We have long known that people 65 and older have the highest risk of dying from the coronavirus, and we have seen outbreaks become rampant in nursing homes and long-term care facilities. This has created anxiety for seniors and their families across the country, but only recently is the full picture of the coronavirus’s toll on U.S. nursing homes becoming clear.
Read MoreThe onset of the COVID-19 pandemic earlier this year has thrown into disarray many of the legislative priorities Congress was hoping to tackle by year’s end. Since March, Congress has shifted its attention almost entirely to mitigating the impact of the virus, passing a series of packages aimed at bolstering support to those directly dealing with the outbreak, and to aid individuals and businesses experiencing financial hardship. As state economies gradually reopen, Congress has continued negotiations on additional COVID-oriented relief bills. It has also resumed consideration of “must pass” legislative vehicles, such as the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) appropriations, and a surface transportation reauthorization bill. Other timely measures, such as police reform, have also received attention.
Read MoreThe economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic has left many Americans struggling to provide basic nutrition for their families. Beyond the impacts on individual households, food production facilities, where social distancing is difficult, have been hit hard by the virus, reducing capacity and, in some cases, forcing closures. This has left American farmers facing food waste, resulted in barren grocery store shelves and rising food prices, and reduced routine donations to food banks.
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