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Category: Administration

State Department Suspends Most Visa Services Worldwide

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The US Department of State announced the temporary suspension of routine visa services at most overseas posts.

Any country with a travel advisory of 2, 3, or 4 will be affected. Among others, this includes the United Kingdom, Germany, China, Israel, South Korea, Italy, Japan, France, Ukraine, Russia, India, Denmark, Turkey, and Brazil. The Visa Waiver Program, which allows 90 day visas for certain nationalities, remains unaffected.

No timeline has been given. US Embassies and Consulates will continue to provide emergency visa services and American Citizens Services.

 

Administration Seeks to Add $45.8 Billion in Emergency Spending to FY2020 Bills

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To add to the many moving pieces in response to COVID-19, the Administration yesterday sent an emergency spending request to Congress to add another $45.8 billion to the FY2020 appropriations bills.

The request was officially made by the White House Office of Management and Budget yesterday.  The request includes $50 million for the National Science Foundation to “support near real-time research at molecular, cellular, physiological and ecological levels to better understand coronavirus characteristics such as genetics, modes of action, transmission, virulence and population dynamics.” Funds would be distributed through NSF’s Rapid Response Research mechanism to “rapidly fund quick-response research related to
COVID-19.”

Senate Passes, Trump Signs Coronavirus Bill; Next Relief Package Being Readied

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The Senate passed earlier this afternoon by a vote of 90 to 8 and the President just signed H.R. 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.  This is the second bill signed into law in response to the outbreak.

The Administration and Congress have now shifted their collective focus to the next relief package, which could total approximately $1 trillion and could include, among other provisions, direct payments to households as well as assistance to various sectors of the economy.  Read more about the discussions in the Washington Post and Politico.

 

Senate Passes Second Supplemental

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The US Senate has passed the second supplemental appropriations bill approved by the House late last week. The legislation is now awaiting the President’s signature to become law. President Trump has expressed support for the bill.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act was the result of negotiations between Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. The bill provides sick leave, unemployment assistance, over $1 billion in food aid, and free COVID-19 testing.

Department of Education Relaxes Rules for Accreditors

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Amidst COVID-19, the Department of Education sent a letter to higher education accrediting agencies allowing them to relax rules regarding site visits. Accreditors will be allowed to conduct virtual site visits, and can extend an institution’s accreditation if a site visit or hearing would not be possible. However, the virtual site visit must be “engaged” and “interactive” and followed up by an in-person visit eventually. The Department stressed that this should be considered a “unique and temporary departure” from requirements.