Democrats demand a national coronavirus testing plan

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senate Democrats on Wednesday released a national coronavirus testing strategy, arguing that they’re filling a void left by the Trump administration, which hasn’t released a plan to scale up COVID-19 testing to allow Americans to return to work and school.

“The U.S. lags the world in testing and we lead the world in COVID-19 cases,” said Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich. “We are raising the alarm bells.”

The demand for a national strategy comes as health experts have reached consensus that the first step in allowing people to ease off social distancing is extensive and accessible testing so that people who are infected can isolate while others can go to work and school. In addition, they agree that effective antibody tests will be required so people know if they have been exposed to the virus and have recovered.

The Trump administration hasn’t done enough to develop a testing plan, Democrats say, pointing to a decrease in recorded COVID-19 testing last week. President Donald Trump has made clear that he wants the economy to reopen, but has not detailed how he would determine when to do that and how testing might factor into that decision.

Reopening society will require an “organized, coordinated and focused plan,” said Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y. “Not exactly the Trump administration’s strong suits.”

The Democrats’ goal would be to develop a plan to ensure testing is “fast, free and everywhere,” said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.

Democrats say they will try to get the requirement for a national testing strategy into the next major coronavirus relief bill, which Republicans and Democrats have not yet started seriously negotiating.

The Democrats’ plan — which is a white paper that they are looking to turn into legislation — would require the Trump administration to develop a strategic plan for the nation. It would provide emergency funding to quickly scale up access to testing, including the development of millions of tests and supplies, and a reliable pipeline of production.

The plan would also require the administration to ensure access to testing in every community, including areas that are now underserved, and public health infrastructure to better contain the virus, including more thorough contact tracing for people who develop COVID-19.

— Los Angeles Times

Inslee signs proclamations protecting stimulus checks, extending statute of limitations

OLYMPIA — In a sign of the sweeping power he’s wielding during the new coronavirus outbreak, Gov. Jay Inslee on Tuesday signed an emergency proclamation that suspends statutes of limitations for all crimes.

The proclamation also waives the one-year limit on raising post-conviction challenges in criminal convictions.

The goal is to give prosecutors more time to file criminal charges, and preserve the right of those convicted of crimes to challenge those convictions in court, the governor’s office said.

Inslee also signed a proclamation to help commercial truck drivers keep supplies flowing to stores.

The proclamation waives certain state laws for renewing or extending commercial driver licenses and commercial learner permits. It’s consistent with federal statutes that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has waived, the governor’s office said.

Also, Inslee signed a proclamation to protect consumer assets, including federal stimulus checks, from consumer debt collections.

The order suspends state laws that permit collection of consumer debt judgments, including bank account and wage garnishments, and waives accrual of post-judgment interest on consumer debt judgments.

The three proclamations are in effect through May 14.

— The News Tribune

SAT tests to move online, at home if coronavirus forces school closures in fall

High school students will be able to take an at-home, online SAT test if the coronavirus keeps schools closed into the fall, the College Board announced Wednesday.

“The College Board would ensure that at-home SAT testing is simple; secure and fair; accessible to all; and valid for use in college admissions,” a news release from the organization said. “Like the pencil-and-paper test, a digital, remote version of the SAT would measure what students are learning in school and what they need to know to be successful in college.”

The announcement comes as colleges across the country are making the SAT and ACT standardized tests optional as an admissions requirement for students entering college in fall 2021.

The nonprofit organization previously announced that it would similarly deliver digital exams for 3 million Advanced Placement students this spring.

The College Board announced the at-home possibility as one of three options it could give students who have not been able to take the SAT this spring or who have concerns about their ability to take it in the fall. Officials said in a web conference call Wednesday that 770,000 students scheduled to take the test this spring were unable to do so.

Other options for administering the test include offering a weekend test date every month beginning in August through the end of the calendar year, if it’s safe to do so from a public-health standpoint, and offering the SAT in schools. Almost all of the College Board’s state partners have expressed interest in testing during the school day in the fall, the organization said.

— Los Angeles Times

Gonzaga won’t require SAT, ACT scores this application season

Students applying to Gonzaga University will not need to submit SAT or ACT scores to be considered for the fall 2021 semester, as many testing opportunities have been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gonzaga said Tuesday it will continue reviewing applications “holistically,” accounting for applicants’ courses, grades, writing and extracurricular activities, including part-time jobs.

Gonzaga noted some high schools have switched to a “pass or fail” grading system while students take courses online. The university said “pass” grades won’t disadvantage students in the admission process.

Gonzaga students also are taking courses online, and the university has postponed graduation ceremonies until September due to the pandemic.

— The Spokesman-Review

Negotiations ramp up on small-business aid s funds run dry

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Top Democrats and the Trump administration were in talks Wednesday over how to provide additional funding for forgivable small-business loans as new data shows the program could be out of money before Friday.

Democratic staff from the House and Senate planned to meet with Treasury Department officials later on Wednesday, following a morning conversation between Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, according to a Schumer spokesman.

The talks are the first real sign of progress since the White House sent Congress a request for an additional $251 billion in funding for the so-called Paycheck Protection Program last week.

The initial $349 billion provided in last month’s $2.3 trillion economic rescue package for businesses shuttered by the COVID-19 pandemic is running out fast.

New data from the Small Business Administration show that as of Wednesday morning, there was just $60 billion left in the account. That’s after more than $40 billion was distributed on Tuesday, a “burn rate” that’s increasing as small businesses rush to their lenders for aid before the money runs out.

Top Republicans and administration officials have said for days the money could run out before this weekend. But the latest rush for cash suggests lawmakers and the White House may have even less time to strike a deal or risk leaving small businesses that haven’t yet been approved on the sidelines, at least temporarily.

The PPP is in such hot demand because it allows eligible firms to skip repayment on eight weeks’ worth of their loans, which are equal to up to 250% of monthly payroll expenses.

Companies are only able to spend up to one-fourth of the money on other fixed costs like rent and utilities, however, so Democrats want to boost allowable loans to 300% of payroll to enable companies to meet their nonpayroll expenses.

The average loan has been for around $239,000, according to the SBA.

— CQ-Roll Call

Feds award $192 million to Sea-Tac for coronavirus relief

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport will receive more than $192 million in relief funds, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced Tuesday.

The grant is part of a $10 billion package of aid disbursed through the CARES Act stimulus package for airports struggling under travel restrictions meant to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Airport-industry group Airports Council International began lobbying for the money in mid-March, as flight cancellations and social-distancing measures ballooned airports’ loss projections.

Funds were allocated, in part, based on airport traffic. Atlanta, by some measures the country’s busiest airport, received $338 million through the program.

At Sea-Tac, airlines have cut their capacity by more than 50% and the airport has seen a 90% drop in passenger traffic compared to last year, airport director Lance Lyttle said recently.

Other Washington airports received smaller chunks of money. Spokane International was awarded $29.6 million, and Boeing Field, Pangborn Memorial Airport in Wenatchee, Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport and Walla Walla Regional Airport received $18 million apiece.

The rest of the 62 grants to Washington airports ranged in size from $5.8 million for the Tri-Cities Airport to $1,000 for municipal airports in Rosalia and Cle Elum.

Airports are required to spend the money on capital expenditures, operating expenses including payroll and utilities, or debt payments. The terms of the grant also stipulate that primary airports like Sea-Tac cannot lay off more than 10% of their direct employees.

— The Seattle Times