What You Need to Know: President Trump Signs Cares Act Delivering Economic Relief; Invokes Defense Production Act

Please see last night’s correspondence from the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs below.

March 27, 2020:
State and Local Elected Officials –

Today, President Trump took two significant actions to continue the Administration’s whole-of-government, all-of-America approach to combatting COVID-19 (coronavirus). First, the President signed a $2.2 trillion stimulus package to provide relief to American families, healthcare workers, small businesses, and State/Tribal/Local governments. Second, President Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum directing General Motors to produce ventilators to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Below, please find additional information and helpful resources.

President Donald J. Trump Signs the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES)

Following extensive negotiations between the Trump Administration and Congressional Leaders, President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES). The $2.2 trillion economic relief package provides American families, healthcare workers, and small businesses with the economic support they need to get through this challenging time. The package includes $1,200 payments to qualifying Americans, $100 billion in direct support for hospitals, and over $370 billion to small business owners to keep their employees on the payroll. It also includes direct relief for State, Tribal, and local governments through the $150 billion Coronavirus Relief Fund. Each State will receive at least $1.25 billion. $8 billion is set aside for tribal governments. This aid comes on top of the Family First Coronavirus Aid Package, enacted last week. State/Local/Tribal provisions include:

· $150 billion in direct aid to State, Tribal, and local governments. Aid will be allocated primarily by a State’s population with each State receiving at least $1.25 billion.

· $340 billion in additional emergency supplemental funding to combat the coronavirus outbreak.

· $500 billion for loans and guarantees that authorize the U.S. Treasury to support eligible businesses and States and local governments to cover losses incurred as a result of COVID-19.

· $100 billion for hospitals and health care facilities to reimburse expenses or lost revenues not otherwise reimbursed that are directly attributable to COVID-19.

· $3.5 billion to allow States to expand childcare benefits for healthcare workers, first responders, and others on the frontlines of this crisis.

· Read more here: President Donald J. Trump Is Providing Economic Relief to American Workers, Families, and Businesses Impacted by the Coronavirus

President Trump Invokes Defense Production Act (DPA) Requiring General Motors to Produce Ventilators

Statement from the President: President Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to use any and all authority available under the Defense Production Act to require General Motors to accept, perform, and prioritize Federal contracts for ventilators. Our negotiations with GM regarding its ability to supply ventilators have been productive, but our fight against the virus is too urgent to allow the give-and-take of the contracting process to continue to run its normal course. GM was wasting time. Today’s action will help ensure the quick production of ventilators that will save American lives.

Apple Announces COVID-19 Screening Tool in Partnership with the White House and Administration

As a direct result of President Donald J. Trump’s all-of-America campaign to combat COVID-19, Apple Inc. has partnered with the White House, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop an interactive COVID-19 Screening Tool, now available on //Apple.com/COVID19 and as an app named COVID-19 in the App Store (learn more here). Users can also find links to these tools at Coronavirus.gov. This new tool guides users through a set of questions covering symptoms, risk factors, and potential exposure. The tool then generates recommendations provided by the CDC for users based on the inputs they provided. Those CDC recommendations will be updated regularly. In addition, the CDC will be open-sourcing the underlying recommendations and algorithms, allowing other private-sector entities to build additional innovative tools. The recommendations and algorithms will be published at open.cdc.gov. The White House commends companies like Apple Inc. for answering President Trump’s call for a public-private alliance against this invisible enemy.

The White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs (WH IGA) will continue to share pertinent information as it becomes available. Please do not hesitate to reach out to our office directly if we can be of assistance. As a reminder, WH IGA is the primary liaison between the White House and the country’s State and local elected officials and Tribal Governments.

The White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
William F. Crozer
Special Assistant to the President/Deputy Director
White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs

COVID-19: Important Resources for State and Local Officials

· Coronavirus Guidelines for America: The White House Coronavirus Task Force issued guidelines –15 Days to Slow the Spread (Español)– to help protect all Americans during the global Coronavirus outbreak. Even if you are young and otherwise healthy, you are at risk—and your activities can increase the risk of contracting the Coronavirus for others. Everyone can do their part. The recommendations are simple to follow but will have a resounding impact on public health. Find the guidelines here:

· Up-To-Date Information: The most up-to-date, verified information and guidance can be found via the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Coronavirus Disease 2019 website – www.coronavirus.gov. The Coronavirus Task Force holds frequent briefings, which can be viewed live here.

· COVID-19 Response and Recovery Primer: Response and recovery efforts are locally executed, state managed, and federally supported. It is important that requests for assistance, including for critical supplies, get routed through the proper channels as soon as possible. Learn more about the response and recovery process via this important resource – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic: Response and Recovery Through Federal-State-Local-Tribal Partnership. FEMA’s public assistance guidance for COVID-19 response efforts can be found here.

· Coronavirus Fact vs. Myth: Rumors can easily circulate within communities during a crisis. FEMA setup a website to help the public distinguish between rumors and facts regarding the response to the coronavirus pandemic.

· Fraud & Scam Protection: The Department of Justice is remaining vigilant in detecting, investigating, and prosecuting wrongdoing related to the crisis. Find out how you can protect yourself and helpful resources on DOJ’s Coronavirus Fraud Prevention website. The Federal Trade Commission has also established a website with helpful information to help consumers avoid coronavirus-related scams.

· Social Media Resources: Download the Apple COVID-19 Screening Tool. Follow the White House on Twitter and Facebook. Also follow HHS (Twitter/Facebook) and CDC (Twitter/Facebook) You can also find informational videos from Coronavirus Task Force members on mitigation, social distancing, etc. on the White House’s YouTube page.

· Administration Actions and Federal Agency ResourcesUSA.gov is cataloging all U.S. government activities related to coronavirus. From actions on health and safety to travel, immigration, and transportation to education, find pertinent actions here. Each Federal Agency has also established a dedicated coronavirus website, where you can find important information and guidance. They include: Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers of Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Department of Education (DoED), Department of Agriculture (USDA), Small Business Administration (SBA), Department of Labor (DOL), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of State (DOS), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of the Interior (DOI), Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Commerce (DOC), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Department of the Treasury (USDT), Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), and U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC).