As the United State continues to battle coronavirus and emerging, potentially more dangerous strains, President Joe Biden is doing everything in his power to fix the calamitous problems left behind by the Trump Administration. In an effort to do that, he has outlined the American Rescue Plan to fix the vaccine distribution crisis, offer aid directly to struggling American families, support states and local communities who’ve been bearing the brunt of pandemic response, protect workers, and contain the pandemic.
But Republicans in Congress are already signalling opposition to the plan, despite that their own constituents are suffering.
Senator Marco Rubio Is Urging President Biden to Drop Important Provisions for States, Schools, Vaccine Distribution, and Unemployment Despite the Economic Hardship, Vaccine Chaos, and Spiking Death Rate Faced by Floridians.
- Florida Deaths To COVID-19 Are “As High As Ever,” The State Reporting Over 200 Deaths Yesterday Alone. “Deaths attributed to the disease are as high as ever. Of 231 deaths the Florida Department of Health included in Tuesday’s report, 39 of them were in the 11 counties tracked by News4Jax, including 14 in Clay County, 10 in Duval County and eight in Flagler County and three deaths in Baker County. Alachua, Bradford County and Alachua, Bradford and St. Johns counties each reported two new deaths… Florida has averaged reporting more than 175 additional people dying for the past two weeks.” [News4Jax, 1/26/21]
- Florida Has Distributed Only Half Of The Vaccines Allocated To The State By The Federal Government. “President Joe Biden’s press secretary said Monday that Florida has used only half of its COVID-19 vaccines from the federal government, noting that the state — where over-65 residents have been struggling to get appointments for the shots — has ‘a good deal of the vaccine…’ According to the Centers for Disease Control, Florida has used 53% of COVID-19 doses that have been distributed to the state by the federal government. Florida’s 53% usage rate of COVID-19 doses is the same as the national average.” [Miami Herald, 1/25/21]
- Tens Of Thousands Of Florida’s Seniors Have Struggled To Get The Vaccine As A Result Of Governor DeSantis’ Problems With Rollout. “As doses of vaccines flowed into Florida by the tens of thousands, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order on distribution. Instead of following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prioritize essential workers and those over 75, he offered the vaccine to all the state’s 4.5 million seniors 65 and older. That sparked overwhelming demand. Thousands of seniors across the state waited in lines, some slept overnight in their cars or on lawn chairs to get inoculated at vaccination centers. Others maneuvered through jammed phone lines and crashed websites to get appointments. And some would just show up, hoping to get lucky and get a shot. But tens of thousands of others — perhaps less healthy, perhaps with fewer resources — were left out.” [CNN, 1/9/21]
- Florida’s “Morally Shocking” Vaccine Inequities Privilege The Wealthy. “The haphazard vaccination system, which varies county by county, is tilted toward those who can monitor social media and book appointments online before the slots run out. It’s a system that so far has favored the wealthy. An analysis by the Miami Herald found the zip code in the county with the highest vaccination rate was Fisher Island, a wealthy enclave where half of the residents have gotten shots. The lowest was Opa-locka, where more than 40% of residents live in poverty. Florida’s Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried says, ‘We have seen numbers that should be morally shocking.’ Fried, the only Democrat holding a statewide office, says vaccine distribution has left out many African-Americans. In Miami-Dade County, where African Americans make up nearly 17% of the population, state records show they’ve received just 6% of vaccinations. ‘That is completely unacceptable,’ Fried says.” [NPR, 1/27/21]
- Florida Renters Face The Second Highest Risk Of Eviction Of Any State In America As Just Over 20 Percent Of Florida’s Renters Are Behind On Payments. “The Sunshine State came in second place among states with the highest risks of eviction, right behind South Carolina. In Florida, 15.6 percent of all rental households throughout the state are at risk of eviction in the next two months. This is nearly twice the national percentage of 8.4 percent. Just over 20 percent of all rental households in Florida are behind on their rent payments. And of these households behind on their rent payments, 77.5 percent are at risk of eviction within the next two months. This far outstrips the national number of 49.1 percent of households behind on their rent facing eviction in the next two months. (Not that that number is anything to brag about either.)” [Orlando Weekly, 12/8/21]
The Pandemic Is Expected to Worsen in Maine, as Senator Susan Collins Dismisses the Biden Team’s Efforts to Deliver More Aid
- Maine’s Daily Seven-Day Average For New Infections Is Up From One Month Ago. “The new case rate statewide Tuesday is 4.95 cases per 10,000 residents, and the total case rate statewide is 281.74. Maine’s seven-day average for new coronavirus cases is 493.7, up from 455.1 a day ago, down from 610.1 a week ago and up from 404 a month ago.” [Bangor Daily News, 1/26/21]
- Even As The Nation Is Seeing Cases And Hospitalizations Decline, The Pandemic In Maine Is Still Expected To Get Worse. “An often-cited predictive model suggests the coronavirus pandemic in Maine may continue to worsen during a national decline as the state manages a vaccine rollout that has been slower nationally than officials hoped and girds for a more contagious strain of the virus. Maine set records last week with three consecutive days of more than 800 virus cases. Though case totals dropped slightly this week, two major hospitals saw record hospitalizations and the state’s top health official said it was premature to say whether cases have flattened after a post-holiday surge.” [Bangor Daily News, 1/22/21]
- In The Last Days Of The Trump Presidency, Maine Saw Hundreds Of Doses Of Vaccine Spoiled Due To A Lack Of Federal Support. “When trucks arrived at 35 sites across Maine on Monday, workers opened them to inspect hundreds of vials of the Moderna vaccine — another key shipment in the state’s efforts to inoculate residents from the coronavirus. But when they looked at the electronic thermometers outside the boxes, they quickly found a problem: a red ‘X’ on the monitors’ screens, alerting them that the vials had spoiled because of improper temperatures at some point along the journey.” [Washington Post, 1/20/21]
Governor DeWine Would “Welcome” the Federal Vaccination Sites Promised in the American Rescue Plan, But Senator Rob Portman Is Urging the Biden Administration to Scale Back the Package
- Coronavirus Deaths In Ohio Remain High, Even As Cases Improve Slightly. “The Ohio Department of Health reported 4,262 new cases Tuesday alongside 88 new deaths, 295 new hospitalizations and 40 new ICU admissions. Gov. Mike DeWine announced Ohio’s statewide 10 p.m. curfew could be extended to 11 p.m. as early as Thursday due to improving COVID-19 case numbers. But while numbers of new cases are on the decline, the number of daily deaths due to the virus remains high. The Ohio Department of Health reported 4,262 new cases Tuesday alongside 88 new deaths, 295 new hospitalizations and 40 new ICU admissions.” [WCPO, 1/26/21]
- Ohio Lost 11,500 Jobs In December. “Ohio lost 11,500 jobs between November and December, newly released figures show, indicating the state is still struggling to recover from the coronavirus pandemic… George Zeller, a Cleveland-based economic research analyst, also said job figures, which come from a survey of employers, are generally more reliable than the state’s unemployment rate to gauge the health of the job market. These latest job numbers, Zeller said, show that Ohio is still stuck in a recession.” [The Plain Dealer, 1/22/21]
- Unemployment Claims In Ohio Are Rising, Weekly Initial Claims Jumping 15 Percent In The Week Ending January 16 Compared To The Week Before. “The number of Ohioans filing initial claims for unemployment compensation during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic jumped last week, according to state data released Thursday. The latest figures show Ohioans filed 42,975 initial jobless claims for the week ending Jan. 16, a 15% increase over the previous week, the Department of Job and Family Services said.” [Associated Press, 1/21/21]
- As Of January 23, Less Than Half Of Ohio’s Vaccine Doses Had Been Distributed. “According to the the latest numbers from the CDC, less than half of the vaccine doses distributed to Ohio have actually made it into people’s arms. As of Friday, the center reports 1,233,075 coronavirus vaccines have been distributed to the state, with 594,924 administered.” [WKYC, 1/23/21]
- As Of January 22, Ohio Ranked “Dead Last” Among States In Administering Second Doses Of The Vaccine. “Ohio is dead last among states in administering a second dose of the coronavirus vaccine to residents, which state officials attribute to prioritizing nursing homes and delays in scheduling initial doses. About 0.38% of Ohio’s population has received both doses required for the two vaccines on the market, according to an Associated Press analysis of federal data as of Jan. 22. That ranks Ohio last among all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Kentucky, which has administered about half as many second doses, ranked two spots ahead of Ohio with 0.51%.” [Cincinnati Enquirer, 1/22/21]
- Governor Mike DeWine: “We Would Welcome The Federal Government Coming In And Setting Up Mass Sites.” “DeWine said the state is prepared to move to mass vaccine and mobile distribution sites and has already identified more than 100 places where that could happen. ‘We would welcome the federal government coming in and setting up mass sites, but only if it means that more vaccine is coming into Ohio,’ the governor said.” [Associated Press, 1/20/21]
Pennsylvania Continues to Face High Viral Transmission and High Unemployment, But Senator Pat Toomey Is Baselessly Calling the American Rescue Plan “Economically Harmful”
- 66 Counties In Pennsylvania Have “Substantial” Transmission Status, While Every County Has A Test Positivity Rate Above 5 Percent. “The Wolf Administration [on January 25] released a weekly status update detailing the state’s mitigation efforts based on the COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring System dashboard, highlighting a seven-day case increase of 31,140, a statewide percent positivity of 10.5% and 66 counties with substantial transmission status… Every county in the state has a concerning percent positivity above 5 percent. This includes two counties with percent positivity at or above 20 percent.” [Office Of Governor Tom Wolf, Press Release, 1/25/21]
- Coronavirus Deaths In Pennsylvania Remain High. “[Pennsylvania’s] daily death increase has stayed relatively consistent for over a month. On Tuesday, 219 new deaths brought the state’s seven-day death average to 202. Since topping 200 for the first time on Dec. 16, the average has fluctuated between 150 and 225 — it only dropped into the 150s right after the Christmas holiday due to slower reporting.” [Lehigh Valley Live, 1/26/21]
- Pennsylvania Is Reporting A High Unemployment Rate Of 6.7 Percent As The Labor Force Shrinks And Jobs Are Slashed. “Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate was 6.7%, down one-tenth of a percentage point from November’s adjusted rate of 6.8%, the state Department of Labor and Industry said. In a survey of households, the labor force — a measure of people working or looking for work — shrank by an estimated 15,000 in December, falling below 6.3 million… Payrolls in Pennsylvania fell in December by almost 38,000, remaining just above 5.6 million, according to surveys of employers.” [Associated Press, 1/22/21]
Though the American Rescue Plan Would Support Workers Like Those in Alaska Facing Outbreaks, Senator Lisa Murkowski Has Signalled Opposition to the Package
- An Outbreak At A Seafood Plant In Akutan, Alaska Has Infected 135 Workers And Forced 700 To Quarantine. “A COVID-19 outbreak at the Trident Seafoods plant in the tiny, remote community of Akutan now encompasses 135 workers including several sick enough to require medevacs to Anchorage. The plant, North America’s largest, right now has about 700 workers quarantined on an island in the Bering Sea with the nearest hospital hundreds of miles away. Trident is taking the unusual step of stockpiling medical supplies including ventilators in case weather grounds air ambulances.” [Anchorage Daily News, 1/26/21]
Republicans Are Opposed to the American Rescue Plan, Even as North Carolina Faces High Unemployment and a Skyrocketing Death Toll
- North Carolina Has Reported More Than 100 Deaths A Day Five Times In The Past Week. “The state Department of Health and Human Services reported 139 deaths on Wednesday, the fifth time in a week and the 10th time this month that the state has reported over 100 in a day.” [Raleigh News & Observer, 1/27/21]
