaching work, Mathews has been a guest on many platforms, including The Young Turks, CNN, and KTLA. He is the author of Dollar Democracy On Steroids, With Liberty and Justice for Some, How to Reclaim the Middle-Class Dream for All. Past interviews show that he is passionate on issues ranging from immigration to single-payer healthcare.
On his website, Mathews brands himself as “People powered, not corporate bought!” His policy headlines include the Green New Deal, Medicare for All, Tuition Free College, and Cancel Student Debt. On Twitter, Mathews currently has a pinned post showing him with a sign that reads “Protect Students Not Guns.”
Williams Moses Summerville, Pastor/Hospice Chaplain, Democrat
According to Summerville’s website, he grew up in the Chicago area, and settled in California after serving in the Air Force. He is a pastor and a hospice chaplain in Long Beach. He endured many personal hardships, including homelessness, and says he draws strength in overcoming past barriers.
Summerville has been involved in local protest movements, such as the caravan to Bruce’s Beach – a movement that called for racial justice. On the campaign trail, his Facebook shows that he is part of the #BankBlack movement.
He was involved in the Bernie Sanders movement, and voices support for many of the same policies advocated by the Senator, including “$15 living wage, free education from kindergarten through college, reparations, undocumented immigrant justice, ending forever wars, and health care as a human right in the form of Medicare for All”.
May 12: Long Beach Post News posted an article titled: “Amid scandal and legislative wins Cristina Garcia sees freedom in fearlessness” From the article:
Assemblymember Cristina Garcia has left no doubt that she’s positioning herself as the most left-wing candidate in the race for the 42nd Congressional District.
During a recent party at her Huntington Park campaign office, she showed a video of legendary farm workers labor organizer Dolores Huerta endorsing her bid…
…A host of local officials from throughout Garcias Southeast Los Angeles district praised her for her achievements, including a bill that required education of the history of (forced Mexican) deportations – which Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law in 2015.
A prolific legislator perhaps known for her unabashed efforts to dispel taboos surrounding women’s menstruation, the former math teacher gained prominence during the Bell corruption scandal, took on a family dynasty to win her seat in the 58th Assembly District – and later had to fight for her political life amid allegations of sexual harassment and mistreatment of employees.
She is now taking on a fellow Democrat, Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, for a newly drawn congressional seat in a rare intra-party race that features two prominent politicians with much different political styles…
…As 2018 began, Garcia questioned whether she should run again. She was chair of the Women’s Caucus, and had enjoyed significant legislative victories.
In addition to AB 617, Brown had signed Garcia’s AB 302, which mandated safe, clean lactation rooms in high schools across California, and AB 701, which rewrote the state’s antiquated definition to rape to finally include all forms of non-consensual sexual assault.
“I thought it would be my last year,” Garcia recalled. “Should I leave at the top?”
As it happened, Garcia spent much of 2018 fighting to salvage her career and reputation.
The allegations against her were serious. A staffer working for Assemblyman Ian Calderon (the nephew of Tom Calderon) told Politico that Garcia had squeezed his buttocks during an Assembly baseball game in 2014. Four other staffers sent a letter to Speaker Anthony Rendon saying Garcia’s workplace was “toxic” and included a lot of talk of alcohol and talk of sex, according to Politico.
Politico also reported that in 2014, she had used anti-gay slurs when referring to then-Assembly Speaker John Perez and had used anti-Asian language. Garcia has said she apologized for doing so.
On Feb. 2, 2018, Garcia issued a statement on the allegations against her, which contained both a denial and acceptance of responsibility….
…Garcia ended up taking an extended leave of absence from the Assembly that year, and Rendon removed her from all her committee assignments. Rendon, who had endorsed Garcia’s congressional campaign, denied multiple requests for an interview.
In May 2018, legislative investigators found that Garcia had violated the Assembly’s sexual harassment policy by “commonly and pervasively” using vulgar language when talking to her staff. They also concluded that Garcia asked employees to perform personal tasks and had disparaged elected officials, according to CalMatters…
Ballotpedia provided an article about Cristina Garcia titled: “Removal from committees following sexual misconduct investigation (2018)” It provides more information about what happened.
Ballotpedia provided information about the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 42:
Robert Garcia (D): 46.7% – 43,406 votes
John Briscoe (R): 26.1% – 24,319 votes
Cristina Garcia (D): 12.6% – 11,685 votes
Peter Mathews (D): 3.7% – 3,415 votes
Nicole López (D): 3.4% – 3,164 votes
Julio Cesar Flores (G): 2,7% – 2,491 votes
William Summerville (D): 2.5% – 2,301 votes
Joaquín Beltrán (D): 2.4% – 2,254 votes
June 7: PRESS-TELEGRAM posted an article titled: “Election 2022: Long Beach Mayor Garcia takes large lead in 42nd House district; Republican Briscoe in 2nd”
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia appeared to take a commanding lead in the race for California’s newly formed 42nd Congressional District – with Republican John Briscoe trailing second, potentially setting up a two-party face off in the Nov. 8 general election.
The new district covers much of Long Beach and southeastern LA County.
Mayor Garcia had about 45% of the votes, as of 2:07 a.m. Wednesday, June 8, according to the LA county registrar. Briscoe, trailing behind, had secured 29%.
“Honored and proud to be your Democratic nominee for Congress tonight,” Garcia Tweeted on Tuesday night. “Thank you!”
Cristina Garcia, longtime State Assemblywoman, was shockingly well behind in third place, with about 13% of votes cast in her favor. The assemblywoman declined to comment on the early election results.
“I’ve been in front of the voters in Long Beach and Lakewood four times,” Briscoe said Tuesday evening. “I think the election will come out with Robert Garcia in front, and John Briscoe in second.”
The other candidates were well off the pace of the leaders. Democrats Peter Matthews, a longtime political science teacher at Cypress College, had about 4%; political organizer Nicole Lopez had about 3%; with hospice chaplain Rev. William Moses Summerville and political advocate Joaquin Beltran both securing around 2%.
Green Party member Julio Cesar Flores also had about 2% of the vote…
…The top two, as of Tuesday evening, were somewhat surprising, considering Cristina Garcia and Robert Garcia have been considered the likely frontrunners since they announced their respective campaigns for the newly formed District 42…
…Both Garcias expected strong support from different areas within the new district – though it appear Robert Garcia’s base, mostly comprised of his supporters in Long Beach, has shown up in larger numbers so far.
Long Beach is LA County’s second-largest city and the town in which Robert Garcia has proven to be a popular elected leader.
Cristina Garcia, meanwhile, portrayed herself as a natural successor to Roybal-Allard; much of her Assembly district, covering South and East Los Angeles, is in the new district, including Bell and Downey.
John Briscoe – a longtime elected board member of the Ocean View School District, in Huntington Beach, who ran and lost against incumbent Lowenthal for the 47th District in 2020 – also positioned himself as a natural candidate for the new district, positioning himself as the conservative voice for Californians in those areas.
District 42 is entirely in Los Angeles – and is overwhelmingly Democratic. Nearly 55% of the district’s registered voters are, in fact, Democrats, according to the California Secretary of State’s website. Only 16% are registered as Republicans…
June 8: Long Beach Post News posted an article titled: “Robert Garcia, John Briscoe frontrunners in race for 42nd Congressional seat” From the article:
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia and businessman John Brisco are leading the race for the 42nd Congressional District, according to early returns.
Robert Garcia has claimed 45% of the vote while Briscoe has 29%. As for other candidates, Assemblymember Cristina Garcia has 13%, Peter Mathews has 4%, Nicole Lopez has 3 percent, William Summerville has 2%, Joaquin Beltran has 2% and Julio Flores also has 2%.
The votes counted so far include all of the vote by mail ballots received by county election officials before Election Day, as well as the in-person votes cast during the early voting period that began on May 29…
…If elected to Congress this fall, Garcia said he plans to tackle major issues including immigration, gun laws, reproductive rights and climate change.
Garcia, in an interview with the Post, said his first focus would be on the current threat to democracy.
“The single biggest issue right now in front of us is making sure that we actually have democracy in our country for the foreseeable future,” he said. “There’s extreme forces trying to destroy voting rights, trying to make sure people don’t have access to vote. These are things that we have to take on immediately.”…
…”Long Beach is my city, I’m not going anywhere,” he said. “I live here and I’m going to make sure this city is well-represented and also make sure the other cities north of us have equal and good representation.”
Robert Garcia’s campaign raised about $1.04 million – which is more than the other six candidates in the race combined, according to OpenSecrets. The money came from a wide range of interests, including real estate ($80,000), law firms ($30,346) and construction ($25,980), according to OpenSecrets.
Long Beach’s mayor also benefited from more than $2.3 million in spending from super PACs, of which $1.6 million was spent for him and the remaining $769,000 went towards negative ads and mailings against Cristina Garcia, according to OpenSecrets.
Briscoe, a real estate broker and Ocean View School District trustee, raised a little more than $252,000, virtually all of it from his own funds. Briscoe previously ran for Congress in 2018 and 2020 against Rep. Lowenthal, losing each time by nearly 30 percentage points…
…Cristina Garcia countered by leaning heavily on hometown support and her liberal credentials, which include a long list of legislative victories in environmental cleanup, good government and gender equity. Her endorsements includes a long list of Southeas L.A. County officials as well as famed political organizer Dolores Huerta.
Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon had endorsed Cristina Garcia back in January, but suddenly endorsed Robert Garcia on June 5 for unclear reasons…
Ballotpedia provided information about the General election for U.S. House California District 42:
Robert Garcia (D): 68.4% – 99,217 votes
John Briscoe (R): 31.6% – 45,903 votes
November 8: ABC7.com posted an article titled: “Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia projected to win congressional seat over John Briscoe” From the article:
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia was well ahead in early results and projected to win the race for California’s 42nd congressional district.
Garcia, a Democrat who served 8 years as mayor, had a 2-1 lead over Republican John Briscoe in initial results.
Garcia was the first Latino and first openly gay mayor in the history of Long Beach.
He lost his mother to COVID and dedicated his win to her in his speech to supporters.
“That hard-working woman who worked in clinics, who cleaned houses, who was a true immigrant in every sense if the word, is why I am here today,” Garcia told the crowd. “Why my brother is here today. Her fight and love for this country is what made us today.”
Garcia will fill the seat of Rep. Alan Lowenthal, who is retiring.
November 8: NBC Los Angeles posted an article titled: “California’s Robert Garcia Heading to DC as First LGBTQ Immigrant to Serve in US Congress” From the article:
Robert Garcia, the Democratic mayor of Long Beach, California, is heading to Washington, D.C., as the first LGBTQ immigrant to serve in U.S. Congress.
Born in Peru, his mother immigrated with him to the United States when he was 5 years old. According to his campaign website, Garcia’s proudest moment is becoming a U.S. citizen and the reason he went into public service.
Garcia’s married to California State University, Long Beach, professor Matthew Mendez Garcia – making him not only the latest Hispanic immigrant to serve in the U.S. Capitol but also the first to do so as a member of the LGBTQ community.
“Hispanics are a community that loves our families, and that includes trans and LGBTQ people, but we must understand that if the Republicans win more seats in Congress, they will have the power to take away rights from women and gay people,” Garcia said in an interview with Telemundo. “And that is not what we want for this great country that must always go forward”…
California’s 43rd Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 43rd congressional district:
California’s 43rd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that is currently represented by Democrat Maxine Waters. The district is centered in the southern part of Los Angeles County, and includes portions of the cities of Los Angeles (including LAX) and Torrance. It includes the entirety of the cities of Hawthorne, Lawndale, Gardena, Inglewood, and Lomita. From 2003 to 2013, the 43rd district was based in San Bernardino County. The Hispanic-majority district encompassed the southwestern part of the county, and included San Bernardino and Rialto.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 43rd congressional district is located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County. This district includes Los Angeles International Airport.
Los Angeles County is split between this district, the 36th district, 37th district, 44th district, and the 42nd district. The 43rd and 36th are partitioned by W Florence Ave, Arbor Vitae St, Westchester Parkway, La Tijera Blvd, W 91st St, Cum Laude Ave, W 92nd St, Waterview St, Napoleon St, Vista Del Mar, W Imperial Highway, Aviation Blvd, Del Aire Park, E Sl Segundo Blvd, S Aviation Blvd, Marine Ave, Inglewood Ave, Highway 91, Redondo Beach Blvd, Hawthorne Blvd, and Sepulveda Blvd.
The 43rd, 37th, and 42nd are partitioned by E 91 St, McKinley Ave, E 88th Pl, Avalon Blvd, E Manchester Ave, S Normandie Ave, W 94th PL, S Halldale Ave, W Century Blvd, La Salle Ave/S Denker Ave, W 104th St, S Western Ave, W 108th St S Gramercy Pl, S Van Ness Ave, W 76th St, 8th Ave, W 79th St, S Victoria Ave, W 74th St, West Blvd, W 64th St, S La Brea Ave, 6231 S La Brea Ave-Flight Ave, W 64th St, 6403 S Springpark Ave-W Fairview Blvd, W Centinela Ave, Ave, S Central Ave, Firestone Blvd-E 90 St, S Central Ave, E 103rd St, Success Ave, E 91st, Croesus Ave, and E 97th St.
The 43rd and the 44th are partitioned by Alameda St, E 103rd St, Mona Blvd, E 107th Pl, 108th St, S Alameda St, Highway 105, Mona Blvd, Santa Fe Ave, E Stockton Ave, N Bullis Rd, Palm Ave/E Killen Pl, N Thorson Ave, McMillian St, Waldorf Dr/N Castlegate Ave, S Gibson Ave, Wright Rd, E Rosecrans Ave, Highway 710, Somerset Blvd, Myrrh St, Hunsake Ave, Alondra Blvd, E Greenleaf Blvd, Main Campus Dr, S Susana Rd, Highway 91, Highway 47, Calle Anita, 2605 Homestead Pl-266 W Apras St, 225 W Victoria St-18300 S Wilmington Ave, W Victoria St, Central Ave, Lincoln Memorial Park, 2600 W Billings St-2973 W Caldwell St, Malloy Ave/S Clymar Ave, W Alondra Blvd, S Figueroa St, W 182nd St, Electric St, and S Western Ave.
Ballotpedia provided information about Maxine Waters:
Maxine Waters (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 43rd Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2013. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Waters (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 43rd Congressional District. She declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Waters has served in the U.S. House since 1991 – serving California’s 29th Congressional District from 1991 to 2013, and the 43rd District since 2013. Waters served in the California State Assembly from 1977 to 1991.
In her 2018 re-election bid, Waters defeated Omar Navarro (R) by a vote of 77.7 percent to Navarro’s 22.3 percent. Waters has never garnered less than 71 percent of the vote in every general election she has run in since 1990.
Ethics Charges
In 2010, the Office of Congressional Ethics charged Waters with improper requests for a meeting with Treasury officials for OneUnited Bank. Waters’ husband owned stock in the bank and served as a director until a few months before Waters requested those meetings. OneUnited reportedly got an infusion of TARP money, which could have protected an estimated $200,000 in bank stock owned by Waters’ husband.
On June 6, 2012, the House Ethics Committee announced they would go ahead with the investigation, which had been delayed due to charges by Waters that lawyers for the committee were biased and violated House rules. In June 2011, Billy Martin, a former Justice Department prosecutor, was brought in to act as outside counsel. His inquiry corroborated some of Waters’ allegations, but concluded that a fair hearing was not denied.
The committee announced on September 21, 2012, that Waters did not violate House rules.
Ballotpedia provided information about Omar Navarro:
Omar Navarro (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 43rd Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Navarro was a Republican candidate for California’s 43rd Congressional District in the U.S. House. Navarro lost in the general election on November 6, 2018, after advancing from the primary on June 5, 2018.
Navarro was a 2016 Republican candidate who sought election to the U.S. House to represent the 43rd Congressional District of California.
Omar Navarro earned a B.A. in criminal justice from ITT Technical Institute. Navarro’s career experience includes owning a business and working for Sony, Samsung, and Amazon. He founded the South Bay Young Republicans.
Omar Navarro did not complete Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Navarro’s campaign website:
Some Ideas Motivating Omar’s Campaign
Places a high value on our nation’s Military personnel, Homeland Security and our First Responders
Help find/hunt down/destroy and defeat terror cells here in our country.
Lower the Crime Rate
Make our Borders Safe and enforce our current immigration policies
Enact legislation for high scrutiny of refugees
Lower our Taxes
Sustain and create more jobs
Local control of education and the right of Parents to control their children’s education
Less Regulations on small businesses and bring businesses back to our country.
Better Educational Opportunities for all citizens
Balance the nation’s budget, decrease the national debt and keep our government open.
Be a Pro-Life Candidate
Defund Planned Parenthood
Federal Funding for Mental Health programs
Ballotpedia provided information about Allison Pratt:
Allison Pratt (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 43rd Congressional District. Pratt lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Allison Pratt was born in Los Angeles, California. Pratt’s career experience includes working as a youth advocate.
Ballotpedia provided information about Jean M. Monestime:
Jean M. Monestime (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 43rd Congressional District. Monestime lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
February 2: Newsweek posted an article titled: “Maxine Waters Tells GOP Opponent They ‘Got Tricked’ Into Running Against Her”. From the article:
Representative Maxine Waters has told her Republican opponent in the upcoming midterm elections that he “got tricked” into running against her in a district she’s won since 2012.
Republican Omar Navarro shared a video to Twitter on Tuesday of an encounter with Waters at the election filing office as he registered to run in California’s 43rd congressional district.
The GOP is hoping to take back the House of Representatives and the Senate in November’s elections but Waters, a Democrat, will likely be safely reelected as she won 71.7 percent of the vote in 2020.
Navarro tweeted: “I ran into Maxine Waters at election filing office and saw the preferential treatment she received from county employees.”
In the video attached to that tweet, Navarro can be heard greeting Waters. The congresswoman recognized and asked him if he was running again.
Navarro has been a perennial candidate in California’s 43rd district, losing to Waters in 2016, 2018, and 2020…
June 1, 2021: The Mary Sue posted an article titled: “Noted Homophobe Omar Navarro Complains That Cruella Ruined His Childhood” From the article:
…The latest case of aggrieved Republicans against hints of queerness comes from failed politician and Twitter pundit Omar Navarro.
Navarro tweeted, “The new Disney Cruella with Emma Stone just ruined my childhood with an openly flamboyant gay in the movie. Disney persist shoving the LGBT agenda down our throat.” (The tweet was posted on May 30, 2021.)…
…But who is Omar Navarro, and why does he feel the need to broadcast his homophobia on Twitter? Navarro is currently running for the seat of California’s 43rd Congressional district, which has been held by staunch Democrat and beloved meme queen Rep. Maxine Waters since 1991. Navarro has previously tried to unseat Waters in 2016, 2018, and 2020, and is running against her in 2022…
…But “no” isn’t in Navarro’s vocabulary, as evidenced by his 2019 arrest for violating a restraining order from his former girlfriend. He pled guilty to one stalking charge and served six months in prison. Navarro had previously been convicted for planting a tracking device on his ex-wife’s car in 2016…
June 2, 2021: Media Matters posted an article titled: “Here are the QAnon supporters running for Congress in 2022” It was updated on November 29, 2022. From the article:
Omar Navarro (lost general election)
Omar Navarro was a Republican candidate who ran in California’s 43rd Congressional District; He came in second in the nonpartisan blanket primary on June 7, which means under California election law, he appeared on the ballot in November’s general election. He was subsequently defeated in the general election. Navarro unsuccessfully ran for Congress in California’s 43rd Congressional District in 2020. Navarro has tweeted the QAnon slogan, and he later told Insider “that he believes in ‘some things’ that ‘Q’ says, including the human trafficking trope.” He also told Grid News that “my relationship with this movement is to expose dark human trafficking agenda in Hollywood and D.C.” He has also pushed the debunked Pizzagate conspiracy theory.
On October 3, 2022, Omar Navarro tweeted: “Where we go one, we go all!”
Ballotpedia provided information about the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 43:
Maxine Waters (D): 74.3% – 55,889 votes
Omar Navarro (R): 11.9% – 8,927 votes
Allison Pratt (R): 7.3% – 5,489 votes
Jean M. Monestime (D): 6.6% – 4,952 votes
June 27, 2021: Insider posted an article titled: “A Trump-loving insurrectionist and a convicted stalker are among 36 QAnon supporters running for Congress in 2022”. From the article:
…Another congressional candidate who believes in the human trafficking theory is Omar Navarro, a convicted stalker running for California’s 43rd congressional district.
Navarro, who also features in HBO’s “Q: Into the Storm” documentary series, is one of the more recognizable faces of the QAnon world.
The California native, who last year spent six months in jail after pleading guilty to a stalking charge, told Insider in an interview that he believes in “some things” that “Q” says, including the human trafficking trope.
“I do believe that there’s human trafficking going on right now. I do believe that Hollywood has participated in some of this with pedophilia on and it’s something obviously we can’t ignore,” he said.
Navarro, who has gone viral multiple times on Twitter for his far-right and homophobic views, has previously pushed the debunked Pizzagate theory. He told Insider: “I feel like there are certain things going on. There’s something shady in that pizza shop.”
The California also defended using the popular QAnon slogan WWG1WGA (“Where we go one, we go all”) in a tweet posted on October 3, 2020, saying he ended up deleting it because he didn’t want Twitter to ban him…
October 22: The List posted an article titled: “Obstacles Maxine Waters Had To Overcome To Get Where She Is” From the article:
…Waters currently serves as the U.S. representative for California’s 43rd congressional district and chairs the House Financial Services Committee – the first woman and first African American women to do so (via New York Amsterdam News). In addition, Waters was named one of Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in 2018,” in which she was described as being “adored and admired by people who care about social justice” and for showing “that she is not here for any nonsense.”
The congresswoman has stood in the face of numerous obstacles throughout her political career, letting nothing stand in her way to be the voice for the people and communities that are rarely heard…
Waters made strides as a member of the California State Assembly
In 1976, Maxine Waters successfully ran for the California State Assembly. For 14 years, she passed integral pieces of legislation in the state, including the first Child Abuse Prevention Training Program and the “prohibition of police strip searches for nonviolent misdemeanors”… As a Democratic Party Leader, she has served on the Democratic National Committee (DNC) since 1980 and was “instrumental” in creating the National Development and Voting Rights Institute.
During the 1980s, Waters co-founded the Black Woman’s Forum, a non-profit organization in Los Angeles (via Iowa State University).
In 1990, Waters branched nationally, winning a seat for the 29th District of California in 1990 (via AAREG). Then in 1992, she won a seat in the 35th district, which she held until 2013. Since then, she’s been the U.S. representative for California’s 43rd congressional district. During her tenure in each district, Waters “spearheaded health care, child care, education, and welfare reform”, as noted by Black Past…
Ballotpedia posted the results of the General election for U.S. House California District 43:
Maxine Waters (D): 77.3% – 95,462 votes
Omar Navarro (R): 22.7% – 27,984 votes
California’s 44th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 44th congressional district:
California’s 44th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. The district is centered in South Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Harbor Region. It is currently represented by Democrat Nanette Barragán. The 44th district was created as a result of the redistricting cycle after the 1980 Census.
The 44th district is composed of these cities and communities: Carson, Compton, East Compton, East Rancho Dominguez, Lynwood, North Long Beach, San Pedro, South Gate, Watts, Walnut Park, West Rancho Dominguez, Willowbrook, and Wilmington.
The congressional district is located in the southern portion of the state and includes part of Los Angeles County. The district’s current borders are delineated by the 110 freeway in its western border and takes an inward right following the 105 Freeway. Following S. Central Avenue north, it then zig-zags its way to Florence Ave at its apex. It’s eastern border runs mostly along the 710 Freeway until reaching the Pacific Ocean.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 44th congressional district is located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County.
Southern Los Angeles County is split between this district, the 36th district, the 43rd district, and the 42nd district. The 44th and 36th are partitioned by Sepulveda Blvd, Normandie Ave, 253rd St, Belle Porte Ave, 256th St, 1720 256th St-1733 256th St, 1701 257th St-1733 257th St, 1724 257th St-W 262nd St, Ozone Ave, 263rd St, 26302 Alta Vista Ave-26356 Alta Vista Ave, Pineknoll Ave, Leesdale Ave, Highway 213, Palos Verde Dr N, 26613 Leesdale Ave-Navy Field, S Western Ave, Westmont Dr, Eastview Park, Mt. Rose Rd/Amelia Ave, 1102 W Bloomwood Rd-1514 Caddignton Dr, N Western Ave, W Summerland St, N Enrose Ave/Miraleste Dr, Miraleste Dr, Martin J Bogdanovich Recreation Center and Park, and Shoreline Park.
The 44th and 42nd are partitioned by S Alameda St, Southern Pacific Railroad, Ardmore Ave, Long Beach Blvd, Pacific Blvd, Cudahy St, 2622 Cudahy St-3211 Santa Ana St, Santa Ana St, Salt Lake Ave, Patata St, 7038 Dinwiddie St-10112 Karmont Ave, Imperial Highway, Old River School Rd, Union Pacific Railroad, Gardendale St, Century Blvd, Highway 19, Laurel St, Clark Ave, Beach St, Bellflower Blvd, E Carson St, Woodruff Ave, Gonda Ave, E Wardlow Rd, N Los Coyotes Diagonal, McNab Ave, E Spring St, E Harvey Way, Faculty Ave, E Carson St, Norse Way, Lakewood Golf Course, Cover St, E 36th St, Cherry Ave, Atlantic Ave, W 25th St, W Willow St, Middle Rd-East Rd, 2300 E Pacific Coast Highway-W Anaheim St, E Anaheim St-St-Cerritos Channel, Piers S Ave, Highway 47, and Navy Mole Rd.
The 44th and 43rd are partitioned by Alameda St, 103rd Blvd, E 107th Pl, E 108th St, S Alameda St, Highway 105, Mona Blvd, Santa Fe Ave, E Stockton Ave, N Bullis Rd, Palm Ave/E Killen Pl, N Thorson Ave, McMillan St, Waldorf Dr/N Castlegate Ave, S Gibson Ave, Wright Rd, E Rosecrans Ave, Highway 710, Somerset Blvd, Myrrh St, Hunsade Ave, Alondra Blvd, E Greenleaf Blev, Main Campus Dr, S Susana Rd, Highway 91, Highway 47, Calle Anita, 2605 Homestead Pl-266 W Apras St, 255 W Victoria St-18300 S Wilmington Ave, W Victoria St, Central Ave, Lincoln Memorial Park, 2600 W Billings St-2973 W Caldwell St, Maloy Ave/S Clyman Ave, W Alondra Blvd, S Figueroa St, W 182nd St, Electric St, and S Western Ave.
Ballotpedia provided information about Nanette Barragán:
Nanette Barragán (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 44th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2017. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Barragán (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 44th Congressional District. She declared candidacy for the primary scheduled March 5, 2024.
Barragán’s campaign website features endorsements from Senators Kamala Harris (D-CA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT). She has also been endorsed by the California Democratic Party, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the Sierra Club, and more.
Ballotpedia provided information about Paul Irving Jones:
Paul Irving Jones (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 44th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Paul Irving Jones did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Paul Irving Jones’s campaign website.
INFLATION:
“Henry Kissinger wrote: Control Oil and you Control Nations.
Control Food and you Control the People.
The names have changed from Carter to Biden, Biden was a Senator when Carter was in office 40 years ago, and he was taking lessons for his turn to destroy our Country. In this same period of poor management and over spending (for some reason democratic governments continue to this day to believe they can spend their way out of inflation), Carter proved then it didn’t work and still doesn’t work, But here we are again with Biden, who has has just been names worst President in History not something to be proud of. in the Carter years another common factor was rapid energy and food cost, in 1973 the Arab-Israeli war the Arabs imposed an embargo on oil shipments to the U.S. that lasted into late 1974, what is common is that the Carter and Biden administration caused the energy shortage with poor management, drivers in 1973/1974 were hit with a 69% increase plus limited supplies, then as now they relied on foreign energy, there are some things in history that we have learned from and some we haven’t. This time based on what I have learned from history the difference between Carter and Biden, Carter was inept as well as the people in his administration and at the time were “Maybe” stupid, but in contrast between the two Biden knew and planned to do just what he said he would as Candidate Biden…
(NOTE: His views get much worse from there.)
Ballotpedia provided information about Morris Griffin:
Morris Griffin (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 44th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Griffin was a 2016 Democratic candidate who sought election to the U.S. House to represent the 44th Congressional District of California.
Morris Griffin was born in Newark, New Jersey. Griffin graduated from Dwight Morrow High School. He earned a B.A. from Washington State University. Griffin’s career experience includes working as a community activist.
June 1: Daily Breeze posted an article titled: “Harbor area Rep Nanette Barragán seeks reelectionagains newcomers” From the article:
South Los Angeles and Harbor area residents will decide whether they want a new congressional representative this month.
Rep Nanette Barragán, D-Los Angeles, is seeking reelection to California’s 44th Congressional District, which she’s led since 2017. But Rev. Paul Jones, a Republican, and Democrat Morris Griffin, an activist and L.A. County maintenance technician, are seeking to unseat her…
…About 56% of registered voters list their party preference as Democratic, according to the most-recent data from the California Secretary of State’s office. About 15% are registered Republicans…
…Barragán, who could not be reached to comment for this story, is the likely frontrunner, in terms of name recognition, legislative experience and campaign cash.
Barragán, a former Hermosa Beach City Council member, was first elected to Congress in 2016 and has run reelection twice, most-recently in 2020…
…Barragán is the vice chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. She is also on the House Committee on Homeland Security and chairs its subcommittee on border security, facilitation, and operations. She has also been a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce since 2019; when she was first appointed, she became the first Latina in a decade – and only second ever – to serve on that committee, according to her congressional website.
June 7: Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 44:
Nanette Barragán (D): 68.8% – 58,594 votes
Paul Irving Jones (R): 24.1% – 20,569 votes
Morris Griffin (D): 7.2% – 6,110 votes
June 7: Long Beach Post News posted an article titled: “Rep. Nanette Barragán takes early lead in 44th Congressional Race” From the article:
Early results in the race to represent the 44th Congressional District show incumbent Democrat Nanette Diaz Barragán in a lead over her challengers Morris Falls Griffin, a Democrat, and maintenance technician Paul Jones, a Republican minister.
Barragán has claimed 70% of the vote, or 23,740 votes, while Jones has 22% (7,623 votes) and Griffin has 8% (2,546 votes).
The votes counted so far include all of the vote by mail ballots received by county election officials before Election Day, as well as the in-person votes cast during the early voting period that began on May 29.
Barragán, who was first elected in 2016, was widely expected to win reelection this year.
Redistricting changed the borders of the 44th District, giving it a larger share of Long Beach. The district now includes parts of the city west of Signal Hill and north of Pacific Coast Highway to the city’s boundaries in North Long Beach…
…Griffin, who lives in Inglewood, called himself a problem solver during a recent interview.
He’s worked for the county for 33 years, Griffin said. And in 2000, while serving as a shop steward with the Local 721 chapter of the Service Employees International Union, secured $300 year-end bonuses for all Los Angeles County custodial workers for as long as they are in the position.
“I feel like I’m a voice for the voiceless,” Griffin said.
Seeing Rodney King getting beaten by LA police led Griffin, a former Washington State University basketball player, to want to solve various community issues, including police brutality, he said.
Jones, originally from Chicago, has served in the U.S. Marine Corps, is a Vietnam War veteran and has worked as a computer instructor at multiple LAUSD elementary schools – including in Carson. He called himself a hands-on person who leads by example.
His time in the Marine Corps taught him how to organize folks toward positive outcomes, Jones said. It also taught him how to listen to others and help them find their own leadership skills, he said.
Housing and Homelessness
The biggest issue in the 44th District, Griffin said, is homelessness.
There should be rent control policies, he said, to restrict landlords from raising rents beyond a tenant’s means.
“We have have a rent control infrastructure in place based on the number of rooms in a dwelling and whether (the person is) on Social Security benefits,” Griffin said. “You can’t just start evicting people because they can’t afford” a rent hike…
…Jones, meanwhile, said the state’s efforts to build more housing for those without permanent shelter has not worked.
“Short term solutions (to homelessness) have not and will not work,” Jones said.
Building more housing for people who are homeless, he said, “does nothing but make it easier to continue drug abuse and add to mental illness with no incentive to get off the streets.”
Jones said income taxes should be suspended for one year to allow lower income households to keep more in their pockets. Seniors older than 65 who are have fixed incomes should not pay state or federal taxes, he added, as well as veterans and people who are living with disabilities that prevent them from working…
Barragán, as a member of the Congressional Homelessness Caucus and an advocate for public housing residents, has worked to ensure everyone in her district has access to affordable housing, according to her website.
“Families spend an increasing amount of their income just to keep a roof over their heads,” Barragán said. “I support legislation to protect seniors from foreclosures (and) make Federal Housing Administration mortgage insurance more affordable.”…
Ballotpedia posted the results for the General election for U.S. House California District 44:
Nanette Barragán (D): 72.3% – 100,160 votes
Paul Irving Jones (R): 27.8% – 38,554 votes
California’s 45th Congressional District
Wikipedia posted information about California’s 45th Congressional District:
California’s 45th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California currently represented by Republican Michelle Steel. It was one of 18 districts that voted for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election while being won or held by a Republican.
The 45th district was created as a result of the redistricting cycle after the 1980 Census.
The district is based in Orange and Los Angeles counties and includes all of Garden Grove, Westminster, Cerritos, Buena Park, Placentia, Hawaiian Gardens, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Artesia, Los Alamitos, Rossmoor, and La Palma, as well as parts of Brea, Lakewood, and Fullerton…
…As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 45th congressional district is located in Southern California. It takes up western Orange County and east Los Angeles.
Orange County is split between this district, the 40th district, the 46th district, and the 47th district. The 45th and 40th are partitioned by Orange Freeway, E Lambert Rd, Sunrise Rd, Foothill Ln, Wandering Ln, N Associated Rd, E Birch St, S Valencia Ave, La Plaza Dr, La Floresta Dr, La Crescent Dr, Highway 90, 1053 E Imperial Highway-343 Tolbert St, Vesuvius Dr, Rose Dr, Wabash Ave, 6th St, Golden Ave, Carbon Canyon Creek, E Yorba Linda Blvd, Jefferson St, 1401 Zion Ave-N Van Buren St, Buena Vista Ave, 17225 Orange Blossom Ln-1480 E Howard Pl, 17511 Pine Cir-Orchard Dr, Mariposa Ave, Lakeview Ave, E Miraloma Ave, Fee-Ana St, Sierra Madre Cir, E Orangethorpe Ave, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, Kensington Ave, N Kramer Blvd, Carbon Creek, and E La Jolla St.
The 45th and the 46th are partitioned by Santa Ana River, W Lehnhardt Ave, Gloxinia Ave, Lilac Way, Edinger Ave, Pebble Ct, 10744 W Lenhardt Ave-10726 Kedge Ave, 724 S Sail St-5641 W Barbette Ave-407 S Starboard St, Starboard St/S Cooper St, Taft St, Hazard Ave, N Euclid St, Westminster Ave, Clinton St, 14300 Clinton St-1001 Mar Les Dr, Mar Les Dr, 2729 Huckleberry Rd, N Fairview St, Fairview St, 13462 Garden Grove Blvd-13252 Marty Ln, Townley St/Siemon Ave, W Garden Grove Blvd, S Lewis St, W Chapman Ave, E Simmons Ave, S Haster St, Ascot Dr, W Orangewood Ave, S 9th St, 2209 S Waverly Dr-11751 S Waverly Dr, Euclid St, Haven Ln, W Dudley Ave, S Euclid St, Katella Ave, Dale St, Rancho Alamitos High School, Orangewood Ave, Barber City Channel, Arrowhead St, Del Ray Dr, Westcliff Dr, Lampson Ave, Fern St, Garden Grove Blvd, Union Pacific Railroad, 7772 W Champman Ave-Bently Ave, Highway 39, Western Ave, Stanton Storm Channel, Knott Ave, 6970 Via Kannela-6555 Katella Ave, Cerritos Ave, 10490 Carlotta Ave-Ball Rd, John Beat Park, S Knott Ave, Solano Dr, Monterra Way, Campesina Dr, Holder Elementary School, W Orange Ave, 6698 Via Riverside Way-Orangeview Junior High School, W Lincoln Ave, 195 N Western Ave-298 N Western Ave, 3181 W Coolidge Ave-N Dale St, W Crescent Ave, N La Reina St, W La Palma Ave, Boisseranc Park, 1-5 HOV Lane, Orangethorpe Ave, Fullerton Creek, Whitaker St, Commonwealth Ave, Los Angeles County Metro, W Malvern Ave, W Chapman Ave, E Chapman Ave, S Placentia Ave, Kimberly Ave, E Orangethorpe Ave, and 2500 E Terrace St-Highway 57.
The 45th and 47th are partitioned by Highway 405, Old Ranch Parkway, Seal Beach Blvd, St Cloud Dr, Montecito Rd, Rossmore Center Way, 12240 Seal Beach Blvd-Los Alamitos Army Airfield, Bolsa Chica Channel, Rancho Rd, Harold Pl, Springdale St, 6021 Anacapa Dr-Willow Ln, Edward St, Bolsa Ave, Goldenwest St, McFadden Ave, Union Pacific Railroad, 15241 Cascade Ln-15241 Cedarwood Ave, Highway 39, Edinger Ave, Newland St, Heil Ave, Magnolia St, Warner Ave, Garfield Ave, and the Santa Ana River.
The 45th district takes in the cities of Cypress, Brea, Placentia, Westminster, Garden Grover, Buena Park, Fountain Valley, and northern Fullerton, as well as the census-designated place Rossmoor.
Los Angeles County is split between this district, the 38th district, and the 42nd district. The 45th and 42nd are partitioned by San Gabriel River, Palo Verde Ave, South St, Del Amo Blvd, Pioneer Blvd, Coyote Creek, Centralia Creek, Hawaiian Ave, Verne Ave, Bloomfield Park, Highway 605, 226th St, Dorado Cir, Cortner Ave, E Woodson St, Bloomfield Ave, Lilly Ave, Marna Ave, and Los Almost Channel.
The 45th and the 38th are partitioned by Valley View Ave, Southern Pacific Railroad, Alondra Blvd, 15917 Canyon Creek Rd-12371 Hermosura St, Norwalk Blvd, 166th St, and Cerritos College Child Development-Alondra Blvd. The 45th district takes in the cities of Cerritos, Artesia, and Hawaiian Gardens.
Ballotpedia provided information about Michelle Steel:
Michelle Steel (Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 45th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2023. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Steel (Republican Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 45th Congressional District. She declared candidacy for the primary scheduled March 5, 2024.
Steel served on the Orange County Board of Supervisors from 2015 to 2021.
Michelle Steel was born in Seoul, South Korea, and lives in Surfside, California. Steel earned a bachelor’s degree from Pepperdine University and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Southern California in 2010. She served on the California Board of Equalization.
Balllotpedia provided information about Jay Chen:
Jay Chen (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 45th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Jay Chen has served in the U.S. Navy Reserve and reached the rank of lieutenant commander. Chen’s career experience includes owning a real estate business. He earned a degree from Harvard University in 2001.
Jay Chen completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Luitenant Commander Jay Chen is a Navy Reserve Intelligence Officer, small businessowner, and a father of two. Jay is running for Congress to help working families in Orange County get ahead.
Jay Chen is the son of immigrants from Taiwan who came to America for a chance to live the American Dream. Jay learned the value of hard work by helping his parents’ small business. As a small businessowner himself, Jay knows firsthand the challenges facing local businesses. In Congress, he will ensure American small businesses get the help they need to stay open, work to lower taxes on the middle class, and he will take on big corporations that are price-gouging consumers and causing inflation.
Every child deserves a quality education. Jay Chen went to public schools, worked hard, and earned a scholarship to attend Harvard. He served on the School Board and is a Community College Trustee for Mount San Antonio Community College – helping students afford college and obtain skills training to get a good job. Local teachers support Jay Chen because they trust him to strengthen local schools.
Lieutenant Commander Jay Chen joined the Navy to serve his country, and holds a Top Secret security clearance. Jay has defended our freedoms, leading an intelligence team in the counterterrorism fight against ISIS in the Middle East and countering communist North Korean threats in Asia. Veterans groups back Jay because they know he will always put American first.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Jay’s top priority is talking inflation and improving our economy by fixing our supply chains and bringing manufacturing back to the United States. Jay knows that maintaining roads and bridges and modernizing transit and railway systems creates good local jobs and is a critical investment in our future. Investing in America’s infrastructure is the best way to improve and create sustainable, clean transportation options for millions of Americans who commute daily while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and gridlock. Jay will work to improve transportation options and tackle traffic bottlenecks so that Southern California residents can spend more time with their families and less time on the road.
As a community college trustee and former school board member, Jay is committed to expanding educational opportunities for all. In Congress, Jay will work to ensure that local public schools receive the resources and funding they need to reduce class sizes, invest in STEM programs, and hire exceptional teachers. He knows we can do better by investing in neighborhood schools to guarantee all children have equal access to a quality education. Jay will also support the expansion of early childhood education. A child’s future prospects should not depend upon the zip code that they grow up in. Jay is committed to creating safe and supportive school environments for students and educators.
As a Lieutenant Commander in the US Naval Reserves, Jay understands the importance of supporting our veterans, those currently serving, and their families. The men and women who have fought for our country deserve the best healthcare and support services. That’s why in Congress Jay will work to streamline the VA, make it easier for younger veterans to enter the system, and make sure that all veterans can access the health care they deserve. One homeless veteran is one too many. We must support and fund programs that ensure housing for the men and women who have given so much to serve and protect our country. Jay supports expanding mental health and suicide prevention services for all those who served.
Ballotpedia provided information about Long Pham:
Long Pham (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 45th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Pham was an unsuccessful 2014 Republican candidate for District 34 of the California State Senate. He ran unsuccessfully for District 72 of the California State Assembly in 2012.
Long Pham’s career experiences includes owning a business and working as an engineer.
Ballotpedia provided information about Hilaire Fuji Shioura:
Hilaire Fuji Shioura (No party preference) (write-in) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 45th Congressional District. He lost as a write-in in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Shioura (RepublicanParty) also ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 40th Congressional District. He did not appear on the ballot for the primary on June 7, 2022.
Shioura (Independent) also ran for election for Governor of California. He did not appear on the ballot for the primary on June 7, 2022.
Shioura was elected to the Placentia Library board of trustees in 2020.
May 4: The Orange County Register posted an article titled: “Roe v. Wade: Here’s where Orange County House member, challengers stand on abortion rights”. From the article:
…45th District
Rep. Michelle Steel, R-Seal Beach: “I believe in the right to live and I believe we need to protect the rights of unborn children. Life is sacred, and no one should have the power to unilaterally end it. I believe there are some exceptions to protect the life of the mother.”
Jan Chen, D-Hacienta Heights: “Reproductive rights should be protected at all costs and health care decisions should be made between a woman and her doctor, without interference from politicians. Attacks on Roe v. Wade and the right to an abortion endangers the health and safety of women across the country.
Long Pham, R-Fountain Valley: “I am opposed to abortion except for the case of rape and when the health of the mother is in danger”…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 45
Michelle Steel (R): 48.2% – 65,641 votes
Jay Chen (D): 43.1% – 58,721 votes
Long Pham (R): 8.6% – 11,732 votes
Hilaire Fuji Shioura (No part preference) (Write-in): 0.0% – 6 votes
October 5: VietFact Check posted an article titled: “Is Congressional Candidate Jay Chen a Communist?” From the article:
Claim: Congreswoman Michelle Steel is currently running for reelection, she serves California’s 45th District, which includes Little Saigon. Steel recently released fliers of her opponent Jay Chen, who is a Democrat, claiming that he is a Communist sympathizer.
Rating: This claim is FALSE. Jay Chen is a member of the U.S. military, he is a Lieutenant Commander of the Navy Reserve, and he is also the son of Taiwanese immigrants who fled Communist China – it’s highly unlikely that Chen is a Communist. Steel also said that in 2010, Chen supported the Confucius Institute which is funded by the Chinese government. But at the time, that was a program supported by President George W. Bush and President Obama, as a way for American students to learn Mandarin.
Congresswoman Michelle Steel, who is a Republican, is currently running for reelection. She represents California’s 45th District, which contains Little Saigon. Recently, Steel released campaign fliers featuring a false image of her opponent Jay Chen, who is a Democrat, holding a copy of The Communist Manifesto. The text in the flyer says, “Jay Chen invited China into our children’s class,” and that “Jay Chen voted in favor of the Confucius Institute, an organization funded by the Chinese state, to the Hacienda La Puente school district to teach.”
The image in Steel’s campaign flier was doctored, and is not a real image of Chen. And Steel’s claim is an exaggeration…
…In 2010, the school board of the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District, which Chen was a part of, voted in favor of creating a new program to teach Mandarin to its students, funded by the Confucius Institute.
Funded by the Chinese government, the Confucius Institute was created in 2004 to promote Chinese language and culture through programs at schools and universities. Said Chen at the time, “From Oregon to Rhode Island, public schools have implemented the same program. As far as I can see, nothing sinister is going on.” At the time, there were around 200 Confucius Institute language classed in K-12 schools, including in Los Angeles and San Diego, and the school districts had to approve the materials taught in those classrooms…
…It was later discovered that the Confucius Institute also acted as propaganda for the Chines government, and many of those programs in the U.S. were ordered closed by the U.S. State Department in 2020…
…Chen has called the fliers “ridiculous.” He told the Los Angeles Times, “I thought it was really absurd and, beyond that, really dangerous the way she is exploiting fears within the immigrant community for political gain,” he said…
…Steel’s fliers have been criticized for red-baiting, when candidates accuse their opponents of being Communists in order to undermine their credibility. “This is red-bating, since it entails a Taiwanese American being accused of bringing Maoist thought into American classrooms,” Long T. But, a professor of global and international studies at University of California, Irvine, told the Los Angeles Times. “None of this is part of Chen’s educational platform.
Steel also has a history of falsely accusing her opponents of being Communists. In 2020, she falsely accused then Congressman Harley Rouda of being pro-Ho Chi Minh…
November 5: Fox 11 Los Angeles posted an article titled: “Protesters call for Rep. Steel to Resign over “hurtful” campaign ad”. From the article:
There are just days until the polls close for the 2022 midterms, and one California representative running for reelection is facing calls to resign, over an ad that demonstrators say pushes harmful stereotypes about Asian Americans.
Michelle Steel is a Republican candidate who is running for reelection in California’s 48th Congressional District, which serves Orange County, against Democrat Jay Chen. In one of Steel’s campaign ads, a clip of her opponent is shown, implying that he wants to force Chinese propaganda on schoolchildren, with a voiceover saying that Steel is, “fighting to ban communist propaganda in our schools.”
Protesters gathered outside her office over the weekend, demanding an apology from Steel for the rhetoric pushed in the ad…
…Jake Tapper, who called it, “the most dishonest TV campaign ad, perhaps we’ve ever seen.”
Experts say not only is the ad dishonest, but it’s hurtful to an Asian-American community that’s been suffering recently from a rise in anti-Asian hate.
“It really is outrageous, in terms of, frankly how dangerous it is,” said Christian Dyogi Phillips, assistant professor of political science at USC. “Asian-Americans as a national group are very supportive of expanding healthcare, access to abortion, affirmative action. All of these issues that don’t really line up with Michelle Steel’s record.”
Phillips said the strategy might not be surprising from a white, male, GOP candidate, but it is from Steel, a Korean-American…
…In the end the demonstrators didn’t prompt Steel to resign or apologize. Her supporters even countered protesters with signs that read, “Jay Chen is a racist.”
“Michelle Steel and Jay Chen are both AAPI leaders. We respect them both,” said Charley Lu from I – Chinese American Political Action Committee. “But this continued rhetoric, we need to stop it.”
November 9: KCBX posted an article titled: “Why a Southern California congressional race hinges on Asian American voters”. From the article:
Little Saigon in Orange County, Calif., boasts the largest concentration of Vietnamese people outside Vietnam. Democrat and congressional hopeful Jay Chen showed up one day in September, dressed in his uniform from the U.S. Navy Reserves. He was there to visit the Museum of the Republic of Vietnam, a one-room collection of artifacts donated by veterans and refugees of the country’s civil war, tucked in the back corner of one of the shopping centers…
…Candidates come to such local highlights – and make a point of commemorating their visits in the press – because Vietnamese Americans make up the largest Asian American voting bloc in the area, a constituency that can swing an election. In the newly drawn congressional district of CA-45 that Chen is running in, they comprise 16% of all voters. Other key AAPI groups in the area include people of Korean, Chinese and Indian descent – together accounting for a third of all registered voters. Chen is Taiwanese American, and he is running against Republican incumbent and Korean American Michelle Steel. The election is a truly California affair: intersectional and immigrant, where race and political identity meet.
The fight for Orange County underscores the complexity of the Asian American vote. Demographics are not destiny here – both Republican and Democratic strategists can pull data suggesting an AAPI swing one way or the other. It has become one of the most closely watched congressional races this election cycle, and will likely trigger a rethink for politicos on how they’ve traditionally surveyed Asian Americans…
…Nationally, Asian Americans are one of the fastest-growing groups of the U.S. electorate, with record voter turnout in 2020. Experts say the voting block cares about the same domestic issues as other voters. But with overseas connections still strong for many, especially first-generation voters, U.S. foreign policy ends up playing an unusual role in Asian American voter choice, a phenomenon known as homeland politics.
The term describes how the political choices of immigrants are influenced by their attachments and concerns about their home country…
For many Americans who have fled authoritarian states, there is often a preference for the party they believe has a tougher approach to non-democratic states…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the General election for U.S. House California District 45:
Michelle Steel (R): 52.4% – 113,960 votes
Jay Chen (D): 47.6% – 103,466 votes
November 14: CBSNews posted a short article titled: “Republican Michelle Steel wins reelection”. From the article:
AP projects Republican Michelle Steel has been reelected to represent California’s 45th Congressional District. The contentious campaign led to a neck-and-neck race between Steel, the incumbent, and her competitor Jay Chen.
The newly redrawn 45th District Representative represents Cerritos to Buena Park and South to Westminster, Garden Grove and Fountain Valley – it is the largest Vietnamese community in the nation.
Michelle Steel (Republican) – 96,114 votes – 53.8%
Jay Chen (Democrat) – 82,447 votes – 46.2%
November 15: LAist posted an article titled: “45th Congressional District Results, Michelle Steel Beats Jay Chen In Contentious Race”. From the article:
Republican Michelle Steel has secured a second term in Congress after a pitched battle for the 45th House district that drew national attention because of her anti-Communist ads targeting opponent Democrat Jay Chen.
While votes are still being counted, the AP called the race for Steel late Monday.
In a statement released on social media Monday night, Steel said: “I have been firm in my commitment to deliver for Southern California, and will continue to work to lower taxes, stop inflation, and keep the American Dream alive for working class families.”
The Chen campaign has not yet responded to a request for comment.
November 16: LAist posted Live results of the 45th Congressional votes:
Michelle Steel (Republican) – 101,958 votes – 53.82%
Jay F. Chen (Democrat) – 87,486 votes – 46.18%
California’s 46th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 46th Congressional District:
California’s 46th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California.
It has been represented by Democrat Lou Correa since 2017, when he succeeded Loretta Sanchez, who retired to run for the U.S. Senate. This district is based in Orange County and includes the communities of Anaheim, Santa Ana, and Stanton, as well as parts of Orange and Fullerton. It is both the most Democratic-leaning and most Latino congressional district in Orange County.
The congressional district contains the theme park Disneyland and Angel Stadium.
From 2003 to 2013 the district covered part of Los Angeles County and Orange County. It included Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa and Rancho Palos Verdes.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 38th congressional district is located in Southern California. It is entirely within western Orange County.
Orange County is split between the district, the 40th district, the 45th district, and the 47th district. The 46th and 40th are partitioned by E La Palma Ave, E Jackson Ave, E Frontera St, Santa Ana River, Riverside Valley, Costa Mesa Freeway, N Tustin St, E Meats Ave, N Orange Olive Rd, Garden Grove Freeway, 16909 Donwest-16791 E Main St, E Chestnut Ave, 16282 E Main St-717-S Lyon St, E McFadden Ave, Warner Ave, and Red Hill Ave.
The 46th, 45th, and 47th are partitioned by Red Hill Ave, E Alton Parkway, Costa Mesa Freeway, Sunflower Ave, Harbor Blvd, MacArthur Blvd, Santa Ana River, W Lehnhardt, Gloxinia Ave, Lilac Way, Edinger Ave, Pebble Ct, 10744 W Lehnhardt Ave-10726 Kedge Ave, 724 S Sail St-5641 W Barbette Ave-407 S Starboard St, Starboard St/S Cooper St, Taft St, Hazard Ave, N Euclid St, Westminister Ave, Clinton St, 14300 Clinton St-1001 Mar Les Dr, 2729 Huckleberry Rd, N Fairview St, Fairview St, 13462 Garden Grove Blvd-1352 Marty Ln, S Lewis St, W Chapman Ave, E Simmons Ave, S Haster St, Ascot Dr, W Orangewood Ave, S 9th St, 2209 S Waverly Dr-11751 S Waverly Dr, Euclid St, Haven Ln, W Dudley St, S Euclid St, Katella Ave, Dale St, Rancho Alamitos High School, Orangewood Ave, Barber City Channel, Arrowhead St, Del Rey Dr, Westcliff Dr, Lampson Ave, Fern St, Garden Grove Blvd, Union Pacific Railroad, 7772 W Chapman Ave-Bently Ave, Highway 39, Western Ave, Stanton Storm Channel, Knott Ave, 6970 Via Kannela-6555 Katella Ave, W Orange Ave, 6698 Via Riverside Way-Orangeview Junior High School, W Lincoln Ave, 195 N Park, 1-5 HOV Lane, Orangethorpe Ave, Fullerton Creek, Whitaker St, Commonwealth Ave, Los Angeles County Metro, W Malvern Ave, W Chapman Ave, E Chapman Ave, S Placentia Ave, Kimberly Ave, E Orangethorpe Ave, and 2500 E Terrace St-Highway 57.
The 46th district takes in the cities of Santa Ana, Stanton, Anaheim, southern Fullerton, and western Orange.
Ballotpedia provided information on Lou Correa:
Lou Correa (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 46th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2017. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Correa (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 46th to the U.S. House to represent California’s 46th Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Correa was elected to the seat in 2016. In his 2018 re-election bid, Correa defeated Republican Russell Lambert by a vote of 69 percent to 31 percent.
Coreea represented District 34 in the California State Senate from 2006 to 2014. Prior to joining the state senate, Correa was a member of the California State Assembly from District 69 from 1998-2004 and served on the Orange County Board of Supervisors from 2004-2006.
Correa earned his B.A. in economics from California State University-Fullerton, his MBA from UCLA and his Juris Doctor from UCLA. His professional experience includes working as a teacher in the Rancho Santiago Community College District and as an investment banker and real estate broker.
Ballotpedia provided information on Christopher Gonzales:
Christopher Gonzales (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 46th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Christopher Gonzales graduated from Irvine High School. Gonzales served in the U.S. Army and reached the rank of first lieutenant. He earned bachelor’s degrees in social ecology and political science from the University of California at Irvine and a juris doctor from the University of California at Los Angeles. Gonzales’ career experience includes owning a law firm and working as a lawyer.
Christopher Gonzales did not fill out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Christopher Gonzales’s 2022 campaign website:
AN IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIVE
Enhance the ability to provide for your family
Reduce household living costs and gas prices
Provide more educational opportunity including school choice
Create better and higher paying jobs
AN ENRICHED COMMUNITY
Restore funding of the police
Ensure safer streets
Continue community improvements
Reduce small businesses regulators
Improve schools and education options
Promote independent healthcare decision making without government intervention and mandates
A STRONGER NATION
Support tax policies that put more money in your pocket
Advocate for a strong military
Promote energy independence
Fight for personal freedoms and Constitution rights
Ballotpedia provided information from Michael Ortega:
Michael Ortega (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 46th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Michael Ortega was born in Chicago, Illinois, and lives in Anaheim, California. Ortega earned a degree from the Southern California in 2013. His career experience includes working as a biomedical engineer and educator. Ortega has been associated with the Orange County Democratic Socialists of America.
Ortaga completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Collection survey in 2021. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Mike is a lifelong organizer that has worked the ground to fight for his community, and in the lab to save lives as a biomedical engineer. Through his work, he has seen how low-income families are denied opportunities reserved for the wealthy and powerful few.
Mike, the youngest of 8, was born to immigrant parents from Ecuador and Puerto Rico. They struggled to get by, but his parents took care to provide him with every opportunity. From their perseverance and sacrifice, Mike learned how to fight for a better world in his schools, workplaces, and country.
Mike now lives in Anaheim with his wife and soon-to-be firstborn son. Through his organizing career, he has mentored underprivileged student, championed efforts to unionize, and led campaigns to protect our undocumented workers. He is running now to act on the issues that matter most to his community that can’t wait for tomorrow: affordable housing, Medicare for All, protecting our immigrant neighbors, and enacting a Green New Deal.
Please list 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Today, Lou Correa, the Democrat representing our district, fights to keep prescription drug prices high. Every year we send Lou to Washington to focus on the profits of the pharmaceutical industry that funds his campaigns…and every year more people are exploited by price gouging. It’s clear to me that our district deserves better than this level of conservatism and self-serving opportunism.
There is no time to wait for a hero to save us. Impending crises like climate change will wait for no one. We have to work together in our communities, on the ground, to battle big monied interests. My district – the people of Anaheim, Santa Ana, and Orange – are ready for change today. We need: Medicare for All, affordable housing, a strengthened education system, and to abolish ICE. We need a Green New Deal to bring sustainable union jobs to Orange County – making our district a hub where we can learn the skills necessary to protect our planet. We understand the stakes, and are ready to work to turn the tide right here in our hometowns. Because when we work together, we win.
Today, Lou Correa, the Democrat representing our district, fights to keep prescription drug prices high. Every year we send Lou to Washington to focus on the profits of the pharmaceutical industry that funds his campaigns…and every year more and more people are exploited by price gouging. It’s clear to me that our district deserves better than this level of conservatism and self-serving opportunism.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Single-payer healthcare to modernize a broken healthcare system that funnels working people’s money into insurance corporations.
A Green New Deal resolution and Civilian Climate Corps to combat the climate emergency before us. This includes union jobs and retraining programs to bolster the America working force with good-paying jobs.
Amnesty for all undocumented workers to stop deportations. Abolish ICE to stop the immoral cruelty towards our immigrant neighbors. Provide a path to citizenship with less red tape.
Strengthen our education system through federal programs to provide funding. We know our children and teachers deserve the best, so let’s do everything we can do deliver.
Create a federal program for students to attend college tuition-free, expand access to trade schools and apprenticeship programs.
Strengthen the American family through programs like Universal Child Care and Pre-K,
Institute a federal National Rent Control program.
Strengthen labor laws, tie the minimum wage to inflation, and set a fair tax rate similar to what our nation’s Greatest Generation instituted.
Ballotpedia provided information about Mike Nguyen:
Mike Nguyen (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 46th Congressional District. Nguyen lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Nguyen also ran for election to the Orange Unified Board of Education to represent Trustee Area 7 in California. Nguyen lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Mike Nguyen was born in Vietnam. Nguyen’s career experience includes working as an engineer.
Ballotpedia provided information about Felix Rocha:
Felix Rocha (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 46th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Felix Rocha was born in San Antonio, Texas. Rocha served in the U.S. Air Force from 1966 to 1972. He earned an associate degree from Golden West College in 1998. Rocha’s career experience includes working as a federal senior special agent.
Felix Rocha completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am a retired Federal Special Agent. I worked for the U.S. Department of Justice (INS) for over 33 years. I am also a Christian. My views and my standards are conservative. I am a Christian Conservative.
My priorities are: BORDER SECURITY – Two to three million illegal aliens have invaded our Nation and President Biden is totally responsible for this He has encouraged them to enter the United States illegally. He stop the construction of the Wall on our Southern Border. He totally jeopardized our National Security and the Democrats went along with his stupid idea;
CRIME/DRUGS – By stopping construction of our Border Wall, President Biden openly permitted an entry of violent criminals and drugs to be smuggled to America. Our Borders were secured before he became President. He ruined our National Security and flaunted his power with disregard to the safety of our Citizens and the Democrats went right along with his stupid idea also;
ENERGY CRISIS – President Biden caused our nation to suffer the worst energy crisis in the history of the United States. Two years ago, a gallon of gasoline costed $2.00 and now a gallon of gasoline cost us $6.00 or more. Our Congress must immediately restart the Keystone pipeline that President Biden shut down. Our President made a horrible mistake when he shut down the Keystone pipeline for no reason and the Democrats went along with his stupid idea again.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Border Security
Energy Crisis
Crime and Drugs
NOTE: Felix Rocha also answered a question titled: “What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? After reading what he wrote, it decided not to post his answer to that question because it was extremely racist.
Ballotpedia provided information about Ed Rushman:
Ed Rushman (independent) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 46th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Ed Rushman was born in Covina, California. Rushman earned an associate degree from Long Beach City College, bachelor’s degree in business from Kaplan University, and master’s degree in business administration from Long Beach State University. His career experience includes working as a technical manager, project manager, and professional services leader.
Ed Rushman completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I’ve made a career of doing what needs to be done, raising a family here while doing it. I’ve done every job there is in information technology, in many kinds of businesses, small and large. In the past couple of decades, I’ve specialized in the recovery or failed or falling projects, drawing on my experience in people, process, and technology, and earned a couple of degrees on the way so I’d understand the business better, as well as economics conferences and other events to learn more about how everything works, not just information systems. I’ve listened to, and learned from, a lot of people from all over the country, and the world.
When no one is really fixing a problem, I look for someone with a real solution and if I can’t find anyone, I ask a lot of questions and develop a solution with everyone’s perspectives taken into account. I’ve done this a lot, and most of the time it works. When I fail, I figure out why and carry that lesson forward.
I’ve run twice before. It’s tough without a party to do the legwork, doing the door-to-door myself, but it’s a great experience and nearly everyone I meet encourages me.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Free Congress from big money and Party politics, starting with the 46th district
Represent the people so well that voters will reject partisan politics
Bring respectful discourse, real teamwork in the office and with all I encounter
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Legislation should be entirely about what is good for the Nation and not about obligations to special interests or Party. It should not be about personal gain in wealth or power. It is a sacred duty to the people, and should be pursued with that as the highest principle. People in our district struggle to reconcile protections for the poor with protections for unborn children, and the response from Democrats was to back abortion to birth.
Money drives elections, and neither the wealthy Democratic nor Republican donors understand the values of the common people. Our district has a lot of hard-working people, many are immigrants, who Brough ancient values with them that they thought America respected, only to be told their values are backward and wrong.
The Dream Act – Congress has put this off for nearly two decades, and this is a prime case of partisan politics. This is a humanitarian necessity, and 800,000 Dreamers serve in our military, pursue education, and work, paying taxes and living like the rest of us. We must resolve this while developing a more sustainable immigration policy that will not put us in this position again. There is massive public support, but Congress will not act.
Above all, I am passionate about government working for all the people, not just serving the most powerful, those who can pay to have their ideals promoted. Government should not be a tool for domination.
April 20: The Orange County Register posted an article titled: “Elections 2022: Get to know Rep. Lou Correa, five more candidates in 46th District primary” From the article:
Three-term Democratic incumbent faces challenges from the left and the right in redrawn 46.
There’s ultra-conservative former border patrol agent Felix Rocha Jr. and biomedical engineer Mike Ortega, who’s a former member of the Socialist Party.
There’s Republican Mike Nguyen, an aerospace engineer-turned real estate developer, and there’s attorney Christopher Gonzales, who got the backing of the State GOP.
Then there’s project manager Ed Rushman, who’s the only independent running in the House race.
Those five candidates are challenging three-term Rep. Lou Correa, D-Anaheim, in the June 7 primary to represent the newly 46th District in Orange County. The two candidates who get the most votes in June advance to the decisive November election.
Meet the CA-46 candidates
Lou Correa (D)
What’s one thing you would do to make housing more affordable for residents of your district?
There is a housing shortage. Although this is a local issue, I would encourage building more affordable housing. At the federal level, I will continue to support Section 8 vouchers, but the reality is that there is a shortage of housing units.
When it comes to COVID-19 vaccines and government policy, which do you support?
Limited mandates
What would you do to address rising inflation?
To address rising inflation, I would reduce energy prices and fix the supply chain.
Christopher Gonzales (R)
What’s one thing you would do to make housing more affordable for residents of your district?
I would address the rising household living costs and inflation. People need to keep the money they earn and not have it taken for increased taxes and higher costs. We need to reduce government spending, eliminate spending, eliminate bloated bureaucracies and stop wasting resources.
Do you support increasing the number of the seats on the U.S. Supreme Court?
No.
What is your stance on abortion rights?
I am Pro-Life from conception to natural death.
Mike Nguyen (R)
What’s one thing you would do to make housing more affordable for residents of your district?
Energy independent, less regulations, creating more friendly work environments, less taxes, more incentive for low housing builders.
Do you support increasing the number of seats on the U.S. Supreme Court?
No.
When it comes to COVID-19 vaccines and government policy, which do you support?
No mandates
Mike Ortega (D)
What’s one thing you would do to make housing more affordable for residents in your district?
I would fight to pass a National Rent Control bill, which is a cap on rent increases: 3% or 150% of consumer price index, whichever is higher. We must ensure that housing authorities and tenant associations are funded to their needs and end backdoor privatization schemes on housing developments.
Do you support increasing the number of seats on the U.S. Supreme Court?
Yes
What is your stance on abortion rights?
The state has no place in controlling a woman’s agency over her reproductive system. These decisions are not easy for American women and families, so we should not have barriers in place that make those decisions even harder. Therefore, we must ensure that the right to abortion is protected on a federal level.
Felix Rocha (R)
What’s one thing you would do to make housing more affordable for residents of your district?
Provide working families and veterans in the 46th District with a one-time housing loan for them to buy a home.
Do you support increasing the number of seats on the U.S. Supreme Court?
No
What is your stance on abortion rights?
I do not agree with abortion; except in the case of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is endangered.
Ed Rushman (NPP)
What’s one thing you would do to make housing more affordable for residents of your district?
Not take money from Real Estate donors as the incumbent does. Making decisions based on achieving affordable housing instead of pleasing those who helped create the problem would be an excellent start. Ending partisanship would help the national economy, not just the district.
Do you support increasing the number of seats on the U.S. Supreme Court?
No
What’s your stance on abortion rights?
According to the Guttmacher Institute: Oregon, Vermont, Colorado, New Hampshire, DC, Alaska, New Jersey and New Mexico currently have no 24-week, or even viability prohibitions on abortion, and that other states are going that way. Doe v Bolton permits this and Congress cannot override a Supreme Court decision. I won’t vote to fund abortions.
June 7: The Orange County Register posted: “2022 Election Updated 46th District primary results show Lou Correa, Chris Gonzales out front”. From the article:
While Correa is heavily favored to win the seat, it’s been tough to predict who might join him on the ballot in November.
Democratic Rep. Lou Correa and attorney Christopher Gonzales, who got the backing of the state GOP, took the No. 1 and No. 2 spots as early results posted Tuesday night in the six-man primary contest for the 46th House District race in central Orange County.
“I’m honored,” Correa said by phone from Washington, D.C. as initial results posted. “I’m homegrown. I love Orange County, I love my community and I work for them day in and day out.”
In third place was Republican Mike Nguyen, an aerospace engineer-turned real estate developer. Trailing behind were biomedical engineer Mike Ortega, a progressive Democrat who’s a former member of the Socialist Party; conservative Republican Felix Rocha Jr., who’s former border patrol agent; and project manager Ed Rushman, who’s the only independent running in a local House race…
…The two candidates who get the most votes in today’s primary will advance to the decisive November election, which will decide who will spend the next two years representing residents in Anaheim and Santa Ana along with portions of Orange, Fullerton and Stanton…
…The first round of results tonight will come from ballots that were mailed before Election Day. Those returns expected to skew in favor of Democrats, since Trump and the other GOP leaders sowed distrust in mail-in ballots. As in-person votes from today are added to the mix, vote count may shift a bit more to the right…
Ballotpedia posted information about the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 46:
Lou Correa (D): 49.1% – 37,311 votes
Christopher Gonzales (R): 15.6% – 11,823 votes
Michael Ortega (D): 12.3% – 9,211 votes
Mike Nguyen (R): 12.1% – 9,162 votes
Felix Rocha (R): 9.3% – 7,084 votes
Ed Rushman (Independent): 1.7% – 1,264 votes
October 4: The Orange County Register posted “Christopher Gonzales, CA-46 candidate, Election 2022 questionnaire” From the article:
Ahead of the November elections, The Orange County Register compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below, with responses only edited for grammar and punctuation.
…The Supreme Court has agreed to take up a case that could give state legislatures greater influence over federal election rules. What do you see as the role states play in elections, even federal contests, and should there be a limit to that power?
State and local government are best at creating and enforcing law. However, I would like the federal government to enact some nationwide laws that ensure that all elections in our country are fair and honest. I would like to see laws that provide that only citizens can vote, that one produces proper identification, and I would eliminate ballot harvesting which is very suspect of fraud.
Do you support additional mandates to force businesses and residents to move toward cleaner energy? If so, what’s one such mandate you would support? And if not, what would be your plan to help accelerate the move to cleaner energy?
I do not favor mandates. I like business and personal incentives for cleaner energy. Science and technology are the keys to cleaner energy. With encouragement and assistance from government and a free market, our nation and industry will create the desired energy goals.
…One question that has been raised post-Roe is whether women who reside in states that have outlawed abortions could be prosecuted for getting the procedure done out of state – or whether someone who helps a woman go out of state for abortion should/could be held liable. Where do you stand on this? If you believe there should be repercussions, why and for who? If you don’t, should there be stronger federal protections for women and those who aid them?
I am 10,000% pro-life. I believe every life has great value from the womb to the tomb. I want your babies to live. Please do not destroy them. I am about saving lives, not criminalizing abortion. I want to change hearts and have people love and respect one another…
October 5: The Orange County Register posted: “Lou Correa, CA-46 candidate, Election 2022 questionnaire” From the article:
The Supreme Court has agreed to take up a case that could give state legislatures greater influence over federal election rules. What do you see as the role states play in elections, even federal contests, and should there be a limit to that power?
Every legally registered American citizen must be given the opportunity to vote. Elections across the country should have a baseline set of standards to provide all American citizens the opportunity to vote. States should not have the opportunity to enhance access to the ballot box.
Do you support additional mandates to force businesses and residents to move toward cleaner energy? If so, what’s one such mandate you would support? And if not, what would be your plan to help accelerate the move to cleaner energy?
Some mandates do work, such as mandating minimum “miles per gallon” standards. Moving to cleaner energy must continue with a balanced approach that invests in R&D and renewables while keeping “prices at the gas pump” affordable to working families.
…One question that has been raised post-Roe is whether women who reside in states that have outlawed abortions could be prosecuted for getting the procedure out of state – or whether someone who helps a woman go out of state for an abortion should/could be held liable. Where do you stand on this? If you believe there should be repercussions, why and for whom? If you don’t, should there be stronger federal protection for women and those who aid them?
This is a personal and private decision that should be left to the woman, her doctor, and her God – and not a decision made by the government. If a person decides to travel to another state, that is their right to do so. They should not be prosecuted…
November 8: The Orange County Register posted: “Rep. Lou Correa on track for reelection in California’s 46th House District” From the article:
Rep. Lou Correa appears to be poised to win a fourth term representing voters in central Orange County.
Early vote counts released late Tuesday, Nov. 8, by the Orange County Registrar of Voters, showed Correa, D-Santa Ana, with a strong lead over his Republican challenger, Christopher Gonzales, in the race for the 46th congressional district.
Though more votes will be counted in coming days, most experts have pegged Correa, 64, as a safe bet to win reelection. The recently redrawn CA-46 – which covers Santa Ana and Anaheim with slices of Orange, Fullerton and Stanton – is deeply blue, with county data showing Democrats accounting for 49.3% of the district’s registered voters, versus 21.6% who are registered Republican and 23.3% who have no party preference.
Since first winning a seat in the House in 2016, Correa, a former Orange County Supervisor, has voted with congressional Democrats on most big issues, including abortion access, climate, gun control and the economy. Correa is a member of the Blue Dog caucus, a group of 19 House Democrats who push for what they view as fiscal responsibility.
This year, Correa has campaigned on the Biden administration’s track record on issues such as the Inflation Reduction Act, infrastructure spending and job growth. In the Register’s candidate questionnaire, Correa ads said he wants the Biden administration to do more than help immigrants, particularly DREAMers, become citizens…
Ballotpedia provided information about the General election for U.S. House California District 46:
Lou Correa (D): 61.8% – 78,031 votes
Christopher Gonzales (R): 38.2% – 48,257 votes
California’s 47th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 47th Congressional District:
California’s 47th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. State of California.
Following 2020 redistricting, the district shifted to Orange County to contain Irvine, Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach and Seal Beach. It is currently represented by Democrat Katie Porter.
Competitiveness: The district, a Democratic-leaning swing district with a Cook Partisan Voting Index of D+3, includes the heavily Democratic city of Irvine, and Republican-leaning coastal cities such as Huntington Beach and Newport Beach.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 38th congressional district is located in Southern California. It covers the South Coast Metro Area of Orange County.
Orange County is split between this district, the 45th district, the 46th district, the 40th district, and the 49th district. The 47th, and 45th and 46th are partitioned by Highway 405, Old Ranch Parkway, Seal Beach Blvd, St Cloud Dr, Montecito Rd, Rossmoor Center Way, 12240 Seal Beach Blvd-Los Alamitos Army Airfield, Bolsa Chica Channel, Rancho Rd, Harold Pl, Springdale St, 6021 Anacapa Dr-Willow Ln, Edward St, Bolsa Ave, Goldenwest St, McFadden Ave, Union Pacific Railroad, 15241 Cascade Ln-15241 Cedarwood Ave, Highway 39, Edinger Ave, Newland St, Heil Ave, Magnolia St, Warner Ave, Garfield Ave, the Santa Ana River, MacArthur Blvd, Harbor Blvd, Sunflower Ave, Costa Mesa Freeway, E Alton Parkway, and Red Hill Ave.
The 47th, 40th and 49th are partitioned by Barranca Parkway, Jamboree Rd, Warner Ave, Harvard Ave, Myford Rd, Loma Ridge Nature Preserve, Bee Canyon Access Rd, Portola Parkway, Highway 133, Highway 241, Bake Parkway, San Diego Freeway, Ridge Route Dr, Moulton Parkway, Santa Maria Ave, Via Vista, Alta Vis, Santa Vittoria Dr, Avenida del Sol, Punta Alta, Galle Azul, Bahia Blanca W, Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, Highway S18, Aliso & Wood Canyons, Vista del Sol, Highway 1, Stonington Rd, Virginia Way, 7th Ave, and Laguna Beach.
The 47th takes in the cities of Costa Mesa, Irvine, Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, and Laguna Beach.
Ballotpedia provided information about Katie Porter:
Katie Porter (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 47th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2023. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Katie Porter (Democratic Party) is running for election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. She declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Katie Porter was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Porter earned a B.A. from Yale University in 1996 and a J.D. from Harvard University in 2001. Her career experience includes working as a law professor with the University of California at Irvine; a consumer and bankruptcy attorney with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the World Bank, the Federal Judicial Center, and the Uniform Law Commission; and a law clerk to Judge Richard S. Arnold of the Eight Circuit Court of Appeals.
Ballotpedia provided information about Scott Baugh:
Scott Baugh (Republican Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 47th Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Scott Baugh lives in Huntington Beach California. Baugh earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Liberty University and a J.D. from the Universally of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law. His career experience includes owning a business and working as a lawyer. Baugh has served as chairman of GRIP (Gang Reduction Intervention Partnership), a board member of the George T. Pfleger Foundation, a founding board member of Angel Force USA, a founding trustee of Pacifica Christian High School, a board member of the Orange County Classical Academy, and the founding chairman of the OC Marathon Foundation.
Ballotpedia provided information about Amy Phan West:
Amy Phan West (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 47th Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Amy Phan West was born in Da Nang, Vietnam. West earned an associate degree in business from Orange Coast College and a bachelor’s degree in education from California State University at Long Beach. Her career experience includes co-owning an independent rental car consortium. West has been associated with Concerned Woman for American (CWA).
NOTE: Wikipedia provided information about Concerned Women for America (CWA), a social conservative, evangelical Christian non-profit women’s legislative committee in the United States. Headquartered in Washington D.C., the CWA is involved in social and political movements, through which it aims to incorporate Christian ideology. The group is primarily led by well-funded anti-feminist interests.
The group was founded in San Diego, California in 1978 by Beverly LaHaye, whose husband Timothy LaHaye was an evangelical Christian minister and author of The Battle for the Mind, a well as a coauthor of the Left Behind series.
Ballotpedia provided information about Brian Burley:
Brian Burley (Republican Party) is running for the U.S. House to represent California’s 47th District. He declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Brian Burley was a candidate for at-large member of the Huntington Beach City Council in California. He lost in the general election on November 6, 2018.
Brian Burley earned a bachelor’s degree in political economy and a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Southern California. Burley’s experience includes owning an information technology consulting company. He has been affiliated with the Orange County Central Committee for the Republican Party in California.
Ballotpedia provided information about Errol Webber:
Erroll Webber (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 47th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Webber also ran for election for Governor of California. He did not appear on the ballot for the primary on June 7, 2022.
Erroll Webber was born in Kingston, Jamaica. Webber earned an undergraduate degree from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2008. His career experience includes working as a documentary film producer and cinematographer. Webber has served as a member of the Legacy Republican Alliance and the South Los Angeles-Inglewood Republican Assembly.
May 4: The Orange County Register posted an article titled: “Roe v. Wade: Here’s where Orange County House members, challengers, stand on abortion rights”. From the article:
Among the 28 candidates running for one of the six House seats that include portions of Orange County, the eight Democrats all support upholding national safeguards on abortion access created half a century ago by a now-endangered Supreme Court ruling in the case of Roe v. Wade.
No local Republican running for Congress is speaking in support of such protections, with most instead endorsing limited or complete bans on abortion rights…
…Here’s how local candidates summed up their stance on abortion rights in written responses of 50 words or less:…
…47th District
Rep. Katie Porter, D-Irvine: “All Americans should be free to decide for themselves if and when to start a family. There is no economic security without bodily autonomy – the ability to control our own bodies. The right to seek an abortion is protected by the Constitution, and federal law should respect this right”.
Scott Baugh, R-Huntington Beach: “Life begins and conception. Others may disagree as to precisely when life begins, but there should be no disagreement as to whether it’s OK to abort children who have reached the point of viability. We need to promote a culture of life in America – not a culture of termination.”
Brian Burley, R-Huntington Beach: Did not respond. (In 2020, he said, “I am pro-life but I believe in exceptions).
Errol Webber – R-Costa Mesa: “We must protect all life at all stages of life, including those in the womb”
Amy Phan West – R-Huntington Beach: “I am staunchly pro-life.”…
August 4: NBC News posted an article titled: “In a key swing district, Katie Porter clashes with GOP opponent over inflation and ‘Orange County values”. From the article:
In a rough year for Democrats, Republican Scott Baugh is trying to bring this Orange County swing district back to its GOP roots after it abandoned his party.
But he’s navigating a culturally changing region, now wary of a Republican Party transformed by Donald Trump, and a rising Democratic star in two-term Rep. Katie Porter, who, as one Republican operative lamented, “has more money than God.”
“I wouldn’t be running if I didn’t think it was winnable,” Baugh said in an interview at his campaign office in Newport Beach. “Yeah, we can return it.”…
…California’s new 47th District sits at the nexus of cross-currents shaping the 2022 election. While economic pain and President Joe Biden’s unpopularity threatens Democrats’ hold on power, cultural issues like abortion, as well as Trump’s enduring grip on the party, could put a ceiling on GOP prospects in the suburbs.
A Porter defeat would be a harbinger of a red wave. Conversely, a Republican failure here could indicate that voters who have left the GOP in well-educated and suburban districts aren’t coming back, limiting the party’s gains. The race is a top Republican target in the battle for House control, and Democrats’ campaign arm has listed Porter as a “front-liner” in defending their majority…
…The Republican strategy is to make this and other Orange County races a referendum on an unpopular president and rising prices, but Porter argues her rival doesn’t have a plan to combat rising gas and grocery prices, other than hurling “epithets.”
“Look, I live here. I’m raising my kids here. I drive my minivan around here, and I’m filling up those same gas tanks. I’m walking to those same grocery stores,” Porter told NBC News during an interview in Huntington Beach. “It’s a major problem, and we have to fight it on several fronts.”
The answer to rising costs, Porter said, is to pass the recent deal between Democrats empowering Medicare to negotiate drug prices, invest in U.S. manufacturing through the recent chips law and fight “price gouging, including by big oil companies.”
To lower prices, Baugh said, lawmakers should boost the supply of goods, “quit spending so much money” and balance the budget.
“You have to reform entitlements” like Social Security and Medicare, which have too many “unfunded liabilities,” he continued, and he said raising the retirement age should be “one of the tools you have to use” as part of a legislative compromise to cut safety net spending…
Recently, Porter has voted with her party to codify federal protections for legal abortion in the Women’s Health Protection and same-sex marriage in the Respect for Marriage Act. She also voted for legislation that would ban assault weapons.
Baugh said he’d vote against all those bills if he were a congressman…
Ballotpedia posted the results for the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 47:
Katie Porter (D): 51.7% – 86,742 votes
Scott Baugh (R): 30.9% – 51,776 votes
Amy Phan West (R): 8.3% – 13,949 votes
Brian Burley (R): 7.1% – 11,952 votes
Erroll Webber (R): 2.0% – 3,342 votes
November 5: ABC7 posted an article titled: “Race for Congressional District 47 in Orange County heats up”. From the article:
The race for California Congressional District 47 between incumbent Katie Porter and business owner Scott Baugh is heating up.
Both are caught in a tight race to see who will represent residents living in parts of Orange County.
“I’ve had an amazing time getting to know hundreds of thousands of new voters, showing them through my actions that I will listen to them and fight for them in Washington,” said Porter.
Due to redistricting, the candidates would represent communities along the coast from Seal Beach to Laguna Beach as well as Costa Mesa and Irvine.
“Our campaign is strong,” said Baugh. “We have hundreds of volunteers. We’re walking thousands of doors. We’re making thousands of phone calls.”
Porter said she wants to continue to fight for her constituents and said inflation plus the rising cost of living is impacting every one.
“I’m in the grocery stores, I’m at the gas pumps, and I feel it too,” she said. “What I did in Congress was to show that about half of every extra dollar that we are paying this year is going to line the pockets of the biggest corporations in the world. Corporate profits are at 70-year record high.”
However, Baugh said voters want change.
He believes Porter has hurt the middle class by supporting bills that spend too much money and don’t allow production to take place.
“She’s out of touch and she needs to be replaced,” Baugh said. “The Democrats address it by spending more and taxing more. They call it the Inflation Reduction Act, but only in Washington and D.C. would you have a spending and tax problem and solve it with a spending and tax solution.”
While District 47 is equally split between Republicans and Democrats, Baugh and Porter each believe they have the momentum on their side heading into Election Day.”
“Republicans have a lot more enthusiasm,” Baugh said. “A lot of the Independents are leaning towards the Republican view of life, the American way of life. They don’t want socialism in this country, and I think the coast of Orange County rejects socialism in this country. They’re more conservative and they’ll vote for me on Election Day.”
Porter thinks otherwise.
“I don’t think Orange County is red or blue,” she said. “I think Orange County shared some common values about wanting to make sure they can take care of their family, valuing safe communities, wanting to make sure that someone’s watching out for their tax dollars and standing up to government waste. That’s exactly what I’ve done in my time in Congress and that’s what I promise to continue doing.”…
November 8: Business Insider (via MSN) posted an article titled: “Live Results: Democratic Rep. Katie Porter faces off against Republican Scott Baugh in California’s 47th Congressional District election”. From the article:
California’s 47th Congressional District candidates
Porter is running for her third term in the House and sits on the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Prior to being elected to Congress in 2018, she taught bankruptcy law at the University of California, Irvine School of Law and served as a consumer and bankruptcy attorney for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the World Bank, the Federal Judicial Center and the Uniform Law Commission. She also clerked for Judge Richard S. Arnold of the Eight Circuit Court of Appeals.
The 48-year-old Irvine Democrat has a massive campaign war chest – she ranks in the top five among congressional fundraisers.
Porter was elected to the House in 2018, flipping the seat held by former Republican Rep. Mimi Walters to become the first Democrat in history to flip the 45th Congressional District, a longtime Republican stronghold. In 2020, she retained her seat against Republican Greg Raths.
She is a strong supporter of abortion rights and helped pass the Women’s Health Protection Act in the House, which would codify Roe v. Wade abortion protections if enacted.
Baugh, Porter’s challenger, is an attorney who owns the business law firm, Scott Baugh & Associates. Prior to running for Congress, Baugh represented Orange County in the California Assembly, served as its Republican leader, and chaired the Orange County Republican Party for 11 years.
This is Baugh’s third time running for the 47th Congressional District seat. In 2018, Caught came in fourth in a crowded nonpartisan primary, which put him out of the general election. And in 2020, he withdrew from the primary.
Baugh came in second to Porter in the 2022 nonpartisan primary, bringing in 30.8% of the vote to Porters 51% – enough to qualify him for the general election…
…California’s 47th Congressional District is an affluent coastal district that covers a large swath of Orange County. It includes the city of Irvine, where Porter taught consumer law at the University of California, Irvine, as well as the coastal cities of Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, and Newport Beach.
After the district lines were finalized, Porter announced she would switch districts to run in the new 47th District, a coastal district that encompasses her hometown of Irvine.
…According to OpenSecrets, Porter has raised $22.7 million, spent $24.1 million, and has about $8.9 million on hand, as of October 19. Her opponent, Baugh, has raised $2.7 million, spent nearly $2.6 million, and has $130,000 cash on hand, as of October 19…
November 10: AP (via Yahoo! News) posted an article titled: “Notable uncalled House races include Boebert and Katie Porter”. From the article:
…CALIFORNIA’S 47th DISTRICT
Two-term Rep. Katie Porter, part of the 2018 class of freshman women who helped Democrats capture the House, was locked in a competitive fight with Republican Scott Baugh in a Southern California district Republicans had high hopes of capturing.
Porter was facing Baugh, a former state representative, in a district that includes Orange County, where Republicans once held sway but that has become more Democratic.
President Joe Biden carried the district in 2020, but Republicans placed it in the heart of their target list this year, expecting low approval for Biden to help lift Baugh. Though still hopeful here, Republicans failed to defeat 2018 Democrats running in seats Biden won in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Minnesota, Kansas and elsewhere…
November 14: CBS News reported on California’s District 47 Election:
Two-term Rep. Katie Porter, part of the 2018 class of freshman women who helped Democrats capture the House, was locked in a competitive fight with Republican Scott Baugh in a Southern California district Republicans had high hopes of capturing.
Incumbent Rep. Katie Porter, famous for her attacks on the CEOs of massive corporations while armed with her “Whiteboard of Justice,” jumped to a huge lead early on in the race against her competitor in attorney Scott Baugh.
However, a redrawn district and an apparent swing in favor of a “red wave” throughout Orange County, Porter’s lead has diminished to just a few thousands votes.
CBS News reported these results:
Katie Porter (Democrat): 51% – 93,400 votes
Scott Baugh (Republican): 49% – 90,430 votes
November 16: The New York Times posted the following information about California’s 47th Congressional District Election Results:
Representative Katie Porter, a powerhouse fund-raiser and a popular figure for the activist left, is being challenged by the Republican Scott Baugh, the former leader of the California Assembly, in a newly drawn district that leans slightly Democratic.
Katie Porter (Democrat): 129,463 votes – 51.4%
Scott Baugh (Republican): 122,543 votes – 48.6%
93% of votes were in
Ballotpedia provided the results of the General election for U.S. House California District 47:
Katie Porter (D): 51.7% – 137,374 votes
Scott Baugh (R): 48.3% – 128,261 votes
November 18: NBC News posted an article titled: “Progressive favorite Katie Porter wins re-election after days of counting” From the article:
Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif., the whiteboard-wielding lawmaker and progressive star, won her re-election race, NBC News projected on Friday.
After days of vote counting, Porter staved off a challenge from former state Assemblyman Scott Baugh, a Republican, to win a third term in Congress.
President Joe Biden called Porter on Wednesday night to congratulate her on the victory.
Porter, 48, is best known for viral videos of her sharp questioning of witnesses testifying before Congress. The former law school professor often used a dry-erase board to list user-friendly facts and figures to help make her point.
She has served in the House since 2019, representing the 45th Congressional District, and is deputy chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
In the 2022 midterm election cycle, Porter raised more than $23 million compared to Baugh, who raised more than $2 million, according to Federal Election Commission filings.
Baugh, 60, served as an assemblyman in California’s Legislature from 1995 to 2000. During his last year in the statehouse, he was the assembly’s GOP leader. More recently, Baugh was chairman of the Orange County Republican Party from 2004 to 2015.
The 47th Congressional District in coastal Orange County between Long Beach and San Clemente was once been dominated by Republicans but now is more mixed.
The race for the new 47th Congressional District seat has been listed as a “toss up” by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.
California’s 48th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 48th Congressional District:
California’s 48th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California based in San Diego County in Southern California. It is currently represented by Darrell Issa.
From 2013 to 2023, the district includes Costa Mesa, Emerald Bay, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niquel, Newport Beach, Seal Beach, Sunset Beach, and parts of Garden Grove, Midway City, Aliso Viejo, Santa Ana and Westminster.
It was very competitive and had recently been won by each of the two main parties. In the 2018 House elections, Democrat Harley Rouda became the district’s representative, defeating incumbent Republican Dana Rohrabacher. Road was then defeated by Republican Michelle Steel in the 2020 elections.
From 2003 to 2013, the district included the cities of Aliso Viejo, Dana Point, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest (formerly known as El Toro), parts of Irvine and parts of Newport Beach and San Juan Capistrano.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 48th congressional district is located in Southern California. The district encompasses some of the East Country and all of the Mountain Empire areas of San Diego County, and part of south western Riverside County.
San Diego County is split between this district, the 49th district, the 50th district, the 51st district and the 52nd district. The 48th and 49th are partitioned by Gavilan Mountain Rd, Sandia Creek Dr, De Luz Rd, Marine Corps Base Pendleton, Sleeping Indian Rd, Tumbleweed Ln, Del Valle Dr, Highland Oak St, Olive Hill Rd, Via Puerta del Sol, N River Rd, Highway 76, Old River Rd, and Little Gopher Canyon Rd.
The 48th and 50th are partitioned by Gopher Canyon Rd, Escondido Freeway, Mountain Meadow Rd, Hidden Meadows, Reidy Cyn, N Broadway, Cougar Pass Rd, Adagio Way, Calle Ricardo, Tatas Place, Rue Montreux, Jesmond Dene Rd, Ivy Dell Ln, N Centre City Parkway, Highway 15, Richland Rd, Vista canal, Woodland Parkway, W El Norte Parkway, Bennet Ave, Elder Ln, Nordahl Rd, Calve Dr, Deodar Rd, Highway 78, Barham Dr, 2315-2339 Meyers Ave, Hill Valley Dr, Country Club Dr, Auto Park Way, Highway 56, N Centre City Parkway, W Valley Parkway, N Juniper St, Highway 78, N Hickory St, E Mission Ave, Martin Dr, E Lincoln Ave, N Ash St, E Grand Ave, Bear Valley Parkway, Old Guerjito Rd, San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park, San Pasqual Trails Openspace, San Dieguito River Park, Bandy Canyon Rd, Santa Maria Creek, Highland Valley Rd, West Ridge Trail, Palmer Dr/Summerfield Ln, Pomerado Rd, and Caramel Mountain Ranch Openspace.
The 48th and 51st are partitioned by Sabre Springs Openspace, Scripps Miramar Openspace, Beeler Canyon Rd, Sycamore Canyon Openspace, Weston Rd, Boulder Vis, Mast Blvd, West Hills Parkway, San Diego River, Highway 52, Simeon Dr, Mission Trails Openspace, Fanita Dr, Farmington Dr, Lund St, Nielsen St, Paseo de Los Castillos, Gillespie Air Field, Kennedy St, San Vicente Freeway, Airport Dr, Wing Ave, W Bradley Ave, Vernon Way, Hart Dr, Greenfield Dr, E Bradley Ave, 830 Adele St-1789 N Mollison Ave, Peppervilla Dr/N Mollison Ave, Pepper Dr, Greta St/Cajon Greens Dr, N Mollison Ave/Buckey Dr, Denver Ln, Broadway Channel, N 2nd St, Flamingo Ave/Greenfield Dr, Dawnridge Ave/Cresthill Rd, Groveland Ter/Camillo Way, Sterling Dr, Kumeyaay Highway, E Madison Ave, Granite Hills Dr, E Lexington Ave, Dehesa Rd, Vista del Valle Blvd, Merrit Ter, E Washington Ave, Merrit Dr, Dewitt Ct, Emerald Heights Rd, Foote Path Way, Highway 8, Lemon Ave, Lake Helix Dr, La Cruz Dr, Carmichael Dr, Bancroft Dr, Campo Rd, and Sweetwater Rd.
The 48th and 52nd are partitioned by San Miguel Rd, Proctor Valley Rd, Camino Mojave/Jonel Way, Highway 125, Upper Otay Reservoir, Otay Lakes Rd, Otay Valley Regional Park, Alta Rd, and Otay Mountain Truck Trail. The 48th district takes in the cities of Santee, Poway, and northern Escondido, as well as the census-designated places Ramona, Rancho San Diego, Winter Gardens, Bostonia, Alpine, Campo, Hidden Meadows, Fallbrook, Valley Center, and Bonsall.
Riverside County is split between this district and the 41st district. They are partitioned by Ortega Highway, Tenaja Truck Trail, NF-7506, Tenaja, San Mateo Creek, Los Almost Rd, Und 233, S Main Dv, Wildomar, Grand Ave, Rancho Mirlo Dr, Copper Canyon Park, 42174 Kimberly Way-35817 Darcy Pl, Escondido Expressway, Scott Rd, 33477 Little Reb Pl-33516 Pittman Ln, Keller Rd, Menifee Rd, Clinton Keith Rd, Max Gilliss Blvd, Highway 79, Borel Rd, Lake Skinner, Warren Rd, Summitville St, Indian Knoll Rd, E Benton Rd, Rancho California Rd, Overhill Rd, Green Mountain Rd, Crossover Rd, Exa-Ely Rd, Denise Rd, Wiley Rd, Powerline Rd, Wilson Valley Rd, Wilson Creek, Reedy Valley Rd, Centennial St, Beaver Ave, and Lake Vista Dr. The 48th district takes in the cities of Temecula and Murrieta.
Ballotpedia provided information about Darrell Issa:
Darrell Issa (Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 48th Congressional District. He assumed office on January, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Issa (Republican Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 48th Congressional District. He declared his candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Issa is a former Republican member of the U.S. House representing California’s 49th Congressional District from 2001 to 2019. On January 10, 2018, he announced that he would not seek re-election to the 49th Congressional District in 2018. “While my service to California’s 49th District will be coming to an end,” he said, “I will continue advocating on behalf of the causes that are most important to me, advancing public policy where I believe I can make a true and lasting difference and continuing the fight to make our incredible nation an even better place to call home.” In the 115th Congress, Issa served as the Chair of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
On September 19, 2018, President Donald Trump announced that he would nominate Issa to head the U.S. Trade and Development Agency.
In 2003, Issa was a contributor to the recall election of then-Governor Gray Davis. In October 2007, Issa announced that he was supporting the Presidential Electoral Reform Act, a ballot measure that would have changed how California selects its representatives to the presidential electoral collage.
Darrell Issa was born in Cleveland Ohio. Issa served in the U.S. Army from 1970 to 1980. He earned a B.A. from Siena Heights College in 1976 and reached the rank of captain. Issa’s career experience includes founding and working as the CEO of Directed Electronics.
Ballotpedia provided information about Stephan Houlahan:
Stephen Houlahan (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 48th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Stephen Houlahan lives in Santee, California. Houlahan earned a bachelor’s degree from San Diego in 2003. His career experience includes working as a nurse.
Stephen Houlahan completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
MEET STEPHEN HOULAHAN Stephen lives and breathes California’s 48th congressional district. Raised in Santee, he has traveled the U.S. as a nurse, catching sight of the Rockies and vast beauty of Alaska, but always returned home to the Golden State. Raised by a hardworking single mom, Stephen knows what families in California are going through. His mom worked two jobs to make ends meet, while Stephen slept in the family living room and helped raise his younger sister.
Working since he was 13 years old, Stephen is full of grit and determination. He attends the university of San Diego, earning both a Masters in Nursing and an MBA. He went on to serve his neighbors on the City Council and as Vice Mayor. Working across party lines with four Republicans as the lone Democrat, he stopped a power plant and pipeline from threatening the air and water quality in his community and the health of his neighbors. He has protected his community from corruption by fighting for and passing term limits and took on the entire council to call for inclusionary housing policies in the face of corporate development.
Before serving on the frontlines of COVID, Stephen ensured that emergency responders were paid a fair wage and had the resources they needed do their jobs. Dismayed and angry about the mismanagement of the COVID crisis and the failures of elected officials – Stephen is running to protect his family, friends, and neighbors.
Please list 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
COVID-19 National Recovery – COVID-19 is personal for me. In the early days of the pandemic, I was called by the ICU to help triage patients and prepare for crisis standards of care. The possibility of my decisions impacting who got critical care and who didn’t is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. COVID-19 moved fast; our response must be stronger than ever before: Make suer everyone who wants to be vaccinated is able to. California is one of the most vaccinated states, and because of that, we have some of the lowest infection and mortality rates from COVID in the country.
Healthcare – The US spends the most money per capita on healthcare in the world, but we rank among the lowest when it comes to health outcomes. I know how painfully inefficient our healthcare system is – I work in it every single day. Medicare and Medicaid As your congressman, I will expand medicare to 55+, streamlining healthcare for folks who are most likely to use it. I will also propose “Medikid” to help cover the more than 4 million uninsured children in our country. Big Pharma Big Pharma is placing a huge burden on millions of Americans every year. I know because my own medicine cost $42,000 per year. As your congressman, I will stand up to Big Pharma and make sure every American can access the medication they need.
Energy and Climate – The US subsidizes fossil fuels to the tune of tens or hundreds of billions of dollars every year. This subsidy comes out of your pockets and goes straight into the pockets of fossil fuel CEOs and shareholders. Meanwhile, the market is moving away from fossil fuels – coal fired power plants are closing left and right, the price of solar and wind power is dropping every day, and if we don’t jump on this train, it’s going to leave without us (with China at the helm). California can be the global leader in solar energy. Early investments here can lead to huge returns. As a clean energy champion, I led the way to establish Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) in California’s 48th.
Ballotpedia provide information about Matthew Rascon:
Matthew Rascon (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 48th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Matthew Rascon was born in San Diego, California. Rascon earned an associate degree from Grossmont Community College in 2017. His career experience includes working in security. Rascon has been affiliated with the Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus, and Alliance for peace building.
Matthew Rascon completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I’m Matthew Rascon, a life-long California, Catholic, and proud San Diegan.
Like many in my generation, I’ve grown up living through an endless stream of “unprecedented times.” From the tragic events of September 11th, 2001, the 2008 market crash, constant wars, ever increasing political divide and even a global pandemic, there hasn’t been a lull for decades and our politicians seem to be actively working against doing what needs to be done to fix the issues our Nation faces instead, embracing the status quo and taking actions to protect their own vested interests.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
TERM LIMITS: work with members from both sides of the isle to push for a joint resolution imposing much needed term limits on the house and senate.
MANDATORY DIVESTITURE: tirelessly fight for laws requiring elected members of Congress to divest from financial interests by date of inauguration, removing conflicts of interest before they can compromise the legislature.
CONSEQUENCES: I will work to try and bring true consequences to members of Congress who would break from established guidelines and laws. Those in elected office should be held to a hire standard and face more than mere fines for betraying the public trust.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I’m dedicated to pursuing proper representation and government accountability.
I’m also very passionate about tribal sovereignty and repairing damage done to America’s first peoples, the pursuit of improved infrastructure and US agriculture and Economic independence.
As representative of CA 48th, I would fight for the issues that matter most to my fellow citizens that call this district home. And push for policies and laws that will help CA-48 and the whole nation flourish.
Ballotpedia provided information about Lucinda Jahn:
Lucinda Jahn (independent) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 48th Congressional District. She declared candidacy for the primary scheduled March 4, 2024.
Lucinda Jahn was born in Oceanside, California and lives in Ramona, California. Jahn served in the U.S. Air Force from 1982 to 1985. Jahn’s career experience includes working as an entertainment industry professional.
December 21: Times of San Diego posted an article titled: “Reps. Jacobs, Issa to Seek Re-Election in New 51st, 48th Congress Districts in 2022” From the article:
First-term Rep. Sara Jacobs announced Tuesday that she will seek re-election to the House of Representatives in the new 51st District in 2022. Hours later, Republican Rep. Darrell Issa said he’d seek the new 48th District seat.
The new district in central San Diego County includes much of Democrat Jacob’s current 53rd District, but also parts of the county previously represented by Scott Peters, Issa, and Juan Vargas.
California lost one seat in Congress after the 2020 Census, but population growth in San Diego County ensured that five districts remain, even though their boundaries and numbers have shifted…
May 26: The Coast News Group posted an article titled: “Interview with Lucinda Jahn, 48th Congressional District candidate” From the article:
Lucinda Jahn doesn’t want your money, she wants a voice.
Jahn is one of four candidates on the June 7 primary ballot to represent California’s redrawn 48th Congressional District. Following the November election, the district’s new boundary lines extend from the U.S.-Mexico border to Temecula, encompassing communities such as Poway, Santee, Lakeside, Alpine, Ramona and parts of Escondido…
…No single incident sparked Jahn’s desire to run for office. As a mother of two, she wants to work toward a representative government body for future generations.
“I want them to live in a country under the protection of the Bill of Rights,” Jahn said. “It’s there for a reason to limit the abuse of power from a government that doesn’t need to be micromanaging your life.”
Her platform encourages conservative fiscal responsibility, as well as civic responsibility and economic independence. She’s running on term limits, blended health care, and simplifying the tax code. Jahn calls herself the “Zero Donate Candidate.”…
…Jahn believes that certain things need to be addressed at the border. When asked about her views on immigration, particularly for migrants entering the United States through Mexico, she said there needs to be change.
“Not regulating that border and not accounting for these people is not humane,” Jahn said. “We’ve had people dying to say I need water for fear of being deported. If you’re going to be in this country, I think you should be able to participate in the rights and responsibilities and the other protections under the law.”
She would also like to redefine the term “asylum” in U.S. immigration policy. She is not opposed to people entering the United States but would rather not be a haven for every “social problem,” she said…
…She said she believes that the government should not impact personal choice, speaking on behalf of gay marriage and pro-choice.
The Founding Fathers “were trying to limit the power of government to those things that impacted the public order,” she said. “So your personal choice … does not impact the broad public order.”…
May 26: The Coast News Group posted an article titled: “Interview with Matthew Rascon, 48th Congressional District candidate” From the article:
The youngest candidate for the 48th Congressional District seat to The Coast News he’s making government reform his top priority.
Community volunteer Matthew Rascon is one of four candidates on the June 7 primary ballot seeking to represent California’s 48th Congressional District, which now extends from the U.S.-Mexico border to Temecula, encasing communities such as Poway, Santee, Lakeside, Alpine, Ramona and parts of Escondido.
Fiftieth District incumbent Rep. Darrell Issa will face Rascon, Stephan Houlahan (registered nurse) and Lucinda Jahn (entertainment technician).
Rascon, 27, has his eyes set on cleaning up regulatory framework and to “bring some actual change” to Congress.
“In order for us to have better representation, real representation,” Rascon said, “first and foremost, we need to be better laws in place and regulations within the Congress itself.
Rascon continues, illustrating that, like construction project, “you need a solid foundation or nothing will last.
“I feel like the foundation is really what’s lacking right now with government, he said.
Rascon and his three opponents are vying for he two-candidate ballot on November 8. He hopes to sway voters with his policies on term limits and mandatory divestiture – and hold lawmakers accountable for those who don’t comply.
Rascon proposes a two-term limit for senators and a six-term limit in the House of Representatives – calling for a maximum cap of 20 years in Congress.
To Rascon, this goal prevents one person from choke-holding office and redirects political parties from incumbent-driven efforts to ones that focus on the issues…
June 3: The Coast News Group posted an article titled: “Interview with Stephen Houlahan: 48th Congressional District candidate” From the article:
Depending on who you ask, Stephen Houlahan is “that guy” in the 48th California Congressional District.
Walking door-to-door with Houlahan, homeowners may recognize him as their former councilman or th guy who helped stop a power plant from breaking ground in Santee. Or, he was just a man knocking on their door.
“Most people are interested if you start talking about issues that apply to them,” Houlahan said, who grew up in Santee.
Houlahan, who tries to canvas several times a week to reach possible constituents, is one of three candidates challenging incumbent Rep. Darrell Issa (CA-50) on the June 7 primary ballot to represent California’s redrawn 48th Congressional District…
…Issa, who currently represents the 50th District, will face Houlahan, a Democrat and registered nurse; Democrat and community volunteer Matthew Rascon, and independent candidate Lucinda Jahn, an entertainment technician…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 48:
Darrell Issa (R): 61.5% – 101,280 votes
Stephen Houlahan (D): 27.8% – 45,740 votes
Matthew Rascon (D): 9.1% – 14,983 votes
Lucinda Jahn (Independent): 1.6% – 2,614 votes
November 8: Fox5 San Diego posted an article titled: “Issa wins election in 48th Congressional District” From the article:
Republican Darrell Issa has won reelection in the 48th Congressional District, the Associated Press projected Tuesday night.
As of Wednesday morning, Issa had garnered 60% of the vote compared to his Democratic opponent Stephen Houlahan’s nearly 40%…
…The Cook Political Report and other non-partisan analysts rated the new 48th a “solid Republican” district, indicating it could be an uphill climb for a Democratic challenger.
Issa is a familiar face in both the San Diego region and in Washington, where he serves on the powerful House Judiciary and Foreign Affairs committees. He is a retired U.S. Army captain and former CEO who has served as a lawmaker in various districts since 2000.
Issa has long made border security and immigration central issues in his campaigns, saying “we can’t keep our country safe if we don’t secure the border.” The congressman promotes greater funding for resources for Border Patrol, harsher penalties for smugglers and rejecting the concept of “sanctuary cities.”
A conservative who aligned himself closely with former President Donald Trump when he was in office, Issa has been a fierce critic of President Joe Biden’s administration.
Ballotpedia posted the results of the General election for U.S. House California District 48:
Darrell Issa (R): 60.4% – 155,171 votes
Stephen Houlahan (D): 39.6% – 101,900 votes
California’s 49th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 49th Congressional District:
California’s 49th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. The district is currently represented by Mark Levin.
The district currently covers the northern costal areas of San Diego County, including Oceanside, Vista, Carlsbad, and Encinitas, as well as a portion of southern Orange County, including San Clemente, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano, Ladera Ranch, and Coto de Caza. Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is in the district.
In the 2016 election, Darrell Issa won by a margin of less than 1%. In the 2018 election, this district was considered to be a major battleground. Rep. Issa announced that he would not seek reelection. Following the November 6, 2018 election, Democrat Mike Levin became the district’s congressman.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 49th congressional district is located in Southern California. It covers the North County region of San Diego County, and south east Orange County.
San Diego County is split between this district, the 48th district and the 50th district. They are partitioned by Gavilan Mountain Rd, Sandia Creek Dr, De Luz Rd, Marine Corps Base Pendleton, Sleeping Indian Rd, Tumbleweed Ln, Del Valle Dr, Highland Oak St, Olive Hill Rd, Via Puerta del Sol, N River Rd, Little Gopher Canyon Rd, Camino Cantera, Corre Camino, Tierra del Cielo, Elevado Rd, Vista Grande Dr, Warmlands Ave, Queens Way, Canciones del Cielo, Camino Loma Verde, Alessandro Trail, Friendly Dr, Edgehill Rd, Catalina Heights Way, Deeb Ct, Foothill Dr, Clarance Dr, Highway S14, Smilax Rd, Poinsettia Ave, W San Marcos Blvd, Diamond Trail Preserve, S Rancho Santa Rd, San Elijo Rd, Rancho Summitt Dr, Escondido Creek, El Camino del Norte, San Elijo Lagoon, Highland Dr, Avocado Pl, Jimmy Durante Blvd, San Dieguito Dr, 8th St, Nob Ave, Highway S21, and the San Diego Northern Railway.
The 49th district takes in the cities of Carlsbad, Oceanside, Encinitas, Solana Beach, Del Mar, and Vista.
Orange County is split between this district, the 40th district, and the 47th district. They are partitioned by Alicia Parkway, Pacific Park Dr, San Joaquin Hills Trans Corridor, Cabot Rd, San Diego Freeway, Via Escolar, Arroyo Trabuco Creek, Oso Parkway, Thomas F Riley Wilderness Park, and Ronald W Casper’s Wilderness Park, Aliso & Wood Canyons, Vista del Sol, Highway 1, Stonington Rd, Virginia Way, 7th Ave, and Laguna Beach.
The 49th district takes in the cities of San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Dana Point, and Laguna Nigel, as well as the census-designated place Ladera Ranch.
Ballotpedia provided information about Mike Levin:
Mike Levin (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 49th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2019. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Levin (Democratic Party) us running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 49th Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Levin defeated Diane Harkey (R) by a vote of 56.4 to 43.6 percent.
Mike Levin ran on progressive campaign themes including abortion access, gun policy reform, and Medicare for all.
Levin’s campaign website featured endorsements, among others, from the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC, Democracy for America, the Human Rights Campaign, NARAL, League of Conservative Voters, Everytown for Gun Safety, and planned Parenthood Action Fund. Levin was also endorsed by President Barack Obama (D) and U.S. Senators Kamala Harris (D), Diane Feinstein (D), and Elizabeth Warren (D), among others.
Mike Levin was born in Inglewood California. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University in 2001 and a J.D. from Duke University School of Law in 2005. His career experience includes working as an attorney specializing in environmental and energy regulation compliance and governmental affairs. Levin previously served as the executive director of the Democratic Party of Orange County and as a board member for the Center for Sustainable Energy.
Ballotpedia provided information about Brian Maryott:
Brian Maryott (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 49th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Bryan Maryott was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, and lives in San Juan Capistrano, California. Maryott earned a bachelor’s degree from American International College in 1986. His career experience includes working as a certified financial planner professional, the senior vice president of a company, and a staff director in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
Brian Maryott completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am a conservative businessman, Certified Financial Planner professional, former Mayor, and founder of a non-profit. I am also a husband, and a father to three children. As a local elected official and former management executive, I have proven that I can work with anyone who has good ideas, and I will bring that exact same approach to Congress. I have spent the majority of my career helping hundreds of individuals and families save for a rainy day, send their kids to college, retire with dignity, and invest in their future. I am accustomed to seeing the issues through the eyes of parents, elderly Californians, business owners, and working people from every walk of life. I am not going to DC to become a political celebrity or increase my twitter followers, I am going to bring a strong voice for fiscal conservatism and back to basics government.
Please list below 3 messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
We have an obligation to secure our sovereign border, and make it safe and manageable for everyone. It is time to end the chaos, crime, and human misery.
80% of Americans support term limits and they are right. Our founders never intended for service in Congress to be a life long career and it’s time we limited service. I will be a vocal proponent of term limits.
We need more people in Congress with a strong and extensive business background. Our country us currently being mismanaged and we are loading debt on our children and future generations at an alarming rate. It is time we started striving for concrete results, and restored confidence in our federal government.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
We must get our nation’s financial house in order. I am eager to collaborate and lead on efforts to re-evaluate the role of federal government, and prioritize areas for reform. The CBO did a recent study and concluded that at the current rate of borrowing and spending increases – in twenty years over half of our annual tax revenues will be spent just servicing our debt. That is outrageous, and this kind of management is imperiling the quality of life for future generations.
I am passionate about helping to from a strong wall of opposition to the idea of government taking over healthcare. We can do so much better with healthcare – affordability, access, and innovation. However, none of this will be possible if we succumb to the disastrous idea of letting government run it. We are a warm and caring nation, and we can see to it that nobody does without care, but nationalizing the industry is not the way to do it. I am anxious to join the efforts to enhance every area of healthcare.
Ballotpedia provided information about Lisa Bartlett:
Lisa Bartlett was a member of the Orange County Board of Supervisors in California, representing District 5. She assumed office in 2015. She left office on January 2, 2023.
Bartlett (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 49th Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Lisa Bartlett was born in Culver City, California. Bartlett has served on the board of directors of the National Association of Counties, Orange County Transportation Authority, Orange County Fire Authority, Transportation Corridor Agencies, and South Coast Air Quality Management District.
Lisa Bartlett completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions she answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am running for Congress because, like many of you, I believe our country and state are headed in the wrong direction, and we desperately need an honest change in leadership to reverse course.
I was born and raised in Southern California and a resident of South Orange for over 30 years. As an executive and businesswoman, I spent decades leading teams, delivering results, and always setting the highest standards of excellence for myself and those around me.
I am going to Congress to fight to fight for American families. I am going to Congress to fight for you. We are under attack, whether you are talking about rising inflation, skyrocketing crime, failing education, and weak foreign policy. I’ll take my years of experience as a business executive Mayor, and County Supervisor of the 6th largest county in the United States to help renew California and America, so we prosper for future generations. I will listen to you and ensure your voice is heard in the 49th District and in Washington D.C.
I would be honored to earn your trust and your vote. I look forward to working together to fix our country.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for you time in office?
Oppose Mandates
Secure the Border
Address Homelessness
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Border Security
Parental and Student Rights
Combating Inflation
Election Integrity
Addressing Homelessness
Opposing Mandates
Ballotpedia provided information about Christopher Rodriguez:
Christopher Rodriguez is a member of the Oceanside City Council in California, representing District 2. He assumed office on January 1, 2019. His term ended in 2022.
Rodriguez (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 49th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Rodriguez ran for election to the Oceanside City Council to represent District 2 in California. He won the general election on November 6, 2018.
Christopher Rodriguez served in the United States Marine Corps from 2002 to 2006. Rodriguez’s career experience includes working as the president and CEO of a real estate and mortgage company.
Christopher Rodriguez completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Christopher Rodriguez is a decorated combat Marine, small businesses, City Councilman, husband, father of 7, and Republican candidate for Congress in CA-49th. Nothing was ever handed to Christopher in life, but his “no excuses” attitude drove him to overcome poverty, violence, and street life to be a successful family man, business leader, and decorated Marine in service to our country.
He served two combat tours in Iraq – he was among the first marines to push into Baghdad at the start of the war, and then in a second combat tours in Iraq – he was among the first marines to push into Baghdad at the start of the war, and then in a second combat tour received the Purple Heart in Fallujah due to injuries sustained when a rocket-propelled grenade hit his platoon.
Returning to California after military service, Christopher entered the real estate business. He learned quickly, opened his own office, and was recognized as one of the top Hispanic Realtors in the U.S. Christopher also fights for his community serving as an Oceanside City Council Member where he has pushed for lower taxes, and common-sense solutions to fix the homeless crisis plaguing California cities.
The Rodriguez family is a busy household with Christopher and his wife Sarah, 7 kids, 4 dogs, and a pot-bellied pig named Bacon. A man of faith, he credits all his success to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Secure Our Borders – Democrats have created a border crisis all by themselves by promising free healthcare and benefits for anyone who comes to this country illegally. That’s wrong. The border crisis has created nightmare scenarios of child trafficking, human sex trafficking, drugs and even terrorists who have been apprehended at the southern border because of a liberal’s desire to create a crisis that will allow them to open up the borders to anyone. A country without borders is not a country and in Congress I’ll fight for secure borders that treat people with dignity, while respecting our laws. As someone of Hispanic heritage I can tell you firsthand that people like me are among the staunchest advocates of our strong border policies.
Stop the Spending Death Spiral – We’ve got to stop printing money. Our monetary policy is completely out of control. The amount of new money that has been created out of thin air in the past year alone is staggering and it’s causing an inflationary spiral that is a hidden tax on regular folks. The cost of gas, food, groceries, every day items is rising – we all can see it. That’s a direct result of our government printing far too much money to pay for ridiculous spending. Meanwhile, our government continues to pay people not to work while plenty of jobs are available. In Congress I’ll work to cut spending and incentivize people to work again. The dignity of work and living independent of others is part of the American Dream.
Promote America as a Leader of the World Stage – whether it’s caving to China, Russia, Iran or Hamas – American has to lead. We can’t let the WHO or the United Nations tell us what to do. As a combat Marine I know exactly what it means to lead. We outing to be ashamed of the way China has manipulated the WHO in covering up their culpability in the COVID-19 pandemic. All of this is about leadership. I’ll fight for an American that puts its own interests first and that means putting all the interests of freedom-loving people around the world first.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
As a Hispanic Combat Marine, my campaign is about fighting for the promise of the American Dream. That promise is not a guarantee but an opportunity. I believe that the American Dream is at risk if we don’t immediately. My campaign theme is simple: No Excuses. Too many D.C. politicians like my opponent Mike Levin make excuses for why they can’t get something done. All they do is blame. They don’t lead. I’m a Marine. I’ve led men in combat, and in the private sector, I’ve built a successful small business out of nothing – no excuses. Nothing was handed to me in life, and nothing will be handed to me in Washington DC should I have the honor of serving in Congress. I tell my sons that ‘men make plans, boys make excuses’ – we need strong men and women leaders in DC who refuse to back down, who stand up for what they believe, and who don’t apologize for fighting for America a country they love.
Ballotpedia provided information on Josiah O’Neil:
Josiah O’Neil (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 49th Congressional District. O’Neil lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Josiah O’Neil served in the U.S. Army. O’Neil’s career experience includes working as a police officer, a deputy sheriff, and a special agent with the United States Department of State.
Ballotpedia provided information on Nadia Smalley:
Nadia Smalley (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 49th Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Nadia Smalley was born in Flint Michigan. Smalley’s career experience includes working as a nurse and businesswomen.
Nadia Smalley completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions she answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
NADIA B. SMALLEY political agenda includes solar development for public utilities budget resolutions for district 49 job development food programs elementary to college homeless displacement advocacy rule developments CBD recreational and medical marijuana advocacy. Ms. SMALLEY has remained the CEO of Phyllis Wheatley Inc, a nonprofit organization that deals with the California homeless and displaced Ms. SMALLEY is also the CEO of American security and Janice Elizabeth’s soul Food kitchen in Oceanside. Ms. SMALLEY is a local blues vocalist a skilled hospice nurse a mother of 4 and grandmother of 11 Ms. SMALLEY has dedicated the past 20 years being a vocalist and a skilled hospice nurse a mother of 4 and a grandmother of 11 Ms SMALLEY has dedicated the past 20 years being a voice and a advocate in the democratic political arena.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Homeless Advocate
PreK to College nutrition
Hospice nurse Alzheimer’s Geriatric health
What areas of public policy are you personally invested about?
Gun control and safety measures
Homeless research and awareness
Food regulations toxic additives
Public works and sanitation
Ballotpedia provided information about Renee Taylor:
Renee Taylor was a member of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District in California, representing District 1. Taylor assumed office in 2012. Taylor left office in 2016.
Renee Taylor (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 49th Congressional District. Taylor lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Renee Taylor has served in the U.S. Air Force and California Air National Guard. Taylor’s career experience includes working as an information technology and cybersecurity manager. She has served on the Orange Country Veteran’s Advisory Council (OCVAC).
January 3: San Clemente Times posted an article titled: “OC Supervisor Lisa Bartlett Announces Run for 49th District Seat” From the article:
Orange County Board Supervisor Lisa Bartlett announced last week her candidacy to represent California’s newly-drained 49th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Bartlett will run as a Republican against incumbent Rep. Mike Levin, a Democrat, as well as fellow Republicans Brian Maryott, the previous district challenger and former San Juan Capistrano council member and Christopher Rodriquez.
Bartlett serves as a supervisor for the county’s Fifth District, which encompasses Dana Point, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, and other cities south of Irvine, had been on the board since 2014.
“Never in my lifetime can I remember a point where Congress was this far out of touch with the everyday experience of working-class Americans and families,” Bartlett said in her announcement. “Much like California, our country is headed in the wrong direction and in desperate need of new and common-sense leadership.”
“At a time when families are struggling to pay for gas, put food on the table, and deal with the cost of inflation, Mike Levin is literally cheering on trillions of dollars in government spending, much of which is for pet projects,” Bartlett added, referring to Levin’s support of the Build Back Better Act, a $2 trillion bill that passed the House in November and awaits a Senate vote.
Bartlett pledged to focus on the issues of quality of life, the economy, education, and public safety…
March 29: The Coast News Group posted an article titled: “Maryott changes ballot designation following Bartlett complaint” From the article:
49th Congressional District candidate Brian Maryott has officially changed his ballot designation after a complaint filed by Republican primary challenger Supervisor Lisa Bartlett alleged the former San Juan Capistrano mayor misled voters about his professional employment status.
Per documents published online by the California Secretary of State’s Office, Maryott changed his job title from “Certified Financial Planner” to “Businessman/Nonprofit Executive” for the June primary ballot.
In a statement issued Monday, Bartlett claimed state officials had forced Maryott to change his ballot designation as a result of a complaint her campaign had filed last week.
“The decision by the Secretary of State to force Brian Maryott to change his ballot designation only further confirms what we already knew – Maryott is deliberately misleading voters and pretending to be someone he’s not,” Bartlett said in a statement.
However, Maryott’s campaign has denied Bartlett’s allegation sand said he voluntarily made the change as a result of issues unrelated to the complaint.
“We recently and pro-actively amended our ballot title with the Secretary of State’s office, making a change unrelated to any threats from desperate candidates,” said Megan House, Maryott’s campaign manager in a statement. “The CFB Board of Standards does not allow Certified Financial Planner professionals to advertise our credentials without the trademark, and the Secretary’s office does not allow these trademarks.”
In response to a request for comment, the Secretary of State’s Office issued the following statement regarding its decision to change Maryott’s ballot designation, clarifying that the agency made its decision independently and not specifically based on Bartlett’s request.
“We don’t approve/disapprove a ballot designation based on 3rd party complaints. We do receive them, but we don’t base our review on them,” said Joe Kocurek, a representative for the state office. “We review the ballot designation worksheet and any accompanying materials provided by each candidate, then we reach out to a candidate if there is an issue of any sort with their proposal. We spoke with this candidate and we came up with a ballot designation that was acceptable for him and us,”…
June 8: The Coast News Group posted an article titled: “Lawsuit against Oceanside councilman Rodriguez headed to jury trial” From the article:
A lawsuit against Oceanside City Councilman Chris Rodriguez will go to a jury trial in October after the 49th Congressional District candidate was accused of failing to repay nearly half a million in loans to a former business partner.
Mary Harper, a San Diego real estate investor, originally filed the lawsuit in 2019, alleging that Rodriguez owns her and her family almost $500,000 that they loaned him to work on properties in Vista, Temecula and El Cajon.
Harper claims that instead of repaying the loans, Rodriguez sold the properties and used some of the money to improve his personal residence on Puerta de Lomas in the Morro Hills area at the border of Oceanside and Fallbrook.
The case will go on trial on Oct. 7 in San Diego County.
Brian Maryott, one of Rodriguez’s opponents in the Republican primary, seized on the news of the lawsuit, arguing the nature and credibility of the accusations against Rodriguez should be a disqualifying factor for his candidacy…
…Rodriguez wholly denies the claims made in the lawsuit and suggested that Maryott is trying to utilize allegations against him to score political points.
“One hundred percent of the allegations are false, this lawsuit is frivolous,” Rodriguez said. “Establishment candidate Brian Maryott is throwing out last-minute desperate attacks. Why? Because he’s losing. Polls show us leading. What does Maryott do? He panics. Yes, I’ve been named in lawsuits before, most people in business have. There’s not an elderly woman owed $500,000, this type of nonsense is right out the Democrat playbook. I will not stoop to Maryott’s level.”…
Ballotpedia provided information about the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 49:
Mike Levin (D): 48.9% – 92,211 votes
Brian Maryott (R): 19.0% – 35,805 votes
Lisa Bartlett (R): 10.7% – 20,163 votes
Christopher Rodriguez (R): 9.6% – 18,248 votes
Josiah O’Neil (R): 7.8% – 14,746 votes
Nadia Smalley (D): 2.5% – 4,804 votes
Renee Taylor (R): 1.4% – 2,597 votes
October 22: Times of San Diego posted an article titled: “GOP Congress Hopeful Maryott Didn’t Keep Promise on FEC Filings, Group Says” From the article:
A Democratic-aligned watchdog group is calling out Republican congressional candidate Brian Maryott for not fulfilling a promise to amends financial disclosures.
In August, End Citizens United found public Venmo records that suggest Maryott and his committee – with him as treasurer – made payments via that mobile app to campaign staffers. The group filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission.
Maryott – challenging 49th District incumbent Rep. Mike Levin for a second time – assailed ECU as a “liberal activist group” but vowed to correct “a handful of honest reporting mistakes” made before the campaign was in full swing.
Two months ago, the former San Juan Capistrano mayor said: “We will work quickly and proactively to take the common step of amending our filing, if that turns out to be necessary.”
This week, in End Citizens United said it found no record of amended FEC filings…
…According to the poll-watching website fivethirtyeight.com, Levin’s chances of winning re-election are 84 in 100. In 2020, Levin defeated Maryott 53.1% to 46.9%.
Levin also leads in the money race. According to filings as of September 30, Levin has raised $4.45 million and spent $3.93 million – compared with Maryott taking in $3.66 million and spending $3.12 million.
Levin listed having $2 million cash on hand, and Maryott nearly $500,000.
It isn’t known whether Maryott is still paying staff via Venmo, however…
November 3: CBS8 posted an article titled: “President Biden visits San Diego, first campaign stop in Oceanside” From the article:
…On Thursday, Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Todd Gloria welcomed Biden to San Diego at MCAS Miramar.
Biden’s first stop on his two-day visit to San Diego started with a campaign event supporting incumbent Rep. Mike Levin who is facing a tight Congressional race for California’s 49th District against Brian Maryott.
More than a thousand people packed the gym at MiraCosta College to hear the president’s remarks on Thursday…
…The president’s return to heavily Democratic California in the run-up to Election Day speaks to the looming threat for his party in a turbulent midterm election year when Republican appear poised to take control of the House, a grim prospect for Biden heading into the second half of his term, the Associated Press reported.
Biden’s visit Thursday is centered on safeguarding two-term Rep. Mike Levin in a district with a slight Democratic tilt that cuts through San Diego and Orange counties and which Biden carried by double digits in the 2020 presidential election.
Levin defended his seat with a 6-point win in 2020, and the district remained largely intact after the once-in-a-decade adjustment of boundary lines after the census. This year, his race is considered a toss-up as Levin and other Democrats face historical midterm headwinds that typically punish the party in the White House, while soaring prices at the supermarket and gas pump have contributed to make once-safe incumbents vulnerable…
November 3: CBS8 posted an article titled: “Brian Maryott holds opposing rally to President Biden visit in Oceanside”
The Republican candidate challenging Incumbent Rep. Mike Levin in the tight Congressional race for California’s 49th District held a rally, just a few miles from where President Biden was speaking Thursday.
The opposing rally was hosted by Reform California and urged attendees to support to Republican candidate Brian Maryott who is running for the seat.
“While Joe Biden is in town he should apologize that’s what he should be here for. A failed president trying to prop up a failed congressman,” said Brian Maryott.
The 49th District includes the cities of Oceanside, Encinitas, and portions of Orange County. Back in 2020 Maryott was defeated by Levin but he believes this time the election will be different.
“Everyday people are saying to me I voted for Levin last time. People sense something is screwed up and they are losing their piece of mind about their personal finances and personal safety and health circumstances,” Maryott said.
Republicans see the midterms as an opportunity to pickup the 49th District. Tonight, inflation, schools and crime were hot topics…
November 11: San Diego Tribune (via MSN) posted an article titled: “Rep. Mike Levin’s lead widening in 49th Congressional District” From the article:
Rep. Mike Levin’s narrow lead in the close race for his coastal North County and Orange County seat widened to 4.2 percentage points after additional vote counts were released by San Diego and Orange County election official Friday evening.
The change reflected the latest update on ballot returns for the seat, one of a handful that could decide control of Congress and shape Southern California’s position on energy, environment and the economy.
With a total of 211,021 votes counted between the two counties, Thursday’s figure was up a point point from his tentative lead Thursday evening, but fall smaller than the wide lead he initially appeared to hold in early returns on election night.
Only a portion of the projected votes have been counted, and it will likely take a week or more before final results are known. Ballots counted so far reflect a little under 40 percent of registered voters in each county, and San Diego County official have said they expect turnout of about 60 percent after all mail ballots are received and tabulated.
On Tuesday night, when early election returns showed him leading by a wider margin, the Democratic congressman from San Juan Capistrano declared confidence, saying “when all is said and done, we will prevail.” Although his lead had diminished by Wednesday morning, as ballots continued to be counted, he said in news interviews that hew as still hopeful of victory.
His Republican opponent Bryan Maryott warned supporters Tuesday that early election returns would likely favor Democrats and could be disappointing. On Wednesday, as leaders of his party regarded disappointing results in congressional races nationwide, he appeared buoyed by the tightening race.
“We expect that as more votes are counted, we will close the 2% gap and that the voters of (the 49th Congressional District) will send a financial planner to Congress,” he said in a statement…
Ballotpedia provided information about the General election for U.S. House California District 49:
Mike Levin (D): 52.6% – 153,541 votes
Brian Maryott (R): 47.4% – 138,194 votes
November 16: KPBS posted an article titled: “Democrat Mike Levin wins reelection in California’s 49th Congressional District” From the article:
Incumbent Mike Levin, a Democrat, won reelection to U.S. House in California’s 49th Congressional District, according to a race call from The Associated Press. Levin, was challenged by Republican candidate Brian Maryott.
“With the vast majority of votes tabulated and the race called in our favor, it is with great honor and humility that I will return to serve California’s 49th District in the United States House of Representatives again,” Levin said in a statement…
…Mike Levin’s background is in environmental law and energy regulatory compliance. He has served two terms as the 49th District representative. Since the start of his term in 2019, Levin has worked on legislation to transition towards zero-emission vehicles, more sustainable power generation, climate action, and cleaner energy. Levin is the vice chair of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee where he has jurisdiction over veteran housing, homelessness, G.I. bills, and transition assistance.
Brian Maryott’s background is in finance as a certified financial planner. This is his third attempt at the 49th district seat. He considered himself a conservative businessman who has spent his career helping families save money and invest in their future. After growing his financial planning business, he managed hundreds of employees and billions in client assets. He was formerly mayor of San Juan Capistrano. In December 2020, Maryott launched non-profit PlanIT Kids, to provide free financial planning services to families…
November 17: Times of San Diego (via MSN) posted an article titled: “Democrat Levin Wins Re-Election in North County as Republicans Take House Majority”. From the article:
Rep. Mike Levin, a Democrat representing coastal North San Diego and Orange County, was assured victory Wednesday in the 49th Congressional District, defeating Republican Brian Maryott 52.6% – 47.4% in a key battleground race for control of the House of Representatives.
“With the vast majority of votes tabulated and the race called in our favor, it is with great honor and humility that I will return to serve California’s 49th District in the United States House of Representatives again,” Levin said in a statement….
…Meanwhile Republicans were projected to win a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday, setting the stage for two years of divided government as President Joe Biden’s Democratic Party held control over the Senate.
The victory gives Republicans the power to rein in Biden’s agenda, as well as to launch potentially damaging probes of his administration and family, though it falls short of the “red wave” the party had hoped for.
The final call came after more than a week of ballot counting, when Edison Research projected Republicans had won the 218 seats they needed to control the House Republican victory as California’s 27th Congressional district took the party over the line.
The party’s current House leader, Kevin McCarthy, may have a challenging road ahead as he will need his restive caucus to hold together on critical votes, including funding for the government and military at a time when former President Donald Trump has launched another run for the White House…
…Even though the expected “red wave” of House Republicans never reached shore, conservatives are sticking to their agenda.
In retaliation for two impeachment efforts by Democrats against Trump, they are gearing up to investigate Biden administration officials and the president’s son Hunter’s past business dealings with China and other countries – and even Biden himself…
California’s 50th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 50th congressional district:
California’s 50th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California and encompasses parts of the Mid-Coast and northeastern parts of San Diego County. Scott Peters is currently the U.S. representative for California’s 50th congressional district.
The district is currently in San Diego County. It includes costal and central portions of the city of San Diego, including neighborhoods such as Caramel Valley, La Jolla, Point Loma and Downtown San Downtown San Diego; the San Diego suburbs of Poway and Coronado; and the campuses of schools such as the University of California, San Diego (partial), Point Loma Nazarene University, the University of San Diego, and various colleges of the San Diego Community College District. Much of this territory was in the 52nd district from 2013 to 2023.
From 2003 through 2013, California’s 52nd consisted of many of San Diego’s northern and eastern suburbs, including Santee, Lakeside, Poway, Romona, La Mesa, Alpine, Winter Gardens, Both this area is now part of the 50th district.
As of the 2020 restricting, California 50th congressional district is located in Southern California. It encompasses most of the South Bay region of San Diego County.
San Diego County is split between this district, the 48th district, the 49th district, the 51st district, and 52nd district. The 50th and 48th are partitioned by Gopher Canyon Rd, Escondido Freeway, Calle Ricardo, Tatas Place, Rue Montreux, Jesmond Dene Rd, Ivy Dell Ln, N Centre Parkway Highway 15, Richland Rd, Vista Canal, Woodland Parkway, W El Norte Parkway, Bennet Ave, Eisner Ln, Nordahl Rd, Calavo Dr, Deodar Rd, Highway 78, Barham Dr, 2315-2339 Meyers Ave, Hill Valley Dr, Country Club Dr, Auto Park Way, Highway 56, N Centre City Parkway, W Valley Parkway, N Juniper St, Highway 78, N Hickory St, E Mission Ave, Martin Dr, E Lincoln Ave, N Ash St, E Grand Ave, Bear Valle Parkway, Old Guerjito Rd, San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park, San Pasqual Trails Openspace, San Dieguito River Park, Bandy Canyon Rd, Santa Maria Creek, Highland Valley Rd, West Ridge Trail, Palmer Dr/Summerville Ln, Pomerado Rd, and Caramel Mountain Ranch Openspace.
The 50th and 49th are partitioned by Gopher Canyon Rd, Camino Cantera, Corre Camino, Tierra del Cielo, Elevado Rd, Vista Grande Dr, Warmlands Ave, Queens Way, Canciones del Cielo, Camino Loma Verde, Alessandro Trail, Friendly Dr, Friendly Dr, Edgehill Rd, Catalina Heights Way, Deeb Cr, Foothill Dr, Clarance Dr, Highway S 14, Smilax Rd, Poinsettia Ave, W San Marcos Blvd, Diamond Trail Preserve, S Rancho Santa Rd, San Elijo Rd, Rancho Summit Dr, Escondido Creek, El Camino del Norte, San Elijo Lagoon, Highland Drive, Avocado Pl, Jimmy Durante Blvd, San Dieguito Dr, 8th St, Nob Ave, Highway S21, and the San Diego Northern Railway.
The 50th and 51st are partitioned by Camino del Norte, Highway 15, Carmel Mountain Rd, Ted Williams Parkway, Del Mar Mesa Overspace, Los Penasquitos Creek, Inland Freeway, Governor Dr, Pavlov Ave, Stetson Ave, Milikin Ave, Regents Rd, Ducommun Ave, Bunch Ave, Branting St, Streseman St, Pennant Way, Highway 52, San Diego Freeway, Sea World Dr, Friars Rd, Kumeyaay Highway, and Highway 805.
The 50th district takes in the cities of Coronado, San Marcos, and Southern Escondido as well as the San Diego neighborhoods of San Pasqual, Rancho Bernardo, La Jolla, Point Loma, University City, Torrey Pines, Mission Beach North Park, Hillcrest, South Park, Golden Hill, Pacific Beach, Caramel Valley, Pacific Highlands Ranch, and Black Mountain Ranch.
Ballotpedia provided information about Scott Peters:
Scott Peters (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 50th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Peters (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 50th Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Peters was first elected to the seat on 2012, defeating Republican incumbent Brian Bilbray. In his 2014 bid for re-election, Peters defeated Republican Carl DeMaio by 3.2 points. That year, California 52nd Congressional District was rated a battleground district by Ballotpedia.
In 2016, Peters defeated Republican Denise Gitsham in the general election by 13 points. California’s 52nd Congressional District race was rated as safely Democratic in 2016. He won re-election in 2018, defeating Republican Omar Qudrat in the general election by 27.6 points.
He has served on the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Judiciary Committee and the Science Space, and Technology Committee.
Ballotpedia provided information about Corey Gustafson:
Corey Gustafson (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 50th Congressional District. Gustafson lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Corey Gustafson was born in San Diego, California. Gustafson graduated from San Pasqual High School. He earned a degree from San Diego State University. Gustafson’s career experience includes owning a business and working as an educator.
Corey Gustafson completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Corey Gustafson is a conservative businessman, university lecturer, and native San Diegan who is running for Congress to restore common-sense representation to the 50th Congressional district. Too much power and influence have shifted to Washington D.C. and Corey will redirect it back to where it belongs – with the people of San Diego.
Corey was born in San Diego and raised in Escondido. He graduated from San Pasqual High School and San Diego University while working for his parents’ small business.
He learned about hard work and entrepreneurship by working in small businesses, whether it meant getting up early for prep work or mopping bar floors.
In 2019, Corey cofounded Dogleg Brewing Co. in Vista with his business partners. Dogleg Brewing aimed to bring together two of San Diego’s iconic industries: golf and craft beer. Not coincidentally, they are also two of Corey’s favorite pastimes. Dogleg opened just months before the pandemic starts, but the Dogleg team persevered to make it through the pandemic.
Corey’s other passion is university teaching. Since 2014, he serves a the director of the Oxford Study Abroad International Relations program. During the course, he lectures in American foreign policy and the national security process.
From 2016 to 2019, he was a lecturer in American Government at California State University-San Bernardino.
Corey is currently engaged to his fiancé, Kathryn, a small business owner and native San Diegan.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Lower Taxes-Washington DC has a spending problem and politicians continue to spend by the trillions. How are they planning to pay for it? More tax hikes on American families who are already dealing with record inflation. Corey believes San Diego families deserve to keep more or their hard-earned money. He’ll fight to cut taxes and he’ll put a stop to reckless spending.
Stop inflation- Inflation is a tax on all of us. It’s never been harder to make ends meet in California, with skyrocketing gas prices, housing costs and prices for everyday items like groceries. The inflation unleashed by trillions of dollars in spending by DC politicians has put our families and business on the brink. Corey will fight to stop reckless spending and lower taxes.
Fight Crime- San Diego is experiencing an unprecedented rise in crime. It’s no mystery why: understaffed law enforcement, failed leadership, and politicians who were unwilling to stand with our first responders when they needed it the most. While others support defunding the police, Corey will always be a proud supporter of law enforcement. He believes we must be tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Fighting for the American Dream, empowering the individual and providing opportunity to all Americans.
Ballotpedia provided information about Kylie Taitano:
Kylie Taitano (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 50th Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Kylie Taitano was born in Tamuning, Guam. Taitano earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California at San Diego in 2014. Her career experience includes working as a software engineer. Taitano is a co-founder and CEO of Code with Her.
Kylie Taitano completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Here are some of the questions she answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Kylie Taitano is a San Diego based women-in-tech who has been an active resident of the 50th district for the past 11 years. She studies Computer Science at USCD before becoming a software engineer at Intuit San Diego and graduated from UCSD with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Computer Science. She is also the co-founder of Code With Her, a San Diego based non profit whose mission is to close the gender and diversity gap in tech by providing real-world coding experiences to students within San Diego County and across the nation.
Born on the beautiful US island territory of Guam, her Filipina and Indigenous Chamorro heritage and upbringing taught her that community is built on respect, reciprocity and taking care of each other. These values are core to who Kylie is and is the driving force behind why she puts community first.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
San Diego deserves un-bought leaders who put community first
Kylie accepts no corporate money
San Diego deserve a progressive leader who represents them
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
The Green New Deal: The scientific community says we have 11 years to transform our energy system away from fossil fuels to energy efficiency and sustainable energy. The climate crisis is already damaging our coastline and our way of life and we must act badly and with urgency to combat its devastating impacts. Read here on the big impact to San Diego county where insurance companies are dropping coverage for homes because of increasing fire risk.
Healthcare for All: The United States has by far the most expensive and one of the least effective healthcare systems compared with our international peers. It prioritizes excessive profits by healthcare, pharmaceutical, and insurance corporations above all else, and leaves too many people price-gouged when needing care. It’s past time for us to catch up to other modern nations in embracing and rapidly moving towards Medicare For All, a single-payer universal healthcare system with no premiums, co-pays, deductibles, surprise bills, confusing networks, or enrollment periods.
Democracy Reform: What is damaging to our democracy is the influence of big money in politics from well-funded corporations and special interest groups. As a member of Congress I will support laws that reduce the influence of big money in politics, including overturning Citizens Unites which currently allows corporations and other special interest groups to spend unlimited amounts of money on our elections.
Ballotpedia provided information about David Chiddick:
David Chiddick (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 50th Congressional District. Chiddick lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
David Chiddick served in the U.S. Navy. Chiddick’s career experience includes co-owning a coffee shop.
Ballotpedia provided information about Adam Schindler:
Adam Schindler (independent) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 50th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Adam Schindler was born in Paterson, New Jersey. Schindler earned a bachelor’s degree from Binghamton University in 1994, a graduate degree from George Mason University in 2002, and a Ph.D from the University of California at Berkeley in 2008. His career experience includes working as a science and medical writer. Schindler served in the first class of the AmeriCorps NCCC, a national service program.
Adam Schindler completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am a scientist who has committed my career to advancing knowledge and improving people’s lives. I received a PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California, Berkeley, and performed research at the National Institutes of Health, Duke University, and UC San Diego. I and am an author on 12 scientific publications. I currently work as a science and medical writer in the pharmaceutical industry, where I develop documents that translate scientific discoveries into clinical treatments.
Prior to entering science, I served in the first class of AmeriCorps NCCC, a national service program, where I lived in army barracks at Aberdeen Proving Grounds (MD). My team helped build a park In Baltimore and a day care center in West Virginia, and I fought fires in Idaho.
I live in San Diego with my wife, a professor of Biology at Scripps Institute of Oceaography, and two children.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Congress Should Serve the People. Congress should make decisions with the public good as the top priority. A Congress that is primarily concerned with raising money is not a Congress that can serve the people. The influence of money on Congress is something that I will call attention to and fight against. I will seek to reverse permissible campaign finance laws, and will advocate for greater transparency so that we know what our representative are doing and who they are meeting. To ensure that I avoid conflicts of interests, I will not take money from corporate PACs, hold private fundraisers, or own individual stock.
The Time for Action is Now. We face threats to our democracy and our environment that can no longer be ignored. The future of our country depends on the actions of our leaders, yet Congress does not seem to appreciate the urgency of the moment. I will fight for action to protect our democratic freedoms, especially our right to vote, and to stop global warming so that the beauty of our country is protected for my kids and future generations.
We Need Better Scientific Leadership. It has been frustrating as a scientist to see how we responded to the pandemic. Decisions were made without clear reason or adequate communication with the public. Worse still, we made decisions that were not in the best interests of the public health, and people suffered. A major reason for our poor response is that we have few scientists in Congress, and lack the expertise to provide oversight of our scientific agencies to ensure that the government fulfills its obligation to protect people’s well-being in the future, I will work to improve our scientific infrastructure and leadership
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
As a biological scientist, I am especially interested in issues related to science and medicine. I will work to improve our healthcare system and provide affordable, comprehensive care to people. I am also interested in the environment, particularly becoming carbon neutral as soon as possible to stop climate change and protect the country. I also want to change the way things are done in Congress because it is not working for the American people.
December 22, 2021: Scott Peters posted news titled: “NEWS: Rep. Scott Peters Will Run for Re-election in the New CA-50” From the news:
Rep. Scott Peters to Run for Re-election in the New CA-50
San Diego – Today, Scott Peters for Congress campaign confirmed that Rep. Scott Peters (CA-52) will run for re-election in the newly drawn San Diego coastal district identified as California 50.
“As the region and nation fight to overcome the devastating health and economic impacts of COVID, the ability to continue to bring federal resources home is what we need to recover,” Peters said. “My growing seniority in Congress puts me in a position to deliver, as does my track record of being able to work with everyone to solve problems.”
“I’ll continue to fight for a strong, diverse economy where every person and family has a shot at opportunity, prosperity and security. I’ll continue to stand up for middle class families, for clean air and water, for our veterans and active-duty men and women, and for our children and grandchildren who are counting on us to save the planet from the perils of climate change,” he said.
Peters added that in 2022, he’ll continue to represent the people of California’s 52nd congressional district with the same energy and commitment he’s always brought to the job. He will also introduce himself to the people of the new California 50 who he’s not yet had the honor to represent; he hopes to earn their support.
Scot Peters is a Democrat who has served in the House of Representatives since 2013. He was the first Democrat to represent San Diego City Council District 1 and defeated a 12-year Republican incumbent in 2012 to turn San Diego’s congressional delegation to a democratic majority for the first time in County history. He is a member of the powerful House Energy & Commerce committee, Vice Chair for Policy of the new Democratic Coalition, which is the largest ideological caucus in the House, and he is a Vice Chair for the Western Region of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
February 1: San Diego Jewish World posted an press release titled: “Jewish Congressional Candidate Adam Schindler: “I Want to Fight for People'” From the press release:
Scientist and public health advocate Adam Schindler announced on January 12 that he is running for U.S. House of Representatives in California’s 50th Congressional District. Schindler, a San Diego resident and father, is challenging incumbent Scott Peters because Peters receives campaign contributions from corporations and opposed legislation that would have made prescription drugs more affordable and combatted global warming.
“I am running for Congress because I want to fight for people,” Schindler said. “Corporations have too much power and its is hurting our country. We will only be able to make the change we need protect our environment and improve our healthcare system when we stand up to corporations and the politicians like Scott Peters that side with them.”…
…Adam pledges to be an honest politician who will work for the best interests of the people he represents. He will not accept money from PACs or hold private fundraisers and will disclose his activities. He will advocate for greater transparency, accountability, and integrity from our government.
February 6: Pacific Daily News posted an article titled: “Filipina-CHamoru politician Kylie Taitano runs for Congress in San Diego” From the article:
Kylie Taitano would be the first Filipina-CHamoru woman in Congress if she wins the congressional race in California’s 50th district.
Although one of two opponents on the Democratic ticket include incumbent Scott Peters, she feels she has a good shot at winning. That’s because the 50th district was redrawn after the 2020 Census, tilting the area toward a more progressive constituency.
“Although I’ll be elected to represent the people in my San Diego district, my job as a congresswoman will be to create laws that will impact the entire nation, including our territories,: Taitano said.
“I will be able to lend my voice and advocate for Guam on national issues,” she continued. “I can’t do this alone. I need the help of my community within San Diego, on Guam and beyond, to help us get to Washington.”
Because she is not taking a penny from corporations or lobbyists, she is counting on everyday working people to support her on her campaign – whether that’s through making a donation in any amount, volunteering their time to knock on doors or making phone calls and sending text messages to constituents. But the most important support comes from a vote on Election Day…
Ballotpedia provided information about the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 50:
Scott Peters (D): 52.3% – 89,894 votes
Corey Gustafson (R): 29.9% – 51,312 votes
Kylie Taitano (D): 9.4% – 16,065 votes
David Chiddick (R): 5.4% – 9,333 votes
Adam Schindler (Independent): 3.0% – 5,168 votes
Ballotpedia provided information about the General election for U.S. House California District 50:
Scott Peters (D): 62.8% – 168,816 votes
Corey Gustafson (R): 37.2% – 99,819 votes
November 9: Fox 5 San Diego posted an article titled: “Peters wins reelection in 50th Congressional District” From the article:
Rep. Scott Peters has won reelection in the 50th Congressional District, the Associated Press projected Tuesday night.
Peters, a Democrat, had garnered 60% of the vote compared to his Republican opponent Corey Gustafson’s 40%, election results showed as of Wednesday afternoon…
…The Cook Political Report and other non-partisan analysts rate the 50th a “solid Democratic” district, indicating it could be an uphill climb for a Republican candidate to win there… [...]
September 4, 2023CaliforniaCalifornia has more Congressional Districts than most states. Here is the outcome of the California U.S. House Elections in 2022. This blog focuses on Districts 31 – 40.
California’s 31st Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 31st Congressional District:
California’s 31st congressional district is a congressional district in Los Angeles County, in the U.S. state of California. The district is located in the San Gabriel Valley.
From January 3, 2023, following the 2020 redistricting cycle, the district is currently represented by Democrat Grace Napolitano.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 31st congressional district is located in Southern California. It takes up part of eastern Los Angeles County.
Los Angeles County is split between this district, the 28th district, the 34th district, and the 38th district.
The 31st and 28th are partitioned by Rio Hondo River, Garvery Ave, Highway 19, Highway 10, Eaton Wash, Temple City Blvd, Valley Blvd, Ellis Ln, Lower Azusa Rd, Grande Ave, Santa Anita Ave, Lynrose St, Flood Control Basin, Peck Rd, Randolph St, Cogswell Rd, Clark St, Durfree Ave, Santa Anita Wash, S 10th Ave, Jeffries Ave, Mayflower/Fairgreen Ave, Alta Vista/Fairgreen Ave, El Norte Ave, S 5th Ave, Valencia Way/N 5th Ave, Hillcrest Blvd, E Hillcrest Blvd, Grand Ave, E Greystone Ave, N Bradoaks Ave, Angeles National Forrest, W Fork Rd, Highway 39, Cedar Creek, Iron Fork, Glendora Mountain Rd, Morris Reservoir, W Sierra Madre Ave, N Lorraine Ave, E Foothill Blvd, E Caroll Ave, Steffen St, S Loraine Ave, AT and SF Railway, E Route 66, N Cataract Ave, San Dimas Canyon Rd, Clayton Ct, Live Oak Canyon, Rotary Dr, Highway 30, Williams Ave, Highway 210, Gary Ave, and Summer Ave.
The 31st, 35th, and 38th are partitioned by Whittier Narrows Recreation Area, N Lexington-Gallatian Rd, N Durfree Ave, E Thienes Ave, E Rush St, N Burkett Rd, Cunningham Dr, Eaglemont Dr, Oakman Dr, Arciero Dr, Grossmont Dr, Workman Mill Rd, Bunbury Dr, Fontenoy Ave, Ankerton, Whittier Woods Circle, Union Pacific Railroad, San Gabriel Freeway, N Peck Rd, Mission Mill Rd, Rose Hills Rd, Wildwood Dr, Clark Ave, San Jose Creek, Turnbull Canyon Rd, E Gale Ave, Pomona Freeway, Colima Rd, E Walnut Dr S, Fairway, E Valley Blvd, Calle Baja, La Puenta Rd, S Sentous Ave, N Nogales St, Amar Rd, Walnut City Parkland, San Bernardino Freeway, Fairplex Dr, Via Verde, Puddingstone Reservoir, McKinley Ave, N Whittle Ave, Arrow Highway, Fulton Rd, and Foothill Blvd.
The 31st district takes in the cities of El Monte, West Covina, Baldwin Park, Azusa, Monrovia, San Dimas, La Verne, Duarte, South El Monte, and the south side of Glendora.
Ballotpedia provided information about Grace Napolitano:
Grace Napolitano (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 31st Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2023. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Napolitano (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 31st Congressional District. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Napolitano represented California’s 38th Congressional District in the U.S. House from 2003 to 2013, and California’s 34th Congressional District from 1999 to 2003.
Ballotpedia provided information About Daniel Bocic Martinez:
Daniel Bocic Martinez (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 31st Congressional District. Bocic Martinez lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Ballotpedia provided information about Rocco Anthony De Luca:
Rocco Anthony De Luca (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 31st Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
De Luca completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am just a regular hardworking guy, that is tired of government making our lives more difficult, and not easier. It should be a government of the people, not the corporations and oil companies.
Please list 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Healthcare should be for everyone
Everyone should have access to housing without having nothing left at the end of the month
Everyone should feel safe
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Housing. Housing is way too expensive. I want to help people to not just get into a home, but to own one.
Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?
It is necessary. If congress can’t agree, then they must compromise. If they don’t compromise, the American people suffer.
Ballotpedia provided information about Erskine Levi:
Erskine Levi (No party preference) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 31st Congressional District. Levi lost as a write-in in the primary on June 7, 2022.
May 10: PRESS-TELEGRAM posted an article titled: “Challenging Rep. Grace Napolitano are Democrat Rocco Anthony De Luca, a construction project manager from Azusa, and Republican Daniel Bocic Martinez, an attorney and high school teacher from Monrovia.” From the article:
The last time Rep. Grace Napolitano had a close race for Congress was in 1998 when she defeated attorney Jamie Casso in the 1998 Democratic primary election. And it remains to be seen if this year’s June 7 election will be any different.
This year’s race features Democrat Rocco Anthony De Luca, a construction project manager from Azusa, and Republican Daniel Bocic Martinez, an attorney and high school teacher from Monrovia. (Erskine Levi, a social studies teacher from Glendora, who designates no party, is trying to qualify as a write-in candidate.)…
…There are some key differences between the three candidates running for the top two spots that will be on the Nov. 8 general ballot.
The challengers in telephone interviews last week don’t necessarily blame Napolitano specifically but all seek change.
“I have nothing against Grace,” Martinez said. “The system is broken.”
DeLuca complained that “nothing is getting done in Washington.”
“You need to compromise,” he said. “You need to have bipartisanship, working with the other team. Sometimes, you need a new person who can make a difference.”
Napolitano, however, said her nearly 24 years in Congress better empower her to help the district, regardless of the divided DC politics.
“With my experience and my seniority, I’ve delivered for the district,” said pointing to the millions of dollars in projects she has brought to the district.”
One example is the $412 million that will be used to repair the Whittier Narrows Dam, she said…
…Napolitano said homelessness is a complex problem.
“It’s the drugs, mental health, and the fact that people can’t afford housing any more because prices have gone up,” she said.
Martinez called for federal tax code changes to make it easier to build homes. He also called for building 100 new shelters in each district.
De Luca said the federal government needs to make housing more affordable by offering first-time buyers, who can otherwise pay the mortgage, a loan plan with no down payment…
Daniel Bocic Martinez had “Dan Martinez for Congress” website. Here are some parts of that website:
MEET DAN: Progressive dreamer grounded in Libertarian reality, and criminal/immigration attorney, Southern California local, Daniel Martinez has spent more than a decade serving the San Gabriel Valley, and advocating for our military veterans, and removing the legal/regulatory/bureaucratic barriers that stand between them and life-saving treatments for PTSD/suicide mitigation.
IMMIGRATION REFORM
The majorities on both the left and the right can agree that the issue of immigration reform needs to be addressed. The problem then arises from the implementation of a solution, which is where the blame lies entirely at the feet of congressional leadership of both parties…
HOMELESSNESS
My district is a suburb of Los Angeles, a city whose reputation for the exponential growth of its homeless population is known the world over. The City and County of Los Angeles are far more likely to actively interfere with proposed solutions than be of assistance.
As representative, I would use the inherent subpoena power of the ofice to demand answer on where the billions of tax dollars that have been spent on the problem have disappeared, yet the problem grows worse.
Additionally, non-profit community groups and community churches need to be empowered to implement programs that attempt to address any of a set category of defined issues (homelessness, addiction, veteran suicide, education, etc.) This should include regulatory relief from abusive local zoning and ordinance rules that too often add tens of thousands in costs and an unquantifiable amount of uncertainty on when, or even if, they will be allowed to attempt their solution to the problem…
VETERAN SUPPORT
On veteran suicide, for several years I have worked actively with a community that assists veterans with PTSD/suicide mitigation and re-integration into society. Twenty-two veterans take their lives each day. This is an unacceptable failure of those who lead our country to fulfill the social contract we made with each of those young people when they put their bodies, minds, and spirit on the line for their country…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan Primary for U.S. House California District 31:
Grace Napolitano (D): 52.9% – 25,499 votes
Daniel Bocic Martinez (R): 39.7% – 19,174 votes
Rocco Anthony De Luca (D): 7.4% – 3,552 votes
Erskine Levi (No party preference) (Write-in): 0.0% – 17 votes
Ballotpedia provided the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 31:
Grace Napolitano (D): 55.0% – 47,071 votes
Daniel Bocic Martinez (R): 45.0% – 38,509 votes
California’s 32nd Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 32nd Congressional District
California’s 32nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California based on Los Angeles County. The 32nd district takes in the city of Malibu and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Pacific Palisades, Beverly Glen, Bel Air, Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Woodland Hills, West Hills, Canoga Park, Brentwood, North Hills as well as the south side of Granada Hills.
The district is currently represented by Democrat Brad Sherman.
The 32nd and 30th are partitioned by Lankershim Blvd, Fredonia Dr, Cahuenga Blvd W, Broadlawn Dr, Multiview Dr, Mulholand Dr, Lauren Canyon Blvd, W Sunset Blvd Ozeta Tea, and Doheny Rd
The 32nd and the 36th are N Hillcrest Rd/La Collina Dr, N Hillcrest Road/ Sierra Mar Pl, Crescent Dr, Walker Dr/Lindacrest Dr, Lago Vista Dr, N Beverly Dr, Tower Grove Dr/Tower Rd, W Sunset Blvd, Veteran Ave, Wilshire Blvd, Malcolm Ave, Glendon Ave, Santa Monica Blvd, Pontius Ave, Cotner Ave, Butler Ave, Centinela Ave, Centinela Ave/S Carmelina Ave, Montana Ave, 26th and Adelaide Dr.
Ballotpedia provided information about Brad Sherman:
Brad Sherman (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 32nd Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 2025.
Sherman (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 32nd Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Sherman represented California’s 27th Congressional District in the U.S. House from 2003 to 2013 and California’s 24th Congressional District from 1997 to 2003.
Sherman graduated from Harvard Law School with a J.D. in 1979.
Brad Sherman did not fill out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022 or 2021. Ballotpedia provided information from Brad Sherman’s 2012 campaign website:
Fixing the Economy
Excerpt: “When the recession hit, Brad Sherman made job creation his top priority. He voted for legislation that saved or crated more than 3 million jobs. As a result, construction was accelerated on transportation projects in the San Fernando Valley, like the 405-Sepulveda Pass freeway widening project.”
Standing Up to Wall Street
Excerpt: “As a CPA and tax policy expert, Brad Sherman led the effort to oppose the Bush Administration’s TARP bailouts of Wall Street. He successfully fought to prevent future bailouts. He helped author the legislation to protect consumers from credit and mortgage fraud, increase capital requirements for banks, and end conflicts of interest for bond rating agencies.”
Protecting Social Security and Medicare
Excerpt: “Top Republican leaders are proposing privatizing Social Security and Medicare, cutting benefits, and raising the retirement age to 70. Brad Sherman strongly opposes all efforts to replace Social Security with private accounts that will place retirees at the mercy of Wall Street.”
Protecting the Environment
Excerpt: “Brad Sherman has been a strong environmental leader, providing critical support for the protection and expansion of park lands in the Santa Monica Mountains. He has worked to improve the Sepulveda Basin recreation area, and to build more local playgrounds, sport fields, and bike lanes.”…
Ballotpedia provided information on Lucie Lapointe Volozky:
Lucie Lapointe Volozky (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to Represent California’s 32nd Congressional District. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Lucie Lapointe Volozky was born in Canada. Lapointe Volotzky’s career experience includes owning retail stores and working as an esthetician, in accounting, and in real estate.
Ballotpedia stated that Lucie Lapointe Volozky did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from her 2022 campaign website:
IMMIGRATION
Illegal immigration brings crime, drugs, and human trafficking to our neighborhoods. We need to close the border so they can come in the right way, the legal way.
ECONOMY
We have the highest inflation in 40 years. It was caused by printing too much money, and that devalues the dollar, which gives us the higher cost of goods, foods, and health care. We need to bring back the corporation from overseas and create jobs.
HOMELESSNESS
Homelessness encourages tents on our sidewalks and pathways. We need more shelters and rehabilitation groups. Some religious groups are doing their part, but we need more.
EDUCATION
Our parental rights are under attack in our schools. The government has no business determining our children’s futures.
Parents know what’s best for educating their children. Let’s fight for School Choice.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Public Safety has been hurt by defunding the police. Criminals have been released, and more and more men and women in uniform been murdered. I say don’t defund the police, defend the police! We have to stand with our men and women in uniform to protect our cities, state, and country.
SMALL BUSINESS
In the last 40 years, we have lost so many small businesses, and one reason is the trade imbalance with China. In 1990, the census reported the imbalance was $10 billion dollars. In 2012, it was $355 billion dollars.
Let’s bring back business from China.
WOMEN’S SPORT
No transgender should participate in our women’s sport!
2ND AMENDMENT
Given the current environment with misguided justice policies which have released thousands of individuals into our neighborhoods, who are violent, mentally ill and or who are chronic offenders, the right and responsibility for my safety, my family and yes, your family depends on our commitment to protecting our 2nd Amendment Rights.
Ballotpedia provided information on Melissa Toomim:
Melissa Toomim (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 32nd Congressional District. Toomim lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Melissa Toomim’s career experience includes working as an investigative journalist.
Melissa Toomim completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions she answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am an investigative journalist who spent many years reporting on Afghanistan and Pakistan. I have an MA in International Policy Management – Nonproliferation and Terrorism. I also have a background in entertainment as a writer-producer-actress. I am currently a senior advisor with Operation Freedom Birds, which provides humanitarian relief and evacuation to America’s Afghan allies who are being hunted by the Taliban.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals in office?
Rights of Parents – School Choice
Border Sanity
Energy Independence
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am a passionate Constitutionalist. I look forward to loudly and proudly taking the oath to defend the United States Constitution against all enemies, both foreign and domestic.
I support health freedom and have developed a proposal to lift tens of thousands of homeless former foster care kids and former prison inmates off the streets by utilizing excess office space for post-prison halfway houses with supervised living, mental healthcare and life-skills classes; and excess college dormitory space with scholarships to help foster kids obtain the education and skills necessary for them to succeed in life.
Of course, improving our nation’s foreign policy is high on my priority list. I know that, were I already serving in Congress, there would be no holocaust in Afghanistan now. I am also very active in advocating for military veterans and protecting the West Los Angeles Soldiers Home from real estate predators.
I am passionate about the economy of Los Angeles County and California by creating a business friendly environment. We need to attract manufacturing and technology industries and restore LA as the Entertainment Capitol of the World.
I am passionate to rebuild the economy of Los Angeles County and California by creating a business friendly environment. We need to attract manufacturing and technology industries and restore LA as the Entertainment Capitol of the World. LA was built on creativity, and I believe that freedom of speech is key to a vibrant entertainment industry, and strong industries are key to re-establishing small businesses and our middle class.
We have so many serious problems these days, but together we can reinvigorate our bird of paradise, Los Angeles.
Ballotpedia provided information about Shervin Aazami:
Shervin Aazami (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 32nd Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Shervin Aazami was born in Bologna, Italy. Aazami earned a bachelor’s degree in the University of California at Lost Angeles in 2013, a graduate degree from George Washington University in 2019, and a graduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2020. His career experience includes working as the legislative director of the National Indian Health Board, a national indigenous healthcare nonprofit organization.
Shevrin Aazami completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am an Iranian American, an immigrant, and a public health activist that grew up here in the West San Fernando Valley (Canoga Park and Chatsworth). Born in Bologna, Italy, I am the son of two asylum seekers who fled religious persecution in Iran during the time of the 1979 Iranian Revolution. I grew up watching my mom work long hours, nights, weekends, and holidays at a department store to make ends meet for her family, while my dad took the bus to and from California State University Northridge and studied to become a family doctor. From an early age, I learned the power of responsibility from my mother and the power of service from my father.
As I grew up, I thrust himself into public service and the fight for social justice through the lens of public health. While in college I joined student groups advocating for climate justice by addressing the impact of the city’s toxic urban runoff on low-income Black and Latinx neighborhoods, and later worked for a residential treatment facility where I witnessed how our broken healthcare system criminalizes mental health and substance use issues, and fails to meet people where they are at. Before deciding to run for office in my hometown (CA-30), I worked on Capitol Hill as the legislative director for a national Indigenous healthcare non-profit fighting to ensure the federal government honors its Treaty obligations to Tribal Nations. My wife and I are expecting our first child in 2021.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for you time in office?
Guarantee Housing for All as a human right
Enact single-payer Medicare for All to ensure everyone has zero-cost comprehensive health care
Immediately transition to 100% renewable energy economy and create millions of union jobs with a Green New Deal
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
As a public health professional, I see the intersectionality of our issues. It’s impossible to separate the impact of access to basic necessities like housing, education, living-wages, and clean air and water on our community health. That is why I am so passionate about enacting the structural reforms necessary to uplift and empower working people, and end corporate welfare. As a healthcare policy analyst, I have a deep understanding and passion for fixing our broken and expensive healthcare system. Healthcare comprises a fifth of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and costs us over $11,500 per person – yet millions of Americans remain uninsured or under-insured.
The injustices in our nation are the rotten fruits borne out from the generational impacts of institutional racism, classism, and unfettered capitalism – rotten fruits cultivated by broken leadership in Congress. Our elected leaders – both Democratic and Republican – have been financed and controlled by corporations who lobby for legislation that improves their bottom line at the direct expense of working people. Here in the San Fernando Valley, our community has directly experienced the destructive impact of corporate welfare on housing affordability, rates of poverty, and access to healthcare, to name a few. We are the wealthiest nation in the world, and there is zero reason why we cannot guarantee the basic necessities we all need to survive – especially housing and healthcare. What we lack is the political will.
Ballotpedia provided information about Aarika Rhodes:
Aarika Rhodes (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 32nd Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Aarika Rhodes was born in Las Vegas, Nevada. Rhodes earned a bachelor’s degree and graduate degree from California State University at Northridge in 2011 and 2015, respectively. Her career experience includes working as an elementary school teacher.
Aarika Rhodes completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Here are some of the questions she answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself
Aarika has devoted her life to children and education. In 2013, Aarika received the Teacher of the Year Award from the Los Angeles Clippers for her achievement in constructing an effective science curriculum. She has also been published in the Journal for Multicultural Education for an article she co-authored with Dr. Shartriya Collier and Betty Burston entitled: Teaching STEM as a Second Language: Utilizing SLA to Develop Equitable Learning for All Students.
In 2018, Aarika was invited to the Better Together Teachers’ Summit at California State University Northridge to speak to dozens of educators about helping every child access curriculum by creating individual connections with each student. Aarika has taught students from diverse backgrounds in public and private schools. She understands the importance of closing the disparity in academic performance between groups of students.
Aarika attended public schools her entire life and was often the only student of color in the classroom. But she used it as motivation to be an honor roll student and break stereotypes. This is how she learned to stand against injustice and inequality and acquired her work ethic. She brought her capacity for hard work and her commitment to equality into the classroom as a teacher. Aarika went on to study at California State University Northridge where she earned a B.A. in Liberal Studies with an emphasis on Science and an M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction.
Please list below 3 messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
The Economy
Education Reform
Social Justice and Equality
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
The jobs of today require collaborative workers who can create innovative solutions to problems. The old model of education, based on memorization and rote learning, is outdated. As a teacher, I am passionate about creating an educational system that prepares every child for success in a 21st century economy.
While at school, kids should have the opportunity to participate in real-world experiences and leave the classroom inspired every day. Our current educational system is filled with disparities that prevent every child from receiving the quality education they deserve.
The COVID-19 Pandemic has made these educational inequalities even more glaring. Our struggling and underserved students have fallen even further behind during online instruction. Many of our most vulnerable students have been struggling to learn online without a stable internet connection or a reliable computer. This is an injustice. We need to meet this moment with robust, innovative legislation to rebuild our educational system.
Ballotpedia provided information about Raji Rab:
Raji Rab (Democratic Party) is running for election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. He declared his candidacy for the general election scheduled on November 5, 2024.
Raji Rab’s career experience includes working as an aviator, an educator, and an entrepreneur.
Ballotpedia provided information about Jason Potell:
Jason Potell (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 32nd Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Jason Potell earned a masters degree in economics from Johns Hopkins University. Potell’s career experience includes founding a performing arts business.
May 26: DailyNews posted an article titled: “Election 2022: San Fernando Vally Rep. Brad Sherman gets midterm challenge from Democrats and Republicans” From the article:
Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Sherman Oaks, is getting an election fight from several challengers from both sides of the political spectrum this year.
The congressman, first elected in 1997, is up against four Democratic and two Republican opponents for a seat representing the newly formed 32nd Congressional District in the June 7 primary election…
…Sherman’s Democratic opponents are Shervin Aazami, a non-profit legislative director, Jason Potell, a consultant/community organizer; Raji Rab, an aviator, educator and entrepreneur; and Aarika Samone Rhodes, a teacher.
Republican opponents are business owner Lucie Lapointe Volotzky and Melissa Toomim, a writer…
…Sherman, whose campaign war chest as of March 31 was $1,780,000, is endorsed by political notables like California Gov. Gavin Newsom, the California Democratic Party and Planned Parenthood.
But his eager challengers believe it’s time for him to be replaced.
Volotzky is among them, hoping to defeat the odds and unseat Sherman in a highly Democratic district and against a longtime incumbent.
She believes that besides addressing obvious growing homelessness and resolving issues related to the SolCalGas leak in Aliso Canyon, food and gas prices are top priorities to tackle.
She wants to see accountable regulations in the public sector because of their “abuse of power and poor performance continues unabated.”
Volozky immigrated from Canada in 1984, got married and started a business at a local flea market, which grew into a multi-store company. She believes small business is under attack and bureaucracy has grown tenfold. Her campaign receipts as of March 31 total $14,500…
…”I’m hoping voters see that it is time for a change,” Volotzky said. “Same party, same people have not even produced status quo, but a deterioration of our communities and the quality of life for the people of our great state.”
…An opening line on Aazami’s campaign website reflects he is not bashful about his challenge from Sherman’s left.
“For too long, our seat in Congress has been occupied by a corporate, Wall Street Democrat who refuses to fight for economic justice and racial equity,” it reads, accompanied by a slew of local progressive grassroots organization endorsements.
“As a former legislative director working on Capitol Hill, I (ushered through) more bills in two years as an advocate than the incumbent has in 26 years as a legislator,” said Aazami, a Democrat. “These include cancelling copays and deductibles for veteran populations, securing long-term funding for community health centers and delivering over $10 billion to frontline communities for COVID-19 response, maternal health, and drug overdose prevention.”
Aazami has not held an elected position but touts his grasp of the legislative process…
He said he has a progressive vision, which includes single-payer Medicare for all, the Green New Deal, universal childcare benefits and the elimination of medical and student loan debt…
…Sherman stands by his record.
While in Congress, he supports strong environmental standards, federal aid to education, healthcare reform and the protection of Society Security and Medicare. And he supports policies to expand U.S. exports, prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons and promote “a just” U.S. foreign policy.
“These national issues are so intense,” Sherman said. “I don’t have to tell you politics is intense, partisanship is intense but everything form the Ukraine, January 6, to tax proposals, the national issues are certainly on people’s minds.”
Sherman is mindful that this year’s midterms could be a referendum on President Joe Biden and his policies, a prospect that doesn’t bode well for Democrats across the country in danger of losing their slim majorities in Congress.
Sherman said that tension is showing up in his race, too.
“Our polling showed it was a two-way race early and it continues to be, and my record best epitomizes what the district wants, but people are saying this is going to be a good Republican year,” he said. “Those people who don’t like what (President Joe) Biden is doing, that helps Volotzky.”
Rab, a Democrat and entrepreneur, has never held elected office, but he hasn’t shied away from trying to get there.
When he ran for L.A. City Council three years ago, he told The Daily News his life’s passion is to understand and tackle “bread and butter” issues facing the San Fernando Valley.
That has fueled his challenges against Sherman in 2016, 2018, and 2020. And it’s fueling him now, when he cites homelessness, the Aliso Canyon gas leaks, Santa Susana Field Lab contamination cleanup, and increased cost of gas and groceries as pressing issues facing district voters…
…Democratic candidate Rhodes says her fight is to support the unhoused, fix public education, bolster small businesses and reform the criminal justice system. She supports Medicare for All, the Green New Deal and a Universal basic income.
She hasn’t held an elected position and is a first-time congressional candidate. Her campaign receipts as of March 31 were $269,000.
“I didn’t decide to run for Congress just to replace the current incumbent Brad Sherman,” said Las Vegas-born Rhodes, who graduated from Cal State Northridge with a graduate degree. “I’m running to make a difference in our economy and to work hard to pass meaningful legislation that will solve the increases in homelessness, improve our education system and fix our foster care system.”
Potell, a Democrat and a consultant and community organizer with a Master’s degree in economics, was born and raised in the district and comes form a Mexican Catholic and European Jewish family.
His campaign receipts as of March 31 was $50,600 of which he personally donated $33,700.
Potell is focused on immigration, refugees and border security along with homelessness, jobs, the economy, climate change, the Green New Deal, water supplies, innovation, and cryptocurrency…
…Melissa Toomim, a writer and Republican candidate had $22,000 in campaign receipts as of March 31. Her platform includes securing the southern border to stem the tide of illegal immigration and trafficking, and she wants industry jobs returned. She also supports Israel.
But, she adds, her policies are anchored by a devotion to the First Amendment, which she says “political correctness” and “cancel culture” are eroding…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 32:
Brad Sherman (D): 54.3% – 55,011 votes
Lucie Lapointe Volozky (R): 21.1% – 21,247 votes
Melissa Toomim (R): 9.5% – 9,668 votes
Shervin Aazami (D): 7.2% – 7,304 votes
Aarika Rhodes (D): 4.3% – 4,376 votes
Raji Rab (D): 1.8% – 1,859 votes
Jason Potell (D): 1.8% – 1,788 votes
November 11: Daily Sundial posted an article titled: “Brad Sherman wins reelection to U.S. House” From the article:
Democratic incumbent Rep. Brad Sherman won the election for California’s 32nd Congressional District against Republican opponent Lucie Lapointe Volotsky, according to the Associated Press. The race was called at 9:09 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 8.
Sherman currently represents California’s 30th Congressional District, but his district will change to the 32nd District next year based on redistricting as a result of the 2020 census.
Sherman will now represent sections of Northridge, Canoga Park, Reseda, North Hills, Chatsworth, Encino, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Tarzana, Topanga, West Hills, Winnetka, Woodland Hills, Bel Air, Bell Canyon, Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Beverly Glen and Brentwood according to his website…
…Sherman has historically voted for firearm legislation, including an assault weapons ban that passed the House of Representatives this summer. He has also repeatedly sponsored climate change legislation during his time in office, including the Green New Deal.
The Congressman has been a vocal supporter of the Armenian people, including on his government website. He has advocated for economic assistance to Armenia as a result of their conflict with Azerbaijan, while pushing for suspension of U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan, according to a Time magazine article from Oct. 3.
Sherman will begin representing the 32nd District on Jan. 3, 2023. This will be his 14th term in the House.
Ballotpedia provided the results for the General Election for U.S. House California District 32:
Brad Sherman (D): 64.8% – 87,260 votes
Lucie Lapointe Volotzky (R): 35.2% – 47,450 votes
California’s 33rd Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 33rd Congressional District
California’s 33rd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. The district is currently represented by Democrat Pete Aguilar.
California’s 33rd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. The district is currently represented by Democrat Pete Aguilar.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 33rd congressional district is located in Southern California. The 33rd, 23rd and 28th districts are partitioned by Carnelian St, Highway 30, Amethyst Ave, Highland Ave, Foothill Freeway, Day Creek Blvd, Vintage Dr, Saddle Tree Pl, Creek Channel, Wardman Bullock Rd, Dawnridge Dr, Summit Ave, 14509 Saddlepeak Dr – 14560 Labrador Ave, Ontario Freeway, Union Pacific Railroad, Highway 15, Highway 215, W Meyers Rd, Ohio Ave, Pine Ave, Bailey act, Highway 206, Devils Canyon Rd, Cloudland Truck Trail, Cloudland Cutoff, Hill Dr, W 54th St, E Hill Dr, Bonita Vista Dr, Sterling Ave, Argyle Ave, E Marshall Blvd, Rockford Ave, Lynwood Dr La Praix St, Orchid Dr, Denair Ave, Highland Ave, S Wabash Ave, E Citrus Ave, N Church St, Southern California Regional Rail A, Tennessee St, Highway 10, California St, E Washington St, and S Barton Rd.
The 33rd and 35th districts are partitioned by San Bernardino Rd, Orangewood Dr, Estacia St, Lion St, Highway 66, Helms Ave, Hampshire St, Archibald Ave, N Maple Ave, Randall Ave, Alder Ave, Union Pacific Railroad, Clover Ave, Tamarind Ave, Jurupa Ave, 11th St, and Locust Ave.
The 33rd district takes in San Bernardino, northern Redlands, Bloomington, Highland, Colton, Grand Terrace, Rialto and central Rancho Cucamonga, as well as the census-designated places Bloomington and Muscoy.
Ballotpedia provided information about Pete Aguilar:
Pete Aguilar (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 33rd Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 2025.
Aguilar (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 33rd Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Aguilar was first elected to the seat in 2014, where he defeated Republican Paul Chabot in the general election by a vote of 51.7 percent to 48.3 percent.
In his 2016 re-election, Aguilar defeated Republican Paul Chabot in the general election. California’s 31st Congressional District was rated as safely Democratic in 2016.
Aguilar also ran in 2012 but was defeated in the blanket primary.
Aguilar first entered public service in 2001 as Deputy Director and then Interim Director for the Inland Empire Regional Office of the Governor. He was appointed to Redlands City Council in 2006 and won election the next year. Aguilar previously served as the Mayor of Redlands.
Ballotpedia provided information from Pete Aguilar’s 2014 campaign website:
Building An Economy That’s Strong And Fair: “With one in 10 people in the Inland Empire unable to find work, and many families earning less than they need to afford the basics, strengthening our economy and creating jobs is my top priority. We can do that by building an economy that’s fair to middle-class families and small businesses.”
Improving Public Education: “As a product of public schools and the father of two young boys I know that quality education is vital to our future. In recent years, funding for early childhood education has been slashed, class sizes have ballooned and our teachers face greater challenges than ever. We must improve our public education system at all levels so that every child has the opportunity to succeed.”
A Sound Approach To Energy And The Environment: “As Mayor of Redlands, I’ve fought for more sustainable development and programs to reduce the effects of climate change. I led efforts to encourage greater energy efficiency and conservation, including green buildings and climate-friendly purchasing, and strongly support a new passenger rail line to help reduce heavy traffic and pollution.”
Protecting Our Seniors: “Medicare and Social Security are vital to the health and welfare of older Americans in San Bernardino County and throughout our nation. I will fight tooth and nail to protect and strengthen these programs in Congress.”
Fixing Our Immigration System: “We need comprehensive immigration reform that makes sense for workers, businesses, and families, including a path to citizenship for those who play by the rules and live up to American ideals. This will strengthen our economy and expand our tax base. Notably, the Congressional Budget Office reports that passing immigration reform would cut the federal deficit by $200 billion over the next 10 years.”
Ballotpedia provided information about John Mark Porter:
John Mark Porter (Republican Party) ran for reelection to the U.S. House to represent California’s 33rd Congressional District. Porter lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
John Mark Porter did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Porter’s campaign 2022 website stated the following:
People, freedom, and capitalism, drive our economy. The government is often a powerful actor – so much that it can easily become an impediment to prosperity and individual independence. Governments should remove economic barriers and excessive subsidies that inhibit growth. Inflation will self-correct if the government does not act to make it worse; we created this problem with excessive trillions of dollars of spending and prolonged inhibitions of markets. Our government should be expected to be able to balance a budget, but we have developed an unhealthy expectation of deficits and acceptance of an ever-accumulating national debt.
Violent crime and lawlessness are degrading communities around the country, especially in our big cities. We have the laws already on the books, but are they being properly enforced? We need to give law enforcement the support and resources they need to deter and prevent crime, ensure prosecutors are not neglecting their duty to punish all criminals, and reduce the possibility of chronic repeat offenses by keeping people behind bars who deserve it.
We cannot allow illegal immigration to continue, it degrades sovereignty, creates vulnerability and undermines unity. America has always benefitted from our incredible mix of cultures, ideas, and backgrounds. We should continue to welcome new immigrants from around the world who share our values and commit to contribute to our great American experiment. We can also have a robust foreign worker program with eventual repatriation and protections from exploitation. However, coming to the United States unlawfully as an adult should be disqualification to ever becoming a citizen.
Americans should not be burdened with mask mandates, vaccine mandates, or further shut-downs at this point. The federal and local governments have shown to be incapable of “shutting down” COVID-19. Beyond making vaccines, testing, and treatments available, government intrusion into how we live our lives with this virus should be curtailed. Most of us have moved on from a quarantine mentality to gather, travel, and get back to work; our government should reflect and respect that.
Children should have the opportunity to go to a good school regardless of income level. Parents want a say as to where and when their children are taught. The market for charter schools has increased steadily over the years which suggests an appetite for school choice and the possibility of a robust consumer-driven educational system. I am interested in learning more about these innovative ideas.
Ballotpedia provided information about Rex Gutierrez:
Rex Gutierrez (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 33rd Congressional District. Guiterrez lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Rex Gutierrez was born in Biloxi, Mississippi. Gutierrez’s career experience includes working as an investment executive with PaineWebber.
Rex Gutierrez did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Rex Gutierrez’s 2022 campaign website:
THE ISSUES…..
THE MONEY YOU GAINED FROM STIMULUS CHECKS IS BEING WIPED OUT BY SKYROCKETING PRICES! GASOLINE, FOOD, CARS…. EVERYTHING IS GOING UP. WE MUST FIGHT INFLATION WITH SOUND ECONOMIC POLICIES.
KEEP OUR NEIGHBORHOODS SAFE AND HOME VALUES HIGH BY MAINTAINING AND INCREASING FUNDING FOR POLICE.
STOP FOCUSING ON THE COLOR OF A PERSON’S SKIN – INSTEAD FOCUS ON THE CONTENT OF A PERSON’S CHARACTER.
STOP THIS INSANE DIVIDING OF AMERICA INTO GROUPS: RACES, COLORS, NATIONALITIES, GENDERS, RICH, POOR. WE ARE ONE PEOPLE – ALL AMERICANS. A HOUSE DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF CANNOT STAND!6
SAN BERNARDINO IS A DISCRASE! ERADICATE HOMELESSNESS, CRIME AND DRUGS. FOCUS ON DRUG ADDICTION TREATMENT AND MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT. THE HOMELESS NEED TREATMENT IN SHELTERS, NOT ON THE STREETS!
SECURE OUR BORDERS. SAY ‘NO’ TO THE CARTELS, DRUG PUSHERS AND HUMAN TRAFFICKERS.
REWARD PEOPLE WHO WORK AND CONTRIBUTE, NOT ONLY THOSE WHO TAKE.
SAVE A LOST GENERATION OF YOUNG MEN WHO NEED TO TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FATHERHOOD SERIOUSLY AND BECOME ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS, OR LACK THEREOF
PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH
CUT TAXES, REGULATIONS, AND EXCESSIVE SPENDING
SUPPORT SMALL, FAMILY BUSINESSES – THE BACKBONE OF OUR ECONOMY.
EXPAND (AND EXPLODE) ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL!
I DO NOT BELEIVE IN DEFUNDING THE POLICE
I believe in keeping the 10 Commandments and the Golden Rile. I believe in non-violent protest. You can’t destroy other people’s property by looting, plundering and setting another’s property on fire. We need morality and common decency. MURDER RATES ARE JUMPING HIGHER! When bad actors are looting and robbing all over our cities, the police cannot respond to our calls. With fewer police and longer response times, we need our 2nd Amendment right to bear arms to protect our families and our property. I do NOT support defunding the police. We need MORE police. Want to keep your home values high? then KEEP YOUR COMMUNITY SAFE! I do NOT believe in gun control. When our right to bear arms is taken away, only the criminals will have access to guns.
RACISM HAS NO PLACE IN AMERICA
Racism is wrong. But I do NOT believe America is a racist nation. We have come a long, long way in the fight for equality and fair opportunity for all. There are still racist people out there. Too bad! Don’t give them the underserved credit. Unfortunately, there will always be stupid people. But they are few. That’s not your problem. Be the best person you can be. Martin Luther King asked us to judge others by the CONTENT OF THEIR CHARACTER, NOT THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN. I am SICK of identity politics and this silly obsession with race and color. I am colorblind. I don’t care about color. Don’t let the politicians divide us.
MEDICARE FOR ALL?
Giving Medicare to every human in our country isn’t feasible, and will destroy Medicare for those who need it most – those over 65 and the disabled.
NATIONAL DEFENSE
I believe in PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH. When you are King of the hill, your enemies are less likely to threaten you. It’s easier to defend the hill when you sit atop of it.
(NOTE: skipping ahead a little bit)
THE SANCTITY OF LIFE – WE CAN DO BETTER!
“For can a woman forget her suckling child? That she should not have compassion on the son of her womb?” The unborn child is entitled to sanctuary while vulnerable in the womb of its mother. Violence against the unborn is a terrible tragedy. Too many pregnancies are the result of bad decisions by two people. They are not the fault of the child. Inconvenience is a poor excuse to kill an unborn child. We need tougher policies that would require men to take financial responsibility for the pregnancies they cause, and policies that support young women to bring these little ones into the word. I believe in freedom, but not the freedom to take human life…
Ballotpedia provided information about Ernest Richter:
Ernest Richter (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 33rd Congressional District. Richter lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
May 2022: Los Angeles Times (via Yahoo! News) posted an article titled: “How the mayor of a small Inland Empire town because one of Congress’s most powerful Democrats”. From the article:
Rep. Pete Aguilar felt the threat rising.
As the House prepared to continue to confirm Joe Biden as the nation’s president on January 6, 2021, and put an end to Donald Trump’s false claim that the election was rigged, Agular had a great view of the doors Capitol security would barricade to ward off the rioting insurrectionists.
Just before he left the chamber floor and fled for safety with the rest of the House leadership, Aguilar scratched a little red notebook he had picked up on a trip to Peru something that many members and congressional staff felt that day.
“I’m a little scared.”
The Yucaipa native already was a rising star in the Democratic Party and climbing up the leadership ranks. That infamous day supercharged his assent, first with an appointment to the House committee formed to investigate the attack on the Capitol and then with his election as chair of the House Democratic Caucus. Aguilar is now the third-highest-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives.
How the former Redlands mayor became Congress’ highest-ranking Latino stems from why then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi chose him for the Jan. 6 committee, which lead one of the highest-profile inquiries since the Watergate scandal took down President Nixon. Friends and foes alike note his tranquil demeanor, openness to differing viewpoints, and reputation for offering counsel of colleagues expressing complaints, concerns and compliments.
Partially because of his demeanor and the decidedly moderate part of the state he represents, Aguilar is far from an ideological warrior ducking it out over culture-war issues. Instead, he’s part of a House coalition known for its pro-business bend and recently was the highest ranking Democrat to join Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) for a meeting with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley…
…Along with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), Aguilar is part of a newer, younger vanguard of Democratic leaders who replaced septuagenarian and octogenarian counterparts…
Ballotpedia posted the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 33:
Pete Aguilar (D): 59.9% – 40,484 votes
John Mark Porter (R): 17.6% – 11,899 votes
Rex Gutierrez (R): 15.3% – 10,360 votes
Ernest Richter (R): 7.1% – 4,795 votes
Ballotpedia posted the results of the General election for U.S. House California District 33:
Pete Aguilar (D): 57.7% – 30,949 votes
John Mark Porter (R): 42.3% – 22,695 votes
November 30: NBCNews posted an article titled: “Pete Aguilar, No. 3 Democrat in the House, makes history as he aims to keep the party ‘united'” From the article:
Rep. Pete Aguilar, a California Democrat, is taking on the highest-level job ever held by a Latino in the House, the party’s No. 3 position, with a promise that his party will take back the majority in 2024.
Aguilar was elected by his colleagues Wednesday to serve in the next Congress as chair of the House Democratic Caucus, a role bumped up to No. 3 position in the House leadership, from No. 4. Aguilar, 43, has been serving as caucus vice chair…
…Aguilar’s job will be to help steer the House Democrats, now in the minority, as they try to push their legislative promises, keeping members united on issues, conveying the party message and working to take back the majority in 2024. Messaging is an issue that Democrats were seen to struggle with in recent elections.
“We are going to do everything we can to stay united, to lower the cost of prescription drugs for Americans, lower everyday costs at the pump. Those are the things the House Democratic Caucus is going to stand for, as well as implementing the legislation we’ve already passed, bipartisan infrastructure bill to create good paying jobs in our communities,” he said.
Aguilar said if they can do that and stay united and focused, “we’re not going to be in the minority long. The path is in front of use for the majority in 2024.”…
California’s 34th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 34th Congressional District:
California’s 34th congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in California. Located in Los Angeles County, the district is represented by Democrat Jimmy Gomez. Its previous U.S. representative, Democrat Xavier Becerra of Los Angeles, resigned January 24, 2017, to become the attorney general of California. Representative Gomez won a special election on June 6, 2017, beating fellow Democrat Robert Lee Ann to replace Becerra. He was later sworn in as the district’s U.S. representative on July 11, 2017.
The district is almost entirely within the City of Los Angeles and includes the following neighborhoods in Central, East, and Northeast Los Angeles: Boyle Heights, Chinatown, City Terrace, Cypress Park, Downtown Los Angeles, Eagle Rock, El Sereno, Garvanza, Glassell Park, Highland Park, Koreatown, Little Bangladesh, Little Tokyo, Lincoln Heights, Montecito Heights, Monterey Hills, Mount Washington, and Westlake.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 34th congressional district is located in Southern California. The district is entirely within the city of Los Angeles.
Los Angeles County is split between this district, the 28th district, the 30th district, the 37th district, and the 42nd district. The 34th and 28th are partitioned by Colorado Blvd, Lantana Dr, Church St, Adelaide Pl, Highway 110, N Huntington Dr, S Winchester Ave, Valley Blvd, Laguna Channel, Highway 710, I-10 Express Ln, Rollins Dr, Floral Dr, E Colonia, Belvedere Park, Highway 60, S Atlantic Blvd, and Pomona road.
The 34th, 37th, and 30th are partitioned by S Alameda St, Harbor Freeway, Highway 10, S Normandie Ave, W Pico Blvd, Crenshaw Blvd, Wilshire Blvd, S Van Ness Ave, S Wilton Pl, N Wilton Pl, Beverly Blvd, N Western Melrose Ave, Hollywood Freeway, Douglas St, Lilac Ter, N Boylston St, Academy Rd, Pasadena Freeway, Highway 5, Duvall St, Black Ave, Fernleaf St, Crystal St, Blake Ave, Meadowvale Ave, Glendale Freeway, Roswell St, Delay Dr, Fletcher Dr, Southern Pacific Railroad, S Glendale Ave, Vista Superba Dr, Verdugo Rd, Plumas St, Carr Park, Harvey Dr, and Eagle Rock Hillside Park.
The 34th, 38th and 42nd are partitioned by S Gerhart Ave, Simmons Ave, Dewar Ave, W Beverly Blvd, Repetto Ave, Allston St, S Concourse Ave, Ferguson Dr, Simmons Ave/S Gerhart Ave, Highway 72, Goodrich Blvd, Telegraph Rd, S Marianna Ave, Noakes St, S Bonnie Beach Pl, Union Pacific Railroad, S Indiana St, Union Pacific Railroad, Holabird Ave, S Grande Vista Ave, AT & SF Railway, Harriet St, and E 25 St. The 34th district takes in the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Boyle Heights, Lincoln Heights, Naud Junction, El Sereno, Highland Park, Glasswell Park, Mount Washington, Eagle Rock, and Garvanza, as well as the census-designated place East Los Angeles.
Ballotpedia provided information on Jimmy Gomez
Jimmy Gomez (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 34th Congressional District. He assumed office on July 11, 2017. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Gomez (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 34th Congressional District. He won the election on November 8, 2022.
Gomez was first elected to the seat in 2017. The election replaced Xavier Becerra (D), who was appointed as California’s attorney general. Gomez won re-election to the seat in 2018, defeating Green Party candidate Kenneth Mejia in the general election by a vote of 72.5 percent to 27.5 percent.
Gomez represented District 51 in the California State Assembly from 2012 to 2017. He served as State Assembly Majority Whip from 2013 to 2014.
Gomez earned his B.A. in political science from University California, Los Angeles and his master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Gomez is the political director for United Nurses Associations of California.
Jimmy Gomez did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. He did complete Ballotpedia’s 2020 Candidate Connection survey. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am the son of two hard-working immigrants from Mexico and am so proud of my parents and the challenges they overcame to give their children a better life. Their example guides me every day as a member of the United States Congress. As a working-class progressive, I am helping lead a new generation of Democrats, fighting for and delivering change. That’s why I have stood up to Trump to protect all who are threatened by his agenda of fear and division. It is why I fight for affordable health care for everyone and have worked to help those who have become sick or lost their jobs because of COVID-19. I owe it to my family and community.
I am a co-sponsor of the Green New Deal, Medicare for All, the Rent Relief Act, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, and the American Dream and Promise Act. In Congress, I have been leading efforts to expose corruption in the Trump Administration, and to eliminate police abuse. That’s why I have been endorsed by Vice President Joe Biden, the Sierra Club, Planned Parenthood, the Congressional Progressive Caucus, End Citizens United, and most recently, Bernie Sanders’ Our Revolution.
I am the son of two hardworking immigrants from Mexico and am proud of my parents and the challenges they overcame to give their children a better life. Their example guides me every day as a member of the United States Congress.
As a working-class progressive, I am helping to lead a new generation of Democrats, fighting for and delivering change.
That’s why I have stood up to Trump to protect all who are threatened by his agenda of fear and division. It is why I fight for affordable health care for everyone and have worked to help those who have become sick or lost their jobs because of COVID-19. I owe it to my family and community.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Healthcare / Medicare for All: I have been a cosponsor of the Medicare for All Act since I got elected in 2017, and am a founding member of the Medicare for All Caucus. I grew up without health insurance and know first-hand the burden a family experiences when they don’t have access to quality affordable healthcare. I don’t want anyone to go through what my family went through. That’s why I am fighting with Senator Bernie Sanders and the Progressive Caucus to make Medicare for All a reality. I am the only candidate endorsed by the United Nurses Associations of California and the National Union of Healthcare Workers.
Combatting Climate Change & the Green New Deal: I believe that climate change poses an existential threat to humanity and that bold legislative actions are required to reverse the environmental, health, and economic damage caused by global warming. I am a cosponsor of the Green New Deal with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Additionally, in Congress, I helped secure over $300 million to clean up a polluted river in California and sponsored the Climate Solutions Act of 2019 to reduce green gas emissions and transition to a 100 percent renewable energy future by 2035. I am an environmental champion and received the Green Leadership Award for “bold environmental leadership” from Green California, and I am endorsed by the Sierra Club.
Ending Police Brutality & Criminal Justice Reform: I believe ending police brutality and criminal justice reform must be a top priority for Congress. I am a cosponsor of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act (H.R. 7120). This bill will hold police officers and departments accountable, increase transparency, make structural changes to our justice system, ban chokeholds and eliminate qualified immunity. As a member of the Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Subcommittee, I am leading efforts to investigate and expose aggressive policing tactics committed by “cliques” of affiliated deputies within the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. I am endorsed by Representative Karen Bass, Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Immigration Reform: As a son of immigrants, I know that immigration and diversity contributes to the fabric of this country and makes us better. That’s why I have fought against Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda, including efforts to ban immigrants based on religion, splitting up families to deport parents of U.S. citizens and separating families at the border.
In Congress, I was only 1 of 19 Democrats who voted against legislation to fund Donald Trump’s border wall, his demand for more detention beds, and increased funding for ICE. I support banning the use of private prisons by ICE and co-sponsored the Justice is Not For Sale Act by Rep Raul Grijalva to do just that. I am also fighting to allow unannounced visits by Members of Congress to ICE and Custom Border Patrol Facilities to provide greater oversight and accountability.
I will always stand up and fight for all of us by protecting immigrants through the passage of the Dream and Promise Act, implementing comprehensive immigration reform that keeps families together, and bringing undocumented persons out of the shadows with a path to citizenship. I am the only candidate endorsed by the United Farm Workers of American, and Civil Rights Leader Dolores Huerta.
Ballotpedia provided information about David Kim:
David Kim (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 34th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
David Kim was born in Sierra Vista, Arizona. Kim earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of California at Berkeley in 2006 and a Juris Doctor from the Yeshiva University Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 2010. His career experience includes working as an immigration litigation attorney and a juvenile dependency attorney and founding The Hollywood Lawyer. Kim has served on the MacArthur Park Neighborhood Council and has been a member of the Los Angeles Tenants Union.
David Kim completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey for 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
As a son of immigrants and as a community organizer, I am an attorney who has worked in a wide range of fields, all tied to seeking justice for those less fortunate. I have served as an elected neighborhood council board member who was privileged to serve the needs of my people. I have investigated corruption, worked on labor cases, defended the most vulnerable parents in Los Angeles County from having their children removed from them in children’s court, and, in my current job as an immigration attorney, defended those whose only “crime” is wanting to be American. Through my experience working multiple jobs to make ends meet and serving as an activist, elected neighborhood council board member and legal advocate, I understand our community’s financial suffering and empathize with people experiencing hardship.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Everyone deserves the right to live, to have housing, to have healthcare, to have a sustainable job, to have money to pay for food and basic expenses, to legally live here and work, to apply for U.S. permanent residency/ citizenship, to have responsive representation by their government leaders and to be fairly treated despite skin color, race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and religion.
None of us should feel like the floor can be ripped out from under us. All of us should be able to pursue our dreams and truly live the one life we’ve been given, and be able to fully experience and live life, not just survive it. If the government is suppose to be of, for and by the people, then its priority should be to allow us, the people, to THRIVE.
With the 2022 campaign in CA-34, we have a chance to help uplift everyone in our communities. In November 2020, our 100% people-powered grassroots campaign came close to winning with 47.1 of the total votes cast in the General Election for CA34’s congressional seat despite going up against an incumbent who raised 10x more money by pocketing more corporate PAC and special interest money than a majority of members in Congress. It’s clear that people in our district want and need transformative change, but that transformative change won’t happen if we continue re-electing the same career politicians. It’s time to put an end to the corporate influence of politics.
Ballotpedia provided information about Clifton Rio Torrado VonBuck:
Clifton Rio Torrado VonBuck (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 34th Congressional District. Torrado VonBuck lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Clifton Rio Torrado VonBuck’s career experience includes owning a business.
Ballotpedia posted results from the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 34:
Jimmy Gomez (D): 50.7% – 45,376 votes
David Kim (D): 39.0% – 34,921 votes
Clifton Rio Torrado VonBuck (R): 10.2% – 9,150 votes
October 26: The Occidental posted an article titled: ‘Chosen’ documentary brings eyes to the story of David Kim, a CA-34 candidate” From the article:
“Chosen” is a documentary featuring five Korean Americans, with varied backgrounds and beliefs, who ran for U.S. Congress in 2020. Before the 2020 election, only two Korean Americans had been elected to the U.S. Congress since 1903.
“Chosen” focuses on attorney David Kim, who runs to represent California’s 34th District in the House of Representatives – CA-34 includes neighborhoods such as Eagle Rock, Highland Park, Downtown LA and Koreatown. Kim lost his race in the 2020 election, but he is currently campaigning again for the same position against the CA-34 incumbent, Jimmy Gomez.
“Chosen” screened at Oxy Arts Oct. 20 and there was also a Q&A after the screening with Kim. The director of “Chosen,” Joseph John, said Kim signifies many different tension points that are complex in nature within the Korean American community.
“Some of which include maybe intergenerational tension,” Juhn said. “Also, I think he represents the ideological tension, religious tension and, most importantly, LGBTQ tension – how people of the queer community are shunned in a very conservative evangelical Christian community.
Kim said he came out as gay to his conservative parents in February 2019, and he did not talk to his parents for 20 months after that because it became so toxic.
“It was super traumatic,” Kim said. “My mom said to me during that traumatic ‘How can you do this to me? Why are you taking vengeance on us by being gay? What did I do to you?’ And I remember her saying those words and weeping so heavily because it was the end of the world for her.”
The 20 months of silence ended, Kim said, because he did not want his mom to hear that he was running for Congress from someone else..
November 2: Los Angeles Times posted an article titled: “A battle over who is the true progressive defines L.A. congressional race” From the article:
As the recording of a racist conversation between Los Angeles labor and political leaders plunged the city into a political crisis unlike any other, David Kim and Jimmy Gomez took different paths.
Gomez, an incumbent congressman, sat next to mayoral candidate Rep. Karen Bass and former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa at a room at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, calling for unity.
Kim, an immigration and child dependency attorney running against Gomez, stood in a crowd of protestors in front of city hall. With profanity, he decried how special interests are corrupting the city and called for continued demonstrations.
“We need a moral revolution in Los Angeles,” Kim yelled, holding a microphone. In the leaked conversation, Latino leaders mocked people in racist terms and plotted to undermine Black political power.
Whether Gomez or Kim prevails in the midterm election, California’s 34th Congressional District, which includes Koreatown, downtown L.A., Eagle Rock and Boyle Heights, will have a Democratic congressman.
What the election – a rematch of the 2020 race that Gomez won by 6% – comes down to a battle of what it means to be a progressive and what style of politics voters prefer…
…To avoid being the first incumbent Democratic congress member to lost to a same-party challenger in Southern California in 10 years, Gomez, 47, must persuade enough voters that working inside the party is still effective. To pull off a win, his rival, Kim, 38, must sell enough voters across racial lines on “co-governing” with activists.
Last month, Kim was endorsed by Eunisses Hernandez, a community activist who has called for abolishing the police and who unseated Councilmember Gil Cedilloin June. Kim has put up billboards showing him with Hernandez…
…The district is majority Hispanic – once home to Edward R. Roybal and Xavier Becerra, two well-known Latino politicians – but has a sizable and influential Asian American and white population. About 80% of the districts homes are valued at more than $500,000 and about 20% are valued with more than $1 million.
Nearly 80% of the district’s residents are renters. Roughly 20% live in poverty…
Ballotpedia provide result of the General Election for U.S. House California District 34:
Jimmy Gomez: (D): 51.2% – 62,049 votes
David Kim: (D): 48.8% – 59,025 votes
November 19: ABC News posted an article titled: “Democratic U.S. Rep. Gomez triumphs in California district” From the article:
Democratic U.S. Rep. Jimmy Gomez defeated rival Democrat David Kim on Saturday in a Los Angeles district after a battle on the party’s progressive flank.
With nearly all the ballots counted, Gomez had 51.3% to 48.7% for Kim, or a margin of about 3,000 votes.
The race was a rematch from 2020 when Gomez defeated Kim, an immigration lawyer. Under California’s primary rules, only the top two finishers advance to the November election, which set up the fight between two Democrats.
The heavily Democratic 34th District is a diverse, urban mishmash of neighborhoods that cuts across income, racial and ethnic groups. It includes Downtown Los Angeles, Koreatown, and heavily Latino Boyle Heights.
Fewer than 1 in 10 voters in the district are Republicans, over 60% are Democrats and most of the remainder are independents who lean Democratic.
Earlier this week, Republicans regained overall control of the House by reaching the 218 seat threshold for a majority. The outcome in the Los Angeles district doesn’t sway the balance of control since both candidates were Democrats.
Counting is not yet finished in a handful of other undecided races.
California’s 35th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 35th congressional district:
California’s 35th congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in California. The district is currently represented by Democrat Norma Torres.
The district is based in the Inland Empire, including the communities of Chino, Eastvale, Fontana, Montclair, Ontario, Pomona, Rancho Cucamonga, and Upland.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 35th congressional district is located in Southern California, with the Inland Empire. The district covers east Los Angeles County, southwest San Bernardino County, and a small part of riverside county.
Los Angeles County is split between this district, the 28th district, and the 31st district. They are partitioned by Highway 60, Phillips Ranch Rd, E Village Loop Rd, Quail Creek Ln, Falcon Ridge Dr, Hidden Valley Rd, Cliff Dr, Willowbrook Ln, Westbrook Ln, La Sierra Dr, Avenida Rancheros, Rancheros Navato Dr, Serra Dr, Alta Mira Pl, Rancho Laguna Dr, W Mission Blvd, W Temple Ave, Pomona Blvd, Valley Blvd, San Bernardino Freeway, Walnut City Parkland, San Bernardino Freeway, Fairplex Dr, Via Verde, Puddingstone Reservoir, McKinley Ave, N Whittle Ave, Arrow Highway, Fulton Rd, Foothill Blvd, Towne Ave, Harrison Ave, Carnegie Ave, W Arrow Highway, Mountain Ave, and E American Ave. The 35th district takes the city of Pomona.
San Bernardino County is split between this district, the 28th district, the 33rd district, and the 40th district. The 35th, 28th, and 33rd are partitioned by W 16th St, E 15th St, Grove Ave, Foothill Blvd, Vineyard Blvd, San Bernardino Rd, Orangewood Dr, Estancia St, Lion St, Highway 66, Helms Ave, Hampshire St, Archibald Ave, N Maple Ave, S Maple Ave, Randall Ave, Alder Ave, Union Pacific Railroad, Slover Ave, Tamarind Ave, Jurupa Ave, 11th St, Hazelwood Dr, Pipeline Ave, Los Serranos Blvd, Country Club Dr, Soquel Canyon Parkway, Elinvar Dr, Sapphire Rd, Onyx Rd, Slate Dr, Butterfield Ranch Rd, Pine Ave, and Chino Valley Freeway. The 35th district takes in Chino, Montclair, Ontario, and the south sides of Rancho Cucamonga, Fontana and Upland, as well as the Los Serranos neighborhood of Chino Hills.
Riverside County is split between this district and the 41st district. They are partitioned by Chino Creek, Santa Ana River, Chandler St, Archibald Ave, Schleisman Rd, Scholar Way, Citrus Way, Hamner Ave, Corona Freeway, and E Philadelphia St. The 35th district takes in the north side of Eastvale.
Ballotpedia provided information about Norma Torres
Norma Torres (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 35th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2015. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Torres (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 35th Congressional District. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Torres defeated Christian Valente (R) in the 2018 general election by a vote of 69.4 percent to 30.6 percent.
Torres represented District 32 in the California State Senate from 2013 to 2024. She previously served in the California State Assembly from 2008 to 2013.
Legislative scorecard
Capitol Weekly, California’s major weekly periodical covering the state legislature, publishes an annual scorecard to pin down the political or ideological leanings of every member of the legislature based on how they voted on an assortment of bills in the most recent legislative session. The 2009 scores were based on 19 bills, but did not include how legislators voted on the Proposition 1A (2009). On the scorecard, “100”, is a perfect liberal score and “0” is a perfect conservative score.
On the 2009 Capitol Weekly legislative scorecard, Torres ranked as an 85.
Norma Torres did not fill out ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided the following from Norma Torres’s website:
COVID-19 Relief: Delivering Relief Throughout This Pandemic
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Congresswoman Torres has worked to ensure the needs of Inland Empire families are prioritized in federal stimulus packages. She championed key food assistance, rent relief, unemployment and small business assistance, and direct payment provisions in the CARES Act and American Rescue Plan. She continues to collaborate with the Biden-Harris administration to help our community recover from this once-in-a-generation public health crisis.
To date, Congresswoman Torres has secured over $3 billion in COVID-19 relief for the Inland Empire.
Health Care is a Human Right
Congresswoman Torres strongly believes that health care is a human right. The United States is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, and no one should go without affordable and comprehensive health insurance. During her tenure in Congress, she has fought to strengthen the Affordable Care Act, expand community health centers in the Inland Empire, and eliminate the barriers preventing Americans from accessing the care they deserve.
Closing the Gender Gap
When women get ahead, America thrives. As the only woman of Central American descent in Congress, Congresswoman Torres champions legislative solutions to make equal pay for equal work a reality and protect a woman’s right to her own reproductive health care. Currently, she is focused on lowering the cost of child care, empowering women in the workplace, and making our government look like those it represents.
Serving Our Nation’s Veterans
As the mother of an Air Force veteran, Congresswoman Torres’ priority in Congress is serving those who so courageously served us. From assisting our local veterans receive the benefits they’re owed to expanding their access to education and health care, she is dedicated to improving available resources for current and former servicemembers…
Ballotpedia provided information about Mike Cargile
Mike Cargile (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 35th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Mike Cargile was born in Fort Hood, Texas. Cargile served in the U.S. Army from 1990 to 1991. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Columbus State University in 1987. Cargill’s career experience includes working as the president of Big Event Pictures, a filmmaker, and a crossing guard. He has been a CYAA coach and a booster club parent.
Mike Cargile completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am Pro-God, Pro-Family, Pro-Jobs, Pro-Law enforcement and always America First!
As an Army veteran, businessman, filmmaker, father, and a Christian, I see great potential for the communities of our district.
But at a time when our educators have abandoned our children, our doctors have violated their oaths and our political leadership are shredding our Constitutional Rights on a daily basis, we need someone to stand against this Communist onslaught.
We need an advocate to protect our families, our jobs and our communities.
We need an advocate to protect our families, our jobs and our communities. We just want to go back to our jobs and schools without restrictions. We want our lives to return to normal!
The cost of our gas is the highest in history, our store shelves are increasingly bare, homelessness, drugs and crime plague our neighborhoods. Our children have lost precious classroom time, and many small businesses have closed because of mistaken COVID policies.
We need a representative who will support law enforcement and make our District safe and prosperous again. We need a representative who understands our problems and has solutions for them.
This district is where my wife and I have raised our kids. This is our home. We have invested our lives here. Our church family is here. I want all of us to feel safe and secure. Our God given rights are not negotiable. This is the time for choosing. Will it be freedom and opportunity or fear and hate?
Please allow me to represent our communities in Congress.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
We must have fair and transparent elections. This issue is the cornerstone of our Republic. https://www.cargileforcongres/voter-fraud
I am “The Family Man”. Support for the nuclear family unit is the cornerstone of our society. https://www.cargileforcongress.com/family
Jobs, jobs, jobs! The solution to our economy is, and has always been, lower taxes, less fess and fewer government regulations. https://www.cargileforcongress.com/jobs-and-economy
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
IMMIGRATION – We need a new plan. The Cargile Plan. Please take a moment and review it here: https://www.cargileforcongress.com/immigration
LAW ENFORCEMENT – I will always DEFEND the police and will never support DEFUNDING them! https://www.cargileforcongress.com/safety
Ballotpedia provided information about Rafael Carcamo
Rafael Carcamo (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 35th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Rafael Carcamo was born in Managua, Nicaragua. Carcamo’s career experience includes working as a family practice physician.
Rafael Carcamo completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022.
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Dr. Rafael Carcamo, a life dedicated to HEALTH. Dr. Rafael Carcamo is a family physician who has practiced in Inland Empire, California, since 2001. Dr. Carcamo is governed by a comprehensive philosophy based on the fact that physical, emotional and financial well-being are fundamental principles for a healthy community. Both in his professional practice and in his civic commitment, Dr. Carcamo has had the constant company and support of his wife Cecilia, with whom he has been married for 29 years, and his daughters, Mara and Mia. His wife and daughters share Dr. Carcamo’s dream of helping his patients and fellow citizens be productive, provide for their families, and promote a free and democratic society. Dr. Carcamo is a graduate of the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, receiving a doctorate in medicine and surgery. Upon leaving Nicaragua in 1992, Dr. Carcamo arrived in Pomona, California, where he worked and studied at the United States Medical Licensing Examinations (USMLE). After passing the three stages of the USMLE examinations, Dr. Carcamo did his residency from 1997 to 2001 at Hospital Regional de Cagua and at Hospital de la Universidad Ramón Ruiz in Puerto Rico. Dr. Carcamo returned to the Inland Empire, and began his family practice in Azusa, California. Since then he has cared for thousands of patients and their families. In addition to his Azusa practice, Dr. Carcamo opened another in Pomona which he later transferred to La Puente.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Economic Growth and Lower Taxes: I will introduce and support legislative actions that strengthen and promote a healthy, vigorous, and sustainable economy predicated on growth, including lowering taxes for our families and small businesses.
Standing up for parents and School Choice, returning state dollars and local power to Parents giving them the ultimate say as to where a child goes to school.
Security: As your representative in Congress, I will seek to obtain federal funding and grants that support our local law enforcement agencies.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Creating pathways for better health that leads to more prosperity. Developing health programs that will keep our citizens and Veterans healthy and strong and lower health costs, while being respectful of the basic principles of individual freedom and democracy.
Ballotpedia provided information about Bob Erbst
Bob Erbst (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 35th Congressional District. Erbst lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Bob Erbst’s career experience includes working as a world history teacher.
Bob Erbst did not complete Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Erbst’s campaign website.
Platform
Border Security:
Bob believes America deserves a secure border which eliminates Human Trafficking and Fentanyl importation. He also supports the need for common sense immigration policy that rewards people who follow our laws, coupled with a refugee policy that safely expands our citizenry.
Energy:
Bob believes that Americans deserve policies that enrich America through good paying energy sector careers thereby assisting friendly nations in supplying energy to America and avoiding dependence on Russia and OPEC. He believes we must continue improving our Green Energy technology and continue to strive to manufacture wind and solar technology here in the USA.
Education:
Bob believes that parents deserve an education policy that stresses rigor in the classroom. He believes education is a team sport, and that schools should focus on education that meets the needs of the students and the community. He also believes we must reward, attract, and retain good teachers who are the backbone of education. Furthermore, we must respect these educators and work to eliminate the restraints that unions and school districts place upon them.
Police funding:
Bob believes that the Government’s main job is the protection of ALL its citizens. Consequently, he asserts that police need more tools and training to continue to preform the difficult tasks we demand of them.
Government:
Bob believes that the pandemic enlightened and reminded us of how governments of the past have used fear and power to eliminate the rights & freedoms of their citizens. It is his belief that to lose members of the military, firefighters, and teachers due to mandates only weakens America.
Ballotpedia provided information about Lloyd Stevens:
Lloyd Stevens (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 35th Congressional District. Stevens lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Lloyd Stevens’ career experience includes working as a system analyst.
January 13: Newswires posted a press release titled: “U.S. CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE DISCOVERS NEW TECHNOLOGY TO END THE PANDEMIC” From the press release:
Mike Cargile (California District 35), has discovered within his district, a company with a solution to effectively end the pandemic around the globe.
While campaigning, Mike encountered ClearWorldUSA, a company with a unique technology (ClearCloud) to deploy, in aerosol form, a saltwater solution (HOCL) that kills the Covid virus in under a minute. This non-toxic liquid is organic, is 100x more effective than bleach, is harmless to people, and can be used against a host of other harmful virus and bacteria.
Mike Cargile believes “Our immediate focus should be on covering schools, hospitals and first responders. This should happen quickly since our National and State governments have already designated billions and billions to this end.”
get ahead of whatever is unleashed next.”
Cagile urges all Federal and State leaders to “Please, let us put aside the rancor of partisan politics and galvanize the might of US manufacturing behind a global effort to end the pandemic.”
Cargile plans to pursue a further expansion of our USMCA Agreement in this fight. “I would like to invite all of our Central American neighbors to join us in this historic effort as well. The greatest security measure we can ever have at our Southern border would be a safe, successful and self-reliant Mexico and Central America. I would love to see our USMCA Agreement become our USMCAC Agreement.”
Mike Cargile is a Congressional Candidate for California’s 35th District running against Rep. Norma Torres…
April 24: Patriots For Freedom Endorse Mike Cargile – from the post:
Today, April 24, 2022, Patriots for Freedom PAC announced its official endorsement of Mike Cargile for the 35th Congressional District.
Mike Cargile’s background in community involvement from coaching, film industry, a Ways and Means Chairman and deacon at his church. Mike has always been at the ground level to witness the rapid changes within our school system, government shifts and the over taxation it was creating.
Mike Cargile has is a husband, father and family man. Family is the most important to him. He is a devout Christian who is pro-life, law enforcement and is involved in election integrity. He has been extremely important within the grassroots movement. He actively provides podcasts that inform his community about unlawful bills, regulations and what actions are being taken to stop or remove them. Mike also joined forces to sue Gavin Newsom for his unconstitutional overreach and stripping away our freedoms and rights.
Mike’s key issues: jobs, and the economy, safe neighborhoods, lower taxes, election integrity, education, seniors and healthcare, veterans, life, 1st and 2nd Amendment, border crisis and has a resolution for immigration. Mike Cargile also signed the “Death Tax Pledge” October 5, 2020.
Patriots for Freedom is proud to endorse Mike Cargile for the 35th Congressional District in California. PFF has complete confidence in his ability to respect and work for his community to protect the rights of the unborn and born, protect full parental rights, fight against tyranny and government overreach…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan Primary for U.S. House California District 35:
Norma Torres (D): 53.7% – 33,921 votes
Mike Cargile (R): 24.6% – 16,151 votes
Rafael Carcamo (R): 11.3% – 7,156 votes
Bob Erbst (R): 5.1% – 2,756 votes
June 9: SFGATE posted an article titled: Multiple QAnon candidates on verge of advancing in California primary election” From the article:
Three separate California congressional candidates who have voiced support for the long-debunked QAnon conspiracy theory are on the verge of advancing to November’s general election.
None of the primary races have been called by the Associated Press, but as of 9:30 a.m. Thursday, all three were in second place behind Democratic incumbents.
Two of the three Republican candidates – Alison Hayden and Mike Cargile – advanced in the 2020 general election as well, but lost to their Democratic opponents. The third, Omar Navarro, lost in the 2020 primary but was a general election candidate in 2016 and 2018. Hayden, Cargile and Navarro are running against the same Democratic opponents from 2020, although the districts look slightly different following the redistricting process after the 2020 census.
The good news for voters who would prefer that they not be represented by a QAnon fan is that the three districts in question are still deeply Democratic, meaning that Hayden, Navarro and Cargile are likely to get trounced again. Neither the national nor California Republican parties have endorsed any of the three, with Cargile even boasting in his Twitter bio, “Mike is the only candidate in the nation who was actually UN-ENDORSED by the Republican Party in the 2020 General Election for being TOO CONSERVATIVE!”
Cargile is running in California’s 35th District against incumbent Norma Torres. Results as of Thursday morning show Torres in first place with 55% of the vote, and Cargile in second with 22.9%. The next-closest candidate is at 11.8%…
…According to screenshots from Media Matters for America, Cargile has retweeted a popular QAnon slogan and replied “Absolutely!!!!!” to a user who wrote it is “time to get On Board” with QAnon. In the lead-up to the 2022 primary, his Twitter feed was considerably less Q-heavy, but he did baselessly allege widespread election fraud in California. Beyond QAnon and election denialism, he has other controversies.
Ballotpedia provided the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 35:
Norma Torres (D): 56.2% – 43,052 votes
Mike Cargile (R): 43.8% – 33,602 votes
California’s 36th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 36th Congressional District:
California’s 36th congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in California. The 36th district is located primarily in the South Bay and Westside regions of Los Angeles. It takes in the cities of Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, the west side of Culver City, Hermosa Beach, Rancho Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills Estates, El Segundo, Lomita, Manhattan Beach, and the west side of Torrance, as well as the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Venice, Playa del Rey, Palms, Cheviot Hills, Westwood Village, West Los Angeles, Mar Vista, Westchester, Marina Peninsula, and west side Harbor City.
The district is represented by Democrat Ted Lieu.
Los Angeles County is split between this district, the 32nd district, the 30th district, the 37th district, the 43rd district, and the 44th district. The 36th and 32nd are partitioned by Adelaide Dr, 602 Kingman Dr-800 Woodacres Rd, The Riviera Country Club, 26th St, Montana Ave, S Bristol Ave, Wellesley Ave/Centinela Ave, 1009 Centinela Ave/1165Centinela Ave, Highway 2, Butler Ave, Purdue Ave, Cotner Ave, Pontius Ave, Santa Monica Blvd, Glendon Ave, Malcolm Ave, Wilshire Blvd, Veteran Ave, W Sunset Blvd, Tower Rd, Franklin Canyon Reservoir, Lago Vista Dr, Monte Cielo Dr, 1280 Coldwater Canyon Dr-1210 Coldwater Canyon Dr, Greystone Park, Ridgecrest Dr, Schuyler Rd, Cherokee Ln, Loma Vista Dr, 400 N Evelyn Pl-1966 Carla Ridge, Ridgemont Dr, Crescent Dr, 410 Martin Ln-1016 N Hillcrest Rd, Sierra Mar Dr, and La Collin Dr.
The 36th, 30th and 37th are partitioned by Phyllis Ave, N Doheny Dr, N Oakhurst Dr, Burton Way, N Robertson Blvd, 8733 Clifton Way-201 S Le Doux Rd, N San Vicente Blvd, La Cienga Park, S Le Doux Rd, Gregory Way, S Robertson Blvd, Whitworth Dr, Beverly Green Dr, 1271 Beverly Green Dr-1333 Beverly Green Dr, Heath Ave, S Moreno Dr, Highway 2, Century Park W, W Pico Blvd, Patricia Ave, Lorenzo Pl, Monte Mar Dr, Beverwill Dr, Castle Heights Ave, Club Dr, McConnell Dr, National Blvd, Palms Blvd, Overland Ave, Venice Blvd, Highway 405, W Havelock Ave, S St Nicholas Ave, Ballona Creek, and Centinela Creek Channel.
The 36th, 43rd and 44th are partitioned by W Florence Ave, Arbor Vitae St, Westchester Parkway, La Tijera Blvd, W 91st St, Cum Laude Ave, W 92nd St, Waterview St, Napoleon St, Vista Del Mar, W Imperial Highway, Aviation Blvd, Del Aire Park, E Sl Segundo Blvd, S Aviation Blvd, Marine Ave, Inglewood Ave, Highway 91, Redondo Beach Blvd, Hawthorne Blvd, Sepulveda Blvd, Normandie Ave, Frampton Ave, 253rd St, 255th St, Belle Porte Ave, 256th St, 1720 256th St-1733 256th St, 1701 257th St-1733 257th St, 1734 257th St-W 262nd St, Ozone Ave, 263rd St, 26302 Alta Vista Ave-26356 Alta Vista Ave, Pineknoll Ave, Leesdale Ave, Highway 213, Palos Verde Dr N, 26613 Leesdale Ave-Navy Field, S Western Ave, Westmont Dr, Eastview Park, Mt Rose Rd/Amelia Ave, 1102 W Bloomwood Rd-1514 Caddington Dr, N Western Ave, W Summerland St, N Enrose Ave/Miraleste Dr, Miraleste Dr, and the Martin J. Bogdanovich Recreation Center and Park.
Ballotpedia provided information about Ted Lieu:
Ted Lieu (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 36th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3rd, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Lieu (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 36th Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Lieu won election to the seat in 2014. In the 2018 general election, Lieu defeated Kenneth Wright (R) by a vote of 70 percent to 30 percent. Lieu represented District 28 in the California State Senate from 2011 to 2014.
Lieu was also a Democratic member of the California State Assembly, representing the 53rd District from September 2005 to 2010. On February 12, 2019, he announced his candidacy for the statewide office of attorney general, the seat being vacated by Democrat Jerry Brown, who won election as governor in November 2010. He went on to lose the Democratic nomination to San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris on Tuesday, June 8, 2010, after placing fourth with nearly 11 percent of the vote.
Lieu was one of 75 superdelegates to the 2016 Democratic National Convention from California. Lieu supported Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination.
Lieu has received numerous military honors and awards, including many Legislator of the Year awards.
Legislative scorecard
Capitol Weekly, California’s major weekly periodical covering the state legislature, publishes an annual legislative scorecard to pin down the political or ideological leanings of every member of the legislature based on how they voted on an assortment of bills in the most recent legislative session. The 2009 scores were based on 19 bills, but did not include how legislators voted on Proposition 1A (2009). On the scorecard, “100” is a perfect liberal score, and “0” is a perfect conservative score.
On the 2009 Capitol Weekly legislative scorecard, Lieu ranked as an 89.
Ballotpedia provided information about Joe Collins:
Joe Collins (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 36th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Joe Collins was born in Los Angeles, California. Collins served in the U.S. Navy from 2004 to 2017. He earned a B.S. in accounting from the University of Phoenix in 2021. Collins’ career experience includes owning the government contracting company JT Acquisitions and working as an accountant and military recruiter. He has served as a certified counselor for victims of rape and sexual assault.
Joe Collins completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Joe Edward Collins III is a 13 1/2-year Navy Veteran from South Central LA. He’s the CEO of a contracting and development company and also sits on the board of a private development company. He’s a licensed financial professional and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Phoenix. He is the former host of KABC’s show New Black Republican and a current Congressional candidate for California’s 36th district.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
I will be focused on rebuilding our economy.
I will support and enforce public safety
I will stop this reckless government spending that has us in a recession and increasing inflation
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Energy, Education, Natural Resources, and Economy
Ballotpedia provided information on Derrick Gates:
Derrick Gates (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 36th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Derrick Gates’ career experience includes working as a filmmaker and an author.
Derrick Gates did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Derrick Gates’ campaign website:
PRO-LIFE
I believe that life happens at conception and I have championed this cause for 20 years.
PROTECT THE CONSTITUTION
Today, the leftist culture is pushing to eliminate the Constitution as we know it. They call our Constitution and the Bill of Rights archaic and out of date. We must push to preserve the foundation of our Nation. It is the only way to ensure our 1st and 2nd Amendments stay at the forefront of who we are.
SCHOOL CHOICE
As a parent, we have the right to raise and educate our children the way we see fit. We need to take back our education system. We must stop dangerous curriculum like CRT from endangering our children. Our kids are being taught that minorities will always be victims and whites should feel shame for being born white. This is dangerous to our future. We are all born equal.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime is at an all time high. Criminals are empowered by liberal D.A.’s and support from the left. Smash and grabs, murders, rapes, riots, carjackings and assaults are skyrocketing. We must support the police and get them all back to work. We also need to protect our borders from violent crime and drug trafficking….
Ballotpedia provided information about Ariana Hakami:
Ariana Hakami (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 36th Congressional District. Hakami lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Ariana Hakami earned a bachelor’s degree from California State University at Dominguez Hills in 2010. Hakami’s career experience includes working as a financial advisor with Merrill Lynch.
Ballotpedia provided information about Claire Ragge:
Claire Ragge (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 36th Congressional District. Ragge lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Claire Ragge was born in Freeport, New York, and lives in Los Angeles, California. Ragge earned a B.A. from the University of Southern California. Her career experience includes owning The GasLite.
Claire Ragge posted information about herself on her Congressional website:
“As a small business owner for the past two decades, I have provided employment opportunities to hundreds of individuals in our district, dealt with government bureaucracy on all levels, and hosted town hall meeting where neighbors could share their views with local mayors, city council members, and other community leaders.
I have watched as our beautiful community of oceans, mountains, and wonderfully diverse cultures has been badly damaged by crime, homelessness, and political indifference. I have witnessed first-hand the eroding of the standards we hold so dear – free speech, parental involvement in schools, a thriving middle class, and the basic concept that the American dream is attainable for all. With these values in mind, I have left the Democratic Party and am now a moderate Republican.
It is clear that change is needed. Together, we can make our communities safe once again by funding police and locking up violent criminals. We can control inflation by becoming energy self-sufficient once again, and we can ensure national security by manufacturing the essential items upon which we rely with our clean environmental standards. We can create an educational system that teaches children of all colors and faiths that they can achieve the American dream. We can, and we must, take the reins. We along must fix the problems our leaders have created. Together, we can get back to basics and revive the American dream. ‘The Time is NOW!”
Please elect me to Congress. I am ready to serve.
Ballotpedia provided information about Colin Kilpatrick Obrien:
Colin Kilpatrick Obrien (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 36th Congressional District. Kilpatrick Brian lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Colin Kilpatrick Obrien’s career experience includes working as a writer.
Ballotpedia provided information about Steve Williams:
Steve Williams (independent) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 36th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Steve Williams completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A non-partisan progressive conservative whose mission is to disrupt Washington D.C.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
I am a Non-Partisan Progressive Conservative.
I take a non-ideological scientific approach to politics and governance.
I advocate for a government of the people, by the people, and for the people!
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am passionate about all areas of public policy because all areas of public policy matter.
Ballotpedia provided information about Matthew Jesuele:
Matthew Jesuele (independent) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 36th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Matthew Jesuele was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Jesuele earned a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University in 2011. His career experience includes working as a software manager.
Matthew Jesuele completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
My name is Matt Jesuele and I’m running for Congress as an independent in the 36th district of California, against establishment Democrat Ted Lieu. I’m a member at the Lighthouse Church in Santa Monica, a software engineer, a proud patriot, and a humble servant of God.
The United States Constitution is probably the single greatest political document in human history. It affirms in its first three words – we the people – that the government of the United States exists to serve the American people, and not the other way around.
But a ruling elite has formed which treats the people like subjects instead of sovereigns, and which runs the country for its own pleasure and enrichment.
The freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution are infringed upon further by big government working hand-in-glove with big business.
And at the highest levels, threats, violence, bribery, blackmail, cheating and deception ensure that the biggest bully and the highest bidder have their way, while the rest of us pay the price.
This must end, and it will only end if moral and courageous people rise up and reclaim control over our government and our country. Moral leadership, more than any political solution is the only thing that can save America.
I am not motivated by fame or riches. I only care about truth and freedom. I am willing to live for them, and if necessary, to die for them.
Send me to Washington and that is precisely what I will fight for.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for you time in office?
I will fight fearlessly to expose government corruption and coverups, and beat back the overreach of the intelligence agencies and national security state. I will also oppose imperialism and unnecessary foreign interventions, like our current funding of the conflict in Ukraine. We need to make sure that we take care of Americans first, and reject ridiculous proxy wars that only serve to enrich the military industrial complex.
As a true believer in limited government, I am completely opposed to medical mandates of any kind. I believe that individuals are capable of making their own medical decisions for themselves and their families, and that they don’t need to be forced into considering their communities.
I’m also concerned about what we’ve been seeing in the realm of education. I believe the government needs to stop inserting itself between parents and their schoolchildren, and to get out of the way so that communities can make their own decisions about how to educate their kids.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Foreign affairs, campaign finance reform, education, criminal justice (especially the War on Drugs).
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan primary election:
Ted Lieu (D): 67.1% – 122,969 votes
Joe Collins (R): 13.4% – 24,553 votes
Derrick Gates (R): 5.6% – 10,263 votes
Ariana Hakami (R): 5.3% – 9,760 votes
Claire Ragge (R): 4.0% – 7,351 votes
Colin Kilpatrick Obrian (D): 3.4% – 6,221 votes
Steve Williams (Independent): 0.6% – 1,180 votes
Matthew Jesuele (Independent) 0.5% – 976 votes
November 22: Ted Lieu posted a Press Release titled: “Rep Lieu Statement On Being Re-Elected To The U.S. House of Representatives” From the Press Release:
Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County) issued the following statement after being re-elected to serve California’s 36th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives for the 118th Congress.
“Today I express my sincerest gratitude to the residents of Los Angeles County who have continued to trust me as their representative in Congress. Serving my constituents in the House of Representatives is the honor of my lifetime. Each day, I am immensely proud to represent our beautiful, vibrant community and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to carry that honor forward in the 118th Congress. I also want to thank my family for allowing me to serve.
“Democrats are laser-focused on lower costs, safer communities, and better-paying jobs. We are fiercely committed to upholding our democracy, protecting Social Security and Medicare, and creating a brighter and safer future for all Americans. Democrats have and always will put People Over Politics.
“Thankfully, the Republican agenda to criminalize women’s health, end Social Security and Medicare, and attack democracy has not been well received. I’m pleased that we are seeing support for stopping the extreme MAGA GOP following the Supreme Court’s radical decision overturning Roe v. Wade this summer. From Kentucky to Vermont and Michigan to California, voters have shown their desire to reaffirm and protect critical access to reproductive health care. I’m pleased to see voters rejecting the absurd notion that politicians should be involved in what is a deeply personal decision that should rest with the woman and her doctor.”
Ballotpedia provided the results for the General election for U.S. House California District 36:
Ted Lieu (D): 69.8% – 194,299 votes
Joe Collins (R): 30.2% – 84,264 votes
California’s 37th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 37th Congressional District:
California’s 37th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. State of California based in Los Angeles County. It includes many neighborhoods west and southwest of Downtown Los Angeles.
The district includes: Culver City, Inglewood, the City of Los Angeles neighborhoods of Mid City, Century City, Beverlywood, View Park-Windsor Hills, Pico-Robertson, Exposition Park, University Park, Vermont Knolls, West Adams, Leimert Park, Jefferson Park, Vermont Square, Ladera Heights, Hyde Park, Crenshaw, and Baldwin Hills.
The district is highly diverse ethnically. Approximately 40% of the district’s residents are Hispanic, while African Americans and whites make up nearly a quarter each.
The district is currently represented by Democrat Sydney Kamlager-Dove; she was elected to the seat in the 2022 midterm elections and took office on January 3, 2023.
As of the 2022 redistricting, California’s 37th congressional district is located in the South Los Angeles region.
Los Angeles County is split between this district, the 30th district, the 34th district, the 42nd district, and the 43rd district. The 37th, 30th, and 36th are partitioned by Phyllis Ave, N Doheny Dr, N Oakhurst Dr, Burton Way, N Robertson Blvd, 8733 Clifton Way-201 S Le Doux Rd, N San Vicente Blvd, La Cienga Park, S Le Doux Rd, Gregory Way, S Robertson Blvd, Whitworth Dr, Beverly Green Dr, 1271 Beverly Green Dr-1333 Beverly Green Dr, Heath Ave, S Moreno Dr, Highway 2, Century Park W, W Pico Blvd, Patricia Ave, Lorenzo Pl, Monte Mar Dr, Beverwill Dr, Castle Heights Ave, Club Dr, McConnel Dr, National Blvd, Palms Blvd, Overland Ave, Highway 405, W Havelock Ave, S St Nicholas Ave, Ballona Creek and Centinela Creek Channel.
The 37th, 34th, and 42nd, are partitioned by Crenshaw Blvd, W Pico Blvd, S Normandie Ave, Highway 10, Harbor Freeway, E 7th St, S Alameda St, S. Alameda St, E Slauson Ave, S Center Ave, Firestone Blvd-E 90 St.
The 37th and 43rd are partitioned by E 91st St, McKinley Ave, E 88th Pl, Avalon Blvd, E Manchester Ave, S Normandie Ave, W 94th Pl, S Halldale Ave, W Century Blvd, La Salle Ave/S Denker Ave, W 104th St, S Western Ave, W 108th St, S Gramercy Pl, S Van Ness Ave, W 76th St, 8th Ave, W 79th St, S Victoria Ave, W 74th St, West Blvd, W 64th St, S La Brea Ave, 6231 La Brea Ave-Flight Ave, W 64th St, 6404 S Springpark Ave-W Fairview Blvd, and W Centinela Ave.
The 37th district take the city of Culver City, and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Jefferson Park, Hyde Park, Ladera, and the north side of Century City.
Ballotpedia posted information about Sydney Kamlager-Dove:
Sydney Kamlager-Dove (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 37th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2023. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Kamlager (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 37th Congressional District. She won in the U.S. House to represent California 37th Congressional District. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Kamlager represented California State Assembly District 54 from 2018 to 2021. She won the State Assembly seat in the special primary election on April 4, 2018.
Sydney Kamlager-Dove was born in Chicago, Illinois, and has lived in View Park, California. Kamlager-Dove earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Southern California and a master’s degree in arts management and public policy from Carnegie Mellon University. Her career experience includes working as the district director for former State Senator Holly J. Mitchell and in the nonprofit, entertainment, education, and government fields. Kamlager-Dove served as the president of the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees.
Ballotpedia provided information about Jan Perry:
Jan Perry was a member of the Los Angeles City Council in California, representing District 9. Perry assumed office in 2001. Perry left office in 2013.
Perry (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 37th Congressional District. Perry lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Jan Perry’s career expertise includes working as the executive director of the infrastructure Funding Alliance and the general manager of the Economic and Workforce Development Department (EWDD).
Ballotpedia provided information on Daniel Lee:
Daniel Lee (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 37th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
California Air National Guard. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California in 2000, a master’s degree in social welfare from the University of California at Los Angeles in 2015, and a doctorate from the University of California in 2021. Lee’s career experience includes working as a project director with the James Lawson Institute, a filmmaker, and an actor. He has served as a mayor and as a board member of Move to Amend, Backbone Campaign, Mockingbird Incubator, and Clean Power Alliance.
Daniel Lee completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Daniel Lee doesn’t take money from corporate PACs, polluters, police, or insurance companies.
If, as so many politicians have said, a budget is a statement of values what then is a donor list? A campaign’s donors should reflect the values that the campaign represents. Too often politicians speak the words of the people while doing the bidding of corporations and moneyed interests.
Daniel is a true progressive who believes in aggressively addressing Environmental Racism and the Climate Crisis with a Just Transition for workers and a Green New Deal, Medicare for All, Reproductive Justice, Diplomacy Focused Foreign Policy, Ending Qualified Immunity, Comprehensive Immigration Reform and implementing a Universal Basic Income.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
We must aggressively address the Climate Crisis while making sure that the legacy of decaying fossil fuels and fossil fuel infrastructure does not endanger the lives of family, friends, and neighbors. Addressing Climate Change should be our #1 priority. Failing to do so will make issues around housing, immigration, income inequality and other issues more difficult to deal with.
Reproductive Justice (RJ) means the human right to control our sexuality, our gender, our work, and our reproduction. That right can only be achieved when all women and girls have the complete economic, social, and political power and resources to make healthy decisions about their bodies, our families, and our communities in all areas of our lives.
Decades of deliberately racist immigration policies by Republicans and Democrats alike have resulted in an utterly broken system that consistently fails asylum seekers and immigrants, both documented and undocumented. We need comprehensive immigration reform NOW.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Addressing the Climate Crisis and Income Inequality are top of mind because failing to do so makes working on other issues harder and exacerbates their effect on US residents. These issues imperil democracy itself. Protecting a person’s right to choose, police reform, protecting voting rights, etc. All of these very worthy policy goals would be undermined by an unlivable world where the anemic economy prevents US residents from fully participating in democracy and generally enjoying life.
Ballotpedia provided information on Sandra Mendoza:
Sandra Mendoza (Democratic Party) ran for election to represent California’s 37th Congressional District. Mendoza lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Mendoza was a special election candidate who sought election to the U.S. House to represent the 34th Congressional District of California.
Mendoza was a 2016 Democratic candidate for District 53 of the California State Assembly. She ran unsuccessfully for the same seat in 2014.
Ballotpedia provided information on Chris Champion:
Chris Champion (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 37th Congressional District. Champion lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Chris Champion’s career experience includes owning a business.
Ballotpedia provided information about Baltazar Fedalizo:
Baltazar Fedalizo (Republican Party) (also known as Bong) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 37th Congressional District. Fedalizo lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Baltazar Fedalizo lives in Los Angeles, California. Fedalizo served in the U.S. Navy. His career experience includes working as an entrepreneur.
Ballotpedia provided information about Michael Shure:
Michael Shure (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 37th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Michael Shure lives in Los Angeles, California. Shure’s career experience includes working as a journalist.
Michael Shure completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Having covered major news and political events as a respected journalist, Michael Shure deeply understands the inner workings of government, the people who make it work, and what actually doesn’t work.
But this isn’t just about understanding Washington – it is about so much more than that – Michael’s passion for protecting our democracy has led him to take the unusual step of going from reporting the news to running for Congress.
After first moving to L.A. in 1992, Michael has witnessed the struggles and triumphs of the area through the years. Central Los Angeles is incredibly diverse, and his work and life here have helped him to understand the common priorities of all residents.
He has worked as a National Correspondent covering politics and everyday stories for CNN, i24, Cheddar News, Al Jazeera America, News Nation, and Al Gore’s Current TV. As a founding member of the L.A. based Young Turks, Michael became known as “Epic Politics Man” for his deep knowledge of government and politics.
Please list below 3 messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Addressing the Homeless Crisis Radical action is needed in this crisis, and it is needed right now. Everyone’s quality of life is being challenged. We must immediately reverse the trends and get our unhoused brothers and sisters off the streets and into places that will provide for their and everyone’s safety, security, and stability. It will take involvement from all levels of government to finally achieve meaningful change. Mental health desperately needs to be elevated to a societal priority needing renewed attention. I will commit to tackling the other root causes of homelessness with immediate actions to ensure everyone in Los Angeles can live a life with safety and dignity.
Protecting Democracy and Voting Rights: January 6th was the tip of the iceberg – I know this because my work has taken me across the country for years, listening to Americans about this growing crisis and telling those stories. In Congress, I will support the work of the January 6th Committee and hold accountable anyone who. threatens our democratic rights. Our democracy faces a clear and present existential threat – I can’t stress enough about how dangerous this moment is in our nation’s history. For young voters, for the elderly, for minorities, and for our newest citizens, we must fight for strong protections. In Congress, I will fight tirelessly to make sure the John Lewis Voting Rights Act becomes law.
Establishing Affordable Housing and a Fair Cost of Living: The people of this District work hard, yet all over Los Angeles, we know that the cost of housing and living must become more affordable. Inflation is a major concern in our communities, so in Congress, I will work to bring down the cost of gas and groceries to relieve the pressure on our families. My Small Business Infrastructure bill will have measures to strengthen our local jobs market, and more jobs mean better wages for everyone. I will work with all levels of government to support the immediate construction of affordable housing and ensure that L.A’s homelessness crisis is treated as the national issue it is.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Michael Shure is a leader who knows how to listen. As a reporter, he’s heard what is important to Central L.A. and now he’s ready to take your story to Congress and fight for a better future for all of us.
Michael is committed to ending homelessness, defending our democracy and our voting rights, and ensuring District 37 has the jobs and prosperity needed for affordable housing and a fair cost of living. In Congress he will fight for a woman’s right to choose, and urgent action for climate justice.
June 7: KFI posted an article titled: “Kamlager, Perry, Culver City Mayor Seeking to Succeed Bass in Congress” From the article:
Sen. Sydney Kamlager, former Los Angeles City Councilwoman Jan Perry and Culver City Mayor Daniel W. Lee are among the five Democrats in Tuesday’s 37th Congressional District primary seeking the two spots on the general election ballot in the race to succeed Rep. Karen Bass.
Bass, D-Los Angeles, opted to run for mayor of Los Angeles instead of running for a seventh term representing the predominantly Democratic district that stretches from South Los Angeles to Culver City. She has endorsed Kamlager.
Kamlager said she is focused on “expanding voting rights,” “reproductive justice,” “health care for all,” “criminal justice reform focused on diversion, redemption and rehabilitation,” “job creation to create economic justice and opportunities for all communities” and “innovative investment in housing.”…
Kamlager said she is focused on “expanding voting rights,” “reproductive justice,” “health care for all,” “criminal justice reform focused on diversion, redemption and rehabilitation,” “job creation to create economic justice and opportunities for all communities” and “innovative investment in housing.”…
Perry pledged that, if elected, her top priorities as a congresswoman would be “preserving the environment, improving education, stopping an alarming increase in violent crime, expanding access to affordable, quality health care, and ensuring that America pursues a foreign policy that is sane, just, and maintains our strong support for our allies.”
Perry served on the Los Angeles City Council from 2001-13. She unsuccessfully ran for mayor in 2013 after being prohibited from running for re- election and the Second District seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in 2020.
Perry was general manager of the Los Angeles Economic & Workforce Development Department from 2013-2018.
Perry’s endorsements includes Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Los Angeles, and former Rep. Diane Watson, D-Los Angeles, who represented the district from 2001 -11.
Lee describes himself as “a true progressive who believes in aggressively addressing environmental racism and the climate crisis with just a transition for workers and a Green New Deal, Medicare for All, reproductive justice, diplomacy focused foreign policy, ending qualified immunity, comprehensive immigration reform and implementing a universal basic income.”
Lee became the first Black elected to the Culver City Council in 2018 and became mayor in 2021 in the rotation system among the five council members. He has a doctorate in social work from USC and a master’s degree in social welfare from UCLA…
June 8: ABC7 posted an article titled: “Election 2022: From mayor to sheriff, here are latest results in SoCal’s key local races” From the article: ABC7 posted an article titled: “Election 2022: From mayor to sheriff, here are latest results in SoCal’s key local races” From the article:
…Jan Perry served on the Los Angeles City Council for 12 years before being termed out of office. In her current campaign, the accomplishments she touts include her leadership on projects such as LA Live, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, and the new Police Administrative Building.
She is hoping to fill the congressional seat of Rep. Karen Bass, who is running for mayor of Los Angeles.
Perry’s opponents include state Sen. Sydney Kamlager, who last year received two-thirds of the vote in a seven-candidate field to win the special election for the then-vacant 30th Senate District seat…
Bass endorsed Kamlager, who also won the backing of other prominent House Democrats, including Rep. Adam B. Schiff of Burbank. Perry has been endorsed by Rep. Maxine Waters, a powerhouse in Black politics in Los Angeles.
Given the two district’s overwhelming Democratic tilt, neither contest is expected to be a major focus of the national parties in the general election…
Kamlager, D-Baldwin Hills, was elected to the state Senate in a 2021 special election to succeed Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell, after serving in the Assembly since 2018. Kamlager was a member of the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees from 2015-18.
Kamlager has also been endorsed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, Mitchell and fellow Supervisor Shelia Kuehl and Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank.
Perry, also a Democrat, pledged that, if elected, her top priorities as a congresswoman would be “preserving the environment, improving education, stopping an alarming increase in violent crime, expanding access to affordable, quality health care, and ensuring that America pursues a foreign policy that is sane, just, and maintains our strong support for our allies.”
June 10: Los Angeles Times posted an article titled: “Garcia, Kamlager and Mahmood advance to general election in three California House races” From the article:
…Kamlager is expected to compete with former Los Angeles City Councilwoman Jan Perry, a fellow Democrat, in the fall to represent one of three California congressional districts represented by Black politicians.
The 37th Congressional District, which includes South Los Angeles, Leimert Park, Ladera Heights and part of Culver City, is an open seat because Rep. Karen Bass opted to run for mayor of Los Angeles. The district is solidly blue: Democrats have a 59-percentage-point voter registration edge over Republicans.
Ballotpedia posted the results of the Nonpartisan Primary for U.S. House California District 77:
Sydney Kamlager (D): 43.7% – 42,638 votes
Jan Perry (D): 18.5% – 17,993 votes
Daniel Lee (D): 17.9% – 17,414 votes
Sandra Mendoza (D): 8.2% – 8,017 votes
Chris Champion (R): 5.6% – 5,469 votes
Baltazar Fedalizo (R): 3.6% – 3,520 votes
Michael Shure (R): 2.5% – 2,469 votes
November 5: KFI posted an article titled: “Kamlager, Perry Square Off in Race to Succeed Bass in Congress” From the article:
State Sen. Sydney Kamlager and former Los Angeles Councilwoman Jan Perry will face off Tuesday in a bid to replace Los Angeles mayoral candidate Karen Bass representing the 37th Congressional District.
Kamlager topped a field of seven candidates in the June primary to punch her ticket to Tuesday’s general election, with Perry narrowly besting Culver City Mayor Daniel W. Lee to claim the second spot.
Bass has endorsed Kamlager to represent the predominantly Democratic district that stretches from South Los Angeles to Culver City.
Kamlager said she is focused on “expanding voting rights,” “reproductive justice,” “health care for all,” “criminal justice reform” focused on diversion, redemption and rehabilitation,” “job creation to create economic justice for all communities” and “innovative investment in housing.”
November 11: Daily Trojan posted an article titled: “Kamlager wins 37th congressional district” From the article:
Sydney Kamlager won the election for the U.S. Representative of California’s 37th congressional district, which includes the area surrounding USC. The Los Angeles Times, the San Diego Union-Tribune and the New York Times called the race around noon Thursday – 40 hours after the polls in California had closed on Election Day. Kamlager defeated fellow Democrat Jan Perry in a “top two” general election by winning approximately 61.4% of the district vote, though at time of publication, only 44% of votes had been tallied…
..Kamlager’s office did not respond to the Daily Trojan’s request for comment. Her Twitter account posted in celebration Thursday, referencing the Associated Press calling the race.
“This just popped up on my feed…” the account wrote. “Looks like the Associated Press has called the race for CA’s 37th Congressional District. We have a . y’all… and are heading to Congress!”
Ballotpedia posted the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 37:
Sydney Kamlager (D): 64.0% – 84,338 votes
Jan Perry (D): 36.0% – 47,542 votes
California’s 38th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 38th District:
California’s 38th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California based in suburban eastern Los Angeles County and Orange County, California. The district is currently represented by Democrat Linda Sánchez.
The district covers several cities in southeastern Los Angeles and San Gabriel Valley areas including the cities of: Diamond Bar, Industry, La Habra Heights, La Mirada, Montebello, Norwalk, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, Walnut, and Whittier.
As well as the unincorporated communities of: Rowland Heights, Hacienda Heights, Los Nietos, East Whittier, North Whittier, and South Whittier.
A small portion of Pomona and the Orange County city of La Habra are also included in the district. The major cities generally reflect a Hispanic majority, while Diamond Bar and Walnut have an Asian-American majority.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 38th congressional district is located in Southern California. It takes up part of Southeast Los Angeles County and the city of La Habra in Orange County.
Eaglemont Dr, Oakman Dr, Arciero Dr, Grossmont Dr, Workman Mill Rd, Bunbury Dr, Fontenoy Ave, Ankerton, Whittier Woods Circle, Union Pacific Railroad, San Gabriel Freeway, N Peck Rd, Mission Mill Rd, E Walnut Dr N, Nogales St, E Walnut City Parkland, San Bernardino Freeway, Fairplex Dr, Via Verde, Puddingstone Reservoir, McKinley Ave, N Whittle Ave, Arrow Highway, Fulton Rd, and Foothill Blvd.
The 38th, 34th, and 42nd are partitioned by Simmons Ave, W Beverly Blvd, Via Corona St, Repetto Ave, Allston St, W Northside Dr, Yates Ave, E Acco St, 6866 E Washington Blvd-2808 Vail Ave, S 14th St, AT & SF Railway, Church Rd, Telegraph Rd, Rio Hondo River, Veterans Memorial Park, Suva St, Guatemala Ave, Shady Oak Dr, Coolgrove Dr, Gallatian Rd, Samoline Ave, Paramount Blvd, Arrington Ave, Suva St, Charloma Dr, Lubet St, Highway 5, and the San Gabriel River.
The 38th district takes in the cities of Whittier, Montebello, Norwalk, Pico Rivera, Diamond Bar, La Mirada, Walnut, Santa Fe Springs, as well as the census-designated place Hacienda Heights.
Ballotpedia provided information about Linda Sánchez:
Linda Sánchez (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 38th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2013. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Sánchez (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 38th Congressional District. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
She served California’s 39th Congressional District from 2003 to 2013 and California’s 38th Congressional District from 2013 to present.
Linda is a co-founder of the Labor and Working Families Caucus and serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means. Sánchez also served on the Select Committee on Benghazi.
Sánchez was born in Orange, California as the daughter of Mexican immigrants. She earned her B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, and her J.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1995.
Linda Sánchez did not fill out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Survey. On October 5, 2022, she answered questions that The Orange County Register compiled. Here are some of the questions she answered:
The Supreme Court has agreed to take up a case that could give legislatures greater influence over federal election rules. What do you see as the role states play in elections, even federal contests, and should there be a limit to that power?
States play a critical role in protecting access to the ballot box and ensuring free and fair elections. State courts act as a nonpartisan check and balance when state legislatures attempt to exert undue power over federal elections. Without the court’s oversight, state legislatures would be free to politicize the American electoral process, even if doing so violates voters’ constitutional protections. The decision could open the door for state legislatures across the country to change eligibility requirements for federal elections and dismantle protections against partisan gerrymandering.
Do you support additional mandates to force businesses and residents to move toward cleaner energy? If so, what’s one such mandate you would support? And if not, what would be your plan to help accelerate the move to cleaner energy?
We are already witnessing the devastating effects of climate change, which is why I am fighting in Congress for policies that encourage businesses to move towards clean energy. As a senior member of the Ways and means Committee, I am fighting for a tax code that makes clean energy as affordable and accessible for working families and small businesses as it is for multinational corporations.
What is one specific piece of legislation you would introduce or support in 2023 to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which I am fighting to pass in the House of Representatives, would represent the single largest climate investment in our nation’s history by incentivizing electric vehicles and clean energy for working families and businesses, reducing carbon emissions, by roughly 40% by 2030. To build on this foundation, I will work to reduce local pollution by supporting the deployment of clean renewable fuels for heavy-duty vehicles and ensure the federal government has the authority to meet our international commitment to reduce our carbon emissions by 50 percent by 2030. Meeting this commitment is critical to achieving the international cooperation needed to avert the worst scenarios of climate change.
(Note: Congresswoman Linda Sánchez submitted her questionnaire on August 10. The president signed the Inflation Reduction Act on Aug. 16.)…
Ballotpedia provided information on Eric Ching:
Eric Ching (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 38th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Eric Ching was born in Taipei Taiwan. He earned a high school diploma from Alhambra High School and a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Los Angeles in 1995. His career experience includes working as an IT professional. He has been associated with the Waynu Foundation, Pastor Prayer Network, and City Blessing Church.
Eric Ching completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
While we may all have different political, religious, or social views, we all share a common interest to pursue a better future.
As a first-generation immigrant, successful businessman, father, and man of faith, I have a proven track record as Mayor and council member, making the City of Walnut one of the best cities to live in.
As your congressman, I will improve the economy, secure the border, protect our unborn, advocate for education, and defend our constitution. Because God and you come first.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about you goals for your time in office?
You First, I serve God and I serve you. Your interests come first.
Safety, Economy, and Education are the fundamentals to a better future, and I will ensure these keys for all.
As a first-generation immigrant, America is my country and I want all to have their American Dream!
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am personally passionate about defending The Constitution and our civil rights.
Ballotpedia posted information about John Sarega:
John Sarega (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 38th Congressional District. Sarega lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
John Sarega’s career experience includes owning a business and working as a pastor.
April 18: The Orange County Register posted an article titled: “Elections 2022: Get to Know Linda Sánchez, two more candidates in 38th District race” From the article:
Democratic Rep. Linda Sánchez is the heavy favorite to win an eleventh term in Congress this year, representing a solidly blue district that’s mostly in east Los Angeles County plus a slice of Orange County.
But first, she’s facing two Republican challengers in the June 7 primary who each have some local name recognition. Walnut Mayor Eric Ching has one election in his city three times. And business owner Ion “John” Sarega has made at least three failed bids for office and remains politically active in his hometown of La Mirada, where his son sits on the City Council.
Because the two candidates with the most votes in the primary will advance to the general election, one of those challengers is likely to face Sánchez in November, when voters will decide who represents the 38th District for the next two years.
The district isn’t as Democrat-heavy as it used to be. During recent redistricting, CA-38 picked up likely GOP voters, losing Cypress and Cerritos to the south while picking up most of La Habra, Walnut, and Diamond Bar to the east. But the center of the district remains Sánchez’s hometown of Whittier, and Democrats still hold a 26 point voter registration advantage over Republicans. That, combined with the name recognition and financial strategies Sánchez brings to the table, has forecasters calling her seat safe.
Sánchez, 51, was born in Orange to parents who immigrated from Mexico. She worked as a bilingual aide as she put herself through law school at UCLA. Before she was elected to office in 2022 to represent what was then the 39th District, Sánchez’s legal practice was focused on working with organized labor. She’s now in her 10th term in Congress, having easily won re-election in 2020 against one Democratic challenger.
Sánchez was in the running to become House Democratic Caucus chair in 2018. But she withdrew her name after learning after her husband, James Sullivan, had been indicted over allegations that he and former colleagues on the Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative had diverted more than $1 million in federal funds for pricey golfing excursions and trips to the Kentucky Derby. Sánchez was a guest on at least one of those trips, while her husband was also accused of using some of the funds to visit her…
…Sánchez filed for divorce from her husband late last year, per her staff. In December Sullivan was convicted of theft of federal funds. He’s appealing the ruling but facing up to 10 years in prison…
…Ching, 55, has managed a telecommunications business for more than 30 years. Asked to sum up his career and personal highlights, Ching said: “Christ Follower, father, public servant, victim’s advocate, entrepreneur.”
His wife died in a car accident in 2017, and Ching has been raising their teenage daughters.
He got his start in politics in 2012 when he first ran for Walnut City Council. He’s now in his 10th year on the council, including two stints as mayor of the east L.A. County city. Ching also served as president of the Chinese American Association of Walnut and regularly volunteers for local churches and nonprofits.
Ching’s CA-38 campaign is focused on border security, the right to bear arms, being tough on crime, opposing affirmative action and supporting parent choice in education. When asked how he’d measure his success in office, he pointed to his time on the Walnut City Council as an example…
During a 2018 bid for state Senate, Sarega finished in fifth place, with 9.7% of the vote.
The commercial property owner and pastor came in fifth among seven candidates for three seats on the La Mirada City Council in 2015, when he campaigned on plans to be business friendly, make meetings more accessible and improve public property. He’s also touted that he’s “not a politically correct guy,” with that brash style regularly on display at La Mirada City Council meetings.
November 8: The Orange County Register posted an article titled: “Early return shows Rep. Linda Sanchez poised for reelection in California’s 38th congressional district” From the article:
Rep. Linda Sánchez appears to be heading back to congress.
Ballot counts released late Tuesday, Nov. 8, show the 10-term Democrat from Norwalk with a significant lead over challenger Eric Ching, R-Walnut, in the race for California’s 38th congressional district. Votes counted over the next few days will alter the final outcome, but they’re unlikely to change the early result…
…State data shows the seat is deeply blue, with Democrats accounting for 48.5% of all the district’s registered voters, versus 23.5% who favor no party and slightly less, 22.1% who choose the GOP.
During her 20-year stint in Congress, Sanchez has become one of the more powerful Latinas in American politics, sitting on the House Committee on Ways and Means, which helps guide tax legislation.
Her stances on most issues match up with progressive Democrat policies. In July, she voted for the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2022, which sought to legalize abortion nationally. Previously, she has supported gun control, clean energy and expanding family leave, among other things…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 38:
Linda Sánchez (D): 58.7% – 58,586 votes
Eric Ching (R): 30.5% – 30,436 votes
John Sarega (R): 10.8% – 10,768 votes
June 8: San Gabriel Valley Tribune posted an article titled: “2022 Election: Updated 38th District primary results show Linda Sánchez, Eric Ching in lead” From the article:
Ten-term Democratic Rep. Linda Sánchez and GOP challenger Eric Ching, who’s mayor of Walnut, predictably held onto first and second place as vote counts were updated Wednesday for the 38th District race.
Republican business owner Ion “John” Sarega trailed in third place in early results…
…Sánchez, of Whittier, is heavily favored to ultimately win an 11th term in a district where Democrats have a 26-point advantage in voter registration. She’s a member of the influential Ways and Means Committee and has been a leader on immigration reform. And she’s raised nearly $1 million this cycle with a campaign focused on issues such as reproductive rights, worker rights, and affordable healthcare.
Ching has raised just under $100,000. His campaign has focused on border security, the right to bear arms, being tough on crime and supporting parent choice in education.
Sarega hasn’t reported any fundraising and didn’t respond to requests for information about his platform.
Ballotpedia provided the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 38:
Linda Sánchez (D): 58.1% – 101,260 votes
Eric Ching (R): 41.9% – 73,051 votes
California’s 39th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 39th Congressional District
California’s 39th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. State of California. The district includes parts of Riverside County, including Jurupa Valley, Riverside, Moreno Valley, and Perris. The district has been represented by Democrat Mark Takano ever since he was redistricted from the 41st congressional district in 2022.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 39th congressional district was geographically shifted to the Inland Empire in Southern California. Its is within the western region of Riverside County.
Riverside County is split between this district and the 41st district. They are partitioned by the Corona Freeway, River Trails Park, Redley Substation Rd, Arlington Ave, Alhambra Ave, Golden Ave, Doheny Blvd, Bolivar St, Campbell Ave, Pierce St, Quantico Dr, Collett Ave, Buchanan St, Highway 91, 12397 Doherty Way-Magnola Ave, BNSF Railroad, N McKinley St, N Temescal St, E 16th St, S Neece St, Indiana Ave, Skyridge Dr, Filmore St, 2969 Filmore St-La Sierra Ave, Cleveland Ave, McAlister Parkway, Corsica Ave, Hermosa Dr, John F. Kennedy Dr, Wood Rd, Colt St, Dauchy Ave, Van Burn Blvd, Bobbit Ave, Chicago Ave, Krameria Ave, 16519 Sendero del Charro-Mariposa Ave, Barton St, Cole Ave, Rider St, Greenwood Ave, Kabian Park, Goetz Park, Ethanac Rd, McLaughlin Rd, Sherman Rd, Tumble Rd, Watson Rd, Escondido Expressway, Springs Rd, Moreno Valley Freeway, Quincy St, Cloud Haven Dr, Holly Ct, Reche Vista Dr, Reche Canyon Rd, and Keissel Rd.
The 39th district takes in the cities of Moreno Valley, Jurupa Valley, Perris, and Riverside, as well as thecensus-designated places Mead Valley.
Ballotpedia posted information about California’s 39th congressional District:
Mark Takano (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 39th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 2025.
Takano (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 39th Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Takano was first elected to the seat in 2012. Takano has served on the Board of Trustees of the Riverside Community College District since 1990.
In his 2018 re-election bid, Mark Takano defeated Republican Aja Smith by a vote of 65 percent to 35 percent. From 2021 to 2018, Takano consistently captured between 56.6 and 65 percent of the vote in each general election he ran in.
As of 2019, Takano was a co-chair of the Equality Caucus, and vice chair of the Progressive Caucus and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.
Ballotpedia posted information about Aja Smith:
Aja Smith (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 39th Congressional District. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Smith was a Republican candidate for the same seat in 2018. She lost the general election on November 6, 2018.
Aja Smith served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. Smith earned a bachelor’s degree from the California Baptist University in business administration and management in 2005.
Ballotpedia posted information about Bill Spinney:
Bill Spinney (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. Hoise to represent California’s 39th Congressional District. Spinney lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Bill Spinney lives in Jurupa Valley, California. Spinney earned a degree in electrical engineering. His career experience includes working as an engineer and business manager in the tech industry.
Ballotpedia posted information about Tony Moreno:
Tony Moreno (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 39th Congressional District. Moreno lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Ballotpedia posted information about Art Peterson:
Art Peterson (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 39th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Art Peterson was born in Glyndon, Minnesota. Peterson served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1947 to 1995. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Yale University in 1947, a graduate degree from the University of Southern California in 1948, and a PhD. from the University of Minnesota in 1962. Peterson’s career experience includes serving as the president of the Thunderbird Global School of Management. He has been affiliated with the Rotary and Kiwanis organizations.
Art Peterson filled out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Survey. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself?
My extensive career of public service has been centered in higher education and in elected and appointed government office. Taught a wide variety of Political Science courses for a period of 20 years and subsequently spent a similar amount of time as a college dean and president in such institutions as Ohio Wesleyan University, Eckert College and Thunderbird: The Global School of Management. I served as an elected member of the Wisconsin and Montana State legislatures for multiple terms and accepted numerous appointments from mayors, governors ans presidents (such as the Chair of the Ohio Civil Rights Commission and The National Council on the Humanities).
I served as an enlisted man in U.S. Navy during World War II and as a combat U.S. Marine Corps Infantry Captain, during Korea after which I became an Atomic Bacteriologist, Chemical Weapons Officer. I was privileged to help hundreds of underprivileged young people in the Riverside County area who had become involved in gangs and drugs transform themselves into successful professionals in the Aviation industry. Some of these young people I personally commissioned as Marine Corps Officers.
I am very proud of my son who was named the “American Autism Parent of the year” and of my daughter who has served for 20 years as a teacher of “Special Needs” children. I have been lay-minister in my own church and worked for three years as Dean In the Buddhist University of the West in Rosemead.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
To reverse raging inflation, gas-groceries;
To effectively manage chaotic southern border crossing;
Understand and effectively deal with threats to our national interests from China, Russia and Iran.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Foreign policy, civil rights and economic policy.
Ballotpedia posted information about John Minnella:
John Minnella (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 39th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
John Minnella was born in Hackensack, New Jersey. Minnella served in the U.S. Army from 1964 to 1970. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 1970 and a Juris Doctor from Western State University College of Law in 1975. Minnella’s career experience includes owning JL Minnella & Associates Consultancy.
John Minnella completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
40+ years: significant local, federal & foreign government experience. Strong, principled, clear, consistent, honest, conservative, patriotic, and dedicated to school choice and parental education control, US Constitution, Judeo-Christian values & conservative Republican principles.
Owner: JL Minnella & Assocs. Consultancy. Past Dean: ILA Polytechnic Institute; Law Instructor: UC Irvine; LAUSD HS Civics, History, Government Teacher. 40+ years international refugee, immigration and business experience (especially Nigeria, Cambodia, Mexico/Central America, Balkans, Iran).
Persistant/indefatigable advocate for protection of local communities as President, Residents Assoc. of Greater Lake Mathews (RAGLM).
Army veteran. Commander, American Legion District 29. Member: American Legion Post 132, American Veterans United. United Mexican American Veterans Association, Association of the US Army, National Republican Lawyers Association, Bar of Attorneys of Nicaragua, International Bar Association, National Italian American Bar Association, St. James the Less Church, Knights of Columbus, St. Thomas More Society, Latin American Studies Association (past), Minority Business Council of O.C. (past V.P.) Admitted: Supreme Court of Nicaragua.
Married, father of 6, grandfather of 2. Homeowner. Spanish Fluent, rusty Italian & German.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Reverse inflation, crime & homelessness. Unlimited government spending must be ended. Return to the economic growth & employment opportunities of the prior Administration. Support law enforcement financially & publicly. Better allocate Homeless funding efforts & programs from overpriced “housing” to mental health facilities.
Secure our borders. Complete the border fence. Enforce current immigration laws. Provide more immigrant visas for non-priority, ordinary immigrants. Deport criminals only after they have completed their USA prison terms.
Restore & ensure parental rights & control of the education of their children. Advocate for understanding & appreciation of Western Civilization & American system of government. Oppose advocacy of critical race in schools. Advocate for school choice/voucher systems. Support parental efforts to control child education.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
1)Support our US Constitution, especially the First (free speech) & Second (right to bear arms & self-defense) Amendments. 2) Restoration of USA energy self-sufficiency by restoring energy production & drilling & ending the Democrats’ war on fossil fuel & oil & gas producers. 3) Advocacy of tribal self-sufficiency. 4) Protect senior citizens from inflation. 5) Expansion of VA Health Care (especially traumatic rehabilitation) Education & Other Benefits for Veterans, including National Guard. 6) Ensure international peace by the projection of USA power & determination. 7) Advocate for America First policies in foreign relations & affairs. 8) Advocate for emergency/priority Power Grid Protection from EMP attack. 9) Advocate for improved health care coverage & affordability including dental & mental health benefits. 10) Honor, respect & protect law enforcement & military service profession & work. Work to remove “woke” prosecutors. 11) Advocate for required Voter Photo Identification. 12) Oppose partisan use of FBI, DEA & US Justice Dept. 13) Stop political purge & “woke” purification of Armed Forces. 14) Oppose federalization of police & of voting. 15) Support presumption of innocence of accused local law enforcement officers 16) Encourage USA manufacturer of prescription drugs. 17) Support & defend border patrol officers. 18) Bar deportation of non-violent honorably discharged veterans. 19) Complete border wall & end illegal entry.
Ballotpedia posted information about Emmanuel Suarez:
Emmanuel Suarez (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 39th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Emmanuel Suarez was born in Fontana, California. Suarez earned an associate degree from Chaffey Jr. College in 2000. His career experience includes working as a pool man as a caretaker.
Emmanuel Suarez completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
My name is Emmanuel L Suarez. I’m a Third generation Hispanic American born in the United States. I’m blessed to be married to my wife of 27 years, who immigrated from Mexico. I have two children, 25 and 17. I have a degree from Chaffey Community College and have certificates in Electronics and computers. I worked various trades from Electronics, computers, federal service as an officer for 13yrs, ran a pool service business, and caretaker for our Autistic son. I know the hard road many Americans have to take, from the 70+ hours work week just to make a living, to leave a job for an uncertain direction, or staying put when everything seems helpless. I understand having to sleep in your car waiting for your shift or saving small amounts of change hoping it will last until the next paycheck. Through hard times it was my faith and family that carried me. Life experiences from childhood through adulthood taught me to take what you are given and fight back. I gained the determination to stand and fight for my faith, my family, my values, and my country. Freedom is not free, life can be tough, I know firsthand the greatness that boils inside the great Melting pot we call the United States of American. I am blessed for the opportunities America has offered my family. I was raised to speak up when something’s not right it’s time to say something. to learn more about me go to http://www.poolmanforcongress.com
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Overspending is overburdening our country; we are putting our kids and grandchildren in debt forever. Rather than make tough decisions, Washington insists on Taxing and spending its way out of the problems rather than refusing to fix the problem while showing little care and discipline in spending taxpayer money. Spending in the economy is best left to the private sector and businesses. Businesses are more efficient in spending than governments. They need to show profits or face the tangible outcome of bankruptcy. Wasteful spending weakens economic growth and the burden on the shoulders of hard-working Americans and small businesses in the form of higher taxes.
Law Enforcement has been an intricate part of keeping our communities strong and safe. I support our Law Enforcement to protect our communities and reject the notion of ‘De-funding the police’. Our communities are overwhelmingly safer with police than without them. De-funding, dissolving or drastically reorganizing our police forces Have led to huge increases in crime. People and business communities are now hostages as crime has increased significantly. High crime has contributed to a considerable loss of jobs. As businesses have packed up and left, people have moved to other states. I will work so first responders have the support and tools to keep our communities safe while peacefully protecting the right to assemble.
America was considered energy independent on his first day in office; Joe Biden canceled the Keystone XL Pipeline’s building. He stopped the drilling on energy-rich federal land; the result was a loss of tens of thousands of jobs, and Gas prices have been increasing ever since. In the wake of the Russian war with Ukraine, Democrats have credited the continued increases in fuel prices Americans have to pay to the Russian invasion. Rather than re-establish the once Keystone Project and opening up federal land again for drilling, Biden has sought to purchase oil from other countries, such as Venezuela, to was the price at the gas pump. Democrats continue their push their Green New Deal, which will only add to the federal debt.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I strive for California to become the state it was when I was a child. the hub of technological innovation, A place people enjoy, can raise a family, A place where people see opportunity to become greet rather than having to flee to other states. A place where you can buy a home without the fear of losing it to because of taxes. A place where you can find a job and make a living enjoying life rather than being able to barley just survive. I will work to stop government overreach as regulating business suffer from overregulation and crippling taxes. we need to see that Our children’s education needs are met, parents need to have school choice to ensure the future of our country secure through our children. We need to fight to ensure every American whether born or unborn rights are protected, I am against the use of as politicians say reproductive health care which is a nice way of saying murder of innocent children’s lives, American needs to protect those who cannot speak for themselves. As crime is increasing we need to ensure our 2nd amendment rights are protected, with each passing day we come closer to losing those rights. it is the 2nd amendment that helps to ensure our other rights are not taken from us.
I strive for California to become the state it was when I was a child. the hub of technological innovation, A place people enjoy, can raise a family, A place where people see opportunity to become greet rather than having to flee to other states. A place where you can buy a home without the fear of losing it to because of taxes. A place where you can find a job and make a living enjoying life rather than being able to barley just survive. I will work to stop government overreach as regulating business suffer from overregulation and crippling taxes. we need to see that Our children’s education needs are met, parents need to have school choice to ensure the future of our country secure through our children. We need to fight to ensure every American whether born or unborn rights are protected, I am against the use of as politicians say reproductive health care which is a nice way of saying murder of innocent children’s lives, American needs to protect those who cannot speak for themselves. As crime is increasing we need to ensure our 2nd amendment rights are protected, with each passing day we come closer to losing those rights. it is the 2nd amendment that helps to ensure our other rights are not taken from us.
Mark Takano (D): 57.1% – 44,067 votes
Aja Smith (R): 12.6% – 9,741 votes
Bill Spinny (R): 9.6% – 7,421 votes
Tony Moreno (R): 7.2% – 5,527 votes
Art Peterson (R): 6.6% – 5,081 votes
John Minnella (R): 4.7% – 3,662 votes
Emmanuel Suarez (R): 2.1% – 1,600 votes
Aja Smith posted information about herself on her Aja Smith Veteran For Congress website:
TSgt. Aja Smith (Vet) has dedicated her career to serving he country. Following in the footsteps of her family, Aja decided at a young age that she wanted to help preserve the great freedoms that our country was founded upon.
Aja grew up in Moreno Valley, California and was raised by both her mother and grandmother who worked long hours as nurses, providing for Aja and ensuring she had every opportunity that her peers had. Both of Aja’s Grandparents served in the U.S. Military. Her Grandfather was a veteran of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. Her great uncle was a Tuskegee Airman pilot.
In 2002, Aja joined the United States Air Force Reserve. In 2007, she was deployed to Qatar and stationed at Al-Udeid Air Force Base during Operation Enduring Freedom.
The 41st district consists largely of blue-collar workers. March Air Force Base long fueled the local economy and provided jobs for local residents. After base realignment, cities like Moreno Valley were devastated economically when March became a Reserve Base. Aja Smith will fight to ensure that March Air Reserves Base does not close down and suffer the horrible economic effects. It is essential that we find employment for our veterans and continue to bring jobs back to the Inland Empire.
If elected, Aja would become the first African-American female Republican to serve in Congress from California.
Mark Takano posted his Biography on his House.gov website:
For more than twenty years, Mark Takano has worked to improve the lives of Riverside County residents, both as an elected official and as a teacher at Rialto High School.
Born and raised in Riverside, Mark’s commitment to public service began at an early age. His family roots in Riverside go back to his grandparents who, along with his parents, were removed from their respective homes and sent to Japanese American Internment camps during World War II. After the war, these two families settled in Riverside County to rebuild their lives.
Mark attended La Sierra High School in the Alvord Unified School District, and in 1979 he graduated as the school’s valedictorian. Mark attended Harvard College and received his bachelor’s degree in Government in 1983. As a student, he bussed tables to help make ends meet. During his senior year, he organized a transcontinental bicycle ride to benefit the international development agency Oxfam America.
Upon graduation, Mark returned home to Riverside and began teaching in the Rialto Unified School District in 1988. As a classroom teacher, Mark confronted the challenges in our public education system daily.
In 1990, Mark was elected to the Riverside Community College District’s Board of Trustees. At RCC, Mark worked with Republicans and Democrats to improve higher education for young people and job training opportunities for adults seeking to learn a new skill or start a new career. He was elected Board President in 1991 and helped the Board and the District gain stability and direction amid serious fiscal challenges.
In 2012, Mark became the first openly gay person of color to be elected to Congress.
Mark Takano represents the people of Riverside, Moreno Valley, Jurupa Valley and Perris in the United States House of Representatives. He serves as Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and as a member of the Education and the Workforce Committee.
As former Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Mark authored the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act, or the Honoring of our PACT Act, comprehensive toxic exposure legislation that addresses the full scope of issues affecting toxic-exposed veterans’ access to VA care and benefits. The Honoring our PACT Act expanded VA healthcare eligibility for over 3.5 million veterans exposed to burn pits, established a presumption of service connection for over 23 respiratory illnesses and cancers, and also eliminated the requirement that veterans prove exposure to toxic substances – a requirement that has often prevented many from accessing the care and benefits they have earned and deserve.
Ballotpedia provided the results of the U.S. House California District 39:
Mark Takano (D): 57.8% – 75,896 votes
Aja Smith (R): 42.3% – 55,701 votes
California’s 40th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 40th Congressional District:
California’s 40th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. Sate of California, encompassing Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties. The district is currently represented by Republican Young Kim. It was one of the 18 districts that voted for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election while being won or held by a Republican in 2022.
The district includes Yorba Linda, Anaheim Hills, Orange, Chino Hills, Tustin, Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, Laguna Hills, Laguna Woods, Villa Park, Lake Forest, the unincorporated communities of North Tustin and Coto de Cana, and parts of Brea and Corona.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 40th congressional district is located in Southern California. It takes up the majority of northern and eastern Orange County, and parts of San Bernardino and western Riverside Counties.
Orange County is split between this district, the 38th district, the 45th district, the 46th district, the 47th district, and the 49th district. The 40th and 45th are partitioned by Orange Freeway, E Lambert Rd, Sunrise Rd, Foothill Ln, Wandering Ln, N Associated Rd, E Birch St, S Valencia Ave, La Plaza Dr, La Floresta Dr, La Crescent Dr, Highway 90, 1053 E Imperial Highway-343 Tolbert St, Vesuvius Dr, Rose Dr, Wabash Ave, 6th St, Golden Ave, Carbon Canyon Creek, E Yorba Linda Blvd, Jefferson St, 1401 Zion Ave-N Van Burn St, Buena Vista Ave, 17225 Orange Blossom Ln-1480 E Howard Pl, 17511 Pine Cir-Orchard Dr, Mariposa Ave, Lakeview Ave, E Miraloma Ave, Fee-Ana St, Sierra Madre Cir, E Orangethorpe Ave, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, Kensington Ave, N Kraemer Blvd, Carbon Creek, and E La Jolla St.
The 40th and 46th are partitioned by E La Palma Ave, E Jackson Ave, E Frontera St, Santa Ana River, Riverside Freeway, Costa Mesa Freeway, N Tustin St, E Meats Ave, N Orange Olive Rd, Garden Grove Freeway, 16909 Donwest-16791 E Main St, E Chestnut Ave, 16283 E Main St-717 S Lyon St, E McFadden Ave, and Warner Ave.
The 40th, 47th, and 49th are partitioned by Barranca Parkway, Jamboree Rd, Warner Ave, Harvard Ave, Myford Rd, Highway 5, Loma Ridge Nature Preserve, Bee Canyon Access Rd, Portola Parkway, Highway 133, Highway 241, Bake Parkway, San Diego Freeway, Ridge Route Dr, Moulton Parkway, Santa Maria Ave, Via Vista, Alta Vis, Santa Vittoria Dr, Avenida del Sol, Punta Alta, Galle Azul, Bahia Blanca W, Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, Highway S18, Aliso & Wood Canyons, Alicia Parkway, Pacific Park Dr, San Joaquin Hills Trans Corridor, Cabot Rd, San Diego Freeway, Via Escolar, Arroyo Trabuco Creek, Oso Parkway, Thomas F Riley Wilderness Park, and Ronald W Caspar’s Wilderness Park. The 40th takes in the cities of Tustin, Yorba Linda, Lake Forest, Laguna Woods, Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, and eastern Orange, as well as the census-designated place North Tustin.
San Bernardino County is split between this district and the 35th district. They are partitioned by Chino Valley Freeway, Eucalyptus Ave, Peyton Dr, Highway 142, Tupelo Ave, Hazelwood Dr, Pipeline Ave, Los Serranos Blvd, Country Club Dr, Soquel Canyon Parkway, Elinvar Dr, Sapphire Rd, Onyx Rd, Copper Rd, Slate Dr, Butterfield Ranch Rd, and Pine Ave. The 40th district takes in the city of Chino Hills.
Ballotpedia posted information about Young Kim:
Young Kim (Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 40th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2023. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Kim (Republican Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 40th Congressional District. She declared candidacy for the primary scheduled March 5, 2024.
Kim was a 2018 candidate for California’s 39th Congressional District in the U.S. House. Kim lost the general election on November 6, 2018, after advancing from the primary on June 5, 2018.
Kim is a former Republican member of the California State Assembly, representing District 65 from 2014 to 2016.
Young Kim was born in Incheon, South Korea, and lives in La Habra, California. Kim earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Southern California in 1985. Her career experience includes owning a business and working as the director of community relations and Asian affairs for former U.S. Representative Ed Royce and as a financial analyst.
Ballotpedia posted information about Asif Mahmood:
Asif Mahmood (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 40th Congressional District. He lost in the general election.
Asif Mahmoud’s career experience includes working as a pulmonologist.
Ballotpedia posted information about Greg Raths:
Greg Raths (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 40th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Greg Raths was born in Phoenix, Arizona. Raths served in the United States Marine Corps from 1972 to 2004 and reached the rank of colonel. He earned an associate degree in political science from Saddleback College in 2009, a bachelor’s degree in business from Arizona State University in 1975, a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from California State University at Fullerton, and a master’s degree in national resource strategy from National Defense University in 1996. Raths’ career experience includes working at the president of an auto parts firm, the chief of staff of the White House Military Office from 1996 to 1999, and a liaison between the Pentagon and White House.
Greg Raths completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Colonel Greg Raths USMC (RET) served our nation for 30 years in the United States Marine Corps. He is a highly decorated combat fighter pilot of Operation Desert Storm, Southern Watch & Restore Hope. He flew 75 combat missions. He was an F/A-18 Hornet Fighter Squadron Commanding Officer aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. He also served as the Chief of Staff for the White House Military Office in the late 90s.
Colonel Raths holds multiple college degrees including a Master’s Degree from the National Defense University. He holds a BS from Arizona State University in Business and a BA Degree from California State University, Fullerton in History and Political Science.
Since retiring from the United States Marine Corps, Colonel Raths continued his service and dedication to those who have served. He served as Vice-Chairman of the Orange County Veterans Advisory Council for the Board of Supervisors for several years, and was president of the executive board for the non-profit, Patriots and Paws.
Greg flew as a commercial airline pilot for JetBlue Airways, and most recently was president of a local business in Anaheim, CA.
He was first elected to the Mission Viejo City Council in 2014, and re-elected in 2018. He was unanimously appointed as Mayor of Mission Viejo by his Council colleagues for 2019. On March 3, 2020 he won the Republican nomination for the U.S. House of Representative CA45th Congressional District but lost to Congresswoman Katie Porter in November 2020.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals in your time in office?
Restore America’s Energy Independence
Border Security
Work to reduce the current runaway inflation
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Budget, Immigration, National Security, Veterans Affairs, International Affairs
Ballotpedia posted information about Nicholas Taurus:
Nicholas Taurus (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 40th Congressional District. Taurus lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
November 24, 2021: Congresswoman Young Kim posted on her official website news titled: “Congresswoman Young Kim Announces Reelection Bid in New CA-40” From the news:
Today, Congresswoman Young Kim announced she will be seeking reelection in California’s newly formed 40th Congressional District. Kim is the endorsed candidate of the Republican Party of Orange County and has also received support from the California delegation including local area colleagues Rep. Michelle Steel, Rep. Ken Calvert, former Rep. Ed Royce, and former Rep. Mimi Waters.
A prolific fundraiser, Kim ended FEC’s 3rd quarter with $2 million cash-on-hand.
“From day one, I have been committed to serving Southern California and that commitment does not change with updated district lines. The out-of-touch policies we see from Nancy Pelosi and Washington politicians are hurting our communities and I’ll continue to fight to combat inflation, lower taxes on Californians, and bolster our national security,” said Rep. Young Kim. “I look forward to continuing to represent this community in Congress and running a strong campaign to earn reelection.”
The new 40th congressional district includes much of Kim’s current district including Yorba Linda, Chino Hills, and Anaheim Hills.
“As a member of Congress, Young Kim has already established a proven track record of
fighting to improve the quality of life for all Californians by holding the administration and House Democrats accountable,” added consultant Sam Oh. “Congresswoman Kim is a dynamic and accomplished campaigner and our team is ready, prepared, and has a track record of winning difficult races. We welcome any and all challengers for what will be a spirited campaign.”
January 20: Dr. Asif Mahmood posted news on his official website titled: “Dr. Asif Mahmood Launches His Campaign To Flip CA-40 & Unseat Congresswoman Young Kim” From the news:
Dr. Mahmood: “I am running for Congress because CA-40 needs leaders who wake up every day to solve problems and actually help families in our district.”
A physician with more than two decades of experiencing serving Southern California families, Dr. Mahmood understands the challenges our families face.
Dr. Mahmood is a proven fundraiser and enters the race with endorsements from 11 members of California’s congressional delegation & 4 statewide officeholders.
ORANGE COUNTY – Dr. Asif Mahmood, a physician and philanthropist, announced today he is running for Congress today in the newly drawn CA-40.
“I became a doctor because my parents taught me that helping others is our highest calling,” said Dr. Mahmood. “For more than twenty years, I have helped patients overcome their health challenges and go on to lead richer lives. I am running for Congress because CA-40 needs leaders who wake up every day to solve problems and actually help families in our district.”
Dr. Mahmood has treated thousands of patients over the last twenty years: patients in the ER, critical care, inpatients, and as they leave the hospital. Asif has made it a rule in his practice – if a patient doesn’t have insurance, his office won’t ask for payment.
Dr. Mahmood enters the race with 12 congressional endorsements and the support of 4 California statewide office holders, as well as the endorsement of Irvine’s mayor. In 2018, he ran for insurance commissioner, raising more than $2.3 million for the race. Dr. Mahmood is in a strong position to take on Congresswoman Young Kim.
Dr. Mahmood enters the race with 12 congressional endorsements and the support of 4 California statewide office holders, as well as the endorsement of Irvine’s mayor. In 2018, he ran for insurance commissioner, raising more than $2.3 million for the race. Dr. Mahmood is in a strong position to take on Congresswoman Young Kim.
“Families in the new 40th district work hard. We put our heads together to solve problems. When our neighbors face hard times, we help each other,” said Dr. Mahmood, “But politicians like Congresswoman Young Kim aren’t lifting a finger to help families here at home. Our country has big problems, but Congresswoman Kim is fighting against common-sense solutions that have broad bipartisan support.”
Just days before the Orange County oil spill, Congresswoman Kim voted against billions in disaster aid for our communities. She has taken thousands of dollars in Big Oil contributions, and even after the spill, she isn’t doing a thing to stop drilling off our coasts. Dr. Mahmood believes in science and climate change and I will fight to end our addiction to Big Oil.
Congresswoman Kim wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act. And as the Supreme Court looks to reverse Roe V. Wade, Congressman Kim supported repealing a woman’s right to choose. In his own practice, Dr. Mahmood has seen how families struggle to afford care and knows the importance of reproductive health care. In Congress, he will fight to make healthcare more affordable and will protect a woman’s right to choose.
Congresswoman Kim voted against the bipartisan infrastructure bill to fix our roads and bridges. Dr. Mahmood will fight to improve California’s roads and bridges.
In addition to his work as a physician, Asif has been a leader in non-profit and philanthropic organizations across Southern California. He is a leader for UNICEF and volunteers at a free clinic. He also serves on the California Medical Board and on the board of the Valley Rescue Mission, the largest homeless shelter in Southern California. He is the chair of the Organization for Social Media Safety, which works to fight cyber-bullying and cyber-exploitation of Children.
April 13: The Orange County Register posted an article titled: “Elections 2022: Get to know Rep. Young Kim, three more candidates in 40th District race” From the article:
…The field of challengers for the newly drawn 40th congressional district isn’t very deep. Three candidates – Democrat Asif Mahmood, and Republicans Greg Raths and Nick Taurus – hope to beat the other two in the June 7 primary. Whoever does that will appear on the decisive November general election ballot, for an almost guaranteed face-off with incumbent GOP Rep. Young Kim.
But the small field clearly offers a wide range of backgrounds and policy ideas.
Among California’s Congress members, few got dealt a happier hand in redistricting than Kim, noted Marcia Godwin, a professor of public administration at the University of La Verne who tracks local elections. When district lines were redrawn and incumbents shuffled around, Kim, 59, went from representing a district that leans solidly blue and favored Biden by more than 10 points to campaigning in a district where Republicans have a 5-point advantage in voter registration and Biden would have scored only a narrow win.
Kim also has the backing of the national GOP and benefits of incumbency, with a relatively productive and drama-free first term underway…
…Raths, 69, – who was a fighter pilot in the Marines for 30 years and has been a Mission Viejo councilman since 2014 – garnered 45.6% of the vote in 2020 when he made it to the general election against another incumbent Democrat Rep. Katie Porter in a district that largely overlaps with the new CA-40. (Porter is running this cycle in a new costal district that includes her Irvine home.) When asked how he’d measure his success as an office holder, Raths pointed to his work in Mission Viejo, where he said they have a balanced budget, “no homeless” and high-quality amenities.
Taurus, 30, taught English in Hungary for a year after college and now works as a junk hauler. This is the Laguna Hill resident’s first run for public office. He was in the news last year for leading a group involved in a confrontation at a Porter town hall that ended with punches thrown, and again earlier this year for being escorted out of an Orange County GOP meeting. Taurus says he’d measure his success as a Congress member by his ability “to pass the most important program in my platform, a 25-year immigration moratorium.”
That’s by far the most extreme immigration proposal from the GOP candidates in the CA-40 race. However, none of the Republicans support a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, with both Kim and Raths also mentioning the need for more border security in their platforms.
But while Kim and oaths recognized Joe Biden as the true winner of the 2020 presidential election, Taurus said Biden did not win…
Ballotpedia posted the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 40:
Asif Mahmood (D): 40.9% – 74,607 votes
Young Kim (R): 34.7% – 63,346 votes
Greg Raths (R): 23.2% – 42,404 votes
Nicholas Taurus (R): 1.2% – 2,193 votes
November 15: Business Insider posted an article titled: “Results: Republican Rep. Young Kim defeats Democrat Asif Mahmood in California’s 40th Congressional District election” From the article:
Republican Rep. Young Kim won her bid for a second term in office against Democrat Asif Mahmood in California’s 40th Congressional District.
Polls closed in the state at 8 p.m. local time, or 11 p.m. EST.
In 2020, Kim, fellow California Republican Rep. Michelle Steel, and Democratic Rep. Marilyn Strickland of Washington, made history as the first Korean American women ever elected to Congress. In a close contest, Kim defeated incumbent Democrat Gil Cisneros by just over 1 percentage point, flipping back the House seat she conceded to Cisneros in 2018.
Taking a page from the GOP playbook, Kim’s campaign focused on inflation and border security. On abortion, an issue she has consistently voted against, Kim told the Los Angeles Times she was “pro-life,” but that she respected the Supreme Court’s decision and believed abortion should be largely left to the states…
…According to OpenSecrets, Kim raised $8.4 million, spent $8 million, and had $769,000 cash on hand, as of October 19. Her challenger, Mahmood, raised about $3.3 million, spent $3.2 million, and had $147,000 left to spend, as of October 19.
Ballotpedia posted the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 40:
Young Kim (R): 56.8% – 161,589 votes
Asif Mahmood (D): 43.2% – 122,733 votes [...]
September 1, 2023CaliforniaCalifornia has more Congressional Districts than most states. Here is the outcome of the California U.S. House Elections in 2022. This blog focuses on Congressional Districts 21 through 30. It also includes a 22nd District Special Election.
California’s 21st Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 21st Congressional District:
California’s 21st congressional district (or CA-21) is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. It is located in the San Joaquin Valley and includes Kings County and portions of Fresno, Kern, and Tulare counties. The district is currently represented by Democrat Jim Costa.
Following redistricting in 2022, the 21st district is in Fresno County and Tulare County. The new 21st district includes the majority of Fresno, the north side of Visalia, and all of Sanger, Selma, Kingsburg, Parlier, Reedly, Orange Cove, Dinuba, Orosi, Cutler, Farmersville, Woodlake and Exeter.
Ballotpedia provided information about Jim Costa:
Jim Costa (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 21st Congressional District. He assumed office January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 2025.
Costa (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 21st Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Costa served in the California State Assembly from 1978 to 1994 and in the California State Senate from 1994 to 2002.
Jim Costa was born in Fresno, California. Costa earned a B.A. in political science from California State University at Fresno in 1974. His career experience includes working as a farmer.
Jim Costa did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia’s 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
Ballotpedia provided information from Jim Costa’s 2020 campaign website:
Issues & Legislation
Fighting for Water
The San Joaquin Valley needs water to survive. Our Valley’s jobs and way of life are at stake, and it is my top priority to ensure that our farmers, workers, and communities receive the water we need to get our economy going again.
We are making progress, and each day is a new opportunity to secure more water and take on the critics of our Valley. This page will provide you with background on the water crisis, along with news and updates on my ongoing efforts to increase the flow of water to our Valley.
Producing Results
boosting the water allocation to Valley farmers over the past two years and continue to push for more. I fought hard for better science to be used so that we take a look at all the factors affecting the decline of the Delta, not just the pumps. Our Valley has been winning that fight and now the federal agencies are going back to the drawing board. I also worked with my colleagues in Congress to secure funding for the Valley and expedite water infrastructure projects like the California Aqueduct/Delta Mendota Canal Intertie project, which had been backlogged for more than 25 years. Last Congress, I also introduced H.R. 1251 the More Water for Our Valley Act, which continues my efforts to find commonsense solutions to California’s broken water system…
…Improving Education
Education is the key to the future success of our children and promoting long-term economic opportunity across the Valley. Providing access to a high quality and affordable education is essential for our children to compete in today’s ever-evolving workforce and to ensure that they can make the kind of living our parents fought to provide our generation. To make good on these goals, our students must have the resources, schools and teachers they need in order to graduate high school prepared for college or career.
A good education begins early on. As a result, I’ve fought to support programs like Head Start and Early Head Start in our Valley. For instance, I’ve worked to secure nearly $14 million for the Head Start program operated by the Fresno County Economic Opportunities Commission. I also supported $3.3 million to strengthen Head Start and Early Head Start programs in Kings County…
Ballotpedia provided information about Michael Maher:
Michael Maher (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 21st Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Maher also ran in a special election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 22nd Congressional District. He lost in the special primary on April 5, 2022.
Michael Maher was born in California. Maher has served in the U.S. Navy since 2020. His career experience includes owning a business and working as an FBI special agent.
Michael Maher did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Michael Maher’s website:
Maher’s campaign website stated the following:
DEFEND OUR WATER RIGHTS
REDUCE TAXES ON OUR FAMILIES
SECURITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY
PRO-LIFE”
Ballotpedia provided information on Matt Stoll:
Matt Stoll (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 21st Congressional District. Stoll lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Stoll also ran in a special election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 22nd Congressional District. Stoll lost in the special primary on April 5, 2022.
Stoll completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: I am a small business owner of 20 years in Visalia, and a former Navy fighter pilot.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
A: Balancing the budget and keeping America strong
Ballotpedia provided information about Eric Garcia:
Eric Garcia (Democratic Party) ran in a special election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 22nd Congressional District. He lost in the special primary April 5, 2022.
Garcia also ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 21st Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Garcia registered with the Democratic Party following the 2020 election. He previously ran as a candidate with no party preference.
Eric Garcia was born in Fresno, California. Garcia served in the United States Marine Corps from 2005 to 2012. He earned his B.S. from the University of Phoenix in 2017. Garcia’s career experience includes working as a therapist.
Eric Garcia did not complete Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Ballotpedia provided information from Eric Garcia’s campaign website:
HEALTHCARE FOR ALL
“With over 45,000 Californian’s lost to COVID-19 in under a year, defeating the devastating pandemic clearly must be Congress’s number one priority. First and foremost, the federal government must speed up the delivery of the vaccine in a fair manner, first to those most vulnerable.
Once we defeat the virus, we need to address our broken healthcare system. The COVID-19 pandemic has made clear the inequalities in our system and exposed what had been clear to many of us: healthcare should be a human right. But due to the endless profiteering in our system, healthcare is more expensive in America than anywhere else in the world.
This is why Eric is a passionate supporter of Healthcare for All and will fight for its implementation in Congress to ensure that everyone can affordably access the care they need. Just like almost every democracies throughout the world, America must ensure cost is never a barrier for someone getting the treatment they need…
December 21, 2021: GVWire posted an article titled: “Costa Will Run for Re-election in New Fresno-Centric District” From the article:
Congressman Jim Costa announced he is running for his 10th term in 2022, this time in the newly-drawn district centered in Fresno.
“I’ve spent my career working to ensure everyone has a chance to be part of a strong middle-class and has what they need to raise their families in safe, healthy communities,” Costa said Tuesday afternoon in a news release.
December 21, 2021: GVWire posted an article titled: “Costa Will Run for Re-election in New Fresno-Centric District” From the article:
Congressman Jim Costa announced he is running for his 10th term in 2022, this time in the newly-drawn district centered in Fresno.
“I’ve spent my career working to ensure everyone has a chance to be part of a strong middle-class and has what they need to raise their families in safe, healthy communities,” Costa said Tuesday afternoon in a news release.
ural and underserved communities, delivering cleaner air and protecting critically needed access to water for our families and farmers requires steady, battle-tested leadership.”
Costa will run in California’s 21st District, which covers most of the city of Fresno, western Fresno County, and parts of Tulare County – including Dinuba, and the northern half of Visalia…
February 8: Jim Costa’s website posted news titled: “California Governor Gavin Newsom Endorses Jim Costa for Congress”. From the news:
Today, Congressman Jim Costa’s campaign for re-election announced that California Governor Gavin Newsom has endorsed Congressman Costa.
Governor Newsom said: “Congressman Costa and I have always worked well together for the people of the San Joaquin Valley and California. From investing in the state’s infrastructure to building a much needed medical school, we’re focused on building a better, brighter future for the people of the valley and our great state.”
Gavin Newsom was first elected Governor in 2018 and has helped navigate California through an unprecedented series of crises, including devastating wildfires, an economic downturn, and the worst pandemic in 100 years. Prior to his election as Governor, Newsom served as Lieutenant Governor of California.
Congressman Jim Costa said: “I am incredibly honored to receive the support of Governor Gavin Newsom. I know that together, we can continue ensuring our Valley’s families and all Californians have the tools and resources live in thriving neighborhoods, send their children to safe schools, and have access to clean air and water. I am looking forward to another term in Congress and delivering even more for our Valley.”…
Ballotpedia posted the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S.House California District 21:
Jim Costa (D): 46.9% – 32,490 votes
Michael Maher (R): 26.5% – 18,334 votes
Matt Stoll (R): 16.6% – 11,520 votes
Eric Garcia (D): 10.0% – 6,903 votes
The New York Times posted California 21st Congressional District Primary Election Results:
Jim Costa (Democrat): 33,331 votes – 46.9%
Michael Maher (Republican): 18,830 votes – 26.5%
Matt Stoll (Republican): 11,804 votes – 16.6%
Eric Garcia (Democrat): 7,127 votes – 10.0%
Total reported: 71,092 votes – 95% reported
October 4: Fresno Bee posted an article (via MSN) titled: “Costa and Maher didn’t see eye to eye in Fresno. Here’s what happened with a debate” From the article:
A miscommunication led to the cancellation of a debate on Monday night between Congressman Jim Costa and Republican challenger Michael Maher.
The Central Valley Veterans Action Alliance late on Monday night voted to endorse Maher for the November election.
On Monday afternoon, Maher’s campaign released a statement saying the retired U.S. Navy serviceman and former special FBI again had been informed on Sunday night that Costa, D-Fresno, wouldn’t be “showing up” to the debate.
The debate had been scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the American Legion Post 509 in Fresno. It was organized by the Central Valley Veterans Political Action Alliance, which has organized multiple debates in prior years.
“This debate has been put off and pushed back far too many times, and my campaign was given no justifiable reason for Costa’s absence,” Maher said in a statement. “Congress is currently out of session, and Costa’s schedule should allow him to appear before his constituents and my fellow veterans.”
However, Alfreda Sebasto, consultant for Costa’s campaign, late on Monday said there was no debate.
“It’s hard to imagine the Congressman was not aware of this,” he told The Bee.
Dan Payne, a retired U.S. Marine officer and director of the Central Valley Veterans Political Action Alliance, was able to clarify what transpired. He said he didn’t want to make Costa’s office look bad.
Payne said he called Sebasto about three weeks ago, and left a voicemail with all the details for the debate, asking her to call back with any questions, but he says he never heard from her. He said he figured she was fine with all the details.
“In Jim’s defense, I did not follow up with a second phone call or an email,” he told The Bee late Monday.
Payne recently learned that Costa had a previous engagement that had been planned for the past six weeks, and that Costa knew nothing of Monday’s debate…
November 10: The Sacramento Bee posted an article titled: “Rep. Jim Costa leads race in newly drawn Fresno-area congressional district” From the article:
Rep. Jim Costa is well on his way to a 10th term in the U.S. House of Representatives, as he leads his Republican challenger by almost 10 percentage points in Fresno’s newly drawn district.
A moderate “Blue Dog” Democrat, Costa, 70, has represented Fresno area in Congress since 2005.
Costa almost 55% of the votes in the newly drawn 21st Congressional District, according to the Associated Press, with more than 73% of the votes counted. His challenger, businessman and veteran Michael Maher, gathered 45.1%.
The Fresno native is part of the Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan group that looks for common ground. He is also a prominent member of the Blue Dog Coalition, a collection of moderate Democrats who press for “fiscally responsible” legislation…
Ballotpedia posted that results for the General Election for U.S. House California District 21:
Jim Costa (D): 54.8% – 56,118 votes
Michael Maher (R): 45.3% – 46,281 votes
Total votes: 102,399
California’s 22nd Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 22nd Congressional District
California’s 22nd congressional district is a district in California. It is represented by David Valadao, who formerly represented California’s 21st congressional district from 2013 to 2019 and 2021 to 2023. It was one of 18 districts that voted for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election while being held by a Republican in 2022
Following redistricting in 2021, the district is still in the San Joaquin Valley. It includes most of Kings County and parts of Tulare and Kern Counties. It includes the east side of Bakersfield; the west and south sides of Tulare, the south side of Hanford; and all of Porterville, Lindsay, Shafter, Wasco, Delano, McFarland, Arvin, Lamont, and Corcoran. The new 22nd is a majority-Latino district.
Ballotpedia provided information about David G. Valadao:
David G. Valadao (Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 22nd Congressional District. He assumed office January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Valadao (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 22nd Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Valadeo served in the California State Assembly, representing the 30th District from 2010 to 2012.
Candidate Profile: David G. Valadao
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office:
U.S. House (2013-2019)
California State Assembly (2010-2012)
Biography: Valadao was born and raised in California, and his parents came to the U.S. from Portugal. Valadao received his diploma from Hanford High School and attended the College of the Sequoias. He worked as regional leadership council chairman for Land O’ Lakes Inc. As of the election, Valadao worked on his family farm.
KEY MESSAGES
The following messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more information on how we identify key messages, click here.
Valadao’s campaign ads said he was ranked one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and was an independent problem-solver. They said he worked with both parties to bring water to the valley and make healthcare more accessible. Valadao’s ads said he stood up to his own party to protect DREAMers.
Valadao’s campaign website said, “We need to protect our water, make health care more affordable and accessible, work to bring new jobs and new job training to the Central Valley, and stand up for seniors and veterans to ensure they get the benefits they deserve.”
Valadao’s ads said Cox was the most corrupt member of Congress. They said Cox used his office to hide a conflict of interest and didn’t pay taxes he owed.
Ballotpedia provided information about Rudy Salas:
Rudy Salas (Democratic Party) was a member of the California State Assembly, representing District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Salas (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 22nd Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Rudy Salas earned a degree in political science and history from the University of California at Los Angeles in 2000.
Ballotpedia provided information about Chris Mathys:
Chris Mathys (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 22nd Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Mathys was previously a 2018 candidate for New Mexico Public Regulation Commission District 5. Mathys lost the primary on June 5, 2018.
Chris Mathys was born in San Diego, California, and grew up in Sanger, California. He graduated from Fresno State in 2015 and received his graduate degree from the University of the Southwest in 2018. Mathys served in the U.S. Army from 1985 to 1995. His career experience includes working in commercial real estate and cattle ranching. He has been associated with the National Rifle Association, American Legion, Valley Taxpayers Coalition Inc., and the Knights of Columbus.
Mayths completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: I’m a Conservative Republican running for California’s 21st Congressional District against David Valadao who voted to impeach President Trump. I support President Trump 100 percent and believe he worked hard to make American a better place.
I grew up on a farm in Sanger near Fresno, Ca where my parents instilled my love of God, family, country, and the value of hard work. My education includes graduating from Fresno State and then I received an MBA from the University of the Southwest located in Hobbs, New Mexico.
My proudest achievement is serving in the army in the Southern Command in Panama. My experience in the military has taught me as Americans we have the right to keep and bear arms, that freedom is not free, and for America to be strong, we must enforce our borders. And make sure immigrants come to America legally to work and not to take advantage of our benefits.
As part of my training in the Army and college education, I learned to speak Spanish fluently which has been very useful as I campaign throughout the district.
My business background is in commercial real estate and lending with Oro Financial of Ca. Inc. in Fresno and cattle ranching at Mercey Ranch in Firebaugh which was founded 100 years ago by
(Ballotpedia posted a box here that says “Spanish-basque settlers.” It is unknown what, exactly Chris Mathys wrote.)
I have been involved in government as a conservative member of the Fresno City Counsel and with the Valley Taxpayer’s Coalition, Inc. which monitored wasteful government spending. I would be honored to have your vote.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
1 Defend our conservative values by making sure republicans in name only like David Valadao and Liz Cheney who voted to impeach President Trump do not represent us in congress.
2 Voter integrity is vital in holding free and fair election. We must stop voter fraud and make sure that only American citizens vote.
3 Building more water storage projects like the Temperance-Flat dam so farmers and ranchers have a stable water supply instead of releasing water into the ocean.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
A: Government mandates including executive orders are adversely impacting our freedoms and liberties. We should not be told by the government that we have to be vaccinated, cannot go to church, or forcing our children to stay at home. This is not who we are as free Americans. We have always been a nation founded by Judeo-Christian values as Americans, we are capable of making our own decisions without government interference. I am most passionate about reducing government mandates and regulations. Farmers and ranchers can’t get enough water and the government uses the Delta Smelt as a reason to reduce the flow of surface water. We can build a high speed rail project but don’t have the resources to build a new dam.
(Ballotpedia posted a box here that says “My position has always been, less government and fewer regulations.” It is unknown what Chris Mathys wrote.)
Ballotpedia provided information about Adam T. Medeiros:
Adam Thomas Medeiros (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 22nd Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Adam T. Medeiros was born in Sao Miguel Island, Azores. His professional expertise includes owning and operating a hair salon. Medieros has served as a board member of the King’s County Office of Education. He has also volunteered with his local church and with youth sports. Medeiros is affiliated with the Sons of Liberty and Full Gospel Businessmen.
Adam T. Medeiros completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: I am a family man, businessman, and public servant. I immigrated from the Azores Islands of Portugal when I was a child and grew up on a dairy farm where my father milked cows. My wife and I have been married for nearly 40 years and we have three grown children and seven grandchildren (with one more on the way). As a small business owner, I am self-employed and own and operate a salon in Hanford. I served on a local school board for many years and in 2018, was elected to the Kings County Board of Education, where I currently serve as Vice President. I have been an active member in my community and have been involved in youth ministry and prison ministry, and have coached youth soccer, football, and basketball. I am a Christian conservative and feel that I can represent the farms, families, and business in this district and want to do my part to ensure a stable country for our future generations.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. I support the Constitution, civil liberties, and law and order.
Water and Energy. We must ensure proper water storage and allocation, as a nation become more energy dependent.
Parents Rights. Parents (not the Government) are responsible for the upbringing of their children. Parents must be allowed to protect their children’s health and education and I support the School Choice Initiative.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
A: Currently, we are seeing an emerging trend of communist and socialist agendas growing in our country. We are a free nation and We the People must keep government accountable to uphold our Constitutional rights. I am passionate about helping Congress restore the group we have lost and will fight for increased liberties and decreased government mandates.
June 10: The Fresno Bee posted an article titled: “California Republican who voted to impeach Trump Falls behind Democrat in election returns”. From the article:
A competitive midterm election in California’s San Joaquin Valley came into focus Tuesday night with a Democratic state lawmaker taking on one of the most vulnerable Republicans in Congress.
The Associated press said that the Democratic Assemblyman Rudy Salas of Bakersfield would advance to the primary to the November general election in the 22nd Congressional District at 11:00 p.m. Pacific Time Tuesday.
They had yet to call it for incumbent Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, as of 6:06 a.m. Wednesday. Salas, 45, had 48.3% of the votes then. Valadao, also 45, had 25.6%.
Fewer than 30% of the votes have been counted.
Analysts say the election in the Central Valley’s new 22nd, which captures Hanford to Shafter, is a toss up…
…The party of the president historically does worse in midterm elections. And with Biden’s approval rating slipping in the wake of inflation and pandemic issues, experts predict more of a “red wave” in 2022…
…Adam Thomas Medeiros, a businessman and a member of the Kings County Board of Education, and Chris Mathys, a pro-Trump conservative who was on the Fresno City Council, are both running as Republicans in the 22nd district…
The Fresno Bee posted an updated view of the vote count on June 24:
Rudy Salas (D): 24,092 votes – 45.4%
David Valadao (incumbent) (R): 13,583 votes – 25.6%
Chris Mathys (R): 12,273 votes – 23.1%
Adam Medeiros (R): 3,150 votes – 5.9%
The AP estimated the 96.9% of the votes were counted.
June 26: Los Angeles Times (via Yahoo! News) posted an article titled:”California Republican Rep. David Valadao, who voted to impeach Trump, survives primary” From the article:
GOP Rep. David Valadao, one of the most endangered Republican congressional incumbents in the nation, has survived the California primary and will advance to the November ballot.
Valadao, of Hanford, will face Assemblymember Rudy Salas, a moderate Democrat, in the contest to represent the 22nd Congressional District in the general election. The Central Valley district includes parts of Kern, Kings, and Tulare counties.
Valadao, one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach former President Trump for inciting the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, faced challengers from is right. But Trump didn’t publicly attack Valadao. And former Fresno City Councilman Chris Mathys and Kings County Board of Election Trustee Adam Medeiros were not able to secure Trump’s endorsement or raise significant campaign funds.
Mathys came surprisingly close to Valadao after Democrats spent six figures on television ads boosting his candidacy because they believed he would be a weaker foe in the general election.
Now Valadao will face significant challenges in the general election. The district already tilted blue, but after redistricting, Democrats have a 17-point voter registration edge…
October 11: Washington Examiner (via MSN) posted an article titled: “Rep. David Valadao’s Democratic challenger drops out of debate at eleventh hour” From the article:
California GOP Rep. David Valadao is slated to be the only candidate in attendance at Wednesday’s scheduled debate after Democratic state Assemblyman Rudy Salas unexpectedly pulled out of the event, saying he would not appear onstage with the California Republican due to his frustrations over a campaign ad alleging he had supported raising prescription drug prices.
Salas told KGET 17 News, the Bakersfield-based NBC affiliate station that was set to hold the debate, he felt Valadao should apologize for a National Republican Congressional Committee ad that targets his vote on a bill placing a few on opioid manufacturers prior to him participating, arguing that the criticism is misleading, despite having agreed to the debate two months ago.
Valadao, a leading centrists Republican who defeated T.J. Cox (D-CA) in 2020 after losing the seat he held for three terms in 2018, declined to apologize, blasting Salas for opting not to debate ahead of Election Day…
“My argument is, well, no, you’re taxing people who need this drug for quality-of-life issues, cancer patients and others, and you’re taxing them to pay for other people’s mistakes, and that’s not appropriate,” he told the Washington Examiner.
“We were offered other debates, and every time, as soon as we get to the point where we say ‘yes’ to a debate , within hours, his team would be, like, “OK, no, we’re not going to do it.” It’s almost like they are waiting for use to say, they’re hoping we would say no first.”
In lieu of the initial debate plans, the station is now scheduled to hold a 30-minute discussion with the GOP congressman, with the station leaving the door open for Salas to change his mind…
November 8: Bakersfield.com posted an article titled: “Valadao takes early lead over Salas” From the article:
Rep. David Valadao pulled ahead of his Democratic challenger, Assemblyman Rudy Salas, in early results Tuesday night in the hard-won race for California’s 22nd Congressional District.
In a contest seen as one of the tightest and most important in the nationwide battle for control of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Hanford Republican was ahead of the Bakersfield Democrat, 50.6 percent to 49.4 percent, with 60.9 percent of districts reporting.
“I always knew this race was going to be tight,” Valadao said by text message at 9:13 p.m. “I’m optimistic about our start but we still have a long way to go.”
The race was notable for the money it attracted from across the country as it was for the negative campaign ads that proliferated on television and the internet. It was, in a sense, a repeat from two years prior, when Valadao narrowly defeated former Rep. T.J. Cox, the Democratic incumbent, in the race for what was then the 21st Congressional District.
Redistricting gave the district more of a Democratic advantage, with 43.4 percent of voter registrations to 26 percent Republican and 22.7 percent stating no party preference…
Ballotpedia posted the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 22:
David G. Valadao (R): 51.7% – 52,065 votes
Rudy Salas (D): 48.3% – 48,709 votes
Rep. David Valadao, (R-Calif.) is projected to win in California’s 22nd congressional district, keeping his political life alive for another term despite voting to impeach former President Trump following the Capitol riot.
The Associated Press called the race on Monday, nearly two weeks after Election Day.
Valadao, who currently represents the Golden State’s 21st Congressional District, bested Democrat Assemblymember Rudy Salas in a contentious contest that was rated a “toss up” by Cook Political Report. He moved to the 22nd following redistricting…
…The race for the 22nd district came under scrutiny this cycle after Democrats poured money into the GOP primary, propping up Valadao’s Trump-aligned candidate Chris Mathys. Trump himself, however, never endorsed Mathys…
…Similarly, Salas in-part tried to sell himself as independent on the campaign trail. One of his ads tout a vote he took in 2017 against a transportation plan that would have raised gas taxes. He was the only Democrat in the state Assembly to oppose the measure, which led to him losing a committee chairmanship…
…According to California news outlet CalMatters, the state’s 22nd district trends toward the middle: That 43.4 percent of its residents are registered Democrats, 26 percent are registered Republicans and 22.6 percent do not have a party preference.
The bulk of the election, however, focused on issues important to voters in the Central Valley district, including agriculture, water issues and the economy. The candidates’ differences on the issue of abortion were also highlighted – Salas is in favor of allowing the medical procedure, and Valadao is opposed…
November 21: The New York Times posted an article titled: “David Valadao, a Republican Who Voted to Impeach Trump, Wins Re-election” From the article:
Representative David Valadao, Republican of California, won re-election on Monday, according to The Associated Press, managing to survive politically after his vote to impeach former President Donald J. Trump, a move that cost some of his Republican colleagues their seats.
Mr. Valadao defeated Rudy Salas, a Democratic state assemblyman, in a competitive district in the Central Valley that became more difficult for Republicans after newly drawn boundaries tilted it more to the left. The outcome was decided nearly two weeks after Election Day, with Mr. Valadao leading by more than three percentage points…
…Mr Salas had drawn about 20 points more votes than Mr. Valadao in the open primary – which included candidates of any political affiliation – but the Republican was able to beat two Republican challengers. The race was always going to be tight; Mr. Valadao, who first represented the district from 2013 to 2019, had narrowly won back the seat in 2020 by less than a point over Representative T.J. Cox, a Democrat.
By the final month of the campaign, Republican political action committees, including the Congressional Leadership Fund, which is aligned with Representative Kevin McCarthy, the minority leader, spent more than $11 million in advertising for Mr. Valadao, according to the nonpartisan political tracking organization California Target Book…
November 22: The Guardian posted an article titled: “Republican who voted to impeach Trump re-elected to US House”. From the article:
A Republican who voted to impeach Donald Trump in the House of Representatives has won re-election in California, making him only the second of the 10 to do so still in Congress.
David Valadao was called the winner of his competitive race with Democrat Rudy Salas late on Monday, almost two weeks after Election Day.
With his party having already secured control of the House, albeit narrowly, his result was significant only for the survival of his political career after turning on the former president…
…Valadao released a statement on Monday night thanking his campaign staff and acknowledging his opponent, but not mentioning Trump, or his vote for his impeachment.
“I am once again humbled by the Central Valley’s support and faith in me,” the statement said.
“I commend Rudy Salas for running a strong campaign and his service to our community in the state assembly.”…
California’s 22nd District Special Election
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 22nd Congressional District Special Election:
The 2022 California’s 22nd Congressional District special election took place on June 7, 2022, with the primary election on April 5, 2022. California’s 22nd Congressional District became vacant when Republican Devin Nunes resigned on January 1, 2022, to become the CEO of the Trump Media & Technology Group.
Governor Gavin Newsom scheduled the special election for June 7, 2022, with the primary election on April 5, 2022. The election was held using a nonpartisan blanket primary, a system where all candidates ran in the same primary, and if no candidates receives a majority of votes, the top-two candidates then advance to the general election. No candidate received a majority in the primary, so Republican Connie Conway and Democrat Lourin Hubbard advanced to the runoff.
Ballotpedia provided information about Connie Conway:
Connie Conway (Republican Party) was a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 22nd Congressional District. Conway assumed office on June 14, 2022. Conway left office on January 3, 2023.
Conway (Republican Party) ran in a special election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 22nd Congressional District. Conway won in the special general election on June 7, 2022.
Conway was a Republican member of the California State Assembly, representing District 26 from 2012 to 2014 and District 34 from 2008 to 2012. Conway served as Minority Leader from 2011 to 2014.
Connie was born in Bakersfield, California, and lives in Tulare, California. Conway graduated from San Joaquin Memorial High School. Her career experience includes working as the California executive director of the United States Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency. Connie served as a state president of the Cities, Counties, and Schools Partnership and as president of the California State Association of Counties.
Ballotpedia provided information about Lourin Hubbard:
Lourin Hubbard (Democratic Party) ran in a special election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 22nd Congressional District. He lost in the special general election on June 7, 2022.
Lourin Hubbard was born in Bakersfield, California. Hubbard graduated from Bakersfield High School. He received a bachelor’s degree in political science from California State University at Fresno in 2013. Hubbard’s career experience includes working as an operations manager and racial equality officer with the Central Valley Quality Control Board.
Lourin Hubbard completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: I was born and raised in the Central Valley. I was raised by a single mother and lots of unofficial aunts and uncles, so I know the importance of community to the success of our future. I am an activist for environmental justice and racial equity in the community and as such I understand firsthand the issues and challenges facing the people of this district. I am guided by the principle that everyone, not just the privileged and affluent, deserve access to opportunity and the freedom to pursue their own happiness. My experiences have taught me the importance of speaking truth to power and garnering community attention so we can push our elected officials to act on fixing the environment, expanding SNAP benefits, and access to healthcare. If given the opportunity I will never stop fighting for the people I represent. Change only happens when people with big ideas, integrity, and the backbone to fight for what they believe step forward.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Healthcare is a fundamental human right. No one should have to choose between buying food, medicine, or the health of their family. Yet we are forced to make those choices every day. We must ensure every American has health coverage and access to the highest quality healthcare.
Rather than leading the world’s climate and energy policy, the U.S. has fallen behind not only our developed-world allies, but even rising powers such as China and Brazil. The Central Valley can become the leader of renewable energy for the country and leading the green Industrial Revolution and create the jobs of the future.
In oder to begin to address the inequities in our communities, we must have equitable access to quality education. From early education through adult education, we must build and maintain an affordable, quality education system accessible to all residents.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
A: I was born and raised in the Central Valley. I was raised by a single mother and lots of unofficial aunts and uncles, so I know the importance of community to the success of our future. I am an activist for environmental justice and racial equity in the community and as such I understand firsthand the issues and challenges facing the people of this district. I am guided by the principle that everyone, not just the privileged and affluent, deserve access to opportunity and the freedom to pursue their own happiness. My experiences have taught me the importance of speaking truth to power and garnering community attention so we can push our elected officials to act on fixing the environment, expanding SNAP benefits, and access to healthcare. If given the opportunity I will never stop fighting for the people I represent. Change only happens when people with big ideas, integrity, and the backbone to fight for what they believe step forward.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Healthcare is a fundamental right. No one should have to choose between buying food, medicine, or the health of their family. Yet we are forced to make those choices every day. We must ensure every American has health coverage and access to the highest quality healthcare.
Rather than leading the world’s climate and energy policy, the U.S. has fallen behind not only our developed-world allies, but even rising powers such as China and Brazil. The Central Valley can become the leader of renewable energy for the country and leading the green Industrial Revolution and create the jobs of the future.
In order to address the inequities in our communities, we must have suitable access to quality education. From early education through adult education, we must build and maintain an affordable, quality education system accessible to all residents.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am passionate about the healthcare reform and expanding access to care for every single American. Healthcare is an area of policy that affects all of us and can directly lead to improving our quality of life. I have lived without consistent healthcare and I have seen the impacts of lack of healthcare. We have all witnessed the meteoric rise to the cost of healthcare. The lack of access continue to drive individuals, families, and businesses past their breaking point all while insurance companies continue to gain billions of dollars in profits. We have had a healthcare system in this country that provided guaranteed health care for millions of seniors for more than 51 years, called Medicare. I believe it is past time we expand Medicare to include everyone in our health system. So that we can end health disparities. We can reign in out of control costs, guarantee that everyone has access too quality care and that no family in the US goes bankrupt because a family member got sick.
Ballotpedia provided information about Matt Stoll:
Matt Stoll (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 21st Congressional District. Stoll lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Stoll also ran in a special election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 22nd Congressional District. Stoll lost in the special primary on April 5, 2022.
Matt Stoll lives in Visalia, California. Stoll served in the U.S. Navy. His career experience includes owning a business and working as a fighter pilot.
Matt Stoll completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am a small business owner of 20 years in Visalia, and a former Navy fighter pilot.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Keep America strong
Fight for water
Balance the Budget
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Balancing the budget and keeping America strong.
Ballotpedia provided information about Eric Garcia:
Eric Garcia (Democratic Party) ran in a special election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 22nd Congressional District. He lost in the special primary on April 5, 2022.
Garcia also ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 21st Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Garcia registered with the Democratic Party following the 2020 election. He previously ran as a candidate with no party preference.
Eric Garcia was born in Fresno, California. Garcia served in the United States Marine Corps from 2004 to 2012. He earned his B.S. from the University of Phoenix in 2017. Garcia’s career experience includes working as a therapist.
Eric Garcia did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Balloted provided information from Eric Garcia’s campaign website:
HEALTHCARE FOR ALL
With over 45,000 Californians lost to COVID-19 in under a year, defeating the devastating pandemic clearly must be Congress’s number one priority. First and foremost, the federal government must speed up the delivery of the vaccine in a fair manner, first to those most vulnerable.
Once we defeat the virus, we need to address our broken healthcare system. The COVID-19 pandemic has made clear the inequities in our system and exposed what has been clear to many of us: healthcare should be a human right. But due to the endless profiteering in our system, healthcare is more expensive in America than anywhere else in the world.
That’s why Eric is a passionate supporter of Healthcare for All and will fight for its implementation in Congress to ensure that everyone can affordably access the care they need. Just like almost every democracies throughout the world, America must ensure cost is never a barrier for someone getting the treatment they need.
Additionally, Eric is committed to lowering skyrocketing prescription drug prices and boosting funding for mental health services as well as incentivizing medical healthcare providers to work in underserved and rural communities by an increased student loan forgiveness program.
ECONOMY
The economic ramifications of the pandemic have also put a spotlight on the devastating inequities in our economy.
At a time when millions of working and middle-class families throughout the country are struggling to put food on the table, and falling further behind on paying their bills, millionaires and billionaires have been getting richer and richer, aided by tax cuts and gigantic loans from the federal government.
This cannot continue. That’s why Eric is committed to building an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top.
That starts with providing aid to the working families and small businesses that have been devastated over the course of the past year and are in dire need of help. In Congress, Eric will be committed to rebuilding and promoting small and new businesses, including tax credits for small businesses so they can pay fair wages and build for the future.
Additionally, we must past a comprehensive infrastructure package that provides desperately-needed funding to transportation, water, and energy projects in underserved communities like the 22nd District. To fund these programs, and restore equity in our tax system, we must also repeal the Trump tax hike on working and middle-class families, and raise taxes on the highest earners…
Ballotpedia provided information on Michael Maher:
Michael Maher (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 21st Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Maher also ran in a special election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 22nd Congressional District. He lost in the special primary on April 5, 2022.
Michael Maher was born in California. Maher has served in the U.S. Navy since 2020. His career experiences includes owning a business and working as an FBI special agent.
Michael Maher did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Michael Maher’s website:
“GROW OUR ECONOMY
DEFEND OUR WATER RIGHTS
REDUCE TAXES ON OUR FAMILIES
PRO-LIFE”
Ballotpedia provided information on Elizabeth Heng
Elizabeth Heng (Republican Party) ran in a special election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 22nd Congressional District. She lost in the primary on April 5, 2022.
Heng also ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. She did not appear on the ballot for the primary on June 7, 2022.
Elizabeth Heng was born in Fresno, California. Heng earned a B.A. from Stanford University and an M.B.A. from Yale University. Heng’s career experience includes working as the CEO of The New Internet, a deputy campaign manager to former U.S. House Representative Ed Royce, an event coordinator with the Republican National Committee, the chief of protocol and member outreach with the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the director of congressional staff volunteers for former President Donald Trump’s (R) inauguration ceremony.
February 18: The Sun Gazette posted an article titled: “Former fighter pilot Stoll ready to fight for the Valley in Congress” From the article:
Retired Navy fighter pilot Matt Stoll said he wants to continue fighting for America but this time he’ll be doing it from the ground instead of in the air.
Stoll is among six candidates and four Republicans vying to serve out the rest of the year in the 22nd Congressional District, vacated by longtime Representative Devin Nunes in January, before new, redrawn districts take effect in December. An F-18 Hornet fighter pilot, Stoll retired from military service in 2019 after 20 years including flying 44 combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Stoll said he is pro-Trump yet pro-Choice and believes entrepreneurial innovation, a capitalist economy and hard work are the bedrocks of the country and things worth fighting to preserve.
“I’m here to battle for our Constitution, our way of life, champion the capitalist system, and protect our liberties,” Stoll said.
Stoll said he was not interested in running for election until the last few years of being a business owner employing 18 people. Stoll owns a property management business, Visalia Landscape and Tree Company, Inc., and runs a retail shop, Garden World, in Visalia.
“I often say that I have combat experience in the military, which is evidenced by my record, but I think the next combat experience I have is the most relevant an that is my war in the business community, because its is its own battle,” Stoll said.
He said California has some of the most stringent regulations on private businesses, a huge bureaucracy to enforce them, yet few people dedicated to helping businesses navigate the government to find answers to their questions and sees the same things happening at the federal level…
…Stoll understands finishing out Nunes term before new districts take effect doesn’t give him much time in Washington, possibly as little as two months, which is why he said he will also be running in the June 7 primary for the new 13th Congressional District in California. Stoll had not filed for the office as of press time, but the nomination period does not end until March 11. He says he wants to be part of a “red tsunami” of Republicans he thinks will be taking back the House of Representatives in the 2022 midterm election this November…
March 14: GV Wire posted an article titled “These 6 Want to Replace Devin Nunes in Congress. Where do They Stand?” From the article:
This is Heng’s second run for Congress. She lost to Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, in 2018.
Heng, 37, grew up in Fresno and attended Sunnyside High School before earning degrees at Stanford and Yale. She worked as a congressional staffer in Washington, DC before returning home and launching The New Internet, a web browser geared toward privacy.
“I am a conservative, I’m a constitutionalist, but I’m very pragmatic,” said Heng. “At the end of the day, having anybody on far extremes, I think, is bad for the country. I think the majority of the population is in that 80 percent in the middle range and they just want to see things done for our government to begin functioning again,” she said.
“I’m fiscally conservative and I believe that all the policies that I will work on is moving the bar so that we can get work done for the Central Valley here, moving water policies, immigration bills, and then helping with our education system and alleviating kind of the challenges with our business climate.”
The daughter of Cambodian refugees, Heng believes in immigration reform.
“Both parties, I believe, have failed at creating an immigration policy that actually works. We need more agricultural workers here in the Valley and we need to increase H2-A visas. We need increase H1B visas for DACA children that are here in the United States. This is no fault of their own,” Heng said…
…Garcia Making Second Run
Eric Garcia, 34, is a Marine veteran who rose to the rank of sergeant. He previously ran for the CD 22 seat in 2020 but did not advance beyond the primary.
Garcia grew up in a farming family in the Central Valley. He is a trained therapist but said he is waiting until after election to start a practice.
“If I had to give myself any kind of label, I would say (I am a ) progressive (Democrat) because I have these ideas to make things better, I want to move forward. I don’t want to stay in the past or stay stagnant because once you’re stagnant in nature, you start to die, so you always have to evolve for the environment. Things change, so you have to change with them. Otherwise, you’ll be left, get left behind,” Garcia said.
GV Wire scheduled an interview with Maher, who later canceled, citing a scheduling conflict…
April 5: Ballotpedia posted the results of the Special nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 22:
Connie Conway (R): 35.2% – 30,248 votes
Lourin Hubbard (D): 19.4% – 16,636 votes
Matt Stoll (R): 16.2% – 13,882 votes
Eric Garcia (R): 14.4% – 12,401 votes
Michael Maher (R): 8.7% – 7,466 votes
Elizabeth Hung (R): 6.2% – 5,284 votes
June 2: Los Angeles Times posted an article titled: “Meet the young, ambitious Black man who wants Nunes’s old House Seat” From the article:
…Hubbard is competing in a special election runoff on June 7 to serve the remainder of Devin Nunes’s term, which ends in early January. The 33-year-old Democrat faces an uphill climb for several reasons, not least the tiny share of Black voters in a district that historically voted Republican.
Hubbard is also trailing the favored GOP candidate in fundraising. And he is trying to pull off a win where even seasoned Democratic politicians haven’t succeeded in more than two decades…
…”He definitely has the odds stacked against him,” said Thomas Holyoke, a political science professor at Fresno State University. “This is still a Republican-leaning district.”
Political analysts had predicted that someone with a familiar name would advance to the runoff with front-runner Connie Conway, a Republican endorsed by former President Trump. But Hubbard managed to place second in April’s special election, garnering 16,905 votes from Fresno and Tulare counties’ voters in the district…
…The California Democratic Party endorsed Hubbard in the spring election. But he said that the “conversation I had with the party after… confirmed there is no calvary that is coming.”
“I learned and I saw it early on were busy fighting among themselves, that they couldn’t – they weren’t – going to help me,” the Fresno resident said.
He voted for Barack Obama that fall and in 2012, but didn’t officially become a Democrat until years later when, as he said, the state Department of Motor Vehicles prompted him to update his voter registration.
He voted for Barack Obama that fall and in 2012, but didn’t officially become a Democrat until years later when, as he said, the state Department of Motor Vehicles prompted him to update his voter registration.
The Washington Post posted “California 22nd District special election results” From the article:
According to The Washington Post: Republican Connie Conway and Democrat Lourin Hubbard are running to fill the congressional seat opened by former congressman Devin Nunes (R), who retired from Congress at the end of last year to join Trump Media and Technology Group. The district was eliminated in the redistricting process this year, so the winner will only serve for the remainder of Nunes’s term, which ends in January.
Connie Conway: (Republican) 70,985 votes – 62.2%
Lourin Hubbard: (Democrat) 43,297 votes – 37.8%
Rep. Connie Conway (R) was sworn into office on Tuesday, one week after she won a special election in California to finish out former Rep. Devin Nunes’s (R) term in the House.
Nunes, who was first elected to the House in 2002, announced in December that he was resigning from Congress to become the CEO of former President Trump’s new media and technology company, Trump Media & Technology Group. He officially departed the lower chamber in January.
Conway, who previously served as a county supervisor and the Republican leader of the California State Assembly, won the special election last week to represent the Golden State’s 22nd Congressional District. She bested Democrat Lourin Hubbard.
With an estimated 76% of votes counted, Conway led Hubbard by more than 20,000 votes, according to The Washington Post.
Democrats have an 11-seat majority in the House, 200-209.
Conway’s time in the House will be short, as she was elected to finish Nunes’s term. Under the new congressional lines, her current district will be split into neighboring areas, and the latest 22nd District will be heavily Democratic.
Conway has already decided she will not run for a full term, saying, “I’m term-limiting myself right from the start,” according to Roll Call.
In 2019, Trump chose Conway to serve as California executive director of the Farm Service Agency at the Department of Agriculture. In addition to working in politics and government, Conway was previously a businesswoman and was involved in the health care industry…
California’s 23rd Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 23rd Congressional District
California’s 23rd Congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. The district is represented in the 118th United States Congress by Jay Obernolte.
Following the 2020 United States redistricting cycle, the district is anchored in San Bernardino County, and also includes parts of Kern and Los Angeles counties. It is mostly within the Mojave Desert. Cities in the new 23rd district include Victorville, Hesperia, Adelanto, Apple Valley, Barstow, Twentynine Palms, Big Bear Lake, California City, Loma Linda, Yucaipa, southern Redlands, and small portions of Highland and San Bernardino.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 23rd congressional district is located in the region in the region of the state covering the Mojave Desert. It encompasses the majority of San Bernardino, and parts of Kern and Los Angeles Counties.
San Bernardino County is split between this district and the 25th district, the 28th district, the 33rd district, and the 40th district. The 23rd 28th and 33rd are partitioned by San Bernardino National Forest, Manzanita Rd, Highway 15, Cajon Blvd, W Kenwood Ave, Highway 215, W Meyers Rd, Ohio Ave, Pine Ave, Bailey act, Highway 206, Devils Canyon Rd, Cloudland Truck Trail, Cloudland Cutoff, Hill Dr, W 54th St, E Hill Dr, Bonita Vista Dr, Sterling Ave, Argyle Ave, E Marshall Blvd, Rockford Ave, Lynwood Dr, La Praix St, Orchid Dr, Denair Ave, Highland Ave, Orchard Rd, Arroyo Vista Dr, Church St, Greensport Rd, Florida St, Garnet St, Nice Ave, Crafton Ave, 5th Ave, Walnut St, 6th Ave, S Wabash Ave, E Citrus Ave, N Church St, Southern California Regional Rail A, Tennessee St, Highway 10, California St, E Washington St, and S Barton Rd.
The 23rd and 25th are partitioned by Power Line Rd, Telephone Pole Line Rd, Cadiz Rd, Arizona & California Rail, San Bernardino National Forest, East Mojave Heritage Trail, Sunflower Springs Spur, Sunflower Springs Rd, Needles Freeway, Mountain Springs Rd, Goffs Rd, and Walter Rd.
The 23rd district takes in the cities of Victorville, Barstow, Twentynine Palms, Adelanto, Yucaipa, Loma Linda and Apple Valley, as well as the town of Yucca Valley.
Kern County is split between this district and the 20th district. They are partitioned by the Mojave-Barstow Highway, Treescape Rd, Oak Creek Rd, Anajanette Avenue, 70th St W, Highway 58, Homer Hansen Private Rd, Aerospace Highway, Redrock Randsburgs Rd, Garlock Rd, Iron Canyon, and Union Pacific. The 23rd district takes in the city of California City.
Los Angeles County is split between this district, the 27th district and the 28th district. They are partitioned by the Angeles National Forest, Linda Mesa Rd, San Gabriel Mountains, Fort Teton Rd, 121st St E, 123rd St E, 126th St E, Highway N6, Highway 138, 136th St E, Longview Rd, E Avenue S, 140th St E, Avenue S, 140th St E, Avenue H, 120th St E. The 23rd district takes in the census-designated place Lake Los Angeles.
Ballotpedia posted information about Jay Obernolte
Jay Obernolte (Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 8th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Obernolte (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 23rd Congressional District. He won the general election on November 8, 2022.
Jay Obernolte was born in Chicago, Illinois, and lives in Big Bear Lake, California. Obernolte graduated from Edison High School in 1988. He earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering and applied science from the California Institute of Technology in 1992, a masters degree in artificial intelligence from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1997, , and doctorate in public administration from California Baptist University in 2020.
Obernolte’s career experience includes owning a video game development studio and working as a video game developer. He served on the Big Bear California, airport board of directors.
Jay Obernolte did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Ballotpedia provided information from Obernolte’s 2014 campaign website:
Make Government Work
Excerpt: “We need to stop funding programs that have outlived their usefulness and eliminate wasteful spending on projects that don’t deliver a return on investment.”
Bring Innovation To Government
Excerpt: “I understand that there are functions only government can provide, but if we don’t bring innovation to government, we risk losing our ability to provide those functions, along with extinguishing the strong economy we need to pay for them.”
Return Local Control
Excerpt: “I’m a strong believer in local control, and in Sacramento, I’ll fight to protect our local governments.”
Overcome Economic Challenges
Excerpt: “I understand that greater regulation fundamentally threatens economic growth, and that if government plays a role in our economy — which it clearly does — we must reform our regulatory process.”
Ballotpedia posted information about Derek Marshall
Derek Marshall (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 23rd Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Derek Marshall was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Marshall earned bachelor’s and graduate degrees from American University in 2005 and 2006, respectively. His career experience includes working as a community organizer with the Bernie Sanders 2020 presidential campaign, as a director of internationalization for web-based travel company Kayak, and in international relations.
Derek Marshall completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Derek Marshall is an openly gay progressive Democrat, community organizer, and longtime LGBTQ+ rights activist. Marshall is the co-founder of a global research initiative supporting the United Nations, Making Commitments Mater, which developed a framework to hold countries accountable to the various UN conventions and resolutions to which they had committed. From there, he joined the online travel agency KAYAK as Director of Internationalization. Marshall has since leveraged his skills and experience in order to focus on community building and electing progressive candidates to public office. He has organized for many campaigns, most notably those of Rep. Ocasio-Cortez and Alex Morse. Marshall spent much of the 2020 cycle in Nevada as a staffer for Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential bid. He currently resides in Victorville, CA, where his 2022 campaign is based.
Q: Please list below 3 messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Real Relief For Everyday People
A Green New Deal To Empower Rural America
Freedom & Justice For All
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
-Green New Deal – Medicare for All – Jobs Guarantee – Racial Justice – Housing Justice – Ending Homelessness – Ending the War on Drugs – Taxing the Rich
Ballotpedia provided information on Blanca Gomez
Blanca Gomez (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 23rd Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Blanca Gomez was born in Orange County, California. Gomez earned an associates degree from Victor Valley Community College and a bachelor’s degree in English composition/applied linguistics. Her career experience includes working as an American Sign Language interpreter and as a teaching associate with California State University at San Bernardino. Gomez has been affiliated with Catholic Charities.
Blanca Gomez completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Here are some of the questions she answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: I’m a former foster woman who got elected into a local municipal office in 2016 (city of Victorville) and a standing public servant working on her doctorate in public administration currently to provide accessibility to justice, transparency, accountability and equality to the political system on behalf of humanity. I have two adult children and a minor child working to create a better situation for the least disadvantaged in our real in all manners and fashion. Call or text me for questions at 760-912-3190 I’m currently attending California Baptist University for my post graduate degree in this political realm.
Blanca Gomez also translated the above paragraph into Spanish.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Homelessness and housing
Job security and stability
Educational access o our communities through partnerships and collaborations
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
A: I’m passionate about equal access to justice and the transparency and accountability of public sectors to our systems in gov or more inclusion of our voters and taxpayers, stake holders, stake seekers, businesses, and other entities.
Blanca Gomez translated the above paragraph into Spanish.
March 7: CISON posted a press release titled: “Progressive Candidate Derek Marshall Official Files for Candidacy for California’s 23rd Congressional District”. From the press release:
The first time candidate feels energized looking ahead to the primary on June 7.
On Tuesday, March 1, 2022, Derek Marshall filed his candidacy to represent California’s new 23rd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. As a political candidate who refuses to take money from special interest groups, Marshall feels motivated to work tirelessly for his constituents if elected.
“I’ve spoken to so many people in my community, and what’s been communicated to me is that we must fight for Medicare-for-All, a Green New Deal, and good-paying, local jobs right here in the Inland Empire,” says Marshall. “When voters see my name on the ballot, I hope they trust me to go to DC and fight for exactly that.”
Grassroots campaigning and small-dollar donations have pushed Marshall ahead of his fellow Democratic primary challengers, indicating that his progressive platform is resonating with citizens. He is currently the leading candidate to take on Republican incumbent Jay Obernolte come November.
“Unlike the incumbent, I won’t leave money on the table for my district. He voted against the INVEST in America Act, which would have provided federal aid to fix our highways and improve our infrastructure. Our district would have benefited from this bill,” Marshall says…
April 27: Yahoo! Finance posted a press release from CISON titled: “Democratic Challenger Derick Marshall Outraises Republican Incumbent in California Congressional Race” From the article:
The Progressive Candidate Raised Approximately $40,000 More than Jay Olbernote During This Fundraising Quarter
In California’s new 23rd District, Democratic challenger Derek Marshall has outraised Republican incumbent Jay Obernolthe in the first quarter of 2022. Marshall’s campaign raised about $137,000 while (R) Jay Obernolte’s campaign raised about $96,000. Small-dollar individual donations, with an average amount of $103, pushed Marshall ahead of Obernolte, who is one of the wealthiest members of Congress.
“I think it’s safe to say that voters have had enough of Jay Obernolte’s inaction on economic hardships, climate change, infrastructure improvements, and crushing medical and student debt in our district,” said Derek Marshall, the leading Democratic challenger. “The numbers show that the valley is ready for a new representative that will be a real voice for them in Washington.”
According to the Federal Election Commission, Obernolte has received $526,305 in donations to date since the start of January 2021. Marshall’s campaign is closing the gap, having raised $502,131.
Marshall has received endorsements from prominent organizations including:
The California Democratic Party
Progressive Turnout Project
The SIX PAC
Ground Game LA
the Stonewall Democratic Club
Desert Stonewall Democrats
California High School Democrats, and
PDA Antelope Valley
California’s new 23rd District, formerly CA-8, includes Victorville, Redlands, Twentynine Pines, among other communities. It stretches from the southern edge of Death Valley National Park in the north to Joshua Tree National Park in the south. The eastern boundary is the California / Nevada state line, and the west reaches the outskirts of the Inland Empire, up the hill from Los Angeles.
June 8: Victorville Daily Press (via Yahoo! News) posted an article titled: “Jay Obernolte’s November opponent still too close to call as votes are counted in House race” From the article:
Rep. Jay Obernolte will move on to the November general election, but his opponent in that race is too close to call.
But his two Democratic opponents, Derek Marshall and Victorville Councilwoman Blanca Gomez, are separated by only 1,000 votes with only 48% of the votes counted at 6 a.m. Wednesday.
The 23rd District was created after redistricting and covers most of San Bernardino County, along with parts of Kern and Los Angeles counties.
The district is one of seven right-leaning seats in California and is considered a “Solid R” district, according to the website FiveThirtyEight.com.
Obernolte, a Trump-backed Republican, is the incumbent congressman for California’s old 8th District, which was larger geographically and covered Inyo, Mono and San Bernardino counties.
He is a former state Assembly member and founder of a video game developer, FarSight Studios.
In response to Daily Press questions, Obernolte touted his business experience and 17 years in public service as to why he was the most qualified candidate.
“With our economy such a critical issue, we need leaders who understand the role government plays in either helping or hindering our prosperity,” he said.
If elected for a second term, Obernolte said he would lean toward increasing law enforcement resources at the California-Mexico border and help get control of “runaway inflation.”
If elected for a second term, Obernolte said he would lean toward increasing law enforcement resources at the California-Mexico border and help get control of “runaway inflation.”
He believes a background in working internationally has set him up to be a successful congressman.
“In my experience living and working amongst other countries across the world, all with less money than the US, I have seen how guaranteeing people health care, affordable housing, and removing the financial shackles of medical and student loan debt can lead to a happier and healthier community,” Marshall said.
“In my experience living and working amongst other countries across the world, all with less money than the US, I have seen how guaranteeing people health care, affordable housing, and removing the financial shackles of medical and student loan debt can lead to a happier and healthier community,” Marshall said.
“In my experience living and working amongst other countries across the world, all with less money than the US, I have seen how guaranteeing people health care, affordable housing, and removing the financial shackles of medical and student loan debt can lead to a happier and healthier community,” Marshall said.
Gomez did not return messages from the Daily Press about the race.
June 8: Daily News posted an article titled: “Election 2022: Here are updated results for the congressional races that include LA County” From the article:
There was no shortage of fascinating candidates and subplots in the 17 congressional races that involved Los Angeles County – either partly or wholly – during Tuesday’s statewide primary.
Here’s how those races for the U.S. House of Representatives shook out, as of 3:16 am. Wednesday, June 8, according to the California Secretary of State’s website:
District 23: Incumbent Rep. Jay Obernolte had about 59% of the vote in his bid to represent a new district that encompasses the desert between the Antelope Valley and the Nevada border (only grazing L.A. County). The Republican’s two Democratic challengers were closer to each other than to Obernolte. Community organizer Derek Marshall had about 22% and Victorville Councilwoman Blanca Gomez had about 19%…
Ballotpedia provided information about the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 23
Jay Obernolte (R): 60% – 56,432 votes
Derek Marshall (D): 21.8% – 20,220 votes
Blanca Gomez (D): 17.3% – 16,001 votes
July 6: The Press Enterprise (via MSN) posted an article titled: “Here’s who won the major San Bernadino County races in the June 7 primary” From the article”
…23rd District
When congressional district lines were redrawn in December, they looked especially good for sitting members of the House of Representatives in the Inland Empire.
They certainly looks to be true for Rep. Jay Obernolte, R-Big Bear Lake. He picked up 60.9% of the vote in the June 7 primary, followed by Democrats Derek Marshall, who got 21.8% of the vote, and Blanca A. Gomez, who received 17.3% of the vote. He and Marshall will will face off in the Nov. 8 general election.
The district covers Adelanto, Apple Valley, Barstow, Big Bear City, Hesperia, Twentynine Palms, Victorville, Yucaipa, and Yucca Valley, parts of Colton, Highland Loma Linda, Redlands and San Bernardino…
Ballotpedia provided information for the U.S. House California District 23
Jay Obernolte (R): 60.6% – 53,437 votes
Derek Marshall (D): 39.4% – 34,687 votes
November 9: Victorville Daily Press (via Yahoo! News) posted an article titled: “Election results: Jay Obernolte leads race for California’s House seat; Lackey ahead in Assembly” From the article:
As expected, Jay Obernolte, a Republican and the High Desert’s current U.S. House of Representatives, is easily defeating Democratic challenger Derek Marshall in the newly drawn District 23.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Obernolte garnered 60.1% and led Marshall, a community organizer who formerly worked for several of his party’s campaigns, with 39.1%..
California’s 24th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 24th Congressional District
California’s 24th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. State of California. The district is currently represented by Salud Carbajal. It contains all of Santa Barbara County, most of San Luis Obispo County, and part of Ventura County. Cities in the district include Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, and Ojai.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 24th congressional district is located on the southern edge of the Central Coast. It encompasses Santa Barbara County, most of San Luis Obispo County and part of Ventura County. The district also takes in six of the Channel Islands.
San Luis Obispo County is split between this district and the 19th district. They are partitioned by Highway 1, Cayucos Creek Rd, Thunder Canyon Rd, Old Creek Rd, Santa Rita Rd, Tara Creek, Fuentes Rd, Highway 41, San Miguel Rd, Palo Verde Rd, Old Morro Rd, Los Osos Rd, San Rafael Rd, Atascadero Ave, San Antonio Rd, N Santa Margarita Rd, Santa Clara Rd, Rocky Canyon Truck Trail, Highway 229, Lion Ridge Rd, O’Donovan Rd, Highway 58, Calf Canyon Highway, La Panza Rd, Upton Canyon Rd, Camatta Creek Rd, San Juan Creek, and Bitterwater Rd. The 24th district takes in the cities of San Luis Obispo, Arroyo Grande, Morro Bay, and Grover Beach, as well as the census-designated places Nipomo and Los Osos.
Ventura County is split between this district and the 26th district. They are partitioned by Highway 150, Los Padres National Park, Highway 33, Cozy del, Cozy Oaji Rd, Shelf Road Trail, Gridley Rd, Thatcher Creek, Boardman Rd, Sulphur Mountain Rd, Canada Larga Rd, Highway 33, Shell Rd E, Manuel Canyon Rd, Aliso St, Willoughby Rd, Aliso Canyon Rd, Foothill Rd, N Wells Rd, Highway 126, Highway 118, Brown Barranca, Montgomery Ave, Telephone Rd, Ramlin Ave, Harmon Barranca, Johnson Dr, S Victoria Ave, Highway 101, E Harbor Blvd, and Olivias Park Dr. The 24th district takes in the city of Ventura.
Ballotpedia provided information about Salud Carbajal:
Salud Carbajal (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 24th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2017. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Carbajal (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 24th Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the primary scheduled March 5, 2024.
Carbajal first one election to the seat in 2016 where he defeated Justin Fareed (R) by a vote of 53.4 percent to 46.6 percent. He defeated Fareed again in 2018 by a vote of 58.6 percent to 41.4 percent.
During the 2016 election cycle, Carbahal was one of 161 candidates endorsed by President Barack Obama.
Ballotpedia provided information on Brad Allen:
Brad Allen (Republican Party) rancor election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 24th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Brad Allen was born in New York, New York. Allen earned a bachelor’s degree from Lafayette College in 1976 and an M.D. from Chicago MedicalSchool in 1991. His career includes working as a pediatric heart surgeon and visiting adjunct clinical professor of surgery at the USC Keck School of Medicine.
Brad Allen completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: I am a surgeon who has worked at major universities for 40 years, specializing in pediatric heart surgery. I am also a medical researcher with almost 100 scientific papers and 7 book chapters, a member of the medical honor society, won numerous teaching and research awards, and lectured all over the world. I have set up surgery centers, intensive care units, and research laboratories from scratch, so I know how to work with people to bring complex ideas to completion. I am a small business owner, so I understand the problems small businesses face, and how to fix them. I have spent my life solving complex problems using data and not politics to find solutions.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
As a pediatric heart surgeon, I’ve trained my entire life in the art and science of solving problems and helping people live better lives. This problem-solving approach is needed in Washington. Democratic politicians have worsened California’s daily lives in more ways than I can count. I want to work with leadership to bring common sense back to Congress. Instead of more politics, or a particularly ideology, I want to provide actual solutions to these problems by using the pragmatic problem-solving approach. I learned it as a doctor to improve American’s daily lives.
Inflation is at a 40-year high, with surging gas, food and housing costs. Supply chain issues have led to shortages in just about everything. We have gone from energy independent, to begging other countries to produce more oil. The growing federal bureaucracy and is punishing small businesses. Congress just keeps printing money as though it has no consequences, but it does. It is one of the major causes of inflation, and it has increased the national debt to over $30 trillion. I want to restore financial sanity and stop spending money we don’t have by just printing more. As a small business owner I understand we need to cut the regulatory burden on small businesses to allow them to flourish and reduce supply chain issues.
I will bring “real” life experience to Washington. The problem in Washington is not that we don’t have enough politicians, it’s that we have too many. I have spent my life explaining complex topics like pediatric heart surgery to people in simple terms so they could understand the problem, and what was needed to fix it. With so many problems facing our country, this is approach is needed. So if you have finally “had enough” of Washington as usual, then vote for someone who brings life experience and a pragmatic problem-solving approach to Washington instead of a bureaucrat.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
With so many problems facing our county, the list is almost endless. There’s Law Enforcement, Education, Immigration, Homelessness, and Healthcare just to name a few. And as a doctor I can’t sit by and watch these hurt so many people, when practical solutions are possible. I am passionate about helping people live better lives. That has been my live’s work.
But having worked as a doctor for 40years I am particularly passionate about healthcare. And having worked at major universities in the United States and Canada, as well as Veteran’s hospitals, I understand how healthcare works, and how it can be improved. We need real people to fix our healthcare, not politicians.
As a medical researcher I understand research. I understand the data and science of COVID and how best to manage this disease. Democrats one-size-fits-all approach to Covid-19 has failed miserably. They stopped following the science ages ago. Their reliance on lockdowns inflicted enormous economic and societal costs while providing little to no health benefit, and imposing them on children caused severe damage, including mental and social anguish. I can’t just let the politicians continue to mismanage Covid and healthcare.
Ballotpedia provided information about Michele Weslander Quaid:
Michele Weslander Quaid (independent) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 24th Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Michele Weslander Quaid was born in California. Quaid earned a bachelor’s degree in physics and engineering science from Seattle Pacific University in 1991 and a graduate degree in optics from the University of Rochester in 1994. Her career experience includes founding and working as the president of Sunesis Nexus. Quaid served on the board of directors in Providence, A Santa Barbara Christian School, and on the board of trustees of National Flight Academy.
Michele Weslander Quaid completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Here are some of the questions she answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: My run for Congress is a continuation of the oath of office I took 20 years ago.
Raised in Santa Barbara by a single mom with an income below the US-defined poverty level, I worked hard to get a good education and earn a better standard of living. After graduating as the valedictorian of my high school, I earned a B.S. in Physics and Engineering Science and a M.S. in Optics. This led to a 25-year national security career in the Washington D.C. area.
In 2002, I was recruited into government service to lead innovation and sworn in as a senior executive in defense intelligence. I voluntarily traveled to the combat zones of Iraq and Afghanistan to better support our troops and served as the first Deputy Chief Information Officer for the Director of National Intelligence. As a senior policymaker, I worked with Congress and successfully managed large offices and budgets. After government service, I became Google’s Chief Technology Officer for Public Sector and then started my own business, Sunesis Nexus. In 2016, I returned to Santa Barbara.
I appreciate our military and am the widow of a veteran who served our country honorably for over 22 years. Our daughter is an American patriot.
Having lived the American dream, I want to preserve it for future generations. In Congress, I will act with integrity, stand for truth and liberty, and use my expertise in executive leadership, strategic planning and coalition building to effectively represent California’s 24th District.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Individual Liberty, Equal Justice, Constitutionally Limited Government. The Declaration of Independence states that every human is “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights and a just government secures those rights. Our legal system follows natural law, which acknowledges individuals’ rights come from their Creator, not the government, and therefore no human authority can reduce these rights. There must be liberty and justice for all. Today, our government is operating outside of its legal authority as articulated in the U.S. Constitution. and trying to dictate every aspect of our lives. I will support legislation that maximizes the opportunity for people to thrive, and work to restore our constitutional republic.
National Security, Secure Border, First Responders, Military, Veterans. America is an experiment in self-government where “We The People” are the sovereign. We elect people to represent us and they derive their power from our consent. The Preamble to the Constitution articulates the role of government, “to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty.” A government’s first responsibility to its citizens, and a sovereign nation must have secure borders. I will put the interests of America and its citizens first and support those who serve on the front lines risking their lives for us at home and abroad.
Fiscal Responsibility, Lower Taxes, Free Market Economy, Excellence in Education. Our government has not demonstrated fiscal responsibility and is over-taxing We The People to pay for its spending habits and engaging in crony capitalism in an attempt to control the economy. This has has disastrous results. The government is overspending and printing money, devaluing the dollar. Inflation has risen to a 40 year high (March 2022), impacting every aspect of our lives. We send large amounts on education but too many schools are failing our students. I will work to cut spending and taxes, lift unreasonable burdens for employers and employees to help our businesses to prosper, and ensure parents have school choice for their students to thrive.
Q: What areas of policy are you personally passionate about?
A: Our national debt is an economic issue, national security issue, and moral issue. The government’s lack of fiscal responsibility is burdening our children with a debt that cannot be repaid, harming their future and the sovereignty of our nation.
Our education system is failing our children. Instead of being taught the fundamentals – reading, writing, arithmetic, true American history, and citizenship – and how to learn, students are being told what to think and subjected to indoctrination with radical ideologies. We must preserve parental rights and ensure that each child receives an educational foundation that enables them to be lifelong learners and thrive.
Our military and first responders deserve our unwavering support. My husband was diagnosed with a life-threatening brain tumor (glioblastoma) on his first day of retirement from the military. He qualified for maximum benefits but it was a constant battle with the Department of Veterans Affairs to get them to provide the benefits to which he was entitled and he died at age 47. Those who risk their lives for our freedom deserve the best care in their time of need.
We must be good stewards of the earth and apply common-sense environmental policies that enable sustainable agriculture and forest-management practices that protect our communities.
We need to return to being energy independent, with a combination of renewable energy and fossil fuels, for the good of American citizens and our national security.
Ballotpedia provided information on Jeff Frankenfield:
Jeff Frankenfield (independent) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 24th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Jeff Frankenfield was born in Seattle, Washington, and lives in Santa Barbara, California. Frankenfield served in the U.S. Marine Corps. He earned a B.A. in political science from the University of Washington in 1998. Frankenfield’s career experience includes working as the director of global accounts with OFS and a global account manager with Viavi Solutions.
Jeff Frankenfield completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: Jeff has served his country and community in some capacity for most of his adult life. His service to the country began in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he served as a non-commissioned officer (NCO).
He began serving his local community as a police chaplain and continues to serve by volunteering his time coaching high school football. He believes there may be no bette way to improve our local communities, and our society, than to do everything we can to help our youth become successful adults.
Jeff graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and is a current candidate for a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA). For the past 23 years, Jeff has had a successful sales and management career in the telecommunications industry, and currently works with the world’s largest high-tech companies. Seeing firsthand how fast these companies move, and the creativity with which they problem-solve, inspires Jeff to bring these same characteristics to Congress. He also thrives in relationship building, strategic thinking, and effective negotiations, which are all skills desperately needed in Congress right now.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
A priority on government accountability. Congress has given authority and resources to federal agencies that impact American citizens, yet unlike Congress, these agencies do not have direct accountability to the people of this country, and that is a fundamental problem with bloated federal government. I want to see this changed.
A priority on national security. I believe the federal government’s most important function is protecting the country from its enemies, both foreign and domestic, so that people in each of the 50 states can carve out their lives with the right and freedoms our country was founded on. It is paramount that our military can respond with overwhelming and incomparable force, and this ever-constant capability ensures the greatest level of peace for us as a country. We also need to ensure the latest technologies are being utilized to protect Americans on our own soil, which includes combating cyber-attacks, preventing acts of terrorism, managing border security, and protecting our power grid and water lines to name a few.
I am committed to finding solutions that help take care of our citizens and our land. this includes a focus on good healthcare solutions, a better educational system, job opportunities with a healthier economy, affordable housing solutions, immigration reform and the protection of our natural environment…
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
A: Energy and the Environment; Educational Reform; Economic Health; Government Accountability; Healthcare; Housing; Immigration Reform; National Security; Support for our Veterans
May 10: Santa Barbara Independent posted an article titled: “Three Challengers Take On Salud Carbajal for California’s 24th Congressional District” From the article:
California’s 24th Congressional District has four candidates facing off in the June 7 primary, with three challengers on the ballot attempting to unseat the incumbent Democrat Salud Carbajal, who first won the position in 2016 and was reelected every two years since…
…As a state representative, Carbajal has advocated for environmental legislation like the California Clean Costal Act, which bans future offshore oil and gas drilling along the coast, as well as sitting on a number of state committees on agriculture, armed services, transportation and infrastructure.
Republican Brad Allen is a pediatric heart surgeon who ran for the same position in 2014, where he finished fifth out of nine candidates with 7 percent of the vote. Allen does not have an updated campaign website for the 2022 election, but a YouTube video interview published on April 22, he describes his motivations for running again, saying he could no longer “sit on the sidelines” while the country’s “problems are piling up.” In 2014, Allen was a fierce critic of Obamacare, saying in a campaign statement at the time that “Congress needs more people who can bring professional experience to bear on complex issues, rather than career politicians who are out of touch with what people need.”
Independent Jeff Frankenfield is a “telecommunications and global accounts director,” who, according to a campaign statement, hopes to use his expertise in “relational negotiations” to “improve bipartisan cooperation within Congress.” His website addresses a number of issues, from inflation in the economy to “the environment, education reform, government accountability, healthcare, housing, immigration, national security, and support for not only our veterans but also our active duty personnel…
…Also running as an independent is Michele Weslander Quaid, who is listed on the ballot as an “entreprenur/coach/educator. Her website lists a lengthy background in defense intelligence, including an appointment as Deputy Chief Information Officer for the Director of National Intelligence.
Weslander Quaid represents the conservative-leaning spectrum of Independent political candidates who focus on issues like securing the borders, limiting the role of government, lowering taxes, and what she calls a “failing educational system,” which “indoctrinates youth.” She advocates for a turn back to “true American history” and away from “racial ideology.”…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 24:
Salud Carbajal (D): 64.9% – 57,055 votes
Brad Allen (R): 27.5% – 24,140 votes
Michele Weslander Quaid (Independent): 6.2% – 5,437 votes
Jeff Frankenfield (Independent): 1.4% – 1,229 votes
October 24: VC Star posted an article titled: “Election 2022: What you need to know about Rep. Salud Carbajal v. Dr. Brad Allen race for Congress”. From the article:
A three-term incumbent who prides himself on bipartisanship faces a celebrity-linked heart surgeon pushing for change in a redrawn congressional district that now includes more of Ventura County.
The 24th Congressional District was changed in redistricting to include less of San Luis Obispo County and gain 80,000 voters in Ventura and Ojai. Rep. Salud Carbajal, a Democrat who grew up in Oxnard, is vying to keep the seat against the challenge of Republican Dr. Brand Allen, married to actress Jacklyn Smith of “Charlie’s Angels” television fame.
Voters will decide who will represent them at the polls Nov. 8.
The candidates disagree on the battle to curb inflation, Roe v. Wade, the Jan. 6 hearings and nearly everything else. They concur the biggest divide is their background with Allen pointing at Carbajal’s nearly six years in Congress; 12 years serving on the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors; and another 11 years working for Naomi Schwartz, the former county supervisor.
“I believe we keep electing the same type of person – the career politician,” Allen said. “My concern is they don’t solve problems. They only look at things one way.”
Carbajal said the “career politician” dig is an oft-used strategy by challengers without experience. If they succeed in winning the election, they almost invariably run for reelection, he said.
“They try to become what they malign others with,” he said, comparing his resume with Allen who has not held elected office. “I think the difference is that I have a record of effective accomplishments, a record of service, a record of working across the aisle.”
Carbajal is the front runner in a district where 46% of the registered voters as of early September were Democrats compared to 26% Republicans. Carbajal received 60% of the votes in the primary with Allen gaining 31% and advancing to the November election over two other challengers.
…”I (Allen) went into this with my eyes wide open. I knew my chances in this race were not good,” he said, asserting his campaign relies on convincing voters the path to change comes from his nearly 40 years practicing medicine where he identifies problems and solves them.
He’s a pediatric heart surgeon and also helps run a business line of skin care products named for his wife. They own homes in Los Angeles and Summerland.
Allen, 67, ran for Congress in the 24th District in 2014, pushing for changes to the Affordable Care Act. He finished fifth in a field of nine…
…”The debt’s like a national credit card,” he said, contending lawmakers try to solve problems by throwing money at them.
…Carbajal, 57, of Goleta, said the economic crisis was exacerbated by the COVID-19 lockdown and the impact of Russia’s war with Ukraine on oil prices. He said inroads are being made through legislation that focuses on removing barriers from the supply chain, lowering prescription drugs costs and investing in businesses and industries…
…Carbajal comes from poverty. Born in the Guanajuato region of Mexico, he immigrated with his family to Arizona at age 5. His father worked in the mines, then as a farmworker after they moved into public housing in Oxnard. Carbajal spent summers working in the fields and graduated from Oxnard High School in 1983.
A former marine reserve, he won a seat on the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors in 2004. He has served in Congress since 2016, advocating for environmental protections and serving on several bipartisan caucuses…
November 9: The Tribune posted an article titled: “Salud Carbajal, Jimmy Panetta, win reelection to represent SLO County in Congress” From the article:
Two Democratic incumbents cruised to reelection to represent San Luis Obispo County in Congress, according to a final Election Night ballot count.
The Associated Press called both races after U.S. Rep Jimmy Panetta built a strong lead for District 19 and Congressman Salud Carbajal did the same in District 24.
The incumbents held onto their seats in their newly redrawn districts…
…SALUD CARBAJAL REELECTED IN DISTRICT 24
With 100% of precincts partially reporting as of 11 a.m. Wednesday, Carbajal won the race with 60.7% of the vote, 21 points above challenger Dr. Brad Allen, who trailed with 39.3%.
“I’m feeling ecstatic,” Carbajal told The Tribune Thursday night. “I feel that the voters of the Central Coast are reaffirming the work I’ve done on their behalf.”
“I’m feeling ecstatic,” Carbajal told The Tribune Thursday night. “I feel that the voters of the Central Coast are reaffirming the work I’ve done on their behalf.”
“They want me to continue fighting for these things in Congress, and there’s a lot of work to be done,” Carbajal said…
November 10: VC Star (via Yahoo! News) posted an article titled: Election 2022: Carbajal wins fourth term in 24th Congressional District” From the article:
U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal has won a fourth term in the race for the 24th Congressional District.
As of an update Thursday, Carabajal, D-Goleta, had 61% of the vote to 39% for Dr. Brad Allen, a Republican physician who owns a home in Summerland. Carbajal had 87,035 votes to 56,072 for the challenger.
The Associated Press called the race for Carbajal who declared victory Tuesday night.
“I am humbled to have again earned the confidence and support of Central Coast voters in today’s election, and I look forward to serving our communities in next Congress,” he said in a statement.
Allen conceded Wednesday morning.
“I am, of course, saddened by last night’s results,” he said in a written statement. “Being a pediatric heart surgeon, I still feel we need to start sending people with real life experience to Washington, instead of continuing to send career politicians who seem only to follow their party’s ideology.”
Carbajal, 57, prides himself on his advocacy for the environment and his efforts to work with Democrats and Republicans alike. He graduated from Oxnard High School and served on the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors before running for Congress…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 24:
Salud Carbajal (D): 60.7% – 84,506 votes
Brad Allen (R): 39.3% – 54,682 votes
California’s 25th Congressional District
Wikipedia posted information about California’s 25th Congressional District:
California’s 25th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. State of California. The district is currently represented by Democrat Raul Ruiz.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 25th congressional district is located in the Mojave Desert. It encompasses Imperial County, most of Riverside County, and the eastern edge of San Bernardino. The district covers the entirety of the Arizona-California border.
Riverside County is split between this district and the 41st district. They are partitioned by Terwillinger Rd, Bailey Rd, Candelaria, Elder Creek Rd, Bonny Ln, Tule Peak Rd, Eastgate Trail, Goldrush Rd, Rule Valley Rd, Laura Ln, Dove Dr, Lago Grande, Barbara Trail, Valley Dr, Foolish Pleasure Rd, Highway 371, Gelding Way, Puckit Dr, Indian Rd, Wellman Rd, El Toro Rd, Burnt Valley Rd, Cahuilla Rd, Highway 74, Bull Canyon Rd, Santa Rosa-San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, Fred Waring Dr, Washington St, Highway 10, Davall Dr, Dinah Shore Dr, Plumley Rd, Gerald Ford Dr, E Ramon Rd, San Luis Rey Dr, San Joaquin Dr, Clubhouse View Dr, Mount San Jacinto State Park, Azelea Creek, Black Mountain Trail, Highway 243, North Folk San Jacinto River, Stetson Ave, Hemet St, Cornel St, Girard St, E Newport Rd, Domenigoni Parkway, Leon Rd, Grand Ave, State Highway 74, California Ave, W Devonshire Ave, Warren Rd, Ramona Expressway, San Jacinto River, Highway 79, Oak Valley Parkway, Champions Dr, Union St, Brookside Ave.
The 25th district takes in the cities of Coachella, Banning, Desert Hot Springs, Indio, San Jacinto, Hemet, Beaumont, and Blythe, as well as the census-designated places Valle Vista and East Hemet.
Ballotpedia provided information about Raul Ruiz:
Ruiz (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 25th Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Ruiz graduated magna cum laude from UCLA. He earned three degrees from Harvard University – a Medical Doctorate, a Master’s in Public Policy and a Master’s in Public Health.
Raul Ruiz was born in Zacatecas, Mexico. Ruiz graduated from Coachella Valley High School in 1990. He earned a B.S. from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1994, an M.D. and M.P.P. from Harvard University in 2007. Ruiz’s career experience includes working as a physician and an associate dean with the University of California at Riverside School of Medicine.
Raul Ruiz did not fill out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Raul Ruiz’s 2014 campaign website:
Jobs and the Economy: “Reduce the deficit in a way that protects working families, retirees, and people who have lost their homes, jobs, and security during the last few years.
Breaking Gridlock: “As an Emergency Room physician, I’m trained to focus on solving problems and getting things done. When a patient is in the emergency room, it doesn’t matter whether they’re a Democrat or Republican, or who gets credit for solving the problem; all that matters is fixing the problem. That’s the approach I’ll bring to Congress.”
Education: “Prepare all our children for success by making college affordable, investing in preschool and vocational training, and fully funding after school programs.”
Medicare and Social Security: “Always protect Social Security and Medicare from attempts to slash the guaranteed benefits California seniors have paid and planned on.”
Standing Up For What’s Right: “The executive order to stop deporting young people who were brought here through no fault of their own is very important to me. Congress should stop playing politics and recognize that everyone has an interest in immigration reform.”
Ballotpedia provided information about Brian Hawkins:
Brian Hawkins (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 25th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Brian Hawkins was born in San Diego, California. Hawkins’ career experience includes working as a pastor. He has served as a councilman for San Jacinto, California.
Brian Hawkins completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Survey. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: I’m a Pastor, Father, Husband and a public servant. I’m currently elected to San Jacinto City Council. I have always had a people first approach to everything I have ever done. Im an unselfish person with a desire to get things done. I have advocated for human rights from my pulpit. Im a former felon who is endorsed by local law enforcement, sheriffs and District Attorney Mike Hestrin. My story of turning my life around is amazing. I’m a strong supporter of fixing the education system and making sure or children grow up in a safe environment. I believe we should finally address our nations immigration problems by building stronger borders with bigger doors. We should build bridges with nations that need our help. Every person who comes to America is a dreamer. People dream of a better life for their future generations. I will fight for every citizen to have equal access to the rights that our founding fathers believed we should have.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
I don’t care if you are liberal or conservative, you deserve to have your voice heard in Washington D.C.
If we fix the educational system, we fix homelessness and mass incarceration. Knowledge is power and 75% of inmates are high school drop outs.
People don’t know what they don’t know and we are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
A: Fix education
Allocate money for small businesses
Provide better resources for our boarder patrol
change laws and make homeless a mental health crisis
provide an easier path way to citizenship.
every inmate that parole have a degree or trade (give access to FASFSA)
Fix allocation of welfare aide. fathers should be included in 50/50 working together to create health child environment.
Fix the crisis with the salton sea
Ballotpedia provided information on Brian Tyson:
Brian Tyson (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 25th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2020.
Brian Tyson was born in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Tyson’s career experience includes owning urgent care centers and working as an emergency room physician.
Brian Tyson did not fill out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Brian Tyson’s 2022 campaign website:
COVID & MANDATES
“Over the past two years, much of the American economy was essentially shutdown under the guise of “science.” It has been proven these lockdowns provided more harm than help, mandates did not work, and Washington’s suppression of proven COVID treatments based on partisan bias was simply wrong.
Dr. Tyson ignored Washington’s dysfunctional approach and instead provided early COVID treatments to over 10,000 patients with impeccable results. He knows its time to end the mandates, let doctors be doctors, and protect the fundamental relationship between the patient and their physician.
WATER
The Colorado River runs the length of the 25th congressional district and its importance to both farmers and residents cannot be understated. The Salton Sea sits in the middle of the District as well as poses a substantial health risk. With every year that passes, the exposed playa becomes increasingly harmful and a growing public health risk; this challenge must be met with a proactive approach that works toward ongoing mitigation efforts.
Dr. Tyson knows that water is the elixir of life. He will work tirelessly to protect water rights, ensure public health, and maintain access to fresh, clean water to always meet the needs of District farmers, and the agricultural industry.
PROMOTE AMERICAN JOBS
As Congress pushes trillions of dollars in new spending, debt ceiling suspensions, and a laundry list of middle-class tax hikes, we are seeing current leadership run amok. Inflation is above five percent, with free money flooding the economic system. Millions of Americans refuse to work, content with government handouts that undermine small business job creation.
Dr. Tyson will promote American job growth stopping endless handouts that are harmful, blocking wasteful and reckless spending to reduce our national debt and protect our economy and future generations…
Ballotpedia provided information on James Francis Gibson:
James Francis Gibson (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 25th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
James Francis Gibson was born in Oceanside, California. Gibson earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from California State University at Chico in 1983. His career experience includes owning a manufacturing business and working as a farmer, a real estate developer, and a stock broker.
James Francis Gibson filled out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Survey. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I’m a Southern California native. My family is from Ohio. I went to Villa Park High and graduated with a degree in finance from Chico State. I was a stock broker, a banker, a farmer, a manufacturer, a real estate developer. A small business owner. A taxi driver. I was married. I have three children. I love people. I’m running for Congress. We have the greatest country in the world and I want to make it even better.
Q: Please list below 3 messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Get our Country back!
Flat tax
Term limits.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
A: National Debt. Water. Free Healthcare for Veterans. Term limits. Smaller less intrusive government. Farmers. Small and medium sized businesses. Homelessness/crime/Cure addiction. Freedom.
Ballotpedia provided information about Burt Thackur:
Burt Thakur (Republican Party) ran ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 25th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Burt Thacker was born in New Delhi. He served in the U.S. Navy from 2000 to 2006. His career experience includes working as an engineering project manager, a nuclear reactor operator for the U.S. Navy, and a power plant operator and manager.
Burt Thacker completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Survey. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: I am an immigrant, a U.S. Navy veteran and now, I am a project manager.
I was spurred into action, and decided to run for Congress, after witnessing the way in which our leaders take away freedoms while demonstrating obscene hypocrisy. Instead of working on ideas that advance our country, our world, and all of mankind, they instead, choose to be myopic and raise the political temperature to remain in power.
My intention is not to be a career politician – it is to be someone who solves major issues and then gets out of the way for someone new to take over.
Our office will do everything possible to suture the wounds of division. I will work diligently to pass bi-partisan ideas and reach across the aisle to help remind people that we serve the people – we are servant leaders, and we must put forth policies that benefit Americans, not just the individual parties.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
As opposed to just raising minimum wage, we must raise minimum skill.
Let’s start debating the efficacy of solutions as opposed to the morality of issues.
The only deficit I see is one if inertia, and together we will be the force to get the ball rolling.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Raising minimum skill. From trade schools to manufacturing to providing grants for STEM degrees,, we must prepare the next generation for an ever evolving technological world.
The border/immigration. Shoring up the border with smart technology & drones. Call stations on the border for those fleeing traffickers as well as water. Signs which show the closest legal entry. A new visa for seasonal/migrant workers – we have an economy of illegal immigrants who are being used for effectively slave labor – forget politics for a second, this is inhumane.
The Salton Sea & New + Alamo Rivers. Let’s end this ecological nightmare by action. Let’s build desalination plants, waste treatment, pipelines and geothermal power plants. Not only would this provide fresh water, but will create thousands of jobs, mitigate the ecological disaster and will give us access to 25-40% of the world’s supply of lithium.
40,000 Homeless veterans. Completely unacceptable. I will work hard to ensure we have rehabilitation as well as mental health counseling and job placement for veterans.
Healthcare. Our district has a need for healthcare centers as well as specialists. In addition, getting funding for research for public hospitals. Affordable health care for not just acute but long term/ chronic conditions. Lower priced medication.
Lowering the deficit and balancing the budget.
Getting out of foreign wars.
CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT
Ballotpedia provided information on Ceci Truman:
Ceci Truman (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 25th Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Ceci Truman did not fill out Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection Survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Ceci Truman’s campaign website:
I am a pro-life, constitutional conservative who will fight!
America must return to being self reliant!
America is experiencing an inflation rise and paying more for gas at the pump. After promising many thousands of Keystone Pipeleine workers that they would not close, Biden in fact shut down all systems with a stroke of a pen, day one, in office! Instead of America being a self-reliant and an exporter of our own natural resources, we have been purchasing gas from Russia. Now that sanctions are being put in place against Russia, the Biden administration is reaching out to terrorist nations such as Venezuela and Iran, begging for them to supply us with oil. This is pathetic! I will legislate to re-open our Keystone Pipeline so that we will once again be energy self productive.
We Need Order At The Border!
An issue plaguing our nation is the open border policy under the current regime. I am a Mexican American who believes we need “Order At The Border!”. We need a LEGAL migration system (not an invasion), that will be enforced. The Biden administration will be lifting Title 42 this coming May. This not only jeopardizes America economically but is a national security crisis! It is incentivizing the cartels to take full control of our borders. Most of use are aware of the human smuggling and sex trafficking that is occurring at the border which is extremely disturbing. Children have been the prime target. Fentanyl is being funneled at unprecedented rates through these open borders and killing Americans by the thousands. These are travesties I will fight against!We are currently witnessing atrocious policies being implemented at our southern borders. As a result, an invasion (not a migration) is taking place of unvetted, illegal aliens. In addition, the current administration wants to reward those coming with unprecedented priveileges and benefits. This must end immediately!
Stop Critical Race Theory and The Sexualization Our Children!
I am a wife and mom on a mission, fighting against the vile and graphic material our children are being exposed to! I will fight against the indoctrination of CRT in our schools! We must put an end to this race devision and marxist ideologies!
We must fight for the innocent and defenseless!
