What's next from Congress in coronavirus stimulus legislation?
With three coronavirus bills now signed into law, Congress is beginning to discuss their next legislative steps, including an interim bill and a second CARES Act to follow the historic $2 trillion aid package passed last month.
The interim bill, which could be considered as soon as Thursday, would address the new Paycheck Protection Program, the forgivable small-business loan program created by the first CARES Act.
That legislation provided $350 billion for the program, but less than a week after it launched, some lawmakers expressed concern that it would quickly run out of money after reports of banks and the Small Business Administration being overwhelmed by demand.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said in a statement that after the interim legislation, they would press for passage of another major stimulus and relief package that would expand on the $2 trillion aid bill passed late last month.
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California governor says 68 more patients died in past day
California’s Gov. Gavin Newsom said that as of Wednesday the state has had a total number of 16,957 individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19, with 1,154 in intensive care units, and 2,714 hospitalized.
He said that 68 individuals died from COVID-19 over the last 24 hours in the state, adding to a total death toll of 442 in the state of California.
Florida governor wears one glove during his presser
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appears to have only worn one glove during a press briefing on Wednesday afternoon.
Last week, DeSantis issued a stay-at-home executive order in a bid to slow the spread of coronavirus for the entire state after weeks of resistance. The order does not bar churches from holding services.
African Americans 'disproportionately affected' by coronavirus, CDC report finds
Severe cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, are disproportionately affecting African American communities, according to a report published Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The analysis includes data from 1,482 coronavirus patients hospitalized in 14 states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee and Utah.
Video shows inmate pleading for help inside Ohio federal prison
A video recorded inside an Ohio federal prison where at least three inmates have died from COVID-19 has gone viral on social media, garnering hundreds of thousands of views after being posted to YouTube on April 5.
The video, which was recorded inside the Elkton Federal Prison, was taken by an unidentified inmate inside the facility. He can be heard pleading for help, his face covered in a mask.
“They literally leaving us in here to die,” he says. “I don’t know what to do.”
In an effort to contain the outbreak inside the prison, Governor Mike DeWine announced on April 6 that the Ohio National Guard was being deployed to the Elkton facility to provide medical assistance.
In a statement to NBC News on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of Prisons said that the video is currently under investigation.
“We can confirm that after identifying the inmates in the video from FCI Elkton, none of them were symptomatic of COVID-19.”
Elkton Federal Prison officials did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment.
Jails are releasing inmates amid coronavirus. N.Y. just took a step to lock more people up.
Last week, as law enforcement officials around the country were cutting jail populations to blunt the spread of the coronavirus, New York lawmakers did something that could lead to more people getting locked up.
The state Legislature changed course on a 2019 law that restricted the use of cash bail, tucking new caveats into a last-minute budget bill signed Friday by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
The revisions are a reminder that changes to the criminal justice system remain works in progress, and still face resistance — even during a global health crisis that has drawn public attention to the conditions behind bars in the nation.
John Prine's wife issues statement: 'Take this virus seriously'
John Prine's wife Fiona Whelan Prine issued a statement Wednesday following the death of the singer-songwriter, who Bruce Springsteen called "one of the best we had," from complications related to coronavirus. He was 73.
"We have no words to describe the grief our family is experiencing at this time," she wrote.
"I sat with John — who was deeply sedated — in the hours before he passed," she continued, "and will be forever grateful for that opportunity.
"My dearest wish is that people of all ages take this virus seriously and follow guidelines set by the CDC," she concluded. "We send our condolences and love to the thousands of other American families who are grieving the loss of loved ones at this time — and to so many other families across the world.
"Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the outpouring of love we have received from family, friends and fans all over the world. John will be so missed but he will continue to comfort us with his words and music and the gifts of kindness, humor and love he left for all of us to share."
Tyler Perry buys groceries for shoppers in Atlanta and Louisiana
Kroger shoppers in the Atlanta-area were in for a surprise at the checkout lane Wednesday when they discovered their groceries had been paid for already.
Filmmaker Tyler Perry paid for the groceries at 44 of the stores locations in the area, a Kroger representative confirmed to NBC affiliate WXIA. Perry did the same for 29 Winn Dixie locations in Louisiana, according to NBC affiliate WWL in New Orleans.
"We would like to join our customers in thanking Mr. Perry for his kindness and generosity during this unprecedented pandemic," Felix B. Turner, a Kroger corporate affairs manager, said to WXIA.