- North Carolina Has Reported More Than 2,000 Coronavirus Deaths In The Month Of January — 23 Percent Of The State’s Pandemic Total. “North Carolina has now reported 2,095 COVID-19 deaths in January, over 23% of deaths of the entire pandemic in the state.” [Raleigh News & Observer, 1/27/21]
- North Carolina Continues To Have A High Jobless Rate Of 6.2 Percent, With More Than 300,000 People Unemployed. “The state’s seasonally adjusted December unemployment rate was 6.2 percent, remaining unchanged from November’s revised rate. The national rate remained unchanged at 6.7 percent…The number of people unemployed decreased 630 over the month to 310,675 and increased 124,552 over the year.” [North Carolina Department of Commerce, 1/26/21]
- North Carolina’s Vaccine Distribution Efforts Require More Staffing And Logistics Support. “Every time someone gets a shot in North Carolina, their information is uploaded to the COVID-19 Vaccine Management System… Health officials from at least eight counties told CBS 17 they’ve had difficulty using the $7.1 million system…. The state said it’s improving the new system, and supporting anyone in need. However, it’s not the only issue counties are facing when it comes to receiving vaccine doses. Several counties said they wish they knew sooner how many doses they’ll get each week to help with scheduling and planning. Some said they need more vaccine and more staffing.” [WNCN, 1/18/21]
After Voting Multiple Times to Block Stimulus Checks, Senator Ron Johnson Should Provide Relief to Wisconsinites
- Though New Coronavirus Infections In Wisconsin Are Declining, Deaths Are On The Rise. “Although the number of new confirmed coronavirus infections in Wisconsin was back above 1,000 on Tuesday, the rolling average of new cases continued to decline. The state Department of Health Services reported 1,301 new cases on Tuesday, or 23.9% of the 5,448 total tests done. There were also 54 new deaths. The seven-day average of new cases fell to 1,545, but the seven-day average of new deaths rose to 34.” [Fox 11, 1/26/21]
- Wisconsin’s Unemployment Rate Increased In December. “Wisconsin’s unemployment rate ticked slightly up to 5.5 percent in December, according to data compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and released Thursday by the state Department of Workforce Development (DWD). That’s slightly worse than November, when Wisconsin’s revised unemployment rate was 5.3 percent.” [Wisconsin Public Radio, 1/21/21]
- Wisconsin DHS Deputy Press Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk: “We Are Still At Very, Very High Rates Of Disease… It’s Still A Big Old Forest Fire Burning.” “‘Even though we have encouraging news — that rates of disease appear to be declining — we are still at very, very high rates of disease in [Wisconsin],’ DHS Deputy Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk said at a media briefing. ‘We’re starting to see some control of it around the edges, but it’s still a big old forest fire burning.’” [Spectrum 1 News, 1/27/21]
Senator Mitt Romney Opposes The American Rescue Plan as Utah Struggles to Distribute the Vaccine and as the State Reports Record Deaths
- One In Five Of Utah’s Deaths To Coronavirus Occurred In January 2021. “[Utah’s] death toll has risen at an accelerated pace in recent weeks. It’s been just over 10 months since the first COVID-19 death was reported in Utah. More than 1 in 5 of the 1,597 deaths in the state has been recorded since the beginning of 2021. With a week remaining in January, there have been 328 deaths — 20.5% of the state’s total.” [Salt Lake Tribune, 1/25/21]
- There Are Still 20,000 More People Unemployed In Utah Now Than Before The Pandemic. “According to [Governor Spencer Cox’s] press release, ‘the number of unemployed Utahns was estimated at 60,100 in December, which remains about 20,000 higher than pre-pandemic levels. Arts, entertainment and hospitality continue to lag.’” [Utah Public Radio, 1/22/21]
- As Of January 20, Roughly Half Of The Vaccine Doses Delivered To Utah Had Not Been Administered. “Utah’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan drew concern and questions Wednesday morning from Utah legislators on a social services appropriations committee. By the state health department’s figures, roughly half the coronavirus vaccine doses delivered to Utah have not been administered. One legislator described the roll-out as ‘inefficient and ineffective.’ Another said the state has put ‘bottlenecks’ in the program.” [2KUTV, 1/20/21]