We must fight for the unborn who cannot defend themselves. We are to be a shelter and protector of our children. We must put an end to these “Woke” and Marxist ideologies that are cancer in our communities and states. We must put God in the forefront of our nation once again and stop caving to these leftist, who are destroying this great country.
Ballotpedia provided information on Johnathan Reiss:
Jonathan Reiss (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 25th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Jonathan Reiss was born in New York, New York. Reiss earned a degree in government and international relations from Dartmouth College in 1978.
Jonathan Reiss completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Campaign Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: I’m running for Congress to make a difference in helping to restore and protect our fundamental core beliefs and principles that have made America such a great Country. This is a task I look forward to and I’m the most qualified person to accomplish that goal. For 25 years I have resided in our District. While earning an honors degree in both Government and International Relations from Darthmouth College, I studied in Europe, interned for a longtime Senator in Washington D.C., for the Federal Community Action Program in Hawaii, and at the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Post graduate studies were in Media Production at New York University. We face major problems, from ineffective regulation, excessive often inappropriate taxes, to debilitating bottlenecks, all of which are getting worse with extreme political fighting in Congress. Spending accelerates in the face excessive waste, over inflation hurts everyone, parental rights are needlessly threatened, public safety dangerously compromised, our borders are chaotic instead of historically secure environments, and America’s international relations are more fragile than ever. Local business and jobs are not being sufficiently supported and our essential Constitutional freedoms are threatened on a daily basis.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Vote Jonathan Reiss US Congress 2022
Let’s Move America Forward
We can build a better future
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
A: Most of them.
May 24: News Channel 3 posted an article titled: “Meet the Candidates in newly drawn 25th U.S. Congressional District” From the article:
…Sitting Congressman Raul Ruiz decided to run in District 25, which includes his hometown of Coachella. He is being challenged for the seat by six Republican candidates.
“There’s so much more that we need to do to help improve the lives of the people that I serve here in the desert,” Ruiz said.
San Jacinto councilmember Brian Hawkins is endorsed by the state GOP.
“People are watching the gas tank, people are wondering if their child is going to have a great future,” Hawkins said. “I’m more focused on things that can actually bring us together.”
Retired farmer James Gibson said he is closely watching California issues like the drought.
“Our state’s in trouble. We need water bad,” Gibson said. “I understand farmers; I watched my water bill quadruple in 202 years.”
Media consultant Jonathan Reiss said the newly drawn district lines reaching to the U.S. – Mexico border are renewing immigration as a critical issue for the region.
“I think its a question of how it’s going to be done in a way that’s most safe and effective for both the immigrants and the Americans that live in the district,” Reiss said.
Engineer Burt Thakur said he wants to increase skilled work in the district.
“Let’s incentivize S.T.E.M. degrees by the use of federal grants so we can get a next generation of entrepreneurs and scientists and engineers that are actually building infrastructure,” Thakur said.
After multiple attempts, News Channel 3 could not interview candidates Ceci Truman and Bryan Tyson for this story…
June 8: Desert Sun posted an article titled: “Ruiz has large lead over Republican challengers in 25th Congressional District primary race” From the article:
A longtime congressman – Rep. Raul Ruiz, a Democrat who has represented the Coachella Valley since 2013 – has a large lead over the six Republicans seeking to challenge him in the primary race
While thousands of vote-by-mail ballots are still being counted in Riverside County, Ruiz has garnered 29,720 votes, or 60% of the total so far, according to preliminary results posted by the California Secretary of State’s office.
San Jacinto city councilmember Brian Hawkins, who was endorsed by the California GOP, is a distant second place, with 7,745 votes, or 15.6%. Brian Tyson, an El Centro physician, sits in third, with 5,489 votes, or 11.1%, while retired farmer James Gibson is in court, with 3,226 votes, or 6.5%…
…Results are not yet final, according to the Riverside County Registrar of Voters. Approximately 150,000 vote-by-mail and 2,000 provisional ballots still must be processed. Ballots that are postmarked on or before Election Day also remain to be counted. The updated results are expected at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
The Secretary of State must certify results by July 15…
…”I am humbled by the incredible support this grassroots campaign has received from every corner of the district,” Ruiz said in a statement Tuesday night. “It’s a testament to the tireless efforts of our volunteers and I am grateful to everyone who cast a ballot. I look forward to continuing to fight every day on behalf of veterans, seniors, and working families.”…
…Incumbent Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Palm Desert, picked up 56.4% of the vote, followed by San Jacinto Council member Brian Hawkins, a Republican who picked up 16.4% of the vote. They will now advance to the Nov. 8 general election, leaving behind the rest of the all-Republican field, including Brian M. Tyson (14.5%), James Francis Gibson (6.2%), Burt Thacker (3%), Ceci Truman (1.9%) and Jonathan Reiss (1.6%).
Ruiz is on the National Republican Congressional Committee’s list of vulnerable Democratic members of Congress, so the race may potentially see a lot of spending – and ads – over the coming months.
The district covers Banning, Beaumont, Blythe, Cathedral City, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, part of Hemet, Indio, Needles and San Jacinto.
Ballotpedia reported the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 25:
Raul Ruiz (D): 56.4% – 55,142 votes
Brian Hawkins (R): 16.4% – 16,026 votes
Brian Tyson (R): 14.4% – 14,126 votes
James Francis Gibson (R): 6.2% – 6,040 votes
Burt Thacker (R): 3.0% – 2,977 votes
Ceci Truman (R): 1.9% – 1,844 votes
Jonathan Reiss (R): 1.6% – 1,601 votes
November 3: (updated November 9) Desert Sun posted an article titled: “Election results: U.S. Rep. Raul Ruiz defeats GOP challenger easily” From the article:
Democratic U.S. Rep Raul Ruiz was comfortably defeating a Republican challenger, holding a 14,000-vote lead. Vote counting was continuing, but The Associated Press declared Ruiz the winner Wednesday afternoon.
His margin over Brian Hawkins was 61% to 39%, with updated vote totals scheduled to be released later Wednesday by the registrars in both Riverside and San Bernardino counties…
…Ruiz will continue representing many Coachella Valley residents in Congress. But this time around, he had to convince many new voters. His opponent, Hawkins, is a San Jacinto city councilmember and pastor who defeated a crowded field of Republicans in the primary to advance to the general election…
…In an interview as the first results came in Tuesday, Ruiz said he was excited about the results in his race and nationwide, with Democrats faring better than expected.
“I think the initial prognosis of a lot of Democratic losses throughout the nation has not come to fruition,” he said. “A lot of tossup races are going toward Democrats.”
Ruiz also said he was looking forward to continuing bipartisan and “pragmatic” work to strengthen Medicare and Social Security; lower costs for basics like groceries and gas; and expand health care access.
Ruiz’s platform also includes more funding to protect the environment. His website highlights his vote to bar insurance companies from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions and a successful effort he led to provide benefits to veterans affected by burn pits.
Ruiz’s website also says he prioritizes women’s economic security and has fought for equal pay for equal work, expanding paid family leave and sick leave, and increasing affordable childcare.
Those priorities have little overlap with the six listed by Hawkins on his website, which include school safety and the border.
Hawkins wrote that he proposes automatic life sentences for anyone who “uses a gun in violence towards another human being.” He also says illegal immigration is harming the nation’s economy and fueling drug smuggling and human trafficking, so immigration agencies need to have “as much support and updated technology as possible.”…
Ballotpedia reported the results of the General election for U.S. House California District 25:
Raul Ruiz (D): 60.6% – 42,622 votes
Brian Hawkins (R): 39.4% – 27,687 votes
California’s 26th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 26th Congressional District:
California’s 26th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. State of California currently represented by Democrat Julia Brownley.
The district is located on the South Coast, comprising of most of Ventura County as well as a small portion of Los Angeles County. Cities in the district include Camarillo, Oxnard, Santa Paula, Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, Moorpark, and part of Simi Valley. In 2022, the district lost Ojai and most of Ventura and added Calabasas, Agoura Hills, and the sparsely populated northern half of Ventura County.
From 2003 to 2013, the district spanned the foothills of the San Gabriel Valley from La Cañada Flintridge to Rancho Cucamonga. David Dreier, a Republican, represented the district during this period.
From 2003 to 2013, the district spanned the foothills of the San Gabriel Valley from La Cañada Flintridge to Rancho Cucamonga. David Dreier, a Republican, represented the district during this period.
Ballotpedia provided information about Julie Brownley
Julia Brownley (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 26th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2013. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Brownley (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 26th Congressional District. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
She was first elected to the seat in 2012. Brownley is a former member of the California State Assembly, representing District 41 from 2006 to 2012. Brownley was ineligible to run for re-election to the California State Assembly in 2012 due to term limits.
Brownley endorsed Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary in the 2016 U.S. presidential election…
…Brownley served on the Santa Monica-Malibu School Board from 1994-2006. She is a member of the California Commission on the Status of Women, Legislative Liaison for the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission and Legislative Participant in the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy State Allocation Board.
Ballotpedia provided information on Matt Jacobs:
Matt Jacobs (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 26th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Matt Jacobs lives in Westlake Village, California. Jacobs graduated from Thousand Oaks High School. He earned a master’s degree in public affairs from Princeton University and a law degree from New York University. Jacobs’ career experience includes working as a federal prosecutor.
Matt Jacobs completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: As the grandson of a World War II veteran and two Holocaust survivors who came to this country as refugees, Matt has always been deeply proud and grateful to be an American. That pride and gratitude led Matt to pursue a career as a federal prosecutor, where he investigated and prosecuted some of America’s worst enemies and most dangerous criminals – including al-Qaeda terrorists, child sex traffickers, mafia bosses, street gang members, opioid traffickers and many others. Born and raised in Ventura County, Matt graduated from local public schools and earned merit scholarships to UCLA and Princeton. Matt and his wife Julie are blessed to be the parents of three children. They live in Westlake Village, just miles from Matt’s childhood home in Thousand Oaks. Like his grandparents and so many others who’ve come to this country in search of freedom and opportunity, Matt is a passionate believer in the American Dream. In Congress, Matt will fight to make sure our neighborhoods are safe, our economy is strong, and all our schools are world-class so that everyone has the opportunity to make their American Dream a reality.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Safe Neighborhoods – Government’s first duty is to protect us. As a federal prosecutor, Matt worked tirelessly to keep our country and our community safe. In Congress, Matt will support law enforcement while fighting policies – like defunding the police – that make the people of Ventura County less safe.
A Strong Economy that Rewards Hard Work – Prosperity means good jobs and high wages for the hardworking people of Ventura County. To achieve prosperity, we must lower taxes, reduce regulations, and end Big Government policies that hurt job creators, small businesses and the middle class. In Congress, Matt will fight to make America’s economy what it once was – the greatest engine of prosperity in human history.
World-Class Education for Every Child – For America to remain the land of opportunity, every child must receive a world-class education. In Congress, Matt will support public school teachers – like his mother – who put children first, while embracing charter education and school choice, and fighting to end policies that trap our most vulnerable children in failing schools.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
A: As a federal prosecutor, Matt’s mission was to prosecute America’s enemies. In Congress, his mission will be to defend the American Dream. He’ll do that by standing up for fundamental American values, such as individual liberty, limited government, free enterprise, and equality of opportunity. And by championing commonsense policies that give everyone the opportunity to fulfill their potential — including policies that ensure that our neighborhoods are as safe as possible, that our economy is as strong as possible, and that every child receives a world-class education.
Ballotpedia provided information about Paul Nathan Taylor:
Paul Nathan Taylor (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 26th Congressional District. Taylor lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Paul Nathan Taylor was born and lives in Thousand Oaks, California. Taylor graduated from Westlake High School. He earned a B.A. in political science from Brigham Young University and a J.D. from Pepperdine University in 1998. Taylor’s career experience includes working as an attorney, a landlord, and a consultant.
Paul Nathan Taylor did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Paul Nathan Taylor’s campaign website:
Energy
Increased Energy Independence
Support of laws for clean air and water
Support of clean alternative fuels, increased nuclear power, as well as fuels such as ethanol, as a way of helping the U.S. achieve energy independence.
Gasoline
Repeal of taxes on Gasoline.
Support the continued construction of the Keystone Pipeline; Which would connect the Athabasca oil sands in Canada to refineries in the United States.
Decrease Taxation
Decrease taxation on the poor and middle class.
Support of tax benefits to make health insurance more affordable.
Decrease inflation by doing my part to vote against reckless government spending.
Healthcare
Support of increased health insurance portability.
Support of laws promoting coverage of pre-existing conditions
Support of tax benefits to make health insurance more affordable for the uninsured and to promote universal access.
Education
Support of funding for Pre-K Programs
Opposed to critical race theory indoctrination of children
Support of Student Loan Extensions
Basic Freedoms
Support for freedom of the press and speech. Social platforms should support the Constitutional Right to free speech.
Support of free and fair elections and voter identification to prevent fraud.
Support Term Limits for Senate and Congress. Two terms for Senate and five terms for Congress.
Women’s Rights
Governmental assistance to mothers with infants and dependent children.
Equal pay and benefits to women.
Support of better access to Child-care programs.
Opposed to late term abortion and partial birth abortion.
Business
Support all small businesses and start-ups.
Free markets and individual achievement are the primary factors behind prosperity.
(You can read the rest on Ballotpedia.)
Ballotpedia provided information about David Goodman:
David Goodman (independent) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 26th Congressional District. Goodman lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
David Goodman lives in Oxnard California. Goodman graduated from the Rio Mesa High School. He earned an MBA from the University of East London. Goodman’s career experience includes owning local businesses and working as a police officer with the Port Hueneme Police Department.
David Goodman did not fill out Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from David Goodman’s campaign website:
ELECTION INTEGRITY
As your Representative, I will fight to ensure the election process is fair, safe, and secure so that everybody can have confidence in the election process. If there is anything in the last two presidential elections have taught us, it is that Americans on both sides of the isle have lost faith in the process. I will use the full faith and power of my office to fight for election integrity, free of outside influence or tampering, so that we can get back to being the hallmark of democracy that we once were.
TERM LIMITS
As your Representative, I will fight for implementation of term limits of five terms (10 years) for members of Congress, and two terms (12 years) for members of the Senate. Our Founding Fathers never intended representatives of the people to morph into a life-long ruling class. Everybody knows that career politicians are a fundamental problem in Washington – yet no one is willing to set up anything about it. Until now. And if the House and Senate won’t follow my Term Limit program, then I will take it directly to the people in the form of a “Convention of States” (see article 4 of the U.S. Constitution). We Can do this, we Must do this and together, we Will do this!
LAW ENFORCEMENT
I have a thought…instead of defunding the police, how about we defund politicians, through term limits! Enough is Enough! I am sick of hearing the cries of the liberal left “Defund The Police!” Democrats like Julia Brownly have jumped on the Defund the police bandwagon and have carried the torch. Sadly, we have seen these effects of these actions in the form of skyrocketing crime rates and civil unrest.
NATIONAL DEFENSE
Ronald Regan called it “Peace Through Strength,” One only has to watch the evening news any given day to see the negative effects of Biden’s lack of commitment to our armed forces. As the Biden administration softens on military strength to appease the extreme left, the world is starting to unravel as a result. Russia bullying their neighbors, Chinese aggression toward Taiwan, and the Fiasco associated withdrawal in and the surrender of military equipment to the Taliban in Afghanistan, not to mention the abandonment of American’s left behind. The United State’s Navy is the largest employer in Ventura County, and is the basis for our economic engine. While the trend of the current administration is to downsize our military, I will fight to keep our bases open, and in doing so, ensure continued employment by our largest employer.
2nd AMENDMENT
National crime statistics show, over and over that gun control creates more crime. The more restrictive the gun laws, the higher the crime rate. One only has to look at the violent crime rate in cities like Chicago, Detroit, and Dayton, and D.C. Cities with the strictest gun control laws also have the highest homicide and other violent crime rates in the country. It’s the elephant in the room.
(You can read more from David Goodman’s website on Ballotpedia.)
Ballotpedia provided information on Fadde Mikhail:
Fadde Mikhail (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 26th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Fadde Mikhail was born in Los Angeles, California. Mikhail’s career experience includes working as an NFL sports and music agent at TopDawg Entertainment. He has been affiliated with the California Republican Assembly, the Oxnard Republican Federation, and the Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church in Simi Valley.
Fadde Mikhail completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
home for 19 years. In that time, I’ve seen poverty grow, education decline, the impacts of drought, and that state I love decay in a way that makes me very concerned – not only for my children – but for yours as well. I didn’t have much growing up, and as the son of immigrants, I’ve always felt a huge responsibility to honor my parents’ sacrifices by working hard, setting an example, and taking care of people. While the life I’ve built with my wife is comfortable, I’m not comforted by the issues affecting Americans today, and I wouldn’t be upholding my parents’ commitment to achieving the “American Dream” if I didn’t try to fix what’s broken. I’ve faced early criticism for having no political experience, but I have to ask, is America “better” with “professional politicians” at the helm? With the way things are going, we owe it to future generations to think very carefully about that.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
School Choice and Education Reform – It is time that parents get to have a say in their child’s education. For far too long, education has been controlled by many of whom use our children as pawns on a chess board. California ranks 40th in the country in Education. In congress, I will push to implement Trade School Programs into the High School system. This will also bring more Federal Funding to our schools that will be appropriately be used on every child and not the “system.”
(NOTE: U.S. News reported that California is #20 in Education.)
America First – Every person in the United States of America is here because the U.S. is the greatest country in the world. We should focus all our energy and resources on the people in the United States. We need to bring back manufacturing to America. We also need to once again be Energy independent. Buying foreign oil will continue to hinder every person at the Gas pump, until we stop buying buying oil abroad.
I am a successful businessman, an NFL Sports agent, thats negotiated over $700 Million worth to contracts. Look at the landscape of our Federal Government, how can they relate to us? Have they ever ran a business? Have they ever worked a 9-5? Have they ever had to balance a checkbook? The answer is No. Government needs to be “By the people, For the people.”
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
A: Education, climate change (desalination), tax reform, small business, military and veterans issues, and initiatives that prioritize American interests.
March 11: VCDSA posted an article titled: “VCDSA ENDORSES MATT JACOBS FOR CONGRESS (CA-26)” From the endorsement:
VENTURA COUNTY NATIVE AND FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR, JACOBS, IS PREPARED TO LEAD AND UNDERSTANDS THE LAW FROM A PERSPECTIVE THAT WILL ELEVATE THE PUBLIC SAFETY FOR CIVILIANS AND POLICE ACROSS CA-26
With almost a decade worth of experience as a federal prosecutor removing some of the most dangerous criminals off the streets, the Ventura County Deputy Sheriff’s Association (VCDSA) Board of Directors asks Ventura constituents to take into consideration its recommendation of Matt Jacobs for Congress in the Primary Election on June 7, 2022.
Jacob’s support and demonstrated advocacy to law enforcement includes fighting policies that would pose a significant threat to the safety of Ventura County, which is an important consideration in the VCDSA endorsing him in the midterms this year.
Jacob’s support and demonstrated advocacy to law enforcement includes fighting policies that would pose a significant threat to the safety of Ventura County, which is an important consideration in the VCDSA endorsing him in the midterms this year.
“It is an honor for the Ventura County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association Board of Directors to announce our endorsement of the former federal prosecutor, Matt Jacobs for Congress (CA-26). Jacobs is adept at understanding the needs of our first responders and community in the form of policy and legislation, which can ultimately boost the public safety and quality of life for the people in Ventura County and beyond.” – Nick Odenath, Venture County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association President.
The Ventura County Sheriffs’ Association (VCDSA) is the recognized bargaining unit for approximately 775 sworn peace officers in Ventura County.
Odenath extends that the Board of Directors of VCDSA is proud to endorse Matt Jacobs for Congress in 2022 because of his passion for public service, commitment to fighting for a safe community, and his dedication to the citizens of Ventura County.
When Jacobs says that no one will work harder for CA-26 than him, we believe it, as he has kept his word on continuing to fight for a safer community and we serve his hometown of Ventura County…
May 4: Congresswoman Julia Brownley posted a press release titled: “Brownley Statement On Leaked Supreme Court Opinion” from the press release:
Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) released the following statement on media reports of a draft Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade:
“On Monday night, press sources obtained a leaked draft opinion in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case, which appears to overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey.
“While this draft decision is deeply alarming, it is very important to be clear: Right now, Roe v. Wade is still the law of the land. Abortion is legal.”
“Sadly, this leaked draft decision shows us what we already knew: the conservative, Republican-appointed Justices on the Supreme Court have once again shown their utter disregard for the rights of people who need abortions, and they are bowing down to the demands of extremists. If finalized, this court opinion overruling Roe would effectively allow states to ban access to safe and legal abortion entirely, as well as allowing Mississippi’s 15-week ban to go into effect.
“Decades of attacks have left abortion rights hanging by a thread in the United States. We have seen a flurry of bans in recent weeks, and anti-abortion state lawmakers are already trying to prohibit people from accessing abortion across state lines. These laws must be stopped.
“Anti-choice activists have made it clear they aren’t stopping with Roe – they’re committed to a future where abortion is outlawed in every state in the country, showing there is no limit to their cruel attempts to control people’s personal health care decisions.
The House has already taken action by voting to codify the right to abortion access into federal law. As a member of the Pro Choice Caucus, I am proud to have voted for the Women’s Health Protection Act, and I will continue fighting until every person – no matter where they live, no matter their socio-economic status, and no matter the circumstance – has the freedom to make their own decisions about their lives and futures.
“This issue could not be more urgent. The House has done its job and passed a bill to codify Roe into law. Now, the Senate needs to do its job and pass that same bill. The leaked opinion makes it clearer than ever that we cannot rely on the courts to protect our rights.
“Abortion bans affect everyone, but the impacts of this decision, whenever it comes, will fall hardest on people who already face discriminatory obstacles to health care – particularly Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, people with disabilities, people in rural areas, young people, and those having difficulty making ends meet.
Every American should be able to make the personal health care decisions that impacts their life, their health, and their future. We must – and we will – continue to fight to protect and expand abortion access across the United States.”
VC STAR posted: “What to know about candidates for 26th Congressional District seat”
Editor’s Note: This story is one in a series on the June 7 primary….
A Democrat who has represented Ventura County’s interest for more than a decade in Congress faces three challengers in a race targeted by Republican leaders.
Rep. Julia Brownley of Westlake Village is seeking re-election to the 26th Congressional District seat she first one in 2012.
Her challengers are Matt Jacobs, a former federal prosecutor and Westlake Village resident; Paul Nathan Taylor, a businessman who lives in Thousand Oaks; and Independent Dave Goodman of Oxnard, a retired law enforcement officer. Republican Fadde Mikhail, a sports agent rom Agoura Hills, has suspended his campaign, according to a representative.
The top two finishers in the June primary will face off in the November general election.
The district encompasses much of Venture County and a sliver of Los Angeles County. Redistricting has changed boundaries to include Simi Valley, where a majority of registered voters are Republican, while Ventura and Ojai are out. The changes added more Republicans to the district, but Democrats still make up 43% of the voters, compared with 29% for the GOP…
…The Star sent out questionnaires to the candidates. Here are their responses.
Julia Brownley
…What is your top priority and what are you committed to doing to make that happen?
If re-elected, I’ll work to make sure the new local VA clinic I worked to fund provides the world class care our veterans deserve; fight to lower gas prices and the cost of living for working families; make sure women veterans receive equity in benefits and care; and continue to support our community’s small businesses. I’m also proud that I’ve been able to fund close to $30 million in local priorities, including to reduce crime, provide cleaner water, and improve our priorities, including reduce crime, provide cleaner water, and improve our local infrastructure. I will continue to fight for resources for Ventura County’s priorities.
How does redistricting affect the 26th Congressional District race and what does it mean for your candidacy?
The new district includes 80% of my current district, so I’ll be doing much of the same work I’ve done to move Ventura County forward since I was first elected to Congress. With the inclusion of all Simi Valley and more of the Conejo Valley, I’ll certainly be working closely with local stakeholders to make sure I understand their priorities even better. I believe the values and priorities of my new district will be similar to those of my current district: improving the lives of families, seniors and veterans, and supporting small businesses.
What will you do to help bridge the partisan divide nationally and in Congress?
In Congress, I serve on two of the most bipartisan committees: the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Through that work, I’ve been able to improve the lives of millions of our nation’s veterans. I plan to continue to do the work necessary to pass meaningful legislation that will impact and improve the lives of the American people, and to do that, I’ll need to continue to work with my colleagues from both parties.
Dave Goodman
What is your top priority and what are you committed to doing to make that happen?
Day one, I will propose a constitutional amendment for term limits for members of the House and Senate. Should that fail, I will use the full power of my office to support a “Convention of States” (to bring term limits). Other pressing issues that I will immediately address include the homeless epidemic, immigration policy and runaway inflation.
How does redistricting affect the 26th Congressional District race and what does it mean for your candidacy?
Redistricting had very little effect on the 26th District.
Redistricting had very little effect on the 26th District.ridge the partisan divide nationally and in Congress?
As an independent candidate, without any loyalty to either political party, I am uniquely positioned to bridge the divide between both parties.
Matt Jacobs
What is your top priority and what are you committed to do to make this happen?
I’m running for Congress to make sure that everyone in Ventura County – and across the country – has the freedom and opportunity to make their American dream a reality. That requires supporting law enforcement so that our neighborhoods are as safe as possible; reining in out-of-control government spending that has led to rampant inflation and record-hight gas and food prices; and ensuring that every child has access to a world-class education where they’re taught how to think, not what to think.
Redistricting had very little effect on the 26th District.ridge the partisan divide nationally and in Congress?
Redistricting has made CA-26 highly competitive. In 2014, when Democrats held the presidency, CA-26 was a consensus “toss-up” seat and the Republican challenger lost by only 4,500 votes. Our polling, publicly released, shows a virtual tie on the generic ballot. In recognition of CA-26’s competitiveness, the National Republican Congressional Committee added CA-26 to its national target list and national prognosticators have moved CA-26 to more competitive footing.
What will you do to help bridge the partisan divide nationally and in Congress?
As a federal prosecutor, I devoted my career to serving our community and country. The values I believe in – like individual liberty and limited government, free enterprise and equality of opportunity – are American values, not partisan values. In Congress, I’ll work with anyone, regardless of party, who believes in those core values and who hold sacred, as I do, their oath to the Constitution. If we work together on this basis, America will remain that “shining city upon the hill” as President Reagan described it, a place where everyone has the freedom and opportunity to achieve their American Dream.
Paul Nathan Taylor
What is your top priority and what are you committed to doing to make that happen?
Lower gas prices by supporting of the continued construction of the Keystone pipeline, which would connect the Athabasca oil sands in Canada to refineries in the United States. Decrease inflation by doing my part to vote against reckless government spending.
How does redistricting affect the 26th Congressional District race and what does it mean for your candidacy?
It creates a more conservative district by including the city of Simi Valley, which includes more public safety officials and families.
What will you do to help bridge the partisan divide nationally and in Congress?
I am for the freedom of choosing a partisan that matches your personal values.
May 25: VC Reporter posted an article titled: “JUNE 7 SPOTLIGHT | Redistricting shakes up congressional races in Dist. 24, 26” Here is what was written about the 26th District:
Matt Jacobs of Thousand Oaks is a former federal prosecutor running for office for the first time, and believes the addition of Simi Valley to the 26th Congressional District gives him a realistic chance of defeating Brownley.
He described himself as a proud American who wants to give everyone the “freedom to realize their American dream,” and believes the country is moving in the wrong direction under Democratic leadership.
“I started to feel like our country was becoming more and more polarized, even tribalized, and that we were headed in the wrong direction. This district, in Ventura County in particular, is a very middle-of-the-road, common-sense place where we should have independent leadership that does what’s in the best interest of the country. And it’s a seat where someone like me, a common-sense, right-of-center person, can not only do well, but should win,” he said.
Jacobs said he feels like is message is resonating with voters.
“I’m focusing on issues that people in the community care about. I’m talking about inflation and record-high gas and food prices, safe neighborhoods and schools that teach kids how to think not what to think,” he said.
Goodman is a retired law enforcement officer from Oxnard running for office for the first time, who said he wants to see congressional term limits.
“I say that knowing full well that Congress is not going to implement term limits, but I’m going to do everything I can to make that happen,” he said.
Goodman said he’s been registered as a Democrat and Republican at various times in his life and recalls voting for Jimmy Carter. While he’s more recently worked for Republican candidates, Goodman said he’s disappointed in the party’s leadership.
“We need to get back to being loyal to our country ahead of being loyal to a political party and that’s why I have no party preference,” he said.
Taylor did not respond to interview requests by the Ventura County Reporter but his website says he supports repealing gasoline taxes and is opposed to “critical race theory indoctrination of children.”
Brownley said she’s proud of her congressional record on issues such as combatting global warming and securing federal funding to improve Ventura County’s water infrastructure and construction at the Port of Hueneme.
She said she’s especially proud of her work on behalf of veterans. “I think I’ve worked extremely hard to improve services for our veterans and certainly our veterans at home, especially for our women veterans. I created the Women Veterans Task Force.”
June 7: Ballotpedia provided the results for the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 26:
Julia Brownley (D): 54.3% – 91,535 votes
Matt Jacobs (R): 38.4% – 64,834 votes
Paul Nathan Taylor (R): 3.3% – 5,612 votes
David Goodman (Independent): 2.3% – 3,950 votes
Fadde Mikhail (R): 1.6% – 2,775 votes
Total votes: 168,707
October 23: VC Star posted an article titled: “Brownley, Jacobs square off in volatile race in the 26th Congressional District” From the article:
…In a fiery 26th Congressional District race where inflation, abortion, partisanship and the timing of public rebukes spawn bitter divide, even scheduling a debate creates, well, debate.
Republican Matt Jacobs, a former federal prosecutor who has outraged his opponent, has repeatedly challenged the five-term incumbent Julia Brownley to a series of live showdowns on the issues. He has called her out for her refusal.
“I think it’s indefensible. I think it’s incredibly undemocratic,” he said. “I think it’s incredibly insulting to voters.”
Brownley said it’s not true. The Democrat from Westlake Village who has built a reputation as an advocate for veterans, climate change and women’s rights said she agreed to an online debate scheduled for earlier this month by the League of Women Voters of Ventura County.
Jacobs said he turned it down because the virtual format allows candidates to receive off-camera coaching and is “not a real debate.”
Brownley said she turned down a live debate set for the same day as the league event, which was eventually canceled, and doesn’t plan to do other showdowns.
“Quite frankly, at the end of the day, I think the voters of the 26th District know my position on all of the issues,” she said. “… I didn’t need the debate. He might have needed the debate.”
Anything is fair game in a gloves-off race for a remapped district that now includes all of Simi Valley, where 37% of the voters are Republican and 35% are Democrats. Jacobs said the changed boundaries favor his campaign. The challenger had raised $2.26 million in the campaign as of the end of September, compared to Brownley’s $2.02 million – through the Democrat has far more money on hand with $2.8 million $592,000 for Jacobs.
Jacobs also cited endorsement from law enforcement unions and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
“This is a jump ball race,” he said. “(Republican) polling shows we’re in a dead heat.”
Others challenge the assessment. Districtwide, 43% of the voters are Democrat and 29% are Republicans. National prognosticators, including Sabato’s Crystal Ball and FiveThirtyEight said Brownley remains the front runner…
… supported by Republicans, including House party leader Kevin McCarthy and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. He characterized Brownley as “far left,” targeting a voting record that has consistently been in sync with Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
“We’ve been represented by someone who literally votes 100% of the time with her leadership,” he said.
Brownley’s endorsements include the California Labor Federation, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, and the California Teacher’s Association. She characterizes herself as a moderate who votes for her district’s best interests. She said she votes in sync with party leaders because she shares many of their values.
“I think calling me a liberal is what he wants people to believe,” she said…
…As Jacobs targets her voting record, Brownley focused on Jacobs’ connections to McCarthy, Gingrich and others opposed to abortion rights. She contended the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade turned reproductive rights into a vital Election Day issue.
“If Republicans are in charge of the next Congress, one of the first acts of business will be to ban abortions nationally. Mark my words,” she said.
Jacobs said he would not vote for a federal abortion ban and also opposes efforts to enshrine Roe v. Wade in federal law.
He described the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade as constitutionally sound. He declined to talk about his personal stance on abortion, noting the ruling changes the jurisdiction for decisions.
“It’s a state issue constitutionally,” he said. “It’s something for people to decide through state representatives.”
He said Brownley focuses on reproductive rights to “distract voters” from other issues, including inflation. Rising prices have spiraled out of control because Democrats didn’t acknowledge the economic crisis quickly enough, he said…
November 1: Julia Brownley posted a thread on Twitter:
“Matt Jacobs is a danger to reproductive freedom.” Below those words is a photo. Julia Brownley is in the center of the photo, with her arms crossed, looking out at the viewer. Behind her are six women, each of whom are holding bright pink signs that say “Planned Parenthood – Act No matter what. Planned Parenthood Action Fund”
“He supported the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and if he goes to Congress, Jacobs will strengthen the extremist anti-abortion leadership that is pursuing a nationwide ban on abortion – even in cases of rape, incest, and life and health of the woman.
“It is crucial that Californian’s support Rep. Brownley, who would continue to be a steadfast champion for reproductive rights if re-elected to the House” – Alexis McGill Johnson, President of Planned Parenthood Action Fund.
November 8: Ballotpedia provided the results for the General election for U.S. House California District 26
Julia Brownley (D): 54.3% – 82,094 votes
Matt Jacobs (R): 45.7% – 69,673 votes
Total votes: 152,577
November 9: The New York Times posted California 26th Congressional District Election Results:
Julia Brownley (Democrat): 134,575 votes – 54.5%
Matt Jacobs (Republican): 112,214 votes – 45.5%
Total reported: 246,798
November 10: Ventura County Star (Via MSN) posted an article titled: “Incumbent Brownley holds lead over Jacobs in 26th Congressional District” From the article:
Incumbent Julia Brownley held a nearly eight-point lead Wednesday over challenger Matt Jacobs in a nationally watched 26th Congressional District race that remained undecided.
Brownley, D-Westlake Village, had 53.9% of the vote. Jacobs, a Republican from Westlake Village, had 46.1%. Brownley gained 72,588 votes and Jacobs had 62,177. Elections officials are not saying how many votes remain to be counted but both campaigns speculated that the number is large.
An update from Ventura County elections officials is expected Thursday and one covering the small portion of Los Angeles County is expected Friday.
Brownley, 70, is vying for her sixth term in office. Jacobs, 38, is a former federal prosecutor making his first run for office.
The race was one of many singled out by both parties in the battle to gain a majority in the House. Prognosticators who once characterized the district as “solid Democrat” labeled it as “lean Democrat” amid a flurry of fundraising and reports of polling that showed a tight race – the first for Brownley since she beat Republican Jeff Gorell by less than three percentage points in 2014…
…Jacobs said he was not surprised by the initial returns consisting of mail-in ballots and early voters provided a lead for Brownley but predicted the gap will continue to narrow as in-person votes are tabulated.
“We could be in for a long process here,” he said. “I encourage patience, hard as that is.”
Brownley characterized her lead over Jacobs as “healthy.”
“I feel confident. I feel good. You know there are still more votes to be counted,” she said…
November 12: Julia Brownley posted “Brownley Statement on Election Victory” on Twitter
Thousand Oaks, CA – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley issued the following statement after national media outlets called the race for California’s 26th Congressional District in her favor.
“I am humbled and honored by the voters’ decision to elect me once again to represent our community in Congress. This was a race about values, about the economy and the economic prosperity of America’s working families, and about our future. I deeply understand that families are struggling with inflation, and I am determined to continue to support policies that will lower costs for my constituents. I will continue to support efforts to lower the cost of health care, child care, and education. I support investing in our nation’s economic resilience by prioritizing federal spending on strengthening the middle class, investing in a clean energy economy, strengthening our domestic manufacturing, rebuilding our infrastructure, and enacting the tax policies that lift up families and small businesses, while ensuring ultra-wealthy and massive corporations pay their fair share.
“While the Republican Party focused solely on inflation, with no plan to address it, they failed to understand that protecting a woman’s right to choose is not only a moral issue, but an economic one. Having politicians dictate what a woman can and cannot do with her own body is profoundly wrong. Extremists on the right also failed to understand that being able to plan when to have a family is the most profound economic decision a woman can make. While Republican politicians failed to understand this fundamental right, voters did not.
“Voters also resoundingly rejected the Republican Party’s approach to our current and future energy needs. While the United States is the world’s largest oil producer, we cannot drill our way out of an energy crisis. Our only path toward true energy security and energy independence from malign foreign oil producing nations, while taking the necessary action to combat the climate crisis, is creating a clean energy economy of the future. It is also one of the best opportunities to create high-paying energy-related jobs. I was proud to have played a part in the Democrats’ historic investments in a clean energy economy by passing the Inflation Reduction Act, and I will continue to fight for the resources and policies we need to succeed.
“Finally, I believe the voters resoundingly affirmed that we succeed as a nation when our democracy is at its strongest. Our economy, our security, and our future are all intertwined with the rule of law, free and fair elections, and the ideal of equality for all. While I hope Republican leaders, for the sake of our nation, change their course, I am pleased voters continue to participate in the democratic process and play a significant role in building ‘a more perfect union.’
I want to personally thank every voter for showing up to cast their vote. It is my greatest privilege to represent the people of California’s 26th Congressional District. I will continue to work to move our country forward and to do all that I can to improve the lives of all of my constituents and to ensure our community remains a safe, beautiful, and vibrant place to live, work, and raise a family.”
November 15: Matt Jacobs posted his statement on Twitter:
Today, I called Julia Brownley to congratulate her on her victory after a hard-fought campaign. The election was fair, the result is legitimate, and I sincerely wish Congresswoman Brownley and her family all the best, both personally and as our representative in Congress.
As a Federal Prosecutor, I had the privilege of introducing myself to juries saying, “Ladies and gentleman, my name is Matt Jacobs, and I represent the United States of America.” That statement always filled me with tremendous pride, and I felt the same sense of pride campaigning over the past 22 months. Simply put, running for this Office was the honor of my lifetime.
Words cannot adequately express my gratitude for our incredible supporters, volunteers, staff and everyone else who believed in our campaign. Thank you for your tireless efforts and your devotion to our community and country. I am especially grateful for the support of my family and friends, particularly my superwoman wife Julie, whose many sacrifices over the past two years made it possible for me to put my heart and soul into this campaign.
My mission in running for Congress was simple: to make sure everyone in our community, and across the country, has the freedom and opportunity to make their American Dream a reality. We stood – and still stand – for safer neighborhoods, an economy that rewards hard work, and the very best schools for every child. I couldn’t be prouder of the positive, issue-based campaign we ran.
Although we came up short, I’m humbled by the tremendous support we received – including from so many Independents and Democrats who put country before party and embraced our commonsense agenda.
Nearly two years of campaigning has only served to reinforce my belief that the bonds that unite us as Americans are infinitely stronger than the differences that divide us. Don’t listen to the peddlers of anger and division who claim Americans with different political views are somehow fascists, communists, or extremists. Their voices may be loud, but they’re wrong.
The overwhelming majority of Americans believe in the goodness of our country and the greatness of our people. They know that the American Dream is alive and well, and that America remains the one indispensable nation on Earth. So, as we move past this midterm season, I encourage everyone not to focus on our differences. Instead, let’s unite behind our shared pride in America and our commitment to the principles and freedoms that this exceptional country has always stood for.
Thank you all, and God bless America.
November 17: VC Star | Ventura County Star (via Yahoo! News) posted an article titled: “Julia Brownley wins House race as lead grows to nearly double digits; Jacobs concedes” From the article:
U.S. Rep. Julia Brownley has won a sixth term in Congress.
The Democrat from Westlake Village declared victory in her race on Saturday and Republican challenger Matt Jacobs conceded on Tuesday. Election updates two days later left Brownley with 54% of the votes to 46% for Jacobs.
Districtwide, Brownley received 117,609 votes as of the latest tally. Jacobs, a former federal prosecutor who lives in Westlake Village, had 100,018 votes.
“I am humbled and honored by the voters’ decision to elect me once again to represent our community in Congress,” she said in a victory statement issued Saturday after CNN, NBC, and ABC declared her the winner. Several hours later, the Associated Press also called Brownley the winner.
Election officials estimated about 79,000 votes are still to be processed across Ventura County though some are from outside of the district, which does not include Ventura or Ojai. It’s unclear how many ballots are still to be counted in the small part of the district in Los Angeles County.
In her victory statement and in her campaign, Brownley focused on abortion rights.
“While the Republican party focused solely on inflation with no plan to address it, they failed to understand that protecting a woman’s right to choose is not only a moral issue but an economic one,” she said…
…Redistricting brought all of more conservative Simi Valley into the 26th but Democrats still accounted for 43% of the registered voters across the district as of late October, compared to 28% for Republicans.
California’s 27th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 27th Congressional District
California’s 27th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. The district is currently represented by Republican Mike Garcia. It was one of 18 districts that voted for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election while being won or held by a Republican 2022.
The district includes most of Los Angeles County, including the cities of Santa Clarita, Palmdale, and Lancaster, and parts of the northwestern San Fernando Valley in the city of Los Angeles. Prior to redistricting in 2022, the district was located in San Gabriel Valley.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 27th congressional district is located in Southern California. It encompasses most of northern Los Angeles County, including the cities of Santa Clarita, Lancaster, and Palmdale, California; the neighborhoods of Porter Ranch and Granada Hills in the city of Los Angeles, along with the Sierra Pelona Mountains and the northern slopes of the San Gabriel Mountains.
Ballotpedia provided information about Mike Garcia:
Mike Garcia (Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 27th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Mike Garcia was born in Granada Hills, California. Garcia graduated from Saugus High School in 1994. He earned a B.S. in political science from the United States Naval Academy in 1998 and an M.A. in national securities studies from Georgetown University in 1998. Garcia served in the U.S. Navy from 1999 to 2009 and the U.S. Navy Reserve from 2009 to 2012. Garcia’s career experience includes owning Rebecca Rollins Interiors and working as an executive with Raytheon Technologies.
Mike Garcia did not fill out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection for 2022. Ballotpedia provided information from their Candidate Connection that Mike Garcia filled out in 2019.
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: First-generation American citizen, Mike Garcia is a highly decorated United States Naval Officer whose record-setting flying performance earned the honor of becoming one of the first Super Hornet strike fighter pilots in the Navy. He flew over 30 combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Accruing over 1400 hours of operational flight time during his nearly 20 years of military service to our country, Garcia decided to separate from the US Navy with an Honorable Discharge to focus on his family. Garcia moved back to the 25th District in 2009 and began to work for the Raytheon Company.
During his now 10 years as an executive at Raytheon, Garcia has been responsible for the generation of billions of dollars of revenue and the creation of hundreds of jobs for his company and our district.
Garcia is the husband to Rebecca Garcia, the owner of the Rebecca Rollins Interiors in Santa Clarita, and the father of Preston (age 13) and Jeff (age 3).
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Garcia will make it a priority to ensure our men and women in uniform have the necessary funding and tools necessary to keep America safe, and only send them into battle when it is absolutely necessary.
Garcia supports term limits because it’s time to get rid of the career politicians in both parties. Washington, DC truly is a swamp, filled with career politicians who are more concerned with their next election than making tough decisions.
Mike Garcia is a first-generation American citizen whose family came to the United States legally for more opportunity and for a shot at the American Dream. Garcia knows what’s at stake, and he’ll fight against Democrats’ dangerous socialist agenda and restore our country’s guiding principles, most importantly freedom, that he protected in his 20 years as a Naval Officer.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
A: National Security, Term Limits, National Debt, Taxes, Socialism, Economy & Jobs
Ballotpedia provided information about Christy Smith:
Christy Smith (Democratic Party) was a member of the California State Assembly, representing District 38. She assumed office on December 3, 2018. She left office on December 7, 2020.
Smith (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 27th Congressional District. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Prior to serving in the legislature, Smith served two terms as a governing board member of the Newhall School District.
Smith received her bachelor’s degree in political science from UCLA. Her professional experience includes working as an analyst at the U.S. Department of Education and founding the Valencia Valley Technological Foundation.
Christy Smith did not fill out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Christy Smith’s campaign website.
EXPANDING ACCESS TO QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE
Healthcare is a human right and while the Affordable Care Act was a tremendous step in that direction, Christy believes we need to do more to reduce costs, ensure that every American has access to affordable healthcare, and protect those with pre-existing conditions.
Additionally, Christy believes we need to have the same consumer protections in the healthcare system as we do in any consumer market, which includes transparency when it comes to the real cost of healthcare treatments. She will work to shed light on pricing that for too long has been negotiated in the dark.
Congress needs to do the work of controlling the skyrocketing cost of healthcare, including the rising costs of prescription drugs, only to pay more for them than people who live in Europe, Japan, and Canada. Cristy will also fight to protect Medicaid and Medicare, women’s reproductive healthcare rights, and funding for Planned Parenthood.
In the California State Assembly, Christy Smith:
Secured $700,000 for the Free Clinic of Simi Valley
Wrote and passed the bill to help community colleges recruit and retain nursing faculty
Authored legislation to increase affordable access to mental health services, particularly in rural areas
Defending reproductive freedom and expanding access to reproductive health services
During a historic pandemic, Christy was a leader in the State Assembly fighting for life-saving health and safety measures as well as economic assistance for struggling Californians…
IMPROVING PUBLIC EDUCATION & ENSURING SUCCESS FOR EVERY STUDENT
Christy believes that a great education levels the playing field and creates more opportunity for all of our young people. That’s why she has dedicated her career, particularly as a federal education policy expert and a member of her local school board, to improving schools and giving every student a fair chance through a world-class education, including:
Ensuring charter school accountability and transparence by authoring and passing the first significant regulation on California’s charter school industry in 27 years.
Chairing the successful Measure E Prop 39 bond campaign for the Newhall District, which provided $60 million in resources for faculty and technology upgrades
Making school sexual harassment resources accessible on school campuses
Expanding the California ScholarShare program to pay for expenses associated with college such as rent, textbooks and rent, expanding college affordability.
In Congress, she will work to support every student from preschool to grad school. Christy will work to invest in local public classrooms so that we can hire more teachers and reduce class sizes, and pay teachers livable middle class wages.
We must ensure students have options after K-12, without going into a lifetime of debt. Christy will work to increase the affordability and availability of options like job training, apprenticeships, technical school, and more affordable public colleges and universities.
DEFENDING REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
With abortion rights under attack, Christy has been a steadfast defender of the right to choose, which is why she has a 100% scorecard from Planned Parenthood. She’ll push back against Republican efforts to overturn Roe v. Wade and end funding for Planned Parenthood, protect abortion rights in federal law, and protect the ability to buy contraceptives.
During Christy’s first pregnancy, she experienced eclampsia, and endured multiple seizures that threatened her life. When she became pregnant a second time, she had to make the tough decision to continue her pregnancy, knowing she may leave her daughter without a mother should complications occur. This experience solidified for Christy that no politician can make these private and difficult decisions for women and families. That’s why Christy will always defend access to reproductive care and protect safe, legal abortion…
Ballotpedia provided information about John Quaye Quartey:
John Quaye Quartey (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to Represent California’s 27th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Quartey received his bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis and his masters degree in business management from Stanford University. His professional experience includes founding Safiyah Partners, an entrepreneurial investment firm. He served as an intelligence officer in the United States Navy.
John Quaye Quartey did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Ballotpedia provided information about Ruth Luevanos:
Ruth Luevanos (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 27th Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Ruth Luevanos did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Ballotpedia provided information about Mark Pierce:
Mark Pierce (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 27th Congressional District. Pierce lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.Ballotpedia posted the results for the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 27:
June 8: Ballotpedia posted an article titled: “Garcia and Smith advance from top-two primary in CA-27” From the article:
Incumbent Mike Garcia (R) and Christy Smith (D) advanced from a seven-candidate top-two primary for California’s 27th Congressional District on June 7, 2022. Based on unofficial returns, Garcia received 49.6% of the vote and Smith received 35.4%. John Quaye Quartey (D) finished third with 5.9%. Garcia and Smith will run in the general election on November 8, 2022…
…Also running in the primary were Ruth Luevandos (D), Mark Pierce (R), David Rudnick (R), and Fepbrina Keivaulqe Autiameineire (I).
June 8: Ballotpedia reported the results of the Nonpartisan Primary election for District 27:
Mike Garcia (R): 49.6% – 33,653 votes
Christy Smith (D): 35.4% – 24,007 votes
John Quaye Quartey (D): 5.9% – 4,037 votes
Ruth Luevandos (D): 5.3% – 3,599 votes
David Rudnick (R): 2.5% – 1,692 votes
Mark Pierce (R): 1.3% – 913 votes
Orange County Register (via MSM) posted an article titled: “Notable midterm losses across Southern California” MSN did not post the date of this article. From the article:
Christy Smith in L.A. County
Four years ago, Democrat Christy Smith ousted Republican Assemblymember Dante Acosta in the Santa Clarita area.
One year and a vote-for-Assembly-Bill-5 later, Smith was in the running to fill the vacant congressional seat left by Congresswoman Katie Hill in 2019 after a sex scandal.
In what may have been a sign of things to come, I remember Smith’s fellow Democrats in the race, talk show host Cenk Uyghur and Aníbal Valdez-Ortega, complaining that Smith’s campaign was “big-timing” candidate forums and debates, acting like Smith was the walk-on favorite to win.
What also made that first run significant was its overlap with the very beginning of the world as we all knew it falling apart.
The special election was held on March 3, 2020, which led to a runoff between Smith and Republican Mike Garcia that May. In a political surprise, Garcia trounced, 54.9% to 45.1% in the runoff election.
Because it was a special election to fill out the term of Katie Hill, Garcia and Smith rematched again just a few months later, in November 2020. Garcia this time barely edged out Smith 169,638 votes to 169,305 votes.
Two years later and convinced it was all a COVID-era fluke, Smith ran once again against Garcia in a newly drawn district that gave Democrats an advantage.
What happened? As of this writing, Mike Garcia defeated Smith 53.3% to 46.7%.
Smith took to Twitter to complain, “Our campaign got next-to-zero outside resources to fight this battle. In fact, I was fighting the institutional power of my own party from the outset of this race.”…
September 27: Los Angeles Times posted an article titled: “Jan. 6 still has the power to shock. But will it move California voters?” From the article:
In a competitive Los Angeles-area congressional district, the campaign playbooks are well-defined. Republican Rep. Mike Garcia is relying on voter discontent about the economy. His Democratic challenger, Christy Smith, wants abortion rights to be the top of mind.
One issue, though, is far less prominent than many anticipated: Garcia’s vote to block the results of the 2020 presidential election. It was a perplexing move by the Santa Clarita Republican who had just won his swing district on a whisper-thin margin…
…In the battle over Garcia’s district, as well as in the national political landscape, the Capitol siege on Jan. 6 has been a minor subplot. There have been efforts – notably by President Biden and the congressional panel investigating the attack – to elevate it in the public’s consciousness as a do-or-die moment for democracy.
Still, there is little sign that the riot, along with the continued denialism about Donald Trump’s 2020 loss and the precarity of future elections, will mobilize people Still, there is little sign that the riot, along with the continued denialism about Donald Trump’s 2020 loss and the precarity of future elections, will mobilize people.
…Garcia was destined to be a top target for Democrats the moment he was sworn in for his first term. He had won the northern Los Angeles County seat the previous fall by just 333 votes, and his district grew less Republican after redistricting. His objection to the electoral votes of Arizona and Pennsylvania gave is foes a line of attack.
The congressman, in a lengthy explanation of his actions, asserted his intention was not to overturn the 2020 election – although that would have been the result if the GOP’s efforts succeeded…
November 13: CBS News Los Angeles posted an article titled: “Mike Garcia declares victory in 27th congressional district race encompassing Santa Clarita, Lancaster” From the article:
Mike Garcia has declared victory Wednesday in the race for the 27th Congressional District seat that encompasses Santa Clarita, Palmdale, Lancaster and Granada Hills.
Garcia, the Republican incumbent in the newly configured district, defeated Democrat challenger Christy Smith for the second time in a row.
“The people of CA-27 have spoken, and I’m honored to be reelected to serve another two years in Congress,” Garcia said in a statement.
“To my family, my team, the voters and the volunteers who supported our campaign, I am humbled by your efforts that led to this massive victory, and I look forward to continuing to fight for you.”
Garcia won 57.58% of the vote as of Wednesday morning to Smith’s 42.42%. He had 65,545 votes to Smith’s 48,285.
“I applaud Christy Smith for jumping in the ring again. It was another effective and well-run campaign,” Garcia said…
…”To all the voters of CA-27: Thank you. It’s an honor to be your Congressman, and whether you voted for me or not, I’ll continue working every day to serve you and your interests in Washington D.C. and here in the district – fighting inflation, lowering costs, keeping California families safe, and ensuring the United States remains the greatest nation the world has ever seen,” Garcia said.
The race has not been called yet, as votes are still tallied for California.
Ballotpedia posted the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 27:
Mike Garcia (R): 54.2% – 89,550 votes
Christy Smith (D): 45.8% – 75,704 votes
November 15: Business Insider posted an article titled: “Results: Rep. Mike Garcia defeats Democrat Christy Smith in California’s 27th Congressional District election” From the article:
Republican Rep. Mike Garcia defeated Democrat Christy Smith for the third time in California’s 27th Congressional District.
Polls closed in the state at 8 p.m. local time, or 11 p.m. EST.
…Garcia is a member of the House Committee on Appropriations. Prior to his time in Congress, he served in the US Navy for 14 years, flying over 30 combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom after graduating from the United States Naval Academy. In 2009, he went on to work for defense contractor Raytheon Technologies.
The former Navy pilot was first elected to office in a May 2020 special election after former Rep. Katie Hill resigned after reports of an inappropriate relationship with a congressional staffer.
The top-two finishers, Garcia and Smith, went on to a runoff, in which Garcia emerged victorious…
Smith, Garcia’s challenger, was a Department of Education policy analyst during the Clinton administration and a former California state assemblywoman. When Hill resigned, Smith received a number of prominent endorsements including those of Vice President Kamala Harris, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom…
…According to Open Secrets, Garcia raised $6.6 million, spent $5.7 million, and had $1.2 million of cash on hand, as of October 18. His opponent, Smith, raised $3.5 million, spent $3 million, and had $624,978 of cash still left to spend, as of October 19…
November 16: Cal Today posted an article titled: “Democrat Christy Smith knows she’ll lose her congressional race. She blames her own party” From the article:
The race for a hotly contested Los Angeles-area congressional district had not been called, but Democrat Christy Smith sensed she would end up on the losing end. And she felt there was a clear reason why.
“Our campaign got next-to-zero outside resources to fight this battle. In fact, I was fighting the institutional power of my own party from the outset of this race,” Smith said in a scathing series of remarks on Twitter. With no help on the airwaves and little elsewhere from Democratic Party committees and PACs, “we didn’t stand a chance.”
Smith is no different from scores of other candidates who believe victory would’ve been theirs if not for stingy support from Washington. But her unusually blunt remarks Sunday highlighted the stark turn of events in the campaign for California’s 27th district – a contest in which Democrats were expected to mount an all-out effort to oust incumbent Rep. Mike Garcia after he barely eked out a win two years earlier.
“This is a massive screw-up on their end,” said political consultant Brandon Zavala, who ran Smith’s 2020 campaign but did not work on this year’s race. “We’re looking here at a Biden plus-12 that we’re about to hand to Republicans.”…
…Smith, in an interview, said she lacked the money to tell voters about Garcia’s record, a message that she believes could have topped the race.
“Absolutely it would have made a difference,” Smith said, adding that as she was getting “hammered” on television by outside GOP groups. “There was plenty to communicate if we had the resources to communicate.
With the possibility that the district would be “the tipping point to hold the House,” Smith said on Twitter “the utter lack of investment made no sense.”…
…While Smith has not conceded, she acknowledges that her likelihood of overcoming Garcia’s lead is unlikely. She said in an interview that she felt it was important to speak out before the race is called…
November 16: Los Angeles Times (via Yahoo! Sports) posted an article titled: “GOP Rep. Mike Garcia wins northern L.A. County race, giving Republicans control of the House” From the article:
Republican Rep. Mike Garcia has won reelection to his northern Los Angeles County seat, dashing Democrats’ hopes they could reclaim a district where they had a sizable registration advantage. His win pushed Republicans to the majority in the next Congress.
Garcia defeated Christy Smith, a Democratic former state lawmaker whom he had bested in a 2020 special election race and again later that year, when he won by just 333 votes. The Associated Press called the race Wednesday, though official results will take longer.
“It will be an honor for me to represent you in the majority,” Garcia said in a written statement. “I look forward to delivering all forms of security for our district and our nation, whether you voted for me or not.”
Smith thanked donors and volunteers, and said on social media: “There is so much more work to be done to reach voters here who no longer see the value of their vote. I know that work will continue in the hands of very dedicated local Democrats.”
Going into the midterm cycle, California’s 27th Congressional District was a tantalizing pickup opportunity for Democrats. Republicans had represented the area, which includes the Antelope Valley and Santa Clarita, for decades before the 2018 blue wave broke the GOP’s streak.
Though Garcia flipped the seat back to Republican control after the Democratic incumbent resigned, redistricting and changing demographics made the area appear friendlier for Democrats. The party has a double-digit registration advantage in the redrawn seat, which backed Joe Biden over Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election race by 12 points.
Despite the Democratic tilt of the district, however, residents’ frustrations with climbing gas prices and the high cost of living gave Garcia the edge. He also touted his background as a Navy pilot, which resonates in this region with long ties to the military and aerospace industry.
Garcia, 46, puzzled many political observers when, on Jan. 6, 2021, he objected counting the electoral college votes in Arizona and Pennsylvania, joining 146 other House Republicans. The vote occurred just hours after a mob of Trump’s supporters overran the U.S. Capitol and assaulted police officers in an attempt to block Biden’s win. While Garcia had plenty of company in the House GOP conference, few others were in competitive districts…
His allies spent more than $7 million on television and digital advertising, while Smith spent just shy of $1 million.
…Mark Gonzales, chair of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, partially blamed redistricting under former President Donald Trump that pushed the 27th District southward.
“Considering the demographics of that area (a democratic stronghold) and the fact that Garcia won only by 333 votes (against Smith) in the last election, it was surprising,” Gonzales said. “If you look at voters from the last race, they are different, and feeling different today, than they did versus two years ago”…
…This district is the sole Republican-held congressional seat in L.A. County and a nail-biter that has attracted national attention because it had the potential to play a role in altering the current Democratic edge in the House, according to politicos…
Ballotpedia posted the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 27:
Mike Garcia (R): 54.2% – 89,550 votes
Christy Smith (D): 45.8% – 75,704 votes
California’s 28th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 28th Congressional District:
California’s 28th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. sate of California, in Los Angeles County. The district is regarded as a Democratic stronghold and has been held by the Democratic Party since 2003 and is currently represented by Democrat Judy Chu.
Following redistricting ahead of the 2022 election cycle, the 18th district was relocated to the San Gabriel Valley.
Formerly, from 2003 to 2013, the district included about half of the San Fernando Valley, including North Hollywood, in the Greater Los Angeles Area. Due to redistricting after the 2010 United States Census, the district shifted east within Los Angeles County and includes portions of Burbank and Glendale.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 28th congressional district is located in Southern California. It encompasses most of north eastern Los Angeles County, and part of the eastern border of San Bernardino. A majority of the district is taken up by Angeles National Forest.
Los Angeles County is split between this district, the 23rd district, the 30th district, the 31st district, the 34th district, the 35th district and the 38th district. The 28th and 23rd are partitioned by Angeles National Forest and Juniper Hills Rd.
The 28th and 30th are partitioned by Angeles National Forest, Big Tujunga Creek, Big Tukunga Canyon Rd, Silver Creek, Markridge Rd, Pennsylvania Ave, Northwoods Ln, Ramsdell Ave, Fairway Ave, La Crescenta Ave, Mayfield Ave, Rosemont Ave, Florencita Ave, Thompson Ct, Park Pl, Verdugo Blvd, La Tour Way, Descanso Gardens, Norham Pl, Wendover Rd, Linda Vista Ave, Oak Grove Dr, Yucca Ln, W Montana St, Vermont St, Forest Ave, Wyoming St, Lincoln Ave, Anderson Pl, Canada Pl, Highway 210, W Hammond St, Glen Ave, W Mountain St, Manzanita Ave, N Orange Grove Blvd, and Ventura Freeway.
The 28th and 31st are partitioned by Rio Hondo River, Garvey Ave, Highway 19, Highway 10, Eaton Wash, Temple City Blvd, Ellis Ln, Lower Azusa Rd, Grande Ave, Santa Anita Ave, Lynrose St, Flood Control Basin, Peck Rd, Randolph St, Cogswell Rd, Clark St, Durfree Ave, Santa Anita Wash, S 10th Ave, Jeffries Ave, Mayflower/Fairgreen Ave, N Bradoaks Ave, Angeles National Forest, W Fork Rd, Highway 39, Cedar Creek, Iron Fork, Glendora Mountain Rd, Morris Reservoir, W Sierra Madre Ave, N Lorraine Ave, E Foothill Blvd, E Carroll Ave, Steffen St, S Lorraine Ave, AT and SF Railway, E Route 66, N Cataract Ave, San Dimas Canyon Rd, Clayton Ct, Live Oak Canyon, Rotary Dr, Highway 30, Williams Ave, Highway 210, Garey Ave, and Summer Ave.
The 28th and 34th are partitioned by Colorado Blvd, Lantana Dr, Church St, Adelaide Pl, Highway 110, N Huntingdon Dr, S Winchester Ave, Valley Blvd, Laguna Channel, Highway 710, 1-10 Express Ln, Rollins Dr, Floral Dr, E Colonia, Belvedere Park, Highway 60, S Atlantic Blvd, and Pomona Blvd.
The 28th and 35th are partitioned by Towne Ave, Harrison Ave, Carnegie Ave, W Arrow Highway, Mountain Ave, and E American Ave.
The 28th and 38th are partitioned by E Pomona Blvd, Potero Grande Dr, Arroyo Dr, Hill Dr, Montebellow Blvd, N San Gabriel Blvd, and Walnut Grove Ave. The 28th takes in the north side of the cities of Glendora and Monrovia, the cities of Pasadena, Alhambra, Monterey Park, Arcadia, Glendora, Rosemead, San Gabriel, Claremont, Temple City, and La Cañada Flintridge, as well as the census-designated place Altadena.
San Bernardino County is split between this district, the 23rd district, the 33rd district, and the 35th district. They are partitioned by San Bernardino National Forrest, Manzanita Rd, Highway 15, Cajon Blvd, W Kenwood Ave, Highway 215, W Meyers Rd, Ohio Ave, Pine Ave, Bailey Ct, Highway 206, Devils Canyon Rd, Cloudland Truck Trail, Cloudland Cutoff, Hill Dr, W 54th St, E Hill Dr, Bonita Vista Dr, Sterling Ave, Argyle Ave, E Marshall Blvd, Rockford Ave, Lynwood Dr, La Praix St, Orchid Dr, Denair Ave, Highland Ave, Orchard Rd, Arroyo Vista Dr, Church St, Greensport Rd, Florida St, Garnet St, Nice Ave, Crafton Ave, 5th Ave, Walnut St, 6th Ave, E Citrus Ave, N Church St, Southern California Regional Rail A, Tennessee St, Highway 10, California St, E Washington St, and S Barton Rd. The 28th district takes in the north side of the cities of Upland and Rancho Cucamonga.
Ballotpedia provided information about Judy Chu:
Judy Chu (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 28th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2023. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Chu (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 28th Congressional District. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Chu began her political career in the California State Assembly, where she served from 2001 to 2006. She represented California’s 32nd Congressional District from 2009 to 2013.
Judy Chu was born in Los Angeles, California. Chu earned a B.A. from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1974 and a Ph.D. from the California School of Professional Psychology in 1979. Her career experience includes working as a professor with Los Angeles City College and East Los Angeles College. Chu served as the mayor of Monterey Park, California.
Judy Chu did not fill out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Ballotpedia provided information from Judy Chu’s website (from 2014):
Jobs and the Economy
Excerpt: “Since being elected to Congress in the midst of one of the worst economic crises in our nation’s history, Judy Chu has maintained a laser-like focus on creating jobs, stimulating economic development and assisting small businesses not only to survive, but to thrive as we emerge from the Great Recession.”
Healthcare
Excerpt: “Judy Chu is proud to cast her vote in favor of the historic Affordable Care Act, the most sweeping reform to our nation’s health care system since the passage of Medicare in the 1960s.”
Education
Excerpt: “Having taught for twenty years in the Los Angeles Community College system before coming to Congress, Judy Chu knows firsthand about the challenge every schoolteacher faces while balancing quality education with shrinking budgets.”
Transportation
Excerpt: “The San Gabriel Valley has six major freeways cutting through its geographical boundaries. And because of the area’s tremendous population growth, most of those freeways have reached their capacity and are jammed with commuters during peak hours.”
Environment and Clean Energy
Excerpt: “Congresswoman Chu continues to fight to protect our environment by supporting clean-up efforts of our local air and water resources. She is standing up against attempts by the majority in Congress to undo the Clean Air and Water Acts, and is a big proponent of clean and renewable jobs.”
Ballotpedia provided information about Wes Hallman:
Wes Hallman (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 28th Congressional District. Hallman lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Wes Hallman did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection Survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Wes Hallman’s 2022 campaign website:
SECURING OUR NATION AND OUR COMMUNITIES
Just as a strong national defense is the foundation of our freedom and of our leadership in the world, establishing law and order in our communities is crucial to our prosperity.
RETURNING COMPETENCE TO GOVERNMENT
Excellence should be expected from all those who serve our institutions, including Congress. We need to return local control and real representation to Washington so we can unleash America’s and its people’s vast potential.
INVESTING IN OUR FUTURE
Seizing America’s opportunities for all should be our priority. When united, Americans are unstoppable. Our nation’s brightest days are ahead.
Ballotpedia provided information about Dorothy Caronna:
Dorothy Caronna (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to Represent California’s 28th Congressional District. Caronna lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Dorothy Caronna did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Ballotpedia provided information about Giuliano DePaolis:
Guiliano DePaolis (Independent) (also known as Gio) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 28th Congressional District. DePaolis lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Giuliano DePaolus’ career experience includes working as an IT specialist and a film and television editor.
Giuliano DePaolus did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from DePaolus’ campaign website.
1 Single Payer Medical Insurance
Over 72% of all Democrats, and over 50% of Republicans now support a single-payer health care option, and yet we have a government that refuses to entertain the idea, much less put it to a House vote, mainly due to the influence of Big-Pharma and the for-profit health insurance industry.
Since medical bankruptcy is the primary cause of homelessness in the U.S., solving the issue of the uninsured would resolve the key factor in the creation of the unhoused.
A Single Payer Option would offer an alternative to the profit health care system that, in the near future, will be financially untenable, and contribute to the collapse of the healthcare market.
2 Cannabis Legislation Reform
Since it’s legalization or decriminalization in 37 states and the District of Columbia, the cannabis industry has generated billions of dollars of revenue for state and local governments annually and provides millions of above-market employment opportunities.
However the Federal Government insists on classifying cannabis as a Schedule 1 controlled substance, claiming that it is more dangerous than Fentynal and Oxicotin, opioids that are responsible for hundreds of thousands of overdoses in the U.S.
This Schedule 1 classification excludes all cannabis industry profits from appropriate Federal Taxation, prohibits research into the possible medical benefits of cannabis, and prevents cannabis from being a viable alternative to the climate change issue.
3 “Common Sense” Climate Change
Speaking of climate change,
Bio-sequestration, and carbon capture are two technologies that can reduce and remove billions of tons of CO2 emissions from the environment annually.
And yes, the cannabis industry can play a vital role here as well. One hectare of cannabis can absorb 15 tons of CO2, and is carbon negative to produce. Hemp’s rapid growth makes it one of the fastest CO2-to -biomass conversion “technologies” available, more efficient than agro-forestry.
In Canada and Europe, governments are embracing cannabis as a cheap, and low-impact solution to reducing their carbon emission footprint. But, the current U.S. is focused on how to impose “Carbon Taxes” and wasteful “Climate Justice” initiatives.
No one asked for an $0.8 per mile usage tax.
4 Reduction in Military Spending Waste
It is my intent to introduce a bill that aims to reduce the cost of the NDAA, the National Defense Authorization Act, by %03 per year over a period of 5 years. Our current bill for the defense of our nation stands at $777.7 billion.
As we spend more on defense than the next 10 global militaries combined, the focus of this legislation will be to eliminate waste in the military spending budgets, while seeking to maintain, or improve military capability.
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan Primary for U.S. House California District 28:
Judy Chu (D): 66.5% – 38,701 votes
Wes Hallman (R): 25.4% – 14,766 votes
Dorothy Coronna (D): 6.2% – 3,631 votes
Guiliano DePaolis (Independent): 1.8% – 1,059 votes
Wes Hallman posted the following on his About Us page of his “Make California Gold Again” website:
Make California Gold Again is about taking back the beautiful state of California and making it more beautiful than it has ever been before! Make California Gold Again is about redeeming every aspect of this state – spiritually, financially, educationally, socially – and turning it GOLD – prosperous & thriving!
Sarah Stephens ran for Governor in the recall election in 2021 and through the support of her husband Daniel, former police officer and veteran, the vision for Make California Gold Again was birthed! This couple has served together on the front lines for freedom and would give up anything for this Nation.
The Make California Gold Again website is specifically designed for the Californian, the patriot, who wants to take a stand for God & freedom and connect with others who believe the same! This site serves as a hub for patriots so they can connect with candidates, churches, businesses, non-profits, media outlets, communities and more!
Find your place at Make California Gold Again and become part of the MCGA family! Together we will Make California Gold Again! Let’s make history and turn California once again – into the most desired state in the Nation!
The New York Times stopped updating these forecasts at 4 a.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, Nov 9, as the bulk of the remaining races will be decided by mail ballots that take days to count.
June 24: Politico posted an article titled: “Roe has fallen. Rep. Chu has a plan.” From the article:
The Recast: We’re speaking just hours after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, meaning there’s no longer constitutional protections to abortion in this country. What are your initial thoughts on this ruling?
Chu: It is outrageous!
This is a Supreme Court where the majority of the justices value guns more than women’s lives. They are making women second-class citizens in this country and they are setting women back 50 years.
This is just one step in the extremist Republican agenda. We know that their ultimate goal is to ban abortion across the United States. Already we know that 26 states are poised to quickly ban abortion. There are 13 states with trigger laws already.
That means 36 million women could soon lose abortion access. That means millions of women will immediately lose the ability to make decisions over their own bodies. And in fact, the decision will be taken away from them. And instead, it’ll be made by the Washington D.C. politicians like Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).
The Recast: This ruling did not surprise you, right? Because we have the draft opinion that came out more than a month ago. What does this mean moving forward as far as how Democrats can use this in the midterm elections?
Chu: I was outraged then, but I’m even more outraged now.
I think that it will immediately impact women who were raised in this country, always under the protection of Roe v. Wade – they’ve never know a life where they didn’t have access to abortion. And, suddenly, women will find themselves in a state where abortion is not allowed at all.
It will be a wake-up call. It will be a huge shock. And I think they will go to the ballot box…
…The Recast: As you alluded, this ruling now creates a patchwork of states that either still have abortion on the books or states that are moving to outlaw it. So your state of California will still have access to abortion, but Texas will not. What are the dangers of this patchwork system and how does this impact women of color?
Chu: Wealthy women will always have access to abortion.
Those who will be the most impacted are low-income women who may not have the money to travel across state lines or to take off work or to hire a babysitter. That is what I fear, that these women will not have the freedom to make decisions about their own future.
I do think though that there are states that are stepping up to the plate, my state certainly is. California is getting ready for an influx of women coming in. The Planned Parenthood in my area of the state just told me about a woman in Texas. She already has three children and she knew she could not have more at that particular time. The woman called around all states and found an open slot in my area, Pasadena, and just packed up her three kids and husband and drove 20 hours to California to get her abortion.
This is what we will hear repeated across the United States…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the General election for U.S. House California District 28:
Judy Chu: (D): 63.2% – 74,398 votes
Wes Hallman (R): 36.8% – 43,250 votes
June 30: NBC News posted an article titled: “Congresswoman who wrote abortion rights bill arrested at rally new Supreme Court”. From the article:
The House Democrat who introduced a bill last year to enshrine abortion rights into federal law was among more than 180 protesters who were arrested Thursday at a pro-abortion rights rally near the Supreme Court.
Rep. Judy Chu of California was participating in a civil disobedience rally on Capitol grounds, “where she was subsequently arrested alongside other activists,” her office said in a news release.
A spokesperson for Chu, describing the demonstration as a “sit-in,” said she was arrested around 1 p.m., adding that sh was the only member of Congress at the rally.
Chu tweeted: “The decision to march today was easy – I came out to march for the young rape survivor, the woman who cannot afford to travel to another state to access critical care, the mother with an ectopic pregnancy whose life is in danger. I came out to march for all of us.”
The tweet included the following message: “When I first heard Roe was overturned, I immediately thought of who would be most harmed by this decision: a young girl who is a survivor of rape, a woman who cannot afford to travel to another state to access critical care, an expecting mother with an ectopic pregnancy whose life is in danger because she cannot have an abortion. So, when I think of all these women – and more – the decision to join in a peaceful demonstration to make clear we will not allow the clock to be rolled back on abortion rights was was easy. We are in this together and we will not back down or be silenced. I am ramping up my calls to abolish the Senate filibuster – and actively exploring every option to ensure we pass my bill, the Women’s Health Protection Act, which establishes a federal right to abortion care, and have it signed into law. Lives are at stake and this fight is far from over.
According to NBC News, U.S. Capitol Police said on Twitter that they arrested 181 people for illegally blocking an intersection near the Capitol and the Supreme Court…
…Chu introduced the Women’s Health Protection Act in September after the Supreme Court allowed a new Texas law banning most abortions to remain in place…
…The House passed the bill in September in a 218-211 vote, with one Democrat joining all Republicans in opposing the measure. In a 46-48 Senate vote in February, the bill failed to clear the 60-vote threshold needed to overcome a Republican-led filibuster…
November 9: The Associated Press reported “Democrat Judy Chu wins reelection to U.S. House in California’s 28th Congressional District”.
California’s 29th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided the following information about California’s 29th Congressional District:
California’s 29th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California based in the north central San Fernando Valley. The district is represented by Democrat Tony Cárdenas.
It includes the city of San Fernando, as well as the Los Angeles communities of Van Nuys, Tacoma, Arleta, Panorama City, Sylmar, and parts of Sun Valley and North Hollywood.
As of the 2020 redistricting, half of California’s 29th congressional district is within Los Angeles County, and half is in northern Los Angeles.
Los Angeles County is split between this district, the 27th district, the 30th district, and the 32nd district.
The 29th and 27th are partitioned by Angeles National Forest, Soledad Canyon Road, Little Tujunga Canyon Rd, Santa Clara Truck Trail, Veterans Memorial Park, Golden State Freeway, Devonshire Street, Blue Creek, Chatsworth Street, Balboa Boulevard, Kingsbury Street, Genesta Avenue, Aliso Canyon Wash, and Ronald Reagan Freeway.
The 29th and 30th are partitioned by Angeles National Forest, NF-4N35, Gold Creek Road, Big Tujunga Canyon Road, Little Tujunga Road, Longford Street, Clybourne Avenue, Foothill Freeway, Kagel Canyon Street, Osbourne Street, Terra Bell Street, Glennoaks Boulevard, Montague Street, San Fernando Road, Bradford Street, Tujunga Wash, Wentworth Street, Sheldon Street, Tuxford Street, Sunland Boulevard, Golden State Freeway, Cohasset Street, Sherman Way, Vineland Avenue, Southern Pacific Railroad, Ledge Avenue, West Clark Avenue, North Clybourne Avenue, and the Los Angeles River.
The 27th and 32nd are partitioned by San Diego Freeway, Roscoe Boulevard, Reseda Boulevard, Saticoy Street, Lull Street, Garden Grove Avenue, Valerio Street, Etiwanda Avenue, Gault Street, Victory Boulevard, Oxford Street, Hazeltine Avenue, Burbank Boulevard, Tujunga Wash, Ventura Freeway, Hollywood Freeway, Whipple Street, and Lankershim Boulevard.
The 27th district takes the city of San Fernando and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Vay Nuys, Panorama City, Sylmar, Valley Village, Sun Valley, westside North Hollywood. and central Lake Balboa.
Ballotpedia provided information about California’s 29th Congressional District:
California’s 29th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives is represented by Tony Cárdenas (D).
As of the 2020 Census, California represented an average of 761,091 residents, After the 2010 Census, each member represented 704,566 residents.
Ballotpedia provided the following information about Tony Cárdenas:
Tony Cárdenas (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 29th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 2013. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Cárdenas (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 29th Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Cárdenas first won election to the seat in 2012. Prior to his service in the U.S. House, Cárdenas served in the California State Assembly from 1996 to 2002. He was then a member of the Los Angeles City Council from 2004 to 2012.
Cárdenas was mentioned during the wave of sexual assault and misconduct allegations in 2018. A lawsuit filed April 27, 2018, alleged that Cárdenas sexually abused a 16-year-old girl in 2007. Cárdenas denied the accusations, Ballotpedia reported.
Ballotpedia stated that Tony Cárdenas did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection Survey. He also did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2020 Candidate Connection Survey.
Ballotpedia provided information from Tony Cárdenas’ 2016 campaign website:
Creating Jobs in the Valley: “Congressman Tony Cárdenas is committed to finding ways to attract businesses to open up shop in the Valley and train our workforce for the next generation of jobs. He is working to find opportunities to bring more manufacturing jobs to the Valley.”
Paying our Nation’s Bills: “Congressman Cárdenas believes in a balanced approach to our debt and deficit. This means investing in the middle class, making smart, targeted reductions in spending, closing tax loopholes and reducing subsidies to profitable industries.”
Reforming Our Juvenile Justice System and Reducing Crime: “As a child growing up in Pacoma, Congressman Cárdenas saw firsthand the effects gangs have on our community. Having that background, he has made gang prevention and juvenile justice a top priority, with a proven track record of enacting legislation to keep kids safe,”
Fair, Balanced Comprehensive Immigration Reform. “Our country has always been a nation of immigrants and the current system is in desperate need of reform. Eleven million people currently work and raise families in our communities without the possibility of one day becoming citizens of the United States. Now that bipartisan legislation has passed the Senate, we have finally begun to carve out a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and create common sense solutions to fix our broken immigration system.”
Ensuring Access to Healthcare: “In 2019, President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law. This law, often called “Obamacare” is the strongest, most robust improvement made into our nation’s healthcare system since Medicare was passed in 1965. More than 40 million Americans will finally have the opportunity to purchase affordable health insurance coverage.”
Ballotpedia provided the following information about Angélica María Dueñas
Angélica María Dueñas (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 29th Congressional District. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Dueñas was elected as a member of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party Central Committee on March 3, 2020.
Dueñas previously ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 29th Congressional District. She lost in the primary election on June 5, 2018.
Cárdenas earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and public administration from California State University at Los Angeles in 2007 and a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Woodbury University in 2013. Dueñas’ career experience includes working as the Southern California campaign coordinator for Jill Stein’s presidential campaign, a human resource manager with Gravity Defyer, and a human resources specialist. She served as president and vice president of the Sun Valley Area Neighborhood Council and a member of the Bernie Sanders Delegation to the 2016 and the 2020 Democratic National Conventions.
Angélica María Dueñas did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia’s 2020 Candidate Connection survey. Angélica María Dueñas did fill out the May 20, 2018 Candidate Connection Survey.
Angélica María Dueñas did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia’s 2020 Candidate Connection survey. Angélica María Dueñas did fill out the May 20, 2018 Candidate Connection Survey.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
Ending All Wars Universal Healthcare
Tuition Free Education/Federal Education
Loan Forgiveness
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Why?
Getting big money out of politics – Ending Citizens United. Addressing the homelessness issue – Universal Rent Control, Municipal Seizing of Bank Owned Homes and house homeless through HUD and Section 8.
Ballotpedia also asked the candidate a series of optional questions. Angelica Dueñas answered the following:
Is there a book, essay, film, or something else that best describes your political philosophy?
She wrote out the lyrics of Michael Jackson’s song “We Had Enough”
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
Honesty, Integrity and a Strong Moral Compass.
What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
To listen to the needs of their community and to write, champion and support legislation that addresses those needs. We need to be vocal and to be afraid to make a stand.
Ballotpedia provided information about Margarita Maria Carranza
Margarita Maria Carranza (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 29th Congressional District. Carranza lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Margarita Maria Carranza was born in Calexico, California. Carranza graduated from John H. Francis Polytechnic High School. Her career experience includes working as an office manager.
Ballotpedia provided information about Andy Miranda
Andy Miranda (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 29th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Andy Miranda was born in North Hollywood, California. Miranda served in the U.S. Navy from 2004 to 2008. He earned a bachelor’s degree from DeVry University in 2013.
Miranda completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022.
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am Andy Miranda, the actual congressional candidate. If elected, every decision I make in congress will be decided by the voters of my district.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
No more government control, every decision I make will be decided on by the voters.
No more waiting or begging elected leaders to make obvious changes or fixes.
Any change that the people need and vote on will be implemented and not what your government tells you.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am passionate about supporting our local law enforcement and decreasing criminal activities and behaviors. I am passionate about getting rid of the homeless and cleaning up our streets so they’re safe for all of us. I am passionate about the law-abiding citizen’s and hard working tax payer’s rights and property and how they should always come before any criminal or vagrant, period!
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?
Jesus Christ.
What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?
Iraqi war, I was about 8 years old.
What was your very first job? How long did you have it?
K-Mart.
What is your favorite book? Why?
The Bible.
What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?
The ability to propose and make laws.
Do you believe that it’s beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?
No. In fact, the more government experience the more corrupt, generally speaking.
What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?
China and our dependency on them.
Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?
Yes.
What are your thoughts on term limits?
Limits should be set.
What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?
The ability to propose and make laws.
Do you believe that it’s beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?
No. In fact, the more government experience the more corrupt, generally speaking.
Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?
Jim Jordan, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Tom Cotton, Josh Hawley, Lauren Bobert, Matt Gaetz
Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?
Absolutely as it is for everything else in life.
Ballotpedia provided the following information about Rudy Melendez:
Rudy Melendez (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 28th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Ballotpedia posted the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 29:
Tony Cárdenas (D): 57.5% – 37,269 votes
Angélica María Dueñas (D): 20.4% – 13,278 votes
Margarita Maria Carranza (R): 9.0% – 5,879 votes
Andy Miranda (R): 6.6% – 4,227 votes
Rudy Melendez (R): 6.5% – 4,186 votes
May 26: The Valley Star News posted an article titled: “Angelica Dueñas is “ready to seize the moment in the San Fernando Valley” From the article:
More than a year after her campaign launched, former Valley College student Angelica Dueñas is confident about the road ahead as she prepares for the midterm election on June 7.
Running for U.S. Congress, Dueñas is looking to unseat Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), who has held office for almost a decade. California’s 29th District, the constituency that spans Sylmar to Van Nuys, is also home to Valley, where the grassroots challenger attended before transferring to California State University, Los Angeles. After losing in a tighter than expected race two years ago, Dueñas is ready for a different battle in bringing her people-powered campaign to Capitol Hill.
“Compared to 2020, things are looking great,” said Dueñas. “This year, it’s just Tony and I in the race with three republican candidates. With the top-two primary, thing are looking solid that it will be Tony and I once again in November. We’re ready to seize the moment in the San Fernando Valley.”
The 2020 election, which coincided with the presidential election that brought the highest turnout in American history, saw Rep. Cárdenas face his closest challenge since the district was established in 2010, as only 13 percent separated him from the mother of five…
…A delegate and volunteer for Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-VT) presidential campaigns in 2016 and 2020, the former Monarch is not afraid to battle the status quo. Frustrated with what she explains as nepotism that has controlled the San Fernando’s political landscape for “too long,” Dueñas has taken action in her disappointment by running for higher office and has also performed in roles within her community, serving terms as both president and board member on the Sun Valley Neighborhood Council…
…Election Day is June 7, the top-two candidates in the primary for California’s 29th District will square off against each other on November 8, alongside the candidates for the other seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Ballotpedia posted the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 29:
Tony Cárdenas (D): 62.0% – 38,034 votes
Angélica María Dueñas (D): 38.0% – 23.281 votes
California’s 30th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 30th Congressional District
California’s 30th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. The 30th district takes in the Linda Vista neighborhood of Pasadena, and the Los Angeles area communities of Tujunga, Burbank, Glendale, Hollywood, West Hollywood, Edendale, Park La Brea, Hancock Park, and westside Echo Park. The district is currently represented by Democrat Adam Schiff.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 30th congressional district is located in Southern California. Two sections of the district are within Los Angeles County, and the other two sections cover parts of northern Los Angeles.
Los Angeles County is split between this district, the 27th district, the 28th district, the 32nd district, the 34th district, the 36th district, and the 37th district. The 30th and 27th are partitioned by Angeles National Forest, B.P. and L Rd, Mt Emma Rd, BPL Rd, Angeles Forest Highway, NF-3N17, Moody Canyon, NF-4N53, Soledad Canyon Rd, Indian Canyon Rd, and Santa Clarita Divide Dr.
The 30th and 28th are partitioned by Angeles National Forest, Big Tujunga Creek, Big Tujunga Canyon Rd., Silver Creek, Markridge Rd, Pennsylvania Ave, Northwoods Ln, Ramsdell Ave, Descanto Gardens, Norham Pl, Wendover Rd, Linda Vista Ave, Oak Grove Dr, Yucca Ln, W Montana St, Vermont St, Forest Ave, Wyoming St, Lincoln Ave, Anderson Pl, Canada Pl, Highway 210, W Hammond St, Glen Ave, W Mountain St, Manzanita Ave, N Orange Grove Blvd, and Ventura Freeway.
The 30th and 29th are partitioned by Angeles National Forest, NF-4N35, Gold Creek Rd, Big Tujunga Canyon Rd, Little Tujunga Rd, Longford St, Clybourne Ave, Foothill Freeway, Kagel Canyon St, Osborne Street, Terra Bella St, Glenoaks Blvd, Montague St, San Fernando Rd, Branford St, Tujunga Wash, Wentworth St, Sheldon St, Tuxford St, Sunland Blvd, Golden State Freeway, Cohasset St, Sherman Way, Vineland Ave, Southern Pacific Railroad, Ledge Ave, W Clark Ave, N Clybourn Ave, and the Los Angeles River.
The 30th and 32nd are partitioned by Lankershim Blvd, Fredonia Dr, Cahuenga Blvd W, Broadlawn Dr, Multiview Dr, Mulholland Dr, Laurel Canyon Blvd, W Sunset Blvd, Ozeta Tea, and Doheny Rd.
The 30th and the 32nd are partitioned by Lankershim Blvd, Fredonia Dr, Cahuenga Blvd W, Broadlawn Dr, Multivuew Dr, Mulholland Dr, Laurel Canyon Blvd, N Western Ave, Melrose Ave, Hollywood Freeway, Douglas St, Lilac Ter, N Boylston St, Academy Rd, Pasadena Freeway, Highway 5, Duvall St, Blake Ave, Fernleaf St, Crystal St, Blake Ave, Meadowvale Ave, Los Angeles, Benedict St, N Coolidge Ave, Glendale Freeway, Roswell St, Delay Dr, Fletcher Dr, Southern Pacific Railroad, S Glendale Ave, Vista Superba Dr, Verdugo Rd, Plumas St, Carr Park, Harvey Dr, and Eagle Rock Hillside Park.
The 30th, 36th, and 37th are partitioned by Phyllis Ave, N Doheny Dr, N Oakhurst Dr, Burton Way, N Robertson Blvd, 8733 Clifton Way-201 S Le Doux Rd, N San Vicente Blvd, La Cienga Park, W Olympic Blvd, San Vicente Blvd, S Cochran Ave, Edgewood Pl, S Cloverdale Ave, S La Brea Ave, and S Sycamore Ave.
Ballotpedia provided information about Adam Schiff:
Adam Schiff (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 30th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Schiff (Democratic Party) is running for election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. He declared candidacy tor the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Schiff represented California’s 29th Congressional District in the U.S. House from 2003 to 2013 and California’s 27th Congressional District from 2001 to 2003.
Prior to his career in the U.S. House, Schiff served in the California State Senate from 1996 to 2001.
In the 2018 general election, Schiff defeated Johnny Nalbandian (R) by a vote of 78.4 percent to 21.6 percent.
Schiff was considered a potential candidate for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Barbara Boxer in 2016. However, he announced on May 12, 2015, that he would stay out of the race.
Schiff endorsed Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
Ballotpedia provided information about Maebe A. Girl:
Maebe A. Girl (Democratic Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 30th Congressional District. She declared candidacy for the general election scheduled on November 5, 2024.
Ballotpedia provided information about Ronda Kennedy:
Ronda Kennedy (Republican Party) is running for election to the U.S. Senate to represent Nevada. She declared her candidacy for the Republican primary scheduled on June 11, 2024.
Kennedy earned a B.A. in political science and government and a master’s degree in public administration from Ashford University. She also earned a J.D. from the American Heritage University School of Law. He professional experience includes working a an attorney.
Ballotpedia provided information on Patrick Gipson:
Patrick Gipson (Republican Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 30th Congressional District. Gipson declared his candidacy for the general election scheduled on November 5, 2024.
Ballotpedia provided information on Johnny Nalandian:
Johnny Nalbandian (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 30th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Nalbandian was a Republican candidate to represent California’s 28th Congressional District in 2018. He lost the general election on November 6, 2018.
Ballotpedia provided information on Paloma Zuniga:
Paloma Zuniga (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 30th Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Ballotpedia provided information on Sal Genovese:
Sal Genovese (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 30th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Genovese sought election to the same seat in 2012, 2014, and 2016, and 2018.
Ballotpedia provided information on William Meurer:
William Meurer (Green Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 30th Congressional District. Meurer lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Ballotpedia provided information on Tony Rodriguez:
Tony Rodriguez (American Independent Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 30th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Rodriguez completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
My name is Tony Rodriguez. I am running for this office because I know it takes non politicians like myself to make a difference. The biggest issue I see is that neither side is interested in doing what is best for the many, instead they want to do what is best for specific groups. I am a firm believer that we all have to reach ACROSS PARTY LINES in order to effectively do what is best for all. Just like any relationship where there has to be give an take and compromises must be made. If I am elected I do not want to caucus with any specific party. I want to be the liaison between both major parties and bring some kind of teamwork mentally versus what we have now. This election in the 30th District of California in 2022 is not about left or right, Democrat or Republican, it is about protecting and defending the rights of the People under the Constitution of the United States, and bringing this country back into an era of competition and a dynamic future for the generations who will follow our lead.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
I am against Critical Race Theory Indoctrination. There should be a law that mandates that this should not be taught. This only fuels the fire and causes more division. It is about parents deciding what is best for their children, and keeping parental rights intact under the Constitution while holding government to task for poor performance in the classroom.
Protecting our First Responders. The security, peace and dignity of our communities and our country depends on our first responders. In an era where the debate is about defunding police, I support increased funding for better training and tools for our men and women in uniform.
Protecting our Jobs and Businesses. Especially small businesses, workers comp cost especially in California are extremely high. There is a lot of fraud especially in California. This fraud and high taxes can ruin a small business.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Critical Race Theory Indoctrination/Parental Rights. Government overreach should be kept at a minimum.
Protecting our Families. I believe that family is our greatest national resource. As a result, we need to do more to defend our families. All families are different. Regardless of how your family is structured – whether you are a man or a woman, two men, or two women – our children need family and love. I will work to protect the family regardless of race, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation.
January 4: MyBurbank.com posted a press release titled: “Congressman Schiff Announces Re-election Campaign for 30th Congressional District” From the press release:
Congressman Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) announced his campaign for re-election in California’s 30th congressional district:
“It has been an honor to represent California’s 28th congressional district in Congress. And together, we’ve made important progress in 2021. But there is so much more to be done.
“We passed a major relief package that cut child poverty in half nationwide and helped more than 66,000 families in our community put food on the table. We achieved a bipartisan infrastructure package that will bring significant investment in roads, bridges, transit, airports, clean water, and clean air and fire prevention to our state and nation. The House also approved a major package to lower prescription drug costs, provide family leave, help lower childcare costs, and fight climate change – all of which will help support working families here at home. We now need to get that bill passed in the Senate.
“We helped behind-the-scenes workers server the fair wages and conditions all workers have a right to, and freelancers and contractors receive unemployment during the pandemic. We finally saw the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the sitting U.S. President and pushed the U.S. government to condemn Azeri atrocities. And amid a devastating wildfire season, we ensure that firefighters have the most advanced tools available to help combat the blazes.
“But there are still enormous challenges ahead, with the pandemic and the economy, and dangerous threats to our democracy that must be overcome.
“This is why I’m running for re-election to Congress in California’s 30th congressional district – a district that will include familiar neighborhoods and faces, but a few new communities as well. All of whom I’m excited to speak to over the course of this campaign and to represent in Congress.
“I’m running to make real progress on the big issues: Ending the pandemic. Making the economy work for everyone, Making health care universal. Fighting climate change. Lowering costs for all families, and keeping us safe. And on local issues like ensuring everyone has a roof over their head, preserving open space for generations to come, and investing in new greener infrastructure and mass transit.
“And I’m running because there remains a grave threat to our democracy, Across the country, Republicans are assaulting voting rights, undermining our elections, and attempting to break down the pillars of our democracy. We cannot take our democracy for granted and need champions pushing back against these assaults on our institutions. I will continue to fight to protect champions pushing back against these assaults on our institutions. I will continue the fight to protect the fundamental right to vote and to secure our cherished legacy as a democracy.”
February 8: CISON PR Newswire posted a press release titled: “Ronda Kennedy, Republican Activist and Self-Made Attorney, Descendent of Slaves, Will Challenge Adam Schiff for Congress” From the press release:
Ronda Baldwin Kennedy has filed as a Republican Congressional candidate for California’s 30th District and will oppose Rep. Adam Schiff. “Schiff is one of the most powerful Leftists in Congress and by far the most duplicitous and dishonest… and I’m thrilled to be the lady who finally kicks him out of Washington,” said Kennedy, an attorney and mother of six.
Schiff led the second contrived Trump impeachment ‘investigation,’ leaked classified documents, and lied DAILY about the now discredited Russia hoax,” she said.
“More recently Schiff was caught red-handed selective editing text messages between Trump aides in the bogus, partisan January 6th investigation,” said Kennedy. “I’m literally Adam Schiff’s worst nightmare, as I intend to hold him responsible for his litany of lies and crimes,” she said.
Ms. Kennedy is a fighter. When the County of Ventura closed gun stores during COVID, Ms. Kennedy was the attorney that filed the federal lawsuit that forced them open and on January 20, 2022, won that case, when the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in her favor.
When Ventura County closed businesses a second time, business owners came to Ms. Kennedy because of her work for gun stores and their owners. She successfully defended 8 businesses against the county including Mrs. Olsons, the Pizza Cookery and Cronies in Agoura Hills.
Ms. Kennedy is a constitutionalist and will defend the Constitutional rights of any American regardless of political party. She, along with 12 others, is a plaintiff for a lawsuit filed by the Election Integrity Project of California, which is also before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
She is the great Grand-daughter of Wisconsin’s first black State Assemblyman (Le Roy Simmons). Ms Kennedy gives credit to her great-great grandfather for joining the Republican Party at age 18. He was a run-away slave who joined the Union Army as a water boy. Ms. Kennedy’s great-great aunt started the first Black bank in Wisconsin (Columbia Savings and Loans).
Ms. Kennedy worked in the entertainment industry for many years which includes five years with the Jackson family. Prior to that Ms. Kennedy was a City of Milwaukee Building inspector where she broke many glass ceilings. Ms. Kennedy is married to Michael Kennedy, is a mother of 6 including 9-year-old triplets, and a grandmother of four. In her spare time, she loves music, enjoys the company of family and friends, and is passionate about fighting for the freedom of all Americans.
June 7: Ballotpedia reported the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 30:
Adam Schiff (D): 62.5% – 102,231 votes
Maebe A. Girl (D): 12.8% – 21,025 votes
Ronda Kennedy (R): 8.5% – 13,942 votes
Patrick Gibson (R): 6.4% – 10,520 votes
Johnny Nalbandian (R): 4.7% – 7,684 votes
Sal Genovese (D): 1.6% – 2,609 votes
William Meurer (G): 1.0% – 1,596 votes
Tony Rodriguez (American Independent Party): 0.9% – 1,456 votes
June 7: The Associated Press reported: Democrat Adam Schiff advances to November general election in California’s 30th Congressional District.
August 5: NBC News posted an article titled: “California candidate seeks to be the first transgender, nonbinary member of Congress” From the article:
Two members of the U.S. Senate are gay or bisexual. Nine members of the U.S. House are openly gay. And more than 100 LGBTQ+ people have run or are currently running for Congress this year, including 13 seeking to become the first transgender or nonbinary members ever elected.
Maebe A. Girl is one of them.
Maebe, who uses she/they pronouns and identifies as trans nonbinary, currently serves as a Democrat on the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council in Los Angeles and is running against incumbent Adam Schiff, D-Calif.
Schiff (who got 62% of the primary vote) and Maebe (nearly 13%) advanced to the general election in May under California’s Top 2 primary system, under which the Top 2 vote-getters, regardless of party, move on to the general election.
When NBC News asked her why she decided to run against Schiff, Maebe, who is also a drag queen, said that she was “dissatisfied with current representation” and believes it is time for new leadership.
“He’s a centrist,” she said of Schiff. “He’s one of the most well-funded Democrats and he’s been in office for over 20 years. And he keeps tweeting about how we need this, and we need that, and we have to do this, and we have to do that, you’re already in office. You’ve been in office for over 20 years. And if you can’t get these things does by now, then it’s time for new, fresh leadership. And I think that if there’s any place where a progressive , especially a trans nonbinary person can get elected, it’s Los Angeles.”
Maebe’s campaign is centered on issues like health care for all, abolishing ICE and ending all wars. Its grassroots campaign with about 70 volunteers and spending almost $24,000 compared to Schiff’s $11.4 million…
…Annise Parker, the former mayor of Houston who identifies as a lesbian, says that it takes time for LGBTQ+ candidates to win at the highest levels of American politics.
“There are more than 100 LGBTQ candidates running for Congress this year… but in order to win at the highest levels of politics, you have to have built a track record. And the most important way to do to enter the pipeline at another level,” said Parker, who now serves as president and CEO of Victory Fund, a PAC working to elect LGBTQ+ leaders across the country…
September 30: SpectrumNews 1 posted an article titled: “Maebe A. Girl seeks to be first openly trans, nonbinary member of Congress” From the article:
LOS ANGELES – A drag queen, an ordained minister, a Silver Lake Neighborhood Council woman and a U.S. Congressional Candidate.
What You Need To Know
Maebe A. Girl became the first trans nonbinary person to advance to a general election for a House seat, securing 12.8% of the vote in the crowded race to represent California’s 30th District.
In keeping with the theme of firsts, November will be the first time Rep. Adam Schiff will face off with a Democratic challenger in his 11-terms holding the seat.
Girl is campaigning on an intersectional humanitarian platform, advocating for universal health care, housing and education for all, environmental and racial justice, LGBTQ and reproductive rights, among others.
Girl recognized her run is an “uphill battle,” taking on a successful incumbent with more money and connections, and the experience of incumbency.
Maebe A. Girl became the first trans nonbinary person to advance to a general election for a House seat, securing 12.8% of the vote in the crowded race to represent California’s 30th District.
While gay and trans people are at the heart of political discourse this year – with state lawmakers introducing a record number of anti-LGBTQ bills in 2022 – there are still very few LGBTQ people in elected office. Girl is almost certainly going to lose in November, but she is one of a historic number of LGBTQ candidates running for office this year. She is facing off with a major power player in the Democratic party – and doing so in drag.
But when it comes to political ideologies, Girl says she doesn’t want to be pigeonholed.
“I know people have varying ideas about identity politics,” Girl said. “And the thing is, I’m not running to be a drag queen in Congress. I’m not running to be the trans person in Congress. But they do happen to be parts of myself that I will bring with me, and that I do think should be known within this process.”
She understands the tabloid element of her unlikely profession and even uses it as a tool to promote her campaign. Girl is the host and producer of a weekly Sunday drag brunch and also performs in at least a few shows a week, introducing herself to new faces in the vrowd and sharing about her platform.
Girl doesn’t want her role as a drag queen to overshadow her identity as a trans person.
“Drag is what I do, trans is who I am,” Girl said, adding that she chose to run for office in drag because it was how she was known in the community.
Girl is a 10-year resident of the district, which includes West Hollywood, Glendale, Burbank and her neighborhood of Silver Lake. The boundaries hold a diverse area and constitutency.
The nonconformity of the district, Girl says, makes it even more apt that she is running to represent them – a person who doesn’t conform, representing a constituency that can’t necessarily be defined as one thing.
In keeping with a theme of firsts, November will be the first time Rep. Adam Schiff will face off with a Democratic challenger in his 11-terms holding the seat. California’s top-two primary system allows the top two vote getters to advance to the general election, regardless of party affiliation.
Girl recognizes he run is an “uphill battle,” taking on a successful incumbent with more money and connections, and the experience of incumbency.
Schiff handedly won the June primary with about 63% of the vote. The congressman is a chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and was tapped by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to be the lead manager of the 2019 impeachment inquiry against former President Trump.
He remains popular among Democrats as he is serving a second impeachment trial as a member of the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6. Capitol insurrection and Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.
Despite his prominence, longevity and favorability, Girl believes Schiff to be a “moderate and a centrists: and said his representation “serves to the status quo.”
Despite his prominence, longevity and favorability, Girl believes Schiff to be a “moderate and a centrists: and said his representation “serves to the status quo.”
November 8: The Associated Press reported: Democrat Adam Schiff wins reelection to U.S. House in California’s 30th Congressional District
Ballotpedia reported the results of the General election for U.S. House California District 30:
Adam Schiff (D): 72.1% – 78,812 votes
Maebe A. Girl (D): 27.9% – 30,569 votes
November 9: Daily Caller posted an article titled: “Thousands Of Voters Choose Drag Queen ‘Maebe A. Girl’ Over Adam Schiff” From the article:
Democratic California Rep. Adam Schiff, who won reelection in his race with 72% of the vote, was trailed by a drag queen candidate who came in second place at 27.9%
Democratic House candidate G. “Maebe A. Girl” Pudlo brought in more than 30,000 votes in the California District 30. Pudlo’s platform included LGBT rights, racial justice, the Green New Deal and universal basic income. LGBT issues were featured prominently on Pudlo’s website.
“Transgender individuals, particularly trans women of color, are being assaulted and murdered at an alarmingly disproportionate rate,” Pudlo’s site reads. “As a trans/non-binary person, I am fully committed to defending and advocating for all LGBTQIA people … as someone who has experienced discrimination first-hand on both a personal and political basis, I intend to do everything in my power and through the power of the community to ensure that we protect LGBTQIA folks and gain full equality under the law.”
Pudlo was elected to the Silver Lake neighborhood council in Los Angeles in 2019, becoming the first drag queen in public office in the U.S… [...]
August 26, 2023CaliforniaCalifornia has more congressional districts than other states. In 2022, all of the districts in California held an election. Here is what happened in congressional districts 11 through 20.
California’s 11th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s District 11th Congressional District:
California’s 11th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California and is represented by Nancy Pelosi.
Before redistricting, the 11th district consisted of most of Contra Costa County. Mark DeSaulnier, a Democrat, represented the district from January 2015 to January 2023. Cities and CDPs in the district included Alamo, Bay Point, Blackhawk, Clayton, Concord, Diablo, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Kensington, Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, Pinole, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, San Pablo, Richmond, and Walnut Creek; most of Danville; and parts of Antioch and Martinez.
Following redistricting in 2021 by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission, the 11th district is entirely in San Francisco, and includes most of the city with the exception of the Excelsior District, Visitacion Valley, Portola, and Ocean View on the city’s southern edge. Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi will represent the new 11th District.
Ballotpedia provided the following information on Nancy Pelosi:
Nancy Pelosi (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 11th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2023. Her current term ends January 3, 2025.
Pelosi (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 11th Congressional District. She won the general election on November 8, 2022.
Pelosi is the first and only woman to serve as speaker of the House. Pelosi was first elected to the U.S. House in a special election in 1987 to represent California’s 5th Congressional District, in which she represented until her election to California’s 8th Congressional District in 2012. In 2022, she was elected minority leader, becoming the highest-ranking congresswoman of either party in U.S. history. When Democrats took control of the House in 2007, Pelosi made history again with her election of speaker of the House.
Ballotpedia provided information about John Dennis:
John Dennis (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 11th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
John Dennis was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, and lives in San Francisco, California. Dennis earned degree in business administration from Fordham University in 1985. His career experience includes working as a real estate developer.
Our Campaigns posted information about John Dennis. The most recent update of the page was on July 22, 2022. From the website:
Contributor: Patrick
Tags: Caucasian – Married – NRA – Straight
John Dennis is a father, husband, and entrepreneur. John is running a campaign that highlights the failed policies of Nancy Pelosi, which have impacted all San Franciscans. These include Pelosi’s ineffective economic stimulus programs that have added over one trillion dollars to America’s growing debt and have done little to lower high unemployment in San Francisco and around the country. He opposes the aimless wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that have resulted in thousands of casualties and a total cost of over one trillion dollars. He opposes her failure to protect individual rights and privacy; for example, the failure to repeal either “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” or the Patriot Act.
To address the trillions in growing U.S. debt, as well as current deficits, he supports cuts in the budget. These cuts include foreign military spending, notably savings achieved by ending the wars and returning the troops to the U.S. He advocates protecting personal liberties and privacy as it applies to orientation, drug consumption, and domestic intelligence surveillance.
John Dennis has garnered support from Democrats, Republicans, and Independents and has been endorsed by former Vice Presidential candidate Matt Gonzalez and activist groups like the Log Cabin Republicans. John and his wife Heather live and work in San Francisco.
Ballotpedia provided information about Shahid Buttar:
Shahid Buttar (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 11th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Shahid Buttar was born in London, England. Buttar earned a B.A. from Loyola University Chicago and a J.D. from Stanford University Law School in 2003. His career experience includes working as a legal advocate and the director of grassroots advocacy of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. He is affiliated with the Bill of Rights Defense Committee (now Defending Rights and Dissent), Muslim Advocates, and the American Constitution Society for Law & Policy.
Shahid Buttar filled out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Shahid has been building social movements and speaking truth to power for two decades. He’s an immigrant of Pakistani descent from the United Kingdom and the youngest of four children who grew up in the midwest. Since graduating from Stanford Law School in 2023, Shahid has worked in both San Francisco and Washington as a legal advocate, a non-profit leader, a grassroots organizer, and a poet & musician.
His wide-ranging work reflects a commitment to intersectional feminism, international human rights, and the future we all share. His passions have long been aligned around a common purpose: building the movement to put human rights and human needs before corporate profits.
An early advocate for marriage equality for same-sex couples and a national leader in the movement to end warrantless government surveillance, Shahid also built a national grassroots network for the Electronic Frontier Foundation as the organization’s Director of Grassroots Advocacy.
In addition to LGBTQ rights, privacy, and the right to encryption, Shahid’s work has also advanced immigrant rights, campaign finance reform, government transparency, international human rights, and police accountability. His writing has explored issues from the right-wing attack on reproductive freedom to the erosion of voting rights, and from effective counter-terrorism strategies to examples of counter-cultural activism promoting progressive politics at the intersection of art and organizing.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
The corporate corruption of Congress is outrageously bipartisan, has infected every are of federal policy, and will run the future off a climate cliff unless we force change from the bottom up.
San Francisco’s voice in Congress is a poster child of corporate corruption. The overdue controversy over insider trading is just one example.
Human rights to healthcare and climate justice are more important than Wall Street profits. A Congress of millionaires is not poised to make the changes we need.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Establishing human rights to all basic human needs, including healthcare and housing.
Securing climate justice, including not only a Green New Deal but also nationalizing the fossil fuel sector.
Checking and balancing right wing costs by ending judicial life tenure to force turnover on the bench.
Restoring freedom of conscience and association by ending mass surveillance
Restoring the right to trial in the face of predatory mass incarceration and industrialized slavery.
Ballotpedia provided information about Eve Del Castello:
Eve Del Castello (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 11th Congressional District. Castello lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Eve Del Castello’s career experience includes working as a business consultant.
Ballotpedia provided information about Jeffrey Phillips:
Jeffrey Phillips (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 11th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Jeffery Phillips was born in Walnut Creek, California. Phillips earned a bachelor’s degree from the California Institute of Technology in 2007.
Jeffrey Phillips completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I’m not a millionaire, a lawyer, or a career politician. I grew up in the Bay Area, attended public schools in a middle class suburb, made it to Caltech. I met geniuses, and I’m not one; I’m just a regular guy. I struggled through the recession, stuck close to home caring for parents, working odd jobs and eventually gig work, which has paid less and less. I see my dreams of marriage, family, and home ownership fading away in the horizon, and I know I’m not the only one just barely getting by, stuck between low wages and rising rents.
And I’ve looked up at my representative, and I don’t see the urgency. I don;’t even hear the recognition that we NEED living wages, reliable health care, affordable housing, recognition of citizenship, voting protections, a shift to wealth taxes, and a generational investment in clean, renewable power.
This policy agenda is not new. It’s not unique or creative. But what we need to make it happen are the numbers in the House and Senate. I am here to stand as a part of that groundswell to finally make the dreams of progress born in the last century a reality in this one.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Medicare for All. Having multiple insurance companies taking money from off the top to deny claims is the number one reason our health care is twice as expensive as any national system. And beyond administrative savings, decoupling health care from wages allows workers the freedom to work where they want, as much as they want, without worrying about benefits. Businesses will no longer have to provision payroll to benefits either. This common sense shift is half a century overdue, and every progressive in office brings it closer. We can, and we won’t stop until we do pass this. And with health care settled, we can focus on bargaining on the next step: RAISING MINIMUM WAGES on an automatic, annual schedule, indexed to inflation.
Housing is key to the growing inequality in this country. We created incentives to overbuild, oversell, over invest in the wrong types of construction; some people ask if building will even help anymore. The middle ground runs through an acknowledgement that each property is unique, and hits a different spot in the market. Building more Bentleys won’t do much for the price of a used Civic. We must incentivize modest, minimal housing that sells NEW for less than the current middle prices. And to unlock federal funds, we need to rewrite the Faircloth act. I look forward to local California state progressives rewriting the Costa-Hawkins bill. We can provide a place for new working families to thrive; we have to be smart and strategic about how.
Think about voting rights, house bill #1 – supposed to be important to safeguard the next election cycle, ensuring that all voters had every opportunity to make their voices heard. Likewise, immigration reform was supposed to bring a pathway to citizenship to the table, giving “Dreamers,” once children, already building family of their own, a chance to enjoy the freedoms, rights and protections due any American. These were the foundational pieces of a promising rights agenda, cast to the side because of the interests of a few Senators. These don’t go away. We have not forgotten. And the time is now to take the fight directly to the Senate, disrupt the stately order as much as necessary to haller these things trough the less-representative chamber.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Wealth taxes may be the most important tool we have to redirect the rapidly growing inequality in this country. And for most Americans, a focus on wealth rather than income will mean a lower tax bill, particularly in those years when people are growing families and livelihoods. Instead of a skin-in-the-game tax on your first paycheck, taxes should be borne by those who have “made it”, at a level where investment is more about accumulation than survival.
Many Americans never get there, but some were born there, live there, and will never pass beyond that comfortable bubble of vast, untouchable wealth. And those billionaires have been working for a hundred years to shield that wealth, and enshrine the notion that income is taxable, but the income on your income is somehow different, no mater if its an extra dollar or an extra billion.
Regular Americans have been left out in the cold in the wake of the pandemic, with stimulus that amounts to less than a few months’ rent. When so many Americans are starting over, rebuilding their lives, and often healing after irreplaceable losses, there is no moral course than to shift the burden to those who can bear it – to those who have asked regular workers to bear it for so long. We have so much more to gain from a strong, vigorous, thriving nation making half a billion decisions about where to put our money, than we would leaving the wealth of our nation to a few dozen wealth-hoarders to distort markets in million dollar tokens.
Ballotpedia provided information about Bianca Von Krieg:
Bianca Von Krieg (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 11th Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Bianca Von Crei was born in San Francisco, California. Von Krieg earned a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University and a master’s degree in systems engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her career experience includes working as an actress and systems engineer.
December 13: People posted an article titled: “House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Is Reportedly Planning to Run for Reelection in 2022”. From the article:
Rep. Nancy Pelosi plans to run for reelection in 2022.
The House Speaker, who will turn 82 in March, is very likely to keep the seat representing her San Francisco district and may also stay in a leadership role when the next Congress convenes after the midterm elections, CNN reports.
An election win in 2022 will precede an 18th full term for Pelosi, who was first elected House Speaker more than a decade ago. She held the position until Republicans claimed a majority in the House in 2012 and returned to the leadership role after the 2018 midterm elections. She’s the only woman to hold the Speaker’s gavel.
Pelosi was reelected Speaker this year despite five Democratic colleagues not voting for her.
After securing the Democratic caucus’ nomination to lead the House in 2020, Pelosi suggested it would be her last term as Speaker, saying she would abide by an agreement to put limits on leadership roles and committee chairs…
…After a vote in favor of Biden’s COVID stimulus package in march, the president called Pelosi “the finest and most capable speaker in the history of our nation.”…
January 25: Huffpost posted an article titled: “Nancy Pelosi Announces Run for Reelection in 2022” From the article:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced her bid for reelection in the 2022 midterms.
“While we have made progress, much more needs to be done to improve people’s lives,” Pelosi said in a post on Twitter. “This election is crucial: nothing less is at stake than our Democracy.”
Pelosi, 81, who has been in Congress for over three decades, did not announce a run for speaker. The California Democrat previously indicated that this current term would be her last time in the leadership post…
…The midterms may prove to be a challenge for Democrats to hold their majority in the House, where they only outnumber Republicans by a relatively slim margin of 222-212.
During Pelosi’s latest term as speaker, the House has passed significant legislation, such as providing stimulus checks and other aid to U.S. households during the coronavirus pandemic…
Ballotpedia provided the Nonpartisan Primary for U.S. House California District 11:
Nancy Pelosi (D): 71.7% – 133,798 votes
John Dennis (R): 10.7% – 20,054 votes
Shahid Buttar (D): 10.4% – 19,471 votes
Eve Del Castello (R): 3.9% – 7,319 votes
Jeffery Phillips (D): 1.9% – 3,595 votes
Bianca Von Krieg (D): 1.3% – 2,499 votes
October 28: San Francisco Examiner posted an opinion piece titled: “Among 291 election ‘deniers’ is San Francisco’s John Dennis”. From the opinion piece:
The front page of last week’s Washington Post screamed out a warning about the future of American democracy. “A majority of GOP nominees deny or question the 2020 election results,” read the headline.
The analysis that followed claimed 291 Republicans – a majority of those running in November for a House, Senate or key statewide seat – are “election deniers.” The story quoted experts cautioning that Republicans have “institutionalized” the practice of rejecting election results they don’t like, posing a grave threat to the country’s democratic principles.
One of the 291 is San Francisco’s own John Dennis, a Republican who is fighting a quixotic battle to unseat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, something he has done four previous times and failed.
I reached out to Dennis to find out what autocratic madness he was up to. Did he really believe that Congress should have overturned the will of the people on Jan. 6 2021, heeding President Donald Trump’s insistence that members refuse to certify the election results?
The short answer is no.
Like many Republicans, he questions the outcome. Dennis says he has spoken to “lawyers on the ground” who lead him to believe that there were enough “shenanigans” to have changed the election’s outcome, a suspicion multiple investigations have failed to validate.
“I find it really hard to believe that this guy (Biden), who didn’t campaign, who was clearly not at his best – and his best wasn’t great – and is now in serious cognitive decline … had the attraction to get people to go out and vote in numbers to beat Trump,” Dennis said.
However – and it’s a big however – Dennis doesn’t deny the outcome. He does not believe Congress had reason or the authority to deny Biden the presidency…
…It is important to distinguish between the willfully ignorant fringe of the Republican Party, who, stoked by Trump, are willing to abandon democratic norms, and disappointed conservatives such as Dennis who can’t believe Biden could legitimately win an election…
What makes Trump and his closest supports so dangerous is their refusal to accept an election they’ve lost no matter the facts nor the outcome of multiple appeals…
…Dennis acknowledges he is skeptical of the 2020 vote, but that doesn’t make him the sort of zealot who threatens the future of the Republic…
…It is a distinction not only lost on most readers, but even the Post’s own headline writers who labeled a chart showing 291 candidates as “Republican election deniers.”
Dennis took no umbrage to the characterization.
However, the candidate, who has lost by an average of 66 percentage points to Pelosi in his previous four efforts, said he took exception to the Post’s characterization of his race as uncompetitive…
November 9: CNN posted a short article titled: “CNN Projection: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wins reelection in California’s 11th Congressional District” From the article:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has won reelection, CNN projects, defeating her GOP opponent in the midterm race.
Pelosi, a towering figure in Democratic politics, won out against long shot Republican challenger John Dennis in the race for California’s 11th Congressional District.
Over the years, Pelosi, 82, has become one of the most prominent faces of the Democratic Party. As speaker, she has earned a reputation as a powerful and formidable leader to House Democrats who exerts significant influence and a tight grip over members of her caucus.
Pelosi has also been a fierce adversary to Republicans and has become a highly polarizing figure in Washington as a result…
November 17: CNBC posted an article titled: “Nancy Pelosi to step down as House Democratic leader after two decades, with GOP set to take the narrow majority”. From the article:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Thursday she will not seek reelection to her congressional leadership role, ending a two-decade streak as the top House Democrat that saw her become the first woman to lead the chamber.
Pelosi, speaking on the House floor, said she will remain a member of Congress and serve out the term to which she was just elected.
“With great confidence in our caucus, I will not seek reelection to Democratic leadership in the next Congress,” Pelosi said between rounds of applause throughout the 14-minute speech.
“For me, the hour has come for a new generation to lead the Democratic Congress that I so deeply respect,” Pelosi said. “And I am grateful that so many are ready and willing to shoulder this awesome responsibility.”
The announcement came a day after news outlets projected that Democrats would narrowly lose their House majority to Republicans following the midterm elections…
November 8: Ballotpedia posted the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 11:
Nancy Pelosi (D): 84.0% – 220,848 votes
John Dennis (R): 16.0% – 42,217 votes
December 18: The New York Times posted the results of the California 11th Congressional District Election Results:
Nancy Pelosi (Democrat): 220,848 votes – 84.9%
John Dennis (Republican): 42,217 votes – 16.0%
California’s 12th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided the following information about California’s 12th congressional district:
California’s 12th congressional district is a congressional district in northern California. Barbara Lee, a Democrat, has represented the district since January 2023. The district was also once represented by Richard Nixon, at a time when the district encompassed Pasadena, Pomona, and Whittier.
Currently, the 12th district is located in Alameda County and includes the cities of Oakland, Berkeley, Emeryville, Alameda, Albany, Piedmont, San Leandro, and most of San Lorenzo. The 12th district is the most Democratic district in the United States, giving nearly 90% of its vote to Democrats in both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections.
Prior to redistricting in 2021, the 12th district was entirely within San Francisco, encompassing most of the city. The remainder of the city was included in the 14th district…
…Due to the 2020 redistricting, California’s 12th district has effectively been shifted to the former geography of the 13th district. It encompasses the coastal section of Alameda, and is anchored by Oakland. This district borders the 13th district, and Alameda County is partitioned between them by Grant Ave, Beatty St, Fleming St, Highway 880, Floresta Blvd, Halcyon Dr, Hesperian Blvd, Thornally Dr, Highway 185, 150th Ave, Highway 580, Benedict Dr, San Leandro Creek, and Lake Chabot Regional Park. Alongside Oakland, the 12th district takes in the cities of Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Piedmont, and San Leandro.
Ballotpedia provided information about Barbara Lee:
Barbara Lee (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 12th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2023. Her current term ends on January 2, 2025.
Lee (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House from 1998 to 2013.
In her two decades in the House, Lee has chaired several caucuses, including the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Progressive Caucus. After unsuccessfully running to be the Democratic Caucus Chairwoman in 2018, Lee was appointed to co-chair the Steering and Policy Committee in the 116th Congress.
Lee was the only member of Congress to vote against the authorization for the use of military force following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
Lee began her political career in the California State Assembly, where she served from 1991 to 1997. She then served in the California State Senate from 1997 to 1998.
Wikipedia provided the following information about Barbara Lee:
…As president of the Mills College Black Student Union, Lee invited Representative Shirley Chisholm to speak on campus and went on to work on Chisholm’s 1972 presidential campaign, serving as one of her delegates at the 1972 Democratic National Convention. Also, while a student, Lee volunteered at the Oakland chapter of the Black Panther Party’s Community Learning Center and worked on Panther co-founder Bobby Seale’s 1973 Oakland mayoral campaign…
May 17: Post News Group posted an article titled: “California ’22 Primary Election: Black Candidates Running for U.S. House of Representatives” Here is what they wrote about the two Black candidates who were running in District 12:
…Two Black candidates are in the competition to represent District 12 (Oakland). Democrat Barbara Lee is a current member of Congress representing District 13 (Oakland). Democrat Eric Wilson is a nonprofit organization Employee. Five candidates are on the ballot. This is a solidly Democratic district.
Ballotpedia posted the following information about Stephen Slauson:
Stephen Slauson (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 12th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Stephen Slauson’s career experience includes working as an electrical engineer.
Voter’s Edge also provided some information about Stephen Slauson:
Stephen Slauson is an electrical engineer.
My Top 3 Priorities
Lower cost of living – lower food prices, lower power gas prices, lower utility prices
Reduce crime-criminals must pay for their crime, increase security by adding more people, resurrect citizen patroles
Rebuild the business community
Biography
Born, raised and still live in Alameda. Graduated from Alameda High and U C Berkeley. Owner of triple S electric Co. for 47 years and still in business. Installed electrical work on many products for the Alameda, Berkeley, Oakland, San Lorenzo, Hayward School Districts, BART, EBMUD, Port of Oakland, City of Alameda, City of Berkeley, single family homes and other.
Who supports this candidate?
California Republican Party
Who gave money to this candidate?
Alameda County Republican Party – $1,000
Political Philosophy
I am a conservative candidate campaigning for lower taxes, holding government bureaucracies accountable, increasing business in California, supporting a womans right to mamage her body, holding criminals accountable for their crimes, keeping single family neighborhoods in tact eliminating illegal aliens, cleaning up the air and water and lowierng the cost of living.
Ballotpedia provided the following information about Glenn Kaplan:
Glenn Kaplan (No Party Affiliation) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 12th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Glenn Kaplan was born in San Antonio, Texas. Kaplan earned an associate degree in philosophy from the University of Oxford in 1997, a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and history from Oberlin College in 1999, and a master’s degree in social studies from Columbia University in 2009. His career experience includes owning businesses and working as an editor and reporter with The Monitor, a travel editor with The Rough Guides, and a contract reporter with Sports Illustrated.
Kaplan completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Our government is failing us every single day. The ultrafiche get tax cuts while the rest of us can barely afford healthcare and a decent education. Our infrastructure crumbles, the right to vote is under siege, yet our so-called representatives do nothing, listening only to wealthy donors – their only true constituency.
I grew up here, went to high school in Oakland, taught at public schools, and worked as a journalist before starting a business here, turning an abandoned space into a successful community hub. I saw firsthand the failure of the federal bureaucracy in response to small businesses during the pandemic.
I’m running as an independent because both parties are failing us. Our entrenched leaders have proved that they’re not up to the job. They don’t play by the same rules as the rest of us. They waste time on divisive identity politics and symbolic legislation while real people, neighborhoods and businesses languish. The acrimony and gridlock are breaking our country. People who work for a living need actual solutions: fair taxation, increased funding for education and scientific research, single-payer healthcare, real support for neighborhood businesses.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Both Parties are Broken
Do More!
We need try our best to find our past unity.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Single-payer healthcare with affordable rates and fair compensation – Medicare for all.
Trim our bloated military budget to fund major investments in science and education.
The government should not pilot a program that provides Universal Basic Income (UBI) to all Americans below a certain income and/or net worth.
Ban equity trading by any elected or appointed government official.
End subsidies to fossil fuels. Reinvest in sustainable, renewable and green energy solutions.
I’m pro-choice and I believe in the right of a woman to make her own decisions concerning her own body and health.
I oppose the death penalty and stand against corporal punishment.
Citizens United was wrongly decided. Corporations are not people. We need to remove as much money from political campaigning as possible.
End the Electoral College. Reapportion representation in the Senate in line with population. (How fair is it that the vote of someone in Wyoming or Alaska is substantially more than a Californians.
We need to move away from divisive identity politics (like the debacle that was the San Francisco School Board) to focus on our shared experiences and unite toward common goals.
Simplify the tax code and eliminate tax avoidance loopholes and workaround deductions for the wealthy.
The U.S. should not engage in war unless attacked first.
Ballotpedia provided information about Eric Wilson:
Eric Wilson (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 12th Congressional District. Wilson lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Eric Wilson’s career experience includes working for a nonprofit organization.
Ballotpedia provided information about Ned Nuerge:
Ned Nuerge (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 12th Congressional District. Neurge lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Ned Neurge’s career experience includes working as a driving instructor.
June 16: The New York Times reported the results of California’s 12th Congressional District Primary Election:
Barbara Lee (Democrat): 135,549 votes – 87.7%
Stephen Slauson (Republican): 8,258 votes – 5.3%
Glenn Kaplan (Independent): 5,129 votes – 3.3%
Eric Wilson (Independent): 3,734 votes – 2.4%
Ned Nuerge (Republican): 1,898 votes – 1.2%
November 8: The Associated Press reported: Democrat Barbara Lee wins reelection to U.S. House in California’s 12th Congressional District.
