New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont on Monday announced an unprecedented regional effort to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). In a joint statement, they said that restaurants, bars, theaters, gyms and casinos must close in the three states, effective 8 PM Monday. [...]
The US District Court for the District of Columbia issued an injunction late Friday blocking a rule change that would have cut food stamp benefits to nearly 700,000 people. The rule would have affected able-bodied adults without children who receive assistance from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), requiring them to work a minimum of [...]
The House passed a COVID-19 emergency package early this morning. The bill’s approval comes after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin spent Friday negotiating the details of the measure. The “Families First Coronavirus Response Act” (H.R. 6201) includes numerous provisions to directly combat the spread of COVID-19. The bill requires testing of the [...]
The US Supreme Court announced that beginning on Thursday, at 4:30 PM, it will close until further notice over concerns for health and safety amidst the COVID-19 outbreak. The Court briefly announced on its website that it will remain open for “official business” but case filing deadlines will not be extended under Rule 30.1. Cases [...]
President Trump declared a national emergency today in a press conference at the White House Rose Garden. Trump did not cite the provision he would use to declare the emergency but did state that under the Stafford Act he had “very strong emergency powers…and if I need to do something, I’ll do it.” If the [...]
The US State Department has announced Wednesday that the G7 Summit will be held virtually to better accommodate efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 (the novel Coronavirus). The G7 was originally set to be hosted in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania later this month. The G7 has included Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the [...]
Officials in Seattle and San Francisco announced Wednesday that they are banning large public gatherings in an attempt to halt the ongoing spread of COVID-19. Governor Jay Inslee banned all gatherings and events of more than 250 people. The ban is specifically aimed at the King, Snohomish, and Pierce Counties for the month of March. [...]
US President Donald Trump announced a new ban on travel to and from Europe late Wednesday night in a public address from the Oval Office. The President’s address began by discussing the nature of the pandemic and attempting to reassure Americans that they would survive this current disease. The President reiterated recent moves to fight [...]
The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) announced Wednesday that the coronavirus strain known as COVID-19 is now officially classified as a pandemic. The director also noted that although this distinction “does not change WHO’s assessment of the threat posed by this virus,” it should also be recognized that “we have never before seen [...]
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called Tuesday for the humanitarian release of Americans unlawfully detained in Iran amidst growing concerns about the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Iranian prisons. Pompeo warned that the US would hold Tehran responsible if any of the citizens died from COVID-19, stating “our response will be decisive.” Pompeo later alleged [...]
