Tipsheet: Pressure for quick action on next relief bill strains GOP unity

View in your browser     Pressure for quick action on next relief bill strains GOP unity By Alexander Bolton   The pressure on Congress to act swiftly on another round of coronavirus relief is creating tension among Republicans. While some GOP lawmakers are seeking to hold back, at least for now, on charging forward with another massive economic package, others like Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) are calling for a rapid infusion of federal aid costing trillions of dollars. Read the full story here     Why the White House is highlighting virus 'positivity rates' By Peter Sullivan   A key metric is cropping up more and more at the coronavirus task force briefings. Read the full story here     GOP lawmakers: Fauci may be doing more harm than good By J. Edward Moreno   Republican Reps. Andy Biggs (Ariz.) and Ken Buck (Colo.) criticized Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, for the impact of his social distancing recommendations, claiming that the stay-at-home policies informed by those recommendations have forced businesses, workers and corporations into economic turmoil. Read the full story here     Top conservatives voice concerns over restrictions on religious gatherings due to COVID-19 By Juliegrace Brufke   House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) and Rep. Jody Hice (R-Ga.) raised concerns that restrictions put in place amid the coronavirus pandemic are infringing on Americans' religious freedom. Read the full story here       US coronavirus cases top half a million By Jesse Byrnes   More than 500,000 coronavirus cases have been reported across the U.S. as of Saturday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, as officials weigh plans on how and when to ease measures aimed at curbing the virus's spread. Read the full story here     Cuomo: New York deaths stabilizing at 'horrific rate' By Tal Axelrod   New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) said Saturday that the death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in his state is stabilizing, but at a “horrific rate,” while the hospitalization rate is down. Read the full story here     Reproductive rights groups ask Supreme Court to ease Texas abortion restrictions amid pandemic By John Kruzel and Martin Johnson   Reproductive rights groups on Saturday filed an emergency request asking the Supreme Court to ease abortion restrictions in Texas put in place amid the coronavirus outbreak. Read the full story here     WHO investigating reports of coronavirus patients testing positive again By Tal Axelrod   The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed on Saturday it is investigating reports of some recovered coronavirus patients testing positive for the illness after initially testing negative. Read the full story here     Federal officials fired by Trump face tough road in court By John Kruzel   President Trump’s recent shake-up of agency watchdogs has his critics fuming, but legal experts say that federal officials fired for even apparently political reasons have little legal recourse. Read the full story here     Biden sees opening over Trump with older voters By Amie Parnes   Joe Biden’s campaign sees a big opening with a key demographic in the general election: senior citizens. Read the full story here     Unemployment insurance 'fix' will make the COVID-19 recession worse By Tim Kaine   OPINION | More than 16 million Americans have lost their jobs so far due to the COVID-19 pandemic, based on new claims for unemployment insurance, known as UI. Known to be one of the best indicators of recession, jobless claims are reported every Thursday morning and are vastly higher than they have ever been. This isn’t because of COVID-19; it’s because of Congress. Read the full story here     Why the government can shut down church gatherings during pandemic By Jonathan Turley   OPINION | “Jesus bore it so that you would not have to.” If that recent declaration by the Awaken Church of Jonesboro in Arkansas is true, Jesus might also be viewed as the first coronavirus offender, because the Last Supper hosted three disciples too many under the social gathering limits in most states during this crisis. At the time, of course, Roman Governor Pontius Pilate was trying to contain Christianity itself, which now some church leaders accuse American governors of doing. Some churches plan to defy state public health directives by carrying out large Easter services. Read the full story here     The Washington Post: As feds play ‘backup,’ states take unorthodox steps to compete in cutthroat global market for coronavirus supplies By ANNIE LINSKEY, JOSH DAWSEY, ISAAC STANLEY-BECKER AND CHELSEA JANES   As the Trump administration assumes what the president has called a “backup” role in distributing supplies to fight the pandemic, state governments are taking extraordinary — and often unorthodox — steps to compete in an increasingly cutthroat global marketplace. Read the full story here     The New York Times: He Could Have Seen What Was Coming: Behind Trump’s Failure on the Virus BY ERIC LIPTON, DAVID E. SANGER, MAGGIE HABERMAN, MICHAEL D. SHEAR, MARK MAZZETTI AND JULIAN E. BARNES The shortcomings of Mr. Trump’s performance have played out with remarkable transparency as part of his daily effort to dominate television screens and the national conversation. But dozens of interviews with current and former officials and a review of emails and other records revealed many previously unreported details and a fuller picture of the roots and extent of his halting response as the deadly virus spread. Read the full story here     The Associated Press: Some doctors moving away from ventilators for virus patients BY MIKE STOBBE The evolving treatments highlight the fact that doctors are still learning the best way to manage a virus that emerged only months ago. They are relying on anecdotal, real-time data amid a crush of patients and shortages of basic supplies. Read the full story here     Reuters: JPMorgan Chase to raise mortgage borrowing standards as economic outlook darkens BY ELIZABETH DILTS MARSHALL   The change highlights how banks are quickly shifting gears to respond to the darkening U.S. economic outlook and stress in the housing market, after measures to contain the virus put 16 million people out of work and plunged the country into recession. Read the full story here     The Wall Street Journal: Some Churches Fight to Open on Easter Despite Coronavirus Shutdowns BY IAN LOVETT As public life across the U.S. has nearly shut down to slow the coronavirus, religious spaces have become a battleground. Read the full story here         Did a friend forward you this email? 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