Ballotpedia posted the results of California’s 12th Congressional District General Election:
Barbara Lee (D): 87.1% – 66,285 votes
Stephen Slauson (R): 12.9% – 9,826 votes
California’s 13th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 13th Congressional District:
California’s 13th congressional district a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. John Duarte, a Republican, has represented this district since January 2023.
The 13th district no longer consists of the northwestern portion of Alameda County. Cities in the district included Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland, Piedmont, and San Leandro.
In the 2022 redistricting cycle, the district was moved to the San Joaquin Valley, while the old 13th district was renumbered as the 12th. The new 13th district includes all of Merced County; most of the population of Merced County; and parts of Stanislaus, Fresno, and San Joaquin Counties. It includes the cities of Merced, Madera, Ceres, Patterson, Lathrop, Chowchilla, Atwater, Coalinga, and Mendota; as well as the southern parts of both Modesto and Turlock.
The new 13th district is considered a Democratic-leaning swing district. Despite that, Duarte was narrowly elected to represent it in 2022. As a result, it was one of 18 districts that voted for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election while being won or held by a Republican in 2022…
…Due to the 2020 redistricting, California’s congressional district has been moved geographically to the San Joaquin Valley. It encompasses Merced County, and parts of San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Madera, and Fresno Counties.
San Joaquin County is split between this district and the 9th district. They are partitioned by Union Pacific, Highway 380, S Tracey Blvd, the California Aqueduct, S Banta Rd, Highway 5, Paradise Cut, S Manthey Rd, Walthall Slough, E West Ripon Rd, Kincaid Rd, Hutchinson Rd, and Stanislaus River. The 9th district takes the city of Lathrop.
Stanislaus County is split between this district and the 5th district. They are partitioned by S Golden State Blvd, Highway J14, Union Pacific, Highway 99, N Golden State Blvd, Faith Home Rd, Rohde Rode, Moore Rd, Tuolumne River, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Lateral No 2 Park, Viola St, Roble Ave, N Conejo Ave, N Carpenter Rd, Kansas Ave, Morse Rd, and Stanislaus River. The 5th district takes in the southern halves of the cities of Modesto and Turlock, and the cities of Ceres, Patterson, and Newman.
Madera County is split between this district and the 5th district. They are partitioned by Road 35, Road 36, Road 38, Madera Equalization Reservoir, River Rd, Avenue 21, Road 23, Avenue 27, Road 22 1/2, and Berenda Slough. The 13th district takes in the cities of Chowchilla and Madera.
Fresno County is split between this district and the 21st district. They are partitioned by N Dickerson Ave, Highway 180, S Garfield Ave, W California Ave, S Grantland Ave, W Jensen Ave, S Chateau Fresno Ave, S Cornelia Ave, W South Ave, W American Ave, S Westlawn Ave, S Sunnyside Ave, E Clemenceau Ave, S Fowler Ave, E Elkhorn Ave. The 13th district takes in the cities of Coalinga, Mendota and Kerman.
Ballotpedia provided information about John Duarte:
John Duarte (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 13th Congressional District. Duarte was on the ballot in the general election on November 8, 2022. He is a farmer.
John Duarte completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Survey. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
The grandson of immigrants, John is proud to call the Valley home. John is rolling up his sleeves and running for Congress because his experience has taught him that when a problem needs to be solved, you solve it. He sees what’s happening to the Valley and has decided quit complaining and be part of the solution. Basic necessities are becoming unaffordable for our Valley’s working families – John sees his friends and colleagues unable to afford gasoline, groceries, and rent because of Washington’s out-of-control, spending and anti-American energy policies. Our canals are running dry and our farmers are suffering because career politicians are flushing the water we need out to the ocean. Our communities are less safe every day as deadly drugs and gangs steal precious lives across our small towns.
John loves the Valley and knows what a blessing it is to live in a beautiful and hardworking community. He has had enough of career politicians – who don’t understand our values and way of life – leaving us behind. He is tired of elected leaders who view the Valley as a ticket to greener pastures rather than as their home. John wants to see every family in the Valley reach its full potential and our Valley to be a place of abundance for all of us.
Q: Please list below 3 messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Lower Cost of Living
Protect our Water and Farms
Secure the Border
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Lowering the cost of living, protecting our water and farms and securing the border.
Ballotpedia wrote that Adam Grey (Democratic Party) is a member of the California State Assembly, representing District 21. He assumed office on December 3, 2012. His current term ends on December 5, 2022.
Gray (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 13th Congressional District. He was on the ballot in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Ballotpedia provided information about Phil Arballo:
Phil Arballo (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 13th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Phil Arballo lives in Fresno, California. Arballo earned a B.A. in political science and government from California State University at Fresno in 2008. His career experience includes owning a business.
Ballotpedia provided information about David Giglio:
David Giglio (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 13th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
David Giglio was born in Connecticut and lives in Madera, California. Giglio earned bachelor’s degree in history and political science from the University of Scranton in 2011 and a master’s degree in secondary education and teaching from Sacred Heart University in 2023. His career includes owning CaliCards & More, co-owning FrontRowSports, and working as a teacher.
Giglio completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Here are the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am a former public school teacher turned small business owner who resides in Madera with my wife Linda, a nurse practitioner. After my teaching tenure, I opened a small business where I sell sports collectibles. I believe it has never been more important to stand up against the rise of the radical politics spewing from Democrats in Washington.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Water
Jobs
Education
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Our Valley Farmers and Farmworkers deserve a stable supply of water which depends on building above ground storage. American Workers deserve to keep more of their paychecks and live in a Free-Market Economy with less government overreach. Teaching the next generation of American Leaders and Innovators should be our priority for students.
Ballotpedia provided information about Diego Martinez:
Diego Martinez (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 13th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Diego Martinez was born in Uruguay. Martinez’s career experience includes owning a business and working as a fugitive recovery agent and bail bond agent.
Ballotpedia posted the results of the Nonpartisan Primary for U.S. House California District 13:
John Duarte (R): 34.1% – 22,830 votes
Adam Grey (D): 30.7% – 20,579 votes
Phil Araballo (D): 17.5% – 11,644 votes
David Giglio (R): 15.1% – 10,124 votes
Diego Martinez (R): 2.7% – 1,781 votes
October 27: CBS News Sacramento posted an article titled: “John Duarte and Adam Grey face off for a seat in Congress ahead of Election Day.” From the article:
Election Day is less than two weeks away, and a race for a seat in Congress in the Central Valley is considered a toss-up.
A Republican win could help the party win back control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The 13th Congressional District includes Merced County and parts of Madera, Fresno, Stanislaus, and San Joaquin counties.
President Biden largely carried the district in the 2020 election, securing an 80% point margin of victory. However, that was before redistricting that now includes larger portions of Stanislaus and Fresno counties, where data shows many voters trend more conservative.
Democrat Assemblyman Adam Grey and Republican farmer and businessman John Duarte are battling for the open seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Both label themselves as moderates who grew up in the Central Valley…
…Gray was elected to the California State Assembly in 2012 and hopes to take nearly ten years of state service to the nation’s capital…
…Duarte, a fourth-generation farmer in Stanislaus County, runs his family’s Duarte Nursery. They also farm walnuts, almonds, and pistachios…
…If Republicans gain six seats in the midterm election on Nov. 8, they will retake majority control from Democrats…
…In the nonpartisan primary election, out of 5 candidates, Duarte narrowly topped Gray, winning 34.2% of the votes to Gray’s 31.1%…
…On abortion, candidates differ.
Gray says he voted in the assembly to put Prop 1 on the ballot to protect a woman’s right to choose.
“I’m absolutely gonna be pro-choice, have been pro-choice, and will be pro-choice when I’m elected to Congress,” said Gray.
Duarte said he is glad the right to regulate abortion law is back in the hands of states. He supports abortion in the early stages of pregnancy but believes restrictions should be in place after the first three months.
“I will vote against any effort to nationalize abortion policy,” said Duarte…
November 8: Business Insider, via MSN posted an article titled: “Live Results: Adam Gray vs. John Duarte: California’s 13th District House Election” From the article:
…Duarte is a farmer and businessman who grows almonds, pistachios, and grapes in his family nursery, Duarte Nursery, located in Stanislaus County. The Central Valley, where California’s 13th Congressional District is located, supplies 8% of US agriculture output and produces a fourth of the nation’s food.
Gray is a member of the California State Assembly representing District 21, a position he has held for the past nine years. He was one of five California Democrats added in July to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s “Red to Blue” program, designed to bolster their campaigns in attempts to flip the district from Republican to Democratic control. The Merced Democrat is a proponent of water access for farmers and the suspension of California’s gas tax, but drew attention after failing to cast a vote.
Prior to being elected to state assembly, he found work as a legislative aide in the California State Legislature and later as a lecturer at the University of California, Merced. Gray also formed the bipartisan California Problem Solvers Caucus last February, along with seven of his colleagues.
And on a similar note to Gray, Duarte was endorsed by Rep. Kevin McCarthy and named to the “On the Radar” list as part of the National Republican Congressional Committee’s Young Guns program.
The Modesto Republican narrowly edged Gray in a five-way nonpartisan primary for the open district, securing 34.2% of the vote to Gray’s 31.2%. As the top two candidates in the primary, both advanced to the general election under California’s election rules…
November 9: ABC 30 posted an article titled: “Adam Gray and John Duarte in very close race for the 13th Congressional District” From the article:
Democrat Adam Gray and Republican John Duarte are fighting for California’s 13th Congressional District…
…ABC 30 posted the results of the Congressional District 13 race (updated November 16):
Duarte (Republican): 50% – 60,084 votes
Gray (Democrat): 50% – 59,121 votes
November 9: CBS News posted an article titled: “Every single vote counts”: U.S. House race maintains razor thin margin between Duarte, Gray in CA 13″. From the article:
Election Day is over, but ballot counting is picking up speed. Especially in California’s 13th Congressional District, where a toss-up race for the U.S. House of Representatives remains just that.
A razor-thin margin separates Republican farmer John Duarte and Democrat Assemblymember Adam Gray. The latest numbers as of the publishing of this story show the race is about 50/50, with the AP reporting 50% of the votes have been counted.
The consequential race will impact the balance of power in the U.S. House. The prediction of a “red wave” where analysts thought Republicans would run away with a deep majority in the U.S. House did not happen.
As of Wednesday night, Republicans are still fighting to even get a majority in the House. The latest numbers show Republicans taking 210 seats, and Democrats taking 200.
The goal is 218 seats, so Republicans need then more close races to recalled in their favor, which is likely to happen.
When it comes to District 13 in California’s Central Valley, there really is no predicting the race…
…Around half of District 13’s votes are still being counted. Vote by mail ballots postmarked by Election Day could take a week to count…
…And if the margins remains within a few hundred votes?
“Both candidates have the right for a recount. If that happens, it certainly could drag out for a long time, said Dietrich …
November 15: Merced Sun-Star posted an article titled: “Adam Gray clings to lead over John Duarte in toss-up California congressional race” From the article:
A California Democratic Assemblyman clung to a thin lead over a Republican farmer in one of the nation’s few remaining toss-up congressional elections Tuesday.
The race between Assemblyman Adam Gray, D-Merced, and John Duarte of Modesto in California’s 13th Congressional District is one of a handful of uncalled elections that could limit a GOP majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.
It will take days, or weeks, to know who won.
Gray, 45, had 50.3% of the votes with almost 86% of them counted, according to the Associated Press after more returns were released Tuesday night. Duarte, 56, trails by six-tenths of a point, or 600 votes.
The new 13th formed through redistricting, the once-a-decade redrawing of legislative lines, covers all of Merced County in a stretch from Lathrop past Coalinga, taking in half of Modesto and Turlock. Registered Democrats have an edge over Republicans…
…Republicans did not match analysts’ expectations of a “red wave” on Tuesday night. But they are still expected to take control of the House – and chose House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, as speaker.
The race here was considered a toss-up but independent analysts leading up to the November midterms…
…A moderate Democrat, Gray has represented much of the are in the Assembly for a decade, focusing on water issues, infrastructure and bolstering Central Valley Health care, such as through the creation of a medical school program at UC Merced.
Duarte operates Duarte Nursery in Hughson. He is similarly concerned with water access as well as curbing inflation and increasing American drilling.
Gray pulled ahead of Duarte for the first time since election night on Monday. Before that, when the AP said Duarte had been up by 84 votes, Gray’s campaign filed a Federal Election Commission committee to raise funds for a recount…
November 15: The Fresno Bee updated their post titled: “Adam Gray clings to lead over John Duarte toss-up California Congressional Race” From the article:
A California Democratic Assemblyman clung to a thin lead over a Republican farmer in one of the nation’s few remaining toss-up congressional elections Tuesday.
The race between Assemblymember Adam Gray, D-Merced, and John Duarte of Modesto in California’s 13th Congressional District is one of a handful of uncalled elections that could limit at GOP majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.
It will take days, or weeks, to know who won.
Gray, 45, had 50.3% of the votes with almost 86% of them counted, according to the Associated Press after more returns were released Tuesday night. Duarte, 56, trails by six-tenths of a point, or 600 votes.
The new 13th formed through redistricting, the once-in-a-decade redrawing of legislative lines, covers all of Merced County in a stretch from Lathrop past Coalinga, taking in half of Modesto and Turlock. Registered Democrats have an edge over Republicans.
The race here was considered a toss-up by independent analysts leading up to the November midterms.
Republicans did not match analysts’ expectations of a “red wave” on Tuesday night. But they are still expected to take control of the House – and chose House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, as speaker.
As of Tuesday night, Democrats were projected to win 209 seats. Republicans, 217. A party needs 218 to hold the majority.
November 15: Turlock Journal posted an article titled: “California’s 13th Congressional District still up for grabs” From the article:
California’s new 13th Congressional District, which includes half of Turlock, has become one of the battleground races across the country that will determine if the GOP is taking over the chamber.
Democrat Adam Gray, who represents the 21st Assembly District, is locked in battle with Hughson business man Jon Duarte, a Republican, to represent the 13th Congressional District…
…Gray took an early lead on Election Night, 52.2% to Duarte’s 47.8%. But by Thursday, Duarte had overtaken Gray with a lead of 50.1% to 49.9%.
Before Duarte could even think about a victory speech, however, Gray was once again leading and as of 4:25 p.m. Tuesday, the Democrat was up by 761 votes…
…In the more recent results, Gray was ahead of Duarte in Merced County, 52.2% to 47.80%, I Stanislaus County 52.17% to 47.83% and in San Joaquin County 53.61% to 46.39%. But Duarte was in the lead in Fresno County 56% to 44% and in Madera County 56.88% to 43.12%…
November 16: The Sacramento Bee (via MSN) posted an article titled: “John Duarte takes slim lead over Adam Gray in House race, latest Valley ballot counts show”. From the article:
Madera County’s first election update in six days offered another tilt in a see-saw battle for the 13th Congressional District in central California – a race in which neither candidate has held a lead of even one percentage point since Election Night on Nov. 8.
Republican contender John Duarte, a farmer and businessman from Hughson, regained a slim advantage Wednesday night over longtime Assemblymember Adam Gray D-Merced, with the latest returns.
Duarte now has 60,084 votes from across Fresno, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, and Stanislaus counties, to take a 963-vote lead over Gray, who has garnered 59,121.
By percentages, Duarte’s has a 50.4% advantage to Gray’s 49.6% – a gap that remains subject to more change as other counties continue to process their remaining ballots.
The 13th District is one that has been closely watched by national political observers as Republicans sought to regain control of the House of Representatives. On the airwaves, the race was one of the most hotly contested and vitriolic Congressional elections in California and perhaps in the U.S….
November 23: The Ceres Courier posted an article titled: “Duarte still ahead” From the article:
More and more it’s looking like Republican John Duerte will represent Ceres in Congress.
The Hughson nursery businessman has held his lead over Democrat Adam Gray in the latest 13th Congressional District election count, which has yet to be finalized. That lead has been shrinking but holding fast. Last week, Duarte was ahead of Gray by 599 votes. As of Wednesday, Duarte led with 66,871 votes (50.2 percent) over Adam Gray’s 66,273 vote count, or 49.8 percent. Additional ballots are still being counted.
Gray is currently terming out of the 21st Assembly District.
Gray took an early lead on Election Night, 52.2 percent to Duarte’s 47.8 percent. But by Nov. 19, Duarte had overtaken Gray with a lead of 50.1 percent to 49.9 percent.
Underscoring the tightness of the contest, Gray’s campaign formed a committee to begin raising money to finance a possible recount. Those costs, which hare paid to county election officials, fall on the campaign committee or voter that requested a recount. Generally, such requests cannot be made until a month after the election.
Ballotpedia provided the results of the U.S. House California District 13 election:
John Duarte (R): 50.2% – 67,041 votes
Adam Gray (D): 49.8% – 66,476 votes
Total votes: 133,517
December 3: CNN posted an article titled: “Republican Duarte wins open House seat in California after Democrat concedes” From the article:
Democrat Adam Gray conceded on Friday night to Republican John Duarte in the open-seat race to represent California’s 13th Congressional District, the final House race of the 2022 midterms to be called.
“While I had hoped for a different outcome, I accept the results and have called to congratulate my opponent, John Duarte,” Gray, a state assemblyman said in a statement posted to Twitter.
With Duarte’s win in the Central Valley district, Republicans are projected to hold a slim majority in the House of Representatives next year with 222 seats.
Democrats are projected to win 213 seats in this year’s midterms, but the recent death of Virginia Democrat Donald McEachin just weeks after he won reelection means they are expected to start the new Congress with one fewer seat. McEachin’s seat will remain vacant until a special election is held…
…Republicans now hold 12 House seats from California next year, up one from their current 11 seats. California Democrats will hold 40 seats, down two from their current total. The state lost a seat in reapportionment following the 2020 census.
Five of the 12 California districts Republicans will hold next year would have backed now-President Joe Biden in 2020. They include the sat won by Duarte, which Biden would have carried by 11 points.
California’s 14th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 14th Congressional District:
California’s 14th congressional district in the U.S. state of California. Eric Swalwell, a Democrat, has represented the district since January 2023.
Currently, the 14th district is in Alameda County and includes the cities of Hayward, Pleasanton, Livermore, Union City, Castro Valley, and parts of Dublin and Fremont. Prior to the 2022 United States House of Representatives elections, the district included most of San Mateo County and the southwest side of San Francisco…
…Due to the 2020 redistricting, California’s 14th congressional district has been shifted geographically to the East Bay. It encompasses most of Alameda County, except for the Oakland Area and the Tri-City Area, which are taken in by the 12th district and 17th district, respectively.
The district and the 12th are partitioned by Grant Ave, Union Pacific, Lewelling Blvd, Wicks Blvd, Manor Blvd, Juniper St, Dayton Ave, Padre Ave, Fargo Ave, Edgemoor St, Trojan Ave, Beatty St, Fleming St, Highway 800, Florets Blvd, Halcyon Dr, Hesperian Blvd, Thornally Dr, Highway 185, 150th Ave, Highway 580, Benedict Dr, San Leandro Creek, and Lake Chabot Regional Park.
This district and the 17th are partitioned by Mission Peak Regional Park, Witherly Ln, Mission Blvd, Washington Blvd, Farallon Cmn, Paseo Padre Parkway, Grimmer Blvd, Blacow Rd, Omar St, Butano Park Dr, Farina Ln, Nimitz Freeway, Highway 84.
The 14th district takes in the north side of the city of Fremont, cities of Hayward, Livermore, Pleasanton, Union City, and Dublin, as well as the census-designated places Ashland, San Lorenzo, Cherryland, Fairview and Castro Valley.
Ballotpedia posted information about Eric Swalwell:
Eric Swalwell (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 14th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 2, 2025.
Swalwell announced on April 8, 2019, that he was running for president of the United States in 2020. He suspended his presidential campaign on July 8, 2019.
Swalwell was first elected in 2012 after defeating incumbent Rep. Pete Stark (D), who had been in office since 1973. He served on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and was the ranking member of Subcommittee on the CIA in the 115th Congress. Before serving in Congress, Swalwell was a member of the Dublin town council and served as the deputy district attorney for Alameda County, California.
Swalwell was raised in Dublin, California.
Swalwell was first elected in 2012 after defeating incumbent Rep. Pete Stark (D), who had been in office since 1973. He served on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and was the ranking member of Subcommittee on the CIA in the 115th Congress. Before serving in Congress, Swalwell was a member of the Dublin town council and served as the deputy district attorney for Alameda County, California.
Ballotpedia posted information about Alison Hayden:
Alison Hayden (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 14th Congressional District. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Hayden was a 2020 candidate for the election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 15th Congressional District. She lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Alison Hayden earned a B.A. in political economy of industrialized societies from the University of California at Berkeley and an M.S. in development management from the London School of Economics. Hayden’s career experience includes owning Blade Education Services and working as an educational therapist and special education teacher.
Voter’s Edge provided the following information about Alison Hayden:
Alison Hayden is a Special Education Teacher.
My Top 3 Priorities
Election Integrity – Our sovereignty and control over elected officials happens through the vote and must be assured. Only then can we vote out the jokers that put US in this position!
Financial & Economic Stability – Stop the inflation -> end the unelected, money-printing Federal Reserve Bank. Bring back production, manufacturers/jobs to stabilize the economy.
Sovereignty of parents rights, borders (trafficking fentanyl, humans, arms, killing Americans and stealing US jobs), and medical choices, tech privacy.
Experience
Profession: Special Education Teacher, Small Business Owner
Special Education Teacher: Teacher; Education Therapist, Self (2001-current)
Member (2018 and in 2020), Alameda county Republican Party – Elected position (2016 – current)
Peace Corps Director/Volunteer, Business Development Group in Plovdiv, Bulgaria; national Director of alternative Women’s Associations – Appointed position (1994-1997)
Officer (Investments and Lending) – Appointed Position (1994 -1997)
Community Activities
Activist, Alameda County Committee of Restoration (to the Constitution); making officials accountable to their Oaths of office (2022 – current)
Delegate to RNC Convention to endorse Donald J Trump, Alameda county Republican Party (2016-2016)
Captain/Coordinator, Dr. Ben Carson presidential campaign in Alameda county (2015-2016)
Ballotpedia provided information about Tom Wong:
Tom Wong (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 14th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Wong completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I was born & raised in a sparse home & very modest living situation in San Francisco Chinatown, but one that was rich in character, tradition, & love. My family values, from immigrant parents who rushed to the Bay Area to achieve the American Dream, were those of character, dedication, hard work & compassion.
My story blessed me with the chance to gain a great education in our public schools, graduate & work hard in entry level jobs – jobs that included security guard, janitor, ride-share drive & truck driver – while putting myself through school. My hard work earned me the chance to be come a first-time entrepreneur & resulted in the establishment, ownership & daily operation of a successful small business. This earned me the chance to become a first-time homeowner, right here as your neighbor, in Hayward. I feel equally proud & blessed to have my small, modest piece of the dream & to be part of this great community.
I work hard & long hours. I earn my pay every day. Like you, I feel pressure & concern. The Washington elites have abandoned us. By electing me to Congress, Washington will not do business as usual.
Tom Wong completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
In 1776, our Founding Fathers created a document that forever changed the face of this nation. A great battle was fought, lives were lost & hope was born. The people who fought in the battle were not soldiers. They were villagers, fathers & sons – everyday people you saw on the streets, in the markets & restaurants. These brave souls sacrificed themselves so we as a nation could live in peace – free from a tyrannical government. Their sacrifice was for all people who live in this great nation to be free – free to pursue life, liberty, property & happiness. It is time for use to remember our past. We are not a nation of monsters. We are descendants of fallen heroes. The only way our freedom can be lost is by destroying ourselves.
The American people are burdened with skyrocketing inflation. At the same time, personal income & small & medium size businesses income is stagnant. As a result, taxes are now an extreme burden to the middle class and working poor; taxes should not be. My bill will provide relief with a 1 year federal income tax holiday. With tax savings, businesses will invest in workers, equipment & inventory, increasing production. People will have more money to spend on essentials. The tax holiday is better than handouts because it allows people to keep the money they earn. It avoids printing money, inflation & dollar devaluation.
Quality education is essential to one’s quality of life & American competitiveness. By investing in the American people to gain valuable, marketable skills, we will promote industry, ingenuity & fulfillment among ourselves. In my Education Partnership Bill, the federal government will partner with trade schools & colleges to drive students into high demand skills and degrees. Criminals have taken over our sanctuary, destroying our homes, businesses & community. My Criminal Capture Bill will give local police the tools & resources to hunt down & capture criminals, then send the accused to federal courts for additional prosecution. This bill will not increase the size of the federal government or allow unlimited access to federal resources.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
My Education Partnership Bill provides people the opportunity to succeed in life, support themselves & provide for their families. The federal government reimburses tuition 100% / 50% / 0% for students earning an A / B / C in classes. Funding will be provided by companies hiring foreign skilled workers on H-1B visas. For each H-1B visa, companies will pay $10-$50k into the Education Partnership. This would raise $850 million – $4.25 billion, encouraging companies to hire Americans.
Our representatives must support local law enforcement & provide tools & resources to capture criminals. Local agencies will receive training on sending criminal complaints to the federal level for additional prosecution. If your local district attorney is soft on crime, the federal government is not. I will coordinate with the US attorney general, FBI & all agencies to apprehend & prosecute criminals to stomp out crime in your neighborhood. Local agencies will have access to more forensic services, cyber resources, crime stats, investigators & authority to pursue leads crossing state lines. This will send fear into the hearts & minds of criminals.
Criminal Consequences:
Bum rush to empty out a store – charged with organized crime
Terrorize neighborhoods – prosecuted as a terrorist
Smash & grab & steal packages – prosecuted for tax evasion, a potential felony
The $950 threshold will have a new meaning – 950 years in prison
Ballotpedia provided information about Steve Iyer:
Steve Iyer (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 14th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Steve Iyer was born in Bangalore, India. Iyer earned a graduate degree from the University of Kentucky in 1988. His career experience includes working as the CEO for the Asia-Pacific region of a European energy company.
Steve Iyer completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I immigrated from India 36 years ago as an engineer and am now the CEO of a solar power company. My values are rooted in family, faith, patriotism and humility. I shall be eternally grateful to this country for letting me achieve my true potential and to realize the American dream.
If I am elected, it is my goal to enable current and future generations to reach their full potential as well. Unfortunately, Democrats have made that impossible by penalizing success and by enacting an ideology driven by guilt and self-hate.
I bring a pragmatic, common sense perspective to this district because I am not a career politician and bring over 35 years of professional experience to this role. I promise to uphold the high level of independence, integrity and honesty that helped me achieve success in my career.
I strongly believe that being a self-sufficient country, with an upwardly mobile population, plentiful opportunities, and equal access to opportunity for all (collectively the ‘America First’ platform) is not only achievable but also essential to ensure stability and prosperity.
I also believe that a strong adherence to law and order and protecting the sovereignty of our nation are essential to providing a secure environment for Americans to flourish.
Lastly, having worked in energy and environment for over 30 years, I can guarantee that there is a pathway to be both energy independent and reduce waste and emissions sensibly.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages for your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Security, Stability and upward mobility for all Americans
Common sense solutions that put Americans first
A sincere, in-depth candidate with a knowledge base deeper than bumper stickers
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
My decades of business experience has given me 360-degree view and understanding of numerous topics, and I can leverage this in many public policy areas.
My experience in energy and environment enables me to put the US on the path to energy independence while sensibly reducing our emissions and waste. I can guarantee that we can do this while reducing energy costs to American consumers, which helps small businesses and industries compete in the global marketplace.
I am also passionate about reducing barriers to existing and new businesses. Many industries in our country are burdened with excessive regulation; I believe I can innovatively preserve standards while reducing the regulatory burden on our businesses.
I will bring a high level of fiscal discipline and prudence to enacting new legislation. I will always ask ‘why do we need additional legislation?’ and ‘How much is already being spent to solve this problem?’ before I lend support to any new legislation.
I will strive to ensure that America continues to be a country that welcomes legal immigrants, and will work to reduce wait times and reunite families.
Lastly, after having done business internationally for over 20 years, I understand world trade, and how our products don’t receive fair treatment abroad. I will strive to create a level playing field of American goods and services.
Ballotpedia posted information about James Peters:
James Peters (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 14th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
James Peters was born in Fremont, California. Peters earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 2013 and a graduate degree from the Universität Hamburg in 2014. His career experience includes working in recruiting operations and as a waiter, an actor, and a bartender.
James Peters completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
James is dedicated to calling all American’s who are unhappy with a tax system that favors the rich and powerful, unhappy with a predatory student loan and healthcare system that leaves people in crippling debt, and Americans who demand accountability on the climate crisis to arms to fight for our future. I am a native son of California’s 14th congressional district, the son of a middle class family, and an advocate for equal rights and opportunities for all Americans regardless of where you started in life.
By joining the fight for our future, you are joining a movement that prioritizes the human rights and civil liberties of all Americans regardless of skin color, gender, sexual orientation, or age. Together, we will fight to regain control of our own American Dream: free from the taint of corporate greed, free from the fear of the planet becoming unlivable, and free from the fear of the erosion of our democracy. By standing united, the agency of our voices cannot be denied and the fight for our future us a fight we can win.
My name is James Andrew Peters and I am a gay millennial running for office to fight for a pragmatic and progressive solution to the challenges facing our country. I am a grassroots candidate who will not accept dark money. There is too much at stake for our people, our democracy, our economy, and our planet. We need action now from politicians ready to do the hard work. Will you joint the fight for our future?
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
It’s time to invest in the American people. We need to cancel student loan and medical debt. The system is rigged against the middle-and-working-class America and I want to lead the fight to give all American’s a shot at the American Dream. America needs to invest in the Human Capital of this country, that means educating the next generation of innovators, artists, and leaders while keeping our workers healthy. Student debt is an artificial construct that widens the wealth gap, stops first time owners from buying homes, inhibits the start of new businesses, and delays retirement. We need to invest in the wellbeing of our workers. That means investing in Medicare-for-All and limiting the cost of prescription drugs.
We need to strengthen the foundations of our democratic institutions and Republic. That means restoring the public trust in the federal government, and I have a plan for getting there. We need term limits the cap the number of terms in the House at nine and the Senate at three; 18 years per chamber. We need to resolve the Fairness Doctrine to break the echo-chambers polarizing the country. Next, we need to shore up the Voting Rights Act, introduce public financing of federal elections, and introduce more democratic methods of counting votes fairly. I support a change to multi-member districts with proportional representation voting, rank-choice voting for statewide and presidential elections, and universal voter registration at 18.
I am going to fight for the future of California and America by voting to pass a Green New Deal paid for by passing a wealth tax and taxing the profits of large companies like Amazon that pay next to nothing in taxes. I represent the American’s who are angry with a system that gives Jeff Bezos a tax break while slashing tax write-offs that many middle-class Americans depend on to lower their federal tax bill. By reforming the tax system, we can invest in a Green New Deal that will create thousands of new jobs. We can invest in desalination for California and put federal dollars behind a nationwide High Speed Electric Rail system. There is no Planet B. We must take action on climate change now to protect tomorrow.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am most passionate about fighting for the future of America. That means passing Medicare for all, forgiving student debt, expanding the right to vote, getting dark money out of politics, rooting out corruption in Washington, and restoring the American people’s faith in our democratic system of self-governance. In order to fight for the future of America, we need to act now to solve for many of the issues facing us today.
Equality – All Americans deserve a chance to pursue the American dream. But when we saddle people with thousands of dollars in student debt instead of investing in the human capital of the country, or when we force families to choose between live saving medicines or the mortgage, we are failing as a country. I am passionate about investing in American workers to ensure that all Americans have the chance to buy houses, start businesses, and keep the best jobs in the world here in America.
Accountability – Democracy only works when people believe it does. It’s time for term limits in Congress, making sure every voter feels like their vote counted despite their district’s or state’s partisan lean. That means proportional representation and rank-choice voting. We also need to heal the polarization of the country, and the first step to healing the divide is to re-instate the Fairness Doctrine, stop demonizing the other side, and electing leaders who put their country before their party. Our experiment in democracy will only last if we can keep it.
Ballotpedia posted information about Major Singh:
Major Singh (independent) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 14th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Major Singh was born in Punjab, India. Singh earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology in 1989 and a master’s degree in computer science and operations research from North Carolina State University in 1991. His career experience includes working as a software engineer and the vice president of engineering with Zine One.
Ballotpedia posted information about Liam Miguel Simard:
Liam Miguel Simard (independent) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 14th Congressional District. Simard lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Ballotpedia posted the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 14:
Eric Swalwell (D): 63.6% – 77,120 votes
Alison Hayden (R): 10.3% – 12,503 votes
Tom Wong (R): 9.4% – 11,406 votes
Steve Iyer (R): 8.9% – 10,829 votes
James Peters (D): 5.1% – 6,216 votes
Major Singh (Independent): 2.1% – 2,495 votes
Liam Miguel Simard (Independent): 0.5% – 667 votes
June 7: Associated Press reported: Democrat Eric Swalwell Advances to November general election in California’s 14th Congressional District.
October 16: Pleasanton Weekly posted an article titled: “Swalwell faces familiar opponent Hayden in reelection bid” From the article:
Pleasanton and the rest of the southern Tri-Valley are deciding for the sixth time whether Eric Swalwell should be their district representative in Washington, D.C. — and of the second general election in a row, the opposing choice is the same challenger, Alison Hayden.
Swalwell (D-Livermore) defeated Hayden for reelection in 2020 by a margin of 70.9% to 29.1%.
Hayden, a special education teacher from Hayward, returned among five other challengers against Swalwell in the June 2022 primary election for the newly redrawn District 14 and finished in second place with 10.2% of the vote (with Swalwell in first at 63.6%) to book a spot on the Nov. 8 congressional runoff. She is listed on the ballot as a Republican, but she told the Weekly on Tuesday she has rejected the Republican Party’s endorsement.
Swalwell, a former Dublin City Council member and Alameda County prosecutor, continues to be one of the more recognizable members of the U.S. House of Representatives, helped by his visible presence on social media and national news interview, especially as a critic of Congressional Republicans.
Swalwell cited federal Community Project Funding he helped secure for nine projects in his district, which included $2 million for design of an Iron Horse Regional Trail overdressing in San Ramon, $1 million for Veterans Park in Livermore, and $450,00 for the Axis Bridge mental health urgent care pilot program…
…”House Democrats have been laser focused on bringing down costs — at the pharmacy, grocery, and gas pump. But we can only do that if Democrats are reelected with strong majorities in both chambers,” Swalwell said.
“Next Congress, I’ll push for the passage of the Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act in both chambers,” Swalwell said.
“In addition, I would ensure that all women have the ability to make their own decisions about their bodies and their families,” he added. “As extreme Republicans are passing abortion bans throughout the country, Congress would step in to protect this constitutional right to privacy and ensure that all women have access to choice and freedom.”…
…For her part, Hayden also casts this election through the lens of big-picture national issues.
“I will immediately address the safety concerns … and the financial instabilities and risks the threaten families economically as well as bring new vision and opportunities, Hayden told the Weekly.
“America/n culture and society is under siege; we are at a crucial moment in our evolution,” she continued. “We must unite to save marriages, families, and communities in order to save the country. It is not the time to vote for party politics. We must build bridges on our commonalities and restore the bedrock of society, the family.”…
Ballotpedia posted the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 14:
Eric Swalwell (D): 65.7% – 48,659 votes
Alison Hayden (R): 34.3% – 25,283 votes
December 18: The New York Times posted the results of California’s 14th Congressional District:
Eric Swalwell (Democrat): 137,612 votes – 69.3%
Alison Hayden (Republican): 60,853 votes – 30.7%
California’s 15th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 15th congressional district:
California’s 15th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. The district is currently represented by Democrat Kevin Mullen.
Currently, the district includes most of San Mateo County and the southeast side of San Francisco. Cities in the district include Daly City, South San Francisco, San Bruno, Millbrae, Burlingame, Hillsborough, San Mateo, Foster City, San Carlos, Belmont, Redwood City, and East Palo Alto.
Prior to the 2022 United States House of Representative elections, the district covered most of eastern and southwestern Alameda County as well as parts of Contra Costa County. Cities and CDPs in the district included Castro Valley, Dublin, Hayward, Livermore, Pleasanton, Sunol, and Union City; most of San Ramon; and parts of Danville and Fremont. The new 15th district roughly corresponds to the old 14th district and vice versa.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 15th district is part of the San Francisco Bay Area. It encompasses the east coast of San Mateo, which is split between this district and the 16th district. They are partitioned by the San Fransisquito Creek, Menalto Ave, Willow Rd, S Perimeter St, W Perimeter Rd, Bay Rd, Marsh Rd, Middlefield Rd, Highway 82, Highway 84, Alameda de las Plugas, Woodhill Dr, Farm Hill Blvd, The Loop Rd, Jefferson Ave, Summit Way, California Way, Junipero Serra Freeway, and Highway 35.
The 15th takes in the cities of San Mateo, Daly City, South San Francisco, Redwood City, Burlingame, San Bruno, Millbrae, East Palo Alto, San Carlos, Foster City, and Belmont, the town of Hillsborough, as well as the census designated place North Fair Oaks.
Along with San Mateo County, the 16th district also takes in the San Francisco neighborhoods of Crocker Amazon, Excelsior, Little Hollywood, Mission Terrace, Oceanview, Outer Mission, Portola, and Visitatcion Valley.
Ballotpedia posted information about Kevin Mullen
Kevin Mullin (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 15th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Mullin (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 15th Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Mullin previously served in the California State Assembly, representing District 22.
Kevin Mullin lives in San Francisco, California. Mullin graduated from Junipero Serra High School. He earned a B.A. in communications from the University of San Francisco and an M.P.A. from San Francisco State University. Mullin’s career experience includes founding KM2 Communications.
Ballotpedia posted information about David Canepa
David Canapa (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 15th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
David Canapa earned a degree from the University of San Francisco.
Ballotpedia provided information about Gus Mattammal
Gus Mattammal (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 15th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Gus Mattammal was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Mattammal earned a bachelor’s degree from Pomona College in 1994 and a graduate degree from Yale University School of Management in 2000. His career experience includes working as the director of a national private tutoring group and TV advertising sales, consulting, and operational finance.
Gus Mattammal completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I’m an educator and a small businessman, and I’ve built a successful business throughout the Bay Area and around the country by working with individual families, listening to them to understand their goals and the obstacles they face, and helping them achieve those goals. I look forward to listening to you to understand your dreams and challenges, and I want you to know: I am willing to work with anyone and everyone to help make our government work better for you, no matter who you are.
One strength I bring to the table is a diverse background, both racially and economically. My father was an immigrant to this country, and he and my mom started at the bottom of the ladder. Through education and hard work, they built a middle-class life for themselves and their children, and they instilled those same values of education and hard work in me and my siblings. Because of my parents’ sacrifices, my own efforts, and the opportunities this country offers, I’ve gone on to achieve the American dream. I’m excited to go to Congress to work hard to make it easier for others to do the same.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Republicans and conservatives: I want to bring the focus of our party back to problem-solving. All too often, our energy as a party is directed at criticizing what the Democrats do rather than offering our own solutions. Conservative policies centered on personal choice, free markets, and careful scrutiny of spending will appeal to voters across the political spectrum and would be a clear path to electoral success in red, blue, and purple states. In addition, by emphasizing a more constructive vision, our party will lead the way in making politics less emotionally fraught and in reminding everyone that through we may be conservatives, or liberals, or independents, we are, above all, Americans.
Democrats/liberals/independents: this election offers an opportunity to help me refocus my party on constructive problem-solving. A world in which the Republican party is focused on problem-solving is a world that’s better for all Americans, including you. If we come to the table with our own good-faith plans for healthcare, education, climate change, and economic opportunity, then we have a basis for negotiation and compromise. Policies developed through negotiation and compromise are more lasting and stable; policies developed by one side alone (e.g. “Obamacare”), are far more likely to be torn down when the government changes hands. Winning this election will help me show my party the appeal of a constructive vision.
I chose “Faith in People, Faith in America” as my campaign slogan because, over the last 25 years, I’ve watched people increasingly lose their faith in capitalism and markets, in democracy and elections, and, most tragically, in each other and in this great country of ours. That won’t happen overnight – it will take a lot of hard work. But it can be done. Our district is perfect to lead this effort. We can show America what healthy politics look like, and, in doing so, restore people’s faith in this country and in each other. Vote Gus on June 7th and November 8th. Send me to Washington, and let me show you what we can accomplish – together.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I’m a policy geek, so I’m excited about almost every area of policymaking.
Healthcare: I will develop a healthcare plan that achieves universal coverage through health savings accounts that follow you. You make the decisions, and you don’t have to worry about what happens if you lose your job.
Education: I will develop a comprehensive education reform proposal that creates education savings accounts that follow the student, so that students have greater freedom to choose their education and aren’t forced to stay in failing schools.
Entrepreneurship: My pat from inner-city St. Louis to a middle-class life on the coast involved entrepreneurship, and I want to work with Republicans and Democrats, economic development organizations and business leaders, to identify ways to make it easier for people to start businesses, especially in immigrant and lower-income communities.
Climate change: I will design a plan that combines the power of the private sector with targeted federal investments to develop new technologies to address climate change. I’ll work with environmental groups, established industries, and local communities to ensure the we address the challenges of a changing climate in a way that strengthens our economy and our ability to lead on the world stage.
I’m also interested in getting everyday people more involved in generating policy. The ideas shouldn’t all be coming form corporations and think tanks financed by billionaire donors.
Ballotpedia provided information about Emily Beach
Emily Beach (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 15th Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Emily Beach earned a B.A. in government and Spanish from the University of Notre dame in 1996. Beach served in the U.S. Army from 1996 to 2000 and reached the rank of captain. She served as the chair of the San Mateo County Transportation Authority Board of Directors and as a member of the state board of directors of the League of California Cities. Beach’s career experience includes working as a nonprofit executive.
Emily Beach’s campaign website stated the following:
Emily’s Priorities In Congress:
Climate action
Affordable housing and homelessness
Mental health
Women’s reproductive freedom
Education
Fairness, equity, and civility
January 7: The Skyline View posted an article titled: The coast side is out but Mattammal remains in” From the article:
Republican hopeful Gus Mattammal will remain in the race to replace retiring congressional representative Jackie Speier. This comes after recent redistricting has placed him outside of the newly formed CA-15 congressional district…
…The newly formed 15th district was created by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission. The majority of San Mateo County and a section of southern San Francisco will make up the district. The new configuration will add Redwood City and East Palo Alto but cut out the County’s coastal communities, including Mattammal’s home residence.
“While I was dismayed to see that the part of the coast-side where I live was carved out of the 15th district, I nevertheless enthusiastically support the idea of nonpartisan commissions managing the redistricting process,” Mattammal said.
While Mattammal may not be living in the new district, there are no rules saying he cannot run to represent CA-15. The three main requirements include being 25 or older, a United States citizen for at least seven years and a California resident for at least one year. Mattammal checks all three boxes.
Mattamammal believes he can reach voters through a solutions-oriented campaign campaign posing the question of who will be the most accountable to voters.
“Who do you think will be more accountable to the voters?” Mattammal said. “A Democrat representing this very blue district, or a Republican like me, who would always be in danger of losing his seat if he didn’t focus very acutely on listening to the voters?”…
January 22: Palo Alto Daily Post posted an article titled: “Complaint says candidate’s Christmas card violated finance rules” From the article:
The opponent of a candidate for Jackie Speier’s seat in Washington, D.C., is saying a Christmas card was a piece of illegal campaign literature.
San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa announced yesterday that South San Francisco resident Michael Harris filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission, or FEC, complaining that his opponent, state Assemblyman Kevin Mullin, had used money from his assembly campaign account to send two mailers – a card and a flyer – that bolstered his congressional campaign.
The FEC complaint says both constituted improper campaigning for a House seat they are both seeking.
The first mailer is a card with a photo of Mullin’s family saying, “Happy Holidays to you and yours – the Mullin Family.” On the back of the card, Mullin says he’s been honored to serve the region in Sacramento over the past nine years.
“We have accomplished so much for San Mateo County together. I look forward to working with you to keep our country and our state moving forward to a brighter future as we come through this pandemic,” the note says.
The second mailer is a flyer that says “Our Accomplishments Together” one a photo of the San Mateo Bridge. The backside lists some of Mullin’s accomplishments in Sacramento in 2021, including getting over 60 bills passed into law, such as including increasing access to child care and improving transparency around campaign monies.
But the complaint points out that since Mullin had already announced he is running for Speier’s seat, he was breaking the law. The complaint cites the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, which says federal candidates are prohibited from spending money from a non-federal campaign to a federal campaign.
Mullin’s team called the complaint “dirty politics,” and said this is a distraction technique from Canapa’s camp…
…Canepa’s announcement of the complaint against Mullin includes the claim that Mullin’s campaign is performing poorly, with Mullin being “out raised $247,000 to $419,000” by Canepa…
…Speier announced her retirement from Congress in November after 14 years in D.C
April 29: VoteVets posted an article titled: “VoteVets Endorses Emily Beach For Congress” From the endorsement:
VoteVets Pac is today endorsing Emily Beach for Congress, in the 15th Congressional District in California.
“In these unprecedented times, we need people like Emily in Congress,” said Jon Soltz, Chair of VoteVets. “Emily’s experience and commitment of service is exactly what we need in Washington right now. She will be a tireless fighter for veterans, service members, and all Californians in Congress. Put simply, Emily knows how to get things done. We are proud to endorse her.”
Emily Beach developed strong leadership and team-building skills during her military service in the U.S. Army. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame as an ROTC scholarship student, Emily was stationed in Saudi Arabia, Korea, and Texas, rising to the rank of Captain and earning the U.S. Army Airborne parachutist badge.
Before becoming an elected member of the City Council in Burlingame, Emily fought for immigrants’ rights and organized volunteers to fundraise for local K-8 public schools and access to preschool. She also had a successful career as a business executive, bringing practical private sector experience to her work as an elected official.
May 2: New Politics posted “Endorsement: Emily Beach for Congress (CA-15). From the endorsement:
New Politics today endorsed US Army veteran and public servant Emily Beach for Representative in California’s 15th Congressional District. Emily Cherniack, Founder and Executive Director of New Politics, released the following statement:
“Emily Beach is exactly the kind of leader our country needs right now because she understands that public service isn’t about power or politics but about people. From her service in uniform to her tireless efforts on behalf of working families in Burlingame, Emily has demonstrated time and again that she’s willing to take tough stances in order to solve our toughest problems. That’s why New Politics is proud to endorse this courageous servant leader. Because we know that in Congress, she’s going to get big things done on behalf of her Bay Area neighbors.”
About Emily Beach
A tireless and relentless advocate for the Peninsula, Emily Beach has dedicated her life to public service. She is known for taking on tough conversations, tough problems and tough votes. She honed her leadership team-building skills during her military service in the U.S. Army. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame as an ROTC scholarship student, Emily served in Saudi Arabia, Korea, and Texas, rising to the rank of Captain and earning the U.S. Army’s Airborne parachutist badge. Before holding elected offices, Emily fought for immigrants’ rights and organized volunteers to fundraise for local K-8 public schools and access to preschool. She also had a successful career as a business executive, bringing practical private sector experience to her work as an elected official.
Emily was elected to the Burlingame City Council in 2015 and re-elected in 2019. As Mayor of Burlingame during the pandemic, Emily led the successful effort to increase the minimum wage and expanded investment in bike lanes and public transit to better serve the Peninsula’s working families. She champions shoreline protections, open space, affordable housing, the LGBTQ+ community, and people of color. To address the significant challenges our community faces during the most difficult period of the pandemic, Emily founded The Burlingame Collaborative, brining diverse stakeholders together to find local solutions to our toughest issues, combating isolation for seniors and expanding access to the local food bank for the most vulnerable…
June 7: Ballotpedia posted the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 15:
Kevin Mullin (D): 41.7% – 46,462 votes
David Canepa (D): 23.9% – 26,594 votes
Gus Mattammal (R): 16.6% – 18,539 votes
Emily Beach (D): 14.0% – 15,653 votes
Jim Garrity (Independent): 2.1% – 2,375 votes
Andrew Watters (D): 1.1% – 1,243 votes
Ferenc Pataki (Independent): 0.5% – 561 votesThis is with 79.00% precincts reporting
June 8: NBC Bay Area posted an article titled: “Mullin, Canapa Appear Headed To Runoff For Congress Seat to Replace Speier” From the article:
California Assembly Speaker Kevin Mullin and San Mateo County Supervisor David Canapa appear headed for a runoff in November to replace U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier, according to unofficial results from Tuesday’s election.
Mulllin, who Speier endorsed in December for the primary, has 23,413 votes, just over 40.1 percent of the tally. The totals are unofficial, with 291 of 291 district partially reporting as of early Wednesday morning, according to the California Secretary of State’s primary election website.
Canapa is a distant second with 14,357 votes at 24.6 percent. Both Mullin and Canepa are Democrats.
Republican candidate Gus Mattammal and Democrat Emily Beach trailed with 17.9 and 13.5 percent, respectively…
…If the results hold, Mullin and Canepa will face each other in a runoff election on the Nov. 8 ballot.
November 3: Kron4.com posted an article titled: “Two pols duke it out to replace ‘icon’ in Congress”. From the article:
Two San Mateo County politicians are vying to replace Rep. Jackie Speier as the Peninsula’s representative in the House.
Kevin Mullin, Speaker of the California State Assembly, has the endorsement of Speier, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (who represents the neighboring district to the north), Gov. Gavin Newsom, and the State Democratic Party…
…David Canepa, a San Mateo County supervisor, is running an underdog campaign. He has the endorsement of several Democratic clubs and current and former elected officials, such as Shamann Walton, the president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and the mayors of Brisbane, Pacifica, and East Palo Alto.
Canapa has made health care a key issue in his campaign…
…The district is changing, too; a district that once covered the western Peninsula, such as Half Moon Bay and El Grenada, and San Francisco’s Park Merced neighborhood has shrunken, through San Francisco’s Excelsior and Visitacion Valley neighborhoods are still within the district’s boundaries, meaning that Pelosi isn’t the only representative in Congress’s lower chamber for the City By The Bay…
November 8: Ballotpedia posted the results for the General Election for U.S. House California District 15:
Kevin Mullen (D): 56.1% – 67,247 votes
David Canapa (D): 43.9% – 52,639 votes
November 9: NBC Bay Area posted an article titled: “Kevin Mullin to Replace Rep. Jackie Speier with Congressional Win” From the article:
California Assembly Speaker pro Tem Kevin Mullin appears to be headed to Congress, holding a sizable lead in the initial results of Tuesday’s election to replace long-time Democratic stalwart Jackie Speier in her District seat representing the Peninsula and parts of San Francisco.
Mullin had nearly 58% of the vote compared to about 42% for San Mateo County Supervisor David Canapa, according to initial unofficial results Tuesday night.
Mullin, 52, was elected to the Assembly in 2013 after serving on the South San Francisco City Council and is the son of former state Assemblymember Gene Mullin.
Speier, who is retiring after nearly 15 years in Congress, endorsed Mullin, who worked for her when she was in the state Senate.
Canepa, who served eight years on the Daly City City Council before joining the county Board of Supervisors six years ago, congratulated Mullins following the release of the official results Tuesday…
November 9: SFIST posted an article titled: “Meet Kevin Mullin, Who Just Won Jackie Speier’s Longtime Congressional Seat” From the article:
As Rep. Jackie Speier leaves Congress after 15 years, her Peninsula and South Bay seat has been won by her endorsed candidate and former state Senate staffer Kevin Mullin.
As some of you may realize, Nancy Pelosi is not the congressional representative for all of San Francisco. Rep. Jackie Speier has represented some parts of southwest San Francisco for years, and the new redistricted map of what is now California’s 15th District keeps that dynamic pretty much in place. What will no longer be in place is Rep. Speier herself, as the survivor of a shooting at the Jonestown massacre announced last year she would be retiring at the end of this term…
…The current numbers from the Associated Press have Mullin up by a 56%-44% margin. There are still plenty more votes to be counted…
…Speier seemingly handpicked Mullin, and she’s a longtime Dem congressional stalwart, so it is little surprise that Spier’s pick for her successor would succeed. She appeared by his side at points during the campaign, as well as Tuesday night when election results rolled in…
California’s 16th Congressional District
Wikipedia posted information about California’s 16th Congressional District
California’s 16th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California, which as of the most recent general election was located in the Central San Joaquin Valley. The district is currently represented by Democrat Anna Eshoo.
On 20 December 2021, the state redistricting commission unanimously approved a new map of congressional districts, under which the new District 16 overlaps largely with the old District 18. The primary election of June 2022 was the first to feature the new districts; however sitting representatives will reflect the old district boundaries until the general election in November 2022.
Prior to the 2020s redistricting, the district included Merced County, most of Madera County, and part of Fresno County. During this time, cities in the district included Los Banos, Madera, Merced, and most of Fresno. The new 16th district is in San Mateo County and Santa Clara County and includes Pacifica, Half Moon Bay, Atherton, Palo Alto, Saratoga, Campbell, Woodside and Los Gatos, and the south-central and southwestern parts of San Jose. Most of the old 16th district is now part of the 13th and 21st districts…
…As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 16th congressional district is located in the San Francisco Bay Area. It encompasses the west coast and San Mateo County, and the western border of Santa Clara County.
San Mateo County is split between this district and the 15th district. They are partitioned by the San Francisquito Creek, Menalto Ave, Willow Rd, S Perimeter Rd, W Perimeter Rd, Bay Rd, Marsh Rd, Middlefield Rd, Highway 82, Highway 84, Alameda de los Pulgas, Woodhill Dr, Farm Hill Blvd, The Loop Rd, Jefferson Ave, Summit Way, California Way, Junipero Serra Freeway, and Highway 35. The 16th district takes in the cities of Pacifica, Menlo Park, and Half Moon Bay, California.
Santa Clara County is split between this district, and the 17th district, the 18th district, and the 19th district. The 16th and 19th are partitioned by Old Santa Cruz Highway, Aldercroft Hts Rd, Weaver Rd, Soda Springs Rd, Love Harris Rd, Pheasant Creek, Guadalupe Creek, Guadalupe Mines Rd, Oak Canyon Dr, Coleman Rd, Meridian Ave, Highway G8, Guadalupe River, W Capitol Expressway, Senter Rd, Sylvandale Ave, Yerba Buena Rd, Silver Creek Rd, and E Capitol Expressway.
The 16th and 18th are partitioned by Annona Ave, Santiago Ave, Tully Rd, Highway 101, S King Rd, Valley Palms Apts, Story Rd, Senter Rd, E Alma Ave, S 7th St, Monterey Rd, Barnard Ave, Highway G8, Highway 87, W Alma Ave, Belmont Way, Belmont Ave, Minnesota Ave, Prevost St, Atlanta Ave, Fuller Ave, Riverside Dr, Coe Ave, Lincoln Ave, Paula St, Highway 280, and Highway 880.
The 16th and 17th are partitioned by Stevens Creek Blvd, Santana Row, Olsen Dr, S Winchester Blvd, Williams Rd, Eden Ave, Lexington Dr, Valley Forge Way, Gleason Ave, Moreland Way, Payne Ave, Saratoga Ave, Doyle Rd, Highway G2, Royal Ann Dr, Wisteria Way, Rainbow Dr, Highway 85, S De Anza Blvd, Prospect Rd, Fremont Older Open Space, Permanente Creek, Highway 280, N Foothill Blvd, Homestead Rd, Stevens Creek, We EL Camino Real, Magritte Way, Highway G6, Highway 101, and Enterprise Way.
The 16th district takes in the west central section of the city of San Jose, the cities of Campbell, Saratoga, Los Gatos, Los Altos, Mountain View, and the census-designated place Stanford, which includes Stanford University.
Ballotpedia provided information about Anna Eshoo
Anna Eshoo (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 16th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2023. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Eshoo (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 16th Congressional District. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Eshoo was first elected to the seat in 2012. Before representing the 18th Congressional district, Eshoo represented in California’s 14th Congressional District from 1993 to 2013.
Eshoo endorsed Hillary Clinton for the Democratic primary in the 2016 U.S presidential election.
Anna Eshoo was born in New Britain, Connecticut. Eshoo earned a A.A. from Canada College in 1975. Her career experience includes working as the chief of staff to the speaker pro tempore of the California State Assembly. Eshoo served on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors and as a Democratic National Committeewoman from California.
Anna Eshoo completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions she answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Congresswoman Anna Eshoo is a trailblazer, proven problem solver, and national leader with an extensive record of achievements and critical subject matter expertise. For the past three decades, she has served the people of San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz Counties with great distinction.
As a member of Congress, Anna has been a health pioneer, a champion of new medical research and groundbreaking cures, a human rights and consumer advocate and a staunch proponent of clean energy innovation and the environment. She is the first woman in the history of the U.S. Congress to Chair the Health Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee and in that role has worked to end the COVID-19 pandemic and produced legislation to lower the price of prescription drugs.
Anna is also recognized as a national leader on technology policy and has led the way on safeguarding personal information, holding companies accountable for violating individual privacy, and combatting the spread of disinformation and extremism on social media platforms.
Like many of her constituents, Anna is a proud first generation American. She is a proud mother of Karen and Paul and a devoted aunt.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Protect Our Democracy. Today, our democracy, the rule of law, and the democratic ideals of equality and justice for all are under assault. As a member of Congress, Anna has consistently offered bills and voted for legislation that protects the integrity of our elections, increases transparency, and expands voting rights access, especially for minorities.
Heal Our Nation. Our nation is deeply divided and this division is mirrored in Congress. Last year, a vicious mob, incited by the former president, attempted to stop the counting of the Electoral ballots and upend the peaceful transition of power, a hallmark of our democracy. In the case of the Covid-19 pandemic, political polarization has resulted in a deadly “pandemic of the unvaccinated.” Our nation’s ability to heal and recover from these crisis is hindered by partisanship and fake news. Anna is the leader we need now. She is a highly effective legislator who believes in and has a long record of bipartisanship.
Strengthen Our Economy. The pandemic has wreaked havoc on our economy and taken a disproportionate toll on small businesses and essential workers for whom remote work is not an option. It has exposed and exacerbated inequalities with an over-reliance on foreign manufacturers. Anna is focused on tackling these issues to improve the lives of all her constituents. She has advocated and voted for critical emergency aid, funding to expand broadband access, rapid vaccine development and deployment, and increased coronavirus testing. Anna has done this with an eye to protecting the most vulnerable among us – leaving no one behind…
Anna is a national leader and currently serves as the Chair of the Health Subcommittee in the House. Anna supports universal healthcare. She knows the burdens of the high costs of pharmaceutical drugs, and with her leadership, Medicare will now be able to negotiate costs directly, just as the VA does today. She has increased funding for mental health services, opioid treatment, and medical research.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Anna’s efforts have produced cutting-edge legislation, such as the nation’s Biodefense and Pandemic Vaccine and Drug Development Act which helped to produce life-saving Covid vaccines and the bill to establish the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). ARPA-H would create an independent health agency that would incubate and foster biomedical innovation to transform how we detect, treat, and cure the deadliest, most aggressive diseases like Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and pancreatic, liver, lung and ovarian cancer.
Anna is a staunch defender of human rights, civil rights, voting rights, women’s rights, reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights, privacy rights – and the right to live a dignified life with equal opportunity to pursue the American dream. She believes that we owe it to future generations to protect the planet and ensure that our workplaces, neighborhoods and schools are safe from gun violence. Anna has a long record of fighting for equality and justice, not only when it is popular or widely accepted.
Ballotpedia provided information about Rishi Kumar.
Rishi Kumar (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 16th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Rishi Kumar earned an M.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Connecticut in 1994. Kumar’s career experience includes working as a business executive. He has served as an executive board member of the California Democratic Party and a delegate of the California Democratic Party.
Rishi Kuman completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
It is an honor to be back again running in this race. In the November 2020 election, we won 127,000 votes, more than any other challenger in the last 30 years against the incumbent. We are back for a win! Our August polling shows my opponent’s support has sunk to just 35% – there are no republicans in this race. Our neighbors are calling for new blood and for the torch to be passed. We can’t address our challenges today if we keep sending the same people back who have failed for decades. Here are more reasons to vote for Rishi Kumar:
I am the only candidate in this race who is running an Ethics-in-Politics campaign and who has taken a pledge to accept no corporate campaign money.
I’m the only one fighting for the people with a getting-things-done bipartisan approach
I’m the only tech savvy candidate – a critical skill for Silicon Valley representation.
I was honored to be reelected with the most votes in 64 years of my city for delivering results. I have rejected 9 of San Jose Water’s rate increases
I will be honored to have your vote by Nov. 8.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
As the first tech-savvy representative from this district, I will grow our economy, bring American jobs back to restore our supply chain integrity and ensure that our innovation economy thrives as the world’s innovation hub..America needs leaders with integrity. I operate at the behest of the People and no one else. Here are my priorities https://risihumar.com/priorties. With 127,000 votes received in the November 2022 election, I’m back to win. I am ready to step in, take charge and get things done to address the pending challenges of America and our district. I’m the only candidate running an ethics-in-politics, corporate money free campaign.
I will leverage the extraordinary technical and financial resources of the richest, most innovative congressional district in America to act on our burning issues. I’m the only candidate in this race who fights to reduce drug prices, who protects Medicare for seniors – pushes to expand it – and who supports Medicare for All. https://rishikumar.com/medicare I will champion reproductive rights, climate change, and stopping the senseless death of our children at school. I will defend our democracy, reduce crime, inflation and the exodus. I’ll establish an additional congressional office at the coastside to prioritize coastal issues. I will get more done in my first two years than you have seen done in decades and NEVER sell out.
I will push for a cleanup of Washington with term limits, ban congressional insider trading, establish a collaborative problem-solving approach, not divisive partisan politics, with a people-centric agenda, not lobbyist-centric. Check out my stories as a maverick at RishiKumar.com
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Purge dark money from American politics: I will always reject tainted PAC & Special Interest Group money and will fight to overturn Citizens United that allows the insertion of Super PAC money into American politics. Time for politicians to serve the people and not the lobbyists.
Protect Women’s Reproductive Rights: I will legislate Roe and get it done once and for all. RBG once said that Congress should have acted to enshrine women’s equal justice under law decades ago. It tragically didn’t, and we should question those in Congress who failed.
Diligent action with climate and coastal protection.
Fiscal responsibility, reduce America’s deficit and expand the economy: It is essential that the nation’s deficit is reduced through new fiscal approaches grounded in economic principles. I am against tax & spend. We need to alleviate this energy crisis by actively encouraging and innovating with new energy sources to grab market share.
Stop the exodus: We need a plan to address the valley’s challenges with rising crime, housing, traffic, and homelessness. I sincerely believe that the push for high-density housing is flawed and without a managed growth plan. These policies do not address infrastructure support such as water, sewers, roads, schools and recurring droughts.Ballotpedia provided information about Peter Ohtaki
Ballotpedia provided information about Peter Ohtaki
Peter Ohtaki (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 16th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Peter Ohtaki was born in Menlo Park, California. Ohtaki graduated from Woodside Hight School. He earned a B.A. in economics from Harvard University and an M.B.A. from Stanford University. Ohtaki’s career experience includes working as the vice president of enterprise incident management of a bank and as the executive director of the California Resiliency Alliance. He served as the board president of the Menlo Park Fire Protection District Board of Directors.
Ballotpedia provided information on Richard Fox.
Richard Fox (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 16th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Richard Fox’s career experience includes working as a physician and attorney.
May 4: Palo Alto Online posted an article titled: “Eshoo faces rivals from left, right, and center in bid to retain Congress seat” From the article:
The seven candidates vying to replace U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo in a newly redrawn Silicon Valley congressional district know they face an uphill climb.
Since she was first elected in 1992, Eshoo has been cruising to reelection in the heavily Democratic district, routinely picking up about 70% of the vote. California’s switch to a top-two primary has barely blunted her political fortunes.
Kumar, a tech executive who serves on the Saratoga City Council, is hoping for better luck this time around. He is one of seven candidates hoping to replace Eshoo in the new District 16, which stretches along the coast from Pacifica to northern San Jose and which encompasses large sections of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, including the cities of Palo Alto, Mountain View, Woodside, Portola Valley, and portions of Menlo Park and Atherton.
On Tuesday night, Eshoo and six of her challengers tried to make a case for their respective candidates at a forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters (Kumar was the only candidate who did not participate in the event). While Eshoo recalled her recent accomplishments in the House of Representatives, each of her opponents made the case that it’s time for a change and that they are the best option for representing the dynamic Silicon Valley district.
Among the challengers was Palo Alto City Council member Greg Tanaka, a Democrat who over the years has stood out on the council for repeatedly voting against the city budget and, more recently, for his staunch opposition to the city’s proposed business tax. A fiscal conservative whose jeremiads about decline of innovation in Silicon Valley have been a staple of council meetings, he rejected on Thursday of voting along a party line…
Ajwang Rading, an attorney at the Palo Alto-based firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, is also vying to represent the district. Unlike Tanaka or Kumar, who opposes Sacramento’s housing mandates and who pledges not to increase taxes, Rading leans blue all the way. He embraces an ambitious Democratic platform that revolves around issues of social justice, climate change and universal health care…
…Eshoo is also facing a challenge from the right, with three Republicans hoping to win a seat in the heavily Democratic district. The most politically moderate of the three is former Menlo Park Mayor Peter Ohtaki, whose campaign calls for resisting unfunded housing mandates, fighting inflation and seeking more federal dollars for transportation projects. Ohtaki, who grew up in Menlo Park and spent eight years on the council, said his experience as both an elected official and as a chief financial officer at a tech firm make him well qualified for the seat…
…The other two Republicans in the race position themselves further on the right of the political spectrum. Richard Fox, who leans libertarian and who has been a vocal opponent of vaccine mandates, is characterizing his candidacy as a battle not only against Eshoo but also against President Joe Biden’s Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci and the pharmaceutical industry.
Benjamin Solomon is running as a pro-business candidate who wants to lower taxes. He also has, however, embraced in his campaign the national Republican Party’s opposition to “critical race theory,” an intellectual movement that emphasizes the role of race in shaping American institutions such as criminal justice and education. And like Fox, he is a skeptic when it comes to climate change.
When asked about the topic on Tuesday, Fox suggested that government-funded research “usually reaches the conclusions the government wants it to reach,” while Solomon rejected the international consensus about the threats of climate change and suggested that “global alarmists scientists” are not telling people the full truth…
…The only candidate on the list who is not affiliated with either major party is John Karl Friedrich, a Palo Alto resident and retired government teacher who has made several unsuccessful bids for the City Council, most recently in 2016. Fredrich supports the “Medicare for All” plan, is skeptical about American military intervention and wants to abolish the Electoral College and pass the Equal Rights Amendment, which was introduced in 1923 but never ratified. The act aims to guarantee equal rights to all Americans, regardless of sex…
May 12: Palo Alto Online posted an editorial titled: “Editorial: Our election recommendations” From the editorial:
With California’s open primary rules, established when voters approved Prop. 14 in 2010, the top two vote-getters in all partisan races, regardless of party affiliation, will face off in the November general election. For non-partisan county offices such as district attorney, sheriff and assessor, however, there won’t be a runoff in November if one candidate receives more than 50% of the vote in the primary.
For Palo Alto voters, that means there will automatically be a runoff election In November for the congressional seat held by Democrat Anna Eshoo and the state Assembly seat held by Democrat Mark Berman, and it’s highly likely in the Santa Clara County sheriff’s race, where four major candidates are running with no incumbent.
In the county district attorney and accessor races, it is likely that incumbents Jeff Rosen and Larry Stone will exceed the 50% mark.
We are concerned that two incumbents, Congresswoman Anna Eshoo and County Assessor Larry Stone, have been in office for 30 and 27 years respectively. These two have been reelected by overwhelming margins of the years, because they are competent, hardworking and have served their constituents well. They are all but assured of being reelected again this year, in part because their continued service discourages others from running because of the advantages of incumbency, especially in fundraising.
But at ages 79 and 81, they should be creating opportunities and encouraging new candidates to follow in their footsteps and allow a new generation of leaders to represent us. If reelected, we hope that each will announced after the election their intention to retire when their new terms end so that there is plenty of time for good an diverse candidates, including women and people of color, to step forward to run for these important positions.
As noted above, Anna Eshoo has been one of the most popular and successful elected officials ever to serve this region. In 14 reelection campaigns since her initial election in 1992, she has never faced a serious challenge. That is a tribute to both her excellent service and attentiveness to her constituents and the close alignment of her views with her Democratic district.
This year, perhaps because of an increasing belief that it may be time for her to step aside, or that she will do so in two years, Eshoo has seven challengers – three Republicans, three Democrats and an independent. With Eshoo almost certainly set to be the top-vote getter, the second-place finisher who will compete against her in November could get as little as 15% to 20% of the vote in the primary depending on how evenly spread out the voting is.
We hope Eshoo’s opponent in November is Ajwang Rading, a Democrat and attorney at the Palo Alto-based firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati who has sparked a strong local following in support of his bid for public office. Rading, 30, embraces a liberal Democratic platform that revolves around the issues of social justice, climate change, and universal health care…
…A general election campaign between Eshoo and Rading would be an inspiring match-up between an accomplished representative nearing the end of her career who has paved the way for countless other women to seek higher office and an idealistic and passionate young man of color just starting his political journey…
June 24: The New York Times reported Calfornia’s 16th Congressional District Primary Election Results:
Anna Eshoo (Democrat): 81,047 votes – 47.9%
Rishi Kumar (Democrat): 26,415 votes – 15.6%
Peter Ohtaki (Republican): 21,332 votes – 12.6%
Richard Fox (Republican): 13,175 votes – 7.8%
October 8: The Mercury News Editorial Board posted an editorial titled: “Eshoo, seeking 15th term in Congress, still knows her stuff” From the editorial:
In 1992, when Anna Eshoo ran for Congress, we noted that she “has worked diligently on health care as a (San Mateo County) supervisor, and she knows her stuff.”
Thirty years later, as she runs in the Nov. 8 election for a 15th term in Congress, that’s still true. Eshoo’s understanding of health care, voting rights, biotechnology and women’s issues far surpass that of her challenger, Saratoga City Councilman Richi Kumar.
At some point, Eshoo, who turns 80 on Jan. 3, will retire and give way to a successor to carry on her work protecting our democracy and advancing Silicon Valley’s needs. Kumar is not up for the task. He has had a hard time just getting along with his colleagues on the Saratoga City Council and would be ineffective in Washington.
Regardless of whether Democrats retain control of the House and Senate following the midterms, the challenges facing Congress will be immense. The region needs smart, respected and experienced leaders to set us on the right course.
Voters in the 16th District should send Eshoo back to Washington. The newly drawn district stretches from Pacifica at the north end to Los Gatos at the south. It includes Campbell, Mountain View, Palo Alto, and a slice of San Jose.
Eshoo is chair of the House Subcommittee on Health. But it’s not the number of bills she has passed that tells whether she is a successful leader. It’s in what actually gets passed and what gets rejected. She authored portions of the Affordable Care Act and the bill that played a major role in the rapid development of vaccines to combat COVID-19.
If reelected, she would continue advocating for universal health care and fighting for her bill to create the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health to foster biomedical innovation for fighting deadly diseases.
Kumar, a mechanical engineer, is a progressive Democrat. He advanced to the general election by garnering 16% of the vote, edging out Republican Peter Ohtaki, in the June primary in which Eshoo received 48%.
When Kumar ran against Eshoo in 2020, we said it was questionable whether he deserves another term on the Saratoga City Council, much less a seat in Congress. He has done nothing since then to change our minds. If Human has been unable to develop a working relationship with his fellow council members in eight years of office, we don’t see how he can develop the necessary support to get any of his ambitious promises passed in Congress.
Kumar pledges to expand Medicare, rein in Pentagon spending and crush “big money in politics.” Those are worthy goals. But Kumar also has a habit of taking credit for the work of others. For example, he still maintains that he stopped eight different San Jose Water rate hikes. But it is the California Public Utilities Commission that has the authority to accept or reject rate hike requests – not a Saratoga city councilman.
The 16th District needs a respected, experienced member of Congress for the tasks at hand. That candidate is Anna Eshoo. Voters should reelect her.
October 25: Los Altos Online posted an article titled: “Congressional candidates Eshoo & Kumar debate who is really getting things done” From the article:
Longtime Democratic U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo faces the most serious challenger of her career in the race for the newly drawn 16th Congressional District seat, which covers a large portion of Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. Her opponent, Saratoga City Councilmember Rishi Kumar, also a Democrat, has a clearly drawn platform, alleging Eshoo has ties to the pharmaceutical industry and has been ineffective in her 30 years of office.
One of the cornerstones of Kumar’s campaign is that he pledged not to accept donations from super PACs, a point he often flaunts in comparison to the hundreds of dollars Eshoo has received from pharmaceutical companies over the course of her political career, playing on a long-standing critique of Eshoo that in her career as a Congress member and chairperson of the Health Subcommittee, she has not done enough to further the progressive goal of making health care more affordable.
Kumar, though still early on in his political career, is not without his own controversies. Last election cycle, residents of the congressional district found lawn signs promoting Kumar they did not consent to being placed in their yards, and alleged that the candidate had rude campaign volunteers who didn’t like taking “no” for an answer. In December 2020, Kumar was denied his ceremonial turn as mayor for 2021 on the Saratoga City Council (which rotates annually among council members, as in Los Altos), with a fellow council member remarking that he was unsuitable for the job. In May 2019, Kumar was confronted during a city council meeting by a group of activists asking him to answer for the enthusiastic support he showed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a key member of the Bharatiya Janata Party in India, who has been accused of eroding Muslims’ human rights in India and condoning violence during the 2002 Gujarat riots.
In stark contrast to Kumar’s campaign marketing, Eshoo has highlighted her own accomplishments rather than attempting to deconstruct any of Kumar’s arguments. In a recent Town Crier interview, Eshoo made little mention of him, but she did refute some of his claims…
December 18: The New York Times reported the results of California’s 16th Congressional District Results:
Anna Eshoo (Democrat): 139,235 votes – 57.8%
Rishi Kuman (Democrat): 101,772 votes – 42.2%
California’s 17th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 17th Congressional District:
California’s 17 congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that is currently represented by Ro Khanna. It is located in the South Bay and East Bay regions of San Francisco Bay Area.
The district includes parts of Alameda County and Santa Clara County. It encompasses the cities of Sunnyvale, Cupertino, and Santa Clara County. It encompasses the cities of Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Santa Clara, Milpitas, Newark, the majority of Fremont, and the northernmost and westernmost parts of San Jose. The district includes the campus of Santa Clara University and the corporate headquarters of Apple Inc, Intel Corp., and Yahoo. It is the only majority-Asian district in the contiguous United States. It is also the wealthiest Congressional district in the United States.
From 2003 to 2013, the district covered all of Monterey and San Benito counties, as well as part of Santa Cruz County. It included all of the coastal communities surrounding Monterey Bay, the city of Salinas, and the vast majority of the Salinas Valley. The district was mostly unchanged during the 2021 redistricting…
…As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 17th congressional district takes up the Tri-City area of the San Francisco Bay Area. It takes up the western borders of Alameda and Santa Clara Counties.
Alameda County is split between this district and the 14th district. They are partitioned by Mission Peak Regional Park, Witherly Ln, Mission Blvd, Washington Blvd, Farallon Cmn, Paseo Padre Parkway, Grimmer Blvd, Blacow Rd, Omar St, Butano Park Dr, Farina Ln, Nimitz Freeway, Highway 84. The 17th district takes in the south side of the city of Fremont, and the city of Newark.
Santa Clara County is split between this district, the 16th district, and the 18th district. The 17th and 16th are partitioned by Stevens Creek Blvd, Santana Row, Olsen Dr, S Winchester Blvd, Williams Rd, Eden Ave, Lexington Dr, Valley Forge Way, Gleason Ave, Moreland Way, Payne Ave, Saratoga Ave, Doyle Rd, Highway G2, Royal Ann Dr, Wisteria Way, Rainbow Dr, Highway 85, S De Anza Blvd, Prospect Rd, Fremont Older Open Space, Permanente Creek, Highway 280, N Foothill Blvd, Homestead Rd, Stevens Creek, W EL Camino Real, Magritte Way, Highway G6, Highway 101, and Enterprise Way.
The 17th and 18th are partitioned by Steven’s Creek Blvd, Di Salvo Ave, Bellerose Dr, Forest Ave, Wabash Ave, W San Carlos St, Race St, The Alameda, University Ave, Elm St, Highway 82, Newhall St, Morse St, Idaho St, Alameda Ct, Sherwood Ave, Hamline St, Highway 880, Highway 101, McKee Rd, Toyon Ave, Penitencia Creek Rd, Canon Vista Ave, Crothers Rd, Alum Rock Park, Sierra Rd, Felter Rd, Weller Rd. The 17th district takes in the north side of the city of San Jose, the cities of Milpitas, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, and Cupertino.
Ballotpedia provided information about California’s 17th Congressional District:
California’s 17th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives is represented by Ro Khanna (D).
As of the 2020 Census, California representatives represented an average of 760,350 residents. After the 2010 Census, each member represented 702,904 residents.
Ballotpedia provided information about Ro Khanna:
Ro Khanna (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 17th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2017. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Khanna (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 17th Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022…
…Khanna first ran for the seat in 2014, where he lost the election to incumbent Mike Honda (D) by 4,714 votes. In 2016, Khanna won election to the seat, beating eight-term incumbent Mike Honda (D) by 51,344 votes. Khanna was re-elected to the seat in 2018 after beating Republican Roy Cohen in the general election by a vote of 75 percent to 25 percent, capturing over 107,000 more votes than Cohen.
Khanna is a former U.S. Department of Commerce Deputy Secretary.
Khanna accepts donations solely from individuals and proposed the No PAC Caucus in the House of Representatives.
As of 2019, Khanna listed the following as his priorities:
Banning PAC & lobbyist money
Creating technology & manufacturing jobs across America
Providing debt free college
Supporting apprenticeships & vocational training
Standing up for women’s rights
Investing in new industries & clean technologies
Ballotpedia provided information about Ritesh Tandon:
Ritesh Tandon (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 17th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Tandon completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: The grandson of a freedom fighter, Ritesh Tandon, was instilled with an appreciation for freedom and independence. This would lead him to The United States of America at age 28, where he attended Santa Clara University to pursue a Master’s degree in Computer engineering. Later, Ritesh Tandon completed his second Master’s in Business Administration from the same university. While attending Santa Clara University, Ritesh met Zurich Dhar, a fellow computer engineer. They were married in 2001 & made the Bay Area their home.
Professionally, Ritesh Tandon worked on unified communications products for Cisco, starting with engineering and continuing with technical marketing. Then, he managed global strategic alliances for Jabra. Currently, Ritesh is the CEO of the Kricel Corporation.
Ritesh is a Research Fellow at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business; his research topic is “How to Revive California’s Economy Using Open Innovation”.
Ritesh worked for two decades for non-profit organizations & served as an executive member of the Sankara Eye Foundation, President of UPMA, & Alliance lead for the Smart Village Movement, helping the underprivileged/common people to live better lives.
After two decades in the Silicon Valley, Indian-American engineer, philanthropist, and businessman Ritesh Tandon run for Congress in the South Bay. He has built a successful career in technology while simultaneously being a leader by helping others through his work with non-profits.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
At this time, our public policies are in absolute chaos. In my opinion, the current elected Congressman works for rich people and has no experience seeing how common people suffer. These career politicians have no idea what the common people’s needs are, and many times, they create bills that fund them, ignoring the common people’s needs.
Economy – inflation, supply chain, domestic manufacturing & exports. We are stuck in one of the worst inflation cycles in the last 40 years. The gas prices are the culprit, like in the late 70. The bad energy policy of Mr. Biden has been at the root of this inflationary cycle, not the Putin war. Lockdown philosophies & unfettered monetary stimulus created inflation. Interest rate hikes are meant to destroy demand. Supply-side economics policies do work. I will vigorously put those together to avoid impending recession & avoid losing domestic and export purposes. The US must balance its trade deficits worldwide.
Security/Hate Crimes – Defunding the police policies & fewer punishments for crimes have escalated crime rates all over. There are more hate crimes against Asians. It is time that progressive elements of the Democrat party do not play with people’s lives & property. The death of George Floyd was wrong! However, rioting & defunding the police are equally wrong! We need safety in our neighborhoods. Poor foreign policies & untimely responses have resulted in the dishonorable withdrawal from Afghanistan & Russian aggression. We could have avoided today’s war situation in 2014 when Russia took over Crimea. We ignored Russian amassing large forces on the Ukrainian border last year. We need to stop reacting & start thinking practical peace!
Education – Children are the largest & most precious investment for parents. STEM education should be the prime focus of schools. Parental participation is a prerequisite to good education. Family values, cultural backgrounds & religious sentiments are essential & institutions must be sensitive to that completely. No race-based discrimination bills (Prop16). School choice has many benefits, where tax dollars go with the students to institutions meeting defined standards. Competition between public & private schools would allow us to measure performance per dollar. Additionally, the association of good schools with richer neighborhoods will change. We need all communities to exceed in giving their precious children the best education they can.
Also, they make false promises of tuition forgiveness, free healthcare, and much more. These are all empty talks just about getting elected. My opponent raised more than $4.2 Million in the last two years and more than $10 million in the last six years; think who funds him? Six years, nothing is done, how long will you wait for change?
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
At this time, our public policies are in absolute chaos. In my opinion, the current elected Congressman works for rich people and has no experience seeing how common people suffer. These career politicians have no idea what the common people’s needs are, and many times, they create bills that fund them, ignoring the common people’s needs.
Also, they make false promises of tuition forgiveness, free healthcare, and much more. These are all empty talks just about getting elected. My opponent raised more than $4.2 Million in the last two years and more than $10 million in the last six years; think who funds him? Six years, nothing is done, how long will you wait for change?
February 16: Washington Monthly posted an article titled: “Ro Khanna’s Plan to Make Big Tech Better” From the article:
BILL SCHER: Much of Joe Biden’s legislative agenda is stalled now. Do you think progressives should heap blame on Joe Manchin and Krysten Sinema for their resistance? Or do Biden and congressional progressives deserve some of the blame?
RO KHANNA: There could be an alternative, not mentioned in the hypothetical.
I wouldn’t heap blame on Senators Manchin or Sinema. I don’t think anything constructive comes out of that. What we must do is figure out what can pass. I believe you can get $400 to $500 billion in addressing climate change, and preschool for every three and four-year-old in America. That’s a huge deal. And expand Medicaid.
What is to blame for us not being able to get there? We have some of the slimmest majorities that a president has had. We have one of the most polarized countries. So, if you have very slim majorities and no Republican votes, it’s hard to thread the needle. I think Biden has done quite well in that circumstance to get the American Rescue Plan and infrastructure passed. And if we are willing to compromise, we can do something very big for climate and social investment…
…BILL SCHER: It seems to me that Democrats proceeded with the American Rescue Plan on the notion that if we deliver economically, who cares if it’s technically bipartisan or not. If we slip in this child tax credit, and we send these checks out, it’s going to be so popular that everyone’s gonna love us for it. I’m curious whether amongst you or other progressives, is there any kind of introspection about that plan not working out.
RO KHANNA: To me the child tax credit was not just about popular policy. To me that was about justice. It was about cutting child poverty. I’m not sure that was seen as a political winner, though I think it’s more positive than not. But I think it was more of a sense of, “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to do the right thing.”…
…BILL SCHER: Let me end with a political, midterms question. It seems to me that both parties right now are in some degree of circular firing squad. With the Republicans tied up in knots over January 6, and Democrats frustrated with how Manchin and Simon have stalled Build Back Better. What needs to happen for progressives and moderates to get on the same page and maximize their chances for beating the odds and having a good midterm?
RO KHANNA: First, let’s stop making every disagreement an issue of questioning a person’s integrity and motives. You can have a philosophical disagreement and not be corrupt.
And then I think we must be proud of what we’re achieving and have a clear vision of what we’re going to do to give people economic opportunity.
And finally, we must be patriotic and tell a story of patriotism. I think the biggest challenge is when you hear every Democratic speech, and it lists all the things wrong with America. And I guess as aa son of immigrants, I marvel at all the things that are still right about America. And people don’t need their leaders to remind them of everything wrong. They want leaders telling them why their nation can lead the 21st century.
It’s like if you have a football coach, and the coach keeps giving speeches about everything wrong with their team. No, they want to know, how are you going to take the team to the Super Bowl? What’s your plan? We need more of that.
April 20: Harvard Politics posted an article titled: “An Interview with Ro Khanna” From the interview:
Harvard Political Review: In the digital age, politics itself has been digitized: campaigns have gone online, fact-checkers have to be more swift, and freedom of speech is often equated with freedom to tweet. Yet, in terms of campaigns and messaging in a Politico article, dated April 9, you mentioned that it’s Biden’s messaging, not the message, that you disagree with. So, by what means do you think the PR wing of the Biden administration could maximize its potential and exploit technology and social media to empower its messaging?
Ro Khanna: Well, the first thing is old-fashioned, which is that I think the President getting out more into communities outside of Washington is important. You know, for example, when Intel is investing $20 billion into Ohio, instead of announcing that from Washington, announce it with Governor DeWine in Columbus, have people who are going to be getting these new jobs there know about it. But I also think that we have an aggressive strategy of winning the news cycle every day. You know, Trump would wake up and say something outrageous and try and win the news cycle every day. I think having an aggressive strategy on social media with cable news and saying – so, how are we going to set the tone for the week? For the day? Being foremost in driving the news and driving our message, that action of being aggressive is really important.
HPR: But, many high-level politicians have been really concerned about the role of Big Tech, especially in politics, after January 6th, the use of which has often been attributed to the excessive spread of fake news on Facebook. Many have also called for breaking down the monopolies: Elizabeth Warren, for instance, has called for breaking up Big Tech, Senator Sanders voiced concerns about the monopolization of Big Tech, et. al. Therefore, as someone who represents Silicon Valley, what are your views on this debate about breaking up Big Tech?
Khanna: We do need stronger antitrust enforcement. But I don’t think we can just reflexively break up companies in ways that will hurt our innovation, nor do I think antitrust is always the solution to privacy issues or deliberation issues. But, I think the antitrust is important – the antitrust issue was that a company shouldn’t be able to squash competitors, they shouldn’t be allowed to privilege there own platforms, and we can have strong regulations, strong legislation that addresses that, without saying he have to break up Apple into three companies or Google into three companies. Now, maybe it’s justified in some cases, maybe Facebook should be unwound but those have to be fact-based determinations, not just pronouncements from Congress…
Ballotpedia posted the results of Nonpartisan Primary for the U.S. House California District 17:
Ro Khanna (D): 67.3% – 33,244 votes
Ritesh Tandon (R): 23.3% – 11,497 votes
Stephen Forbes (D): 5.7% – 2,808 votes
Rao Ravul (D): 2.2% – 1,083 votes
Joe Dehn (L): 1.6% – 767 votes
June 24: Ro Khanna posted a press release on his congressional website titled: “STATEMENT: KHANNA ON SUPREME COURT DECISION TO OVERTURN ROE V. WADE” From the press release:
Today, Rep Ro Khanna (D-CA), Deputy Whip of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, issued the following statement on the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe V. Wade.
“Today’s Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade strips Americans of their basic freedom and endangers the health and safety of millions. It strips women of the right to make their own decisions about their bodies and their futures. It hits low-income women, women of color, and women living in rural areas particularly hard. It defines not only 50 years of legal precedent, but also the will of the American people.
It is heartbreaking to watch our country go backwards and see our hard-fought progress eroded. But we cannot give up. Now, we must mobilize and do everything possible to save the right to an abortion. That means rallying a wave of public support, ending the filibuster and passing legislation in the Senate to codify Roe v. Wade. It also means addressing the polarization of the Supreme Court that paved the way for this decision. It is time to end lifetime appointments to the Supreme Court to restore judicial independence and trust in the highest court in the land.
We are a party that stands for freedom, and that includes a person’s ability to make decisions about their own body, their own family, and their own healthcare. We’ll keep fighting for freedom until this egregious decision can be reversed.”
October 12: Progressive Voters Guide posted information about Ro Khanna titled: “Reelect Congressional Representative Ro Khanna to keep CD-17 on the right track for progress”. From the information:
Rep. Khanna’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of CD-17 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Rep. Khanna has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including California Environmental Voters, Sierra Club, Equality California, and Planned Parenthood, as well as publications like the San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury News, and the Oakland Tribune, and labor unions, like the California Nurses Association, National Nurses United, California Labor Federation, and SEIU. He is also endorsed by federal, state, and local elected officials, including Governor Gavin Newsom, U.S. Senator Padilla, and many mayors, city councilmembers, and school board members.
Top issues: Rep. Khanna is a longtime supporter of labor and environmental causes, and advocates for more green jobs. He has also paid special attention to digital security and modernization.
Priority Bills: This year, Rep. Khanna’s priorities for CD-18 have included 26 bills about taxing corporations, technological innovation, public health, 21st century jobs, and labor conditions. Of these, two have successfully been passed by the House. He has sponsored and passed legislation to improve accessibility and user experience on government websites and to create digital “centers for excellence” to guide cyber-security decisions in federal IT systems.
Member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus?: Yes.
Committee leadership/membership: Ro Khanna currently sits on three committees, including the Committees on Agriculture, Armed Services, and Oversight and Reform. On the Oversight and Reform Committee, he chairs the subcommittee on the Environment.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rep. Khanna has served in this congressional seat since 2016, when he was elected with over 60% of the vote. In 2020, he won his reelection against a Republican challenger by 43 points.
Prior to his election to Congress, Rep. Khanna served in the Obama administration as deputy assistant secretary in the Department of Commerce and as an attorney. He is a longtime supporter of labor and environmental causes, and advocates for investment in green jobs and digital infrastructure. He has also worked to increase and transform manufacturing jobs. In the House, he has been dedicated to digital security and modernization. He was tapped by Speaker Pelosi to draft an Internet Bill of Rights, which described the rights that digital citizens should have in terms of privacy access, and equity online.
Other background: Rep. Ro Khanna, a former lawyer, university lecturer, and member of President Obama’s cabinet, is from Philadelphia, PA, and now lives in Fremont, CA. He graduated from Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Chicago, and then earned a law degree from Yale University…
Ballotpedia posted the results for the General Election for U.S. House California District 17:
Ro Khanna (D): 69.6% – 65,528 votes
Ritesh Tandon (R): 30.4% – 28,212 votes
California’s 18th Congressional Distric
California’s 18th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 18th Congressional District:
California’s 18th congressional district is a cngressional district located in the U.S. state of California. The district is currently represented by Democrat Zoe Lofgren. It includes portions of Santa Clara, San Mateo, and Santa Cruz counties, extending from the southwestern San Francisco Bay Area through the Santa Cruz Mountains to the Pacific coast. Since the 2022 election, the district is landlocked and includes the Salinas Valley and downtown and eastern San Jose.
Due to the presence of Silicon Valley, the disict had a median household income of $149,375, the second highest of any congressional district in the country.
Following the 2020 census and the subsequent 2020 United States redistricting cycle, California lost a congressional district, leading to significant changes across California’s districts. Most of the area previously part of the 18th district was splintil the new 16th district and 19th district. The 18th district was moved to cover the Salinas Valley in Monterey County and the downtown and east side of San Jose. With the changes, the 18th became a Latino majority district…
…As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 18th congressional district was shifted geographically to cover the Salinas Valley. It encompasses San Benito, the southernmost point of Santa Cruz County, and the interiors of Santa Clara and Monterey Counties.
Santa Cruz County is split between this district and the 19th district. They are partitioned by Pajaro River, Highway 129, W Beach St, Lee Rd, Highway 1, Harkins Slough Rd, Old Adobe Rd, Corralitos Creek, Varin Rd, Green Valley Rd, Casserly Rd, Mt Madonna Road. The district takes in the city of Watsonville.
Santa Clara County is split between this district, the 19th district, the 16th district, and the 17th district,. The 18th, 16th and 19th are partitioned by Bella Vista Ln, Bodfish Creek, Burchell Rd, Bluebell Dr, Day Rd, Highway G8, W San Martin Ave, Santa Teresa Blvd, Sunnyside Ave, Morgan Hill City Limits, Hale Ave, Tilton Ave, Monterey Rd, Highway 101, Coyote Rd, Anderson Lake, Las Animas Rd, Metcalf Rd, Yerba Buena Creek, Old Yerba Buena Rd, Aborn Rd, Quincy Rd, Norwood Ave, Murillo Ave, Pleasant Acres Dr, Westview Dr, Pleasant Knoll Dr, Guluzzo Dr, Flint Ave, Marten Ave, Goldwater Dr, Ocala Ave, Wonderama Dr, Cunningham Ave, Swift Ave, Highway 101, Story Rd, Monterey Rd, Highway 87, Highway 280, Highway 880.
The 18th and 17th are partitioned by Steven’s Creek Blvd, Di Salvo Ave, Bellerose Dr, Forest Ave, Wabash Ave, W San Carlos St, Race St, The Alameda, University Ave, Elm St, Highway 82, Newhall St, Morse St, Idaho St, Alameda Ct, Sherwood Ave, Hamline St, Highway 880, Highway 101, McKee Rd, Toyon Ave, Penitencia Creek Rd, Canon Vista Ave, Crothers Rd, Alum Rock Park, Sierra Rd, Felter Rd, Weller Rd. The 18th district takes in the center of the city of San Jose and the San Jose district of Alum Rock. It also takes in the cities of Morgan Hill and Gilroy.
Monterey County is split between this district and the 19th district. They are partitioned by Union Pacific, Highway G12, Elkhorn Rd, Echo Valley Rd, Maher Rd, Maher Ct, La Encina Dr, Canyon Rd, San Juan Grade Rd, Highway 101, Espinosa Rd, Castroville Blvd, Highway 156, Highway 1, Tembladero Slough, Highway 183, Cooper Rd, Blanco Rd, Salinas River, Davis Rd, Hitchcock Rd, Highway 68, E Blanco Rd, Nutting St, Abbott St, Highway G17, Limekiln Creek, Likekiln Rd, Rana Creek, Tularcitos Creek, Highway G16, Tassajara Rd, Camp Creek, Lost Valley Creek, Lost Valley Conn, N Coast Rdg, 2 Central Cod, Cone Peak Rd, Nacimiento Fergusson Rd, Lost Bueyes Creek, and the Monterey County Southern Border. The 18th district takes in the cities of Salinas, Soledad, Greenfield, King City, and the north side of the census-designated place Prunedale.
Ballotpedia provided information about Zoe Lofgren:
Zoe Lofgren (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 18th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2023. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Lofgren (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 18th Congressional District. She won the general election on November 8, 2022.
Lofgren represented California’s 16th Congressional District in the U.S. House from 1995 to 2013. From 1994 to 2018, Lofgren captured between 65% and 73.9% of the vote at general elections.
Lofgren was a superdelegate to the 2016 Democratic National Convention from California. Lofgren supported Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination.
January 18: San Jose Inside posted an article titled: “Lofgren Builds Support in New Congressional District that Stretches from San Jose to Salinas” From the article:
Three weeks after the California Citizens Redistricting Commission solidified its new state and federal district lines, Congresmember Zoe Lofgren of San Jose is tasked with convincing the mostly Latinx voters in Salinas, Pajaro, and San Juan valleys that the paring with downtown San Jose can indeed work in their favor.
Lofgren, who has been in Congress since 1994, took her first step in trying to accomplish that task on Jan. 15. She met with local politicians from across the region in Salinas and secured two key endorsements from Congressmember Jimmy Panetta of Carmel and Assemblymember Robert Rivas of Holister, whose team organized the press conference.
The current representative for the 19th Congressional District, Lofgren will run for a 15th term in the new 18th Congressional District this year. That new district Paris parts of San Jose, including the downtown area, with a region of the state that is known for its strong agricultural base and growing Latinx population.
It will be a massive shift for Lofgren, who started her career in politics on the board of San Jose City College before moving up to Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. Though she called the new district “unusual,” Lofgren sad that she is not completely unfamiliar with the area, as she’s worked on immigration reform with people in the agriculture industry over the years.
But, she admitted, “the voters here don’t know me yet.”
“So I need to introduce myself,” she said. “And I don’t know them yet, so I’m here listening and learning. But it’s kind of exciting.”…
February 7: The Intercept posted an article titled: “Poll Shows Silicon Valley Rep. Zoe Lofgren At Odds With Her District Over Big Tech Reforms” From the article:
A new poll by Data for Progress shows that Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren, a key opponent of tech antitrust reforms, is widly out of step with constituents in her Silicon Valley district. The poll, which was provided exclusively to The Intercept, shows that despite living in the belly of the tech beast, voters in California’s 19th Congressional District are worried about tech giants’ economic power and lack of accountability as the rest of Americans.
Among a number of eye-catching findings, the poll’s 610 respondents – who were weighted to match the demographics of likely voters in the district – supported the bipartisan American Innovation and Choice Online Act, which is picking up momentum on Capitol Hill, by a 46-point margin, 58 percent to 12 percent, after being presented with arguments for and against the bill. Pollsters also found that two-thirds of respondents agreed with the argument that the economic power of companies like Amazon, Facebook, and Google is a problem for the U.S. economy.
The findings call Lofgren’s continued opposition top measures that would increase competition in the technology sector into question. With liberals and conservatives both becoming increasingly focused on addressing the power large technology companies hold, a rare bipartisan effort to increase competition in the sector has been gaining traction in both chambers of Congress. Last month, the Senate Judiciary Committee vote to advance the American Innovation and Choice Online Act, which seeks to prevent tech companies from using their platforms to give preferential treatment to their own products, with a vote of 16-6. (Five Republicans voted with the 11 Democratic members of the committee.)..
…”Some of the ‘tech antitrust’ bills in Congress are poorly-drafted, extreme, and go beyond legitimate, real-word concerns,” Lofgren wrote in a statement to The Intercept. “They target four tech companies, but don’t actually prevent the disinformation, privacy violations, and abusive consumer manipulation by algorithms that so many of my constituents and I decry.”
As an alternative, Lofgren pointed to the Online Privacy Act, a bill she introduced with California Democratic Rep. Anna Eshoo, which “would actually be effective in dealing with problems in the tech sector by preventing the abusive collection and retention of personal information,” according to Lofgren. “If companies can’t collect data, they can’t use that data to manipulate Americans for profit.” While the Online Privacy Act would restrict data brokering, it would play no role in antitrust regulation of tech…
April 15: BenitoLink posted an article titled: “Primary Election 2022: 18th Congressional District” From the article:
…There are three candidates for the 18th Congressional District seat: Luis Acevedo-Arreguin, Peter Hernandez, and Zoe Lofgren. BenitoLink sent all three candidates questions and requested responses in their own words.
Luis Acevedo-Arreguin was born in Oaxaca, Mexico, raised in Queretaro, and currently lives in Castorville. He studied chemistry at the University of Queretaro and environmental engineering at the National University of Mexico. He obtained graduate degrees in education, applied mathematics, and statistics at the UC-Santa Cruz.
BenitoLink: San Benito County lacks affordable and adequate broadband service, how can you effectively advocate for funding for equitable internet in this area?
Acevedo-Arreguin: When the pandemic started in 2020, giant corporations like Google offered to bring the internet to the rural zones of California. Another giant tech entrepreneur offered to build a satellite-based system to bring the internet to any place in the world. The lack of internet service in rural areas made school instruction for children extremely difficult. It was also very difficult for children who did not have internet at home, if they were not able to afford internet. As a lawmaker, I will advocate for families lacking fast-speed internet or living in rural areas to get access to this essential service at affordable prices. No student should have their instruction delayed or stopped by the lack of technological tools or services.
Gavilian College serves San Benito County and is in a financial crisis. What can you do to ensure there is access to higher education opportunities within the county?
Acevedo-Arreguin: I was a community student at some point in my life and I currently hold an adjunct position at a community college where I teach mathematics. I understand how I will also be vigilant that our natural resources will be an important factor of the equation when new residential developments are under study. Water is a limiting resource for our communities’ survival and just establishing more rental units or building new huge apartment structures in our communities already struggling for better services would complicate our housing problem. We need more affordable housing for homeless, low-income and middle-income families in the right places without detriment of more and better services for our established neighborhoods.
San Justo Reservoir is an important issue for residents. Other than advocating funding for the zebra mussel eradication plan (over $6 million), what else can you do to help reopen it?
Congressman Jimmy Panetta has worked hard to obtain funds to eradicate the invasive zebra mussel. However, people who used to go fishing at the reservoir feel that his work goes very slowly. it is important to know that many people go fishing not just for pleasure but to feed their families. I know from a fishing businessman that there are a lot of fishermen who often fish to help feed their families.
It is important to focus on an experimental treatment for that water such as using potassium chloride. There have been previous experiences showing how this reactant has helped remove those mollusks from bodies of water in other states. Since the difference is just that San Justo Reservoir is an open system compared to the closed system where the potassium chloride treatment was effective, then we need to adapt the procedure for this variable. The experimentation would be a good opportunity to link a local project with our community college and other actors in the region. Through a community effort (which I would like to participate in), we can help solve the water quality problem of San Justo Reservoir…
…Peter Hernandez, 47, was born and raised in San Benito County. He lives in Hollister. He us a small business owner and San Benito County Supervisor. He graduated from San Benito High School.
BenitoLink: San Benito County lacks affordable and adequate broadband service, how can you effectively advocate for funding for equitable internet access in this area?
Hernandez: As a San Benito County Supervisor I serve on the Broadband Ad-Hoc. We have worked with our member organization RCRC (Rural Counties Rural Cities) to extend support for “final mile” broadband projects where access to rural areas, as an example, are limited. In order to best advocate for equal access we must address the looming debt and inflation through putting forward cost-cutting regulations and increasing advocacy for our low-access regions.
Gavilan College serves San Benito County and is in a financial crisis. What can you do to ensure there is access to higher education opportunities within the county?
Hernandez: Government’s greatest strength is facilitating success by opportunity, access and creation. Higher education would be best at responding to shifting market needs by ensuring education is consistent with those needs. I would help facilitate a process to support economic development and job creation with supporting institutions of higher learning and enticing them to my district with education that meets our district’s needs.
San Justo Reservoir is an important issue for residents. Other than advocating funding for the zebra muscle eradication plan (over $6 million), what else can you do to help reopen it?
I have been lobbying the federal government for the last four years to get this problem addressed and resolved. The last contact was with Connie Conway, who was the state executive director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in hopes that she can help acquire the funding. This has officially been a politicized element at the federal level. We at the Board of Supervisors level have brought the Bureau of Land Management to the table many times with very generalized and weak responses. The mention of a $6 million zebra mussel eradication has been known to be the solution but there has not been any political will to get it done. One of the first things I would do is sit down with the BLM and ask for transparency, a timeline, and expectation for ongoing reporting (time) to report back to the community via town hall, and let them answer directly to the people. Light, like transparency, will clear a path to opening our San Justo Reservoir. Parallel to that, I will lobby my colleagues for the money to get it done…
…Zoe Lofgren, 75, was born, raised and still lives in San Jose. She attended public K-12 schools locally and was the first in her family to graduate from college, receiving a BA from Stanford University on a California State Scholarship, and a JD from Santa Clara University School of Law on another scholarship. Early in her career, she served as a member of staff for Rep. Don Edwards (her predecessor in Congress) for more than eight years in both his San Jose and Washington, D.C., offices. She spent a few years practicing immigration law at the firm Webber and Lofgren and taught immigration law at the University of Santa Clara School of Law. Her first election position was a member of the San Jose Evergreen Community College Board in 1979. That same year, she became the first executive director of the San Jose nonprofit Community Housing Developers. In 1980, she was elected to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors as part of the first ever female-majority board. She served as supervisor for 14 years. She was first elected to Congress in 1994 as the only freshman Democrat from west of the Rocky Mountains.
BenitoLink: San Benito County lacks affordable and adequate broadband service, how can you effectively advocate for funding for equitable internet access in this area?
Lofgren: Since the early days of the internet, I have prioritized the expansion of broadband services as it impacts local communities and plays an important role in maintaining and growing America’s competitiveness globally. I have consistently advocated and voted for increased federal funding for broadband in Congress. Additionally, I have supported targeted bills to expand high-speed broadband for specific populations, such as bills to ensure there’s plentiful access for first responders and bills to improve access in all public schools (including those in rural and harder-to-reach areas).
Since the COVID pandemic, I have voted in favor or three major pieces of federal legislation that made significant investments in broadband expansion: 1) The CARES Act (which passed in March 2020 at the outset of the pandemic) included a $100 million federal infusion; 2) The American Rescue Plan included more than $350 million for broadband; and 3) The Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill provided around $10 million for California alone for a new Affordable Connectivity Program to help low-income households afford broadband internet. As a senior member of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, I have always made my voice heard on expanding broadband, and plan to continue to do so for the 18th District in the future.
Gavilan College serves San Benito County and is in a financial crisis. What can you do to ensure there is access to higher education opportunities within the county?
Lofgren: Most decisions about allocating school funding, for both K-12 and higher education, are made at the state or local level. However, the federal government provides additional education funding through the annual appropriations process, and I have always been an advocate for increasing education funding during my time in Congress. I believe education is the most important investment we can make. My career and life have been shaped by access to affordable education opportunities and I never take that for granted.
San Justo Reservoir is an important issue for residents. Other than advocating funding for the zebra mussel eradication plan (over $6 million), what else can you do to help reopen it?
In addition to advocating for funding for the zebra mussel eradication plan, I plan to use my experience of brining people together to advance movement on the reopening. Over the years, I have learned just how important it is to bring federal, state and local stakeholders together to collaborate.
For example, for the past few years, I have been leading inter-agency, cross-government meetings on the Anderson Dam reservoir project. That reservoir is located between San Jose and Morgan Hill, and in 2019 I learned there were significant delays on a key improvement project for the dam. I Brough every involved party together in the same room to address miscommunications and to ensure there was a cohesive path for moving forward. That first in-person meeting led to a series of meetings (the most recent one held on March 31) and the public safety project is now on track.
We’re no longer encountering the types of delays we saw before we started the inter-agency meetings. It can be extremely valuable to come together at all levels of government to see progress, and that seems necessary for the San Justo Reservoir protect…
June 1: Progressive Voters Guide posted information titled: “Reelect Congressional Representative Zoe Lofgren to keep CD-18 on the right track for progress” From the information:
The Position: Congressmembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the United States Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district…
…The District: California’s 18th Congressional District includes parts of Santa Clara, Monterrey, San Benito, and and Santa Cruz Counties. Democrats typically hold this district. Of the registered voters in this district, 18% are Republican and 51% are Democrat, and the district’s demographic breakdown is 51% Latino, 14% Asian, and 3% Black. This district is considered to be a strong Latino seat in the California congressional delegation. After the 2021 redistricting process, CD-18 is 3% more Democratic than it was during the 2020 general election cycle. The most recent election results show that CD-18 voted for Biden for president in 2020 by 42 points and Newsom for governor in 2018 by 39 points.
The Race: There are four candidates running for this seat, including Democratic Incumbent Zoe Lofgren and Republican Challenger Jeff Gorman. Lofgren’s campaign has raised more than $900,000 and is not funded by police money. Rep. Lofgren’s campaign has also received donations from tech firms, such as Amazon, Facebook, and Google, even as polls have shown that voters in the district are concerned about tech companies’ economic power and lack of accountability. Gorman is a Republican whose platform is copied from the California GOP’s overall platform.
The Recommendation: …Rep. Lofgren’s priorities for CD-19 this year have included 26 bills about civil liberties, gun control, and women, all of which have successfully passed the House. She currently chairs the Committee on House Administration. This year, Rep. Lofgren has voted 100% of the time with Nancy Pelosi and 96% of the time with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez…
…As the representative for the heart of Silicon Valley, she has been active on internet and technology issues. She fought the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the NSA surveillance of Americans, and recently introduced the Online Privacy Act. However, she has been criticized for not taking a stronger stance on holding Big Tech more accountable, even on antitrust bills that have bipartisan support and despite strong support from her constituents. Lofgren has been a strong supporter of women’s rights, abortion protections, and LGBQTIA+ equity, and has led the implementation of the House of Representatives’ mandatory anti-harassment and anti-discrimination trainings…
June 2: San Benito.com posted an article titled: “Meet the candidates: 18th U.S. Congressional District” From the article:
The race for the newly drawn 18th U.S. Congressional District features two challengers to the incumbency of Congressmember Zoe Lofgren, who is vying for her 14th consecutive term.
But Lofgren has not yet represented San Benito County in Congress, as her district lines were redrawn earlier this year based on the 2020 U.S. Census data. She has previously served in the 19th Congressional District.
Challenging her in the 18th District are U.S. Citizenship Instructor Luis Acevedo-Arrguin and San Benito County Supervisor Peter Hernandez…
…The Free Lance reached out to all three candidates with a list of questions so our readers could get to know a little more about them. However, only Lofgren responded.
Lofgren is a former partner in an immigration law firm, has served on the board of San Jose Evergreen Community College and as Executive Director of Community Housing Developers. She was first elected to Congress in 1994.
Acevedo-Arreguin in the past 20 years has held several jobs, including as a lab technician for an agricultural company and a teacher, according to his candidate statement posted on the registrar of voters website. He currently helps immigrants become U.S. citizens by obtaining temporary legal status.
“I want to represent you in the U.S. Congress to work with other lawmakers so we can accomplish immigration reform, to attain more affordable health care for low and middle class families, and to ensure that our rights and freedoms in the Constitution will always be protected,” his candidate statement says.
Hernandez, a Hollister business owner, is currently serving the final year of a four-year term on the county’s board of supervisors. He previously served on the Hollister School District Board of Education.
“Our costs of living are skyrocketing. We are paying too much for gas, food, and all other daily needs,” Hernandez said in his candidate statement. “Crime is increasing in our neighborhoods. When elected to Congress, I will support policies/sponsor bills that will reduce inflation and put criminals in jail…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 18:
Zoe Lofgren (D): 56.3% – 47,843 votes
Peter Hernandez (R): 31.3% – 26,599 votes
Luis Acevedo-Arreguin (Independent): 12.4% – 10,513 votes
June 19: CBS News posted a transcript titled: “Transcript: Rep. Zoe Lofgren on “Face The Nation,” June 19, 2022″ From the transcript:
Margaret Brennan: We now want to go to Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren from California. She is in San Jose. Good morning to you. You’re one of the investigators on this Select Committee, and I think one of the most powerful moments was when the retired conservative judge Judge Lutting said that he sees a clear and present danger today. He said there could be further attempts to subvert American democracy in 2024. What exactly is the threat you see?
Representative Zoe Lofgren: Well, I think Judge Luttig said it very well. And by the way, he is a very conservative man once considered by Republicans for the Supreme Court. I think his concern and I share it is that the former president is continuing to campaign to undercut confidence in the election system. They are installing a loyalist who say that the election was stolen and states were going to count the votes. They clearly tried to get the Vice President to throw the actual votes out and replace electors with the losing candidate. And it looks like that’s in the works for the next election as well. It’s a great concern.
Margaret Brennan: So to be clear, there are about 100 Republican candidates for office right now who are repeating that they are election deniers they’re repeating some of what President Trump still claims. At least five of them have won their primaries. Have you found any direct links between any of those candidates and the grift that you have been tracking?
Rep. Lofgren: Well, we are going to release additional information. I’ve got the staff working on it right now. Obviously the hearings are a couple of hours each and you can’t lay out all the information that’s been compiled. So I know there’s been substantial interest in the – the big rip off and we will provide additional information to the public soon…
Ballotpedia provided information about Peter Hernandez:
Peter Hernandez (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 18th Congressional District. Hernandez lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Peter Hernandez’s career experience includes owning Ohana Shave Ice.
Ballotpedia provided information from Peter Hernandez’s campaign website:
Renew. Public Safety
The Rule of law & bring back safe communities.
Decriminalization laws, defund the police movements, and an intentional weakening of our rule of law has made our communities unsafe. To address the need. Congress like the local government have deferred their authority for too long. Between the divisive top down policies and the deferral of local authority we have been riper loss of freedom.
Restore. Parents rights to educate their children
Parents should have the right to educate their children. It’s time for parents to get what they paid for, an education for their children they can control. In 2014 as a School board member i saw a change in ED code where the term Pupil which defined the parent and student as one, changed to student, and the dangerous policies followed. Fast forward to today, where mandates and lockdowns forced their children into a lose, lose situation.
Revive. The middle class
The middle class is the muscle of our economy * As a small business owner deeply connected to the business community we have felt the pain of not just the lockdowns but increasing regulatory burdens * 40,000 businesses closed during the pandemic, half of them never to open again. * Small businesses – 20 employees yet bear largest regulatory burdens. This reality makes the individual a key piece of the American economy, playing a critical role in its success and growth.
The official website of Peter Hernandez has the following information on its about page:
Peter Hernandez is a first generation Mexican-American. He was born and raised in San Benito County, California, by parents who worked the fields, and he grew up in the agricultural community. He bought his first bike after working as a laborer in the Apricots Orchards as a young boy. His parents instilled in him a strong work ethic, a love for God, and a deep respect for the American dream and American exceptionalism.
As a small business owner today, Peter understands firsthand the dedication and creativity required for a small business to thrive. And as a Hispanic man, Peter is dedicated to encouraging Hispanic families in the civic and electoral process, and looks forward to serving as their voice and representative in US Congress.
Peter currently holds office as a County Supervisor for San Benito County. He is passionate about restoring representative government as originally intended – local people representing and enriching local communities – as opposed to government serving and enriching itself. During the pandemic shutdowns, Peter stood against the overreaches of the state, believing the local communities should decide for themselves how to best care for and protect their constituents. He worked to keep businesses open, knowing how vital they are to the health of the local economy.
Peter is an America First candidate who stands against the harmful progressive policies of the Biden administration and the current Democrat Congress…
Ballotpedia provided information about Luis Acevedo-Arreguin:
Luis Acevedo-Arreguin was born in Oaxaca, Mexico. Acevedo – Arreguin’s career experience includes working as a high school teacher, a college instructor, and a U.S. citizenship instructor.
Ballotpedia provided information about Luis Acevedo-Arreguin’s campaign website:
IMMIGRATION REFORM
We need to fight for an immigration reform that grants a permanent lawful residence status for all DACA dreamers and for all essential workers, who despite their immigration status, have helped our communities survive the most terrible pandemic of our century.
We need to fight for a permanent legal status for all our agricultural workers who, despite severe working conditions, continue to work every single day in the fields of the Salinas valley to cultivate and pick the vegetables that our families need at their tables. Our agricultural workers constantly work very long hours in extremely hazardous working conditions, such as working through the pandemic, being exposed to toxic air quality due to fires, heatwaves and heavy rain. Farmworkers feed our nation and we need to protect them.
We need immigration reform now – one that offers a pathway to citizenship for as many undocumented immigrants as possible. We also need to be realistic when we work towards a comprehensive immigration reform bill. An all-or-nothing immigration reform bill generally only favors the political groups that are opposed to immigration reform since it will take much longer for undocumented immigrants to become citizens. We need to come to an agreement with all parties so that we can help as many undocumented immigrants as possible. While we may not be able to guarantee a pathway to citizenship for all undocumented immigrants immediately, we need to work towards a pathway for all undocumented immigrants by breaking down our long term immigration reform plan into smaller, more attainable goals. As we make progress and are able to create a pathway to citizenship for more undocumented immigrants, then we can work on encouraging as many new citizens to vote. It is my hope that these new citizens will also empower and educate others in their communities to vote. Through a collective community effort, we will be able to continue working towards our long term plan for a comprehensive immigration reform. Through smaller and more consistent victories, we can increase our electoral influence so that we can attain permanent legal status for all. We are stronger together.
MORE AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE FOR LOW-INCOME & MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES
The economic impact that the pandemic left in our communities made our middle class families more vulnerable to health care struggles. Long before the pandemic, many families were going bankrupt due to unexpected medical bills from emergencies. The pandemic only worsened our country’s health care inequalities. As COVID-19 spread rapidly, more and more families were finding themselves in debt from medical expenses. Certainly, some stimulus checks helped those families cope with the everyday basic expenses but some medical bills were still too high.
We need to pursue legislation that will allow low income and middle class families to deal with the costs of unexpected medical expenses without putting at risk all their savings – that under different circumstances may have been used to pay rent or for their children’s education. During these past two years, many middle class families have transitioned from middle class to low income due to the financial impact of the pandemic.
Access to affordable healthcare should not be a privilege. Our families should not have to go bankrupt in order to pay for medical expenses after an emergency. We need a more humane, just, and affordable healthcare system that works for ALL – not just the very few.
MORE AFFORDABLE COLLEGE FOR LOW-INCOME & MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES
We live in a district where many of our children’s parents work in the agricultural fields. Oftentimes, many children are not able to graduate high school or pursue a higher education because they drop out of school in order to start working and supporting their families financially. If higher education was affordable, it would encourage more parents and families to view pursuing a higher education as a more viable investment into not only the future of their families, but also the future of their communities.
Keeping higher education unaffordable is an injustice that continues to target low and middle class families.
If our country is able to support other countries in times of need, such as in times of war or during the pandemic, then our country should be able to support its own people by providing access to affordable higher education.
The community colleges in every region where poverty levels are high should receive government support so their students from low-income and middle class families can pursue a degree that will allow them to break the poverty cycle in which they live. Our country is missing the value and the economic impact new graduates from community colleges can bring to their own communities. College education should be free. If not free, we need to make it affordable. Students should at the very least have access to work-study programs at their college or university. Participating in a work-study program helped me tremendously in finishing my graduate degree.
DEFENDING OUR CONSTITUTION
In difficult times and when democracy is at risk in other countries we have to be ready to defend our Constitution and our basic rights and freedoms. The unalienable rights outlined in our Bill of Rights are the cornerstone to why so many of us have immigrated to this beautiful country.
We should not succumb to the constant pressures put in place by various powerful special interest groups aimed at confusing and dividing our nation, leading us to easily give up our freedoms in the name of survival. These are the times to review the history of the United States and recognize that our Constitution is the vigorous stem from which all our freedoms branch from. We have to remind ourselves during every crisis that we immigrated to this country because of the rights that allow low-income families to pursue a better life, for the idea of achieving our American dream. Don’t forget that, “en los Estados Unidos sí se puede!” and that future generations depend on our resolution to defend our Constitution. You can count on me to be persistent and vigilant in defending our Constitution from any attempts to subvert or damage the freedoms that have allowed minorities to have a voice and succeed in America.
August 14: BenitoLink posted an article titled: “Monterey County Farm Bureau endorses Peter Hernandez for Congress” From the article:
Peter Hernandez for Congress announced received an endorsement from the Monterey County Farm Bureau.
According to the statement from the Farm Bureau in the news release, Hernandez interviewed with the directors of the Farm Bureau and stated he believes in policies that support law enforcement and community safety, talking inflationary pressures due to overspending by government, and support improving immigration policies and the farm employment sector.
“Farmers and their families who grow the food we depend on are being threatened with closure due to overarching government reach on traditional fertilization practices in the name of the environment,” Hernandez said in the news release. “The policies being pushed upon them are threatening their ability to maintain production and make ends meet threatening closure. I will fight to maintain farmers autonomy and support farmer’s choice policies.”
The release added that Monterey County Farm Bureau was founded in 1917 and represents farmers and ranchers in the interest of promoting and protecting agriculture throughout Monterey County.
“We strive to improve the ability of those engaged in production agriculture to provide a reliable source of food and fiber through reasonable stewardship in our local resources,” the Farm Bureau said in the release…
October 14: Monterey Herald posted an article titled: “Congress: Lofgren, Hernandez face off in District 18; Panetta, Gorman in District 19” From the article:
In November’s general election for the House of Representatives, Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren will go head-to-head with Republican Peter Hernandez in the District 18 race, while Democratic Rep. Jimmy Panetta will face Republican challenger Jeff Gorman to represent District 19.
Monterey County voters will be among those deciding who will lead the two newly defined congressional districts in what used to be District 20 led by Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, now made up of Districts 18 and 19.
District 18, which covers an area from San Jose to South Monterey County, will see either incumbent Lofgren, D-San Jose, who received 46.51% of the vote in the June primary, or challenger Hernandez, R-Hollister, who tallied 35.43% of the vote, named the House representative for the district.
Lofgren has been a member of the U.S. House for 27 years, currently representing the 19th District. She is a lifelong Bay Area resident, and a graduate of Stanford University and the Santa Clara University School of Law. She currently serves on the House Judiciary Committee, the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, and the Committee on House Administration. Lofgren is a chair of the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship, and a former immigration attorney and immigration law professor.
Hernandez is a first-generation Mexican American, business owner and lifelong resident of San Benito County. He has served on the Hollister School District Board and is currently serving his first term on the San Benito County Board of Supervisors. As a member of the Board of Supervisors, a partnership with the city of Hollister brought about the Downtown Revitalization Project and a lease agreement with the Hollister High School for the building of Riverview Regional Park…
November 8: Ballotpedia provided the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 18:
Zoe Lofgren (D): 64.9% – 48,049 votes
Peter Hernandez (R): 35.1% – 25,954 votes
November 18: The New York Times posted the results of California’s 18th District:
Zoe Lofgren (Democrat): 99,776 votes – 65.9%
Peter Hernandez (Republican): 51,737 votes – 34.1%
California’s 19th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 19th Congressional district:
California’s 19th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California currently represented by Democrat Jimmy Panetta.
Following redistricting in 2021, the district includes most of Santa Cruz County and parts of Santa Clara County, Monterey County and San Luis Obispo County. The new 19th district includes the south side of San Jose and the entire cities of Santa Cruz, Monterey, Seaside, Paso Robles and Atascadero…
…As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 19th district is located on the Central Coast. It encompasses most of Santa Cruz County, the interior of Santa Clara County, the north of San Luis Obispo County, and the coast of Monterey County.
Santa Clara County is split between this county, the 16th district, and the 18th district. The 19th and 16th are partitioned by Old Santa Cruz Highway, Aldercroft Hts Rd, Weaver Rd, Soda Springs Rd, Love Harris Rd, Pheasant Creek, Guadalupe Creek, Guadalupe Mines Rd, Oak Canyon Dr, Coleman Rd, Meridian Ave, Highway G8, Guadalupe River, W Capitol Expressway, Center Rd, Sylvandale Ave, Yerba Buena Rd, Silver Creek Rd, and E Capitol Expressway.
The 19th and 18th are partitioned by Pajaro River, Highway 129, W Beach St, Lee Rd, Highway 1, Harkins Slough Rd, Harkins Slough, Old Adobe Rd, Corralitos Creek, Varin Rd, Pioneer Rd, Green Valley Rd, Casserly Rd, Mt Madonna Rd, The 19th district takes in the south west section of San Jose.
Monterey County is split between this district and the 18th district. They are partitioned by Union Pacific, Highway G12, Elkhorn Rd, Echo Valley Rd, Maher Rd, Maher Ct, La Encina Dr, Crazy Horse Canyon Rd, San Juan Grade Rd, Highway 101, Espinosa Rd, Castroville Blvd, Highway 156, Highway 1, Tembladero Slough, Highway 183, Cooper Rd, Blanco Rd, Salinas River, Davis Rd, Hitchcock Rd, Highway 68, E Blanco Rd, Nutting St, Abbot St, Highway G7, Limekiln Creek, Likekiln Rd, Rana Creek, Tularcitos Creek, Highway G16, Tessajara Rd, Camp Creek, Lost Valley Creek, Lost Valley Conn, N Coast Rdg, 2 Central Coa, Cone Peak Rd, Nacimiento Fergusson Rd, Los Bueyes Creek, and the Monterey County Southern border. The 19th district takes in the cities of Monterey, Seaside, Pacific Grove, and Marina, as well as most of the census -designated place Trundle.
San Luis Obispo County is split between this district and the 24th district. They are partitioned by Highway 1, Cayucos Creek Rd, Thunder Canyon Rd, Old Creek Rd, Santa Rita Rd, Tara Creek, Fuentes Rd, Highway 41, San Miguel Rd, Palo Verde Rd, Old Morro Rd, Los Osos Rd, San Rafael Rd, Atascadero Ave, San Antonio Rd, N Santa Margarita Rd, Santa Clara Rd, Rocky Canyon Rd, Highway 229, Lion Ridge Rd, O’Donovan Rd, Highway 58, Calf Canyon Highway, La Panza Rd, Upton Rd, Camatta Creek Rd, San Juan Creek and Bitterwater Rd. The 19th district takes in the cities of Atascadero and Paso Robles.
Ballotpedia provided information about Jimmy Panetta:
Jimmy Panetta (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 19th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Panetta (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 19th Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 7, 2022.
Panetta first won election to the seat in 2016 where he defeated Casey Lucius (R) in the general election by more than 160,000 votes. In the 2018 general election, Panetta defeated Independent Ronald Paul Kabat by more than 141,000 votes.
Panetta started his legal career in 1996, working as a prosecutor for the Alameda County District Attorney’s office in Oakland. Panetta served as the deputy district attorney of Monterey County, where he was responsible for prosecuting violent gang members. In 2007, Panetta served on active duty with a Special Operations task force in Afghanistan and was awarded a Bronze Star for his combat service.
Jimmy Panetta did not fill out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection for 2022 or 2020.
Ballotpedia provided information from Jimmy Panetta’s website (from 2016):
Comprehensive Immigration Reform: He believes that the time has come for Congress to stop playing politics and get serious about passing common sense immigration reform. America must recognize that children of immigrants born in this county – the so called “dreamers” – should have the chance to earn their way to citizenship in this country
Education: Jimmy is committed to making sure the Every School Succeeds Act (ESSA) achieves its goals of providing opportunity to every child, reducing the overreliance on standardized testing, and bringing educators into the decision-making process.
Economy and Job Creation: Expanding the local economy, investing in innovation and clean energy, raising wages, supporting workers through job training programs, and helping small businesses grow will be top priorities for Jimmy.
Protecting Our Environment: Jimmy knowns that collaboration is the key to getting competing interests to work together for common good because our local economy, tourism, and agriculture are all dependent upon protection of our water, farmland, and forests.
Affordable Health Care: Jimmy believes that everyone deserves access to quality, affordable health care. California is helping lead the nation by enrolling eligible individuals and families through the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Ballotpedia provided information about Jeff Gorman:
Jeff Gorman (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 19th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Jeff Gorman was born in Monterey, California. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California Berkeley in 1992.
Jeff Gorman did not fill out Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection Survey. Ballotpedia provided provided the answers he gave to the 2020 Candidate Connection Survey. Here are some of the questions Jeff Gorman responded to:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself?
As a life-long resident of the Monterey Peninsula, I appreciate the beauty and community we enjoy in the 20th Congressional District of California. Serving the community as Representative to the National Capitol would be a tremendous honor. I believe in the power of America. And my belief in a healthy private economy has grown to be a passion.
From early in life, I recall pondering the totalitarian politics manifest during World War II by socialist governments in Italy and Germany. How could that happen? Through my childhood, we lived for years under threat of nuclear war with organized International Communism under the Soviets. How could they think Communism would work? And now, we face another tremendous challenge to the American Way of Life: the current state-run Corporatism of today’s China.
America is the leader of the Free World. We must accept that mangle. We must not appease malicious threats to navigation of trade. We must not accede to terrorism. And we must identify the threat of state-led industrial espionage by powers who are not our friends.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
A strong economy helps all of our other priorities.
National security is the primary reason for having a Federal Government.
The US economy is great because of our industrious people and our freedoms, especially to keep private property. Local, State and Federal government must be reminded to respect our rights!
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Industrial Policy National Security
Ballotpedia provided information on Dalila Epperson:
Dalila Epperson (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 19th Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Dalila Epperson was born at Camp LeJuene, North Carolina. Epperson’s career experience includes owning and operating two businesses and working as a vocational nurse at a mentally ill lockdown facility for the institutionally insane.
Dallia Epperson completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions she answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I understand this is no longer about political affiliation, it’s about our freedoms being taken away. Besides being a grassroots leader/organizer, I am the proud wife of a firefighter and Navy Veteran, mom of 3 adult children and 2 beautiful grandchildren. I am Italian and Sicilian- and Italian was my first language. I was born at Camp LeJeune (my father is USMC) and have lived in a couple of countries and several states. I have worked since I was 15 and have owned and operated two small businesses alongside several careers. Most recently before retiring, I was a Nurse at a mentally ill locked-down facility for the institutionally insane.
I am and have been standing and fighting for the freedoms that are being stripped away from us daily through these mandates and shutdowns with mine and other grassroots groups – we must always have the choice to choose what’s best for our children.
I have actively and publicly fought Central Coast public issues: Critical Race Theory, the extreme Sex Ed taught in our schools, defending and supporting law enforcement, protecting local farmers, supporting our small businesses, and attending Supervisor meetings to oppose all mask and vaccination mandates. (not anti-vax, anti-mandate) Everyone is fed up with RINOs! We need real people to lead. People who want our nation back in the direction our Founding Fathers envisioned through our Constitution. Send this Patriotic Freedom Fighter to Congress!
Q: Please list below 3 messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voter to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Enough! It’s no longer about politics or parties, race or religions, it’s about our freedom. I am not a politician. And I am sick of the RINO’s (Republican In Name Only.) I will represent you and I will fight for our freedom because that is what is most important about being an American.
America was built on freedom! Stop all Mandates, No Forced Critical Race Theory or Explicit Sex Ed Teachings to Our Children, Voter ID is a Must, Support our Police and Protect Our Border!
Government has become a huge monster in all of our lives. Our Constitution is in place to protect Individual Sovereignty as well as State Sovereignty. Let’s get this monster in check and bring our freedoms back. Let Freedom Reign!
Q: What areas of public policy are you passionate about?
1) As a mom and grandmother, I am especially passionate about our public schools. We need to replace the schoolboards with parents! My team has been working on promoting and teaching parents to run for schoolboard and we’ve been very successful. 2) The Second Amendment is especially precious. Without it, we will be bullied and coerced to do as the government dictates. It is a must to protect and I will happily continue to fight for it to be completely unfringed. 3) Voting ID Legislation to protect the integrity of our votes: We will become a 1 Party Rule if our votes cease to count. The fraud that has been taking place for decades must once and for all be stopped. 4) Protect Our Borders- We will no longer be America without the protection of our borders. Illegal immigrants are not immigrants, they are illegal. I am a first generation on my mother’s side so I understand this more than some. 5) Fund and protect our Police. Our police is what stops the chaos in our neighborhoods. They serve us, let’s serve them by keeping them well funded. 6) We will be prosperous if our economy is stable. And that can happen if our taxes are lowered and we stop printing money. It happens naturally when Small Businesses are allowed to thrive and we middle class Americans can work and thrive alongside policies that create this environment. It’s not a difficult feat to achieve. But the Federal Government must be stopped in printing money and spending as it sees fit.
Ballotpedia provided information about Douglas Deitch:
Douglas Deitch (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 19th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Douglas Deitch was born in San Francisco, California. Deitch earned a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University in 1971 and a degree from Stanford University Law School in 1974. His career experience includes founding and working as the CEO of Monterey Bay Conservancy.
Douglas Deitch filled out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Douglas Deitch: Born San Francisco, December 12, 1948… Dia de La Virgen de Guadalupe
Education: Stanford BA /wDistinction Political Science (1967-70), Stanford Law School JM/1974 (received both BA and Law JM in record 5 year time).
In 1970 at 21 years of age, my high school sweetheart Elaine and I eloped to Mazatlan from Stanford and then moved into our present mountain home he in the absolute corner of Aptos Rancho in 1974, where we have been ever since. We now include our children Alisha 42, her husband Clay, Dakota 18, Hudson 15, and our son Jake 40, all Monterey Bay natives.
I am very concerned about our Monterey Bay regional water and numerous other unaddressed Federal issues here.
I have unsuccessfully been trying for well over 24 years (http:www.samfarr.info) to meet with my Congressman about our regional 19th District wide groundwater commons overdraft seawater intrusion tragedy http://www.begentlewiththeearth.org, disaster, and food security concern, and solutions and other pressing issues like immediate DACA and other immigration/safety legislation. Expansion of USCS to Watsonville, NDAA, EMP-CME, Oroville possible Golden Gate dams issues, twin tunnels, Monterey Bay Estuarine National Monument. http://.www.thebestthatmoneycantbuy.com http:/.www.dougdeich.com
My only special interest group is you…
I need your vote and help.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voter to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Mahatma Ghandi: “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”
March 4: NBCUniversal (via Yahoo! News) posted an article titled: “Rep. Jimmy Panetta: U.S. ‘leading by example’ putting forward bill to ban Russian energy imports” From the article:
1 Community Safety/Law and Order2 Sustainable 19th District and California Water Policy and Law and Economic Development3 Immediate DACA and all Immigration and Law and Policy Reform
Q: Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow and why?
Mahatma Ghandi: “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”
March 4: NBCUniversal (via Yahoo! News) posted an article titled: “Rep. Jimmy Panetta: U.S. ‘leading by example’ putting forward bill to ban Russian energy imports” From the article:
Armed Services Committee member Representative Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) and Foreign Affairs Committee member Representative Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) join Garrett Haake to discuss the heightened urgency for U.S. lawmakers to pass an emergency aid package to Ukraine as Russian attacks become more deadly and dangerous. “I do believe we will quickly get this through Congress to provide the support, humanitarian and lethal aid to Ukraine that they need,” says Representative Spanberger. Representative Panetta also shares the importance of a bill that would “cut off Russian oil coming into the United States.” He explains that “by putting forward this bill which bans these imports, we’re leading by example. Hopefully, Europe will follow soon.”
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 19:
Jimmy Panetta (D): 70.2% – 54,023 votes
Jeff Gorman (R): 21.8% – 16,741 votes
Dalia Epperson (R): 5.1% – 3,889 votes
Douglas Deitch (D): 2.9% – 2,269
October 10: KEYT.com posted an interview with Jimmy Panetta. From the interview:
Why are you running for office?
Jimmy Panetta: I am running for reelection to the U.S. House of Representatives so that I can continue to serve the people of our home and fight for our Central Coast values. Although the shape of our congressional district changed, it does not change my dedication and desire to enhance the lives of my constituents. Through my casework for individual constituents, I have helped provide opportunities for numerous people that have had a variety of issues with federal bureaucracies. Through my federal legislation, I am creating policies to protect our environment, provide more affordable housing and accessible healthcare, lower drug prices, support our agriculture industry and small businesses, enhance our national security, and invest in our infrastructure. Having been raised on the Central Coast, I understand the obligation to give back to our communities and country. That is why I hope to continue to have the honor and privilege of representing our home and fighting for our values in Washington D.C.
What makes you qualified for the job?
I have served in the U.S. House of Representatives for just over five years. In that limited amount of time, I have proven that I can get things done in Congress for our home on the Central Coast. I have authored and had signed into law several pieces of federal legislation that supported our men and women in the military and their families, enhanced the lives of homeless veterans, helped manage our federal forests, and ensured security for those in hospice care.
I have fought and secured millions in federal funding for affordable housing, farmworker protections, and infrastructure investment. I also helped author the Farm Bill and the USMCA trade bill to protect and promote our speciality crops and wine industry at home and abroad.
I led the effort to successfully revers the previous Administration’s harmful environmental regulations in order to sustain coastal and ocean resources. I secured compensation for restaurants, small businesses, farmers, farmworkers, and hospice care providers to offset losses resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. I co-authored the House passed bipartisan Farm Worker Modernization Act to provide opportunities for earned citizenship for essential workers.
Recently, I secured funds in the bipartisan infrastructure law that could be invested in key Central Coast projects including water resources, wildfire resiliency, energy grids, and supply chain solutions. In recent House-passed legislation, I secured key funds for agricultural resources and conservation and tax credits for investments in micrograms and linear generators and purchases of electronic buses and e-bikes to help reduce carbon emissions…
What are your two main priorities if you win?
Affordable housing is a leading issue in the new 19th Congressional District. Fortunately, I have proven my ability to provide solutions and assistance for such a troublesome problem on the Central Coast. In my limited time in Congress, I fought for and secured over $100 million for housing and homelessness programs in my current congressional district. During the pandemic, I obtained $23 million in housing relief and an additional $16 million for rental assistance for Central Coast residents. I am also fighting for more low-income housing tax credits for the development and rehabilitation of affordable housing. I authored and passed a tenant bill of rights for residents of privatized military housing in the annual defense bill. Moreover, I have consistently supported increased in housing allowances for farmworkers, seniors, and people with disabilities, as well as energy efficient and climate resilient upgrades to federally assisted housing…
October 14: Monterey Herald posted an article titled: “Congress: Lofgren, Hernandez face off in District 18; Panetta, Gorman in District 19” From the article:
In November’s general election for the U.S. House of Representatives, Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren will go head-to-head with Republican Peter Hernandez in the District 18 race, while Democratic Rep. Jimmy Panetta will face Republican challenger Jeff Gorman to represent District 19.
Monterey County voters will be among those deciding who will lead the two newly defined congressional districts in what used to be District 20 led by Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, now made up of Districts 18 and 19…
…District 19 covers an area starting north of Santa Cruz inland to San Jose then southward along the coast including the Monterey Peninsula, the Big Sur area and to northern San Luis Obispo County, including Paso Robles and Atascadero. The upcoming election will decide if incumbent Panetta, who received 70.13% of the June primary vote, or Gorman, R-Monterey, who got 23.18% of the vote, will be the next House representative for the district.
Panetta has represented the current 20th Congressional District since 2017 and grew up on the Monterey Peninsula. He has worked as a prosecutor for the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office in Oakland, as deputy district attorney in Monterey County and the U.S. military with a special operations task force in Afghanistan. He was awarded the Bronze Star for his service. He currently sits on the House Committee on Ways and Means, the House Committee on Agriculture and the House Committee on Armed Services.
Gorman is a Monterey native who earned a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley. He is a financial businessman and entrepreneur who holds two degrees and various security licenses…
October 17: KEYT.com posted an article titled: “Panetta vs. Gorman for Congress in District 19, including Northern SLO County” From the article:
Democrat Congressman Jimmy Panetta and Republican challenger Jeff Gorman have divergent views on the role they should play in Washington D.C. Both men are running to represent parts of Northern San Luis Obispo County in U.S. Congress District 19.
“I’m not here to brag about what I’m going to do for other people,” Gorman said. “I think that’s a terrible trap that people are hungry for power set in order to get people into a subjective mindset where they are dependent on the government for things. I want the American people to be independent of the need for a Federal Government handout.”
Panetta is seeking a fourth term in Congress.
“In this job, you really can affect people’s lives,” Panetta said. “You can do that through case work. You can do that through Federal legislation, and you can do that through Federal funding. Obviously, I’ve seen it in the tens of thousands of people that we’ve worked with and helped with that personal government issue.”
Panetta represents District 20 in Congress. With district lines being redrawn after the most recent census, he is now running to represent District 19.
October 24: KSBY posted an article titled: “Jimmy Panetta, Jeff Gorman face off for District 19″ From the article:
The race for the U.S. House District 19 seat is down to two candidates.
Democrat Jimmy Panetta and Republican Jeff Gorman are facing off in the November General Election.
The district was just redrawn, now including northern San Luis Obispo County.
“The goal right now is to make sure that the 55 percent new voters of the 19th Congressional District get to know me,” said Democratic candidate Jimmy Panetta.
“We want working people to be able to get the fuel they need to work. We want our kids well-educated, and we want to know that smart people are in charge of our national security,” said Republican candidate Jeff Gorman.
Panetta currently represents District 20.
“As someone who was raised here, I believe that I understand the obligations we have not just to live here, but to serve here,” Panetta said. “I think that’s proven based on my service as a prosecutor, service in the U.S. Navy as an Afghanistan war vet, and then looking at my past six years as a representative for the Central Coast.”
Gorman is a Monterey resident serving as a financial adviser.
“My first job out of college was dealing with restructuring and helping Latin America get out of bankruptcy,” Gorman said. “My grandmother taught me as a little kid about fairness and about understanding and conceiving of a God that’s watching injustice in it from a heavenly perspective.”
Both candidates say their goal is to preserve the Central Coast, assisting with the physical and financial landscape.
“I am making sure our beauty is protected, our bounty, and our agriculture is protected,” Panetta said. “We have military bases and bedrooms, making sure affordable housing is available for people.”
“All of us have an interest in the federal government balancing its budget, which the current and the current Congress have utterly failed to do,” Gorman said. “That is why we have inflation.”…
…”I’ve made it a point to get down here in many of the communities here in the northern part of San Luis Obispo County,” Panetta said.
“Nancy Pelosi, Joe Biden, and Gavin Newsom have taken this country and the state in the wrong direction,” Gorman added…
…Because of redistricting, Panetta is considered the incumbent for the new District 19…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 19:
Jimmy Panetta (D): 67.3% – 91,936 votes
Jeff Gorman (R): 32.7% – 44,596 votes
California’s 20th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided the following information about California’s 20th Congressional District:
California’s 20th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. sate of California. Serving much of southern and southeastern part of the state’s Central Valley, the district is currently represented by Republican Kevin McCarthy, the current House Speaker.
Redistricting in 2022 returned the district to the San Joaquin Valley. The new 20th includes parts of Kern, Tulare, Kings, and Fresno counties. It includes the southern Sierra Nevada and western Mojave Desert, with three “fingers” extending west into the valley. Cities in the district include Clovis, Tehachapi, Ridgecrest, Taft, Lemoore, the west and northeast sides of Bakersfield, the south side of Visalia, the northeast side of Tulare, the north side of Hanford, and a sliver of northeastern Fresno including California State University, Fresno. The new 20th district is the most Republican-leaning district in California, according to the 2022 Cook Partisan Voting Index.
Prior to 2022, it encompassed much of the Central Coast region. The district included Monterrey and San Benito counties, most of Santa Cruz County, and portions of Santa Clara County.
Prior to redistricting on 2011, the 20th district was located in San Joaquin Valley. It covered Kings County and portions of Fresno and Kern counties, including most of the city of Fresno. That area is now largely divided between the 21st and 16th districts, while most of the current 20th was within the former 17th.
Ballotpedia provided information about Kevin McCarthy:
Kevin McCarthy (Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 20th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
McCarthy (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 20th Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
McCarthy was selected to be the House minority leader in the 116th Congress. On January 7, 2023, McCarthy was elected speaker of the U.S. House in the 118th Congress.
McCarthy represented California’s 22nd Congressional District in the U.S. House from 2007 to 2013. He began his political career in the California State Assembly, serving from 2002 to 2007. He was Assembly Minority Leader from 2004 to 2006.
McCarthy endorsed Donald Trump for the Republican primary in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and endorsed Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election.
Kevin McCarthy did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Ballotpedia provided information from Kevin McCarthy’s 2018 campaign website:
Executive Overreach: The Constitution is clear: the structure and stability of our democratic system depends on the President executing the laws passed by Congress – not unilaterally rewriting them. The separation of powers and its checks and balances are designed to protect individual rights and we must continue to act to ensure they are preserved for future generations.
Water: Though we can’t legislate rain, we can overcome federal and state policies that are exacerbating our historic water shortage. Even as El Nino storms provided much needed rain and snow, out-of-touch activists and regulators have idly let water flush out into the ocean instead of capturing it for our communities. By increasing pumping, investing in infrastructrure, and making meaningful changes to our water management regulations we will be able to deliver our communities a reliable water supply.
Enhancing Competitiveness: To produce a business-friendly environment, create jobs, and allow American businesses to compete in a global marketplace, we must keep burdensome taxes low and reduce unnecessary and duplicative regulator red tape.Taxes: There are some in Congress who wish to increase taxes on American families and businesses, so that more money can be spent on Washington programs. We must fight against irresponsible indulgence; taking more from taxpayers does not create jobs or grow prosperity.
Taxes: There are some in Congress who wish to increase taxes on American families and businesses, so that more money can be spent on Washington programs. We must fight against irresponsible indulgence; taking more from taxpayers does not create jobs or grow prosperity.
Securing our Borders: It’s time to secure the border, enforce our laws, and find a real solution. We are a nation of immigrants, but also a nation of laws. Securing the border has to be the first step in developing a realistic solution to our country’s broken immigration system.
Ballotpedia provided information about Marisa Wood:
Marisa Wood (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 20th Congressional District. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Marisa Wood was born in Danville, California. Wood’s career experience includes working as a public school English teacher.
Marisa Wood did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Ballotpedia provided information from Marisa Wood’s 2022 campaign website:
FOSSIL FUEL PLEDGE
I have proudly signed the pledge to not accept any donation from the Fossil Fuel Industry.
PROMISE TO CONSTITUENTS
Every vote I make; every piece of legislation I advance will be grounded this question – am I meeting the needs of the constituents who depend on me?
EDUCATION
As an educator for over 25 years, I know the foundational value of equitable education and the positive impacts on our Central Valley families and students. Education is the great equalizer. Regardless of where a student starts, their opportunities are limitless through education. I have been inspired by my students, who are the first in their family to go to college. I have been inspired by my students living with their whole family in a small trailer but still, show up with their homework done. Their academic success is a beacon of hope for us all.
In Congress, I will continue my job of educating but will focus on teaching politicians in Washington about the importance of investing in our students, from worker training programs and making college more affordable.
From leading Restorative Practices on campus to teaching high achieving students and English learners, my vision has been clear – students come first! Today’s students are our brightest hope for the future! We must prepare them to meet that future with intelligence, integrity, and compassion.
HEALTHCARE
As a teacher for the past 21 years in the Fairfax school district, I have seen my students and their families struggle accessing affordable quality healthcare. We must find a fiscally responsible plan that meets the diverse needs of our families who have limited access to the essential healthcare they and their families need while not sacrificing the quality of care. Individuals and families’ needs are different in terms of their healthcare to include public buy-in options that are affordable and accessible to all which would include expanding Medicare coverage to allow people to buy-in. No one should have to choose between putting food on the table, going to the doctor, or taking their medication. We see today with the COVID-19 pandemic, how the nation came together to solve one of our most pressing public health emergencies. This is proof that we can meet our healthcare needs when we can put people and their healthcare first…
…REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
I will adamantly defend a person’s right to safe, accessible reproductive healthcare. Ultimately, decisions about whether to choose adoption, end a pregnancy, or raise a child MUST be left to the patient, in consultation with their family, their Faith, or healthcare provider if they choose. It is essential that abortion remain a safe and legal medical procedure for a person to consider when and if they need it. This is a deeply personal decision that can not be made for someone else. Patients must have accurate medical information about their options and be supported in their decisions. Politicians should NOT be involved in the personal medical decisions of a pregnancy. The decision rests solely with the individual and not the politician…
Ballotpedia provided information about Ben Dewell:
Ben Dewell (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 20th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Ben Dewell was born in Burbank, California. He earned bachelor’s degree from the California State University at Fresno in 1976 and a graduate degree from the University of California at Davis in 1986. His career experience includes working as the director of the Stallion Springs Community Service District, the director of the Variance Hearing Board for the Eastern Kern Air Pollution District, and the chief meteorologist with WEATHERx.
Ben Dewell completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Survey. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: The people of the 20th Congressional District deserve a representative who lives in the 20th – not in the Washington Beltway, understands that needs of its residents from a very personal perspective – not the moneyed positions of the wealthy elite, and who will uphold their solemn oath of office to support and defend the Constitution of the United States – not the whims of any authoritarian wannabe.
I am an 11th generation American and native Californian, raised in the San Joaquin Valley. I hold a Master of Science in Atmospheric Science from the University of California, Davis and a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from California State University, Fresno. I’ve forecasted weather as a meteorologist for the specific needs of the world’s most productive agricultural economy, offering the first privately computer accessible forecast prior to the existence of the world wide web. I currently serve as Director the Hearing Board of the Eastern Kern Air Pollution Control District, inclusive of mining interests and aerospace industries. I am also a Director with the Stallion Springs Community Service District. I am a fiscal conservative, social progressive centrists, always looking for ways to solve the unsolvable.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
I am running in the 20th CD to restore democratic principle an accountability and fidelity to the Constitution of the United States to the seat.
I grew up and have lived within the present boundaries of the 20th CD from Kern to Fresno Counties for most of 50 years and know it intimately, understand its complex issues from Ag to immigration, not from an absent seat in Washington, but modest rural residence within the 20th.
Integrity, compassion, independence – I am with you because I am one of you.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
A: DEMOCRACY: Paramount to any other issue at this moment in time is the future of our Democracy. The survival of our American Democracy, humanity’s first and most durable democracy and the light of the world’s oppressed, must be protected against all enemies, foreign or domestic. The right of self determination and the principle that those who lead do so only by the authority of those led must be held sacrosanct.
THE ECONOMY: From the price of gas to the cost of milk and eggs, inflation is eating away at American’s incomes at a startling rate. Nobody knows this better than those of us on fixed incomes, and families. I am with you because I am one of you.
CLIMATE CHANGE: Anthropogenic (man made) climate change is settled science – as much as gravity is. What man hath wrought, man can correct. Although fossil fuels will continue to be an important resource, the continued transition to renewable alternatives must be encouraged and supported if further warming is to be avoided.
IMMIGRATION: In America, unless we are Native American, we all come from somewhere else. Immigration and citizenry demands accountable and orderly policies so the both citizens and immigrants understand their responsibilities and obligations. The dignity of work and family must be upheld for those willing to come to this nation to do the jobs that Americans won.
AMERICA’S WILDLANDS: America’s wildlands, the envy of the world, are our heritage. We protect them because our children have a r
Ballotpedia provided information about James Macauley:
James Macauley (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 20th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
James Macauley was born in San Francisco, California. He earned a bachelor’s degree from San Jose State University in 1977. Macauley’s career experience includes working as an accountant.
James Macauley completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: I’m a retired accountant. I received a BS Degree from San Jose State University in 1977: Double Major: Finance & Economics. I worked in the Hi-Tech industry for 10 years before starting my own consulting practice, providing Financial, Operational, Administrative and Sales Services.
Father of three, I believe America’s missions still about building a culture of Self-Governance for ordinary people. Freedom, Faith, Family, Fraternity, Fidelity – Funded by American Capitalism. These are the values that historically bound us together… and I believe can still unite us today … as one people and one nation under God. And for my money, that’s all intakes to be a “True American” … of every race, gender, color or creed.
Having heard my views on the Tax Structure, people often ask me if I’m a Republican or a Democrat. My response is always the same, “Does it matter?” I’m a registered Republican and Conservative. But more importantly, I’M A TRUE AMERICAN with a “Hopeful Vision of what America can still become” …a vision that one day in our near future we can drop all the qualifiers that were created by political interest groups to divide us… and simply say “I’m an American” … and that will say all that needs to be said.
How about you? Are you also a True American with a hopeful vision of a far better future? If not, maybe I can help you with that. If so, perhaps my Business Plan.. “The 70/70 Proposition” is just the plan to get us there.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Consistent with the Taxation Agreement made with the American people in 1913, every worker, Rich or Poor, effective 1/1/23 shall receive $120,000 of their income federally tax-free. This reduces the taxes of 43 million taxpayers to “0″
Consistent with 1913 Tax Agreement, effective 1/1/23 workers may convert 15.3% Employer/Employee Payroll Tax on up-to $120,000 of income into “Mandatory Tax-Free Savings” increasing the Investment Capital for 70% of workforce by up-to $18,360.
Consistent with the 1913 Taxation Protocols, as intended all federal faxes on income beginning 1/1/23 shall be paid by the top 20% of American income earners. “Noblesse Oblige”: With great wealth comes great responsibility… beginning with taxes.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
While I have well developed views on the steps, both strategically and tactically, that America’s political leadership should be taking today at the Federal, State and/or Local level to address the issues of… Inflation, Public Safety, Education, Homelessness, Term Limits, Trading Bans, Net Worth Disclosures, Student Debt, Immigration, National Sovereignty, Border Security, Energy/Resource Independence and the Recalibration of our National/Global Interests particularly as they pertain to China and Russia…
…as your Congressman… “To Right This Ship Domestically”
I believe our first priority as a nation “MUST BE” to reduce the taxes paid by working Americans in-order-to:
1 increase their Disposable Income by reducing whenever possible the taxes they are forced to pay at the Federal, State and Local Level
2 increase their rightful share of the growth and prosperity of the country these working Americans are in fact responsible for building and maintaining… by doing what?
…by simply giving every worker in America from a very young age another “Choice” about how and where … THEIR MONEY … their Payroll Taxes… their “Mandatory Retirement Savings” is invested throughout their career.
My Goal: Turn every worker in America at the age of 16 into a “Working Capitalist” so they then have the opportunity by the time they retire to also be Financially Independent and living the American Dream.
Ballotpedia also reported that James Davis (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 20th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022. Ballotpedia has no further information about James Davis.
March 24: KGET.com posted an article titled: “A closer look at Kern’s candidates: Marisa Wood” From the article:
This June and November, voters in Kern will face a slate of options. 17 News is sitting down with Kern’s candidates so the county can make informed decisions.
We are turning to Kern’s 20th congressional district which stretches from Bakersfield to the Fresno suburb of Clovis. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) is the incumbent in this race. He is facing a slate of challengers in Marisa Wood (D), Jim MacCauley (R), James Davis ‘The Deviant’ and Ben Dewell.
A Closer look at Marisa Wood
Middle school teacher and first-time congressional candidate, Marisa Wood, entered politics with the hope of taking down one man.
“I have the courage to stand up to the bully Kevin McCarthy, career politician,” she said. “I ask my students every day, I’m like be the one, be the one to stand up to the bully and now, ironically, I’m being called to do just that.”
The daughter of a teacher, Wood grew up in California’s Bay Area. She met her husband, John – who works in agriculture – while in college at California Polytechnic State University. Together, they moved to Bakersfield where they raised three kids on an apple farm…
…Now in her 60s, Wood has taught English at Fairfax Junior High for the last two decades. That’s where she says she saw she could make a difference.
“Eight eight percent of my students receive free and reduced lunch, 10% are from migrant families, 13% are homeless, so I have faces and hearts that I’ve seen that are struggling,” she said.
It could be an uphill battle for Wood, a Democrat, in a deep-red district in which Republicans out-register Democrats by a margin of about 21 percent. Not to mention, an area where McCarthy has never lost a congressional election…
…Wood says she wants to be involved in legislation addressing education and labor, specifically mentioning she supports President Biden’s infrastructure bills and the farmers modernization act, which she says ensure the agriculture industry can have a sustainable workforce.
“The folks here, they don’t need a handout,” she said. “The folks here in California 20, they just need a hand. A hand in those kitchen table issues that matter most to them.”
Among those issues, Wood cites the rising prices of groceries, housing, healthcare and gas prices as some she wants most to tackle. Wood ran through a list of people in the district: single parents, veterans, the working class, seniors, women, people of color, LGBTQ community.
For them, she says she has one message: “I will be your voice,” Wood said…
May 14: Bakersfield.com posted an article titled: “McCarthy’s challengers in new 20th District share goal of replacing him” From the article:
Leave it to politicians: The only consensus among all four underdogs in the race for California’s new 20th Congressional District is that they all see themselves, individually, as the best alternative to eight-term incumbent Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield.
Most everything else in their platforms differs from one to the next, ranging from a tax-focused pitch to a mainstream Democratic agenda. The question is, which message has enough voter appeal to place second in the June 7 primary election, and thereby qualify for November’s inevitable runoff?
There would seem to be little risk for McCarthy, even as he recently faced a series of crises in Washington D.C. related to his communications with former President Donald Trump about the Jan. 6 2020, Capitol riot. No candidate in the primary approaches his profile, support and name recognition.
McCarthy’s chances of qualifying for the November runoff – and potentially going on to become second in line to the presidency, if the GOP retakes control of the House – are even better after a redistricting process that extended the former 23rd District northwest to the Millerton area in Madera County and left the new 20th with a significantly higher ratio of Republicans to Democrats…
…One of his challengers has the benefit of high-profile endorsements by the state Democratic Party and major labor unions. The other three have their own reasons for running against McCarthy, and endorsements or not, they present unique arguments for why they deserve to take office.
Bakersfield Democrat Marisa Wood grew up in Danville and has taught for 25 years, all but four of them at the Fairfax School District. She has the support of her party and the state’s unions.
She said she would give voice to forgotten or ignored constituents, including those in working middle class, veterans, single parents, the poor, people of color, the LGBTQ community, seniors and public servants of every stripe.
With a team of consultants, most of them in Washington, she said she hopes to defeat McCarthy by pushing out voter registration and spending time in the community, as well as phone banking, a postcard campaign and the help of local Democrats.
“Those are going to be my warriors who are going to be doing canvassing with me,” Wood said.
…Tehachapi ag meteorologist Ben Dewell, a director on the Stallion Springs Community Service board since 2018, is running for office for the first time against an opponent. He said he considered himself a strong candidate because of his independence and willingness to compromise in order to make progress.
Dewell said McCarthy hasn’t done enough for his constituents, though is primary motivation for running was his disappointment with the congressman’s actions related to the Capitol riot.
“His support of a known insurrectionist and his groveling at the feet of that insurrectionist provoke me into no other action,” Dewell said.
Another of McCarthy’s challengers, James “The Deviant” Davis, has returned after running unsuccessfully against the House minority leader in 2016.
After growing up in South Carolina, Davis moved to Bakersfield and became a title researcher and archivist. Also a sound and systems engineer, and a skeptic of COVID-19 vaccines, he said he worries about inflation and the economy.
“You want recession, vote for Kevin McCarthy,” he said.
James “Jim” Macauley is a retired accountant from Northern California who said he’s move to the 20th District from the Sacramento area if he wins the election. He said he hopes to finish second in the primary so he can “continue the conversation” about his proposal to fix the nation by privatizing Social Security and Medicare while taxing only incomes greater than $120,000 per year.
He also wants stricter term limits, though his primary message is that changing the way the government collects money will close the wealth gap.
“I’m running because that message needs to get out,” he said.
McCarthy’s campaign did not respond to a request for an interview but it did provide written information and comments The Californian requested by email…
…McCarthy said he will ensure neighborhoods are safe and stand up for law enforcement, strengthening the military and halting deficit spending he said have run up inflation. He said he continues to push for manufacturing and production in critical industries like oil and gas, while working to improve U.S. economic independence, promoting investment in water infrastructure and bringing attention and resources to valley fever.
June 7: Bakersfield.com posted an article titled: “McCarthy, Wood well ahead of third place in 20th District contest” From the article:
Republican incumbent Kevin McCarthy and Democratic challenger Marisa Wood, in early voting results Tuesday, were comfortably head of three other candidates running for California’s 20th Congressional seat.
With 44,828 votes counted as of about 10:15 p.m., House minority leader McCarthy led with 53.3 percent of the vote, as compared with Wood’s 29.2 percent. Tehachapi ag Ben Dewell was running third at that time with 8.9 percent.
Under state election rules, the top two finishers will advance to the general election.
McCarthy is an eight-term congressman who switched over to the 20th District because of a redistricting process that changed his former 23rd District. If he prevails, and if Republicans win back control of the House of Representatives, McCarthy is a leading contender for Speaker of the House.
He declared victory at 9:20 p.m.
“I want to thank the voters of the new 20th District for their support in our shared vision to make the Central Valley more prosperous, safer, and affordable for our families and communities,” he said in a news release.
Wood, a Danville native and Bakersfield resident who has taught for 25 years, mostly in the Fairfax School District, has the support of her party and the state’s unions.
She said Tuesday evening she was excited, inspired, and encouraged, looking forward to “setting the stage for a historic victory.”
“I’m focused on my opponent, which will be Kevin, and the fact that integrity matters and this community will always be my No. 1 priority,” Wood added…
Ballotpedia posted the results for the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 20:
Kevin McCarthy (R): 58.7% – 45,191 votes
Marisa Wood (D): 25.1% – 19,399 votes
Ben Dewell (D): 7.3% – 5,609 votes
James Davis (R): 4.9% – 3,737 votes
James Macauley (R): 4.0% – 3,115 votes
June 13: KLTA5 posted an article titled: “McCarthy, Wood move on to California’s 20th Congressional District general election” From the article:
The Associated Press is projecting incumbent Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R) will move forward to California’s 20th Congressional District and face Democratic challenger Marisa Wood.
The Associated Press called the second spot for Wood on Friday.
McCarthy currently holds the seat for California’s 23rd Congressional district and is running in the new 20th Congressional district. He was born in Bakersfield, Calif.,and graduated from California State University, Bakersfield.
Only an hour and 20 minutes after the polls closed Tuesday night, McCarthy declared his victory. He sent out a statement via email.
That statement read:
“I want to thank the voters of the new 20th District for their support in our shared vision to make the Central Valley more prosperous, safer, and affordable for our families and communities. I also want to personally thank my family, staff and volunteers for their tireless work and commitment. It is my greatest honor to represent you in Congress, and I will continue to fight to stop the rising cost of inflation in our stores and at the pump, keep our neighborhoods safe, and bring more water to our farms and communities.”
Wood is a teacher at Fairfax Junior High School. According to her campaign website, Wood was born in Danville, Calif., and has been in Kern County for 35 years. She attended California Polytechnic State University…
July 24: Los Angeles Times (via Yahoo! News) posted an article titled: “As Kevin McCarthy’s California district gets redder, discontent brews on his right” From the article:
In Washington, Kevin McCarthy is the ultimate party-line Republican, one of former President Trump’s most loyal congressional foot soldiers and leading the charge in the GOP’s quest to regain control of the House in November.
But back in his district, Cora Shipley is skeptical.
“I do not believe that he is a true conservative,” said Shipley, 78, owner of an ice cream shop in Clovis, which was drawn last year into the new 20th Congressional District, where McCarthy is seeking reelection.
Shipley’s shop is a staple of Old Town Clovis, where American flags line antique stores and country music plays over a loudspeaker. She said she is waiting to see how McCarthy will lead the GOP should he become House Speaker next year.
“He’s been on both sides of a lot of issues,” she said from a table in the back of the shop, with photos of Elvis on the walls and a “thin blue line” flag hanging outside.
McCarthy is tasked with introducing himself to more than 200,000 new voters in a district where the GOP’s registration advantage has grown to almost 20 percentage points, the largest in the state. But even in an area that red, McCarthy faces mistrust from voters on his right flank – including some who have supported him in the past.
“When you hear people talk about the swamp, he’s part of that system,” said Eric Rollins, 57, of Clovis. “He’s a long-term politician.”…
…Only two hours north of Los Angeles, Bakersfield is the gateway to the red island that some Californians view as flyover country. Here, agriculture and oil dominate the culture and, in turn, the conservative politics. It’s a region that is “more west Texas than Texas,” said Mark Arax, a journalist who has written extensively about it for The Times and others.
McCarthy, 57, is generally popular in Bakersfield, thanks in part to his deep roots in the city: He ran a small sandwich shop after graduating from the public high school, and his father was assistant fire chief. Supporters say McCarthy has a strong conservative record in Congress, and many are excited about the possibility of one of Kern County’s own serving as speaker.
“I don’t know one issue that Kevin McCarthy has voted on in Congress that a conservative wouldn’t respect,” said Cathy Abernathy, 71, a Kern County Republican consultant. When she was chief of staff GOP then-Rep. Bill Thomas, she hired McCarthy as an aide…
…Others in the area back him based on his good reputation. He’s known as “a first-name-basis kind of guy,” said Jan Scurlock, a 70-year-old former financial consultant who moved here four years ago. She plans to vote for McCarthy in November.
But the low level of trust conservatives have in institutions and government is palpable in the district – and its manifestation isn’t always friendly to McCarthy, who has served in Congress since 2006…
“I think he’s kind of a marshmallow,” said Scott Cross, 65, a music instructor. “I used to like him a whole lot. But he’ll back this, and then when its unpopular to back this, he’ll back that. And when it’s unpopular to back that, he’ll back this.”…
…Dale Pitstick, 60, a lifelong Republican whom Trump turned into an independent, winced when asked whether he’d voted for McCarthy in the past. “An error,” he said.
In Bakersfield, “people are still entrenched in Trump world,” said Pitstick, who works for an insurance company.
To him, McCarthy’s continued embrace of Trump after the Jan. 6 attack “uncovered who Kevin McCarthy really was.”
“He’s a power-hungry individual who’s out for himself,” Pitstick said, “not for the citizens”…
Ballotpedia posted the results of the General election for U.S. House California District 20:
Kevin McCarthy (R): 67.6% – 68,562 votes
Marisa Wood (D): 32.4% – 32,809 votesTotal votes: 101,371 [...]
August 26, 2023CaliforniaCalifornia has more congressional districts than other states do. In 2022, all of the districts held an election. Here is what happened in the first 10 congressional districts.
California’s 1st Congressional District
Wikipedia provided the following information about California’s 1st Congressional District:
California’s 1st congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in California. Doug LaMalfa, a Republican, has represented the district since 2013.
Currently, it encompasses the northeastern part of the state. Since the 2022 election, it includes the counties of Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, and Tehama and most of Yuba County. The largest cities in the district are Chico, Redding, and Yuba City.
Prior to redistricting in 2021, it included Butte County, Lassen County, Modoc County, Plumas County, Shasta County, Sierra County, Siskiyou County, Tehama County, most of Nevada County, part of Glenn County and part of Placer County. In the 2020 redistricting, it added the Yuba-Sutter area and removed most of its share of the Sierra Nevada.
LaMalfa began his political career as a member of the California State Assembly, where he represented the 2nd District from 2002 to 2008. He served in the California State Senate from 2010 to 2012, becoming the Senate minority whip.
Ballotpedia reported that Doug LaMalfa did not fill out their Candidate Connection survey.
Ballotpedia provided information about Max Steiner:
Max Steiner (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to Represent California’s 1st Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
A: Forest Management: We need to adopt best practices to manage our forests to create resiliency in the face of climate change.
Fire Management: We need to return to a strategy of aggressive initial attack. We also need a more flexible way to manage woodland firefighters through pre-trained, part-time, reserve crews that the government can activate as needed.
National Security: The US faces an international environment that requires active diplomatic engagement with a military that stands ready. However, we don’t need armchair generals. We need fighters in Congress that know the stakes.
Q: What area of public policy are you personally passionate about?
A: We have a fire problem in the North State because we have a forest management problem, and the crux of the problem is that there is too much biomass in our forests.
We need to cut down many of the small-and medium-sized trees to create space. This space will facilitate tree growth and fire safety while generating responsible, renewable revenues for property owners. Our forests are a resource, but they are also an increasingly a risk: we can manage that risk better through better policies. Public discourse on this topic has too often been ruined by simplistic, sound-bite ready policies on both sides of the political aisle. We can’t solve forestry with soundbites. My brother lost his house in Redding to the Carr fire: I have skin in the game, and I know that the status quo is unacceptable.
Policy Proposals:
Transition the Forest Service from USDA to the Department of the Interior – where it would join the Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service in managing our natural resources.
Subsidize the start-up costs and streamline regulations for greater mill capacity and responsible logging in the North State. This will include market interventions to make American timber more competitive. We have too much biomass in our forests and we need to incentivize the market to thin the small, crowded trees that threaten our communities.
Q: What was your very first job? How long did you have it?
A: My first real job was as a U.S. Army Infantryman. It transformed me from a shy and nerdy co-captain of the school math team into an assertive and extroverted soldier. I took immense pride in wearing the American flag on my sleeve but, at the same time, I could tell the Iraq War was going poorly. I decided to become a diplomat and attended the University of California, Berkeley after finishing my second tour. The Army was, and continues to be, a huge influence on my life. It certainly has its downsides, and is often difficult, but it is a job I take great pride in.
Ballotpedia provided information about Tim Geist:
Tim Geist (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 1st Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Tim Geist was born on Midway Island. Geist earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1986. His career experience includes working as a caregiver, a science writer, and a published researcher with the University of California at Santa Barbara Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. Geist has been a sustaining member of the Republican National Committee.
Tim Geist completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: Tim Geist is prepared to represent the First Congressional District of California, because he does represent the First Congressional District of California.
Straight from the heart, this is who I am:
I have dug ditches and washed dishes all the while for poverty wages. I drove trucks for a few bucks and built houses all through their stages. After youthful acts of defiance, I discovered science and published research judged worthy by sages.
My greatest achievement preceeded my greatest bereavement, faithfully serving my mother each day through Alzheimer’s rages. I helped my mother make her last stand. I held my mother’s hand as she passed on into what heaven now engages.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about you goals for your time in office?
Strong Borders: Build the Wall and make it tall. We must know who is crossing our international borders, to protect our economy and our security.
Strong Economy: Capitalistic innovation makes US great, keeps US great. Over-regulation stiffles innovation. Strong Unions built a strong middle class that propelled our economy forward in the 20th Century. In the 21st Century, Artificial Intelligence is coming for our jobs, and coming fast. We must anticipate the massive economic upheaval which is inevitable due to the rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence. Due to AI, with our current policies, most of the economy will be in hands of very few families by the end of the 21st Century.
Strong Democracy: Without democracy, we are nothing to those in power, nothing! For common people, there is no freedom without democracy and no democracy without the truth. A democracy that elects leaders because of their lies, is not a democracy. It is a rebuilt of the betrayed, led by its traitors. I have a problem with that! Don’t you?
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I propose a law, a new check and balance, to address our greatest internal threat against the American Democracy
Today, there is booming business model that spreads heat with vicious lies, for power and profit. This malignancy grows out from a well known phenomenon in the science of Sociology.
The Phenomenon: Groups become more cohesive when they perceive, OR THINK, they perceive an external threat. Leaders can LIE for the same effect!
Ballotpedia provided an edit to the first point in this section:
Individuals in this group pay closer attention to group authorities that speak about these “threats.” Advertisers love audiences that pay close attention and pay well $$$ for access to these anxious audiences. This text replaces whatever it was that Tim Geist wrote.
Individuals in this group are more willing to contribute their own resources $$$ to leaders after the “threatened” group. Donald Trump received about one quarter BILLION $$$ in donations, AFTER the November 3, 2020 presidential election and before January 6, 2021 attack against our democracy. These lucrative donations came from frightened victims of President Trump’s assertion that the election was stolen. President Trumps claim of massive election fraud was evaluated as “B–S—” by his otherwise completely loyal Attorney General, William Barr, whom investigated all of the allegations.
Individuals in the “threatened” group are less likely to question authorities. Indeed. a Yerkes Dodson graph reveals that individuals that become too anxious, can not think at all. Dictators love that!
Ballotpedia provided information on Rose Penelope Yee:
Rose Penelope Yee (independent) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 1st Congressional District. Lee lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Rose Penelope Yee earned a B.S. in civil engineering from the University of San Agustín and a M.B.A. from the Asian Institute of Management. Yee’s career experience includes co-founding and working as the CEO of Green Retirement, Inc.
April 7: KRCR Chico-Redding (Via MSN) posted an article titled: “KNOW YOUR CANDIDATES: Max Steiner (D), CA’s 1st Congressional district.” From the article:
…Doug LaMalfa (R) is running for his sixth term as a congressman, having first been elected in 2013. In the past two election cycles (2018, 2020), LaMalfa, a Richville resident, easily defeated his Democratic challenger Audrey Denney.
Now, it’s 36-year-old Army veteran Max Steiner that will look to defeat the Republican incumbent this November. Steiner identifies as a “centrist democrat” and is running his campaign around two core American values: patriotism and constitutional democracy. Steiner, who fought in Iraq, hopes that voters will agree that it’s time for a change in the Northstate; that it’s time to elect someone younger, with a fresh perspective.
KRCR sat down with Steiner on Thursday morning, in his brother’s backyard in west Redding. Why that location? Because his brother’s house burnt down in the Carr Fire and Steiner believes the state (and our region in particular) is not doing enough to limit fire risk.
“I want to be the rep. that goes to Congress and says “I’m going to bring back billions of dollars to solve fire.”
Specifically, Steiner said he wants to focus more attention on thinning forests. “We need to have subsidies to do thinning and to do prescribed fire on public land.”
Steiner wants to work with the forest service and logging companies to make sure fire-prone areas are maintained, and that logging companies in particular can receive funds from the government to ensure they trump down land to a certain, safe standard.
In regards to holding public utility companies accountable if they spark fires, Steiner didn’t hold back. “Unlike my opponent, who gets campaign donations from PG&E, I think PG&E needs to get slammed. I think they should not exist as a private company anymore…
June 7: Ballotpedia posted the results of the Primary for U.S. House California District 1:
Doug LaMalfa (R): 51.3% – 34,504 votes
Max Steiner (D): 38.4% – 25,823 votes
Tim Geist (R): 6.5% – 4,366 votes
Rose Penelope Yee (Independent): 3.9% – 2,613 votes
July 1: North State Public Radio posted an article titled: “Interview: District 1 congressional hopeful Max Steiner on Roe v. Wade” From the article:
Max Steiner, the Democratic candidate for California’s 1st Congressional District, which encompasses multiple North State counties, says the U.S. Supreme Court should not be paid “empty respect that it does not deserve.”
Steiner’s comments came after the court’s decision June 24 overturning Roe v. Wade, which had guaranteed the right to an abortion for five decades.
“It will take many years and probably a comprehensive change in personnel – just as judges retire and new ones are appointed – to restore the faith that Americans had in the Supreme Court 20 years ago,” said Steiner, who supports restoring Roe v. Wade by federal legislation.
Steiner, a Chico resident who served four years of active duty in the Army and two years in Iraq, bills himself as a “moderate” Democrat and is challenging Republican Congressman Doug LaMalfa in the November general election. NSPR interviewed Steiner, June 27, covering his candidacy, reproductive rights and the institution of the Supreme Court.
LaMalfa’s staff did not respond to an interview request on the Supreme Court’s ruling.
…On the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade
The decision itself is a disaster. It’s a disaster for the court because it makes it clear that we now have a very politicized court. A court that is going to try to implement Republican policy objectives through the judicial review system, and that is an activist court. It is something I opposed when the right wing was claiming that the left wing was doing it – even though we’ve had a Republican majority Supreme Court for 40 years? Since Reagan. And now they have a 6-3, and now they’re ramming through very extreme policy.
So, No. 1, disaster for the four the court. And No. 2 – and obviously more important – it’s a disaster for the American people. Half of Americans are now at risk of losing their abortion rights, depending on where they live. So, we’re safe here in California, but many women woke up Friday morning to a world that has changed. This is not how America is supposed to work. We have never had a Supreme Court roll back rights like this one on a massive scale. Such a massive overturning of precedent and a rolling back of individual liberties is not how I want my government to function…
…On whether the electorate should still have respect for the institution of the Supreme Court
No, I don’t, and I don’t think many people should. I think the Supreme Court has shown itself to be a very partisan branch of the government. I don’t support getting rid of it, but I don’t think we should pay it empty respect it does not deserve. It will take many years and probably a comprehensive change in personnel – just as judges retire and new ones are appointed – to restore the faith that American had in the Supreme Court 20 years ago.
…On Priorities on reproductive rights if elected:
We need to legislate Roe v. Wade into law. That is something that we had 49 years of precedent. I think there’s broad acceptance in the American public about that, and I think it is politically achievable. So, No. 1, you can make it happen.
One of the big problems that I have with politicians on both sides of the aisle is that they tell their supporters what they want to hear and not what is politically reasonable. So, we can accomplish Roe v. Wade, and therefor it’s a good target. Because that’s No. 2, it is a good target. It was a good balance. I am a pro-choice Catholic. I have reservations about, especially, many third-trimester abortions. I think Roe v. Wade was a good enough precedent…
November 8: Ballotpedia posted the results for the General Election for U.S. House California District 1
Doug LaMalfa (R): 59.4% – 81,945 votes
Max Steiner (D): 40.9% – 55,979 votes
November 9: Redding Record Searchlight (Via Yahoo! News) posted an article titled: “Election results: LaMalfa wins reelection over Steiner in Congressional District race”. From the article:
Unofficial election results show Republican incumbent Doug LaMalfa cruising to victory in the race for 1st Congressional District.
LaMalfa will serve for a sixth two-year term after garnering almost 60% of votes over his Democratic opponent Max Steiner, according to ballot counts posted by the California Secretary of State.
The Associated Press called the race for LaMalfa on Tuesday, four hours before polls closed.
He earned the approval of two-thirds of voters in conservative-leaning Shasta County.
He was less favored in Siskiyou County, but is still the clear winner reported in the county’s unofficial results.
A staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump, LaMalfa said he’ll work to “repeal the Biden Executive Orders that cut off low-cost domestic energy production,” opting for building biomass power plants, using hydro-electric dams and keeping natural gas flowing in the North State.
While campaigning, LaMalfa came under attack from Steiner for the latter’s support of election fraud claims and his “seditious embrace of conspiracy theories,” saying Congress needs to pass legislation that ensures “malicious actors cannot undermine the peaceful transfer of power by lying about election results whenever they lose.”
LaMalfa, who disputed the 2022 presidential election results, voted against certifying President Joe Biden’s victory in two states.
He also supported the repeal of Roe vs. Wade in the U.S. Supreme Court, issuing a statement that said repealing blanket abortion protection was “a win for the right to life, for the unborn, and the constitution.”…
November 9: Chico Enterprise-Record posted an article titled: “Doug LaMalfa seals victory over Max Steiner for US Congress” From the article:
Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) is heading back to Washington D.C. for another two years.
LaMalfa easily defeated his latest challenger, Democrat Max Steiner of Chico, and won his sixth consecutive term representing District 1 in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Voting totals through Wednesday afternoon showed LaMalfa with 83,989 votes, far outdistancing Steiner with 56,249. The 59.9 percent garnered by LaMalfa, if it holds, would be his largest percentage of votes received since 2014…
…In Butte County, the vote was almost evenly split, with LaMalfa holding a 25,191 – 24,717 edge.
California’s 2nd Congressional District
Wikipedia provided the following information about California’s 2nd Congressional District:
California’s 2nd congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in California. Jared Huffman, a Democrat, has represented the district since January 2013. Currently, it encompasses the North Coast region and adjacent areas of the state. It stretches from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border, and includes all of the portions of Highway 101 within California that are north of San Francisco, excepting a stretch in Sonoma County.
The district consists of Marin, Mendocino, Humboldt, Del Norte, and Trinity Counties, plus portions of Sonoma County. Cities in the district include San Rafael, Petaluma, Novato, Windsor, Healdsburg, Ukiah, Fort Brag, Fortuna, Eureka, Arcata, McKinleyville and Crescent City.
From 2003 until the redistricting by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission that took effect in 2013, the 2nd district encompassed much of the far northern part of the state, from the Central Valley north of Sacramento to the Oregon border. It consisted of Colusa, Glenn, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, and Yuba counties, plus portions of Butte and Yolo counties.
The district had a dramatically different political history than its current incarnation. While the 2nd is one of the most Democratic districts in California, the old 2nd had been a Republican stronghold for almost three decades. Much of this territory is now the 1st district, while most of the current 2nd had been split between 1st and 6th districts from 2003 to 2013.
October 20: Northern California Public Media posted an article titled: “ELECTION 2022: Huffman and Brower on ballot for congressional District 2” From the article:
For our ongoing election coverage, we’re speaking to candidates in key local races. One of those is for the representative for California’s second congressional district.
Spanning from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border, Jared Huffman has represented the roughly 700,000 residents of the second district in US Congress since 2013.
Here’s what Huffman had to say about his challenger on this year’s general election ballot:
“It’s always interesting, every cycle, the kind of opponents I get,” Huffman told KRCB News in a virtual interview this week. “Sometimes they actually run campaigns and other times it’s like they’re in the witness protection program and you never hear from.”
Huffman is talking about Douglas Brower, the other candidate on the ballot. Brower did not respond to requests from KRCB News for an interview. His website says he and his family don’t feel their values are being represented in Congress, and that Brower aims to bring “biblical principles to governance.”
In his candidate statement, Brower says “Enough is enough! Electing the same people over and over again expecting different/better results is insanity.”…
…Huffman says he considers his work in the area of climate change to be among his top accomplishments.
“I contributed in a major way on the two committees I serve on: Transportation and Infrastructure and the Natural Resources Committee as well,” Huffman said. “But I’m also on the select Committee for the Climate Crisis, and we had a major hand in shaping some of the climate actions that we’re finally beginning to see at the federal level.”
KRBC News asked Huffman to give a concrete example of those actions.
“Well, the tax credits, but also some of the resiliency provisions, the grid modernization and upgrades, the electrification of transportation and incentives to really drive the sort of industrial policy that we need to shift in this country in order to decarbonize. All of that was in the climate action plan that the select committee I serve on crafted last year actually, and it very much laid the groundwork for some of these provisions.”
In the June primary, Douglas Brower narrowly beat out three other Republican candidates and a Democrat to get nine percent of the vote in District 2, which includes Sonoma and five other Northern California counties. Huffman received 69% of the vote.
Ballotpedia provided information about California’s 2nd Congressional District election:
Jared Huffman (D): 68.7% – 145,245 votes
Douglas Brewer (R): 8.6% – 18,102 votes
Chris Coulombe (R): 8.3% – 17,498 votes
Ballotpedia provided the following information about Jared Huffman:
Jared Huffman (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 2nd District. He assumed office January 3, 2012. His current term ends on January 2023.
Huffman (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 2nd Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
He was first elected to the seat in 2012. In 2018, Huffman won the general election, beating Dale Mensing (R) by a vote of 77 percent to 23 percent.
Huffman previously represented District 6 of the California State Assembly from 2006 to 2012. He was ineligible to run for re-election to the California State Assembly in 2012 due to term limits…
Douglas Brower’s website provided the following information about him:
As the parents of 4 daughters, 2 granddaughters, and a grandson, my wife Bonnie and I feel that our family values are not currently being represented by our District 2 U.S. Congressman.
Having a Bachelor Degree in Business from UOP, a Masters of Divinity Degree from IWU, as well as being an Indiana Wesleyan Seminary graduate and an Ordained Reverend, I feel I have been uniquely prepared to represent our district with core Biblical principles and sound business decisions.
As a public servant, I have served on the City of Ferndale Design Review Committee, the Planning Commission, as an elected City Councilman, an educator at local drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs as well as various other committees. I feel that I have a finger on the pulse of our district with regards to major issues like homelessness, economics, wildfires, drought, Covid-19, gas prices, taxes, and infrastructure.
I would like to ask each of you, no matter what side of the isle you are on to pray for me, to vote for me and to support my campaign financially if you can…
None of the candidates in this race filled out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey.
California’s District 2 General election results:
Jared Huffman (D): 71.9% – 95,812 votes
Douglas Brower (R): 28.1% – 37,424 votes
California’s 3rd Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 3rd Congressional District:
California’s 3rd congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in California. John Garamendi, a Democrat, has represented the district since January 2013.
Effective January 2023, California’s 3rd congressional district will include much of the Sierra Nevada and many of the northeastern suburbs of Sacramento, stretching south to Death Valley. It encompasses Alpine, Inyo, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, and Sierra counties, as well as parts of El Dorado, Sacramento, and Yuba counties. The largest city in the district is Roseville. It also includes the mountain resort cities of South Lake Tahoe, Truckee, and Mammoth Lakes.
Prior to redistricting in 2020, the 3rd district encompassed most of the Sacramento Valley north and west of Sacramento. It covered all of Colusa, Sutter, and Yuba counties, most of Glenn, Lake, Solano, and Yuba counties and a portion of Sacramento County.
Prior to redistricting by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission of 2011, the 3rd district consisted of Alpine, Amador, and Calavaras counties plus portions of Sacramento and Solano counties…
…As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 3rd congressional district is located in the Sierra Nevada region. It encompasses Alpine, Inyo, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, and Sierra Counties, as well as parts of El Dorado, Sacramento, and Yuba Counties.
El Dorado County is split between this district and the 5th district. They are partitioned by Scott Creek, Perry Creek, Perry Creek Rd, Grizzly Flat Rd, Happy Valley Rd, Canon Creek, E16 Highway, Pleasant Valley Rd, Cedar Ravine Rd, Woodland Dr, Weber Creek, Highway 50, Chili Bar Reservoir, South Form American River, Marshall Rd, Hastings Creek, Highway 49, Pilot Creek, North Fork, American River, and the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area. The 3rd district takes in the city of South Lake Tahoe.
Sacramento County is split between this district and both the 6th district and 7th district. The 6th and 3rd districts are partitioned by Latrobe Rd, Scott Rd, Deer Creek, Carson Creek, Nimbus Rd, E3 Highway, Illinois Ave, Madison Ave, Kenneth Ave, Wachtel Way, and Old Auburn Rd. The 3rd district takes in the city of Folsom and the census-designated place of Orangevale.
Yuba County is split between the 1st district. They are partitioned by State Highway 70, Ellis Rd, and Union Pacific. The 3rd district takes in the city of Wheatland, and the census-designated places of Linda, Olivehurst, and Plumas Lake.
Ballotpedia reported that Kevin Kiley did not fill out Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Ballotpedia also reported that Kermit Jones did fill out Ballotpedia’s 2021 Candidate Connection survey. Here are some of the many questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: A doctor, Navy veteran, and lawyer, I was raised on a small farm in South Haven, where I learned the importance of family, community, and hard work.
As a practicing physician,I have put my health care expertise to work, treating over 20,000 patients in rural areas, inner cities, and overseas. After our nation was attacked on September 11th, I joined the Navy where I served as a Navy Physician for a Marine helicopter squadron, caring for U.S. Service Members and ensuring that injured troops returned home safely. After returning from Iraq, I served as a White House fellow where I had the opportunity to work on veterans’ health issues and make our healthcare system more accessible to everyone.
For me, it’s not about partisan politics, it’s about helping people. Far too many D.C. politicians have forgotten what I have learned from many years working alongside nurses, fellow U.S. service members, and community leaders: that American democracy means we’re all in this together. In Congress, I plan to lead the same way I practice medicine – by listening, making evidence-based decisions, and putting people – and California’s district – first.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Our health is our Freedom. If you can’t afford insulin and have to worry every day if you’ll be able to maintain your blood sugar, you are not free. If you are stuck in a job that doesn’t pay what you are worth, but cannot get health care coverage elsewhere, you are not free. Affordable, quality health care should be a right of the district becomes increasingly inaccessible for hardworking folks, In Congress, I will fight to lower insurance and prescription drug prices, bring more primary care physicians to the district faces a mounting crisis as healthcare in rural areas of the district becomes increasingly inaccessible for hardworking folks. In Congress, I will fight to lower insurance and prescription drug prices, bring more primary care physicians to the district, protect Medicare, and improve Medicaid. Our health is our freedom. It’s time to take it back.
One of the best ways to invest in our economy and our future is to invest in our infrastructure, from our roads and bridges to improving broadband access for rural communities. Too often though, rural communities are overlooked by Washington politicians. Right now, thousands of households throughout the Sierras have no access to high-speed internet. That’s unacceptable. As part of a larger infrastructure package that will ensure all our roads, along with Highway 50, 49, and I-80 are repaired and maintained, I will also work to secure funding for complete broadband coverage for and makes sure it is affordable for all Americans.
Climate change threatens ever aspect of our lives. Each year, wildfires destroy homes and natural habitats alike. They spew toxic smoke into the air, effecting the health of our communities in California, and across the West. Our local communities is also threatened by climate change. The ski industry in our mountain towns brings more than half a billion dollars and thousands of jobs to our district each year. That won’t happen without snow. Likewise, our district’s agriculture and recreation continues to be harmed by dry winters and burning hot summers. The climate crisis is at our doorstep. In Congress, I’ll fight to combat climate change while creating millions of high-quality jobs by investing in American-made clean energy.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Healthcare: A few years ago, my mom was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. It is only because she had a son who was a doctor that she is alive today. Our system is not one we should be proud of. From my medical training in the military to my health policy fellowship in the Obama administration, I have seen the contours of healthcare system and know the improvements it needs. In Congress, I will fight for a transparent and accessible system that anyone can navigate, without having to be a doctor or lawyer.
Veterans Issues: During my tours in Iraq as a Navy flight surgeon, I served beside Americans who risked their lives to promote security and peace. Too many veterans that I served with have not been protected by the American they fought for. It is imperative that we provide veterans the care they need to recover from the physical and mental wounds of war. In Congress, I will fight for our veterans that same way they fought for us.
Veterans Issues: During my tours in Iraq as a Navy flight surgeon, I served beside Americans who risked their lives to promote security and peace. Too many veterans that I served with have not been protected by the American they fought for. It is imperative that we provide veterans the care they need to recover from the physical and mental wounds of war. In Congress, I will fight for our veterans that same way they fought for us.
May 17: Post News Group posted an article titled: “California ’22 Primary Election: Black Candidates Running for U.S. House of Representatives” Here is what they wrote about Kermit Jones:
…Democrat Kermit Jones is a Navy veteran and an internal medicine doctor who has a law degree. He is running to represent District 3 (Yuba). He is running against three opponents in a district that leans Republican. No current member of Congress is on the ballot for this race.
Ballotpedia posted the results of California’s 3rd Congressional Primary:
Kevin Kiley (R): 39.7% – 93,552 votes
Kermit Jones (D): 38.7% – 91,217 votes
Scott Jones (R): 16.2% – 38,299 votes
David Peterson (D): 5.4% – 12,675 votes
November 22: The New York Times posted an article titled: “Kevin Kiley, a Republican, Wins a Tight House Race in Eastern California”. From the article:
Kevin Kiley, a Republican state legislator whose dogged criticism of California’s governor earned former President Donald J. Trump’s endorsement, won a tight race for House district northern and eastern California on Tuesday, according to The Associated Press.
Mr. Kiley, a Sacramento-area assemblyman who highlighted his conservative bona fide, defeated Kermit Jones, a Democrat who pitched himself as a pragmatic centrist. Mr. Jones, a Navy veteran and physician, was a political newcomer making his first run for office in a newly redrawn and Republican-leaning district, the Third Congressional, that extends for 450 miles from the Mojave Desert to the shore of Lake Tahoe and the southern Cascade Range.
The race was called after two weeks of counting votes. As of Tuesday evening, Mr. Kiley led Mr. Jones by more five percentage points…
November 23: The Sacramento Bee posted an article titled: “Kevin Kiley, backed by Donald Trump, heading to Congress as he defeats Kermit Jones.” From the article:
Republican Kevin Kiley, a conservative firebrand supported by former President Donald Trump, topped Democrat Kermit Jones to win the new 3rd Congressional District seat to an Associated Press projection.
With 84% of the vote counted as of Tuesday afternoon, Kiley had about 53% to Jones’ 47%.
…Kiley will represent the newly drawn 3rd District, which stretches 450 miles from Plumas County, through the Sacramento suburbs and parts of El Dorado County, and South to Inyo County…
Kiley, an Assemblyman from Rocklin, argued that California was a mess, plagued by rising crime, runaway inflation and excessive government spending. He was critical of the election counting system, a slow count that made his race one of the last to be decided in California.
Kiley got a boost this spring when Trump announced his support, backing Trump reiterated earlier this month when he said Kiley had provided victory that gave Republicans the House majority. Trump was wrong: Kiley had not yet been declared the winner at that time. Kiley himself said last week he won the race.
Jones, a Navy veteran and physician, vowed to improve access to health care, make higher education more affordable, and provide more help for small businesses.
They fought over abortion rights. Kiley opposes abortion, but does… support a woman’s right to abortion in cases involving instances of rape and incest and when the life of the mother is at risk.
Jones backs a law providing a right to abortion that “entrusts a physician to provide the necessary medical care to save lives,” Jones told The Bee.
“The idea that a politician knows what is better for my patients than I do is absurd,” he said…
…Kiley, an assemblyman since 2016, drew statewide notice last year when he helped lead the fight to recall Gov. Newsom. The effort was rejected overwhelmingly; among those who wanted Newsom replaced, Kiley got 3.5% of the vote.
But he gained a strong following among conservatives, and quickly pivoted to a House race in the newly drawn district that seemed to tilt Republican. The governor remained his favorite target…
The New York Times reported the results of California’s 3rd District General Election:
Kevin Kiley (Republican): 181,438 votes – 53.6%
Kermit Jones (Democrat): 156,761 votes – 46.4%
Ballotpedia reported the results of California’s 3rd District General Election:
Kevin Kiley (R): 53.3% – 156,459
Kermit Jones (D): 46.7% – 137,009
California’s 4th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 4th congressional district:
It is a U.S. congressional district in California. Tom McClintock, a Republican, has represented the district since January 2009.
Currently the 4th district encompasses the Sierras from Truckee to the Sequoia National Forest, as well as a largely suburban area on the edge of Sacramento Valley in southwestern Placer County. It consists of Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Mariposa, and Tuolumne counties plus most of Placer County and portions of Fresno, Madera and Nevada counties.
Redistricting before the 2022 election shifted the district to the northwestern Sacramento Valley and Wine Country, including all of Lake County and Napa County, most of Yolo County, and parts of Solano County and Sonoma County. Major cities in the district include Santa Rosa, Davis, Woodland, Napa, and Vacaville. The new 4th district is solidly Democratic.
Ballotpedia posted information about Matt Brock:
Matt Brock (Republican Party) lives in Vacaville, California. Brock’s career experience includes working as an operations and maintenance supervisor with the Contra Costa Water District.
Ballotpedia reported that Matt Brock did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Matt Brock’s campaign website. It is unclear when he posted this information.
COVID-19
“I feel that COVID has been used by politicians and others in power to push narratives and ideas. All jobs are essential! No person should be forced to wear a mask, get a vaccine, or be excluded from employment or activities of a personal choice. Teacher unions have hijacked the classrooms and School Boards have shown their cards. Parents are rallying together and are sick of it. We need to continue fighting for the protection of parental rights, gender specific sports, and the prevention of CRT curriculum.”
National Security/Military
“Without secure borders and a powerful military, we as a country are vulnerable to bad actors. We need secure borders to prevent illegal immigrants from entering our country and putting a strain on our resources. We must move our military forces back in the direction of precision and superiority and away from the woke narrative currently on display. Election integrity is needed in the form of voter ID laws and elimination of mass mailing ballots. Perhaps a no fee passport to all U.S. Citizens?”
Energy
“The left has been pushing the green narrative for years now and it’s beginning to show its colors. We have shut down vital projects such as the Keystone XL pipeline and many others. We have oil in this country and should be using our own resources, not importing. We also need to explore the use of nuclear energy as it is reliable, safe, and clean.”
Infrastructure
“The infrastructure of this country is slowly failing due to mismanagement of your tax dollars. California is ground zero for this as evidenced by the falling roads and utility systems. Many of these structures and networks are far beyond their useful life and need to be repaired or replaced NOW. We need to ensure that funds are directed where they should be and that projects are not held up for years due to environmental and permitting burdens. Funding for projects such as the high speed rail in California needs to be ceased immediately.”
2nd Amendment
“I believe that the Second Amendment is a God given right that shall be protected at all costs.”
Matt Brock’s campaign website (2022).
February 18: Mike Thompson posted a press release on his official congressional website titled: “Rep. Mike Thompson Files for Reelection to Represent Newly Drawn Fourth Congressional District” From the press release:
U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson announced that he has filed to run for reelection in the newly numbered Fourth Congressional District. The district includes all of Lake and Napa Counties and portions of Solano, Sonoma, and Yolo Counties.
“I’m excited to run for reelection in the newly drawn 4th Congressional District,” said Rep. Mike Thompson. “I was born, grew up and have lived my entire life in our district and I consider it the honor of my life to represent our beautiful region in Congress.
“Families here want a fair shake: well-paying jobs, affordable health care, a clean environment, quality education, and dignity in retirement. They want to know that if they work hard and play by the rules, they can leave more for their children than they themselves had – that the American Dream is alive and well. Folks here want to put food on the table and gas in the car, cover their mortgage payment and provide an education for their kids without going broke.
“From my first day in Congress, I’ve made these shared priorities the focus of my work. I will continue pushing for sensible, responsible policy solutions that bolster the middle class, create jobs, lower the cost of housing and health care, and strengthen Medicare and Social Security for future generations. I will continue working to empower young people by advancing bold policies that protect our environment and invest in education. And, as Chair of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, I will not stop until H.R. 8, my Bipartisan Background Check Act, is enacted into law to help prevent senseless gun violence and save lives.
“In the current Congress, I also authored the most sweeping climate policy ever to pass the House of Representatives. It is the flagship climate policy of President Biden’s agenda. As chairman of the Select Revenues Subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over tax policy, I advanced the Child Tax Credit, a tax cut for working families with children that has already significantly reduced child poverty in the months since it was first enacted.
“The past two years have been challenging for all of us. The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented test, one that has taken hundreds of thousands of lives, has repeatedly pushed our health care system to the brink, and has disrupted our economy in every conceivable way. Know that as we continue to battle the virus, I will always place our community at the forefront.
“For all of these reasons, I have earned the endorsement of mayors, supervisors, sheriffs, and district attorneys from every county in our district as well as hundreds of business owners, farmers, educators, community leaders and countless other hardworking men and women in our district.
“We have a shared commitment to our great country: because we share the responsibility of building and maintaining a great nation, we share in its challenges and we share in its successes. We are in this together, and I will continue to fight for our district in Congress.”…
May 17: Post News Group posted an article titled: “California ’22 Primary Election: Black Candidates Running for U.S. House of Representatives”. Here is what they wrote about Jimih Jones:
…Republican Jimih L. Jones is a parts advisor for a car dealership. He is running to represent District 4 (Napa). He has five opponents in a solidly Democratic district. Rep. Mike Thompson (D) is running in this race.
Ballopedia posted the results of California District 4 Primary Election:
Mike Thompson (D): 67.0% – 107,592 votes
Matt Brock (R): 15.8% – 25,417 votes
Scott Giblin (R): 9.5% – 25,417 votes
Andrew Engdahl (D): 9.5% – 15,234 votes
Jason Kishineff (Independent): 1.4% – 2,233 votes
Jimih Jones (Republican): 1.3% – 2,142 votes
June 9: Davis Enterprise posted an article titled: “Thompson leads field of District congressional candidates”. From the article:
As of Thursday, Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Napa, was out to a wide lead in the primary election to represent California’s 4th district in the U.S. House of Representatives. With 69% of the votes tallied, Thompson had 56,901 votes, or 67.5%, and the race had been called for him.
Matt Brock, a Republican of Vacaville, ranked a distant second, with 13,665 votes, or 16.2%. Scott Giblin, also a Republican, had 7,440 votes, or 8.8%. As of Thursday, the second place on the November ballot had not yet been called…
…Prior to this year’s elections, Davis was moved from District 3 into the new District 4 created during the redistricting process that happens once every 10 years following a census. The new 4th district includes all of Napa and Lake counties, and part of Solano and Sonoma counties.
After the new district lines were drawn, Rep. John Garamendi, D-Walnut Grove, who has represented Davis and much of Yolo County since 2009, announced he would seek re-election in the newly created 8th congressional district of California, which covers parts of Solano County and Contra Costa County…
June 10: Rep. Mike Thompson posted a press release on his official congressional website titled: “Rep. Mike Thompson Releases Statement On Top Placing In 4th District Primary” From the press release:
U.S Rep Mike Thompson released the following statement on his first-place finish in the primary election for California’s 4th Congressional District. Under California’s primary system, the two top vote getters advance to the general election.
“The outpouring of support I received last night is humbling. I was born, grew up, and still live in our district and I consider it the honor of my life to represent our beautiful region in Congress,” said Rep. Mike Thompson.
“We are moving into the general election now and I will continue to work every day with local, state, and federal leaders on the pressing challenges facing the people of our district and our country. This includes advocating for policies that bolster the middle class, lower the cost of housing and health care, address our climate crisis, and help keep our communities safe.
“We live in the greatest district in the greatest country and I am committed to do all I can to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to achieve their dream of a well-paying job, affordable health care, a clean environment, quality education, and dignity in retirement. We are in this together and I will continue to work hard for our district in Congress.
“My sincere thank you to the voters of our district for the confidence in our partnership.”
October 27: Northern California Public Media posted an article titled: “Thompson, Brock spar on vision for 4th Congressional District and the nation”. From the article:
Redistricting after the 2020 US Census changed a number of local districts.
Mike Thompson is running for re-election in what is now California’s 4th Congressional District, the new district closely mirroring the current 5th District which Thompson represents.
His opponent is Matt Brock, a water district operations supervisor based in Solano County.
Brock has a straightforward question for voters in the area Thompson has represented since 1988.
“Has your family live gotten easier or worse in the last few years?” Brock asked. “And then overall in the last 20 years? We’re kind of in a status quo position right now, and we’re doing the same thing. I hear everyone complain about how bad it is in California, and you know, I often ask, Why don’t you change the leadership up?”
Thompson simply pointed to his record.
“We are continually making sure that the folks who interface with the federal bureaucracy are treated fairly,” Thompson said. “We are constantly doing work for veterans, for social security receipts on immigration, on taxes. We just settled a car for one constituent who was owed seven and a half million by the IRS.”
Brock said he feels otherwise about Thompson’s local focus.
“He’s basically become a rubber stamp for Pelosi, for Biden, and for basically anyone pushing certain agendas,” Brock said. “He’s huge on the climate change issue. Those are kind of things that I would take a step back from.”
Thompson noted his local support.
“I’m supported by every member of the board of supervisors, every sheriff, every district attorney, school board members, school superintendents, every mayor, council member, state legislator,” Thompson said. “And that’s because I have been able to deliver for my district.”…
December 18: The New York Times posted information about California’s 4th District General Election:
Mike Thompson (Democrat): 176,900 votes – 67.8%
Matt Brock (Republican): 84,007 votes – 32.2%
California’s 5th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 5th Congressional District
California’s 5th congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in California. Mike Thompson, a Democrat, has represented the district since January 2013.
Currently, the 5th district encompasses much of California’s Wine Country and portions of the East Bay. It consists of Napa County plus portions of Contra Costa, Lake, Solano, and Sonoma counties. Cities in the district include Cotati, Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa, Sonoma, Napa, American Canyon, Vallejo, Benicia, Hercules, and most of Martinez.
Starting in the 2022 midterm elections, the district is located in the northern San Joaquin Valley and central Sierra Nevada. It includes Amador, Calaveras, Tuolomne, and Mariposa counties, most of Stanislaus County, and parts of El Dorado and Fresno counties. The new 5th district is strongly Republican and includes most of both Modesto and Turkock, much of northern Fresno, the southern part of Gold County, and Yosemite and Kings Canyon national parks.
Ballotpedia provided information about Tom McClintock
Tom McClintock (Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 4th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2009. His current term ends on January 3, 2023.
McClintock (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 5th Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Tom McClintock did not fill out Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Ballotpedia provided information from Tom McClintock’s 2016 campaign website
Economic Growth: We know how to fix an economy because we have done so many times before. Whenever we have reduced the tax and regulatory burdens on the economy, it has thrived and expanded. And whenever we have increased those burdens, the economy has withered and declined.
National Defense: Our modern military should have the latest technology and best equipment our nation can produce. It should have the trained manpower necessary to repel an attack from wherever it may come, launch retaliatory strikes and make hot pursuit in response to provocations.
The Iran Nuclear Agreement: I believe history will look to the Iran nuclear agreement as a mistake as significant as the Munich Accords were to World War II. It gave Iran’s Islamic-Fascist dictators $150 billion in frozen assets with which to pursue their military and terrorist activities and to finance their nuclear arms program.
Healthcare and Obamacare: It is, in short, an unmitigated disaster that I have opposed every step of the way. There is no substitute for its complete repeal.
Water Policy: We will not solve our water shortages until we start building more dams, and we won’t build new dams until we overhaul the environmental regulations that are making their construction cost-prohibitive.
Ballotpedia provided information about Mike Barkley
Mike Barkley (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 5th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Barkley was a Democratic candidate for California’s 10th Congressional District in the U.S. House. Barkley lost the primary on June 5, 2018.
Barkley ran for the seat in 2016, finishing third in the open primary. He also sought election to the same seat in 2014 and 2012 as well.
Mike Barkley did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Barkley’s campaign website stated the following:
Summary/high points:
Strengthen Federal wildfire suppression; develop Federal post-disaster homeowners insurance support.
Advocate the formation of a Congressional Natural Disaster and Casualty Insurance Caucus: Wildfires, Earthquakes, Floods, Hurricanes,Tornados.
Adopt the Labor Bill of Rights
Bring jobs back from overseas
Humanize personal income
Upgrade infrastructure
Fund Greyhound
Solve climate change
Nationalize the right to vote and protect the voting system
Replace impeachment
Fix California’s flooding risk and water shortages
Enlarge the New Melones spillway to handle Great Flood flows
Adopt U.S. balanced budget
Halt the confiscation of taxpayer trust fund deposits
Humanize immigration
Fund education
Black Lives Matter
Repeal the right to keep and bear arms
January 6: The Fresno Bee posted an article titled: “Republican Tom McClintock will run in new California congressional district”
Rep. Tom McClintock, the outspoken conservative who could play a major role in immigration policy next year if Republicans control the House, will seek reelection in a newly drawn district that largely covers territory south of his current seat.
The new 5th Congressional District captures parts of Modesto and Fresno along with the western Sierra Nevada, combining parts of districts currently held by McClintock and former Rep. Devin Nunes.
It is staunchly Republican: Voters there would have backed former President Donald Trump in 2020 with a 12% margin of victory, according to several election-tracking organizations, a strong signal they’re likely to favor a Republican candidate in the 2022 midterms.
Nunes, a Republican, resigned from his seat this week to lead former President Donald Trump’s social media venture. On the way out, he backed McClintock for the 5th Congressional District…
Ballotpedia posted the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 5:
Tom McClintock (R): 42.7% – 41,997 votes
Mike Barkley (D): 38.3% – 37,686 votes
Nathan Magsig (R): 11.1% – 10,676 votes
Steve Wozniak (Independent): 3.5% – 3,420 votes
June 7: Associated Press reported that Republican Tom McClintock advances to November general election in California’s 5th Congressional District.
June 14: The Sacramento Bee posted an article titled: “Mike Barkley has run for Congress six times. Is this the year he beats Tom McClintock?” From the article:
Mike Barkley has no consultants and no paid staff. He’s received $1,091 in campaign contributions. His centerpiece issue, as a Democrat running in a new congressional district drawn for a Republican, is a call for repealing the right to bear arms…
…So far, he has about 36% of last Tuesday’s primary vote in the 5th Congressional District, while a seven-term incumbent, Rep. Tom McClintock, has 44%. Barkley will be the November challenger to the veteran Republican conservative…
… has run for Congress six times. In 2020, he sought the 10th District against Rep. Josh Harder, a Democrat, and finished fourth in the primary with 3.5% of the vote. He ran in the seventh in 2018 against Republican Jeff Denham. His best showings came in 2014 and 2016, when he received 14% each time against Denham.
On Tuesday, he was aided by being the only candidate listed as a Democrat and was endorsed by the California Democratic Party and California Labor Federation. There were four Republicans, who collectively won 60.5%, Freelance writer Steve Wozniak, who had no party preference, won 3.3%. The district was rated solid Republican by three independent House analysis groups…
…Barkley’s chief issue is guns. He wants to repeal the Second Amendment right to bear arms…
…Passing any sort of gun restrictions in Congress has proven nearly impossible. Repealing the Second Amendment is even more unlikely. But Barkley takes a long view…
…Barkley’s challenge now, and it’s a big one, is trying to topple McClintock, who has a strong following in a district that former President Donald Trump won with 55% in 2020. Earlier this week, Trump endorsed McClintock, whose House votes last year earned him a perfect rating from the American Conservative Union…
August 24: Kaiser Health News posted an article titled: “Congressman’s Wife Died After Taking Remedy Marketed for Diabetes and Weight Loss” From the article:
The wife of a Northern California congressman died late last year after ingesting a plant that is generally considered safe and used as an herbal remedy for a variety of ailments, including diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol, KHN has learned.
Lori McClintock, the wife of Rep. Tom McClintock, died from dehydration due to gastroenteritis – an inflammation of the stomach and intestines – that was caused by “adverse effects of white mulberry leaf ingestion, according to a report from the Sacramento County coroner that is dated March 10 but was not immediately released to the public. KHN obtained that report – in addition to the autopsy report and an amended death certificate containing an updated cause of death – in July.
The coroner’s office ruled her death as an accident. The original death certificate, dated Dec. 20, 2021, listed the cause of death as “pending”…
…McClintock’s death underscores the risks of the vast, booming market of dietary supplements and herbal remedies, which have grown into a $54 billion industry in the United States – one that both lawmakers and health care experts say needs more government scrutiny…
October 7: Calaveras Enterprise posted an article titled: “Tom McClintock discusses campaign, policies ahead of general election” From the article:
Tom McClintock, U.S. representative for California’s 4th Congressional district since 2009, gave the Enterprise an update via email on his campaign ahead of the Nov. 8 general election. McClintock, a Republican, is running against Democrat Mike Barkley.
“I think this election – here and across the country – is going to be a resounding reputation of the woke policies that have utterly wrecked our economy, opened our borders, and unleashed an unprecedented spike in crime,” said McClintock. “People clearly understand how quickly inflation, energy shortages, and crime are destroying their quality of life, and well understand the policies that are causing them.”
McClintock says that much of his reelection campaign is familiar territory since he has represented seven of the eight counties in the expanding District 4 for a decade…
Ballotpedia posted the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 5:
Tom McClintock (R): 60.1% – 105,398 votes
Mike Barkley (D): 39.9% – 69,961 votes
California’s 6th Congressional District
WikiWand posted information about California’s 6th Congressional District
California’s 6th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. Doris Matsui, a Democrat, has represented the district since January 2013.
Currently, the 6th district is entirely in Sacramento County and includes the north side of the city of Sacramento and its suburbs of Rancho Cordova, Citrus Heights, Rio Linda, Elverta, Arden-Arcade, Antelope, Foothill Farms, North Highlands, and most of Fair Oaks.
Prior to redistricting by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission of 2021, the district included the entire city of Sacramento and some of its suburbs.
Sacramento is split between this district and both the 3rd district and 7th district. The 6th and 3rd districts are partitioned by Latrobe Rd, Scott Rd, Deer Creek, Carson Creek, Nimbus Rd, E3 Highway, Illinois Ave, Madison Ave, Kenneth Ave, Watchel Way, and Old Auburn Rd.
The 6th and 7th districts are partitioned by the Sacramento River, American River, Fair Oaks Blvd, Watt Ave, Kiefer Blvd, Highway 16, Bradshaw Rd, Highway E2, and Stonehouse Dr. The 6th district takes in the north side of the city of Sacramento, the cities of Citrus Heights and Rancho Cordova, and the census-designated places Antelope, Arden-Arcade, Carmichael, Fair Oaks, Foothill Farms, North Highlands, La Rivera, and Rio Linda.
Ballotpedia posted information about Ami Bera
Ami Bera, (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 7th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2013. His current term ends on January 3, 2023.
Bera (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 6th Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Bera first won election to the United States House of Representatives in 2012, defeating Republican incumbent Dan Lungren in the newly redrawn District 7 by 3.4 points. He won re-election in 2014 in a race rated by Ballotpedia as a battleground election, defeating Republican Doug Ose 0.8 points.
Bera defeated Republican Scott Jones in his bid for re-election in 2016. California’s 7th Congressional District race was rated as a battleground in 2016. He won re-election in 2018, defeating Andrew Grant…
Ami Bera did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Ballotpedia provided information from Ami Beta’s 2016 campaign website:
Economy: We need a vibrant economy that preserves the jobs we have while creating new ones through job training, especially in clean energy technologies. We can build the strengths of our local communities by helping small businesses grow and rewarding companies that create good jobs here in Sacramento County.
Health Care: A Health Care system that provides compassionate and essential coverage that puts patients ahead of profits. The new health care law is a step towards increasing access to basic medical coverage.
Education: In order to prepare our kids to compete in the global economy and win the best jobs of tomorrow, we have to continue investing in education.
Social Security: We must do more to protect this vital program – which is why I’ve signed a pledge to protect Social Security, and fight all efforts to privatize this program and gamble with our future in the stock market. Protecting Social Security also means keeping government’s hands off the Social Security Trust Fund.
Equal Pay for Equal Work: I support the Lilly-Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 and the Paycheck Fairness Act to protect employers from gender based wage-discrimination.
Ballotpedia posted information about Tamika Hamilton
Tamika Hamilton (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 6th Congressional District. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Tamika Hamilton was born in Calvert County, Maryland. Hamilton served in the United States Air Force and has served in the United States Air Force Reserve.
Ballotpedia reported that Tamika Hamilton did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Ballotpedia provided information from Tamika Hamilton’s campaign website:
ECONOMY: Record inflation has eaten into the paychecks of working class people. The cost of food, everyday goods, and vital services also continue to rise. It’s time for a new direction on the economy. As your congresswoman I will fight to:
Reduce inflation
Make the middle-class tax cuts permanent
Reduce regulations on small businesses
Expand opportunity zones in urban areas
PUBLIC SAFETY: Major cities across America have seen an increase in violent crime. Victims of crime should expect justice and hardened career criminals should not be able to exploit the compassion of our justice system. As your congresswoman I will:
Ensure your 2nd Amendment rights are protected
Encourage cooperation between the justice department and local law enforcement
Review federal sentencing guidelines to ensure fairness
Work to provide law enforcement with the tools and analytical resources to keep communities safe
EDUCATION: The public education system should not be used to indoctrinate students. I support the rights of parents to choose the best educational path for their children and will look for opportunities to expand school choice and promote curriculum that is inclusive, not divisive…
…HEALTHCARE: Americans should be able to choose affordable healthcare options that work best for them. As your congresswoman, I will support legislation that allows residents to buy insurance and fulfill prescription services across state lines…
May 3: Post News Group posted an article titled: “California ’22 Primary Election: Black Candidates Running for U.S. House of Representatives” Here is what they wrote about Tamika Hamilton:
…Tamika Hamilton, a former Air Force sergeant, is running to represent District 6 (Fair Oaks). She has six opponents in a solidly Democratic district. Rep. Ami Bera (D) is running in this race.
June 3: The Sacramento Bee posted an editorial titled: “Rep. Ami Bera deserves reelection to Congress in Sacramento region’s 6th District” From the article:
Sacramento area Rep. Ami Bera clawed through bitter campaigns, a fund-raising scandal, and a series of close elections to secure his seat in Congress. This year, thanks to a solid record in office, a favorable new district and less convincing opposition, Bera appears to face more danger from the wildlife of Capitol Holl, where he was recently attacked by a rabid fox, than he does from his opponents.
An Elk Grove Democrat, Bera is running to represent Sacrament County’s new 6th Congressional District, which does not include his hometown but does encompass Rancho Cordova and other parts of the old 7th District, which he currently represents. The new district, which also includes Citrus Heights and part of the city of Sacramento, decisively favored Joe Biden in the last election.
The fifth-term congressman is facing another district-hopping hopeful in Tamika Hamilton, a Republican Air Force veteran from Dixon, in Solano County. Hamilton had success raising funds and mounting an unexpectedly vigorous challenge to another local Democratic congressman in a relatively safe district, Rep. John Garamendi, whom she was expected to challenge again before district lines were redrawn…
…A physician and a former chief medical officer for Sacramento County, Bera has articulated a middle ground on the polarizing subject of pandemic management, focusing on the potential of vaccination and other precautions to speed the recovery of the economy and public education. He’s introduced legislation to encourage development of vaccines, improve tracking and sequencing of viruses, and ease health care access on several fronts…
Ballotpedia reported about the Nonpartisan Primary for U.S House California District 6:
Ami Bera (D): 53.6% – 66,608 votes
Tamika Hamilton (R): 18.1% – 22,531 votes
Bret Daniels (R): 11.6% – 14,352 votes
Chris Bish (R): 7.5% – 9,366 votes
September 29: Public Radio for Central Florida WMFE posted an article titled: “After being bitten by a rabid fox, a congressman wants cheaper rabies treatments” From the article:
Rabies deaths are rare in the U.S. A lot of that is thanks in part to vaccines, but it’s also because of the effective treatment available to those who have been exposed to the viral, deadly disease.
But that lifesaving treatment is expensive, especially for those without health insurance, and can leave people saddled with thousands of dollars of debt.
After his own encounter with a rabid fox on Capitol Hill in April, Rep. Ami Bera, D-Calif., is trying to change that. He introduced legislation on Wednesday that would lead the creation of a government program that would reimburse health care providers who administer the treatment to people who are uninsured.
The introduction of the legislation, the Affordable Rabies Treatment for Uninsured Act, coincided with World Rabies Day, which aims to raise awareness about the disease worldwide…
…In an interview with The Bee’s Editorial Board, Bera, who has cultivated a centrist profile with his caucus, showed impressive energy and thoughtfulness on finding paths to progress on gun violence, climate change and other issues that Republicans have been particularly loath to address…
…Bera bears the scars of a series of hard-fought contests for Congress, but he deserves to win this one easily.
Ballotpedia posted the results for the General Election for U.S. California District 6:
Ami Bera (D): 56.6% – 68,907 votes
Tamika Hamilton (D): 43.4% – 52,943 votes
California’s 7th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided the following information about California’s 7th Congressional district:
California’s 7th congressional district is a United States congressional district in California. Ami Bera, a Democrat, has represented the district since January 2013.
Currently, it encompasses southern Sacramento County, part of Yolo County, and a tiny portion of Solano County. It includes all of Sacramento south of the American River, including Downtown Sacramento, the suburban cities of West Sacramento and Elk Grove, and the rural city of Galt.
It is a heavily Democratic district. Prior to redistricting in 2021, it was entirely in Sacramento County and included the eastern and southern suburbs of Sacramento.
The old 7th had been a solidly Democratic district, like most districts in the Bay Area. However, the new 7th is one of the more competitive districts in California. When it was created, it was rated “EVEN” by the Cook Partisan Voting Index.
As of 2023, California’s 7th congressional district is located in the Sacramento Valley, and encompasses most of Sacramento County and parts of Yolo.
Sacramento County is split between this district and both the 3rd district and 6th district. The 7th and 3rd districts are partitioned by Latrobe Rd. The 7th and 6th districts are partitioned by the Sacramento River, American River, Fair Oaks Blvd, Watt Ave, Kiefer Blvd, Highway 16, Bradshaw Rd, Highway E2, and Stonehouse Dr. The 7th district takes in the south side of the city of Sacramento, the cities of Galt and Elk Grove, and the census-designated places Florin and Parkway.
Yolo County is split between this district and 4th district. They are partitioned by Highway 84 and Elkhorn Slough on the southern border, and by County Rd 126, Tule Canal, Toe Drain Canal, Highway 84, Babel Slough Rd, and Pumphouse Rd. The 7th district takes in the city of West Sacramento, and most of Ryer Island.
Ballotpedia provided information about Doris Matsui
Doris Matsui (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California 6th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2013. Her current term ends January 3, 2023.
Matsui (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 7th Congressional District. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Doris Matsui first won election to United State House of Representatives in 2005, in a special election to United States House of Representatives in 2005, in a special election in California’s 5th Congressional District. The special election was called after the incumbent, Matsui’s husband Rober, died on January 1, 2015.
Ballotpedia provided information about Max Semenenko
Max Semenenko (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 7th Congressional District. Semenenko lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Max Semenko lives in North Highlands, California. Semeneko earned an associate degree in psychology from Stanford University. His career experience includes owning a business and working as the CEO of Maximus Development Inc. (MDI). Semenenko served as a park commissioner for the North Highlands Recreation and Park District Board.
April 6: Sacramento News Review posted an article titled: “Matsui’s next generation of opponents in Sacramento’s District 7” From the article:
…Sacto Politico: What was your main motivation for running?
Jimmy Fremgen: I am running because people are struggling. They’re not getting the same kind of support as big businesses, and we are being pushed out of the middle class. As the wealth gap is widening, we have inflation increasing and corporations posting record profits. But none of the costs that are increasing with inflation are affecting corporate profits, but it is hitting the wallets and pocketbooks of teachers and bartenders and shift workers. Our current representative doesn’t understand what that is like. She’s far to disconnected from our lives here…
…One of the problems we have with Congress as a whole – and with Sacramento’s current representatives – is because campaigns have become so expensive, members of Congress have been captured by their corporate donors. These are the very same organizations our Congressional representatives are supposed to be regulating. But if you ask somebody for thousands of dollars to run your campaign but then are expected to hold them in the sunlight and ask hard questions, at some point selfishness is going to win out and you’re going to take it easy on your donors who are invested in keeping you …
…S/P but to finish in the top 2, you must get more votes than the one Republican in the race, Max Semenenko. That means even with the CA-7 solidly Democratic, 25% to 30% may still go by default to a Republican. What are you hoping for to help you make the Top 2?
JF: You are always going to have people who vote just because of the letter after the candidate’s name. But we have entered a new era of politics in our country when it is no longer about party. Party is the side show. It’s about the extremely wealthy versus everybody else. If you are somebody who wants to see corporations held to account; if you are somebody that wants to see homelessness addressed with actual solutions, then you should vote for me. I have a plan to address those things…
…Sacto Politico: What top issues inspired you to run for Congress?
Max Semenenko: There are a lot of issues that inspire me. The top issue is the economy. People in this district are feeling the real impact of record inflation. Rising housing costs and everyday goods are more and more expensive. So I will fight for my district to give a break to our people.
I feel the main way to lower costs right now involves sustainable energy. Right now, we are purchasing all of these fossil fuels from other countries, but I would encourage Administration and our people to be energy independent again. Even as a builder and a business owner, as soon as the prices and materials and gas go up, costs go up for everyone.
S/P: What is your background?
MS: My parents received refugee status and emigrated from Ukraine. We arrived in 1997 at Sacramento airport in the middle of the night. I was 14 1/2, and driving on the freeway after arriving, I was fascinated by all the street lights. I was like, “Wow, how can these Americans handle all those battery replacements?” on those lights. I knew America was great, but not that great. It was like a Disneyland for me. In Ukraine at that time, street lights at night and water was a luxury outside the cities…
…I grew up in Oak Park near Fruitridge and Stockton, right there on 56th Street, and I graduated from Hiram Johnson High School. And I wish to thank everyone for helping me and my family become free Americans. Now it’s my time to give back.
…S/P: Why are you a Republican?
MS: This is very interesting. I was brought up as a non-party person in Ukraine. For us, it was a sin to be part of any party, to carry any kind of firearm, to reflect any of the government positions. But when I came here, I was looking for ways to be involved in American society, and I decided to run for office in 2020. When I was looking through the parties, the Republican Party was closer to my beliefs and perspective of life.
For me, everybody is an American, and everybody is fighting to protect this country like I am. They are pro-family like I am. They start meetings with prayers and the Pledge of Allegiance. They feel a little bit better world can exist. This is the best country, but there is going to be another, I hope, another big country like America. We call it heaven. My main purpose on this Earth is to serve and show I have a little bit better dream, and I think Republicans have that bigger philosophy that is motivating them…
…S/P What are your main thoughts about your main opponent, Rep. Doris Matsui?
MS: I know her story. I respect her. I know she is doing everything she can to help the district, but people are saying, “You know Max, we never see her. She doesn’t live anywhere near here. She has already been too long in office. Her husband was in office too long. We want something different, and we believe that you can bring the difference.”…
June 8: Elk Grove Citizen posted an article titled: “Matsui holds early lead in Congressional D-7 primary election” From the article:
U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, experienced much success in the first day of the Congressional District 7 primary election…
…According to her congressional web page, Matsui is focused on improving the economy and health care, preventing gun violence, protecting women’s rights, bringing clean energy technology to Sacramento, assisting veterans and seniors, improving education systems, and reversing the effects of climate change…
…On his campaign website, Semenko refers to four of his top issues as reviving the economy, defending the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, reforming the immigration system to be fair and safe and “loosen(ing) big Pharma’s grip on our health care system.”
Fremegen, former intern for Matsui, told the Citizen last March that he decided to run for Congress after observing many “regular people” getting left behind, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
His top campaign issues include homelessness, assisting people to obtain access to health care, bringing federal resources back to local “communities that are hurting,” and “getting the corrupt influence of corporate money out of politics.”
According to Elk Grove Citizen, these were the primary election results for California’s 7th Congressional District:
Doris Matsui (D): 27,066 votes – 66.6%
Max Semeneko (R): 10,506 votes – 25.8%
Jimmy Fremgen (D): 3,057 votes – 7.5%
Ballotpedia posted the following information about California’s 7th 2022 Congressional District election:
Doris Matsui (D): 65.2% – 51,137 votes
Max Semenenko (R): 27.5% – 21,549 votes
Jimmy Fremgen (D): 7.5% – 5,771 votes
October 10: The Sacramento Bee Editorial Board posted an editorial titled: “Sacramento, Elk Grove voters should give this representative another term in Congress” From the editorial:
Among the bills Congress has passed in a fit of accomplishment this summer was legislation to subsidize the domestic semiconductor chip industry to shore up domestic manufacturing, prevent supply chain disruptions and protect national security. Despite its bipartisan origins, the legislation survived a cynical attempt by Republicans to hold it hostage in a tantrum over another legislative achievement, the Democratic majority’s sweeping bid to address climate change, lower prescription drug costs and increase corporate taxation.
President Joe Biden’s signing of the semiconductor legislation last month was a victory for the productive pragmatism of the Democratic majority and particularly one of its members, Sacramento Rep. Doris Matsui, one of a bipartisan group of four who kicked off the effort to bolster the sector in 2020. “Since we shared this effort, the global chips shortage has only grown more severe and the need for legislation more pressing,” Matsui said in the House floor.
The achievement was the latest example of why the Democratic stalwart deserves reelection to Congress.
Recent years have also seen Matsui become a compelling and outspoken opponent of anti-Asian racism amid its pandemic-era resurgence and, before that, Donald Trump’s prohibition of immigration from predominantly Muslim countries. Born amid a grim expression of racism turned federal policy, in an Arizona internment camp for Japanese Americans, the Sacramento Democrat herself is a striking example of prejudice overcome.
Elected to Congress after the 2005 death of her husband, Rep. Robert Matsui – who was an infant when his own family was interned – she has been handily reelected eight times, extending a family legacy in Congress dating to 1979.
After last year’s redistricting split Sacramento and rearranged representation of its suburbs, Matsui, currently in the 6th Congressional District, announced a run for reelection in the new 7th. Expected to be safely Democratic, the district encompasses about half of Matsui’s old district, including downtown Sacramento and other city neighborhoods, along with adjacent suburban and Delta territory outside the old 6th, including Elk Grove, West Sacramento and Isleton.
In her current term, Matsui has championed legislation to document and combat anti-Asian American hate crimes and increase awareness of internment. She also supported Biden’s decision to stop barring asylum seekers from the country on public health pretexts, which divide her caucus.
Testifying about the hate crime bill to a House subcommittee last year, Matsui drew a parallel between her parents’ experience of mass race-based federal imprisonment and the stoking of anti-Asian bigotry at the highest levels of government during the pandemic. “We’ve seen the consequences when we go down this path,” she said. “My family has lived through these consequences. This is what we are working to root out from the deepest place in our social conscience.”
A member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which conducts oversight of the Environmental Protection Agency and Energy Department, Matsui has also backed measures to increase social media transparency, encourage modernization of mental health care and local vehicle emissions. Her record has earned voters’ continued confidence.
The New York Times reported the following results of California 7th Congressional District:
Doris Matsui (Democrat) (incumbent): 150,618 votes – 68.3%
Max Semenenko (Republican): 70,033 votes – 31.7%
Ballotpedia posted the following results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 7:
Doris Matsui (D): 65.7% – 44,953 votes
Max Semeneko (R): 34.3% – 23,473 votes
California’s 8th Congressional District
Wikipedia posted information about California’s 8th congressional district
California’s 8th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. As of 2021, Republican Jay Obernolte represents the district. Currently, the 85th district encompasses most of the eastern desert regions of the state. It stretches from Mono Lake to Twentynine Palms. It consists of Inyo and Mono counties, plus most of the land in San Bernardino County. The largest city is Victorville.
Redistricting before the 2022 election moved the district to the northeastern part of the San Francisco Bay Area. The new district includes parts of Contra Costa County and Solano County including the cities of Vallejo, Fairfield, Richmond and parts of Martinez. Unlike the old 8th district, the new 8th is heavily Democratic.
As of 2023, California’s 8th congressional district was significantly changed, now being located between the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys. It encompasses part of Contra Costa and Solano Counties.
Contra Costa County is split between this district and the 10th district. They are partitioned by Grizzly Peak Blvd, Seaview Trail, Camino Pablo, Bear Creek Rd, Bear Creek, Brianes Reservoir, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Highway 4, Alhambra Ave, Pacheco Blvd, Grandview Ave, Central Ave, Imhoff Dr, Bares Ave, Mount Diablo Creek, Union Pacific, Contra Costa Canal, 4WD Rd, Bailey Rd, James Donlon Blvd, Cambridge Dr, Reseda Way, S Royal links Cir, Carpenteria Dr, Barmouth Dr, Hillcrest Ave, Highway 4 and Highway 160. The 8th district takes in the north side of the cities of Antioch and Martinez, the cities of Pittsburg, Richmond, San Pablo, El Cerrito, Pinone, and Hercules.
Solano County is split between this district and the 4th district. They are partitioned by Soda Springs Rd, Union Pacific, Alamo Dr, Leisure Town Rd, Hawkins Rd, Bay Area Exxextric, Shilo Rd, Collinsville Rd, and Montezuma Slough. The 8th district takes in the cities of Vallejo, Fairfield, and Suisun City.
Ballotpedia provided information about John Garamendi
John Garamendi (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 3rd Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2013. His current term ends on January 3, 2023.
Garamendi (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 8th Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Garamendi represented California’s 10th Congressional District in the U.S. House from 2009 to 2013. Garamendi began his political career in 1974, serving in the California State Assembly until his election to the California State Senate in 1976. Prior to his election to the U.S. House, Garamendi also served as lieutenant governor of California from 2007 to 2009…
Ballotpedia provided information about Rudy Recile
Rudy Recile (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 8th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Recile completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Hello, fellow Americans! I am a proud Retired US Army Major, former US Department of Agriculture employee and owner of a small web design company. After retiring, my wife and I liked California so much that we decided to stay. My main platform issues include energy independence for America, supporting the Bill of Rights, accountability of our tax dollars, support for veterans, California’s environmental-water issues and quality education. I support successful public schools and I believe in equality of opportunity for all.
I’m developing a non-profit veterans’ support center providing services to veterans and serve as treasurer for a Veterans-of-Foreign-Wars Post. I served as a logistics officer at the Pentagon in Washington DC. I became savvy with the inner workings of agencies, and how to successfully accomplish the mission. Looking back on the 2020 election cycle, I was not pleased with what I witnessed. I decided my 33 years of experience working in Federal government was better put to becoming part of the solution instead of sitting on the sidelines. I volunteered with community organizations at monthly meetings, voter registration drives and other events. I am on a mission to restore our country with new blood and fresh ideas.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
I am on a Mission to Restore Our Country with New Blood and Fresh Ideas
I want Accountability for our Tax Dollar spending so Americans are able to see what and where our money is spent.
We need to restore our Bill of Rights for all Americans
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Reducing repetitive regulatory inspections for agricultural goods and livestock
Securing our border and enforcing current immigration laws
Ensuring good schools for the children of the USA
Supporting our Service Members by ensuring they have the means necessary to defend our country
Supporting Veterans providing services in underserved areas and reducing un-necessary bureaucratic processes
Accountability for our Tax Dollar spending so Americans are able to see what and where our money is spent
Restoring faith and support in our Judicial system and First Responders and Law Enforcement
Ballotpedia posted the results of the Primary election for U.S.House California District 8:
John Garamendi (D): 63.2% – 71,157 votes
Rudy Recile (R): 20.5% – 23,143 votes
Cheryl Sudduth (D): 9.8% – 11,091 votes
Christopher Riley (D): 3.4% – 3,831 votes
October 21: KCRA 3 posted an article titled: “Congressional District 8: KCRA 3 sits down with candidates John Garamendi & Rudy Recile” From the article:
…Democratic incumbent John Garamendi will face off against his Republican challenger, Rudy Recile, a former U.S. Army Major and former Department of Agriculture employee.
KCRA 3 asked both candidates what they think of their chances in the November election.
Congressman Garamendi said he was confident, despite redistricting. The only overlap with the former Congressional District 3, which Garamendi currently represents, is the Fairfield area. But Congressional District 8 is heavily Democratic, and Garamendi secured more than 63% of the vote during the June primary.
Recile, who has never held public office before, said he has his work cut out for him – but is working on knocking on as many doors as possible.
Recile told KCRA 3 that his top priority is accountability in government,
“Where is our money going? We’re printing money left and right in the government at the present time. Where is that money going?” Recile said.
A lot of those dollars in California are geared toward tackling climate change. Garamendi told that is one of his top priorities. His plan to deal with drought is what he calls, “A Water Plan for All California.”
“First of all, conservation everywhere – urban, agricultural, industrial conservation of water. Secondly, recycling. Recycle our water. Thirdly, we have to have storage,” Garamendi said…
…Recile said his other top priorities are working with veterans and making sure kids are educated properly. According to Recile’s policy platform on his website, he said curriculums created by teachers’ unions and school boards are “emasculating our sons.” KCRA3 asked Recile what he is specifically referring to.
“We’re trying to treat them more softly than what they should be doing,” Recile said. “In the schools, we’ve taken away a lot of the art classes, for example, woodworking, auto shop, things of that nature.”…
November 13: Congressman John Garamendi posted a statement on his official website: “Congressman John Garamendi is Re-Elected”. From the post:
Today, Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA) issued the following statement after being re-elected to Congress in California’s 8th Congressional District:
“I am deeply grateful and humbled by this vote of confidence from the voters in Contra Costa and Solano Counties. This decisive victory gives us an opportunity to continue the critically important work that’s before us,” Garamendi said.
“In the last two years, we have accomplished so much for the American people in the face of unprecedented challenges. The United States has led the world in combating the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuring economic recovery through the American Rescue Plan, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Chips Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act,” Garamendi continued.
“These bills have capped the out-of-pocket costs of prescription drugs for seniors, provided the single largest investment to combat climate change in history, lowered the federal deficit, helped rebuild our infrastructure using American materials and workers, and grown our economy at a record pace while ensuring American’s inflation rate is one of the lowest in the world,” Garamendi continued.
“When the new Congress is sworn in, I will build upon this legislation to promote economic and environmental justice throughout Solano and Contra Costa counties. We will invest in the incredible businesses and people right here in our backyard to lift up the communities that have historically been left behind. This is critically important work that I am more determined than ever to accomplish on behalf of California’s 8th Congressional District,” Garamendi continued.
“Next week I will return to Washington to finish the work this Congress has before it. Nothing is more important than passing ironclad legislation to support our democracy. Our democracy is under attack. With the January 6th Insurrection and the ensuing calls from GOP leaders to ban things like mail-in voting and other safe and necessary electoral tools that provide the fulcrum to our democracy, it is clear that immediate action must be taken by Congress to pass electoral reform and protect American democracy,” Garamendi continued.
“We have outwork cut out for us, and I couldn’t be more thankful to everyone who participated in this election. I will take your voice with me to Washington and continue working on your behalf. I am incredibly hopeful for the days ahead. Together, we will create a prosperous future for all,” Garamendi concluded.
Ballotpedia reported the results of California’s General Election for District 8:
John Garamendi (D): 74.5% – 81,256 votes
Rudy Recile (R): 25.5% – 27,878 votes
California’s 9th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided the following information about California’s 9th congressional district:
California’s 9th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. Jerry McNereny, a Democrat, has represented the district since January 2013.
Prior to redistricting by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission of 2011, the 9th district encompassed part of the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. Cities in the district included Oakland, Berkley, and Castro Valley. Most of that area became parts of the 13th district, while the 9th district in 2012 through 2022 was primarily made up of portions of the 18th and 11th districts from the 2002 through 2012.
Since the redistricting, prior to the 2012 election, the 9th district centered on Stockton. It consisted of most of San Joaquin County and portions of Contra Costa and Sacramento counties. Cities in the district include Antioch, Galt, Oakley, Lathrop, Lodi, Mountain House, and Stockton.
While redistricting in advance of the 2022 election in California, the 9th district is still centered on Stockton. However, Tracey, Manteca, and Ripon, which were formerly in California’s 10th congressional district, are now part of this district, while Antioch, Lathrop and Brentwood are no longer in the district. Antioch and Brentwood are part of the new 10th district, which is now west of the 9th district (as opposed to the south). As of the 2022 elections, Lathrop will be part of the new 13th district.
October 24: (Updated October 27, 2022) KHOU 11.com posted an article titled: “Meet the candidates for California’s 9th Congressional district: Josh Harder, Tom Patti.” From the article:
One of the most contentious races this November election season pits incumbent Josh Harder against Tom Patti.
The election will happening the newly redrawn 9th Congressional district, centered in San Joaquin County.
At 36 years old, Josh Harder seeks his third congressional, two-year-term.
The Turlock democrat says he has moved to Tracy, but his roots have always been in the San Joaquin Valley.
“I’m a fifth-generation resident of this community” said Harder. “My great-great-great grandfather started with a peach farm in Manteca in 1850. Now I’m raising my seven-month old daughter Lilian with my wife Pam in Tracy.”
Harder faces Republican Tom Patti, a long-time county resident, and current San Joaquin County Supervisor.
He’s also the owner of a crane-operating business.
“First and foremost local businessman, community activist, and most importantly a father in the community I grew up in, in the community that I’ve owned businesses, I’ve employed,” said Patti.
Patty says he is running in part to “bring common sense back to Washington” and to help unite lawmakers in Washington.
Harder says he’s running because there’s a lot more work left to do.
We’re in the midst of a drought in California and is still planning to ship Northern California here to Southern California,” Harder said. “We’re dealing with the cost of living. San Joaquin County has grown exponentially. People are paying five, six, dollars for a gallon of gas.”…
A look at the race
However, the race has become contentious and nasty.
In a political ad in favor of Harder, it alleges “Tom Patti took all that money for his own business.”
Patti doesn’t deny taking over $30,000 Paycheck Protection COVID cash to keep his business running, but Harder has criticized Patti as the only county supervisor that abstained from distributing more than $33 million in COVID-related American Rescue Plan funds in August last year.
Why did he abstain?
“Because I’m not certain this later stage of dollars and allocation to people is as necessary as being talked about and the necessity for allocation,” Patti said…
…ABC10 asked both candidates, How do you convince voters who are on the fence to vote for?
“Ya know, we’ve been very clear about our values,” said Harder. “Nobody is going to agree with me 100% of the issues, but we’re focused making sure we’re making the right decision independent of party line.”
“I’m working for the people where I live,” said Patty. “I’m working for the people that I currently serve. I’m working for the people that for decades I’ve done work. I’ve employed and I’ve done commerce with my community for decades.
The race is considered close despite a big difference in campaign fundraising…
November 15: Los Angeles Times (via MSN) posted an article titled: “Rep. Josh Harder defeats GOP challenger in Central Valley district.” From the article:
Democratic Rep. Josh Harder won election Tuesday to a Stockton-centered congressional district, beating Republican Tom Patti, a San Joaquin County supervisor and businessman.
Harder, who represents a neighboring district, stressed his independence from his party in the Central Valley race, which despite the area’s blue tilt was among California’s most competitive congressional contests.
“I’m incredibly honored our community has put their faith in me once again,” Harder said in a written statement. “There’s a huge amount of work that needs to get done, and I truly believe if we focus on common sense solutions we can get prices down, protect our water, and keep our community safe. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. I won’t let you down.”
Patti noted that he was exponentially outspent and accused Democrats of lying about his record, but he said he accepted the election result.
…Though the Associated Press called the race Tuesday night, official results will take longer.
Both candidates tried to paint their rivals as beholden to the extremes of their respective parties, but their behavior and messaging often reflected the moderate views of many of the regions voters.
Patti, a former amateur boxer who trained with Mike Tyson, had said he is not “a Trumpeter.” Harder highlighted his disagreement with the Democratic Party on issues such as gas taxes and water. On the ballot, the title he listed with was “Agriculture Committeeman,” not a member of Congress.
The 9th Congressional District, altered in the map redrawing following the census, includes much of San Joaquin County, with small bits of Contra Costa and Stanislaus counties.
After the incumbent who lives there decided not to seek reelection, Harder ran in the friendlier electoral terrain. Democrats have about a 15-percentage-point voter-registration advantage over Republicans…
November 15: The Sacramento Bee posted an article titled: “Congressman Josh Harder wins California midterm in key clinch for House Democrats.” From the article:
Rep. Josh Harder will return to the U.S. House of Representatives after prevailing in a must-win district for Democrats in their bid to reduce a Republican majority.
Harder, D-Tracey, beat San Joaquin County supervisor Tom Patti, a Republican, in California’s new 9th Congressional District. The congressman had earned more than 56% of the votes when the Associated Press declared his win. More than 79% of the votes had been counted…
…The win comes as Republicans are on the cusp of taking control of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2023. As of Tuesday evening, Democrats won 209 seats; Republicans 217.
A party needs 218 seats to hold the majority…
…Prior to the midterms, analysts weren’t entirely confident that Democrats would keep the 9th amid a predicted “red wave.” But that wave never came into fruition…
San Luis Obispo Tribune posted an article titled: “Congressman Josh Harder wins California midterm in key clinch for House Democrats”. From the article:
Rep. Josh Harder will return to the U.S. House of Representatives after prevailing in a must-win district for Democrats in their bid to reduce a Republican majority.
Harder, D-Tracy, beat San Joaquin County supervisor Tom Patti, a Republican, in California’s new 9th Congressional District. The congressman had earned more than 56% of the votes when the Associated Press declared his win. More than 79% of the votes had been counted.
New York Times reported the results of California 9th District:
Josh Harder (Democrat): 95,598 votes – 54.8%
Tom Patti (Republican): 78,802 votes – 45.2%
Ballotpedia reported the final results of California 9th District:
Josh Harder (D): 56.3% – 74,966 votes
Tom Patti (R): 43.7% – 58,182 votes
California’s 10th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 10th Congressional District:
California’s 10th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. Currently, the 10th district encompasses parts of the eastern San Francisco Bay Area. It is currently represented by Democrat March DeSaulnier.
The district previously included all of Stanislaus County and part of San Joaquin County. It was centered in Modesto. Cities in the district included Oakdale, Manteca, Modesto, Tracey, and Turlock.
Redistricting before the 2022 elections moved the district to the San Francisco Bay Area. It includes the cities Concord, Walnut Creek, Danville, San Ramon, Brentwood, and southern Antioch in Contra Costa County, and eastern Dublin in Alameda County. The redistricting transformed the 10th from a competitive district to a heavily Democratic one.
…After 2022, the 10th district was redrawn in time for the 2022 election, being divided up between California’s 5th Congressional district (which now includes eastern portions of Modesto and eastern portions of Turlock), California’s 9th district (which is centered on Stockton, California and includes Tracey), and California’s 13th district (which includes western Modesto and western Turlock). Current 10th district incumbent Josh Harder is running for reelection in the new version of California’s 9th congressional district.
December 20, 2021: Antioch Herald posted an article titled: “Rep. DeSaulnier Announced Re-Election Campaign For California’s New 10th Congressional District” From the article:
The DeSaulnier for Congress Campaign announced the launch of the congressman’s re-election effort for California’s newly drawn 10th Congressional district, as approved by the California Citizens’ Redistricting Commission (CCRC) on Monday, Dec. 20th. Mark DeSaulnier has represented Concord and Contra Costa County in Congress since 2015 and vows to continue to work hard for his constituents, fighting for working families.
The 10th District encompasses most of Contra Costa County, including Lamorinda, the San Ramon Valley, Concord, Clayton, Clyde, Pacheco, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek, and portions of Martinez in Central County, and in East County, Brentwood, Oakley, Bethel Island, Knightsen and portions of Antioch, plus portions of Dublin in Alameda County. DeSaulnier currently represents portions of Antioch and will continue to do so if re-elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
“Throughout my time in Congress, my guiding principle has always been this: I work for you,” said Congressman DeSaulnier. “It’s been my honor to represent this area for nearly three decades, on the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, in the California State Legislature, and for the past six years as a Member of Congress. My priority has always been serving the people of Contra Costa and making our voices heard during the tough fights, when it matters most .”
DeSaulnier lives in Concord where he raised his two sons, Tristan and Tucker, and opened and operated a small business, TR’s restaurant.
He’s also spent three decades as a public servant: representing his community on the Concord City Council, as Mayor of Concord, as a three-term Contra Costa County Supervisor, in the California State Legislature, and currently as a Member of Congress…
Ballotpedia reported that Michael Ernest Kerr (Green Party) was the only candidate who filled out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Here are some of the answers he provided:
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Military Industrial Complex control of media and the two main political parties and censorship of alternative information from their profit driven narratives.
Our government and media are not treating climate change like the serious crisis it has become.
The Military Industrial Media Complex has split the country into extreme hatred between Republicans & Democrats despite both having similar basic needs and wants.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am a 9/11 truther! Since the release of the 9/11 Commission report in 2005 which I consider a flat-out confession by my government, I have offered an unclaimed reward of $100,000 to the first person who can prove or at least demonstrate that my government did not plan, manage, execute and cover-up the events around the September 11, 2021, attacks. My website is http://www.911reward.org.
I have been arrested over a dozen times protesting against the U.S. Drone Assassination program at either Beale AFB or Creech AFB for close to 10 years. These drone attacks have killed thousands of civilians, terrorized millions more in countries we are not at war. These drone attacks are in violation of our U.S. Constitution and International Law.
It is insane that the U.S. does not have Single Payer Medicare for All like most of the nations in the industrial developed world. Millions of Americans have died and tens of millions have suffered from the lack of affordable quality healthcare. Although Democrats had total control of California for years and their platform calls for Medicare for All, the corporate beholden Democratic Party always finds a reason not to pass Medicare for All during the past ten years despite supposedly progressive Governors. When Arnold Schwarzenegger was Governor, he twice vetoed in 2006 and 2008 the Democratic legislature passed Medicare for All bills…
…Q: What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
I have been a Peace and Social Justice Advocate most all of my adult life. This has been my vocation, my purpose in life. I have never been paid for my vocation. I have contributed my own money and time to my vocation. I have primarily acted independently, but often in coordination with other groups or organizations. I would qualify as an active member.
I am a problem solver and always try to engage in active research and study before taking a position especially concerning controversial issues. Yet my positions are always open to change based on new information and facts.
I will be a bullhorn in exposing corruption in congress, all our government agencies and in our corporate world! I always do my best toward creating a better world for people and all living things!
May 18: East County Today posted an article titled: “Oakley Woman to Run as Official Write-In Candidate for Congress Against DeSaulnier”. From the article:
Oakley resident Katherine Piccinini announced that she has filed paperwork with the Contra Costa Elections Division and is certified as an official Write-In Candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, 10th District race in the June 7th Primary Election.
The 10th Congressional District was recently changed due to re-districting and now includes much of Contra Costa County, including Oakley, Brentwood, parts of Antioch and Central Contra Costa County as well.
If she gets enough voters to write her name on the June ballot, it will appear on the November ballot.
“I am a mother, a grandmother, and a Constitutionalist,” Piccinini stated. “I am concerned about the direction of our great nation.”
She said she was concerned that no viable challenger had filed paperwork to run against incumbent, liberal Congressman Mark DeSaulnier in the Primary.
“DeSaulnier has voted yes to budget after budget where America has overspent beyond our means, incurring 10’s of trillions in debt that our children and grandchildren will be forced to pay back,” Piccinini said as one of her reasons for the challenge. She also discussed other parts of DeSaulnier’s voting record, noting he even voted non on the ‘Infants Born Alive Protection Act’ H.R. 4712 which would have required health care professionals to provide life-saving care to babies born during botched abortions…
…Piccinini outlined several of her platform issues, including financial accountability, such as reigning in our $30.4+ trillion dollar national debt by auditing, reducing spending and advancing a balanced budget amendment, support for the Bill of Rights, including the Freedom of Speech, Religion, and our Right to Bear Arms, as well as supporting federal voucher efforts for school choice, closed borders and stopping the federal funding of Planned Parenthood…
June 8: The New York Times posted the result of California’s 10th Congressional District Primary Election Results:
Michael Kerr (uncontested)
Mark DeSaulnier (uncontested)
Ballotpedia reported the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 10:
Mark DeSaulnier (D): 84.9% – 60,471 votes
Michael Ernest Keer (G): 12.9% – 9,159 votes
Katherine Piccinini (R) (Write-in): 2.3% – 1,638 votes
November 8: Associated Press posted “Democrat Mark DeSaulnier wins reelection to U.S. House in California’s 10th Congressional District”. [...]
April 15, 2022CaliforniaPhoto by Hannah Busing on Unsplash
I wrote a thread on Twitter that started with a quote-tweet of an article from Teen Vogue. The article was titled: “What Does Workplace Retaliation Look Like?” and it was written by Rainesford Stauffer. It reminded me of the workplace retaliation I was subjected to in a previous job.
My intent was to leave the thread up for a couple of hours, and then turn it into a blog post. I started by quote-tweeting the Teen Vogue article, and tweeting: “This article provides important information that I wish I had known about years ago.” (I’ve added it additional information in this blog post that I felt was too much to stick in a Twitter thread).
Years ago, I was working as a teacher’s aide in… I’m going to say a “difficult classroom”. There were three teacher’s aides, and one teacher. My degree in Education didn’t count because I moved to a new state. So, I was a teacher’s aide.
In the state I was working in, teachers get paid more than teacher’s aides. So, I started with a lot of teaching experience, but less pay than my degree called for. As such, there was no way I could afford to re-do my degree in Education.
We were given two unpaid 15 minute breaks and one 30 minute lunch break. In “regular” classrooms, someone would come in to relieve the teacher and/or teacher’s aide. Teacher got their breaks. Teacher’s aides got their breaks.
But that didn’t happen in my “difficult classroom”. Some of the children in that classroom had been through terrifying experiences and were emotionally scarred from it. Violence occurred often. All teachers and aides were taught ways to safely stop the violence.
Learning how to do that was traumatizing for me. It required more than one day learning how to do “holds”, which we practiced on each other. We took turns doing the holds and being the one who had the holds done on them.
The training was intense. We started in a classroom and paired up with someone else. The purpose was to mimic some of the things we had seen the children in our classroom do. It involved yelling at the person we were paired with (including swearing), and play-acting the violence escalating. (For example, I mimicked a student who started by kicking things by pretending to kick my own bag that was on the floor).
I was paired up with a person who was a counselor – who immediately picked out which student I was mimicking. She mimicked talking me down. The purpose was so I could learn what to do and say when violence was escalating in my classroom, and what NOT to do or say.
We took a break after that, which I needed because I was absolutely not ok. I have PTSD, in part because I grew up in a violent household. All that yelling – and having to mimic it – was not helpful. I remember pacing back and forth across the back of the classroom during the break, trying not to freak out.
The second day, we moved to a larger room and were taught how to do “holds”. We were paired up with a small group of other teachers and teacher’s aides. I had briefly met one of the people in my group because I was sent to their classroom to observe one day. The rest were strangers.
I had not yet recovered from being traumatized the day before. The second day was worse because we had to take turns physically trying to put other people in holds – or being the recipient of the hold. Over and over again. Towards the end of the second day, each group was to demonstrate how to do holds. I am very small, so I was selected as the person to have the hold done on them.
My arms were pulled back behind me and I was tipped forward. I knew this would happen, as we all had been practicing this. From memory, I think I had this done twice, to swap out the first people so the others in the group could show they had learned how to do this.
Somewhere in there, one of them (unintentionally) pulled my hand too hard and caused an old injury to return. None of them knew about that injury, and it wasn’t anyone’s fault that I got hurt. I spent the next day with an arm brace on, hoping that this would prevent the old injury from getting worse.
Oddly enough, the original injury happened at an entirely different workplace and in another state. Long story short, I was working in a daycare at a hospital. I had to spend my lunch break waiting to be seen in the Emergency Room. My director insisted I sign a form before going to the ER, but I refused because I was in pain and could see that the form would not benefit me.
That particular workplace didn’t have any information about unions posted anywhere.
The type of training I went through – learning holds – is obviously not what most teachers or teacher’s aides are typically required to do. Most classrooms have students who do not present a need for an adult to learn those skills. That said, it was well known that the children in our classroom could become violent. We were the only classroom that had to carry walkie-talkies to communicate with each other. The only classroom where some of our students would run away to some other part of the school when stressed.
As such, we could not get anyone to come to our “difficult classroom” so we could take our breaks. I spoke about this with the Principal, multiple times. The Principal didn’t really listen to me and didn’t make any changes.
The rest of the teachers and aides took their lunch break while their class was having lunch. We couldn’t do that, as the Principal required all of us to sit with the kids during lunch – which should have been our 30 minute paid break.
There was another problem with this school. Teacher’s aides in this school were treated sort of like contractors. You had to get through three (positive) reviews in order to keep your job. I had passed through the first two reviews. Principal dragged their feet on the third.
Eventually, I got tired of working through what should have been my breaks. The state I lived in had set rules in place regarding breaks. I remember managers at a job I held previous to this one making a huge effort to ensure workers took their breaks on time. Failure to do so would result in serious consequences.
I started asking who the union representative was. A teacher connected me with that person, who contacted the union on my behalf. Got the ball rolling, despite the fact that I had not yet joined the union.
Not long after that, the Principal came to the door of our classroom while the students were eating lunch inside it. The Principal yelled at me for talking to the union. They did this within earshot of the students in the classroom – some of whom had a tendency to become terrified when they heard adults yelling.
The Principal yelled at me about getting involved with a union (without actually saying the word union). The Principal complained, “Why didn’t you come to me first?” At the time, I didn’t understand that this was gaslighting.
What I did know (and quickly made clear) were the number of times I specifically asked them to give me my (now overdue) third review. I reminded them that I had come to talk to them about not being able to take my breaks – several times – and that they chose to do nothing to make changes.
The Principal then yelled, “I thought you knew better than that!” More gaslighting, but I didn’t realize it at the time. I responded by making it clear that I had come from a state with the strongest teacher’s union in the nation, and that I knew exactly what I was doing. The Principal didn’t have a response to that, and walked away.
Another thing I didn’t realize at the time was that the Principal coming to yell at me in front of my fellow teacher’s aides, the teacher I worked under, and the students we helped, was likely a form of workplace retaliation. The Principal was making a scene with me in the hopes of scaring my co-workers away from trying to talk to the union so they could get their breaks.
This inappropriate incident made it clear that the union had heard me and had likely contacted the Principal about it. Shortly after the Principal’s outburst, I was allowed to start taking my (unpaid) 15 minute breaks and my (paid) 30 minute break.
The teachers in the teacher’s lounge expressed surprise to see me there, since none of the other people who worked in my “difficult classroom” had ever taken their breaks. They welcomed me in and it was nice to have a half-hour to eat and relax.
Unfortunately, my fellow teacher’s aides, and the teacher we worked under, were still not allowed to take their breaks. The union told me that they could only secure my breaks. The others had to contact the union themselves, and then the union could fight for them.
Earlier in this blog post, I mentioned that the teachers and teacher’s aides in other classrooms had a person swap in to give the teacher and their aides their breaks. My understanding from the emails the union sent me (on my personal email account – not the school’s email) was that the Principal would start sending in a person to swap me out. I shared that news with my coworkers.
Unfortunately, the Principal blew that off. This left my coworkers short-handed, which could be really bad if violence broke out while I was not there. I didn’t understand it at the time, but now I recognize this as another form of workplace retaliation.
My perception was that the Principal was trying to make things difficult for my coworkers, in the hopes that they would turn on me. I was the only one (so far) that talked to the union. I was getting my breaks. They were not getting their breaks. To make things worse, the Principal refused to send in a person to swap me out, leaving my coworkers shorthanded, and at risk if violence broke out while I was on break.
Working in that type of environment made us all form very strong bonds with each other. It was vital that we had each other’s back. There is something about experiencing trauma that pulls people together. It bothered me that the Principal was making my coworkers jobs harder – instead of giving them the breaks they were legally entitled to.
In California, there are laws regarding meal periods. In short, the law requires employees to be provided with no less than a thirty-minute meal period when the work period is more than five hours. The meal period shall be considered “on duty”, counted as hours worked, and paid for at the employee’s regular rate of pay.
In general, for employers to satisfy their obligation to provide a meal period, an employer must actually relieve employees of all duty, relinquish control over their activities, permit them a reasonable opportunity to take an uninterrupted 30-minute break (in which they are free to come and go as they please), and must not impede or discourage employees from taking their meal period.
The California Supreme Court has noted, “The wage orders and governing statute do not countenance an employer’s exerting coercion against taking of, creating incentives to forego, or otherwise encouraging the skipping of legally protected breaks.”
If your employer is not allowing you to take a meal period, there are repercussions. If your employer fails to provide the required meal period, you are able to be paid one hour of pay at your regular rate of compensation (this is referred to as meal period premium pay) for each workday that the meal period is not provided. If your employer fails to pay the additional one-hour’s pay, you may file a wage claim with the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement.
I wish I knew about this when I was working as a teacher’s aide! The information from the California Department of Industrial Relations states that this law was revised in 2012. Which means it might have been in effect while I was working at the school.
Not long after I had been allowed to take my (rightfully owed) breaks, I got a letter in the mail. It informed me that I had failed my third review. That was a surprise, because I was not given a third review. The letter also said that I was fired.
I decided to show up for work the next day and confront the Principal. I arrived early, went directly to their office and knocked on the door. When the Principal opened the door, I held up the letter.
“Oh. You weren’t suppose to get that yet,” they said.
I asked how it was possible to fail a third review when the review never happened. The Principle responded, “You lack specific skills”. When I asked what skills they were referring to, the answer was “specific skills”.
Looking back, this was both gaslighting, and workplace retaliation, wrapped together in a toxic bundle. The Principal refused to provide any more clarity on the specific skills, which left me to guess what those might be. The Principal fired me in retaliation for talking to the union – which required the Principal to give me my breaks.
I remember leaving in tears, which happens when I’m so irate that my system overloads. One of the janitors was coming into the school as I was leaving.
He asked if I got fired, and I nodded. The janitor said something indicating that the Principal does this all the time. “Don’t worry, you’ll be back soon.” That indicates there was a history of the Principal breaking laws by actively preventing some workers to take their breaks.
To their credit, the union continued fighting for me, even though I had not joined it. This didn’t result in getting my job back, but by then I didn’t want the job anymore.
My purpose in writing this blog post was to provide clear examples of what a toxic workplace looks like. Employers (in California, at least) are not allowed to prevent employees from taking their breaks. The Principal engaged in gaslighting me, and in workplace retaliation against myself and my coworkers.
It’s not easy to recognize when those things are happening in the heat of the moment. That’s the point. Bad bosses want to make workers feel confused (gaslighting) or threatened (workplace retaliation) in order to prevent workers from talking to a union or attempting unionization.
This is why unions are so important. A union can help workers to require their employers to comply with labor laws, to improve problems in the workplace, and to raise wages. And this is why I retweet when workers start unionizing for better workplace conditions.
Why Unions are Necessary is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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February 7, 2022CaliforniaPhoto by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels
Unfortunately, California lawmakers keep finding excuses to prevent that from happening.
How It Started
In 2017, California Assembly Member Anthony Rendon (Democrat) blocked SB 562. If passed, the bill would have given Californian’s access to single-payer health care. Here are some key paragraphs from the bill:
…This bill, the Healthy California Act, would create the Healthy California program to provide comprehensive universal single-payer health care coverage and a health care cost control system for the benefit of all residents of the state. The bill, among other things, would provide that the program cover a wide range of medical benefits and other services and would incorporate health care benefits and standards of other existing federal and state provisions, including, but not limited to, the state’s Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medi-Cal, ancillary health care or social services covered by regional centers for persons with developmental disabilities, Knox-Keene, and the federal Medicaid program. The bill would seek all necessary waivers, approvals, and agreements to allow various existing federal health care payments to be paid to the Healthy California program, which would then assume responsibility for all benefits and services previously paid for with those funds……The bill would prohibit health care service plans and health insurers from offering health benefits or covering any service for which coverage is offered to individuals under the program, except as provided. The bill would authorize health care providers, as defined, to collectively negotiate rates of payment for health care services, rates of payment for prescription and nonprescription drugs, and payment methodologies using a 3rd-party representative, as provided…California Legislative Information website
Blocking the bill sparked an attempt to oust Anthony Rendon via a recall effort in 2017-2018. Ballotpedia provides the following information:
…The recall effort was launched by single-payer proponents after Rendon, who serves as speaker of the California State Assembly, blocked SB 562 – a bill that would have established a single-payer healthcare system in California. It passed the California State Senate on June 1, 2018. Rendon announced on June 23, 2017, that SB 562 would be held in the state Assembly’s rules committee until further notice…… In the statement, Rendon said that while he supports a single-payer system, he opposed SB 562 because it did not address issues related to funding, delivery of care, or cost controls. Moreover, he said it did not consider the role that the administration of President Donald Trump (R) would have to play for a single-payer system to be implemented. He also said that the bill could be brought back during the 2018 session if the state Senate addressed the issues he identified…Ballotpedia
The recall effort against Rendon failed. The proponents had until February 20, 2018, to collect the 22,963 signatures needed to trigger a recall election. They announced the end of the effort on February 8, 2018.
Where it Went
On January 10, 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom (Democrat) proposed a plan that would offer universal health care to Californians. His proposal would have made California the first in the nation to offer universal access to health care coverage. The plan was described on “The California Blueprint”, Newsom’s list of five things he intended to take on as a state.
From The California Blueprint (under the Tackling The Cost of Living part):
…Create Universal Access to Healthcare Coverage: Governor Newsom’s Blueprint will make California the first state in the nation to offer universal healthcare coverage for all state residents, regardless of immigration status…The California Blueprint
According to Paso Robles Daily News, (in an article posted on January 12, 2022), the California Blueprint would provide a full expansion of Medi-Cal (the state’s Medicare system) to all eligible Californians regardless of immigration status, including an estimated 764,000 undocumented immigrants. In 2016, California’s Medi-Cal covered all eligible undocumented low-income children regardless of immigration status.
In 2019, Medi-Cal was extended to cover all eligible undocumented young adults up to the age of 26. And in 2021, California became the first in the nation to expand full-scope Medi-Cal eligibility to low-income adults age 50+, regardless of immigration status. Newsom’s blueprint would expand full-scope eligibility to individuals 26-49, making Medi-Cal available to all income-eligible Californians, again, regardless of immigration status.
On January 18, 2022, Cal Matters posted an article titled: “Newsom backs away from single-payer health care pledge”. It was written by Dan Walters. From the article:
…While running for governor in 2018, Newsom pledged to create a single-payer system for California, making the state the sole supplier of coverage……That pledge won Newsom the support of single-payer advocates. The California Nurses Association decked out a bus that toured the state with a picture of Newsom’s face and the words: “Nurses Trust Newsom. He shares our values and fights for our patients.”However, once elected, Newsom did virtually nothing to implement the promise. Instead, as the state’s finances allowed, he extended Medi-Cal coverage incrementally to undocumented immigrants and others lacking private or public coverage……The differences between universal coverage and single-payer are more than semantic. The former includes a wide variety of public and private health insurance plans, many of which have coverage limits and patient co-pays, while the latter would provide unlimited benefits free of out-of-pocket costs, much like Great Britain’s National Health Service.Providing universal coverage, as Newsom defines it, is doable by spending a few additional billion dollars in the state budget. Single-payer, on the other hand, would require the federal government to give the state the $200-plus billion is now spends on Californian’s health care and the state to raise taxes more than $150 billion a year…Cal Matters
What the Bill Included:
On January 24, 2022, AB-1400, the Guaranteed Health Care for All bill, was presented to the California Assembly. The bill was introduced by Assembly Members Ash Kalra (Democrat). Alex Lee (Democrat), and Miguel Santiago (Democrat).
Here are some interesting parts of AB-1400:
Every resident of the state shall be eligible and entitled to enroll as a member of CalCare.A member shall not be required to pay a fee, payment, or other charge for enrolling in or being a member of CalCare.A member shall not be required to pay a premium, copayment, coinsurance, deductive, or any other form of cost sharing for all covered benefits under CalCare.A college, university, or other institution of higher education in the state may purchase coverage under CalCare for a student, or a student’s dependent, who is not a resident of the state.An individual entitled to benefits through CalCare may obtain health care items and services from any institution, agency, or individual participating provider.The board shall establish a process for automatic CalCare enrollment at the time of birth in California
The CalCare Board would govern CalCare. The board would be made up of 9 voting members with demonstrated and acknowledged expertise in health care, plus the Secretary of California Health and Human Services or their designee as a nonvoting, ex officio member. The bill would provide the board with all the powers and duties necessary to establish CalCare, including determining when individuals may start enrolling into CalCare, employing necessary staff, negotiating pricing for covered pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, establishing a prescription drug formulary, and negotiating and entering into necessary contracts.
The bill would also provide for participation of health care providers in CalCare, including the requirements of participation agreement between a health care provider and the board, provide for payment for health care items and services, and specify program participation standards. The bill would prohibit a participating provider from discriminating against a person by, among other things, reducing or denying a person’s benefits under CalCare because of a specified characteristic, status, or condition of the person.
On or before July 2024, the board shall conduct and deliver a fiscal analysis to determine both of the following:
Whether or not CalCare may be implementedWhether revenue is more likely than not to be sufficient to pay for program costs within eight years of CalCare’s implementationThe board shall contract with one or more independent entities with the appropriate expertise to conduct the fiscal analysis.After the board has determined whether or not CalCare may be implemented and if program revenue is more likely than not to be sufficient to pay for program costs within eight years of CalCare’s implementation, CalCare shall not be further implemented until the Senate Committee on Health, Assembly Committee on Health, Senate Committee on Appropriations, and Assembly Committee on Appropriations consider, and the Legislature approves, by statute, the implementation of CalCare.
What Happened?
CBS8 posted an article on February 1, 2022, titled: “Why single payer died in the California Legislature, again”. It was written by Alexi Koseff (CalMatters). From the article:
Despite, or perhaps because of, an aggressive last-minute push by progressive activists ahead of a crucial deadline, legislation to create a government-run universal health care system in California died Monday without coming up for a vote.
The single-payer measure, Assembly Bill 1400, was the latest attempt to deliver on a longtime priority of Democratic Party faithful to get private insurers and profit margins out of health care. Because it was introduced last year, when it stalled without receiving a single hearing, it needed to pass the Assembly by Monday to continue through the legislative process…
…After several tense hours Monday afternoon, during which a scramble of meetings took place just off the Assembly floor, Assemblymember Ash Karla, the San Jose Democrat carrying AB 1400, announced that he would not bring up the measure for a vote…
National United Nurses (California Nurses Association) posted a statement regarding AB 1400:
“…Today, elected leaders in California had the opportunity to put patients first and set an example for the whole country by passing AB 1400, the California Guaranteed Health Care for All Act, in the State Assembly. Instead, Assembly Member Ash Kalra, the main author of the bill, chose not to hold a vote on this bill at all, providing cover for those who would have been forced to go on the record about where they stand on guaranteed health care for all people in California.“Nurses condemn this failure by elected representatives to put patients above profits, especially during the worst surge of Covid-19 yet, at a time when it’s more clear than ever before that health care must be a right, not just a privilege for those who can afford it…”National Nurses United
Bloomberg Quint posted an article that was updated on February 1, 2022, titled: “Single-Payer Health Bill Fails to Get California Assembly Vote”. It was written by Laura Mahoney. From the article:
…Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D) and Speaker Anthony Rendon (D) acknowledged they didn’t have enough votes to form a majority of members to pass the bill (A.B. 1400) despite Democrats holding more than two-thirds of seats in the legislature’s lower chamber. The system, called CalCare, would have made California the single payer for health insurance for state residents and take the place of employer-provided plans……The proposal faced stiff opposition from business groups and legislative Republicans, but its failure Monday was because of a lack of support from within the Democratic Party. Opponents objected to the tax increases that would be necessary to fund the system – an estimated $163 billion in new taxes that would require voter approval through a separate measure…Bloomberg Quint
Where Do We Go From Here?
Californians need to keep pushing our legislature to enact single-payer health care. One of the ways to do that is to contact you California Senator and/or Representative and make it abundantly clear that you are in favor of single-payer health care.
As mentioned in the article from CalMatters, single-payer health care would provide unlimited benefits free of out-of-pocket costs, much like Great Britain’s National Health Service. Universal health care includes a wide variety of public and private health insurance plans, many of which have coverage limits and patient co-pays – and that could turn out to be too expensive for many Californians to afford.
California Needs Single Payer Heath Care is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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October 23, 2021CaliforniaPhoto by Tiffany Tertipes on Unsplash
Governor Gavin Newsom won the California Recall election. No one should be surprised by this outcome in a state where the vast majority of registered voters are Democrats.
On September 14, 2021, the California Secretary of State’s website provided partial reporting of the outcome of the California Recall election. As of the night of September 14, 2021, the YES votes totaled 3,298,988 (36.1%). The NO votes totaled 5,841,689 (61.9)%
The official results of the recall election were released on October 22, 2021, after being certified by Dr. Shirley N. Weber, California’s Secretary of State. On October 22, 2021, the YES votes totaled 4,894,473 (38%) and the NO votes totaled 7,944,092 (61.9%). It should be noted that these totals included all of the ballots that were cast in the recall election. The California Secretary of State’s website clearly shows that every ballot, from every county, had been counted and that there were zero left to count.
There were two questions on the ballot.
Question 1: “Shall GAVIN NEWSOM be recalled (removed) from the office of Governor?”
A “YES” vote meant the voter wanted Governor Newsom removed. A “NO” vote meant the voter wanted Governor Newsom to remain as Governor of California.
Question 2: “Candidate to succeed GAVIN NEWSOM as Governor if he is recalled:”
The California Secretary of State’s website shows not only the official total vote count, but also the long list of “Recall Election Gubernatorial Replacement Candidates”. There were a total of 53 candidates who wanted to be chosen by voters to replace Governor Gavin Newsom. The majority of those candidates were Republicans. There were also some Democrats, a few Libertarians and Green Party candidates, and several “No Party Preference”.
SFGate reported (on September 15, 2021) that Governor Gavin Newsom “implored Democratic voters to leave the second question of the recall ballot blank.”
…This strategy was deployed in order to paint the recall as a choice between Newsom and replacement frontrunner Larry Elder, a firebrand conservative radio host whose decision to enter the race late has since been blamed for Newsom’s landslide victory.SFGate
Voters who voted “YES” and wanted Governor Gavin Newsom to be removed from office could select ONE of the candidates on the list as his replacement. That said, there was a threshold to be met before Governor Newsom could be replaced.
Some voters decided to fill in the second question with their choice of replacement candidate. According to the Statement of Vote Summary Pages on the California Secretary of State’s website, the top five were:
Larry A. Elder (Republican) – 3,563,867 votes (48.4%)
Kevin Paffrath (Democrat) – 706,779 votes (9.6%)
Kevin L. Faulconer (Republican) 590,346 votes (8.0%)
Brandon M. Ross (Republican) 392,029 votes (4.1%)
John Cox (Republican) 305,095 votes (4.1%)
CalMatters reported information about the California recall election that might be unique to California:
…If more than 50% of voters had said yes on the first question, Newsom would have been removed from office. Then whoever had the most votes among the 45 active candidates listed on the second question and seven write-in candidates – no matter how few and even if they didn’t win a majority – would have become governor in late October for the rest of Newsom’s term.CalMatters
Fortunately, the results showed that 61.9% of voters voted “NO” (because they wanted to keep Governor Gavin Newsom). That left the “YES” side (that wanted to remove Governor Gavin Newsom) with only 36.1%. That number is much lower than the 50% that it would have taken to remove Governor Newsom.
The Modesto Bee reported about the impact of mail-in ballots:
…Mail-in ballots also could have contributed to the higher turnout. Over the last decade, the number of California voters casting ballots by mail has grown substantially.In 2018, 65.3% of votes were cast by mail. California in 2020 sent mail ballots to all voters because of the coronavirus pandemic. The percentage of mail-in ballots cast rose to 86.72% in the general election.Counties sent all California registered voters mail-in ballots for the recall, too. Weber’s office on Friday reported 91.01% of voters used mail ballots in that election.Under a new law signed by Newsom last month, vote by mail will now be automatic for all voters in all elections.The Modesto Bee
Mail-in ballots are wonderful because they make it easier for people who are disabled to vote. A person with a disability might not be capable of standing in a long line while waiting to cast their vote. People who low-vision might not be able to see the small print on the ballot that is offered at a polling place. Mail-in ballots are also great for people who work more than one job, and do not have the time to cast their vote in person because doing so could make them late for their second (or third) job.
How much did the Republican-led California Recall cost?
The best source I could find was the California Department of Finance. On July 1, 2021, the Department posted information about the cost of this recall election:
…On June 10, 2021, Finance notified the Joint Legislative Budget Committee that the estimated costs reported by counties to administer a statewide special recall election were $215.2 million. Finance gathered these estimated costs to support legislative consideration for inclusion in the budget, as requested by a coalition of county organizations and the Legislature.Subsequently, Chapter 34, Statutes of 2021 (SB 152) made changes to how the 2021 gubernatorial recall election will be held, including requiring it to be held as a regular election. As a result, Finance requested updated cost estimates from counties to administer the recall election under the provisions of SB 152. The updated estimated costs provided by counties are $243.6 million, an increase of $28.4 million from the previous estimate submitted to the Legislature. In addition, the Secretary of State estimates costs of $32.4 million to administer the recall election……Therefore, the total estimated state and county costs to administer the recall election under this scenario is $276 million. Of this amount, a total of $250.2 million has been appropriated in 2021-22 for this purpose – $215.2 million in section 16.00 of the Budget Act of 2021, Chapter 21, Statutes of 2021 (AB 128), and $35 million in SB 152. The Legislature determined the appropriation in AB 128 to be reasonably necessary to conduct the recall election and designated those funds for that purpose…California Department of Finance
Personally, I think the money that the State of California was forced to spend on the recall election was a waste. That money could have been used for so many more important things like: raising the minimum wage, helping people pay off student loans, affordable childcare for workers, funding to enable the state to switch to clean energy, building more affordable housing (including housing for unhoused people), adding additional resources to fight fires and to assist people who lost their homes due to catastrophes, and statewide single payer health care.
Instead, that money goes towards a bogus election, started by disgruntled Republican voters, who wanted to steal an election. Gavin Newsom won his gubernatorial election against Republican John Cox fair and square. These proponents of the recall received extra time than typical to obtain the necessary amount of signatures (due to COVID-19 and a willing judge) and still failed.
It seems incredibly unfair that the small minority of registered Republican voters can force the State of California to spend money on an recall election that the majority of registered Democratic voters did not want. If the Republicans want to win the next gubernatorial election, they are going to have to find a candidate that Democrats will be interested in voting for. Somehow, I don’t think they will find a Republican candidate that fits that description.
Official Results of California Recall is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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October 3, 2021CaliforniaPhoto by Josh Olalde on Unsplash
Governor of California Gavin Newsom signed bills that are intended to increase California’s housing supply and fight the housing crisis. These bills were signed on September 16, 2021. They are part of California’s Comeback Plan.
Senate Bill 9 was sponsored by California State Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego). According to the Los Angeles Times, this bill would require cities to approve up to four housing units on what was a single-family lot. They would also have to approve splitting single-family lots so they could be sold separately.
Atkins included ways that local governments can block construction that might harm public safety or public health or benefit housing speculators. Property owners seeking to split a lot would have to agree to have one of the housing units as their principle residence for at least three years.Los Angeles Times
A Simple Explanation of Senate Bill 9
The title of SB 9 is the “California Housing Opportunity and More Efficiency (HOME) Act”. The website of the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom pointed out that the HOME Act “facilitates the process for homeowners to build a duplex or split their current residential lot, expanding housing options for people of all incomes that will create more opportunities for homeowners to add units on their existing properties. It includes provisions to prevent the displacement of existing renters and protect historic districts, fire-prone areas and environmental quality.”
Why Senate Bill 9 Matters
The Turner Center for Housing Innovation stated that the passage of SB 9 is significant “given that nearly two thirds of zoned land in California is reserved for single-family homes, which drastically limits where new development can take place.” This law will take effect on January 1, 2022.
According to the Turner Center for Housing, SB 9 will not solve California’s housing deficit on its own. The Turner Center’s recent analysis “shows that just 5.4% of single family parcels would be financially capable of supporting new housing as a result of SB 9.”
Still, its passage is significant for many reasons. Single-family-only zoning is rooted in exclusion, and unwinding the vestige of racial segregation is long overdue. The parcel subdivision provision of SB 9 has the potential to open up new financing options and wealth-building opportunities for low- and moderate-income homeowners. While legislation predating SB 9 expanded the ability of homeowners to add an accessory dwelling unit on their single-family property, our research has found that the wealth-building benefits are generally only available to affluent homeowners who have access to cash savings or home equity. SB 9 opens up the option of traditional construction financing to build the additional homes on a property.Terner Center for Housing Innovation
CapRadio provided a more detailed explanation regarding single-famliy zoning.
Single-family zoning, which SB 9 seeks to eliminate, has deeply racist roots. Originally introduced in Berkeley in 1916, the designation was used to block a Black-owned dance hall from moving into a primarily white neighborhood. The zoning not only precluded the dance hall, but also multifamily units more commonly occupied by people of color. CapRadio
In other words, SB 9 is going to make it easier for low-income, and moderate-income, people in California to afford a home. The change in zoning, from one plot with a single-family home on it, to a plot with more than one home on it, could make housing more affordable. This change helps to undo the racial segregation that led to plots of land to be zoned as single-family, only.
Senate Bill 10 was sponsored by California State Senator Scott Weiner (D-San Francisco). This bill would require a city or county to adopt a general plan for land use development within its boundaries that includes, among other things, a housing element. The Los Angeles Times reported that this bill would ease the way for local governments to rezone their neighborhoods near mass transit for up to 10 housing units.
A Simple Explanation of Senate Bill 10
The website of the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom points out that SB 10 “creates a voluntary process for local governments to access a streamlined zoning process for new multi-unit housing near transit or in urban infill areas, with up to 10 units per parcel. The legislation simplifies the CEQA requirements for upzoning, giving local leaders another tool to voluntarily increase density and provide affordable rental opportunities to more Californians.”
In a signing message regarding Senate Bill 10, Governor Newsom wrote the following:
“I am signing Senate Bill 10, a bill that will allow jurisdictions to pass an ordinance to zone any parcel for up to ten residential units if located in transit-rich and urban infill areas. Adoption of the ordinance, or a resolution to amend a general plan consistent with the ordinance, would be exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act …
“…While the benefits of this bill are promising, certain provisions may have unintended impacts on affordable housing projects that use density bonuses, as well as possible Fair Housing implications based on how jurisdictions may choose to implement its provisions.
“Therefore, I am directing the Department of Housing and Community Development’s newly established Housing Accountability Unit to vigilantly monitor the implementation of this bill at the local level, and if needed, work with the Legislature to proactively address any unintended consequences, should they arise…”
Why Senate Bill 10 Matters
The sponsor of SB 10, Senator Scott Weiner, said: “California’s severe housing shortage is badly damaging our state, and we need approaches to tackle it.” He continued, “SB 10 provides one important approach: Making it dramatically easier and faster for cities to zone for more housing. It shouldn’t take five or 10 years for cities to re-zone, and SB 10 gives cities a powerful new tool to get the job done quickly….”
The Terner Center for Housing Innovation provided this information:
…Senate Bill 10, a bill introduced by Senator Scott Wiener that allows cities to bypass the typical environmental review process when rezoning areas for up to ten new homes. Senate Bill 478, authored by Senator Wiener, also passed the legislature as well. The bill would limit Floor Area Ratio (FAR) requirements for small-scale housing, essentially removing a tool some cities have used to stymie housing production. Our analysis of an earlier version of this bill shows that FAR is not used widely in residential land use regulations, but where it is, these new limits could be impactful…Terner Center for Housing Innovation
The California Department of Housing and Community Development, who did research on the housing crisis in a study titled: “California’s Housing Future: Challenges and Opportunities,” provided the following information:
Production averaged less than 80,000 homes annually over the last 10 years, and ongoing production continues to fall far below the projected need of 180,000 additional homes annually.
Lack of supply and rising costs are compounding growing inequality for younger Californians.
One-third of renters pay more than 50% of income toward rent.
Homeownership rates are at their lowest in California since the 1940s.
California accounts for a disproportionate 22% of the nation’s homeless population.
Continued sprawl will decrease the affordability and quality of life while increasing combined housing and transportation costs on families.
In other words, SB 10 (and SB 478) are designed to prevent cities from flat out refusing to re-zone because the NIMBY groups are throwing a fit in opposition to a proposed development plan in their area. Instead, it gives the cities tools to implement what is really needed – the building of more affordable housing.
In regards to the NIMBYs, the California Attorney General, Rob Bonta, won a case against the NIMBYs in an appellate court decision (on September 13, 2021). The case was California Renters Legal Advocacy and Education Fund v. City of San Mateo.
According to a press release on the Attorney General’s website, the appellate court upheld “the constitutionality and statewide applicability of the California Housing Accountability Act (HAA).
…The HHA protects housing availability and affordability by imposing limits on the abilities of cities to reject proposals for housing developments that otherwise satisfy general plan and zoning requirements. The California Department of Justice intervened in the case last year. As part of the decision, the appellate court highlighted the critical need for HAA and reverse the trial court’s erroneous decision that threatened to undermine key state protections aimed at increasing the availability of housing…California Attorney General website
The press release on Governor Gavin Newsom’s website, regarding housing laws he signed, refers to the law that the appellate court upheld as (the “anti-NIMBY law”).
Governor Newsom Signed Bills To Build More Housing in California is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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September 16, 2021CaliforniaPhoto of I Voted stickers by Element5Digital on Unsplash
It is such a huge relief that the California Republican recall failed! We get to keep Governor Gavin Newsom. The counting of the votes isn’t over yet. However, the percentage of votes from people who voted NO (on recalling Governor Newsom) are too high for his opponent to overcome with whatever amount of votes are still to be counted.
On September 14, 2021, FiveThirtyEight stopped updating their statistics on the California Recall election. The latest data showed that 57.3% of votes came from people who wanted to keep Governor Newsom. It also showed 41.5% who wanted to remove him from office. The information came from a number of polls.
On September 14, 2021, the California Secretary of State’s website provided partial, reporting of the outcome of the election. The question voters were asked was: “Shall Gavin Newsom Be Recalled (Removed ) From the Office of Governor?”
As of the night of September 14, 2021, YES votes totaled 3,298,988 (36.1%).
As of the night of September 14, 2021, NO votes totaled 5,841,689 (63.9%).
It should be noted that the official results will be certified by October 22, 2021. This is to allow vote-by-mail ballots, provisional ballots, and other ballots to continue to be processed and counted after Election night.
Geoffrey Skelly, reporter for FiveThirtyEight provided this explanation:
Early on, the vote results will generally be those from mail-in ballots that were received and counted before election day. According to Political Data Inc., which tracks the ballot returns, about 8.7 million ballots had been returned up through yesterday, and another million of so have been added today. But remember that as long as a ballot was mailed by Election Day, it can be accepted up through a week from now, Sept. 21, so some mail votes will be counted later on. After the initial wave of mail ballot results, the next set of results later on tonight will be mostly in-person votes…FiveThirtyEight
On September 14, 2021, The Associated Press (AP) posted an article titled: “California Gov. Gavin Newsom beats back GOP-led recall”. From the article:
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday emphatically defeated a recall aimed at kicking him out of office early, a contest the Democrat framed as part of a national battle for his party’s values in the face of the coronavirus pandemic and continued threats from “Trumpism”……With an estimated two-thirds of ballots counted, “no” on the question of whether to recall Newsom was ahead by a 30-point margin. That lead was built on votes cast by mail and in advance of Tuesday’s in-person balloting, with a strong showing by Democrats. While likely to shrink somewhat in the days ahead as votes cast a polling places are counted, Newsom’s lead couldn’t be overcome…Associated Press
Why does California have a recall election?
In the 1911 session of the California legislature, a section was added to California’s constitution. It was called “California Proposition 8: Recall of Elected Officials Amendment“. The purpose was to enable the people of California to have a means to “prevent the misuse of power” by means of the initiative, the referendum, and the recall”, Governor Johnson explained in his 1911 inaugural address.
Ballotpedia reported that California Proposition 8 was approved on October 10, 1911. The YES vote was 178,115 (76.82%) and the NO vote was 53,755 (23.18%).
The majority of recall efforts fail
In March of 2021, The Guardian reported the following:
…Republicans had already tried and failed five times to get Newsom recalled, when their sixth try, led by the retired sheriff’s deputy Orrin Heatlie, began to gain momentum last year. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, a judge gave Heatlie and his supporters more time to collect signatures. As Newsom enacted restrictions last winter in an attempt to quell the deadliest wave of the pandemic, recallers were able to rally an anti-lockdown base and win over other Californians struggling to cope with the pandemic’s protracted, devastating economic toll. It didn’t help Newsom’s case that around the same time, the governor met up with a dozen of his closest friends and lobbyists for a lavish dinner at Napa’s French Laundry restaurant……More than a serious effort to unseat Newsom, the recall effort is probably more of a strategy to rally Republican voters, boost Republican candidates, and raise funds…The Guardian
On September 13, 2021, NPR reported the following:
…Californians have been legally able to recall their governors since 1911. Every governor in the past 60 years has faced a recall attempt, though only two, including this one, have qualified for the ballot. Newsom has faced at least five attempts.Newsom’s opponents got 1.7 million signatures to get this recall on the ballot, higher than the 1.5 million needed, but they also had more time than usual. Normally, recall petitioners get a little over five months to turn in signatures. This effort was extended four months beyond that because of the pandemic…NPR
Some interesting things to know about the recall election:
On August 20, 2021, San Francisco Chronicle posted: “Fact Check: “No, California’s recall ballot was not designed to help Gavin Newsom and cheat Larry Elder”. From the article:
Supporters of recalling Gov. Gavin Newsom, including conservative talk radio host Larry Elder, the leading candidate to replace him, spread false claims this week that the mail ballot was designed to facilitate fraud and rig the election in favor of the governor……But the design elements that recall supporters pointed to as evidence of a conspiracy – including a pair of small holes punched into the return envelope – are standard and, in some cases, were added to ensure accuracy and accessibility for all voters……These holes are actually a tool to help voters who are visually impaired tactility find where to sign their envelope, according to the Secretary of State’s Office, which oversees elections in California. They also serve as a visual check for elections officials to ensure that a ballot has not been left inside an envelope uncounted…San Francisco Chronicle
In addition, San Francisco Chronicle also reported the following:
…A second false claim, based on a photo of a ballot from Lake County, alleges that the field of 46 replacement candidates was ordered so that a fold would run through Elder’s name, which could cause him not to count.The order of the ballot is determined by a random drawing and rotates in each of California’s 80 Assembly districts, giving every candidate at least one chance to appear at the top. Each county designs its own ballot. Elder’s name consequently does not appear on a fold for every voter……Elder shared an article promoting both of these conspiracies on his Twitter account Thursday evening…San Francisco Chronicle
On September 12, 2012, NBC Los Angeles 4 posted an article titled: “Woodland Hills Voters Experience Glitch at Check-In Just Days Ahead of Election Day”. From the article:
…In this last weekend before the big day, voters in Woodland Hills experienced a glitch at check-in. Some voters were told they had already voted, when they hadn’t. A spokesman with the LA County Registrar’s office says voting never stopped at the two locations with this glitch.Provisional ballots were offered to those affected and people were still able to drop off their ballots, and he says there were some voters checking in without issues……The LA County Registrar office confirmed that some voters who were trying to check in at this location and at the El Camino Real Charter High School Vote Center were told the system showed they had already voted, so they were offered a provisional ballot instead.Provisional ballots are regular ballots that are processed and counted after verifying the voter’s eligibility……The registrar’s office says the problem was with the settings on some electronic poll book devices used to check in voters…NBC Los Angeles 4
To be clear, neither NBC Los Angeles 4, nor I, are saying that this glitch was a shenanigan. That said, several people tweeted as if it was an intentionally done glitch. Those people were spreading misinformation.
Los Angeles County-Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk @LACountyRRCC tweeted (in response to people who were asking): “Voters who experienced this issue early yesterday were offered provisional ballots – the failsafe option to ensure no one is turned away from voting. After troubleshooting, the issue was resolved and the check-in equipment at the location was replaced. Voting has continued.”
On September 13, 2021, NBC News reported the following claims made by (Republican) Larry Elder. He was the person who was getting the highest percentage of votes on question 2 on the ballot, which asked voters who should replace Governor Newsom. From the article:
…Republican Larry Elder appealed on Monday to his supporters to use an online form to report voter fraud, which claimed it had “detected fraud” in the “results” of the California recall election “resulting in Governor Gavin Newsom being reinstated as governor”.The only problem: On Monday when the link was live on Elder’s campaign site, the election hadn’t even happened yet. No results had been released. And Elder was still campaigning to replace Newsom as governor……The site added on Monday afternoon a disclaimer saying it was “Paid For Larry Elder Ballot Measure Committee Recall Newsom Committee,” with major funding from Elder’s gubernatorial campaign……There has been no evidence of voter fraud in California…NBC News
Also from NBC News, Senior Digital Politics Reporter for @NBCNews Alex Seitz-Wald tweeted a thread that takes a closer look at the misinformation Larry Elder’s website had posted. One of the tweets in the thread pointed out that Larry Elder’s campaign website “suggests that voters will have to open their ‘ammo box’ if they can’t trust elections…”
Jacob Soboroff, reporter for NBC News and MSNBC tweeted: “NEW: GOP frontrunner Larry Elder would not commit to accepting the results of tomorrow’s California recall election when I asked him this morning.” The tweet was posted on September 13, 2021, and it includes a short video of exactly what Jacob Soboroff tweeted.
On September 14, 2021, The Los Angeles Times reported that a poll worker in a West Hollywood poling place was photographed by a person who came in to cast his vote.
…The man handing him his ballot was wearing a baseball cap with the words “Trump 2020”. The words “All Aboard the Trump Train” could be seen on his face mask, underneath an image of an actual train.And the poll worker’s T-shirt featured the phrase “Where’s Hunter?” – a reference to the son of President Biden, a frequent target of Republicans…Los Angeles Times
In California, political attire is not allowed inside poling places. This rule must be followed not only by poll workers, but also by anyone who wants to come inside to vote.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the man who took the photo of the poll worker called the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, asking whether the poll worker’s clothing violated any rules about polling places. Eventually, a spokesman for the registrar-recorder confirmed that the poll worker “had been relieved of his duties”.
In addition, the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Twitter account responded to other people who posted a similar photo of the poll worker. @LACountyRRCC tweeted: “This worker was contacted after this was reported and advised that the attire was not appropriate. He is no longer serving as an election worker.”
Where to find the official California Gubernatorial Recall Election results
The best source of information is the California Secretary of State’s official website. The website says the results will be certified by October 22, 2021. This is not unusual. California has a huge population, and it took a long time to record the results of the 2020 election.
The most recent information I could find on the Secretary of State’s website about the number of registered voters in California was from November 6, 2019. At the time, Alex Padilla was California’s Secretary of State. From the news:
California Secretary of State Alex Padilla released the latest statewide report of voter registration showing that 80.65 percent of eligible Californians are registered to vote – the highest percentage since June 1952. As of October 1, 2019, there were 20,328,636 Californians registered as of this report……This report of registration reflects data 154 days before the March 3, 2020 Presidential Primary Election…California Secretary of State website
I was paying close attention to the news regarding the California Recall election. It honestly stressed me out! My biggest worry was that Larry Elder would win, and take away things that Californians need (including protections to help prevent the spread of COVID).
It was a huge relief to know that Governor Gavin Newsom will remain the Governor of California. We need a governor who actually has a background in politics. We certainly don’t need a person who has a background in talk radio as governor!
The Republican Recall in California Failed! is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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September 12, 2021Californiamail in ballot by Tiffany Tertipes on Unsplash
California deserves a governor who has political experience. Larry Elder is a talk radio host.
Let’s compare the qualifications of Governor Gavin Newsom and the qualifications of Larry Elder. One actually has a background in politics, having won at least three key political positions. The other is a talk radio host with no background in politics.
Governor Gavin Newsom is qualified to be California’s Governor
Governor Gavin Newsom has a background in politics. He was the 42nd Mayor of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011. He received 41.92% of votes, and got 52.81% of votes in the run-off election.
One of the things he is best known for as Mayor of San Francisco, was his 2004 decision to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The Los Angeles Times reported the following in 2018:
Newsom’s decision to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples – just a month into his term – was at once slapdash and choreographed. Almost immediately it spun out of his control. What was meant to be a short-lived act of civil disobedience on Feb. 12, 2004, turned into a 29-day saga during which more than 4,000 couples wed, catapulting Newsom into the national fray.The Los Angeles Times
It wasn’t until 2012 that the Supreme Court of the United States chose to hear a case called Windsor v. United States. In short, Edie Windsor and Thea Spyer were legally married in Canada. They had been together as a couple for 44 years. Thea died two years after the couple got married. The United States federal government refused to recognize their marriage, which prevented Edie from receiving the spousal benefits she had a right to.
On June 26, 2013, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the “Defense of Marriage Act” was unconstitutional. Same-sex marriage was now legalized. Clearly, (then Mayor of San Francisco) Gavin Newsom was ahead of his time when he decided to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples in 2004.
In February 2010, Gavin Newsom ran for the office of California’s Lieutenant Governor. He got 50.1% of the vote. Abel Maldonado (Republican) got 38.9%, and Pamela Brown (Libertarian) got 5.9%. Gavin Newsom won the election, and became the Lieutenant Governor of (then) Governor Jerry Brown.
In 2014, Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom ran for a second term. He got 57.2% of the vote. His opponent, Ron Nehring (Republican) got 42.8% of the vote.
In 2018, Gavin Newsom ran for Governor of California. Ballotpedia reported that (then) Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom (Democrat) defeated businessman John Cox (Republican) in the general election on November 6, 2018 for governor of California. Gavin Newsom got 61.9% of the votes. John Cox got 38.1% of the vote.
Newsom’s victory preserved California’s Democratic trifecta. At the time of the general election, California had been a Democratic trifecta since 2011, when Gov. Jerry Brown (D) took office. California last elected a Republican Governor in 2006, when Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) was re-elected to a second term. Newsom’s 61.9% share of the vote was greater than any Democratic candidate for governor in state history, surpassing the 59.7 percent record set by Jerry Brown (D) in 2014…Ballotpedia
Larry Elder is not qualified to be California’s Governor
Larry Elder is host of The Larry Elder Show. According to the information posted on The Larry Elder Show website, Larry Elder graduated from Michigan University Law School and later practiced law, before starting his talk radio show.
The show’s website claims that Larry Elder “is a New York Times best-selling author of four books”. His most recent book (published in 2018) is titled: “A Lot Like Me: A Father and Son’s Journey to Reconciliation“. However, The New York Times Nonfiction Best Sellers list of 2018 (which Wikipedia redirected from The New York Times Non-Fiction Best Sellers list of 2018) – does not include that title. The book is does not appear on any of The New York Times Non-Fiction Best Sellers lists from any week between May of 2018 and the last week of December 2018. (Scroll back from there to view the previous weeks list of non-fiction)
The Larry Elder show’s About Page also states that Larry Elder had a national TV show called “Moral Court”. That’s true. According to Wikipedia, “Moral Court” was intended to be a sister show to “The People’s Court”. The show first aired on October 2, 2000, and the last episode was released on May 23, 2001. In it, Larry Elder was to be the judge. He would hear cases that would never been accepted to a real court. Instead of plaintiffs and defendants – there were an accuser and the accused. Larry Elder would give money to the winner.
On September 23, 2000, Los Angeles Times has this to say about “Moral Court:
…Although sold to TV stations reaching nearly 90% of U.S. homes, “Moral Court” isn’t getting much respect in Elder’s backyard, either. KCAL-TV, which features Elder daily discussing an issue on his radio show during its afternoon newscast, bought the program but has scheduled it at 1 a.m., a time slot mostly relegated to informercials and reruns.According to Billett, part of the problem was that KABC only agreed to allow Elder to host the show if it didn’t play opposite his radio program — between the hours of 3 and 7 p.m. — in Los Angeles…Los Angeles Times
The Larry Elder Show About page says: “He won a Los Angeles Emmy for “Best News Show” in 1999…” The implication is that The Larry Elder Show was what he won the Los Angeles Emmy for — but that’s not true. In an undated post on KFSA News Talk Radio it says:
…Elder was the subject of profiles by both “60 Minutes” and “20/20”. In 1999 he received a Los Angeles area Emmy for “Best News Special.” He was the reporter for several episodes of the groundbreaking PBS “National Desk” series, including “Redefining Racism: Fresh Voices from Black America.” KFSA News Talk Radio
The Larry Elder Show website states that he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2015. That’s true.
How does one get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame? There is a process involved:
Nominations are accepted online only.
The Walk of Fame includes six categories: Motion Pictures, Television, Radio, Recording, Live Theatre/Performance, Sports Entertainment.
All Nominations must include these documents: Photo of the nominee, Brief bio of nominee (no more than 2 pages), Nominee’s qualifications, List of contributions to the community and civic-oriented participation of the nominee, Letter of agreement from the nominee or his/her management.
The criteria for receiving a star consists of the following: professional achievement, longevity in the category of five years or more, contributions to the community and the guarantee that the celebrity will attend the dedication ceremony if selected.
Posthumous awards require a five-year waiting period.
It is important to note that the person who is awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame must pay a fee. According to the Hollywood Walk of Fame website, the current fee is $50,000 after selection. The money is used to pay for the creation and installation of the star, as well as maintenance of the Walk of Fame. (Price subject to change).
In 2015 (the year Larry Elder got his star) Insider posted an article with the following information:
…If a person’s application gets accepted, whoever did the nominating needs to pony up: a star costs $30,000. The Chamber of Commerce claims that half goes to building the star, while the other half is used for upkeep…Insider
You may have noticed that none of the above involves a background in politics. Larry Elder is a talk radio host. He is unqualified to become Governor of California.
If you are a registered voter in California — it is vitally important that you vote NO on the recall. Voting NO will help us to keep Governor Gavin Newsom. We need a real governor, one who has a history of holding a variety of political offices. We don’t need a talk show host.
Larry Elder is Unqualified is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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August 12, 2021Californiaphoto by Leon Wu on Unsplash
One of the biggest problems with attending a college or university is figuring out how to pay for it. California found a way to help with that. It starts with a bill called AB 132. The title of this bill is “Postsecondary education trailer bill”, and it amends an existing educational law.
On July 15, 2021, AB 132 passed the California Senate floor with a vote of 32 AYES to 4 NOES (and 4 Senators not voting). The California Assembly passed AB 132 with 63 AYES to 9 NOES (and 7 Assembly Members not voting. Governor Gavin Newsom (Democrat) signed AB 132 into law on July 27, 2021.
What does the amended “Postsecondary education trailer bill” provide?
According to a news release on Governor Gavin Newsom’s official website, AB 132 “implements expansion of Cal Grant program, improvements to Middle Class Scholarship program and dual admissions pathway to UC or CSU for eligible community college students.” From the news release:
Governor Gavin Newsom today signed the higher education budget trailer bill implementing significant California Comeback Plan investments in college affordability and access – including expanded student financial aid, education and training grants for workers displaced by the pandemic, transfer pathways for community college students and college savings accounts for low-income and underrepresented public school students.
The Governor’s California Comeback Plan provides an unprecedented level of investment in the state’s world-class public higher education system, with $47.1 billion for the University of California (UC), California State University (CSU), California Community Colleges (CCC) and student financial aid.…
Here are more details about what AB 132 includes to make college more affordable:
Making college more affordable, AB 132 implements the California Comeback Plan’s expansion of the Cal Grant program for community college students by eliminating age and time-out-of-high-school requirements, with awards that follow the students to UC and CSU upon transfer.
Starting in 2022-23, AB 132 also revises the Middle Class Scholarship program to provide scholarships intended to cover up the difference between a student’s total cost of attendance and other sources of aid, including student and family contributions, depending upon available resources each year.
It makes summer financial investments for UC and CSU students permanent and includes $155 million for Zero-Textbook-Cost Degree grant programs and open educational resources at CCCs, helping address the rising costs of textbooks.
The bill establishes a Learning-Aligned Employment program at UC, CSU, and CCC to help underrepresented students with financial need gain relevant work experience, promoting long-term employment opportunities.
Establishes the Golden State Education and Training Grant Program to provide grants for education or high-quality training for workers displaced by the pandemic.
Establishes a dual admissions program that provides eligible first-time freshman applicants the opportunity for guaranteed admission to UC or CSU campus of their choice following completion of an Associates Degree for Transfer or another pathway at a CCC.
Requires school districts and other educational agencies to confirm that high school seniors who have not opted out complete FAFSA or California Dream Act applications for financial aid.
AB 132 expands the California Kids Investment and Development Savings Program (CalKIDS) to provide $500 base deposits to seed college savings accounts for public school students from low-income families, English learners and foster youth, with supplemental deposits for foster youth and homeless students.
AB 132 establishes the governance and operational structure for the state’s Cradle to Career data system, which will connect education, workforce, and social services data to better inform parents, educators, and policymakers.
Here is another paragraph from the news release on Governor Newsom’s official website:
The California Comeback Plan will create more slots for in-state students who wish to attend a CSU or UC school; sets aside $2 billion to address housing and space needs at the UC, CSU, and CCCs, contingent upon future legislation, which will help drive down the cost of student housing; provides $50 million for Guided Pathway programs to help community college students graduate on time; and includes investments to support equity-focused programs at community colleges and Student Academic Preparation and Educational Partnerships programs at UC campuses, helping to bridge equity gaps.
Why is this legislation necessary?
The simplest explanation is that AB 132 is necessary because it helps students to afford to attend college. Without this legislation, students would either find it impossible to attend college because of the cost – or will have to take out expensive student loans that will follow them the rest of their lives.
The Consumer Financial Protection Board (which is part of the U.S. government) provided information about how long it takes to pay off a student loan. The information was last reviewed in August of 2017.
Standard Repayment: This is the standard repayment schedule, unless you arrange for a different schedule with your servicer. Payment Term: 120 months (10 years).
Graduated Repayment: This plan is for borrowers who expect their incomes to rise over time. Payment Term: Up to 10 years (up to 30 years for consolidation loans).
Extended Repayment: This plan is available to borrowers with more than $30,000 in federal student loans. Payment term: Up to 25 years.
Income-Driven Repayment Plans: If you repay your loan under an income-driven repayment plan, you may be eligible for loan forgiveness after 20 or 25 years of qualifying payments, or even as few as 10 years, if you work in public service.
Private Student Loans: Unlike federal student loans, there is no standard schedule for private student loans. Generally speaking, many private student loans give 120 months (10 years) to repay. However, some private student loan terms have you repay of 25 years.
The University of California posted the estimated average costs for California residents for 2022-21. It includes the cost of tuition and fees, books and supplies, health insurance allowance fee, room and board, and “personal/transportation”. If a student lives on campus it will cost $36,700 for one year of education. If the student lives off campus, it will cost $34,100 for one year of education.
Legislators caused the price of a college education to increase:
CalMatters posted an explainer in 2019 titled: “The soul-crushing cost of college in California, explained”. It was written by Felicia Mello. From the article:
Think free college is a recent idea? It’s right in the University of California’s 1868 charter: “as soon as the income of the University shall permit, admission and tuition shall be free to all residents of the State.”
When California lawmakers created the 1960 Master Plan that would guide the future of the country’s most prestigious public higher education system, residents enrolled at UC were paying just $60 per semester in “incidental fees.”
But beginning in the late 1960s, politicians pushed to increase the amount students contributed to their education. The stated reasons were both ideological and financial: Ronald Reagan, who as governor prided himself of slashing government spending, said the state should not “subsidize intellectual curiosity”. Later, the dot-com bust in the early aughts prompted tuition increases under both Democratic and Republican administrations…
The article includes information that shows that student debt is growing:
3,791,200 – Number of student loan borrowers in California
$141.9 billion – Outstanding student debt in California
$37,428 – Average student loan balance for California borrowers
119% – Growth in student loan debt across California 2008-2018
$7.6 billion – increase in loan debt across California in 12 months
317,427 – Older Americans across California who owe student loan debt
1 in 3 – California millennials with student loan debt
California legislators took a good thing – incredibly inexpensive college – and screwed it up for every student who wanted to attend school after 1960. It makes perfect sense that today’s California legislators should be the ones to fix the problem handed down to them by their predecessors.
#Blaugust2021
California Made College More Affordable is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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August 6, 2021Californiaphoto by Tiffany Tertipes on Unsplash
The state of California will be holding a recall election in September. The first question asks voters if they want to recall (in other words, remove) Governor Gavin Newsom. The choices are: Yes or No. The recall effort is run by Republicans in a state that has an overwhelming majority of registered Democratic voters.
All registered voters in California will receive a mail-in-ballot for the recall election. You may have seen a whole lot of misinformation about this on Twitter. For some reason, people believe that this was a rapid decision in an effort to prevent people from catching the Delta strain.
Others, who are less in touch with reality, think the purpose of mail-in-ballots are being issued so that Governor Gavin Newsom can cheat. My best guess is that people spreading this sort of misinformation are the kind of Republicans who believe everything they see on Fox News and who fell for the former president’s lie about mail-in-ballots resulting in fraud.
The reality is that the decision to send mail-in-ballots to registered voters was not made by Governor Gavin Newsom. The California Legislature made that decision earlier this year.
Senate Bill No. 29 is titled: “Elections: vote by mail ballots”. It amends an existing law regarding mail-in-ballots. The bill was sponsored by Senator Thomas Umberg (Democrat).
Here is one of the newly added portions of the law:
Section 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
a) To maintain a healthy democracy in California, it is important to encourage eligible voters to vote and ensure that residents of the state have the tools needed to participate in every election.
b) When California conducts an election in 2021, it is unknown to what degree the COVID-19 pandemic will still pose a threat to public health. The state and its counties need to begin taking action now in order to ensure that elections are held in a manner that is accessible, secure, and safe.
c) Consistent with paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 2226 of the Elections Code, and with the longstanding interpretation by state and local elections officials of Sections 4000 to 4108, inclusive, of the Elections Code governing the conduct of all-mailed ballot elections and of Section 3005 of the Elections Code governing mailed ballot precincts, nothing in this act is intended, and shall not be construed, to mean that a voter with an inactive voter registration status shall receive a vote by mail ballot for an election in 2021.
Here are two more of the newly added portions of the law:
Sec. 4. If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
Sec. 5. This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:
To ensure that county elections officials have sufficient time to ensure that elections are held in a manner that is accessible, secure, and safe, it is necessary for this act to take effect immediately.
I would also like to point out part of the law that was not amended. It says: The distribution of vote by mail ballots to all registered voters does not prevent a voter from voting in person at a polling place, vote center, or other authorized location.
On January 28, 2021, the California Senate voted 28 AYES to 7 NOES (with three Senators not voting).
On February 16, 2021, the California Assembly voted 55 AYES to 15 NOES (with three people not voting).
On February 19, 2021, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the newly amended legislation into law.
Intelligencer reported the following:
The Delta variant has quickly become the dominant strain in the U.S., overtaking the Alpha variant, which has been the most prevalent COVID strain in the States for months. By July 31st, it accounted for more than 93 percent, up from 1.3 percent in early May and 9.5 percent in early June.
Reuters did a fact-check on the claim that the mail-in-ballots for the recall election were being sent “due to the new delta variant”. Here is their verdict:
False. A California bill from Feb. 2021 extended the requirement to send mail in ballots to all registered voters for all elections throughout this year, months before the Delta variant was prevalent in the U.S.
It is also worth pointing out that California sent mail-in-ballots to every registered voter for the 2020 General Election. Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order to send every registered voter a ballot ahead of the November General Election. The purpose was to prevent people from having to stand in line to vote – and risk their health – by potentially catching COVID-19.
Mail-in-ballots are not new to California. Previous to COVID-19, any registered voter who wanted to vote by mail could request a mail-in-ballot. It makes it easier for people who are disabled (like me – and my husband) to vote. It also gives people who cannot get off of work to cast their vote in person a way to vote in an election.
#Blaugust2021
California Recall Will Use Mail-In-Ballots is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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July 28, 2021CaliforniaPerson in blue shirt signing papers by Scott Graham on Unsplash
Governor Gavin Newsom (Democrat) signed Senate Bill 272 into law on July 23, 2021. The title of this law is “State government: gender-neutral term: California Conservation Corps.” The purpose of this law is to update gender-specific references in various code sections to reflect gender-inclusive language.
Senate Bill 272 was authored by Senator John Laird (Democrat – District 27). It was sponsored by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara (Democrat). Here is what Senate Bill 272 says:
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST
SB 272, Laird. State government : gender-neutral terms: California Conservation Corps.
(1) Existing law establishes the California Conservation Corps in the Natural Resource Agency and requires the corps to implement and administer the conservation corps program. Under existing law, the California Conservation Corps is authorized to certify nonprofit conservation corps if they meet specified criteria, including, but not limited to, the requirement that the community conservation corps consists of an average annual enrollment of not less than 50 corpsmembers between 18 and 25 years of age.
This bill would instead require a community conservation corps to consist of corpsmembers who are between 18 and 26 years of age in order to be certified.
(2) Existing law regulates the business of insurance in this state. Existing law enacts provisions related to public resources, including forestry. Existing law places the Department of the California Highway Patrol under the control of a civil executive officer known as the Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol who is appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate, as specified. Existing law directs the commissioner to take specified actions, including establishing a school for the training and education of members of the California Highway Patrol and creating districts for the administration and enforcement of laws regarding the use of highways, as specified.
This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to these provisions to use gender-neutral language.
This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
What follows is a section of the law that involves the state’s Insurance Code. It is very long, and detailed, and much of it appears to be the contents of everything that was already in the law. There are minor changes, such as the change of age required to be a California Conservation Corps member (now up to age 26).
The easiest way to understand what else changed is to read the “Today’s Law As Amended” section.
Here are a few relevant changes:
SECTION 1. Section 1635 of the Insurance Code is amended to read:
1635. No A license is not required under the provisions of this chapter for a person to act in the following capacities or to engage in the following activities, providing a no a commission is not paid or allowed, directly or indirectly, by the insurer, creditor, retailer, or other person for acting in those capacities or engaging in those activities….
The rest of the changes removes the gendered pronouns in the law and replaces them with wording that is gender-neutral. For the purpose of this blog post, I’m going to list portions of the law that were changed.
… As an officer or salaried representative of a life insurer if his or her activities the activities of the officer or salaried representative are limited to direct technical advice and assistance to a properly licensed person and his or her the officer or salaried representative’s activities and do not include effecting, soliciting, or negotiating insurance except as a part of and in connection with the business of a property broker-agent, casualty broker-agent, or life agent licensed under this chapter…
…The completion or delivery of a declaration or certificate of coverage under a running inland marine insurance contract evidencing thereunder and including only those negotiations as are necessary to the completion or delivery if the person performing those acts or his or her the person’s employer has an insurable interest in the risk covered by the certificate or declaration….
…That of a salesperson who devotes substantially all of his or her that salesperson’s activities to selling merchandise whose solicitation of insurance is limited only to the quoting of a premium for insurance to be included in the purchase price covering the interest retained in the merchandise by the seller…
SEC. 2. Section 1638 of the Insurance Code is amended to read:
…A person is a resident of this state if either of the following applies:
(1) He or she A person occupies a dwelling in this state and intends this state to be his or her that person’s domicile.
(2) He or she maintains his or her A person maintains that person’s principal place of business in this state.
(b) A person licensed under this chapter may designate only one state as his or her that person’s resident state.
SEC. 3. Section 1638.5 of the Insurance Code is amended to read:
1638.5 Unless denied licensure pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 1666), a nonresident person shall receive a production agency license if he or she that nonresident person meets the following requirements:
(a) The person is currently licensed and in good standing with the state, territory of the United States or province of Canada in which he or she the person is licensed as a resident producer…
SEC 4. Section 1639.1 of the Insurance Code is amended to read:
1639.1 (a) The class or classes of insurance which a nonresident person is licensed to transact under his or her that nonresident person’s resident license shall be determined according to the definitions of classes of insurance in Sections 101 to 120, inclusive….
SEC. 5 Section 1651 of the Insurance Code is amended to read:
1651. The commissioner shall at all times retain full property rights in any document evidencing any license issued pursuant to Chapters 5, 6, 7, and 8 of this part. He The commissioner may require the surrender of said document for any proper reason.
There are a few other sections where his or her is replaced by the commissioner or the commissoner’s.
SEC. 8 Section 1666.5 of the Insurance Code is amended to read:
…Any A deputy, agent, clerk, officer, or employee of the commissioner, or any former officer or employee or other individual individual, hereafter “employees,” who in the course of his or her the employees’ employment or duty has or has had access to the information required to be furnished under this section, shall not disclose or make known in any manner that information, except as provided in this section.
You probably get the idea of what the changes are to this law. Other parts swap out his or her with either the applicant’s or the commissioner’s. There are parts that remove he or she and replaces it with that licensee.
There’s a piece in SEC. 35 that says: (b) If any person sells or persons sell insurance in connection with, or incidental to, self-service storage rental agreements, or holds himself or herself or hold themselves or an organization out as a self-service storage agent without obtaining the license required by this article, the commissioner may issue a cease and desist order pursuant to Section 12921.8.
SEC. 39 includes the following paragraph:
737. (a) No A member of the board shall not participate in any a board action pursuant to Article 8 (commencing with Section 4601) or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4621 of Chapter 8 of Part 2 of Division 4 which involves himself or any person with which he that involves the board member or a person with whom the board member is connected as a director, officer, or employee, or in which he the board member has a direct personal financial interest within the meaning of Section 1120 of the Government Code.
SEC. 58 includes the following:
4165. Every person is guilty of a misdemeanor who, at a forest fire, does any of the following:
(a) Disobeys the lawful orders of any a public officer or fireman. firefighter.
(b) Offers any resistance to, or interferes with the lawful efforts of any fireman a firefighter or company of firemen firefighters to extinguish the fire.
How did the California Legislature vote on this bill?
On July 12, 2021, the Assembly voted 75 AYES to 0 NOES. There were four Assembly members who voted NVR (which likely means “not voting”).
On July 15, 2021, the Senate voted 39 AYES to 0 NOE, with one Senator who voted NVR (“not voting”).
Senator John Laird posted a press release about these changes on his official website. The press release was titled: “Governor Newsom Signs Gender Neutral Legislation Updating Archaic References In State Law”. From the press release:
Today, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 272, authored by State Senator John Laird (D-Santa Cruz). Senate Bil 272, Sponsored by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, will immediately update gender-specific references in various code sections to reflect gender-inclusive language. References pertaining to the CHP Commissioner, CALFIRE firefighters, insurance licensing, and California Conservation Corps members will now be gender neutral.“California is at the forefront of efforts to promote inclusion and diversity of all people, no matter what their sex, social gender, or gender identity,” said State Senator Laird. “Our laws must reflect the diverse leadership of our state and promote the inclusion of all people. California leads by example and Governor Newsome’s signature today affirms the fact that our state welcomes and respects all Californians’ identities.”“Language matters and it’s about time we update our laws to reflect the diversity of our state, and its current and future leaders,” said Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara. “Embracing gender-neutral language in our laws reflects the hard work that so many are doing for a better, more inclusive society.”The introduction of Senate Bill 272 was originally inspired by the historic appointment and confirmation of CHP Commissioner Amanda Ray, the first woman and second African American to lead the agency in its 91-year history. Commissioner Ray’s distinguished career within the agency and appointment to the highest rank should not be lost in outdated code sections. Instead, the bill was introduced to reflect the current and future leader of the agency and values of California.“With the Governor’s signature on SB 272, we as a state are continuing to make California for all,” stated Laird.Senate Bill 272 takes effect immediately.
The changes to Senate Bill 272 are significant. Not only does this clean out the archaic language that the bill was written in, it also replaces it with updated non-gendered language. This is important because it sets a precedent in California law.
Other bills may need some updating as well. There will likely be more laws that were written at a time when it was assumed that a person who held a certain office or title would be a man. Today, that person could be of any gender. It’s nice to see the government of California recognizing that.
Governor Newsom Signs Gender Neutral Legislation is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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July 19, 2021CaliforniaCalifornia flag by OpenClipArt Vectors on Pixabay
California Governor Gavin Newsom is the target of the Republican recall election. It is obvious that he is the top person running in the election. A long list of people are running against him. Here are a few more noteworthy ones.
Governor Gavin Newsom
Governor Gavin Newsom (Democrat) was elected in 2018 with 61.9% of the vote. His opponent, John Cox (Republican) got 38.1% of the vote. Governor Newsom’s term ends in 2023, and he can run again if he chooses to do so.
There was a bit of drama over the recall ballot. ABC News provided a good explanation about what happened in an article titled: “Judge: Newsom can’t be listed as Democrat on recall ballot”. From the article:
California Gov. Gavin Newsom can’t put his Democratic Party affiliation on the ballot voters see when they decide whether to remove him, a judge ruled Monday.Newsom’s campaign missed a deadline to submit his affiliation to the California Secretary of State Shirley Weber for the Sept. 14 recall election. Newsom’s campaign said it was inadvertent and asked Weber, who was appointed by Newsom, to allow the affiliation to appear.She said the issue needed to go to a judge, so Newsom filed a lawsuit. Newsom’s Republican opponents criticized the move as an attempt to change rules everyone else must follow……Sacramento County Superior Court Judge James Arguelles said his decision Monday came down to whether there are reasons to look beyond the Newsom-approved law that required the governor to submit his party affiliation to the state’s top election official by February 2020.He determined that the law “unambiguously precludes party information from appearing on a recall ballot where the elected officer fails timely to make the designation.” …
It is worth pointing out that Judge James Arguelles previously was the judge who ruled in November of 2020 to give the recall proponents 160 extra days to collect signatures. This was done because the lawyer of the recall proponents claimed that the COVID-19 pandemic made it harder for them to collect signatures under the usual deadline.
I might have been willing to believe that because the COVID-19 pandemic has hit everyone pretty hard. However, I changed my mind when Los Angeles Times reported that the lawyer for the recall proponents, Bradley Benbrook, and Judge James P. Argulles, worked at the same law firm together and served as co-counsel on at least two cases. Sounds very sketchy to me!
Overall, it likely doesn’t matter whether or not Governor Newsom is listed as a Democrat on the recall ballot. Everyone in California who is a registered Democrat knows that Governor Newsom is a Democrat. Most, if not all, registered Democrats voted for him in 2018. Everyone in California who is a registered Republican also knows that Governor Newsom is a Democrat.
How does the Recall Election work?
The recall election will take place on September 14, 2021. The filing deadline for candidates to run in this election was July 16, 2021. As of July 12, 2021, 70 individuals had filed to run in the recall election.
San Francisco Chronicle posted an article titled: “Field of candidates in Newsom recall election shrinks by half in new state list”. It was posted on July 18, 2021. From the article:
Only half of the candidates who filed their intention to challenge Gov. Gavin Newsom in the Sept. 14 recall election are eligible to run, according to a new list released by the Secretary of State’s Office late Saturday. More than 80 people filed statements of intent to run for governor as of late Friday, but only 41 were included on a notice to candidates released the next day. Participants must meet a number of qualifying criteria, including being a U.S. citizen, being registered to vote in California and never having been convicted of certain felonies related to public corruption.They are also required to submit between 65 and 100 nomination signatures, a $4,194.94 filing fee (or 7,000 signatures in lieu of paying that) and five years of federal income tax returns, among other requirements…
The list of candidates who qualified for the recall ballot is on the California Secretary of State’s website. It shows each candidate’s name, their party (or no party preference), and whether or not they accept the spending limits for this election.
John Cox
Those who have lived in California for their entire lives, or who moved to California before the 2018 election, would recognize the name John Cox. He was the person who lost to Governor Gavin Newsom in the 2018 election. I figure that most people who do not live in California have no idea who John Cox is.
John Cox is on the recall ballot. He is from the Republican party, and did not accept the spending limits for the recall election. Why not? Cal Matters reported an answer to that question in an article (updated on May 28, 2021), titled: “Who’s bankrolling the Newsom recall campaigns?” It was written by Ben Christopher. From the article:
…John Cox, known for losing badly to Newsom in 2018, and campaigning alongside a Kodiak bear named Tag in 2021, has raised more than $5 million for his bid – though most of it has come from his own bank account……The Fair Political Practices Commission later confirmed that candidates can also use money from their 2022 campaign accounts, if they have one… Cox has at least $2.5 million ……Unlike the general pro- or anti-recall committees, which can raise and spend unlimited sums of money, candidates can’t receive more than $32,400 from a single donor. That means they’re more reliant on small-donor dollars…
You read that right – John Cox actually did campaign with a Kodiak bear. NBC Los Angeles local posted an article titled: “John Cox Campaigns for California Governor Alongside a 1,000-Pound Kodiak Bear”. From the article:
The race to replace California Gov. Gavin Newsom took on a circus-like feel this week.Caitlyn Jenner added some celebrity sparkle to the race with her announcement last month, so it was no surprise Tuesday when a Republican rival John Cox trotted out a Kodiak bear named Tag to relaunch his campaign in Sacramento. Cox was defeated by Newsom in a 2018 landslide. The 65-year-old businessman also released a video calling himself “the beast.” He repeatedly labeled Newsom a “pretty boy” who lacks the substance to run state government.Cox spent $5 million to air a 30-second version on television statewide, his campaign said, underscoring his need to raise his profile.The stunt was aimed at drawing eyes to his campaign, but he promised to discuss “serious issues” – like bringing down the cost of housing, boosting the state’s water resources and preventing special interests from influencing the government…
The California State Animal is the California grizzly bear (Ursus californicus). It is a brown bear, and it is on the state’s flag. John Cox brought a Kodiak bear with him on his campaign. He brought the wrong type of bear with him. I’m not sure how he got that wrong. I’m also confused that in his campaign video he referred to himself as “the beast” (and not the bear).
NBC San Diego posted an article titled: “John Cox Campaign Being Investigated For Bringing a 1K-Pound Bear to San Diego”. The article was updated on May 16, 2021. From the article:
California Gubernatorial candidate John Cox’s campaign is being investigated for bringing a wild animal to a campaign rally in San Diego, which is prohibited by the city’s code, according to officials.The San Diego Humane Society’s law enforcement division confirmed on Wednesday the use of a 1,000-pound Kodiak bear named Tag at Cox’s campaign stop on Shelter Island the day prior may have violated San Diego municipal code 44.03.05.The code makes it illegal for anyone to bring wild animals like lions, bears, monkeys, wolves, and more into the city. A violation could result in a misdemeanor charge……Tag has appeared on TV shows, comes from Working Wildlife in Frazier Park, a business that rents out wild animals for entertainment purposes. It was the bear’s second campaign stop with Cox; his first appearance was Cox’s campaign launched in Sacramento, and was quickly met with outrage from animal rights groups and at least one politician…
On May 25, 2021, Los Angeles Times posted an article titled: “Cox campaign bear is subject of animal-rights lawsuit”. From the article:
…A group of San Diego animal activists has filed a lawsuit asking a judge to order Cox to immediately suspend any further public appearances with the animal through the duration of the campaign to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom.Lawyers for the Animal Protection and Rescue League claim that Cox’s campaign stop in San Diego earlier this month violated a city ordinance and that ongoing appearances are illegal under federal law……The nonprofit wrote to Cox after the San Diego campaign event, demanding the candidate to stop using the bear and claiming it was drugged, but the group never received a reply, the lawsuit states……Cox campaign officials Tuesday denied that the bear was drugged or abused. They pledged to continue displaying the bear at political events – at least until a judge intervenes…
While I’m not certain exactly what happened with the lawsuit regarding the Kodiak bear, I can verify that John Cox found a different gimmick. It was, quite literally, a “giant, 8-foot tall ball of trash“. The Sacramento Bee posted an article on June 29, 2020. It provides more explanation:
…Republican businessman and recall election hopeful John Cox, who you might remember as the guy with the bear, debuted his new roadshow sidekick on Monday afternoon to go along with his four-step homelessness problem. The 8-foot ball of trash is meant to symbolize the “damage done by homelessness in California,” Cox’s team said in a release. He will continue to campaign with the ball of trash throughout his tour of California, discussing homelessness…Cox’s plan would prioritize treatment for mental health and addiction before housing, then increase the enforcement of public camping laws (a strategy he calls “Compliance Born of Compassion.”) He also wants to focus on spending on solutions, and lower the cost of housing…
Some of Cox’s plan regarding homelessness might sound good, at first. But, he screwed up when he said in a video that “California’s homeless problem is a threat to public safety and sanitation.” That description of unhoused people doesn’t feel very compassionate.
Kevin Kiley
Kevin Kiley is a California lawmaker who represents California’s 6th district in the California State Assembly. He is from the Republican party, and he agreed to accept the campaign spending limits.
According to Wikipedia, Kevin Kiley, and James Gallagher (a Republican who represents California’s 5th district), sued Governor Gavin Newsom. Kiley and Gallagher acted as their own attorneys, and won a trial against Newsom with the superior court ruling that Newsom had abused his emergency powers.
What emergency powers did Kiley and Gallagher think Governor Newsom abused? It turns out they were angry because he allowed the entire population of registered voters to vote by mail-in-ballot in the 2020 election. This decision was made in an effort to prevent people from catching COVID-19 while trying to cast their vote. (Keep in mind that vaccines were not yet available.)
On November 14, 2020, KRCTV.com posted an article titled: “Judge rules Gov. Gavin Newsom abused authority with vote-by-mail ballot order”. From the article:
A California State Superior Court has ruled that Gov. Gavin Newsom abused his authority by issuing an executive order that required vote-by-mail ballots be sent to all registered voters, according to documents. Sutter County Superior Court Judge Sarah Heckman’s ruling places a permanent injunction against the Governor that prevents him from changing existing state law, even during a pandemic.The ruling does not affect the results of the 2020 general election…
The 2020 presidential election was held on November, 7, 2020. The judge’s ruling was on November 14, 2020 – after Election Day. That means the vote-by-mail ballots went out and were used by registered voters before the Judge made a decision. It doesn’t sound like Kiley and Gallagher won this case after all.
The Wikipedia article also stated that Kevin Kiley “would later become a prominent voice in the campaign to recall Governor Newsom, and in January 2021, published a book titled “Recall Gavin Newsom: The Case Against America’s Most Corrupt Governor”.
A quick look at Amazon.com shows that the book was published by BookBaby, on January 10, 2021. It is a self-publishing company that is located in the United States. They will accept “Anyone involved with book publishing, including editors, designers, writing coaches, publicists, and small publishers. Even if you’re brand new to BookBaby, or just a friend of an author, we’ll pay you a commission on their first project. Partners must be US residents.”
ABC News 7 described Kevin Kiley this way:
…Kiley, a 36-year-old lawyer and former prosecutor from the Sacramento suburb of Rocklin, is known in the Legislature for fighting for access to charter schools and was one of the Republican lawmakers who filed a court challenge to Newsom’s far-reaching policies during the coronavirus pandemic……In a statement earlier this month referenced by Kiley, recall organizer Orrin Heatlie said volunteers behind the effort were disappointed with the field of potential replacement candidates and predicted Kiley, should he enter the race, would unite those backing the drive to remove Newsom.However, Kiley is little known statewide outside of GOP circles, and he enters a race in which some of the leading candidates have been campaigning for months.
I live in California, and I’ve never heard of Kevin Kiley.
Kevin Faulconer
There are at least two Republicans named Kevin who are hoping to become the next Governor of California. I wonder if that would make things confusing for voters who are registered as Republicans.
Kevin Falconer was the 36th Mayor of San Diego from 2014 to 2020. He is a member of the Republican party, and he accepted the recall spending limits.
On June 29, 2021, Los Angeles Times posted an article titled: “Newsom recall rival Kevin Faulconer unveils plan to address homelessness”. From the article:
…Under his plan, Faulconer would use an executive order to form a state-run network of temporary shelters on state property and push for a “right to shelter” law that could allow local governments to bar people from sleeping in streets, parks and other public spaces once they have been offered a shelter bed.He also proposes extensive clearing of homeless encampments, facilities by homeless outreach workers and local law enforcement who would encourage unhoused people to accept shelter and services. Those who refuse would face citations and arrests.The six-page document does not provide cost estimates but calls for a mix of federal and local funding, and an ongoing stream of state dollars. Permanent housing would be prioritized for the state’s 11,000 homeless veterans, and government-run mental health programs would receive an audit……An estimated 160,000 people are homeless in California according to point-in-time counts, a population that has grown by over 39% over the last five years and disproportionately affects low-income Black and Latino Californians.Last week, Newsom finalized an agreement to spend a record $12 billion to address homelessness, in part to expand a program to convert vacant motels and other buildings into permanent housing. It also includes a flexible funding stream to local governments at a cost of $1 billion a year.Launched during the COVID-19 pandemic, Project Homekey created nearly 6,000 new units of housing at roughly half the per-unit costs of new construction. Last year, the governor also called for a constitutional amendment that would force cities and counties to house homeless Californians…
On July 19, 2021, Times of San Diego reported: “Former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer on Monday challenged Gov. Gavin Newsom to a television debate and threatened a lawsuit over his description on the recall ballot.” The article also stated that Faulconer described himself as “the leading candidate.”
I don’t think Kevin Faulconer will attract many voters. In an article posted on September 5, 2019, San Francisco Chronicle reported the following:
Kevin Faulconer is the pro-choice, pro-same-sex marriage, climate-change acknowledging, Mexico-embracing, Spanish-speaking mayor of San Diego who didn’t vote for President Trump.In other words, he’s the embodiment of everything the California Republican Party isn’t…
Data shows that the vast majority of registered voters in California are from the Democratic Party. Those voters are extremely likely to vote to keep Governor Gavin Newsom. I highly doubt that the registered voters from the Republican Party are going to choose a candidate who is “the embodiment of everything the California Republican Party isn’t”.
Caitlyn Jenner
Caitlyn Jenner is a Republican. She accepted the spending limits of the recall.
Biography.com provides some information about Caitlyn Jenner. In short, Jenner was an Olympic athlete who competed in the 1972 Summer Olympic Games in Munich, West Germany, and placed third in the Olympic trials and tenth at the Olympic games. In the 1976 Summer Olympic Games, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Jenner won a gold medal and set a new world record, scoring 8,634 points in the decathlon.
Caitlyn Jenner is also known for being on the Keeping Up with the Kardashians TV show, with some members of her family. The show premiered in 2007.
On June 1, 2015, Caitlyn Jenner tweeted: “I’m so happy after such a long struggle to be living my true self. Welcome to the world Caitlyn. Can’t wait for you to get to know her/me.”
To the best of my knowledge, Caitlyn Jenner is the only woman who is transgender to have qualified for the recall ballot. She is a celebrity, which could be a asset. However, she does not have a background in politics, and I think that could work against her.
There is precedent for a celebrity becoming governor as the result of a recall election. History.com reported that in 2003, Arnold Schwarzenegger (Republican) was elected governor of California. He replaced Gray Davis (Democrat) who was struggling to fix an electricity crisis that caused rolling blackouts.
I think that part of what helped Arnold Schwarzenegger to win the recall election was his popularity. He played Conan the Barbarian in the 1982 movie, and as The Terminator in 1983. Those roles were memorable, and I think people liked the idea of swapping out a governor who couldn’t fix an energy crisis with “The Terminator”.
That said, Caitlyn Jenner probably doesn’t have the same “clout” as Arnold Schwarzenegger did when he ran in the Gray Davis recall election.
On April 23, 2021, Equality California tweeted: “Make no mistake: we can’t wait to elect a #trans governor of California. But @Caitlyn_Jenner spent years telling the #LGBTQ+ community to trust Donald Trump. We saw how that turned out. Now she wants us to trust her? Hard pass. @StopRepRecall” This started a thread of tweets.
“After Trump banned transgender troops from serving in the military, attacked transgender students and even tried to allow homeless shelters to turn away trans women, @Caitlyn_Jenner STILL hired his former inner circle to run her campaign.”
“Californians – and #trans Californians, in particular – understand all too well the risk of electing another reality star who cares more about fame and money than civil rights, healthcare and the safety of our communities.”
“We can’t let that happen. Governor @GavinNewsom is a pro-equality champion who has spent his career fighting for @LGBTQ+ civil rights and social justice. He’s been there for us, time and time again. Now it’s our turn to be there for him. @StopRepRecall.”
On July 16, 2021, Vanity Fair posted an article titled: “Caitlyn Jenner Reportedly Pauses Her Governor Campaign to Film Celebrity Big Brother in Australia”. From the article:
California’s special election to recall current governor Gavin Newsom is just two months away, but Caitlyn Jenner apparently has no qualms with putting her gubernatorial campaign on pause in order to shoot another season of reality television.The former Olympian landed in Sydney, Australia, this week, according to local Adelaide tabloid The Advertiser, where she will now have to quarantine for two weeks before filming for the new season of Celebrity Big Brother begins. While the show has yet to confirm Jenner’s casting on the program, according to the outlet she is still expected to be paid roughly $372,500 for the appearance.…If reports of her casting are true, it’s unclear if Jenner will make it back to the state in time to do a final campaign push or even to vote for herself in person. In addition to quarantining for two weeks in Australia, Daily Mail reports that the filming of Big Brother has also typically taken two months to complete, which would place her return well past the September 14 election date…
I think registered voters in California will have a hard time taking Caitlyn Jenner seriously as a viable candidate. She has no background in politics, and appears to have gone to Australia to be on a reality TV show.
Who is Running in California’s Recall Election? is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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July 16, 2021CaliforniaAmerican flag with Ballot envelope by Joshua Woroniecki on Unsplash
The vast majority of voters in California are registered with the Democratic Party. There aren’t enough registered Republican voters in the state to compete with them – even if some Independents vote with the Republicans.
A Little History
Governor Gavin Newsom was elected governor in 2018, and his term started in 2019. California has a top-two primary, which means that the two candidates who got the most votes for a specific office have to run against each other. The top two candidates could potentially be: two Democrats, two Republicans, one Democrat and one Republican, or one candidate from a major party and one from a small one, or two candidates from small parties.
In the 2018 California primary election, Gavin Newsom (Democrat) got 2,343,792 votes (33.7%) and John Cox (Republican) got 1,766,488 (25.4%). None of the other candidates who were running for governor of California got more than those two people did.
Newsom and Cox faced each other in the General election. This time, Newsom got 7,721,410 votes (61.9%) and Cox got 4,742,825 votes (38.1%). The majority of voters in California chose Gavin Newsom to be their governor.
The Republicans in California are trying to steal an election. The complaints about Governor Newsom that the Republicans put on their recall ballot include phrases like “against the will of the people.” They should realize that “the will of the people” was very clearly shown when Governor Gavin Newsom won his election.
California has a much larger number of Democratic Voters than Republican Voters
The California Secretary of State website reported on October 30, 2020, that a record 22 million Californians registered to vote heading into the General election. The website contains a chart that shows statewide trends in voter registration from 1996 through 2020. The numbers are split up by political party (or no party preference).
A quick glance at the chart of percentage of voters by party shows that the Democratic party consistently had a higher percentage of voters than did the Republican party (and also than did the No Party Preference group). This holds true from 1996 right up to the 2020 election.
For the purpose of this blog post, I’m going to focus on the voter registration data from the two most recent presidential elections.
2016: Democratic (44.9%), Republican (26.0%)
2020: Democratic (46.1%), Republican (25.2%)
The number of Democratic registered voters increased between 2016 and 2020. The number of Republican voters decreased between 2016 and 2020. Based on this data, it seems that the outcome of the recall will result in Governor Newsom keeping his job. It would take an overwhelming number of registered Democrats to vote against Newsom in order for the Republicans to get their way.
That’s not just my opinion. ABC News posted an article in March of 2021 titled: “EXPLAINER: Why is California Gov. Newsom facing a recall?” It was written by Michael R. Blood. From the article:
…If petition numbers hold up, it appears the recall will easily qualify for the ballot. If that happens, Newsom would be forced to fend off rivals in the midst of a pandemic that has cost the state millions of jobs and shaken life for residents. But time could be on his side and the turbulent public mood could shift by fall. If schools, restaurants, gyms and other businesses continue to reopen. California also is one of the most heavily Democratic states in the country: Democratic voters outnumber Republicans by nearly 2-to-1, and the party controls every statewide office while dominating the Legislature and congressional delegation.
What has Governor Newsom Changed Since the Recall Election Qualified for the Ballot?
Reopened bars, hotels, gyms, offices, and other businesses
On May 17, 2021, San Francisco Chronicle posted an article titled: “California is set to reopen on June 15: What will change?” It was written by Carolyn Said and Erin Allday. From the article:
State officials say it will be a return to business as usual for scores of sectors – including restaurants, gyms and movie theaters – that have been forced to limit capacity under California’s color-coded blueprint. Bars will be able to reopen indoors in every county. Private gatherings like weddings can resume with larger guest lists……The four-tiered color-coded blueprint, in place since last August, mandates certain restrictions based on how prevalent the virus is in a county. In the least restrictive yellow tier, which only San Francisco and San Mateo counties have reached in the Bay Area, almost every sector can be open at 25% to 50% capacity.The state will retire that blueprint on June 15, assuming it meets two criteria for broadly reopening: making vaccines easily available to anyone who wants them, and keeping COVID-19 hospitalizations low. At the moment California is easily meeting those goals. Individual counties may, however, choose to retain certain restrictions after that date.With Gov. Gavin Newsom facing a recall election, may public health and business leaders say they can’t imagine he’ll back away from the June 15 reopening unless there’s an unexpected new pandemic threat. Newsom said last week that there is no backup plan if the state falls off course: “Plan A is the only plan we need,” he said…
Opened restaurants
On May 24, 2021, Eater posted an article titled: “California Says No More Restaurant Capacity Limits or Physical Distancing Starting June 15″. It was written by Mona Holmes. From the article:
California is approaching a milestone moment since the COVID-19 pandemic began over a year ago. On May 21, California officials announced the state would fully reopen without restrictions on June 15. As the first state to officially shelter-in-place, California will convert back to zero restrictions on indoor and outdoor capacity limits and physical distancing at restaurants and bars within the next three weeks.California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly stated that California will no longer require any pandemic-related constraints, which moves the state into a full reopening, reports the L.A. Times. With half of Californians fully vaccinated and COVID-19 infection/death rates remarkably low, Ghaly believes the state is ready. The color-coded system used to track the pandemic will no longer be used……More changes will come after the Division of Occupational Safety and Health or Cal/OSHA updates California’s workplace rules in early June. LAist reports the state agency – which determines safety regulations for employers throughout California – could all vaccinated workers without COVID-19 symptoms to no longer wear masks if workers did not display symptoms. After June 15, expect to see the following in restaurants and bars across the state:
Bars, restaurants, concert venues, and grocery stores can operate at full indoor and outdoor capacity.California will utilize CDC guidance for fully vaccinated people who will not be required to wear masks except for public transit, flights, and when visiting health facilities.Physical distancing requirements will not be required at public and private events.Large venues, like sports arenas and performance stages, will no longer have capacity limits. But a vaccine verification or a negative test will be required for indoor events with more than 5,000 people, and the vaccine verification or negative test will be recommended for outdoor events with 10,000 people or more.People traveling into the state will not be required to isolate or quarantine.
Created a plan for opening schools next over the summer and next fall for full-time in-person instruction
On June 7, 2021, Governor Newsom shared his plan to reopen the schools in the fall. The information was posted on his official website, and titled: “California Releases New Summer Programming and School Reopening Data, Launches Parental Engagement Campaign”. From the press release:
Today, California launched a new series of interactive data visualizations at the Safe Schools for All Hub to continue tracking the progress of school reopening efforts while highlighting school districts’ plans for summer program offerings to support students’ learning needs. Of the data submitted:
89 percent of school districts submitting data will offer learning opportunities over the summer, including learning acceleration (e.g., high-dose tutoring), enrichment and mental health services.99 percent of public school districts submitting data plan to fully reopen for in-person instruction for the school year beginning Fall 2021.
…Additionally, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is launching a new campaign throughout the summer to build confidence with parents and students about the safety of returning to school full-time in Fall 2021. The campaign will reach out to parents in the hardest hit by the pandemic – especially Latinix, African-American, Asian American and Pacific Islander parents of school aged children – with $25 million from AB 86 to support the safe opening of schools during the next fiscal year. These monies will: fund a campaign to reach parents ($1 million), build on-the-ground local collaborations between local public health departments ($10 million) and county offices of education ($10 million) and provide ongoing statewide technical assistance and encourage two-way communication through enhanced technology ($4 million).The Governor’s California Comeback Plan proposes to permanently expand summer and after-school programs at all schools serving the highest concentrations of vulnerable students, beginning with $1 billion in the 2021-22 school year and growing to $5 billion by 2025. The plan also proposes a return to full-time in-person instruction for the 2021-22 school year…
Recall Elections Have a Tendency to Fail
It is worth pointing out that recall elections that are intended to remove an elected governor in California have a tendency to fail. The California Secretary of State website provided some information. I filled in the gaps with more details from various sources.
1939: A recall against Governor Culbert L. Olson. It failed to qualify for the ballot. Two other recalls of the Governor were attempted that year, one filed by Olson Recall Committee, and the other by Citizens of Olson Recall Committee. Both of those failed to qualify for the ballot.
1940: More recalls against Governor Culbert L. Olsen were filed. Each one was filed by the Olsen Recall Committee. Both of them failed to qualify for the ballot.
1960: A recall against Governor Edmund G. Brown (Democrat) was filed by Roderick J. Wilson (also a Democrat). The recall failed to qualify for the ballot.
1965: A recall against Governor Edmund G. Brown was filed by C. Fain Kyle.
According to information on the Internet Archive, C. Fain Kyle was Executive Director of Dedicated Independent Society Committee Against Racial Demonstrations, Inc. He also founded the Christian Conservative Churches of America. In 1965, C. Fain Kyle announced the formation of Recall Brown Committee. The recall effort failed to qualify for the ballot.
Also in 1965, a second recall against Governor Edmund G. Brown was filed – this time by L.J. Beauchamp. The recall effort failed to qualify for the ballot.
1967: A recall against Governor Ronald Reagan (Republican) was filed by Nancy L. Parr. Getty Images has a photo of her holding a petition seeking the recall of Governor Ronald Reagan. According to Getty Images, Nancy L. Parr thinks Gov. Reagan is “inept and incompetent” and that he’s riding roughshod over the desires of both the legislature and California. The recall effort failed to qualify for the ballot.
1968: A recall against Governor Ronald Reagan was filed by Joyce A. Koupal and James E. Berg. The recall effort failed to qualify for the ballot.
1972: A recall against Governor Ronald Reagan was filed by Margaret Bullard. The recall effort failed to qualify for the ballot.
1977: A recall against Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. (Democrat) was filed by Patricia Dolbeare. The recall effort failed to qualify for the ballot.
1979: Two recall efforts were filed against Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. (Jerry Brown). One was filed by Frank James Compton. The other was filed by Cecil Gibson. Both of them failed to qualify for the ballot.
1980: Two recall efforts were filed against Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. (Jerry Brown). Both were filed by Cecil Gibson – one of April 16, 1980, and the other on October 18, 1980. Both of them failed to qualify for the ballot.
1983: Three recall efforts were filed against Governor George Deukmejian (Republican) was filed by Michael Greenspan and Charles Brookey. It failed to qualify for the ballot.
The second was filed by M.P. Baltzer, George Baltzer, Johnny Van Pelt, and Cynthia Van Pelt. It failed to qualify for the ballot. The third was filed by R. Ahl. It also failed to qualify for the ballot.
1985: Another recall effort was filed against Governor George Deukmejian. It was filed by Michael Bogatirev. The recall effort failed to qualify for the ballot. Los Angeles Times reported the following:
…A Pacific Grove man, Michael Bogatirev, has filed with the secretary of state’s office a petition to recall Gov. George Deukmejian for allegedly failing to adequately represent environmental concerns. The petition must be signed by 945,204 registered voters, which represents 12% of all of the votes cast for the office in 1982, by next Jan. 30. If the recall drive qualifies, a special election would be set. A spokesman for the governor had no immediately official comment on the petition but said, “We certainly aren’t nervous about it.”…
1986: A recall effort was filed against Governor George Deukmejian. It was filed by Michael Bogritev, Timothy Grady, and Harry Snell. It failed to qualify for the ballot.
Michael Bogaritev also filed a recall effort against Governor George Deukmejian – one on February 2, 1986, and another on February 21, 1986 (with Timothy Grady.) Both of those recall efforts failed to qualify for the ballot.
1987 and 1989: A recall effort was filed against Governor George Deukmejian by Michael Bogatriev and Douglas Cupp Sr. It failed to qualify for the ballot. Michael Bogatriev also filled two more recall efforts against Governor George Deukmejian. Both those efforts failed to qualify for the ballot.
1991: Two recall efforts were filed against Governor Pete Wilson (Republican). One was filed by Deborah Murray, Teresa S. Squier, Herbert C. Redlack, Sharon Moad, and Corinne Lavorico. The other was filed by Lorna G. Fowler, Emily L. Powell, Patricia Williams and Elmer E. Powell. Both of these recall efforts failed to qualify for the ballot.
1992: Four recall efforts were filed against Governor Pete Wilson. One was filed by Peter James. Another was filed by Gordon Reynolds, Joseph DeSiata, Deborah Murray, A. Lee Sanders, and Janice L. Tracey. The third was filed by Gary Karnes and Ralph White. The fourth was filed by Barbara Brammer, Mary Reyna, Patrick Hill, and Robert Cunha. All of them failed to qualify for the ballot.
1995: A recall effort was filed against Governor Pete Wilson. It was filed by Jayne Liera and 101 others. The recall effort failed to qualify for the ballot.
1999: A recall effort was filed against Governor Gray Davis (Democrat). It was filed by Glenn J. Spencer and 73 others. The recall effort failed to qualify for the ballot.
2003: Two recall efforts were filed against Governor Gray Davis. One was filed by Edward L. Nicholson and 9 others. It failed to qualify for the ballot.
Another recall effort was filed by Edward J. Costa and 98 others. It qualified for the ballot, and the recall election was held on October 7, 2003. The recall succeeded with 55.4% in favor and 44.6% opposed. Arnold Schwarzenegger (Republican) was elected to be the successor of Gray Davis.
Wikipedia provided some information about why Gray Davis was removed by a recall election:
…According to the subsequent Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s investigation and report, numerous energy trading companies, many based in Texas, such as Enron Corporation, illegally restricted their supply to the point where the spikes in power usage would cause blackouts. Rolling blackouts affecting 97,000 customers hit the San Francisco bay area on June 14, 2000, and San Diego Gas & Electric Company filed a complaint alleging market manipulation by some energy producers in August 2000. On December 7, 2000, suffering from low supply and idled power plants, the California Independent System (CAISO), whioch manages the California power grid, declared the first statewide Stage 3 power alert, meaning power reserves were below 3 percent. Rolling blackouts were avoided when the state halted two large state and federal water pumps to conserve energy.On January 17, 201, Davis declared a state of emergency in response to the electricity crisis. Speculators, led by Enron Corporation, were collectively making large profits while the state teetered on the edge for weeks and finally suffered rolling blackouts on January 17 and 18. Davis stepped in to buy power at highly unfavorable terms on the open market, since California power companies were technically bankrupt and had no buying power. California agreed to pay $43 billion for power over the next 20 years. Newspaper publishers sued Davis to force him to make public the details of the energy deal……Gray Davis critics often charge that he did not respond properly to the crisis, while his defenders attribute the crisis solely to the corporate accounting scandals and say that Davis did all he could…
2004: A recall effort against Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (Republican) was filed by Henry F. Ramsey Jr. and 64 others. It failed to qualify for the ballot.
2005: Two recall efforts against Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger were filed. One was filed by Kevin Matsumura and 121 others on October 7, 2005. The other was filed by Kevin Matsumura and 105 others on November 16, 2005. Both failed to qualify for the ballot.
2008: A recall effort was filed against Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. It was filed by Mike Jimenez and 84 others. It failed to qualify for the ballot.
2009:Three recall efforts were filed against Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. One was filed by John D. Fusek and 110 others on March 20, 2009. The second one was filed by ET Snell and 112 others on March 23, 2009. The third one was filed by John D. Fusek and 119 others on April 17, 2009. All of them failed to qualify for the ballot.
2012: Two recall efforts were filed against Governor Jerry Brown. One was filed by Edgar Origel and 9 others on May 17, 2012. The other was filed by James D. Smith and 9 others on November 1, 2012. Both failed to qualify for the ballot.
2013, another recall effort was filed against Governor Jerry Brown. It was filed by James D. SMith and 90 others on October 23, 2013. It failed to qualify for the ballot.
2015: A recall effort was filed against Governor Jerry Brown. It was filed by Lauren Stephens and 74 others on October 29, 2015. It failed to qualify for the ballot.
2017: A recall effort was filed against Governor Jerry Brown. It was filed by Rachel Gunther and 197 others on November 16, 2017. It failed to qualify for the ballot.
2019: A recall effort was filed against Governor Gavin Newsom. It was filed by Erin Cruz and 69 others on March 15, 2019. It failed to qualify for the ballot.
2020: Three recall efforts were filed against Governor Gavin Newsom. One was filed by Orrin E. Heatlie and 124 others on February 3, 2020. It failed to qualify for the ballot. Another was filed by Carla Canada and 9 others on June 3, 2020. It failed to qualify for the ballot.
In between those two was another recall effort filed by Orrin E. Heatlie and 124 others on February 21, 2020. This one qualified for the ballot. There will be a recall election on September 14, 2021.
Los Angeles Times reported that the recall effort proponents are Orrin Heatlie, Mike Netter, and the California Patriot Coalition.
According to the Recall Gavin Newsom website, Orrin Heatlie is the Lead Proponent. Mike Netter is the Coalition Founding Member. He describes himself as a veteran working in sales and marketing, and states that he has worked in senior executive roles at Corporate Express and Staples. Robin McCrea is a veteran budget officer/analyst. Los Angeles Times also identified the California Patriot Coalition as having something to do with the recall.
Recall Proponents Got Extra Time to Collect Signatures
CNBC reported information about why the proponents of the recall got more time than they should have gotten to collect signatures. From the article:
…After receiving approval from the secretary of state in June 2020, organizers of the effort had 160 days to collect petition signatures equal to 12% of the voter turnout in the last election for governor, or 1,495,709 signatures, in accordance with state recall laws.But state health orders that closed nonessential businesses and enforced social distancing became a hurdle for collecting signatures, which led to a Sacramento judge to approve a 120-extension for the organizers in November.The recall effort continued to struggle in collecting signatures until photos leaked of a maskless Newsom attending a dinner at a Napa Valley restaurant on November 6, with people from several households. Californians were outraged, especially since Newsom’s actions contradicted stay-at-home orders…
In other words, a judge decided to give the recall proponents an extra 120 days to collect signatures. Why would a judge decide to do that? Los Angeles Times provides some answers:
The Sacramento County Superior Court judge whose ruling in November was pivotal to the recall campaign against Gov. Gavin Newsom, providing supporters extra time to gather the necessary petition signatures to trigger a special election, was once a law partner with the attorney hired by the effort’s proponents to plead their case.Judge James P. Arguelles and Bradley Benbrook were attorneys at the Sacramento law firm of Stevens, O’Connell & Jacobs before 2010 and, according to federal court records, the two served as co-counsel on at least two cases……Benbrook represented recall proponents Orrin Heatlie and the California Patriot Coalition in the case before Arguelles last fall. The judge on Nov. 17 agreed with Benbrook’s argument that California’s COVID-19 shutdowns and restrictions had limited the recall campaign’s ability to circulate petitions.Arguelles gave them an additional five months to gather and submit 1.49 million petition signatures from California voters, the number required by state law to qualify the recall for the ballot, and they did so successfully by March 17. Were it not for that extra time, the recall would have failed to qualify……Benbrook also worked for an independent expenditure committee that backed Newsom’s Republican opponent in the 2018 gubernatorial election, John Cox. Cox is currently running to replace Newsom if he is recalled…
A Closer Look at How Each County Voted in the 2020 Election – by Party
NBC Los Angeles posted data about how California voted, by county, in the 2020 Presidential election. As you may recall, the most well known candidates were Joe Biden (Democrat) Donald Trump (Republican) and Jo Jorgensen (Libertarian).
The final outcome – statewide – in California was:
Joe Biden (Democrat) 11,110,250 (63.5%)Donald Trump (Republican) 6,006,429 (34.3%)Jo Jorgensen (Libertarian) 187,895 (1.1%)
To get a closer look, I decided to put in the data about how each county in California voted. NBC Los Angeles color coded each county when the final votes were tallied. The Republican leaning ones were red, and the Democratic leaning ones were blue.
Red Counties:
Del Norte: 6,461 votes for Trump (56.4%) / 4,677 votes for Biden (40.8%)Suskiyou: 13,290 Trump (56.7%) / 9,593 Biden (40.9%)Modoc: 3,109 Trump (71.7%) / 1,150 Biden (25.5%)Trinity: 3,188 Trump (50.9%) / 2,852 Biden (45.6%)Shasta: 60,789 Trump (65.4%) / 30,000 Biden (32.3%)Lassen: 8,970 Trump (74.8%) / 2,799 Biden (23.4%)Tehama: 19,141 Trump (66.6%) / 8,911 Biden (31.0%)Plumas: 6,445 Trump (57.3%) / 4,561 Biden (40.5%)Glenn: 7,063 Trump (62.5%) / 3,995 Biden (35.4%)Sierra: 1,142 Trump (59.2%) / 730 Biden (37.8%)Colusa: 4,559 Trump (57.3%) / 3,239 Biden (40.7%)Sutter: 24,375 Trump (57.2%) / 17,367 Biden (40.7%)Yuba: 17,676 Trump (59.3%) / 11,230 Biden (37.7%)Sierra: 1,142 Trump (59.2%) / 730 Biden (37.8%)Placer: 122,488 Trump (52.1%) / 106,869 Biden (45.5%)El Dorado: 61,838 Trump (53.2%) / 51,621 Biden (44.4%)Amador: 13,585 Trump (60.9%) / 8,153 Biden (36.6%)Calaveras: 16,518 Trump (60.8%) / 10,046 Biden (37.0%)Tuolumne: 17,689 Trump (58.2%) / 11,978 Biden (39.4%)Mariposa: 5,950 Trump (57.9%) / 4,088 Biden (39.8%)Madera: 29,378 Trump (54.7%) / 23,168 Biden (43.1%)Tulare: 77,579 Trump (52.8%) / 66,105 Biden (45.0%)Kings: 24,072 Trump (54.9%) / 18,699 Biden (42.6%)Kern: 164,484 Trump (53.9%) / 133,366 Biden (43.7%)
Blue Counties:
Humbolt: 21,770 Trump (31.6%) / 44,768 Biden (65.%)Mendocino: 13,267 Trump (30.6%) / 28,782 Biden (66.4%)Butte: 48,730 Trump (47.8%) / 50,426 Biden (49.4%)Nevada: 26,779 Trump (41.4%) / 36,359 Biden (56.2%)Lake: 13,123 Trump (45.6%) / 14,941 Biden (51.9%)Sonoma: 61,825 Trump (23.0%) / 199,938 Biden (74.5%)Napa: 20,676 Trump (28.7%) / 49,817 Biden (69.1%)Yolo: 27,292 Trump (28.1%) / 67,598 Biden (69.5%)Sacramento: 259,405 Trump (36.1) / 440,808 Biden (61.4%) – State CapitolAlpine: 224 Trump (32.9%) / 476 Biden (64.2%)Alameda: 136,309 Trump (17.7%) / 617,659 Biden (80.2%)Solano: 69,396 Trump (33.7%) / 131,639 Biden (64.0%)Contra Costa: 152,877 Trump (26.3%) / 416,386 Biden (71.6%)San Joaquin: 121,098 Trump (42.0%) / 161,137 Biden (55.9%)Mono: 2,513 Trump (37.3%) / 4,013 Biden (59.6%)Stanislaus: 104,145 Trump (48.5%) / 105,841 Biden (49.3%)San Mateo: 75,584 Trump (20.2%) / 291,496 Biden (77.8%)Santa Cruz: 26,937 Trump (18.6%) / 114,246 Biden (78.9%)Santa Clara: 214,612 Trump (25.2%) / 617,967 Biden (72.7%)Merced: 39,397 Trump (43.5%) / 48,991 Biden (54.1%)Inyo: 4,630 Trump (48.7%) / 4,634 Biden (48.9%)San Benito: 10,590 Trump (36.7%) / 17,638 Biden (61.2%)Fresno: 164,464 Trump (45.1%) / 193,025 Biden (52.9%)Monterey: 46,299 Trump (28.3%) / 113,942 Biden (69.5%)San Luis Obispo: 67,436 Trump (42.2%) / 88,310 Biden (55.3%)Santa Barbara: 65,736 Trump (32.8%) / 129,963 Biden (64.9%)Ventura: 162,207 Trump (38.4%) / 251,388 Biden (59.5%)Los Angeles: 1,145,530 Trump (26.9%) / 3,028,885 Biden (71.0%)San Bernadino: 366,257 Trump (43.6%) / 455,859 Biden (54.2%)Riverside: 449,144 Trump (45.0%) / 528,350 Biden (53.0%)Orange: 676,498 Trump (44.5%) / 814,009 Biden (53.5%)San Diego: 600,094 Trump (37.5%) / 964,650 Biden (60.2%)Imperial: 20,847 Trump (36.8%) / 34,678 Biden (61.1%)Marin: 24,512 Trump (15.8%) / 128,288 Biden (82.3%)
The numbers of voters, by political party, show that the majority of voters in California are registered Democrats. It also shows that some of the smallest counties – with the smallest populations, have a disproportionate percentage of Republican voters.
It doesn’t make sense for them to try and overturn the results of the 2018 election (where Governor Newsom won against his opponent John Cox) by initiating a recall. It feels like the registered Republicans are attempting to steal an election.
Which counties had the highest percentage of support for the recall?
The California Secretary of State website posted information about the number of signatures received and the number of signatures that were withdrawn – by county. Ballotpedia reported that the recall effort needed more than 1,495,970 valid signatures in order to pass. California Secretary of State found 1,719,943 to be valid. She also stated that 43 signatures were removed during the removal period, leaving 1,719,900 valid signatures. This is more than enough to trigger a recall election.
What makes a signature valid? The signature has to come from a registered California voter. To make a long story short, the California Secretary of State must confirm that each signature is valid. Those that are invalid are removed.
Los Angeles Times posted an article on April 29, 2021, titled: “Who wants to recall Gov. Newsom? Signatures point to Trump’s California”. It was written by Sweltha Kannan and Sandhya Kambhampati. From the article:
…A Times analysis of data released by Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber shows where support was the strongest. Though petitions were signed all across the state, the highest concentrations of signatures were found in the rural northeast, areas with low coronavirus case counts and where voters heavily favored former President Donald Trump……Newsom’s critics say his strict COVID-19 pandemic policies were a leading factor on the effort to recall the governor, arguing that these restrictions cost thousands of jobs and shuttered businesses.The Times found, however, that coronavirus caseloads alone were not enough to predict which areas would provide the most signatures.Many Republican-leaning counties that favored the recall had low case rates. But counties with predominantly Democratic voters that experienced similar caseloads, such as those in the Bay Area, were less supportive of the effort……Among the areas most supportive of recalling Newsom were rural, right-leaning counties to the north and east of Sacramento. Those areas had high signature rates and low case rates, with the exception of Lassen County, where a surge in cases hit several state prisons. Those counties also voted to reelect Trump in 2020.These areas are home to 5% of the state’s population but more than 10% of the total signatures gathered.The highest concentrations of signatures are in the rural northeast.Still, the massive effort to force a recall relied largely on the state’s densely populated urban centers where Democrats win most elections. Los Angeles County, home to one-quarter of the state’s population, provided 264,409 signatures, or 16% of the total so far……The question will be settled later this year at the ballot box. To remove Newsom from office, more than 50% of voters will need to cast their ballot in favor of the recall…
California News Times posted an article titled: “Recall Gavin Newsom petition has enough signatures: Map shows where in California there’s most support”. It was posted on April 27, 2020. From the article:
…In raw numbers, the maximum number of verified signatures is from Los Angeles County, which is about 264,000. But that’s not a big surprise, as Los Angeles County is also the largest in the state. In neighboring Orange and Ventura counties, more and more voters are signing petitions to recall Newsom as a percentage of their population…
The article include a link to a map of California counties which were designated as supporting the recall, or not supporting the recall, based on the color the county was given. White, light blue, and shades of gray marked counties that did not support the recall. Darker shades of blue indicated counties that supported the recall.
Which counties had the most support for the recall?
The counties with the highest percentage of registered voters who signed the recall petition are:
Kings: 12.12% – Trump (54.9%) / Biden (42.6%) – in 2020 electionSiskiyou: 11.28% – Trump (56.7%) / Biden (40.9%)Calaveras: 11.03% – Trump (60.8%) / Biden (37.0%)Placer: 10.84% – Trump (52.1%) / Biden (45.5%)Lassen: 10.77% – Trump (74.8%) / Biden (23.4%)Madera: 10.04% – Trump (54.7%) / Biden (43.1%)Tulare: 9.91% – Trump (52.8%) / Biden (45.0%)Glenn: 9.75% – Trump (62.5%) / Biden (35.4%)Modoc: 8.64% – Trump (71.7%) / Biden (25.5%)Del Norte: 7.87% – Trump (56.4%) / Biden (40.8%)
The data shows that the top ten counties with the highest percentage of signatures of registered voters (per county) all just so happened to vote for Trump over Biden in the 2020 election. This is a Republican recall election.
Data Indicates Governor Newsom NOT Being Recalled
On March 30, 2021, Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) posted information titled: “Four in Ten Support Newsom Recall, Job Approval Holds Steady”. From the information:
With signature-gathering complete for potentially placing a gubernatorial recall on the ballot, four in ten likely voters say they would vote yes on removing Governor Newsom in a special recall election. Just over half of Californians approve of the governor’s job performance, similar to ratings in January. Three in four Californians now say the worst of the coronavirus pandemic is behind us……If a special election to recall Governor Newsom were held today, 40 percent of likely voters say they would vote yes on removing Newsom, while 56 percent would vote no and 5 percent are unsure. Views break along party lines: Republicans (79%) are far more likely than independents (42%) and Democrats (15%) to say they would vote yes. Across regions, support for removing Newsom is highest in the Central Valley (49%) and Inland Empire (47%) and lowest in the San Francisco Bay Area (27% Orange/San Diego 40% Los Angeles)……Newsom’s approval rating has held steady so far in 2021. Just over half of Californians (54% adults, 53% likely voters) approve of how he is handling his job as governor essentially unchanged since January. This is similar to the share approving in February 2020, before the governor issued COVID-19 stay-at-home orders (53% adults, 52% likely voters). Peak approval for Governor Newsom was in May of 2020, when 65 percent of adults and 64 percent of likely voters said they approved of his performance…
On May 25, 2021, Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) posted information titled: “Support for Governor’s Recall Still Falls Short; Outlook for COVID-19 Improves, though Some Groups Lag in Vaccines”. From the information:
With Governor Newsom likely facing a recall election this year, four in ten likely voters say they would vote yes to remove the governor, with views breaking along party lines……If the recall election were held today, 40 percent of likely voters say they would vote yes to remove Newsom from office, while 57% would vote no and 3 percent don’t know. Support for the recall is unchanged from March (40%). Views on the recall break along partisan lines, with Republicans (78%) far more likely than Independents (47%) and Democrats (11%) to say they would vote to remove Newsom. Support for the recall is higher in inland regions (56% Inland Empire, 49% Central Valley) than coastal areas (42% Orange/San Diego, 32% Los Angeles, 32% San Francisco Bay Area.)“The remarkably stable opposition to the recall of Gavin Newsom is driven by a large and consistent partisan divide that favors the Democratic governor,” said Mark Baldassare, PPIC president and CEO.Fifty-five percent of adults and 54 percent of likely voters approve of the governor’s job performance, similar to March (54% adults, 53% likely voters) and January (54% adults, 52% likely voters). Newsom continues to have majority approval for his handling of the pandemic (64% adults, 61% likely voters)…
On June 11, 2021, CNBC posted an article titled: “California Gov. Gavin Newsom is facing a recall – here’s what to know and why he’ll likely win”. It was written by Annika Kim Constantino. From the article:
…Californians will decide whether or not to recall the Democratic governor in a special election on Sept. 14, California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis announced July 1…
…Prior to Newsom, the first governor to face a recall election was then-Gov. Gray Davis, a Democrat, who lost to Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 2003 recall election.Unlike Davis,however, experts and recent polling indicate that Newsom will likely survive the recall and defeat the nearly 60 candidates running against him……”At this point, it would be shocking if the recall succeeded,” said GOP consultant Rob Stutzman, who served as former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s communications director.“Covid has waned, the economy is resurging and there are far more Democrats than Republicans in this state that will vote in favor of him. I think Newsom should be in good shape,” Stutzman said.A poll conducted in early May by the Public Policy Institute of California, or PPIC, found that 57% of likely voters would support Newsom in the election while 40% would vote to recall him.The poll also found that Newsom’s job approval rating among likely voters is 54%, which is almost double Davis’ approval rating in 2003, according to to PPIC President Mark Baldassare.To explain this data, Baldassare cites “two important indicators” of Newsom’s standing that dramatically improved between January and May of this year. This includes Californians’ perceptions about the U.S. economy and Covid, which are both data points recorded in the poll as well.“These indicators have evidently improved in the last few months, putting Gov. Newsom in a relatively strong position as he faces a recall,” Baldassare said…
Given what the data shows – that voters who are registered as Democrats vastly outnumber both voters who are registered as Republicans, and voters who are registered as Independent – means that the Democratic voters are likely to vote to keep Governor Newsom. They will vote that way because they like what he is doing.
As such, we should expect that after the votes of the recall election are counted – Governor Newsom will still be the Governor of California.
Here’s Why Governor Newsom Won’t be Recalled is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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July 14, 2021CaliforniaImage by Paul Brennan from Pixabay
If you have to keep moving the goalposts – your cause is invalid.
This blog post is an update about the California recall election, which was pushed by Trump supporters and/or Republicans. The group behind the recall, and all who signed it, are trying to steal an election. They keep moving the goalposts about why they want Governor Newsom to face a recall election. That’s a huge sign that their cause is invalid – and they know it.
The Republicans Behind the Recall Keep Moving the Goalpost
The first goalpost:
On April 1, 2021, Desert Sun reported that the man behind the push to Recall Newsom is Orrin Heatlie. According to the article, Orrin Heatlie found a video of California Gov. Gavin Newsom instructing immigrants in the country illegally not to open their doors to law enforcement unless the officers had a warrant.
In the article, Orrin Heatlie was described as a Republican who had a 25-year career in law enforcement, and who was a police sergeant.
The filing deadline for this recall was March 17, 2021 – but a judge gave the recall proponents an extra 120 days to collect signatures.
The second goalpost – throw it against the wall and see what sticks
Here are some of the reasons put on the ballot by the recall proponents:
“Laws he has implemented laws which are detrimental to the citizens of this state and our way of life.”
There isn’t any clear information about what laws the proponents are referring to, or how those laws are detrimental to their way of life. Personally, I think this is in there just to rile people up. It is unclear what, exactly “detrimental to our way of life”. means.
“Laws he endorsed favor foreign nationals, in our country, illegally, over that of our own citizens.”
There is no clarification about what laws the proponents are referring to. We know that Orrin Heatlie was angered after watching a video of Governor Newsom instructing immigrants in the country illegally not to open their doors to law enforcement unless the officer had a warrant.
However, people who are citizens of the United States are also allowed to refuse to open the door to law enforcement unless the officer had a warrant. Both groups can do that. No one is being favored.
If I had to guess, the proponents could be referring to information on HealthCare.gov titled: “Health coverage for immigrants”. It says:
Immigrant families have important details to consider in the Health Insurance Marketplace. You’ll find information on rules and options for immigrants on these pages.Most people in the following groups are eligible for coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace: U.S. Citizens, U.S. Nationals, Lawfully present immigrants.Undocumented immigrants aren’t eligible to buy Marketplace health coverage or premium tax credits and other savings on Marketplace plans. But they may apply for coverage on behalf of documented individuals.
“People in this state suffer the highest taxes in the nation, the highest homelessness rates, and the lowest quality of life as a result.”
Sacramento Bee posted an article on February 20, 2020, titled: “Here’s how long Californians have to work to pay off taxes – and how other states compare”. From the article:
“California’s tax burden is higher than most states – but a lot of other states have it worse.That’s the finding of a report from the nonpartisan Tax Foundation. It assigns each state a “Tax Freedom Day”, the day when residents of a state have collectively earned enough money to pay their total tax bill for the year.Californians in theory had to work until April 20 last year to pay those bills, four days longer than the national average. The state is in a 38th place tie for highest tax burden, along with Maine and Washington…
California is in a tie with 38 other states for the highest tax burden. That means California does not have a higher tax burden than most states. It has the same tax burden as 37 other states.
50 states – minus the 38 states who have the same tax burden as California – leaves 13 states. The petitioners are wrong about this claim. The 13 states with lower tax burdens than California do not constitute “most states”.
California has “the highest homeless rates…”
National Alliance to End Homelessness posted a “State of Homelessness: 2020 Edition”. It includes a map that people can scroll over in order to see the number of homeless people in each state.
New York: 92,091 people experiencing homelessness – 47 homeless people per 10,000 California: 151,278 people experiencing homelessness – 38 homeless people per 10,000Oregon: 15,876 people experiencing homelessness – 38 homeless people per 10,000Washington: 21,577 people experiencing homelessness – 29 homeless people per 10,000Massachusetts: 18,479 people experiencing homelessness – 27 homeless people per 10,000
The important part to look at is the number of homeless people per 10,000. Looking only at the population of a state – and the number of homeless people in that state – will give you incorrect results. This is because each state has its own population, which varies from state to state. The number of homeless people per 10,000 in each state gives a clearer view.
New York has the highest number of homeless people per 10,000. California and Oregon are tied for second place. Washington has the next highest number, followed by Massachusetts. The data, when read correctly, does not say that California has the highest homeless rate in the United States.
“He has imposed sanctuary state status and fails to enforce immigration laws”
That is false. TIME reported an article in 2017 titled: “California Just Became a ‘Sanctuary State.’ Here’s What That Means.”
…California Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday signed a so-called “sanctuary state” bill that will limit cooperation between local officials and federal immigration enforcement. The measure is one of the most high-profile ways that Democrats in the state have sought to push back against the Republican agenda, as President Donald Trump has taken an hard line and other issues that are significant to Golden State lawmakers…
Clearly, it wasn’t Governor Gavin Newsom who “imposed” so-called ‘sanctuary state’ laws. Those laws went into affect while Governor Jerry Brown was in office. The proponents of the recall are angry at the wrong governor.
“He has unilaterally over-ruled the will of the people regarding the death-penalty.”
Politico posted an article on March 12, 2019, titled: “Newsom to sign moratorium on executions in California”. From the article:
Gov. Gavin Newsom, arguing that the death penalty overwhelmingly discriminates against racial minorities and the poor, will sign an order Wednesday placing a moratorium on executions in California, according to his office. The move serves as an immediate reprieve for hundreds of prisoners currently housed on the nation’s largest Death Row.Newsom’s executive order, to be signed Wednesday morning, withdraws California’s lethal injection protocol and immediately mandates the closure of the execution chamber at San Quentin State Prison, in Marin County. While the governor’s order will be a reprieve for 737 prisoners sentenced to death – including 24 who have exhausted all appeals – Newsom’s office stressed that his order would not provide for the release of any inmates or alter their convictions or sentences……California has not executed a prisoner since 2006, when a federal judge ruled that the state’s three-drug lethal injection protocol was unconstitutional and represented cruel and unusual punishment.The state produced new lethal injection regulations in early 2018, but the process for reinstatement has been left tangled in the courts, facing challenges by the American Civil Liberties Union……As a basis for Newsom’s executive order, sources in the governor’s office offered statistics to suggest that the death sentence is overwhelmingly applied to people of color — who represent six in 10 people on California’s Death Row — and to those who have suffered from severe developmental disabilities, brain damage and childhood trauma……“Here is the bottom line: Our death penalty system has been — by any measure — a failure,’’ Newsom said in his statement. “It has discriminated against defendants who are mentally ill, black and brown, or can’t afford expensive legal representation. It has provided no public safety benefit or value as a deterrent. It has wasted billions of taxpayer dollars.”“But most of all, the death penalty is absolute, irreversible and irreparable in the event of human error,” Newsom said….
Wikipedia has more information about Capital Punishment in California. Here are some key points:
A coalition of death penalty opponents, including law enforcement officials, murder victims’ family members, and wrongly convicted people launched an initiative campaign for the “Savings, Accountability, and Full Enforcement for California Act,” or SAFE California, in the 2011-2012 election cycle. The measure, which became Proposition 34, would replace the death penalty with life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, require people sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole to work in order to pay restitution to victims’ families, and allocate approximately $30 million per year for three years to police departments for the purpose of solving open murder and rape cases. Supporters of the measure raised $6.5 million, dwarfing the $1 million raised by opponents of Proposition 34. The proposition was defeated with 52% against and 48% in favor.
Those numbers, 52% against, and 48% in favor, is really close for a ballot initiative. This data clearly shows that almost half of California voters were in favor of Proposition 34, and just a tiny bit more than half of California voters were against Proposition 34. That tiny margin between the two groups is not enough to define what the “will of the people” actually was.
After Governor Gavin Newsom placed a moratorium on the death penalty, by executive order, the state closed the Death Chamber at San Quentin State Prison. The Death Chamber was subsequently dismantled by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Although some pro-death penalty advocates have stated otherwise, no person sentenced to death in California was released or had their conviction or sentenced altered due to the promulgation of the Executive Order. (Emphasis mine.)
“He seeks to impose additional burdens on our state by the following: removing the protections of Proposition 13…”
Ballotpedia has some information about Proposition 13. The first one was called “Tax Limitations Initiative”. It was on the ballot as an initiated constitutional amendment in California on June 6, 1978. It was pushed by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, a California based non-profit lobbying and policy organization that advocates against raising taxes in California.
The ballot initiative was designed to:
require that properties be taxed at no more than 1 percent of their full cash value shown on the 1975-1976 assessment rolls and limit annual increases of (taxable) value to the inflation rate or 2 percent, whichever was less.upon the transfer of properties, allow them to be reassessed at one percent of their sale price and reset the limit on annual increases of assessed value.prohibit the state legislature from enacting new taxes on the value or sale of propertiesrequire a two-thirds vote of the state legislature to increase non-property taxes.require local governments to refer to special taxes to the ballot and require a two-thirds vote of electors.make the state government responsible for distributing property tax revenue among local governments.
This ballot initiative passed with 65.79% of voters saying YES, and 35.21% of voters saying NO.
In 2010, there was another Proposition 13 titled: “Seismic Retrofitting Reassessment Exemption Amendment”.
Here is what this Proposition 13 was designed to do:
Provides that construction to seismically retrofit existing buildings will not trigger reassessment of property tax value, regardless of the type of building.Sets a statewide standard for the types of seismic retrofit improvements exempt from reassessment.Limits the exemption from reassessment to specific components or construction or reconstruction that qualify as seismic retrofit improvements, as defined by the Legislature.
In short, this was about making buildings safer from earthquakes by adding structures that would work in ways that would prevent the building from collapsing. It was also about ensuring that homeowners (or building owners) wouldn’t end up with a higher tax rate because of the retrofitting.
This Proposition 13 passed with 85.97% of voters saying YES and 15.03% of voters saying NO.
Wikipedia has information about the 2020 Proposition 13 which was titled: “Public Preschool, K-12, and College Health and Safety Bond Act of 2020”. It was on the March 2020 ballot.
Here’s what this Proposition 13 would have done:
Allowed the state to borrow $15 billion by selling general obligation bonds, and would allocate $9 billion for K-12 facilities statewide as well as $2 billion for the state’s community college system, $2 billion for the University of California, and $2 billion for the California State University.Of the $9 billion earmarked for preschool and K-12 schools, $5.2 billion would have gone towards renovating existing facilities. $2.8 billion would have gone towards new school construction, and the remaining $1 billion would have been evenly split between career technical sites and charter schools. Smaller preschool and K-12 schools would have received priority for funding.The measure would have funded asbestos removal, seismic retrofitting and other capital improvements on various California preschool, K-12, and college campuses.The measure contained provisions that would have eliminated school impact fees on multifamily housing development within half a mile of train and bus stations.The measure would have loosened limits on local school district borrowing. High school and elementary school districts would have been allowed to borrow 2 percent of the assessed value of nearby properties, up from 1.25 percent. Unified school districts, along with community college districts, would have been able to borrow 4 percent of the assessed value of nearby properties, up from 2.5 percent. School districts that were less able to raise funding for construction projects with underserved student populations (being determined by the percent of low-income students, foster youth, or English language learners in the district) would have been eligible for matching state funds, for upwards of 55 to 65 percent of the total project cost. This initiative required unionized labor for these projects.
This proposition 13 failed to pass. 53.0% of voters said NO. 47% of voters said yes. There was only a small percentage of difference between the NO group and the YES group.
Why do the proponents of the recall think that Governor Gavin Newsom “removed the protections of Proposition 13?” There is no clear answer to that question to be found in the recall ballot information. As such, I decided to do a little digging to see what they could possibly mean with that claim.
On January 14, 2021, the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom website posted a press release titled: “Governor Newsom Launches Transparency, Accountability and Assistance Measures in the State’s Safe Schools for All Plan.” From the press release:
Governor Gavin Newsom announced the launch of transparency, accountability, and assistance measures related to the Safe Schools for All Plan. The Safe Schools for All Hub… was launched as a one-stop shop for information about safe in-person instruction, and will be updated frequently……Today’s announcement follows on the December unveiling of the Safe Schools for All Plan, and reflects on the best available science regarding safe in-person instruction, which the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) recently summarized. The Plan is built on four pillars (1) funding; (2) safety & mitigation; (3) oversight & assistance; and (4) transparency & accountability.The four pillars of the Governor’s Safe Schools for All Plan advance a comprehensive, multi-faceted strategy to ensure that, as transmission rates decrease, the first priority for California communities is to resume in-person instruction. Schools should reopen safely according to a phased-in approach that prioritizes our youngest students and students disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, including students with disabilities.FundingThe Governor’s 2021-22 State Budget proposed a historic level of funding for schools – nearly $90 billion, including $3.8 billion above the Proposition 98 Guarantee, fulfilling a long-term commitment to treat the Guarantee as a floor, not a ceiling.The Budget proposes early action to provide relief to schools managing the pandemic:
Expanded Learning ($4.6 billion). The Governor proposes $4.6 billion for schools to expand educational opportunities, including summer school, prioritizing students from low-income families, homeless youth, and others disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. In-Person Instruction ($2 billion). The Governor also proposes immediate action on $2 billion for schools to safely resume in-person instruction, prioritizing schools that are safely open now or plan to safely reopen in February and March…
These proposed investments build in existing state and federal funds to support school responses to COVID-19, including $5.3 billion from California’s 2020-21 State Budget, $1.8 billion from CARES Act I and $6.7 billion from CARES Act II. For example, by February 2021, Los Angeles Unified School District will have received an average of more than $2 million per school to support quality distance learning and to safely resume in-person instruction…
My best guess is that because the Safe Schools for All Plan requires money to be spent on schools – and because the most recent Proposition 13 also involved funding for schools – that is why the proponents of the recall election are against it. They think that funding for schools – especially schools that are woefully underfunded – somehow “removes the protections of Proposition 13.”
“He seeks to impose additional burdens on our state by the following: … rationing our water use…”
On July 8, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom posted a press release titled: “As Drought Conditions Intensify, Governor Newsom Calls on Californians to Take Simple Actions to Conserve Water”. From the press release:
Amid intensifying drought and record-breaking temperatures across the Western United States, Governor Gavin Newsom today added nine counties to the regional drought state of emergency and called on Californians to voluntarily reduce their water use by 15 percent with simple measures to protect water reserves if drought conditions continue and to help maintain critical flows for fish and wildlife whenever possible……The Governor today signed an Executive Order calling on all Californians to voluntarily reduce their water use by 15 percent compared to 2020 levels through simple actions such as reducing landscape irrigation, running dishwashers and washing machines only when full, finding and fixing leaks, installing water-efficient showerheads and taking shorter showers. These voluntary efforts complement specific local conservation goals already in place in some communities experiencing acute water shortage conditions this summer.State officials estimate that an additional 15 percent voluntary reduction by urban water users from 2020 levels could save as much as 850,000 acre-feet of water over the next year for future use, or enough to supply more than 1.7 million households for a year…
The key word in this press release is voluntary. No one is being forced to comply with the executive order. As such, saying that Governor Newsom is “rationing our water use” is misinformation. People are being asked to do that themselves, voluntarily. People who are selfish can ignore the executive order and face no penalty. There are no “additional burdens” in this situation.
“He seeks to impose additional burdens on our state by the following: …increasing taxes…”
Ballotpedia has some background on what taxes were increased, why they were increased, and what the higher taxes would be used on. Here is some key information:
The California Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (RRAA), also known as Senate Bill 1 (SB 1) was enacted into law on April 28, 2017. The RRAA increased transportation-related taxes and fees, including the gas tax, diesel excise tax, and diesel sales tax, and was designed to dedicate the revenue to transportation infrastructure. The increased taxes went into effect on November 1, 2017. According to the state Senate Appropriations Committee, the RRAA was expected to generate an estimated $5.2 billion per year or $52.4 billion between 2017 and 2027.Most Democrats in the California State Legislature supported the RRAA. Most Republicans in the California State Legislature voted against it. Governor Jerry Brown signed the legislation into law, saying, “Safe and smooth roads make California a better place to live and strengthen our economy. This legislation will put people to work.”
Once again, the proponents of the recall are angry at the wrong governor. Governor Jerry Brown signed the RRAA into law. Governor Gavin Newsom was not elected until 2018.
In 2018, California Proposition 6 “Voter Approval for Future Gas and Vehicle Taxes and 2017 Tax Repeal Initiative (2018)” was placed on the ballot in California as an initiated constitutional amendment on November 6, 2018. Ballotpedia has more details:
A YES vote supported this initiative to:
repeal fuel tax increase and vehicle fees that were enacted in 2017, including the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (RRAA) andrequire voter approval (via ballot propositions) for the California State Legislature to impose, increase, or extend fuel taxes or vehicle fees in the future.
A NO vote opposed this initiative, thus:
keeping the fuel tax increases and vehicle fees that were enacted in 2017, including the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (RRAA) in place, andallowing the state legislature to continue to impose, increase, or extend fuel taxes or vehicle fees through a two-thirds vote of each chamber and without voter approval.
A total of 43.18% of voters said YES. A total of 56.82% of voters said NO. California Proposition 6 failed.
CBS Los Angeles reported the following:
…The push to repeal the gas tax was spearheaded by former San Diego City Councilman Carl DeMaio, and funded in part by Republican gubernatorial candidate John Cox, who co-authored a ballot argument that dismissed contentions that the tax hike was critical to fixing the state’s roads and improving transportation in the state.Opponents, among them Gov. Jerry Brown, had blasted the proposition and dismissed it as a “Republican stunt to get a few of their losers returned to Congress”.
Governor Newsom was elected in 2018, but his term did not start until 2019. He defeated his Republican opponent, John Cox. Governor Jerry Brown was still in office when California Proposition 6 was on the ballot. It would be incorrect to blame Governor Newsom for the results. I suppose the proponents of the recall election would be correct to blame the voters – but that probably wouldn’t be as “flashy” as some of their other claims.
It would also be incorrect to blame Governor Newsom for the effects of a bill that a previous legislature voted for, that a previous Governor signed into law, and that survived an attempt to remove it via Proposition before he became Governor.
The RRAA was designed to incrementally increase the tax on gas, over years. CBS Los Angeles provided some information about this in an article that was posted on July 1, 2021. From the article:
Californians going to the pump will likely notice another increase in gas prices Thursday, as a new state gas tax hike takes effect.The new tax will increase the price of regular six-tenths of a cent, which will bring the state gas excise tax to 51.1 cents per gallon. The tax on diesel will increase by four-tenths of a cent to 38.9 cents.The hike is part of Senate Bill 1, the Road Repair & Accountability Act, which the California Legislature passed in April of 2017 and includes increases in gas taxes and vehicle registration fees. The money raised by the gas tax goes towards paying for bridge and road repairs.The tax increases annually based on the California Consumer Price Index.When it took effect in November of 2017, it increased the gas tax by 12 cents. It then went up another 5.6 cents in July of 2019., to 47.3 cents per gallon. It went up another 3.2 cents in July of 2020 to 50.5 cents……The average price of gas in Los Angeles County Thursday was $4.31 a gallon. Southern California gas prices are currently at their highest rate since 2015…
It is understandable that people would be angry about the cost of gas going up. This is especially true for people who didn’t bother to get online to find out why the cost was getting higher. Claiming that Governor Gavin Newsom caused this is not only incorrect, it is also misinformation.
“He seeks to impose additional burdens on our state by the following: …restricting parental rights.”
This is an incredibly vague claim. We are left to guess what parental rights the proponents of the recall were referring to. That leaves this claim open to changing what rights it refers to, again and again, if the proponents want to stir up like-minded people.
On July 17, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom posted a press release titled: “Governor Gavin Newsom Lays Out Pandemic Plan for Learning and Safe Schools”. From the press release:
…Governor Gavin Newsom today announced his plan for learning and safe schools ahead of the 2020-2021 school year, as the California Department of Public Health issued a framework for when and how schools should reopen for in-person instruction……The Governor’s plan centers on five key areas:1 Safe in-person school based on local health dataThe California Department of Public Health today issued updated school guidance that includes using existing epidemiological metrics to determine if school districts can start in-person instruction. CDPH currently uses six indicators to track the level of COVID-19 infection in each California county as well as the preparedness of the county health care system – data that includes the number of new infections per 100,000 residents, the test positivity rate, and the change in hospitalization rate, among others. Any county that does not meet the state’s benchmarks is put on the County Monitoring List.Schools located in counties that are on the Monitoring List must not physically open for in-person instruction until their county has come off the Monitoring List for 14 consecutive days. Schools in counties that have not been on the Monitoring List for the prior 14 days may begin in-person instruction, following public health guidance. School community members – including parents, teachers, staff and students – can track daily data on whether and why their county is on the Monitoring List…The Department also issued updated guidance for when schools must physically close and revert to distance learning because of COVID-19 infections. Following a confirmed case of a student who was at school during his or her infectious period, other exposed students and staff should be quarantined for 14 days. The school should revert to distance learning when multiple cohorts have cases or 5 percent of students and staff test positive within a 14-day period. The district should revert to distance learning when 25 percent or more of its schools have been physically closed due to COVID-19 within 14 days. Closure decisions should be made in consultation with local health officers. After 14 days, school districts may return to in-person instruction with the approval of the local public health officer.2 Strong mask requirements for anyone in the schoolIn the updated guidance, all staff and students in 3rd grade and above will be required to wear a mask or face covering. Students in 2nd grade and below are strongly encouraged to wear a face covering. Students should be provided a face covering if they do not have one. The state has delivered over 18 million face coverings to schools to support them to reopen and ensure all students can participate in learning.3 Physical distancing requirements and other adaptationsIn the updated guidance, CDPH requires that all adults stay 6 feet from one another and 6 feet away from children, while students should maintain 6 feet of distance from one another as practicable. Anyone entering the school must do a health screen, and any student or staff exhibiting a fever or other symptoms will be immediately sent home. The guidance also provides that if anyone in a student or staff member’s household is sick, they too should stay home.4 Regular testing and dedicated contact tracing for outbreaks at schoolsThe public health guidance recommends staff in every California school be tested for COVID-19 periodically based on local disease trends and as testing capacity allows. The Governor also announced today that the state will provide resources and technical assistance for COVID-19 investigations in school settings.5 Rigorous distance learningOver the course of the pandemic, most schools will likely face physical closure at some point due to COVID-19. The Legislature and Governor Newsom enacted a budget that provided $5.3 billion in additional funding to support learning, and set requirements to ensure schools provide rigorous and grade-appropriate instruction. Under newly enacted state law, school districts are required to provide:
Devices and connectivity so that every child can participate in distance learning.Daily live interaction for every child with teachers and other students.Class assignments that are challenging and equivalent to in-person instruction.Targeted supports and interventions for English learners and special education students.
On August 8, 2020, CBS Los Angeles posted an article titled: “Southern California Parents Sue Gov. Newsom Over Restrictions On In-Person Schooling”. From the article:
Parents across Southern California are suing Governor Gavin Newsom over restrictions on in-person schooling, alleging that those restrictions have deprived children across the state of the opportunity for meaningful education…
On August 13, 2020, NBC News posted an article titled: “California parents sue Gov. Gavin Newsom to open schools for in-person learning.” It was written by Elisha Fieldstadt. From the article:
Parents who are suing the governor of California to allow schools to open for in-person learning said Thursday that their children are suffering academically and psychologically……California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced last month that all schools – both public and private – in counties that are on the list for rising coronavirus cases could not resume in-person classes when school restarts, and would have to meet strict criteria before reopening.At the time, 32 of the state’s 58 counties were on the list, including the majority of California’s population and its biggest cities – Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco, according to NBC Bay Area.The state serves 6.7 million students are many of the state’s 1,000 school districts are set to start back up in mid-to-late August……The week Newsom announced his plan to mostly delay opening schools for in-person learning, California reported its second-highest one-day total in infection rates and deaths since the start of the pandemic. The following week, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in California surpassed New York’s total for the most in the United States……The California Teachers Association, which represents 310,000 members, agrees with Newsom.“The health and safety of all students and staff must be first priority and guiding principle in opening public schools and colleges for the 2020-21 school year,” the association said. “When we physically return to school campuses, it needs to be planned and deliberate with safety and public health at the forefront of all decision-making and with the involvement of educators and parents.”
I was unable to find a lawsuit that was against Governor Gavin Newsom. Instead, I found a few lawsuits that were against a specific California county, or a specific California school district.
To me, this multitude of complaints given by proponents of the recall sound like a “throw everything against a wall and see what sticks” effort. Some of them are so vague that it would enable a person to fill in the blanks with whatever they wanted to. Some were against actions taken by previous governors.
The Third goalpost
On November 13, 2020, San Francisco Chronicle posted an article titled: “Newsom attended French Laundry party with more households than California advises during the pandemic.” It as written by Alexi Koseff. From the article:
Gov. Gavin Newsom attended a birthday party for a political adviser last week that included people from several households, the type of gathering his administration has discouraged during the coronavirus pandemic.The dinner the night of Nov. 6 at the famed French Laundry in Yountville in Napa County brought together at least 12 people to celebrate the 50th birthday of Jason Kinney, a longtime friend and adviser to Newsom who is also a partner at the lobbying firm Axiom Advisors. In addition, to the governor, his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, was in attendance.State guidelines limit gatherings, defined as “social situations that bring together people from different households at the same time in a single space or place,” to no more than three households. Representatives for Kinney and Newsom declined to specify how many households the diners represented, but did not dispute that it was more than three.Nathan Click, communications director for Newsom, initially defended the birthday celebration because it took place outdoors at a restaurant, which must follow separate coronavirus safety regulations developed by the state for the dining industry. That guidance is silent on whether people from more than three households can dine together.After The Chronicle published a story online about the dinner, Newsom issued an additional statement acknowledging the party was an error in judgement.“While our family followed the restaurant’s health protocols and took safety precautions, we should have modeled better behavior and not joined the dinner,” the governor said…
What is the French Laundry? According to Wikipedia, The French Laundry is a French and American restaurant located in Yountville, California, in the Napa Valley. The chef and owner of the French Laundry is Thomas Keller. The restaurant building dates from 1900 and was added to the list of National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
On November 16, 2020, Los Angeles Times posted an article titled: “Newsom apologizes for French Laundry dinner amid COVID-19”. It was written by Taryn Luna and Phil Wilson. From the article:
Gov. Gavin Newsom apologized Monday for visiting a Napa Valley restaurant with people from other households, saying his behavior contradicted the spirit of the safety guidelines and precautions he asked Californians to adhere to during the COVID-19 pandemic.“I want to apologize to you because I need to preach and practice, not just preach and not practice, and I’ve done my best to do that,” Newsom said. “We’re all human. We all fall short sometimes.”Newsom acknowledged that the faux pas may result in a loss of his moral authority on the coronavirus as California experiences a major surge in cases. The governor discussed his own behavior on the same day that he announced a reversal of his reopening plans and ordered 28 counties to return to the purple tier – 94% of Californians will be under the state’s most restrictive guidelines as of Tuesday……Newsom and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, attended a birthday party for his political advisor Jason Kinney, a registered lobbyist, at the Michelin-starred French Laundry restaurant in Yountville on Nov. 6, first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle. The governor visited the restaurant with more than three other households at the same time that he and his administration were warning Californians not to gather with their own families during Thanksgiving.California’s COVID-19 safety guidelines limit the number of households at a private gathering, but do not explicitly impose those same rules on restaurant patrons. State guidelines updated in November allow private gatherings of no more than three households at a park or outdoor space. Rules for dining say restaurants should “limit the number of patrons at a single table to a household unit or patrons who have asked to be seated together,” without stating any limits on the number of households that can sit at a table…
On November 23, 2020, Politico posted an article titled: “French Laundry snafu reignites longshot Newsom recall drive”. It was written by Carla Marinucci. From the article:
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s pandemic group outing to the French Laundry and his decision to send his kids to in-person private school are reigniting talk of a recall that was once relegated to the fringes of conservative groups in deep blue California.In a collision of unfortunate events for Newsom, conservative activists last week won a 120-day court extension to continue gathering recall signatures, and they’re hoping to capitalize on events so damaging for the governor that he has avoided reporters for a week despite an escalating pandemic crisis……Before Newsom’s foibles, the governor had strong approval ratings in October, approaching 60 percent overall, while Democrats enjoy nearly a 2-to-1 registration advantage over Republicans in the state. But party activists are betting that a new round of business closures and a curfew during a fast-moving coronavirus spread – and the flurry of damaging French Laundry stories – will help them with another longshot bid that worked spectacularly in 2003……The order by Sacramento Superior Court Judge James P. Arguelles last week gives recall proponents – which include GOP donors, activists, and electeds – a 120-day extension until March 17 to gather signatures because he agreed they were unfairly limited by the Covid-19 pandemic……The bar is extremely high. Organizers would need to collect nearly 1.5 million valid signatures – which means they’d actually need closer to 2 million to feel confident because of the generally high share of invalid signers for any petition. And they would have to find all of these supporters during a pandemic, when voters are less accessible in person and uncomfortable interacting with signature gathers. Qualifying for a recall could take several million dollars, far more than 17 years ago…
The Fourth Goalpost
On March 16, 2021, Governing posted an article titled: “Why Gavin Newsom Is Likely to Survive Recall Threat”. It was written by Alan Greenblatt. From the article:
…Republicans complain that Newsom has botched the health response, keeping schools and businesses closed, while the state’s unemployment system was bilked for billions of dollars in fraudulent payments. “This historic recall movement is becoming a reality because millions of Californians are ready for change,” says Kevin Faulconer, a former San Diego mayor and Republican candidate for governor. “It’s time to turn the page on the failures of Gavin Newsom’s failed administration.”In addition to the recall, Newsom faces a lawsuit from parents angry about schools still closed to in-person learning. The issue has trapped the governor between two important constituencies……Governors of most states that allow recalls either are facing or have faced recall attempts over the past year. During the pandemic, its become a common way for people to express dissatisfaction, whether they’re mad because restrictions are too severe or not sever enough. Newsom — the first governor to issue a stay-at-home order last year and one of the first to impose a statewide mask mandate — has faced a half-dozen recall attempts during his short time in office……So why are so many people signing? It doesn’t matter what the original impetus might be. Anyone with a grudge against the governor – over gun control or taxes, say – might sign. In Newsom’s case its clearly COVID-19 that’s the main driver.“The big factor is pandemic fatigue,” says Kim Nalder, a Sacramento State University political scientist. “Psychologically, people want to have someone to blame. Anyone who was in this position at this time would be targeted”…
What was the EDD thing about?
On July 30, 2020, CBS San Francisco posted an article titled: “California Lawmakers Slam EDD for Slow Payouts During COVID-19 Pandemic”. From the article:California lawmakers accused the leader of the state’s unemployment department of failing the pubic in a tense hearing Thursday that featured the stories of people waiting weeks or months to receive their benefits after losing their jobs because of the pandemic.More than 1.2 million claims, about a fifth of all applicants, haven’t been paid out, either because the applicants haven’t taken the right steps or because they are ineligible, said Sharon Hillard, head of the Employment Development Department. It will take until September to process about 239,000 of those that are mostly ready to go but are backlogged……The coronavirus pandemic caused millions of Californians to lose their jobs starting in March, and the state paid out $55 billion, including federal dollars, across 9.3 million claims, Hillard said. Applications skyrocketed by more than 3,000% from March to May compared to January and February, according to the agency.The hearing came a day after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a new “strike team” to improve the department. The agency has already spent millions contracting with outside vendors to improve its technology and provide more call center workers. By October, it plans to contract to completely redo its information technology system, a timeline lawmakers said wasn’t nearly quick enough……The strike team Newsom created will have 45 days to produce a report on how to make the agency more digital and consumer friendly. The agency will also begin weekly outreach to applicants who need to send in more information or certify their claims, which must be done every two weeks.In other words, there are people who already didn’t like Governor Newsom who signed the petition because they were tired of the pandemic. The goalpost has been moved again.
This mess wasn’t caused by Governor Gavin Newsom, but some people are blaming him anyway. Eventually, it was discovered that there were a whole lot of people who obtained EDD benefits through fraud. Here’s a brief look at some of the fraud, which was posted on CBS San Francisco:
A state prison inmate suspected of involvement in a COVID-19 unemployment fraud ring across inmates pleaded no contest to charges of conspiracy to commit fraud, San Mateo County prosecutors said.From March to August, more than 35,000 inmates were named in claims filed with the California Employment Development Department, with more than 20,000 being paid, according to Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert. At least 158 claims were filed for 133 death-row inmates, resulting in more than $420,000 in benefits paid.Five suspects were arrested in connection with bilking approximately $1 million from the California Employment Development Department (EDD), the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety announced Thursday. The department said it identified at least 100 potential victims of EDD fraud and there could be thousands more after officers discovered a treasure trove of evidence in the hotel room of a burglary suspect.
There are more stories about the EDD fraud, but this will do for the purposes of this blog.
In other words, there are people who already didn’t like Governor Newsom who signed the petition because they were tired of the pandemic and/or frustrated by the failures of the EDD. The goalpost has been moved again.
California Recall Update is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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April 25, 2021CaliforniaPhoto by Tiffany Tertipes on Unsplash
California is one of the states that allows residents to attempt to remove a Governor through a recall. There is a specific process that must be followed in order to initiate a recall. In other words, it takes quite a bit of effort to force a recall, and there is no guarantee that it will succeed.
Why does California allow a recall?
Ballotpedia provides a detailed explanation of how the recall process works in California. Article 2, Sections 13-19, of the California Constitution grants the citizens of California the authority to perform a recall election. This section was added by California’s legislature to California’s Constitution in October of 1911, via California Proposition 8: Recall of Elected Officials Amendment. The purpose was to create a process by which Californians could remove elected officials through a recall. At the time, a two-thirds vote was required in each legislative chamber to refer a constitutional amendment to the ballot.
In 2013, siécles posted a paper titled: “The People versus the Octopus: California Progressives and the Origins of Direct Democracy”. It was written by Glen Gendzel. From the paper:
The 1911 session of the California legislature ranks as the single most important session ever held in the history of the state. Besides passing landmark legislation to regulate the railroad, and other major reforms of state government, the progressives also acted to permanently increase the power of California voters. Governor Johnson and his fellow progressives believed that more democracy was the best way to prevent a return of political corruption and corporate rule in the future. Confident in the people’s wisdom, the progressives assumed that more power in the people’s hands would mean less power for the Southern Pacific or any other wealthy interest that might try to dominate state government in the future…
…As Governor Johnson said in his 1911 inaugural address:
“How best can we arm the people to protect themselves hereafter… We can give the people the means by which they may accomplish such other reforms they desire, the means by which they may prevent the misuse of the power… The first step in our design to preserve and perpetuate popular government shall be the adoption of the initiative, the referendum, and the recall.”
To put this in context, the paper explains that there was a lot of corruption happening with the railroads. The state’s agriculture, industry, and commerce depended upon the railroad, which was also the state’s biggest employer and biggest private sector landowner. The problem was the owners of the railroad “insisted on controlling California’s growth and development for its own benefit while reaping an unfair share of the profits.”
The railroad “routinely blackmailed California towns and cities into handing over taxpayer subsidies and land grants in exchange for the privilege of a rail connection”. Farmers, merchants, and manufacturers found themselves priced out of national markets due to transportation costs. There was also some blackmailing happening by a co-owner of the Central Pacific railroad who told the Los Angeles City council in 1872 that if they did not pay a ransom, “I will make the grass grow in the streets of your city.”
Ballotpedia reported that California Proposition 8 was approved on October 10, 1911. The YES vote was 178,115 (76.82%) and the NO vote was 53,755 (23.18%).
What is the process to recall a Governor in California?
Ballotpedia is an unbiased source of political information. Here is information specific to the Republican’s attempt to recall Governor Newsom (Democrat):
First, organizers must collect 1,495,709 valid signatures to put the recall measure on the ballot. Once a month, organizers must file signature status reports with the secretary of state. The secretary of state processes signatures and validates the signatures according to state law. Invalid signatures do not count towards the total required to put the recall election on the ballot.
Why is the required number 1,495,709? For the actual petition to start a recall, signatures must equal a percentage of the total number of votes most recently cast for the targeted office – 12% for executive officials and 20% for state legislators and judges. The recall petition must also include signatures from each of at least five counties equal in number to 1% of the last vote for that office in that county.
In 2018, Gavin Newsom (Democrat) ran against John Cox (Republican). Newsom received 7,721,410 votes (61.9%). Cox received 4,742,825 votes (38.1%). The total number of votes cast in that election was 12,464,235. The math works out like this: 12% of 12,464,235 = 1,495,709.4
Here is the data regarding the signature reports:
First: June 10-July 3 – 35,083 signatures receivedSecond: July 4-August 3 – 19,600 signatures receivedThird: August 4-September 3 – 352 signatures receivedFourth: September 4-October 6 – 308 signatures receivedFifth: October 7-November 5- 230 signatures receivedSixth: November 5-December 7 – 442,148 signatures receivedSeventh: December 8-January 6 – 226,004 signatures receivedEighth: January 7-February 5 – 370,716 signatures receivedNinth: February 6-March 11 – 740,320 signatures receivedTotal: 1,834,770 signatures received.
It is important to know that the above data is simply a count of how many signatures the organizers of the recall sent to the secretary of state. The next step is for the secretary of state to process the signatures and validate the signatures according to state law.
The Cumulative Statewide Summary as of March 22, 2021 was:
Number of signatures received: 1,824,770Number of signatures verified: 1,454,710Invalid signatures: 266,637Total valid signatures: 1,188,073
As of March 22, 2021, the organizers of the recall did not have enough valid signatures to get the recall on the ballot. The county signature verification deadline is April 29, 2021.
Here’s how the math works out: 1,495,709 (valid signatures required) – 1,188,073 (total valid signatures submitted) = 307,636 (valid signatures missing). I will update this blog post if the final signature report changes the data that is already known.
But wait, there’s more! The secretary of state is required to notify all county election officials within 10 days of verifying a sufficient number of signatures, and must also release a calendar of specific dates for these steps:
Within 30 days after the secretary of state notifies the counties: Any voter that signed the petition may withdraw his or her name from the petition. Obviously, this could change the number of valid signatures that the petition received.
Within 10 days of the withdraw window: the secretary of state must determine whether sufficient signatures remain for the recall to move forward. If it lacks sufficient signatures, the recall effort dies here. If it has sufficient signatures, the department of finance must provide a cost estimate of the recall election to the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state and chair of the legislative budget committee.
Within 30 days of that, the budget committee must review and comment on the estimate.
After the review period, the secretary of state certifies the recall petitions to the governor and lieutenant governor. The lieutenant governor is required to call a recall election between 60 and 80 days after the certification of signatures.
Assuming that the organizers of the recall submit enough valid signatures to hit the mark, and that all of the counties are able to somehow verify them all on the same day, the soonest the recall election could happen would be June 21, 2021. However, the secretary of state has up to 80 days after the certification of signatures to schedule the recall election.
On April 19, 2021, the Los Angeles Times posted an article titled: “Essential Politics: The Newsom recall effort’s big week ahead”. It was written by John Myers. From the article:
…Registrars in the state’s 58 counties must submit a new tally of recall petition signatures on Monday, in advance of the final signature verification deadline April 29……The report from California Secretary of State Shirley Weber in a few days should confirm that the Democratic governor’s critics will succeed in triggering the state’s second gubernatorial recall since 2003 and only the fourth in U.S. history. Newsom, who has already conceded that the recall election will happen, is busily raising money from donors for a campaign to fight back……The earliest Weber could certify a special statewide recall election would be mid-to late August, after voters who signed the petitions are given time to withdraw their signatures and state officials crunch the numbers on the cost to conduct the election. Combined, those steps could take up to three months to complete. Only then can Weber issue her official certification, triggering action by Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis to call an election within 60 to 80 days.Add it all up, and a gubernatorial recall election would be held no earlier than Nov. 2 and as late as Nov. 30, just five days after Thanksgiving…
Who is behind the effort to recall Governor Newsom?
Orrin Heatlie, a resident of Folsom, filed the recall petition against Newsom, on November 17, 2020. To put this in perspective, that was eleven days after (then) President Trump encouraged people who attended his “Stop the Steal” rally to storm the U.S. Capitol. The purpose was to prevent the U.S. House, and the U.S. Senate, from certifying the Electoral votes. (NOTE: I have not found anything that indicates that Orrin Heatlie took part in either that rally or the siege that followed.)
Who is Orrin Heatlie? Desert Sun posted an article about him titled: “Meet Orrin Heatlie, the ex-cop leading the push to recall California Gov. Gavin Newsom”. It was posted on April 1, 2021. From the article:
Orrin Heatlie was recovering from a back procedure and browsing social media in 2019 when he found a video of California Gov. Gavin Newsom instructing immigrants in the country illegally not to open their doors to law enforcement unless the officers had a warrant.The 52-year old retired county sheriff’s sergeant was incensed, believing the Democrat’s message was an insult to his profession. It was an unsurprising reaction for a Republican who built a 25-year career in law enforcement……As a police sergeant, he was adept at managing people and supervising operations. And as a member of the Yolo County Sheriff Department’s crisis negotiating team, he had experience in convincing people to do things.He reached out to veterans of the 2003 recall and eventually recruited 58 county coordinators, 27 regional leaders and more than 150 social media managers……Newsom ignored the effort until early March, and then came out swinging. He highlighted a Facebook post that Heatlie wrote in 2019 that said “Microchip all illegal immigrants. It works! Just ask Animal control!” It was posted the same day as Newsom’s social media video that sparked Heatlie’s anger, according to a screenshot of the post from Capital Public Radio.Heatlie said it was hyperbole meant to generate discussion and that he does not support forced microchipping of anyone. Facebook disabled Heatlie’s account; he says he doesn’t know why……Heatlie said he does not support the Proud Boys, a far-right, anti-immigrant men’s group that has engaged in violent clashes at political rallies, or the QAnon conspiracy theory that believes former President Donald Trump was fighting a “deep state” and child sex trafficking ring affiliated with prominent Democrats. But he does not turn away participants based on their personal affiliations……He’s skeptical that President Joe Biden rightfully won the election, citing a debunked theory about rigged voting machines. But he’s glad Trump hasn’t spoken about the recall, saying it would be a distraction…
On April 19, 2021, San Francisco Chronicle posted an article titled: “Facebook banned Gavin Newsom recall organizer during 2020 crackdown”. It was written by Dustin Gardiner. From the article:
Orrin Heatlie, the primary leader of the effort to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom, was banned from Facebook last year after the company concluded that he had violated its community standards.Heatlie said Facebook never told him exactly why he was removed, though he said he was part of two groups he later found “questionable.” He said one was a militia-type group of which he was briefly and administrator, and that the other promoted misinformation about vaccines and masks. His profile is still removed from the social media platform.A spokesperson for Facebook confirmed Heatlie’s profile was removed in September and said the ban was unrelated to the Newsom recall. Facebook would not elaborate, but the spokesperson pointed to a company policy stating that it removes “pages and groups for a variety of reasons including hate speech (and) incitement to violence,” and group administrators whose pages pose “a risk to public safety.”Heatlie suggested Facebook’s action was part of a pattern of censorship aimed at proponents of the recall and other conservative activists……Facebook ramped up its misinformation policing efforts last summer ahead of the November election. Facebook said it removed 6,500 pages and groups tied to “militarized social movements” in August and September, around the time it banned Heatlie.Thousands more groups and conservative activists had their pages and profiles removed after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump.Heatlie said he has no affiliation with any militia groups that took part in the riot. He added, “It should be noted that my profile was deleted months and months before what took place in Washington D.C., and I have only advocated for peaceful activism.”……He is the leader of the California Patriot Coalition – Recall Governor Gavin Newsom, one of two groups that submitted a total of 2.1 million signatures supporting the recall to election officials. The groups needed just short of 1.5 million valid signatures of registered voters to put the recall on the ballot this fall. Officials are still checking signatures, but both sides expect the recall to qualify…
The following groups and individuals expressed support for the recall campaign:
2018 gubernatorial candidate John Cox (Republican)Former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer (Republican)Former San Diego Councilman Carl DeMaio (Republican)Former State Senator John Moorlach (Republican)Chamath Palihapitiya – According to The Sacramento Bee, Chamath Palihapitiya is a 44-year-old billionaire who was an early executive at Facebook, who donated $100,000 to Rescue California in February of 2021. Rescue California is the committee supporting the Newsom recall.California Republican PartyRepublican National Committee
On what grounds did the supporter of the recall specify?
From Ballotpedia:
“…The grounds for this recall are as Follows: Governor Newsom has implemented laws which are detrimental to the citizens of this state and our way of life. Laws he endorsed favor foreign nationals, in our country illegally, over that of our own citizens. People in this state suffer the highest taxes in the nation, the highest homelessness rates, and the lowest quality of life as a result. He has imposed sanctuary state status and fails to enforce immigration laws. He unilaterally over-ruled the will of the people regarding the death penalty. He seeks to impose additional burdens on our state by the following: removing the protections of Proposition 13, rationing our water use, increasing taxes and restricting parental rights…”
That’s a lot to unpack! Here’s the short explanation:
“People in this state suffer the highest taxes in the nation” – False
The Sacramento Bee reported on February 20, 2020, (months before the recall petition was submitted) an article titled: “Here’s how long Californians have to work to pay off taxes – and how other states compare”.
California’s tax burden is higher than most states – but a lot of other states have it worse. That’s the finding of a report from the nonpartisan Tax Foundation. It assigns each state a “Tax Freedom Day”, the day when residents of a state have collectively earned enough money to pay their total tax bill for the year.Californians in theory had to work until April 20 last year to pay those bills, four days longer than the national average. The state is in a 38th place tie for highest tax burden, along with Maine and Washington…
California has the highest homelessness rates – misleading
The New York Times posted an article titled: “How Does Homelessness in California Compare With Other States?” It was posted on October 17, 2019. From the article:
…No matter how you look at it, the answer is bleak. California has a staggering number of homeless people compared with the rest of the country.California’s homeless population last year was almost 130,000, nearly a quarter of the national total, federal data showed. Homelessness is also a more visible part of life in California. A vast majority of its homeless people are unsheltered, living under freeways, in parks and on the street.However, if you look at the rate of homelessness in the United States, taking into account the population of the state or region, Washington, D.C., ranks first, followed by New York, Hawaii, and California…
He has imposed sanctuary state status and fails to enforce immigration laws – False
TIME posted an article titled: “California Just Became a ‘Sanctuary State.’ Here’s What That Means”. It was posted on October 5, 2017. From the article:
California Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday signed a so-called “sanctuary state” bill that will limit cooperation between local officials and federal immigration enforcement. The measure is one of the most high-profile ways that Democrats in the state have sought to push back against the Republican agenda, as President Donald Trump has taken a hard line on immigration and other issues that are significant to Golden State lawmakers…
He has unilaterally over-ruled the will of the people regarding the death penalty – misleading
Politico posted an article on March 12, 2019, titled: “Newsom to sign moratorium on executions in California”. From the article:
Gov. Gavin Newsom, arguing that the death penalty overwhelmingly discriminates against racial minorities and the poor, will sign an order Wednesday placing a moratorium on executions in California, according to his office. The move serves as an immediate reprieve for hundreds of prisoners currently housed on the nation’s largest Death Row.Newsom’s executive order, to be signed Wednesday morning, withdraws California’s lethal injection protocol and immediately mandates the closure of the execution chamber at San Quentin State Prison, in Marin County. While the governor’s order will be a reprieve for 737 prisoners sentenced to death – including 24 who have exhausted all appeals – Newsom’s office stressed that his order would not provide for the release of any inmates or alter their convictions or sentences……California has not executed a prisoner since 2006, when a federal judge ruled that the state’s three-drug lethal injection protocol was unconstitutional and represented cruel and unusual punishment.The state produced new lethal injection regulations in early 2018, but the process for reinstatement has been left tangled in the courts, facing challenges by the American Civil Liberties Union…
The organizers of the recall effort are misleading because they ignored that the courts were part of the reason why the death penalty had been put on hold in California. Governor Newsom is not part of the court system.
He seeks to impose additional burdens on our state by the following: removing the protections of Proposition 13 – misleading
The Legislative Analyst’s Office provided information about Proposition 13. It was posted on September 19, 2016. Governor Newsom was not elected until 2018. From the information:
Proposition 13 was a landmark decision by California’s voters in June 1978 to limit property taxes. Today, there are many questions about the impacts of these changes. This report examines some of these questions and which of them can be answered by the data available…
…Changes made by Proposition 13:
Property taxes capped at 1 percentProperty taxes based on purchase priceSpecial taxes require two-thirds voter approval
The Los Angeles Times posted an article on September 11, 2020, titled: “Newsom backs effort to limit Prop. 13 property tax rules”. From the article:
…Newsom announced his support for Proposition 15 in an email to supporters, calling the proposal “a fair, phased-in and long-overdue reform to state tax policy.” “It’s consistent with California’s progressive fiscal values, it will exempt small businesses and residential property owners, it will fund essential services such as public schools and public safety, and, most importantly, it will be decided by a vote of the people,” the governor said in a written statement released by his political advisors.If approved by voters in November, Proposition 15 would result in separate tax rules for commercial and residential property. Since the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978, the value of all property has been based on what it sold for when last purchased. That initiative capped property tax rates at 1% of the assessed value with annual increases of no more than 2%. Californians who hold on to their property for large periods of time end up paying significantly less in taxes than those who have bought similar property more recently.Proposition 15 would require commercial and industrial properties, excluding those zoned as commercial agriculture, to be taxed based on current market value. It would not change the low-tax provisions of Proposition 13 for homeowners. The new ballot measure exempts some commercial property owners whose holdings are valued at $3 million or less……The effort to put Proposition 15 on the Nov. 3 statewide ballot was well underway when Newsom became governor in 2019. Just days after taking office, he said he would try to broker a deal between labor and business – one that would examine a number of issues regarding the state’s tax structure…
On November 11, 2020, ABC News reported: “Proposition 15, a ballot measure that seeks to increase commercial property taxes to fund education in California, failed Tuesday night, the Associated Press reports.”
The organizers of the recall effort are misleading when they said that Governor Newsom was seeking “to impose additional burdens on our state by the following: removing the protections of Proposition 13.” He endorsed Proposition 15, which, if passed, would have overturned Proposition 13 for commercial property (but NOT on people’s homes). The voters did not choose to support Proposition 15. Governor Newsom may have influenced some voters regarding Proposition 15, but even so, he had no control over the outcome of the ballot initiatives.
I could not find any explanation about the following claims made by the organizers of the recall effort:
He has implemented laws which are detrimental to the citizens of this state and our way of life.Laws he endorses favor foreign nationals, in our country illegally, over that of our own citizens.He seeks to impose burdens on our state by rationing our water use (he recently declared a drought emergency in two counties, but not the entire state)… and restricting parental rights.
In April of 2021, CAL MATTERS updated their article titled: “Recalling a California governor, explained”. It was written by Laurel Rosenhall. From the article:
…Its hard to fathom in this deep blue state where Newsom clobbered his 2018 GOP opponent, although his job approval among voters plunged from its high in the early months of the pandemic. But the coronavirus pandemic shifted California’s political landscape in two significant ways: It prompted a judge to give recall supporters more time to collect signatures – keeping their campaign alive long enough to gain momentum – and it led Newsom to enact a slew of new restrictions to curb the spread of the virus that have frustrated some Californians and energized the recall backers.The recall petition doesn’t say a word about the pandemic – it was written before the virus upended normal life. But it gained a surge of new signatures after news broke in November that a maskless Newsom joined lobbyists for a dinner party at the posh French Laundry restaurant, even though he was telling Californians to mask up and avoid socializing. The count grew as the state’s unemployment system paid out billions of dollars to fraudsters, and its chaotic COVID vaccine distribution left people scrambling for shots. With many schools, churches, and businesses closed by Newsom’s stay-at-home orders, the recall that began as a conservative rebuke of his progressive policies has morphed into a referendum on his pandemic response……Republican activists have been trying to recall Newsom since shortly after he was inaugurated in January 2019. Five attempts have failed to get enough signatures. But a sixth try, led by a retired sheriff’s deputy named Orrin Heatlie, gained momentum after a judge granted supporters extra time to collect signatures due to the stay-at-home order at the start of the pandemic…
What does The French Laundry have to do with the recall?
According to Wikipedia, The French Laundry is a French and American restaurant located in Yountville, California, in the Napa Valley. The chef and owner of the French Laundry is Thomas Keller. The restaurant building dates from 1900 and was added to the list of National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
On November 13, 2020, San Francisco Chronicle posted an article titled: “Newsom attended French Laundry party with more households than California advises during pandemic.” It was written by Alexi Koseff. From the article:
Gov. Gavin Newsom attended a birthday party for a political adviser last week that included people from several households, the type of gathering his administration has discouraged during the coronavirus pandemic.The dinner the night of Nov. 6 at the famed French Laundry in Yountville in Napa County brought together at least 12 people to celebrate the 50th birthday of Jason Kinney, a longtime friend and adviser to Newsom who is also a partner at the lobbying firm Axiom Advisors. In addition, to the governor, his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, was in attendance.State guidelines limit gatherings, defined as “social situations that bring together people from different households at the same time in a single space or place,” to no more than three households. Representatives for Kinney and Newsom declined to specify how many households the diners represented, but did not dispute that it was more than three.Nathan Click, communications director for Newsom, initially defended the birthday celebration because it took place outdoors at a restaurant, which must follow separate coronavirus safety regulations developed by the state for the dining industry. That guidance is silent on whether people from more than three households can dine together.After The Chronicle published a story online about the dinner, Newsom issued an additional statement acknowledging the party was an error in judgement.“While our family followed the restaurant’s health protocols and took safety precautions, we should have modeled better behavior and not joined the dinner,” the governor said…
On November 18, 2020, Politico posted an article titled: “Newsom’s cozy ties with top lobbyist showcased by French Laundry Dinner party”. It was written by Jeremy B. White and Debra Kahn. From the article:
…California Gov. Gavin Newsom is weathering a ferocious backlash for his decision to attend a celebration for Kinney on Nov. 6 at the French Laundry, a bucket list-level dining icon in Napa County. After the private dinner was exposed by the San Francisco Chronicle, Newsom said that while the outdoor meal did not violate coronavirus restrictions, he showed poor judgement in attending. He reiterated that point in a public apology on Monday, saying it went against the spirit of state rules as coronavirus cases surge across California.While the meal amplified criticism of Newsom’s coronavirus management, with the governor parrying accusations of hypocrisy, it also cast a bigger spotlight on Kinney and the dual clout he wields in the insular world of California politics……The governor and Kinney have a relationship extending back decades. In apologizing for attending, Newsom referred to Kinney on Monday as “a friend that I have known for almost 20 years.”But the fact that Kinney, a registered lobbyist, got an intimate audience with Newsom immediately raised questions about conflict of interest. Newsom said he paid for his meal, so it did not qualify as a lobbying payment…
On November 23, 2020, Politico posted an article titled: “French Laundry snafu reignites longshot Newsom recall drive”. It was written by Carla Marinucci. From the article:
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s pandemic group outing to the French Laundry and his decision to send his kids to in-person private school are reigniting talk of a recall that was once relegated to the fringes of conservative groups in deep blue California.In a collision of unfortunate events for Newsom, conservative activists last week won a 120-day court extension to continue gathering recall signatures, and they’re hoping to capitalize on events so damaging for the governor that he has avoided reporters for a week despite an escalating pandemic crisis……Before Newsom’s foibles, the governor had strong approval ratings in October, approaching 60 percent overall, while Democrats enjoy nearly a 2-to-1 registration advantage over Republicans in the state. But party activists are betting that a new round of business closures and a curfew during a fast-moving coronavirus spread – and the flurry of damaging French Laundry stories – will help them with another longshot bid that worked spectacularly in 2003……The order by Sacramento Superior Court Judge James P. Arguelles last week gives recall proponents – which include GOP donors, activists, and electeds – a 120-day extension until March 17 to gather signatures because he agreed they were unfairly limited by the Covid-19 pandemic……The bar is extremely high. Organizers would need to collect nearly 1.5 million valid signatures – which means they’d actually need closer to 2 million to feel confident because of the generally high share of invalid signers for any petition. And they would have to find all of these supporters during a pandemic, when voters are less accessible in person and uncomfortable interacting with signature gathers. Qualifying for a recall could take several million dollars, far more than 17 years ago…
Has a California Governor ever been removed as the result of a recall?
The short answer is: yes. Ballotpedia reported: Between 1921 and 2020, four gubernatorial recall efforts have qualified for the ballot: 1921 (North Dakota), 1988 (Arizona), 2003 (California) and 2012 (Wisconsin). Of those, two resulted in the sitting governor’s removal from office (Lynn Frazier in North Dakota and Gray Davis in California). In the 1988 Arizona recall, the recall election was canceled after the governor’s impeachment.
Ballotpedia went on to say: Governors of 11 other states have faced recall campaigns in 2020. None of those campaigns made it to the ballot.
What are the chances that the recall will succeed?
It appears to be possible that the recall election could end up on a ballot. Voters will be asked two questions: Do you want Governor Gavin Newsom to be recalled? If he is recalled, who do you want to replace him? The questions are simple, but determining the outcome is hard because of a variety of factors. It appears that the recall proponents have a slim chance (at best) of getting what they want.
The Guardian reported on March 14, 2021, the following:
…In 2020 alone, 11 recalls of various officials went to a vote, and eight officials were removed from office as a result… Recall petitions have been launched against every California governor in the last 61 years – though they are almost never successful. Gray Davis, the only California governor who has ever been recalled, was in a far more precarious position in 2003, at the heels of an electricity crisis, facing a $38bn budget deficit. He lost the recall to Arnold Schwarzenegger, who entered the race with a higher profile than any of the Republicans set to face off against Newsom this year.Republicans had already tried and failed five times to get Newsom recalled, when their sixth try, led by the retired sheriff’s deputy Orrin Heatlie, began to gain momentum last year. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, a judge gave Heatlie and his supporters more time to collect signatures. As Newsom enacted restrictions last winter in an attempt to quell the deadliest wave of the pandemic, recallers were able to rally an anti-lockdown base and win over other Californians struggling to cope with the pandemic’s protracted, devastating economic toll. It didn’t help Newsom’s case that around the same time, the governor met up with a dozen of his closest friends and lobbyists for a lavish dinner at Napa’s French Laundry restaurant……More than a serious effort to unseat Newsom, the recall effort is probably more of a strategy to rally Republican voters, boost Republican candidates, and raise funds….…But in a deep blue state where less than a quarter of registered voters are Republicans, recall proponents’ far-right, anti-immigrant, anti-housing for homeless people, anti-sex education and anti-gun control platforms is likely to alienate most voters, political experts said…
On March 19, 2021, The Hill posted an article titled: “What’s next in the California recall”. It was written by Reid Wilson. From the article:
Supporters of an effort to recall California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) have turned in the last of the more than 2.1 million signatures they collected over the past year, almost certainly setting up what will be the most expensive and most competitive election of 2021……The ball is now in the hands of electoral administrators in each of California’s 58 counties. They have until April 29 to verify the signatures the recall committee turned in.Recall organizers need just under 1.5 million of those signatures to be valid to force an election. They collect many more than that figure in anticipation that some will be deemed invalid……But this won’t be a traditional election in which voters head to the polls. The state legislature earlier this year approved a measure that will send mail-in ballots to every registered voter in any jurisdiction that holds an election in 2021, a holdover from the coronavirus pandemic – and something of a boon to Newsom’s team, who can use Democrats’ voter registration advantage to hunt down potential supporters who might not otherwise be motivated to vote……Newsom has already previewed his message, lauding the economic boom likely to emerge as the pandemic subsides and lambasting what he calls a Republican-driven power grab funded by allies of former President Trump.He needs voters to vote against the recall itself, the first question they will encounter on their ballot. To succeed, he needs to convince those voters that he has handled his job well enough – there are some signs that is approval rating may be slipping…
On April 23, 2021, Caitlyn Jenner announced her run for California governor in the recall election.
I’m going to end this blog post with some information posted by Politico on April 23, 2021, titled: “Why California’s 2021 recall isn’t the same as the 2003 version”. It was written by Carla Marinucci and Jeremy B. White. From the article:
…California is much more Democratic: The state has trended evermore blue since 2003. Every statewide elected official is now a Democrat, along with more than two-thirds of the Legislature and the vast majority of the congressional delegation…. Democrats also account for 46 percent of the registered electorate versus just 24 percent for Republicans – a difference of nearly five million voters. That gap has widened significantly since Schwarzenegger was on the last recall ballot: back then, Democrats had a much smaller advantage of about 8 points, or about 1.3 million voters.Poll Position: Recent polling shows clear majorities of voters to approve of Newsom’s performance and don’t want to oust him – a position he owes to solid support among independents and the overwhelming backing of his own party. Newsom was elected in 2018 in a resounding victory over Republican businessperson John Cox – the largest landslide for a non-incumbent since 1930…Gov. Gray Davis, in the wake of a nasty 2002 reelection campaign against Republican Bill Simon, entered office with shaky approval ratings, and was flailing in the polls and losing the confidence of Democrats on the eve of getting recalled…Arnold Appeal: Jenner may be known to fans of “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” and as a 1976 Olympic gold medalist decathlete, but her role in California politics is a blank slate. She has had little involvement in the Republican Party or ballot measures, and she has reported no major political contributions based on state and federal campaign records……That’s a far cry from Schwarzenegger, who entered the 2003 recall with not only one of the most universally recognizable names in show business but with a long-running resume of political activity. Adding to his credibility, he was married to Maria Shriver, a nationally known journalist, as well as a member of American political royalty, the Kennedys…
What’s my take on this?
There is no doubt in my mind that the recall effort is definitely Republican-led. I think that the recall organizers made a mistake when they abruptly stopped talking about the issues that they felt were important enough to recall Governor Newsom when they started the recall in favor of pushing the French Laundry incident. To me, that kind of switching indicates that their original arguments were not effective at convincing people to recall Newsom.
Based on the data and the numbers, (as of the time I am writing this blog post) I don’t think the recall proponents have a good chance of getting the outcome they want. They do not have enough verified signatures to trigger a recall. It seems more likely that the counties will identify more invalid signatures than that they would find additional valid ones.
I think that governor Gavin Newsom shouldn’t have gone to The French Laundry when he did. He did apologize after the news reported it, but he should have known better than to do that in the first place. To me, this is a minor incident that has been blown out of proportion. That one mistake pales in comparison of his huge effort to get shots in arms and to prevent people from catching the coronavirus in the first place.
UPDATE
On April 26, 2021, California Secretary of State Shirley Weber announced that the threshold of verified signatures reported by counties has been met for the recall of Governor Gavin Newsom. The valid signatures in the tenth, and final, report are 1,626,042, which exceeds the total of 1,495,709 valid signatures required.
This does not mean that Governor Gavin Newsom is no longer governor. According to the Secretary of State, counties still have until April 29, 2021, to verify the validity of any remaining signatures. On April 26, 2021, @CASOSvote (the official statewide election news from the office of the California Secretary of State) tweeted a thread.
@CAOSvote tweeted: “On 4/26 the CA Secretary of State’s Office notified counties that the required signatures for a potential recall were reached – what does that mean? [2/8]”
@CAOSvote tweeted: “That notification triggers a ‘signature withdrawal period’ where those who signed the recall petition have *30 business days* to request the removal of their signatures (then Counties have 10 business days after that to notify the SOS if any signatures have been removed)! [3/8]”
@CAOSOSvote tweeted: “If after the and the there’s still enough signatures to qualify, the Secretary of State’s Office will notify the Department of Finance (DOF). [4/8].
It is not unusual for people to sign a petition and later have regrets about doing so. The California Secretary of State website provides the following information for those who want to remove their signatures:
Pursuant to Elections Code section 11108(b), any voter who has signed the recall petition may provide a written request to their county elections official to have their signature removed from the petition between today, April 26, 2021, and June 8, 2021.
There is no specific format required; however, the withdrawal must include the following:
Voter’s nameResidence address (at the time of signing the recall petition)Voter’s signature
The California Secretary of State’s website has a list of county elections offices and their contact information. It includes the address of each county’s registrar of voters/county clerk office. Those who want to remove their name from the recall petition can easily find where to send their withdrawal letter.
Facts About the California Recall is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. If you enjoyed this blog post please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. Thank you! [...]
October 15, 2020CaliforniaImage by Wokandapix from Pixabay
There are 12 propositions on the 2020 Presidential General Election Ballot. In addition, there is a local tax initiative. By the time I got to this part of the ballot, I was out of “spoons”. Honestly needed a break before embarking on the research required to figure all of this out.
Proposition 14
This one is “Stem Cell Research Institute Bond Initiative (2020)”. I have no problem with stem cells being used in order to keep people healthy or help those who have currently incurable health conditions to live a healthier life. The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) wants $5.5 billion in general obligation bonds.
I see some problems with this proposition. First of all, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine received billions of dollars in 2019. It doesn’t make sense to give them more money during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The thing that really bothers me, though, is CIRM wants to use stem cell research for treatments for autism. Something about that seems wrong. People who have autism don’t need to be “cured”. Instead, we need society to be more accepting of people who have autism.
Proposition 14 feels really icky, and I voted NO.
Proposition 15
This one is controversial, and there has been a lot of misinformation spread about it. Some politicians used this proposition to frighten people.
Proposition 15 would amend the California State Constitution to require commercial and industrial properties (except those zoned as commercial agriculture) to be taxed on their market value. Right now, they are being taxed based on their purchase price.
Obviously, this means that a commercial or industrial property that was purchased decades ago is getting away with not paying the amount of taxes that they should be. That’s a big problem, and it affects California’s economy.
Let me make one thing clear: Proposition 15 DOES NOT AFFECT HOMES. It does affect commercial and industrial properties with combined values of $3 million or more. The change from the purchase price level of taxes to the market value level of taxes would be phased in beginning in fiscal year 2022-2023.
If Proposition 15 passes, the money would go public schools, community colleges, and local government services. As a former teacher, I believe we need more money placed in public schools, community colleges, and local government services.
I voted YES on Proposition 15.
Proposition 16
In my opinion, Proposition 16 is a mess because people are intentionally obfuscating what it does and does not do. Don’t attempt to research this one by looking for it on Twitter or Facebook. I tried that, and found way too much misinformation about it. I recommend looking at Ballotpedia instead.
In short, Proposition 16 is an attempt to put back the Affirmative Action Amendment, which was repealed in 1996 when Proposition 209 passed. This changed the California Constitution’s Declaration of Rights with Section 31 which states:
“The State shall not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education, or public contracting.”
Here is some information about Affirmative Action from Britannica:
Affirmative Action is an active effort to improve employment or educational opportunities for members of minority groups and for women. It began as a remedy to the effects of long-standing discrimination against such groups and has consisted of policies, programs, and procedures that give limited preferences to minorities and women in job hiring, admission to institutions of higher education, the awarding of government contracts, and other social benefits. The typical criteria for affirmative action are race, disability, gender, ethnic origin, and age.Affirmative action was initiated by the administration of President Lyndon Johnson in order to improve opportunities for African Americans while civil rights legislation was dismantling the legal basis for discrimination. The federal government began to institute affirmative action policies under the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 and an executive order in 1965. Businesses receiving federal funds were prohibited from using aptitude tests and other criteria that tended to discriminate against African Americans.Affirmative action programs were monitored by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Subsequently, affirmative action was broadened to cover women and Native Americans, Hispanics, and other minorities and was extended to colleges and universities and state and federal agencies.By the late 1970s the use of racial quotas and minority set-asides led to court challenges of affirmative action as a form of “reverse discrimination.” The first major challenge was Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978), in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled (5–4) that quotas may not be used to reserve places for minority applicants if white applicants are denied a chance to compete for those places. Although the court outlawed quota programs, it allowed colleges to use race as a factor in making admissions decisions. Two years later a fragmented court upheld a 1977 federal law requiring that 10 percent of funds for public works be allotted to qualified minority contractors…
According to Ballotpedia, Ward Connerly, a member of the University of California Board of Regents, led the campaign behind Proposition 209. “Affirmative Action was meant to be temporary,” wrote Connerly, “It was meant to be a stronger dose of equal opportunity for individuals, and the prescription was intended to expire when the body politic had developed sufficient immunity to the virus of prejudice and discrimination.”
In 2020, Ward Connerly is listed on the official information about the propositions that are on the 2020 Presidential Election ballot as being against Proposition 16. He is involved with a group called Californians for Equal Rights.
Ballotpedia explains what type of Affirmative Action would be allowed if Proposition 16 passed:
Proposition 16 would remove the ban on affirmative action involving race-based or sex-based preferences from the California Constitution. Therefore, federal law would define the parameters of affirmative action. The U.S. Supreme Court has held that race-based affirmative action in higher education and government contracting must be reviewed under strict scrutiny. In the U.S., strict scrutiny is a form of judicial review that requires a law, policy, or program to serve a compelling state interest and be narrowly tailored to address that interest. Courts have ruled that strict racial quotas and racial point systems in higher education admissions are unconstitutional but that individualized, holistic reviews that consider race, when tailored to serve a compelling interest (such as educational diversity), are constitutional.
The group that is for Proposition 16 is called Yes on 16. Here is why they support this proposition:
Our shared values and communities are under attack in America today. White supremacists are on the march, Black people are being shot, Latino immigrants are demonized on a daily basis, COVID-19 is ravaging Native communities, hate crimes against Asian Americans are on the rise, and many of us fear for our safety because of who we are.There is something we can do. By supporting Proposition 16, we can push back against Trump and the racism he promotes and build a better future in California. There has never been a more critical time to reinstate affirmative action in California – as we chart a path forward to a stronger economic future for women and communities of color, and to a California where Black lives matter and our systems are just
According to SFGate, those who are in favor of Proposition 16 include: The University of California Board of Regents, Senators Kamala Harris and Diane Feinstein, and various Black Lives Matter-related advocacy groups.
SFGate also reported that those who are against Proposition 16 include: A number of Asian American groups and Republicans in the California state Assembly.
I find the argument from Yes on 16 to be way more compelling than the argument from Californians for Equal Rights. Based on the multitude of news articles I have read, and the videos I’ve seen, we definitely do need Affirmative Action.
I voted YES on Proposition 16.
Proposition 17
Proposition 17 is the Voting Rights Restoration for Persons on Parole Amendment. The information in the Voters Guide describes it this way:
Restores voting rights upon completion of a prison term to persons who have been disqualified from voting while serving a prison term. Annual county costs: likely in the hundreds of thousands of dollars statewide for voter registration and ballot materials. One time state costs: likely in the hundreds of thousands of dollars for voter registration cards and system.
Ballotpedia explains that Proposition 17 is a constitutional amendment that would allow people on parole for felony convictions to vote in California.
Currently, the California Constitution disqualifies people with felonies from voting until their imprisonment and parole are completed. The ballot measure would amend the state constitution to allow people with felonies who are on parole to vote; therefore, the ballot measure would keep imprisonment as a disqualification for voting but remove parole status.
A YES vote means people on state parole who are U.S. citizens, residents of California, and at least 18 years of age would be able to vote, if they register to vote.
A NO vote means people on state parole would continue to be unable to vote in California.
Those who support Proposition 17 include:
Free the Vote CAU.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris (D)State Senators Steven Bradford (D), Holly Mitchell (D), and Scott Weiner (D)Assemblymembers Rob Bonta (D), Wendy Carrillo (D), Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D), Mike Gipson (D), Ash Kaira (D), Kevin McCarty (D), Kevin Mullin (D), Mark Stone (D), Shirley Weber (D)Secretary of State Alex Padilla (D)California Democratic PartyACLU of California, ACLU of Northern California, ACLU of Southern California, Brennan Center for Justice, League of Women Voters of California
Here is an argument for Proposition 17 from Free The Vote CA:
Nearly 50,000 Californians who have returned home from prison can’t vote even though they are raising families, holding jobs, paying taxes, and contributing to society in every other way. They should be encouraged to reenter society and have a stake in their community, not be punished by having their voting rights denied. Prop 17 will right this injustice and restore voting rights to Californians returning home from prison.
I believe that everyone who is an American citizen, who lives in California, who is age 18 (or older) and who registers to vote should have the right to vote.
I voted YES on Proposition 17.
Proposition 18
Proposition 18 “Amends California Constitution to Permit 17-Year-Olds to Vote in Primary and Special Elections if They Will Turn 18 by the Next General Election and be Otherwise Eligible to Vote”. It is a Legislative Constitutional Amendment.
A YES vote supports this constitutional amendment to allow 17-year-olds who will be 18 at the time of the next general election to vote in primary elections and special elections.
A NO vote opposes this constitutional amendment, thereby continuing to prohibit 17-year-olds who will be 18 at the time of the next general election to vote in primary elections and special elections.
Ballotpedia states that as of June 2020, 18 states, along with Washington, D.C., allowed 17-year-olds who will be 18 by the time of the general election to vote in primary elections.
The Official Voter Information Guide says:
Proposition 18 will allow those who will be 18 years of age by the time of the general election to participate in the primary election of that year if they are 17 at the time of the primary. This important election reform will not only allow first-time voters to participate in the full election cycle, but also has the potential to boost youth participation in our elections. We need youth voices to be represented at the ballot box. Allowing some 17-year-olds to vote in primary elections if, and only if, they will be 18 by the time of the general election is a simple way to amplify the voices of young voters throughout California and will lead to a more inclusive election process for our state overall.California is behind the curve when it comes to this issue. Nearly half of all states in the U.S. already allow 17-year-olds to participate in primaries and caucuses. If an individual plans to participate in a general election as a first-time voter, it is only reasonable that they be afforded the opportunity to shape the choices that appear on the general election ballot by participating in the primary.Proposition 18 links this 17-year-old participation to the age of majority by requiring that the individual be 18 by the time of the general election. According to research conducted by the California Civic Engagement Project, in the 2020 primary election in California, youth voters (those between 18 and 24) made up 14.5% of the population eligible to vote, however only about 6% of those who actually voted in the election. Youth are extremely underrepresented in our electoral process despite the fact that they are heavily impacted by the policies created by those elected.Not only does research indicate that the youth population has the lowest turnout levels of any age demographic, but studies show that voting is habit forming – once an individual votes in an election, they are more likely to do so again. Early involvement in the electoral process for first-time voters should be a high priority for this reason…
People who are 17-years-old are not legally considered to be adults. But, that doesn’t mean they should be treated as though they were five years old. Here’s a quick list of thing that 17-year-olds can do in California without parental consent:
No parental involvement required in order to get an abortionAre explicitly allowed to consent to contraceptive servicesCalifornia law permits minors 12 years and older to consent to confidential medical services for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) without parental consent (including the HPV vaccine for the prevention of human papillomavirus)California minors can consent to the hepatitis B vaccineA pregnant minor in California can consent to placing their child up for adoption. Can take the GED test if they are within 60 days of their 18th birthday; are within 60 days of when they would have graduated from high school if they remained in school and followed the usual course of study; or are 17 years of age and have been out of school for at least 60 consecutive days, and provide a letter of request for the test from the military, a postsecondary education institution or a prospective employer.Can get a work permit from their school and can work four hours on school days and eight hours on non-school days or days preceding a non-school day.Can legally sign a lease as a college student without parental permission (but many landlords will require a parent or guardian to guarantee the lease).
From this, it is clear that 17-year-olds are considered able to do plenty of important things in California without parental consent. It makes sense for the 17-year-olds who will turn 18 before the next general election to cast a vote in a primary or special election.
I voted YES on Proposition 18.
Proposition 19
Proposition 19 “Allows homeowners who are over 55, disabled, or wildfire/disaster victims to transfer primary residence’s tax base to replacement residence. Changes taxation of family property transfers. Establishes fire protection services fund.
“Fiscal impact: Local governments could gain tens of millions of dollars of property tax revenue per year, probably growing over time to a few hundred million dollars per year. Schools could receive similar property tax gains.”
As you may recall, California had a ton of wildfires this year. Some were sparked by lighting. Others were sparked by power lines, equipment failures, car accidents and campfires. There was a “firenado”. Most of the fires were sparked by humans. Many families lost their homes (and everything in them) and had to start all over again.
Ballotpedia provided the following information:
The ballot measure would change the rules for tax assessment transfers. In California, eligible homeowners can transfer their tax assessments to a different home of the same of lesser market value, which allows them to move without paying higher taxes. Homeowners who are eligible for tax assessment transfers are persons over 55 years old, persons with severe disabilities, and victims of natural disasters and hazardous waste contamination.
How would this ballot measure affect inherited properties?
In California, parents or grandparents can transfer primary residential properties to their children or grandchildren without the property tax assessment resetting to market value. Other types of properties, such as vacation homes and business properties, can also be transferred from parent to child or grandparent to grandchild with the first $1 million exempt from re-assessment when transferred.The ballot measure would eliminate the parent-to-child and grandparent-to-grandchild exemption in cases where the child or grandchild does not use the inherited property as their principle residence, such as using a property as rental house or a second home. When the inherited property is used as the recipient’s principle residence but is sold for $1 million more than the property’s taxable value, an upward adjustment in assessed value would occur. The ballot measure would also apply these rules to certain farms. Beginning on February 16, 2023, the taxable value of an inherited principle residential property would be adjusted each year at a rate equal to the change in the California House Price index.
If this ballot measure passes, the money that comes from it would create the California Fire Response Fund (CFRF) and County Revenue Protection Fund (CRPF). It would require the California Director of Finance to calculate additional revenues and net savings resulting from the ballot measure.
The California State Controller would be required to deposit 75 percent of the calculated revenue to the Fire Response Fund and 15 percent to the County Revenue Protection Fund. The County Revenue Protection Fund would be used to reimburse counties for revenue losses related to the measure’s property tax changes. The Fire Response Fund would be used to fund fire suppression staffing and full-time station-based personnel.
The way I see it, this is a “take from the rich and give to the poor” kind of proposition. It gives people who lost their homes in a fire the ability to transfer their tax assessments to a different home of the same or lesser market value. That means the person or family would be able to buy a home without struggling to pay for a higher tax assessment. It gives them time to rebuild.
The proposition also takes away a “loophole” that rich people are using to avoid paying their fair share of taxes. A parent or grandparent who transfers ownership of a home to a child or grandchild – who does not and will not live in that transferred home – is not about making sure the younger person will avoid being homeless. It is simply so the parent or grandparent can pay a lower amount of taxes on that home.
We live in a society, and that means that rich people need to pay their fair share of taxes, too.
I voted YES on Proposition 19.
Proposition 20
According to SFGate, Proposition 20 adds several crimes to the list of violent felonies for which early parole is restricted. It would undo a series of reforms enacted in 2011 and 2016 aimed at reducing California’s prison population.
Ballotpedia explains a YES vote supports this initiative to add crimes to the list of violent felonies for which early parole is restricted; recategorize certain types of theft and fraud crimes as wobblers (chargeable as misdemeanors or felonies); and require DNA collection for certain misdemeanors.
A NO vote opposes this initiative to add crimes to the list of violent felonies for which early parole is restricted; recategorize certain types of theft and fraud crimes as wobblers (chargeable as misdemeanors or felonies); and require DNA collection for certain misdemeanors.
Here’s a summary of what sentencing laws this proposition would change (if it passes):
Would make specific types of theft and fraud crimes, including firearm theft, vehicle theft, and unlawful use of a credit card, chargeable as misdemeanors OR felonies, rather than misdemeanors.Would establish two additional types of crime in state code – serial crime and organized retail crime – and charge them as wobblers (chargeable as misdemeanors OR felonies)Would require persons convicted of certain misdemeanors that were classified as wobblers before 2014, such as shoplifting, grand theft, and drug possession, along with several other crimes, including domestic violence and prostitution with a minor, to submit to the collection of DNA samples for state and federal databases.
Proposition 20 is scary. I really don’t like the idea of making people who convicted of a crime before 2014 to now have to submit their DNA to state and federal databases.
I also hate the idea that a person who was convicted of something as non-violent as shoplifting and charged with a misdemeanor before 2014, to suddenly have that charge increased to a felony all these years later. It seems incredibly unfair.
The new categories of crimes that this proposition would add (if it passes) “serial crime” and “organized retail crime” seem to be designed to target protestors who may or may not have “looted” stores during a protest.
Put all of this together, and it sounds like the police in California want to use Proposition 20 to get around the state legislature – who might or might not enact laws that would curtail some of the worst behaviors that (some) police officers have been doing. It also sounds like it gives police more ability to target people that (some police) are already enacting violence on or outright murdering.
The part that would make drug possession a felony is also disturbing. Many people who are convicted of drug possession had a small amount of marijuana on them. In 2016, California voters passed Proposition 64 which legalized recreational pot. The people who are currently convicted of having a small amount of marijuana on them before Proposition 64 passed should be released. They should not suddenly have their status changed from misdemeanor to felony.
Another really frightening thing about Proposition 20 is that the police are trying to use it to overturn several existing laws that the state legislature is not willing to overturn. It would also overturn a Supreme Court decision. The police don’t have the power to do that.
In 2011, NPR posted an article titled: “High Court Rules Calif. Must Cut Prison Population”. It was written by Nina Totenberg. From the article:
A bitterly divided U.S. Supreme Court ordered California on Monday to reduce its prison population by some 33,000 prisoners within the next two years.By a 5-to-4 vote, the high court ruled that severe overcrowding in state prisons has resulted in extreme suffering and even death, a deprivation of the inmates’ rights that violates the Constitution and the 1995 federal Prison Litigation Reform Act, as well.California’s 33 prisons, designed to house 80,000 inmates, housed twice that many prisoners by 2009.“The California state prison system is the worst overcrowded system I have seen in my experience,” says Wayne Scott, who headed the Texas prison system under then-Gov. George W. Bush.Scott was one of many expert witnesses called in to look at the California system after 20 years of litigation and failure by the state to achieve reforms that it had agreed upon. Scott and other prison experts told a special three-judge court that overcrowding was the primary cause of the state prison’s problems. The court then ordered the state to reduce the prison population to 137 percent of capacity, more than the 130 percent recommended by the Federal Bureau of Prisons…The state appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, and it lost on Monday. Writing for the five-member court majority, Justice Anthony Kennedy noted that the court has long held that prisoners are, in essence, wards of the state since they cannot provide for themselves. “Just as a prisoner may starve if not fed, he or she may suffer or die if not provided adequate medical care.” Moreover, said Kennedy, a prison system that fails to provide basic medical care is “incompatible with the concept of human dignity and has no place in a civilized society.” California, he said, by virtue of its overcrowding, violates the Constitution’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment, and the courts “must not shrink from their constitutional obligation to ‘enforce the rights of all persons, including prisoners.’ “In a 48-page opinion, Kennedy laid out some of the facts of the case. Prisoners are not only doubled and tripled up in 6-by-9 cells but are stacked in bunks in areas meant to be gymnasiums, classrooms and even clinics. As many as 54 prisoners use one toilet, breeding disease, and medical care is so deficient that one prisoner dies needlessly every six to seven days. On the mental health side, prisoners awaiting care are often housed in “tiny, phone-booth sized cages,” with some inmates falling into hallucinations and catatonic states, and suicides well above national norms.Justice Kennedy pointed out that the state had repeatedly agreed to fix these conditions by building more prisons, but the Legislature didn’t provide the money, and the overcrowding just grew worse. Given California’s ongoing budgetary crisis, Kennedy observed, there is no possibility the state can “build itself out of” its overcrowding problem, so the state will have to choose a combination of other methods, even perhaps release of nonviolent prisoners to reduce the state prison population. Joining Kennedy in the majority were Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. Dissenters were Justices Antonin Scalia, joined by Justice Clarence Thomas in one dissenting opinion, and Justice Samuel Alito, joined by Chief Justice John Roberts in another.
Ballotpedia provides context to Proposition 20:
The ballot initiative was designed to make changes to AB 109 (2011), Proposition 47 (2014) and Proposition 57 (2016) – three measures that were intended to reduce the state’s prison inmate population. According to Assemblyman Jim Cooper (D-9), the goal of the initiative is to “reform the unintended consequences of reforms to better protect the public. Former Gov. Jerry Brown (D) disagreed with Cooper’s assessment, saying the initiative is the “latest scare tactic on criminal justice reform”.Before Proposition 47 and Proposition 57, and a month after the passage of AB 109, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that overcrowding in the state’s prisons resulted in cruel and unusual punishment and affirmed a lower court’s order to reduce the prison population. AB 109 shifted the imprisonment of non-serious, non-violent, and non-sexual offenders, as defined in state law, from state prisons to local jails. AB 109 also made counties, rather than the state, responsible for supervising certain felons on parole. Proposition 47, which voters approved in 2014, changed several crimes, which the measure considered non-serious and non-violent, from felonies or wobblers to misdemeanors. Former Gov. Brown (D) developed Proposition 57, which voters approved in 2016. Proposition 57 increased parole chances for felons convicted of nonviolent crimes, as defined in state law, and gave them more opportunities to earn sentence-reduction credits for good behavior.
It is worth noting that U.S. Representative Devin Nunes (R-California) is among the supporters of Proposition 20. He makes bad decisions. Here is one example:
Los Angeles Times reported in 2019 that Rep. Devin Nunes sued Twitter, demanding $250 million in damages, for Twitter failing to police the accounts of parody accounts @DevinCow and @DevinNunes Mom, and also a political activist named Liz Mair.
…In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Virginia, Nunes complained that all three defamed him in hundreds of tweets over several months last year. It also seeks $350,000 in punitive damages, through legal experts say the suit has little chance of moving forward.Nunes, a close ally of President Trump says in his complaint that he endured what “no human should ever have to bear and suffer in their whole life.”…
There is no good reason for the police, who already have a lot of power, weaponry, and military gear, to have the power to change people’s sentencing years after the sentence was given. There is absolutely no good reason to allow police to overturn a Supreme Court decision.
I voted NO on Proposition 20. I really hope it does not pass.
Proposition 21
Proposition 21 is the Local Rent Control Initiative. SFGate reported that this proposition would allow local governments to enact rent control on housing that was first occupied over 15 years ago.
The information in the Quick Reference Guide says:
Allows local governments to establish rent control on residential properties over 15 years old. Local limits on rate increases may differ from statewide limits. Fiscal Impact: Overall, a potential reduction in state and local revenues in the high tens of millions of dollars per year over time. Depending on actions by local communities, revenue losses could be less or more.
A YES vote supports this ballot initiative to allow local governments to enact rent control on housing that was first occupied over 15 years ago, with an exception for landlords who own no more than two homes with distinct titles or subdivided interests.
A NO vote opposes this ballot initiative, thereby continuing to prohibit rent control on housing that was first occupied after February 1, 1995, and housing units with distinct titles, such as single-family homes.
Ballotpedia provides the following context about what this ballot measure would change about rent control in California:
The ballot measure would replace the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (Costa-Hawkins), which was passed in 1995. Prior to the enactment of Costa-Hawkins, local governments were permitted to enact rent control, provided that landlords would receive just and reasonable returns on their rental properties. Costa-Hawkins continued to allow local governments to use rent control, except on (a) housing that was first occupied after February 1, 1995, and (b) housing units with distinct titles, such as condos, townhouses, and single-family homes.The ballot measure would allow local governments to adopt rent control on housing units, except on (a) housing that was first occupied within the last 15 years and (b) units owned by natural persons who own no more than two housing units with separate titles, such as single-family homes, condos, and some duplexes, or subdivided interests, such as stock cooperatives and community apartment projects.Under Costa-Hawkins, landlords are allowed to increase rent prices to market rates when a tenant moves out (a policy known as vacancy decontrol). The ballot measure would require local governments that adopt rent control to allow landlords to increase rental rates by 15 percent during the first three years following a vacancy.
Supporters of Proposition 21 include:
Renters and Homeowners United to Keep Families in Their Homes (also known as Yes on 21)Vermont U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (Independent) and U.S. Representative Maxine Waters (Democrat)California Democratic PartyDelores Huerta, Co-Founder of the United Farm Workers and Michael Weinstein, President of the AIDS Healthcare FoundationAFSCME California, California Nurses Association, and SEIU California State CouncilACCE Action, ACLU of Southern California, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Democratic Socialists of America, Los Angeles, Eviction Defense Network, National Lawyers Guild, Los Angeles
Business Wire posted a press release on September 17, 2020, titled: “Bernie Sanders Backs Rent Control, Slams Greedy Landlords in New ‘Yes on 21’ Spot”. From the press release:
The ‘Yes on 21’ campaign is releasing a new :15 second video spot featuring United States Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), one of the most most-trusted voices for the rights and needs of working families, reiterating his support for rent control and slamming greedy landlords. The spot will be deployed on ‘Yes on 21’ social media platforms and air later on cable and broadcast TV outlets.In the spot, Sanders, who officially endorsed Proposition 21 in November 2019, says “… rent control is an appropriate tool to tell landlords that they cannot jack up their rents to any rate that they want.”“The No on 21 campaign will try to convince voters that they are the ones fighting against homeless and for affordable housing. But Bernie knows that the billionaires who are funding the ‘No’ campaign are greedy billionaires who care nothing about the people, but only about their enormous profit margins,” said Susie Shannon, director of policy for the Yes on 21 campaign and former California political director for Senator Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign. “Proposition 21 is a practical measure that will help keep families in their homes.”..
Yes on 21 points out that Proposition 21 will limit rent increases and preserve affordable housing to keep CA families in their homes. If passed, the measure would allow local communities to:
Limit Annual Rent IncreasesPreserve Currently Affordable HousingIncentivize the Construction of New HousingExempt Single-Family HomeownersGuarantee Landlords a Fair Profit
Yes on 21 also points out the following information:
More than half of all renters statewide – more than 3 million households – spend more than 30% of their income on rent, meeting the federal government’s definition of “rent-burdened.” Worse still, nearly a third of renters spend at least half of their income on rent.Prop 21 was written to target corporate landlord billionaires, not mom and pop landlords who are a staple of our communities. Prop 21 codifies the right of landlords to make a fair return on their investment.Prop 21 also protects groups of people who have historically (and today) are discriminated against when it comes to renting. This group includes Black Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, Transgender individuals, LGBTQ Youth, LGBTQ Seniors, Veterans, people with disabilities, and the unhoused.
Those who oppose Prop 21 include:
The No on Prop 21 website, which was paid for by Californians to Protect Affordable Housing – a coalition of housing advocates, renters, businesses, taxpayers and veterans. Committee major funding from California Business Roundtable, California Association of Realtors, Apartment Association of Orange County.California Governor Gavin Newsom and the Republican Party of CaliforniaCalifornia Conference of Carpenters, California District of Iron Workers, California State Association of Electrical Workers, California State Pipe Trades Council, State Building and Construction Trades Council of CaliforniaAlavonbay Communities, Inc., Equity Residential, Essex Property Trust, Inc., Invitation Homes, Prometheus Real Estate GroupAMVETS Department of California, American Legion, Department of California, California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce, California Chamber of Commerce, California Council of Affordable Housing, California NAACP State Conference, California Seniors Advocates League, California Taxpayers Association, Congress of California Seniors, Howard Jarvis Taxyapers Association
Most of the groups listed as opposed the Prop 21 are those who are making their living by building or selling homes/rentals. This strikes me as very suspicious and self-serving. The Republican Party, who has a history of putting the amount of money they can make over the well-being of their constituents, also opposes Prop 21.
Curbed San Francisco posted an article in October of 2019 titled: “California governor to sign statewide rent control bill in Oakland”. It was written by Adam Brinklow. From the article:
At a ceremony in Oakland today, Gov. Gavin Newsom will sign into law California’s “anti-rent gouging” bill, Assembly Bill 1482, which, starting next year, will cap annual rent increases and extend de facto rent control protections across the state.The governor calls AB 1482 the “nation’s strongest statewide renter protections.”Newsom, Assemblymember David Chiu, who authored the bill, and Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins will appear at the West Oakland Senior Center for today’s signing. The appearance marks the beginning of what the Governor’s office calls a “statewide rent and housing tour,” with stops in multiple California cities to sign bills that the administration hopes will address the escalating state housing crisis.The new law will restrict landlords from raising rents more than five percent in one year, plus the local cost of inflation, a formula that comes out to approximately seven percent in most cities.The bill also seeks to help tenants by requiring landlords to have “just cause,” such as failure to pay rent, when terminating a lease.AB 1482 does not override SF’s current, more aggressive rent control laws. However, it does apply to thousands of units not covered under existing local rent control protections; starting in 2020, units built in 2005 or before will fall under the purview of the rent cap.In 2021, circa 2006 homes will also be affected, and so on. The law will sunset in 2030.Before today’s signing, the California Rental Housing Association, a group representing over 22,000 rental property owners, sent out a missive stating its opposition to the bill…
My best guess is that Governor Gavin Newsom is opposed to Prop 21 because he prefers the rent control bill he signed in 2019? I don’t understand why he isn’t taking the same side as the Democratic Party is on this proposition.
I voted YES on Proposition 21.
Proposition 22
Proposition 22 is extremely controversial and a huge mess. There has been a lot of misinformation spread about what it is and what it will do. In short, this proposition is opposed by two big ride share companies, Uber and Lyft, who refuse to provide their workers with the pay and benefits of full employees.
To fully understand what this proposition is about, you need to know about AB5. It went into affect in California on January 1, 2020 (which feels like at least ten years ago). It required employers to provide “gig workers” with the same benefits that they offer to their employees.
The conditions in which an employer must classify a “gig worker” as an employee included:
The worker is free to perform services without the control or direction of the company.The worker is performing work tasks that are outside the usual course of the company’s business activities.The worker is customarily engaged in an independent established trade, occupation, or business of the same nature as that involved in the work performed.
On September 4, 2020, AB2257 passed the California Senate floor and became a law. It made changes to AB5 that would protect several groups of freelancers from the limitations that were imposed by AB5. For example, freelance writers were limited to a total of 35 paid articles per year. That limitation was removed by AB2257.
Proposition 22 is the App-Based Drivers as Contractors and Labor Policies Initiative (2020) proposition.
A YES vote supports this ballot initiative to define app-based transportation (rideshare) and delivery drivers as independent contractors and adopt labor and wage policies specific to app-based drivers and other companies.
A NO vote opposes this ballot initiative, meaning California Assembly Bill 5 (2019) could be used to decide whether app-based drivers are employees or independent contractors.
It is important to know that Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash have been fighting against having to give their workers – who do the primary tasks that those companies are built on – as employees.
On August 10, 2020, The Guardian posted an article titled: “Uber and Lyft must classify driers as employees, judge rules, in blow to gig economy”. It was written by Kari Paul. From the article:
A California judge has issued a preliminary injunction that would block Uber and Lyft from classifying their drivers as independent contractors rather than employees.The move on Monday came in response to a May lawsuit filed by the state of California against the companies, which alleged they are misclassifying their drivers under the state’s new labor law.That law, known as AB5, took effect on 1 January. The strictest of its kind in the US, it makes it more difficult for companies to classify workers as independent contractors instead of employees who are entitled to minimum wage and benefits. The lack of workers’ compensation and unemployment benefits for drivers has become increasingly urgent during the coronavirus pandemic, as ridership plunges and workers struggle to protect themselves.California is the largest market in the US for Uber and Lyft and the state where both companies were founded.The lawsuit, and Monday’s injunction, are the most significant challenges to the ride-hailing companies’ business model thus far. Judge Ethan Schulman of the San Francisco superior court delayed enforcing his order by 10 days to give the companies a chance to appeal.The court has provided a 10-day stay during which Uber can file an appeal – which the company plans to do immediately, a spokesman told the Guardian. This means the injunction will not have effects on Uber or Lyft’s services, for now…
On August 22, 2020, Business Insider posted an article titled: “Uber and Lyft have poured millions of dollars into a November ballot measure to keep California driver paid as independent contractors”. It was written by Katie Canales. From the article:
A California court in August granted Uber and Lyft a stay in their appeal of a court ruling that said drivers must be classified as employees, not contractors. If they weren’t given the extra time, the companies were threatening to shut down their business throughout California. And if the companies had shut down, riders would have been cut off from booking rides on the apps – which likely would have incentivized Californians to back Proposition 22, a measure that will appear on the ballot in the November election.Prop 22 strives to exempt ride-sharing and food-delivery companies from Assembly Bill 5 (AB5) gig worker law that was passed in September 2019, meaning Uber and Lyft could continue classifying – and paying – drivers as contractors, not employees. Uber and Lyft have built their business models around doing so, reserving full-time employee status for corporate roles to keep costs low. Uber, Lyft, Doordash, Postmates and Instacart have poured a total of $110 million into support for the measure, according to the San Francisco Chronicle…
It should be noted that the same San Francisco Chronicle article says:
…Uber, Lyft and DoorDash have each put up $30 million to promote the measure; Postmates and Instacart each put up $10 million…
Here is who supports Proposition 22:
Yes on 22 – Save App Based Jobs & ServicesRepublican Party of CaliforniaCalifornia Peace Officers Association, California Police Chiefs Association, California State Sheriffs’ AssociationDoorDash, InstaCart, Lyft, Postmates, UberCalAsian Chamber of Commerce, California Black Chamber of Commerce, California Chamber of Commerce, California Farm Bureau Federation, California NAACP State Conference, California Small Business Association, California State National Action Network, California Taxpayers Association, Crime Victims United of California, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, National Black Chamber of Commerce, National Taxpayers Union
Here is who opposes Proposition 22:
No on Prop 22U.S. Senators Kamala D. Harris (D), Vermont U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I), Massachusetts U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D)U.S. Representative Barbara Lee (D)State Senators Marie Elena Durazo (D), Nancy Skinner (D), Scott Weiner (D)Assemblyperson Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D)Speaker of the State Assembly Anthony Rendon (D)State Assemblyperson Buffy Wicks (D)Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs (Nonpartisan)State Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara (D)State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond (Nonpartisan)State Controller Betty Yee (D)Former Vice President Joe Biden (D)Former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert ReichCalifornia Democratic PartyAmerican Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, California Labor Federation, California Professional Firefighters, California State Council of Laborers, California Teachers Association, SEIU California State Council, State Building and Construction Trades Council of California, Transport Workers Union of America, Unite HERE, United Food and Commercial Workers Westerns States CouncilACLU of Southern California, California Alliance for Retired Americans, California League of Conservation Voters, Gig Workers Rising
I am always inclined to vote against the wishes of large companies that spend $30 million (or more) on Propositions that would benefit them, save them money, and cause harm to their gig workers. That $30 million could have been used to pay their workers like they do the rest of their employees and to give them the proper benefits.
I voted NO on Proposition 22 because I oppose this ballot measure.
Proposition 23
Proposition 23 is the Dialysis Clinic Requirements Initiative. There has been some misinformation spread around about this proposition. If you live in California, then you probably got some propaganda about it in your mailbox.
A YES vote supports this ballot initiative to require chronic dialysis clinics to have an on-site physician while patients are being treated; report data on dialysis-related infections; obtain consent from the state health department before closing a clinic; and not discriminate against patients based on the source of payment for care.
A NO vote opposes this ballot initiative. Voting NO means you think it is fine for dialysis clinics to NOT have an on-site physician while patients are being treated; to NOT report data on dialysis-related infections; to NOT obtain consent from the state health department before closing a clinic; and to go ahead and discriminate against patients based on the source of payment for care.
It really is that simple. But the misinformation about what Proposition 22 is about has obscured how simple it truly is.
Ballotpedia provides the following information about Proposition 22:
The ballot measure would require chronic dialysis clinics to:
Have a minimum of one licensed physician present at the clinic while patients are being treated, with an exception for when there is a bona fide shortage of physicians;Report data on dialysis-related infections to the state health department and National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN);Require the principal officer of the clinic to certify under penalty of perjury that he or she is satisfied, after review, that the submitted report is accurate and complete; andProvide a written notice to the state health department and obtain consent from the state health department before closing a dialysis clinic.Prohibits chronic dialysis clinics from discriminating with respect to offering or providing care or refusing to offer to provide care, on the basis of who is responsible for paying for a patient’s treatment.
Ballotpedia also provided this background:
In 2018, 59.9 percent of voters rejected California Proposition 8, which would have required dialysis clinics to issue refunds to patients (or patients’ insurers) for profits above 115 percent of the costs of direct patient care and healthcare improvements. Proposition 8 (2018) and the Dialysis Clinic Requirements Initiative (2020) were designed to enact policies related to dialysis clinics, but the specific policies are different. Proposition 8 would have capped profits and required refunds, whereas this year’s initiative would address minimum physician staffing, data reporting, and clinic closures.Proposition 8, like this year’s dialysis-related ballot initiative, had the support of the SEIU-UHW West, a labor union for healthcare workers. Proposition 8 established a new front in the conflict between the SEIU-UHW West and the state’s two largest dialysis businesses, DaVita and Fresenius Medical Care. The SEIU-UHW West said workers at dialysis clinics have been attempting to unionize since 2016, but that their employers were retaliating against pro-union employees. Kent Thiry, CEO of DaVita, argued that “Proposition 8 puts California patients at risk in an effort to force unionization of employees.” Sean Wherley, a spokesperson for the SEIU-UHW West, contended that dialysis workers “want these reforms regardless of what happens with their union efforts.”
Supporters of Proposition 23 include: California Democratic Party, and SEIU-UHW West
Opponents of Proposition 23 include:
Republican Party of CaliforniaDaVita, Inc.,and Fresenius Medical CareAMVETS Department of California, American Legion, Department of California, California Medical Association, California NAACP State Conference.
It seems to me that DaVita and Fresenius Medical Care are motivated to convince people to vote NO on Proposition 23 because doing so will enable them to keep making a profit in the way that they currently are. That’s awfully suspicious, and makes me concerned about how they have been treating their dialysis patients.
Yes on 23 posted this on their website:
The two corporations that dominate the industry — DaVita and Fresenius — have done everything possible to keep their huge profits flowing by stopping patients and workers from making improvements to dialysis care. In 2018 the “Big Dialysis” corporations spent $111 million just to defeat Proposition 8, which would have required dialysis clinics to invest more of their revenues into improving direct patient care. Those same corporations are fighting Prop 23 and have already put $100 million into defeating the initiative.
I voted YES on Proposition 23 because I want dialysis patients to have really good care, from actual physicians, in a clean environment. I want them to not have to worry that the dialysis center will refuse to treat them because they are using Medicaid or Medicare.
Proposition 24
Proposition 24 is the Consumer Personal Information Law and Agency Initiative (2020).
A YES vote supports this ballot initiative to expand the state’s consumer data privacy laws, including provisions to allow consumers to direct businesses not to share their personal information, remove the time period in which businesses can fix violations before being penalized; and create the Privacy Protection Agency to enforce the state’s consumer data privacy laws.
A NO vote opposes this ballot initiative to expand the state’s consumer data privacy laws or create the Privacy Protection Agency to enforce the state’s consumer data privacy laws.
Ballotpedia provides the following overview:
Proposition 24, also known as the California Privacy Rights and Enforcement Act of 2020, would expand and amend the provisions of the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA), create the California Privacy Protection Agency, and remove the ability of businesses to fix violations before being penalized for violations. The ballot initiative would require businesses to do the following:
not share a consumer’s personal information upon the consumer’s requestprovide consumers with an opt-out option for having their sensitive personal information, as defined in law, used or disclosed for advertising or marketingobtain permission before collecting data from consumers who are younger than 16obtain permission from a parent or guardian before collecting data from consumers who are younger than 13 andcorrect a consumer’s inaccurate personal information upon the consumer’s request
Those who support Proposition 24 include:
Yes on 24U.S. Representative Ro Khanna (D)State Senator Ben Allen (D), State Senator Robert Hertzberg (D) State Senator Nancy SkinnerAssemblymember David Chiu (D)State Controller Betty Yee (D)Andrew Yang (D) – Former 2020 presidential candidateAFSCME California, California Professional Firefighters, State Building and Construction Trades Council of CaliforniaCalifornia NAACP State Conference, Common Sense, Consumer Watchdog
Those who oppose Proposition 24 include:
No on Prop 24Green Party of California, Libertarian Party of California, Republican Party of CaliforniaDolores Huerta – Co-Founder of the United Farm WorkersCalifornia Nurses AssociationACLU of California, ACLU of Northern California, ACLU of Southern California, California Alliance for Retired Americans, California Small Business Associations, Center for Digital Democracy, Color of Change, Consumer Action, Consumer Federation of California, Council on Islamic American Relations – California, League of Women Voters in California, Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, Media Alliance
To me, the most compelling argument about why voters should support Proposition 24 comes from Andrew Yang:
“Other proposals simply do not match the strength and thoughtfulness of Prop 24. Alternatives would require all online businesses to offer their services for “free,” even if the business doesn’t have any alternative model to create revenue. This is unsustainable. As we’ve seen for years, if a service is free, the user is the product. Requiring this type of digital system would further marginalize privacy and data rights and make it nearly impossible to provide consumers with meaningful control over their information… But most importantly, Prop 24 provides Californians greater control over their data: If they don’t like a business or don’t trust its privacy protections, consumers can tell it that it can’t sell their personal information, and businesses are prohibited from unfairly punishing consumers for exercising these rights. This is a strong new protection, and puts control where it belongs: with the consumer.”
During the primaries, I spent a lot of time reading about Andrew Yang’s policies and ideas. He is a very smart man. He is in favor of Prop 24, and explained exactly why that is so.
I voted YES on Proposition 24.
Proposition 25
Proposition 25 is the “Replace Cash Bail with Risk Assessments Referendum (2020)” Proposition.
A YES vote is to uphold the contested legislation, Senate Bill 10 (SB 10), which would replace cash bail with risk assessments for detained suspects awaiting trials.
A NO vote is to repeal the contested legislation, Senate Bill 10 (SB 10), thus keeping in place the use of cash bail for detained suspects awaiting trials.
Personally, I don’t understand why this is on the on the 2020 ballot at all. SB 10 was signed into law by (then Governor) Jerry Brown in 2018. That was two years ago! It seems very strange that someone felt the need to get this two-year-old law on the 2020 ballot.
Ballotpedia provided information titled: “How did the veto referendum get on the ballot?”
In the California State Legislature, most Democrats (67 of 81) supported SB 10, while one (of 39) Republican supported the legislation. California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) signed SB 10 on August 28, 2018, and the veto referendum to overturn the bill was filed on August 29. Sen. Robert Hertzberg (D-18), the bill’s lead sponsor, described SB 10 as a “transformational shift away from valuing private wealth and toward protecting public safety.” He also said that upholding the legislation “is ground zero in the fight over criminal justice reform.”The American Bail Coalition, a nonprofit trade association, organized the political action committee Californians Against the Reckless Bail Scheme to lead the effort to repeal SB 10 through a veto referendum. Jeff Clayton, the coalition’s executive director, stated, “The only debate we’re having right now is: Is the current system worse than the alternative? And the answer is, no, it’s not.” The top ten donors to the committee were bail bond businesses, owners of bail bond businesses, or companies that provided services or insurance to bail bond businesses. David Quintana, a California Bail Agents Association lobbyist, said, “You don’t eliminate an industry and expect those people to go down quietly.”California’s three ACLU affiliates opposed SB 10, issuing a joint statement that said: “SB 10 is not the model for pretrial justice and racial equity that California should strive for.” The statement called for new legislation to “address racial bias in risk assessment tools.” ACLU of North California executive director Abdi Soltani said the group would not, however, align with bail bond businesses to overturn SB 10. Soltani stated, “Make no mistake, the bail industry is not interested in equal justice or equal protection under the law, they are seeking to turn back the clock to protect their bottom line.
How does bail work in California?
As of 2019, California utilized a cash bail system to release detained criminal suspects before their trials. Suspects paid a cash bond to be released from jail pending trial with the promise to return to court for trial and hearings. The cash bond was repaid to suspects after their criminal trials were completed, no matter the outcome. The Judicial Council of California, which is the rule-making department of the state’s judicial system, described bail as a tool to “ensure the presence of the defendant before the court.” The state’s countywide superior courts were responsible for setting cash bail amounts for crimes, and judges were permitted to adjust the cash bail amounts upward or downward. Suspects could post bail with their own money or through a commercial bail bond agent, who pays the full bail amount in exchange for a non-refundable premium from suspects. In California, there was no law setting or capping premiums on bail bonds. According to the California Department of Insurance, agents typically charged around 10 percent.
Those in support of Proposition 25 include:
Yes on Prop 25U.S. Representative Karen Bass (D) and U.S. Representative Ted Lieu (D)Governor Gavin Newsom (D)State Senate President Toni Atkins (D)State Senator James Beall Jr. (D), Senator Bill Dodd (D), Senator Maria Elena Durazo (D), Senator Steve Glazer (D), Senator Robert Hertzberg (D), Senator Gerald Hill (D), Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (D), Senator Connie Leyva (D, Senator Holly Mitchell (D), Senator Bill Monning (D), Senator Bob Wieckowski (D), and Senator Scott WeinerAssemblymembers David Chiu (D), Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D), Todd Gloria (D), Reginald Jones-Sawyer (D), and Sydney Kamlager (D)Speaker of the Assembly Anthony Rendon (D)Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg (Nonpartisan)Former State Senate President Kevin de Leon (D)California Democratic PartyCalifornia Teachers Union, SEIU California State CouncilAction Now Initiative, California Medical Association, League of Women Voters of California, NextGen California
Here is a quote from the Orange County Register Editorial Board showing support for Proposition 25:
“The problem with the current system is that people who are innocent can suffer life-destroying consequences if they are arrested and eligible for bail, but lack the financial resources to pay thousands of dollars for a bail bond. While locked up for months before a trial, people can lose their jobs, fall behind on payments for housing, and plunge into an even deeper financial hole. Those who are able to borrow money for a bail bond can suffer ongoing harm from the added debt burden. Poverty is not a crime, but for people who are arrested and can’t afford bail, it is punished as if it were.”
Those opposed to Proposition 25 include:
No on Prop 25 (also known as Californians Against the Reckless Bail Scheme)Republican Party of CaliforniaOrange County Board of SupervisorsACLU of Southern California, American Bail Coalition, California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce, California Bail Agents Association, California Black Chamber of Commerce, California Business Roundtable, California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, California NAACP State Conference, California Small Business Association, Crime Victims United of California, Golden State Bail Agent’s Association, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
Personally, I’ve always believed it is unfair and unjust to lock people up who have not yet been convicted of a crime. The rich people can afford to pay their way out of jail, but poor people cannot and so they are stuck there. Some of them are likely innocent.
I also don’t like propositions that appear to be put on the ballot simply to line the pockets of businesses who benefit by preying on poor people.
I voted YES on Proposition 25.
You may want to read How I Voted in the Presidential General Election 2020.
How I Voted on the Propositions in the 2020 California General Election is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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September 6, 2020CaliforniaPhoto by Kaitlyn Baker on Unsplash
AB5 went into effect in California on January 1, 2020. The purpose was to require employers to provide “gig workers” the same benefits that they offer to their employees. At first glance, it sounded like it had the potential to provide protections to freelance writers. Unfortunately, there were some problems with this law.
On September 4, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB2257 to fix some of the problems with AB5. The changes made by AB2257 took effect immediately.
I am a freelance writer who lives in California. When AB5 went into affect, I was scared. The law placed a limit of 35 “content submissions” per year. It was unclear to me whether that meant 35 submissions to one client – or 35 submissions total for the year.
I’ve been working as a freelance writer since 2010. It is how I make my living. It felt like AB5 was going to take away my ability to continue working as a freelance writer.
Fortunately, as I read more about what AB5 included, I realized my fears were unfounded. The reason is because the law makes it clear the conditions in which an employer must classify a “gig worker” as an employee.
1. The worker is free to perform services without the control or direction of the company.
2. The worker is performing work tasks that are outside the usual course of the company’s business activities.
3. The worker is customarily engaged in an independent established trade, occupation, or business of the same nature as that involved in the work performed.
Based on these rules, the freelance writing work I did was exempt from the effects of AB5. All of my clients could, if required to, prove that I was “performing work tasks that are outside of the usual course of the company’s business activities.” I was one of the lucky ones who was able to continue to earn a living despite AB5.
That wasn’t true for all California writers who are freelancers or contract workers, though. SB Nation wrote that it would end contracts with most of their California-based writers because of the 35 written content submissions part of AB5. A few of those contractors were going to be offered full or part-time employment, but the rest were let go.
The American Society of Journalists and Authors sued the State of California in federal court in an effort to stop AB5 from “violating the Constitution and devastating the careers of freelance journalists such as writers and photographers”. The National Press Photographers Association joined this lawsuit.
On September 4, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB2257 into law. It took effect immediately. The main purpose of this law was to function as a cleanup measure to address criticisms about how AB5 treated contractors and freelancers.
Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, a Democrat who represents California’s District 80, authored AB2257. A quote by her was posted in an press release on her official website about AB2257 becoming a law:
“Workers shouldn’t have to be tied up in litigation for years on end before they can access their basic labor rights,” Assemblywoman Gonzales said. “AB 2257 strikes a balance and continues to provide protections for workers against misclassification that had previously gone unchecked for decades under the old rules.”
AB2257 passed the California Senate floor with 39 AYES and 0 NAYS. It passed the Assembly Floor with 74 AYES and 0 NAYS.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, AB2557 includes major exemptions (from AB5) for the music industry, as well as freelance writers and photographers. The new law eliminates the “35 submissions a year” cap for any publication.
In addition, the new law protects musicians (with some exceptions), translators and interpreters, still photographers, photojournalists, videographers (with some exceptions), photo editors, graphic designers, web designers, tutors, consultants, youth sports coaches, caddies, wedding or event planners and vendors, handypeople, movers, dog walkers and groomers, pool cleaners, insurance underwriters, manufactured housing salespeople, competition judges, landscape architects, performers teaching master classes, foresters, real estate appraisers and home inspectors, and feedback aggregators.
As for me, I’m happy that AB2257 has become a law. I no longer have to worry that my freelance gigs could suddenly end through no fault of my own – but due to the restrictions in AB5. Some of you, who are also freelance workers in California might feel the same way.
Changes to California’s AB5 Protect Freelance Workers is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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November 30, 2018CaliforniaImage from Pexels
The Hill reported that current Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Paul Ryan (Republican — Wisconsin) said that the California election system “just defies logic to me.”
Here is an explanation of how California’s election system functions.
Voter Registration in California
Ballotpedia states that to vote in California, an individual must be a U.S. citizen and California resident. A voter must be at least 18 years of age on Election Day.
On October 10, 2015, California Governor Jerry Brown approved Assembly Bill No.1461.
It is called “Voter Registration: California New Motor Voter Program”.
Here are a few key points of this bill (which is now a law):
This bill would require the Secretary of State and the Department of Motor Vehicles to establish the California New Motor Voter Program for the purpose of increasing opportunities for voter registration by any person who is qualified to be a voter. Under the program, after the Secretary of State certifies that certain enumerated conditions are satisfied, the Department of Motor Vehicles would be required to electronically provide to the Secretary of State the records of each person who is issued an original or renewal of a drivers license or state identification card or who provides the department with a change of address, as specified.The person’s motor vehicle records would then constitute a completed affidavit of registration and the person would be registered to vote, unless that person affirmatively declined to be registered to vote during a transaction with the department, the department did not represent to the Secretary of State that the person attested that he or she meets all voter eligibility requirements, as specified, or the Secretary of State determines that the person is ineligible to vote. The bill would require the Secretary of State to adopt regulations to implement the program, as specified.
The bill requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to provide the Secretary of State the following information about the person who has been determined to be eligible for voter registration and voting:
NameDate of birthEither their residence, mailing address, or bothDigitized signatureTelephone number (if available)Email address (if available)Language preferencePolitical party preferenceWhether the person chooses to become a permanent vote-by-mail voterWhether the person affirmatively declined to become registered to vote during a transaction with the Department of Motor VehiclesA notation that the applicant has attested that they meet all voter eligibility requirements, including United States citizenship
California allows for online voter registration. To register online, a person must first visit the California Secretary of State’s official Online Voter Registration website. The person needs to provide the following information:
Their California drivers license or California identification card numberThe last four digits of their social security numberTheir date of birth
A California identification card is often used by people who do not drive. It is a commonly used form of identification for people who are disabled and whose disabilities prevent them from being able to drive.
To apply for a California identification card, a person must provide:
Acceptable identity documentTrue full nameSocial security numberProof of California residencyFingerprint image (to be taken at the Department of Motor Vehicles)Photograph (to be taken at the Department of Motor Vehicles)Prior ID card(s) in their possession, if any.
Individual states make their own rules about whether or not convicted felons can vote.
In California, a person with a criminal history can register to vote if they are:
In county jail: serving a misdemeanor sentence (a misdemeanor sentence never affects a person’s right to vote); Because jail time is a condition of probation (misdemeanor or felony); Serving a felony jail sentence; or Awaiting trialOn probationOn mandatory supervisionOn post-release community supervisionOn federal supervised releaseA person with a juvenile wardship adjudication
In California, a person with a criminal history cannot register and vote if they are:
Currently imprisoned in State prison or Federal prisonCurrently serving a state prison felony sentence in a county jail or other correctional facilityCurrently in county jail awaiting transfer to a state or federal prison for a felony convictionCurrently in county jail for a parole violationCurrently on parole with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
The California Secretary of State website says: “Once you are done with parole your right to vote is restored, but you must re-register online at the California Secretary of State’s website or by filling out a paper voter registration card.”
In 2016, California’s “Pre-register at sixteen. Vote at eighteen.” rule went into effect. It does not lower the voting age to sixteen-years-old. The purpose is to make sure that teenagers are ready to vote when they turn eighteen.
Here is some more information about that from the California Secretary of State’s website:
Who can pre-register to vote?
You can pre-register to vote in California if you are 16 or 17 years old and meet the following requirements:
A United States citizen and a resident of California.Not currently in state or federal prison or on parole for the conviction of a felonyNot currently found mentally incompetent to vote by a court
How do I pre-register?
To pre-register to vote you must complete a voter registration application online or on paper.
Can an iPad, tablet, or smartphone be used to fill out California’s online voter registration application?
Yes.
What happens after I pre-register to vote?
After you pre-register to vote you will receive a postcard confirmation notifying you that your application was received and processed.
What happens when I turn 18?
When you turn 18 years old, the county elections office will mail a confirmation postcard to you stating that your voter registration is now active. At the time of the next election, your county elections official will automatically mail your election related materials to your registered address. If your confirmation postcard is returned undeliverable, possibly because you have moved, the county elections office may inactivate your record until a new Voter Registration Application is submitted.
How to Vote in California
One way to vote is to visit your assigned polling place on Election Day. Ballotpedia states that, in California, polls are open from 7:00 a.m. — 8:00 p.m.
The most reliable way to find your polling place is to visit the California Secretary of State website. There is a box where a registered voter can enter their registered voting address. It will reveal where that person’s polling place is located.
Polling places in California are required to open at exactly 7:00 a.m. Poll workers must announce loudly “The polls are open.”
Polling places must remain open continuously until closing time at 8:00 p.m. At that time, workers must loudly proclaim, “The polls are closed.” No voters who arrive after the polls close may cast a vote. However, as Business Insider reported in 2016, many (if not all) states have laws on the books requiring every person in line when the polls close to be able to vote.
The California Secretary of State website
requires California employers to provide employees up to two hours off
to vote if they do not have enough time to do so during non-work hours.
Workers can take up to two hours off without a loss of pay. The law requires workers to give their employers two working days’ notice before the election if they will need to take time off to vote.
Another option is early voting. Some counties in California offer early voting at a few locations before Election Day. An eligible voter should contact their county elections office to see if they offer early voting.
Early voting looks just like voting on Election Day. The voter arrives at the designated polling place and casts their vote in person.
California also offers a vote-by-mail option. It is a good option for people who don’t want to try and get off work in order to vote, and who do not live in an area where they can do early voting.
All
vote-by-mail ballots are counted. In general, the total vote — or
outcome of an election — that is declared in the news is done before the vote-by-mail ballots have been tallied. This
is why the winner of an election may change between election night and
…. however long it takes to count the vote-by-mail ballots.
California does not offer the following voting options:
Voters cannot cast their vote online in CaliforniaVoters cannot cast a vote by text in California
California Primary
In June of 2012, California started using the Top Two Candidate Open Primary system for statewide offices. All candidates for a given state or congressional office will be listed on a single Primary Election ballot. Voters can vote for the candidate of their choice for these offices. The top two candidates, as determined by the voters, will advance to the General Election in November.
The two candidates who receive the most votes qualify for the general election. It does not matter if one candidate receives a majority of the votes cast; the top two vote-getters always advance to the general election. Even if only one or two candidates are running for a Top Two office, there will still be a primary for that election.
Because candidates are not appearing on the ballot representing a party, it is possible for two candidates from the same party to be the top two vote-getters — who advance to the general election.
In short, the results of a Top Two system could potentially result in: one Republican and one Democrat; two Republicans; two Democrats, one candidate from a major party and one from a smaller party; two candidates from smaller parties.
Top Two Primaries in California are held for these offices:
United States SenatorsCongressional RepresentativesState SenatorsAssembly membersGovernorLt. GovernorState TreasurerSecretary of StateState Attorney General.
Top Two primaries are not held for elections of President and Vice President or Political Party County Central Committees or County Counsels.
California General Election
In the California General Election, voters can vote for the following offices:
U.S. SenateU.S. HouseState SenateState AssemblyGovernorCalifornia Statewide OfficesOther Statewide OfficesLocal GovernmentPresident / Vice President (if the General Election is not a Midterm Election)Various ballot measures
A change was made for 2020 that will make California’s voting in a primary election play a larger role than it did in the past. California’s 2016 primary election was held on June 7, 2016. The 2020 California primary will be held on March 3, 2020. That means California will be among the states voting on “Super Tuesday”.
This blog was originally posted on Medium on November 30, 2019.
The California Election System – Just the Facts is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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October 13, 2017CaliforniaOn October 9, 2017, California Governor Jerry Brown signed SB 17. This law requires pharmaceutical companies to give notice before raising prices. It protects consumers from greedy pharmaceutical companies that choose to raise the price of their drugs for no good reason. SB 17 makes it easier for the people of California to be able to continue to afford the medications that they need.
The information on the Governor of California’s official website says:
“Californians have a right to know why their medication costs are out of control, especially when pharmaceutical profits are soaring,” said Governor Brown.
SB 17 requires manufacturers to provide a 60-day notice if prices are raised more than 16 percent in a two-year period. The bill applies to drugs that have a wholesale price of more than $40 for a 30-day supply. SB 17 also requires health plans and insurers to file annual reports outlining how drug costs impact health care premiums in California.
SB 17 amended sections of an existing Health and Safety code. In other words, it is not a brand new law – it is an improvement upon the previously existing Health and Safety code. The section is very long, and many parts were amended by SB 17. Rather than list everything that changed, I will focus on some of the most significant portions of the amended Health and Safety Code.
Chapter 9. Prescription Drug Pricing for Purchasers
127675. (a) This chapter shall apply to a manufacturer of a prescription drug that is purchased or reimbursed by any of the following:
(1) A state purchaser in California, including, but not limited to, the Public Employees’ Retirement System, the State Department of Health Care Services, the Department of General Services, and the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or an entity acting on behalf of a state purchaser.
(2) A licensed health care service plan.
(3) A health insurer holding valid outstanding certificate of authority from the Insurance Commissioner.
(4) A pharmacy benefit manager as defined in subdivision (j) of Section 4430 of the Business and Professions Code.
(b) for the purposes of this chapter, the term “office” shall mean the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development.
127676. (a) The Legislature finds and declares that the State of California has a substantial public interest in the price and cost of prescription drugs. California is a major purchaser through the Public Employees’ Retirement System, the State Department of Health Care Services, the Department of General Services, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and other entities acting on behalf of a state purchaser. California also provides major tax expenditures through the tax exclusion of employer sponsored coverage and tax deductibility of coverage purchased by individuals, as well as tax deductibility of excess health care costs for individuals and families.
(b) (1) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this chapter to provide notice and disclosure of information relating to the cost and pricing of prescription drugs in order to provide accountability to the state for prescription drug pricing.
(2) It is further the intent of the Legislature to permit a manufacturer of a prescription drug to voluntarily make pricing decisions regarding a prescription drug, including any price increases. It is further the intent of the Legislation to permit purchasers, both public and private, as well as pharmacy benefit managers, to negotiate discounts and rebates consistent with existing state and federal laws.
127.677. (a) A manufacturer of a prescription drug with a wholesale acquisition cost of more than forty dollars ($40) for a course of therapy shall notify each purchaser described in Section 127675 if the increase in the wholesale acquisition cost of a prescription drug is more than 16 percent, including the proposed increase and the cumulative increases that occurred within the previous two calendar years prior to the current year. For purposes of this section, a “course of therapy” is defined as either of the following:
(1) The recommended daily dosage units of a prescription drug pursuant to its prescribing label as approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration for 30 days.
(2) The recommended daily dosage units of a prescription drug pursuant to its prescribing label as approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration for a normal course of treatment that is less than 30 days.
(b) The notice required by subdivision (a) shall be provided in writing at least 60 days prior to the planned effective date of the increase.
(c) (1) The notice required by subdivision (a) shall include the date of the increase, the current wholesale acquisition cost of the prescription drug, and the dollar amount of the future increase in the wholesale acquisition cost of the prescription drug.
(2) The notice required by subdivision (a) shall include a statement regarding whether a change or improvement in the drug necessitates the price increase. If so, the manufacturer shall describe the change or improvement.
(d) The notice required by subdivision (a) shall be provided to each state purchaser described in paragraphs (2) to (4), inclusive, of subdivision (a) of Section 127675 if a purchaser registers with the office for the purpose of this notification. The office shall make available to manufacturers a list of registered purchasers for the purpose of this notification.
(e) If a pharmacy benefit manager receives a notice of an increase in wholesale acquisition cost consistent with subdivision (a), it shall notify its large contracting public and private purchasers of the increase. For the purposes of this section, a “large purchaser” means a purchaser that provides coverage to more than 500 covered lives.
127679. (a) On a quarterly basis at a time prescribed by the office and in a format prescribed by the office, commencing no earlier than January 1, 2019, a manufacturer shall report to the office all of the following information for each drug for which an increase in wholesale acquisition cost is described in Section 127677:
(1) A description of the specific financial and non financial factors used to make the decision to increase the wholesale acquisition cost of the drug and the amount of the increase, including, but not limited to, an explanation of how these factors explain the increase in the wholesale acquisition cost of the drug.
(2) A schedule of wholesale acquisition cost increases for the drug for the previous five years if the drug was manufactured by the company.
(A) The wholesale acquisition cost of the drug at the time of acquisition and in the calendar year prior to acquisition.
(B) The name of the company from which the drug was acquired, the date acquired, and the purchase price.
(C) The year the drug was introduced to market and the wholesale acquisition cost of the drug at the time of introduction.
(4) The patent expiration date of the drug if it is under patent.
(5) If the drug is a multiple source drug, an innovator multiple source drug, a non innovator multiple source drug, or a single source drug, as defined in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (7) of subdivision (k) of Section 1396r-8 of Title 42 of the United States Code.
(6) A description of the change or improvement in the drug, if any, that necessitates the price increase.
(7) Volume of sales of the manufacturer’s drug in the United States for the previous year.
(b) The manufacturer may limit the information reported pursuant to subdivision (a) to that which is otherwise in the public domain or publicly available.
(c) The office shall publish the information provided to it pursuant to this section on its Internet Web site on no less than a quarterly basis. The information shall be published within 60 days of receipt from a manufacturer. The information shall be published in a manner that identifies the information that is disclosed on a per-drug basis and shall not be aggregated in a manner that would not allow identification of the drug.
(d) The office shall be responsible for the enforcement of this section.
(e) A manufacturer of a prescription drug subject to this chapter that does not report the required pursuant to this section is liable for a civil penalty of one thousand dollars ($1,000) per day for every day after the reporting period described in this section that the required information is not reported.
(f) A civil penalty shall be assessed and recovered in a civil action brought by the office in the name of the people of the State of California. Assessment of a civil penalty may, at the request of the manufacturer of a prescription drug subject to this section, be reviewed on appeal, and the penalty may be reduced or waived for good cause.
(g) Any money received by the office pursuant to this section shall be paid into the Managed Care Fund.
(Skipping ahead a bit here…)
127686. (a) By January 1, 2022, the California Research Bureau shall report to the Legislature on the implementation of this chapter, including, but not limited to, this chapter’s effectiveness in addressing the following goals:
(1) Promoting transparency in pharmaceutical pricing for the state and other payers.
(2) Enhancing understanding about pharmaceutical spending trends.
(3) Assisting the state and other payers in management of pharmaceutical drug costs.
(Skipping ahead a bit here…)
10123.205. (a) (1) A health insurer that reports rate information pursuant to (certain sections of the legislation) shall report the information described in paragraph (2) to the department no later than October 1 of each year, beginning with October 1, 2018.
(2) For all covered prescription drugs, including generic drugs, brand name drugs, and specialty drugs dispensed at a plan pharmacy, network pharmacy, or mail order pharmacy for outpatient use, all of the following shall be reported:
(A) The 25 most frequently prescribed drugs.
(B) The 25 most costly drugs by total annual plan spending.
(C) The 25 drugs with the highest year-over-year increase in total annual plan spending.
(b) The department shall compile the information reported pursuant to subdivision (a) into a report for the public and legislators that demonstrates the overall impact of drug costs on health care premiums. The data shall be aggregated and shall not reveal information specific to individual health insurers.
(c) For the purpose of this section, a “specialty drug” is one that exceeds the threshold for a specialty drug under the Medicare Part D program (Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (Public Law 108-173)).
(d) By January 1 of each year, beginning January 1, 2018, the department shall publish on its Internet Web site the report required pursuant to subdivision (b).
(e) After the report required in subdivision (b) is released, the department shall include the report as part of the public meeting required pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 10181.45.
(f) Except for the report required pursuant to subdivision (b), the department shall keep confidential all of the information provided to the department pursuant to this section, and the information shall be protected from public disclosure.
(Skipping ahead a bit here…)
(4) (A) For covered prescription generic drugs excluding specialty generic drugs, prescription brand name drugs excluding specialty drugs, and prescription brand name and generic specialty drugs dispensed at a pharmacy, network pharmacy, or mail order pharmacy for outpatient use, all of the following shall be disclosed:
(i) The percentage of the premium attributable to prescription drug costs for the prior year for each category of prescription drugs as defined in this subparagraph.
(ii) The year-over-year increase, as a percentage, in per-member, per-month total health insurer spending for each category of prescription drugs as defined in this subparagraph.
(iii) The year-over-year increase in per-member, per-month costs for drug prices compared to other components of the health care premium.
(iv) The specialty tier formulary list.
(B) The insurer shall include the percentage of the premium attributable to prescription drugs administered in a doctor’s office that are covered under the medical benefit as separate from the pharmacy benefit, if available.
(C) (i) The insurer shall include information on its use of a pharmacy benefit manager, if any, including which components of the prescription drug coverage described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) are managed by the pharmacy benefit manager.
(ii) The insurer shall also include the name or names of the pharmacy benefit manager, or managers if the insurer uses more than one.
What Does This Mean in “Plain English”?
The Hill reported the following on October 9, 2017, in an article titled “California governor signs drug pricing transparency measure”:
…The new law requires drug manufacturers to notify insurers before they raise the price of a prescription drug by more than 16 percent over a two-year period. Drug companies would also have to explain why the price is increasing.
The LA Times reported the following on October 9, 2017, in an article titled “Californians will get more information on what’s driving prescription drug prices law signed by governor”:
Gov. Jerry Brown approved a measure Monday to increase disclosure on prescription drug prices, the focal point of growing efforts to clamp down on climbing pharmaceutical costs.
Supporters call the law the nation’s most sweeping effort to make prescription drug pricing more transparent. The measure would require drugmakers to provide notice to health plans and other purchasers 60 days in advance of a planned price hike if the increase exceeds certain thresholds.
The measure, SB 17 by state Sen. Ed Hernandez (D-Azusa), will also require health plans to submit an annual report to the state that details the most frequently prescribed drugs, those that are most expensive and those that have been subject to the greatest year-to-year price increase….
…This disclosure, backers say, would help shed light on how prescription drugs are contributing to overall health care costs.
Los Angeles Daily News reported the following on October 12, 2017, in an article titled “New California state law challenges Pharma giants’ profits”
California Gov. Jerry Brown defied the drug industry by signing a sweeping drug price transparency bill that will force drugmakers to publicly justify big price hikes….
…The new law will require drug companies to give 60 days’ notice to state agencies and health insurers anytime they plan to raise the price of a drug by 16 percent or more over two years on drugs with a wholesale cost of $40 or higher. They must also explain why the increases are necessary.
The advance notification provisions take effect Jan. 1, while the other reporting requirements don’t kick in until 2019.
Brown said the bill is part of a larger effort to correct growing income inequality in the United States. He called on top pharmaceutical leaders to consider doing business in a way that helps Americans who are spending large sums of money for lifesaving medications.
“The rich are getting richer. The powerful are getting more powerful.” he said. “We’ve got to point to the evils, and there’s a real evil when so many people are suffering so much from rising drug profits.”…
…The bill drew support from a diverse coalition, including labor and consumer groups, the hospital industry and even health insurers, who agreed to share some of their own data. Under the new law, they will have to report what percentage of premium increases is related to drug prices….
The Sacramento Bee reported the following on October 9, 2017, in an article titled: “Why are prescription drugs so expensive? Californians may find out.”
California Gov. Jerry Brown moved to shed light on escalating prescription drug prices on Monday, signing heavily lobbied legislation requiring insurers to break down and provide drug costs to the state.
Senate Bill 17, which drew millions in opposition spending from the powerful pharmaceutical industry, is designed to arm the state with data on the percentage of health insurance premiums and premium increases that can be attributed to prescription drug costs.
Brown, in a signing ceremony in his office, said Californians have a right to know why their medical costs are “out of control, especially when pharmaceutical profits are soaring.”
“That’s the takeaway message,” Brown said, lamenting the growing inequities in California and throughout the country….
…SB 17 was viewed as a test of drug company influence at the state Capitol, yet it drew on a larger, more diverse list of supporters – from Health Access California, to the California Labor Federation, and business groups to key health care providers like Kaiser Permanente.
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June 25, 2017CaliforniaAssembly Member Anthony Rendon,
Please stop blocking SB 562 – the bill that could enable Californians to have access to single payer health care. It is extremely important, now more than ever, that the State of California take steps to protect people’s access to health care.
I’m sure you are aware of how detrimental the health care bills being passed in the United States House of Representatives, and going through the United State Senate, will be to people who are poor, who are disabled, who are elderly, who have chronic incurable illnesses, who need (or will need) nursing home care, who have preexisting conditions, who have cancer, or who will someday potentially be faced with a serious illness. If California enacted single payer health care – it would prevent the federal government from taking away the access to health care from the neediest Californians.
If I understand what I read in the news correctly, your position is that you believe that SB 562 is too expensive. Please allow me to refer you to an article posted in the Los Angeles Times on June 21, 2017, titled: “Single-payer healthcare is, in fact, very doable”. It was written by Robert Pollin, who cites research he and colleagues conducted regarding single payer health care in California.
Here is a link to the article.
Here are a few key paragraphs from the article:
“Enacting Healthy California would entail an overhaul of the state’s existing healthcare system, which now constitutes about 14% of California’s GDP. In particular, it would mean replacing the state’s private health insurance industry with government-managed insurance. Our study – which was also commissioned by the California Nurses Assn. – concludes not only that the proposal is financially sound, but that it will produce greater equity in the healthcare sector for families and businesses of all sizes.
“California will spend about $370 billion on healthcare in 2017. Assuming the state’s existing system stayed intact, the cost of extending coverage to all California residents, including the nearly 15 million people who are currently uninsured or underinsured, would increase healthcare spending by about 10%, to roughly $400 billion.
“That’s not the full story, though. Enacting a single-payer system would yield considerable savings overall by lowering administrative costs, controlling the prices of pharmaceuticals and fees for physicians and hospitals, reducing unnecessary treatments and expanding preventative care. We found that Healthy California could ultimately result in savings of about 18% bringing healthcare spending to about $331 billion, or 8% less than the current $370 billion.
How would California cover this $331-billion bill? For the most part, much the same way it covers healthcare spending right now. Roughly 70% of the state’s current spending is paid for through public programs, including Medicare and MediCal. This funding – totaling about $225 billion – would continue, as is required by law. It would simply flow through Healthy California rather than existing programs.”
Robert Pollin, the writer of the article, then goes on to give details about how California can raise the remaining $106 billion a year to cover the cost of replacing private insurance.
Assembly Member Rendon, I have friends who live in countries that have single payer health care. They are absolutely astounded by the ruthlessness of the American health insurance industry.
One person I know had a major surgery – which was covered for free in the UK – because they have single payer health care. If she lived in the United States she would be setting up a GoFundMe to cover the costs that health insurance refused to cover.
Another person I know recently had an elderly family member have need to be in the hospital due to a series of medical issues. The elderly family member was in the hospital for weeks. This family is in Australia – and the hospitalization, and all that went with it – was entirely covered because Australia has single payer health care. If my friend and his relative lived in the United States – they would be in debt from the medical bills, and unable to afford the next time the elderly relative needed to go to the hospital.
A friend who lives in Canada has had severe health issues taken care off for free – thanks to Canada’s single payer health care system. If this person was an American, he would likely not be able to see a doctor and get the care he needed for those health issues.
My friends outside of the United States are honestly saddened to the point of tears when they hear about what Americans are struggling with because of our current health care system. Please, Assembly Member Rendon, stop blocking single payer. Give Californians a chance to have the type of excellent care, and incredibly affordable care, that my friends in other countries are given. It’s the right thing to do.
As for me, to be honest, I’m terrified about what the federal government is trying to do in regards to repealing the Affordable Care Act. I have four chronic illnesses – none of which can be cured – and one of which WILL get worse as I age.
I’m in my 40’s now, and my rheumatoid arthritis is already painful enough to prevent me from being able to work as much as I did when I was younger. I applied for disability assistance, but was turned down, because I am able to occasionally write online articles for pay. If the federal government makes access to health care unaffordable for me, I honestly don’t know what I will to to prevent my rheumatoid arthritis from getting worse. I cannot imagine the amount of pain I will be in, or how I will cope with it.
My story is unique to me, but is similar to other Californians’. We need your help, Assembly Member Rendon. Please stop blocking single payer health care. This issue is so vitally important to me that I’m typing this email to you despite having stiff, aching, joints in my hands and wrists.
Please take the time to consider what I have written,
Thank you
An Open Letter to Assembly Member Anthony Rendon Regarding Single Payer Health Care is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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