Negotiations between the Democratic-led House and Republican-led Senate on a new coronavirus aid package were stalled, with significant differences between the $3 trillion proposal passed by the House two months ago and the $1 trillion package just passed by the Senate. Republicans are hampered by disagreement among their own members on the size of a new package, and indicated agreement with a White House push for a smaller package that would overhaul the $600 weekly extra unemployment benefit that's ending this Friday. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi dismissed the idea of that kind of smaller bill. A federal moratorium on evictions is also ending Friday, but while Democrats want to extend it, it's not in the Republicans' bill, and the White House hasn't said what it wants to do. Democrats also want aid to go to states and cities that have huge holes in their budgets because of the pandemic, but Republicans and President Trump are opposed, with the president rejecting sending, quote, "big bailout money" to cities.
L.A. City Council Considering Paying People with Coronavirus to Stay Home: The Los Angeles City Council is considering paying city residents who test positive for the coronavirus to stay home. Councilmember David Ryu introduced a motion yesterday that would set up a $25 million fund, described as a "wage replacement program," for any city resident who agrees to self-isolate and to provide information to contact tracers. Any city resident would be eligible, regardless of income, immigration status or criminal record. The goal is to help people stay home when they have the virus who for financial reasons would otherwise have to go to work, and often to the kind of essential jobs that can't be done from home. Ryu said, "If we want to bend the curve, we need to make it possible for everyone to stay home when they’re sick – no matter their income or immigration status.
➤OREGON GOV. SAYS SOME FEDERAL AGENTS WILL LEAVE, BUT CONFLICTING STATEMENTS FROM ADMINISTRATION: Oregon Governor Kate Brown said Wednesday that some of the federal agents guarding a federal courthouse in Portland would leave over the next 24 hours. However, there was some confusion after Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said some agents would remain in the building, and that all of the agents would stay in Portland in case they're needed. The plans calls for Oregon state police to protect the courthouse with a smaller number of agents from the U.S. Marshals Service and Federal Protective Service. President Trump sent the federal agents to the city earlier this month after ongoing, at-times violent protests since George Floyd's death had targeted the courthouse. However, the protests have swelled since then in opposition to their deployment and both Brown and Mayor Ted Wheeler have said they didn't want the agents there. Some of the protesters have thrown fireworks, flares and rocks at the agents, and they've responded with tear gas, pepper balls and stun grenades.U.S Attorney for Oregon Billy Williams gets irritated by biased media who refuse to accurately describe the criminal behavior of rioters trying to burn down the Portland federal courthouse. #PortlandRiots https://t.co/byBbGTaK1I pic.twitter.com/w2XnezbX86— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) July 30, 2020
Meanwhile, federal prosecutors stressed yesterday that federal agents being sent to a number of cities, including Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit and Milwaukee, to help fight a rise in violent crime won't be used to break up protests. The U.S. attorney in Milwaukee, Matthew Krueger, said the agents were part of an initiative that began in December, and that the agents will work side-by-side with local and state investigators to solve violent crimes, something federal agents have long done.
➤U.S. TO REMOVE 12,000 TROOPS FROM GERMANY: The U.S. will be removing some 12,000 troops from Germany, with 6,400 being brought home and 5,600 going to other countries in Europe, following through on President Trump's demand to pull U.S. forces out, largely because he says Germany hasn't paid enough money to NATO. There are currently 36,000 active duty U.S. troops in Germany. The Pentagon plan outlined yesterday, which would also shift U.S. European Command headquarters and Special Operations Command Europe from Germany to Belgium, will take years to complete and cost billions of dollars. However, it's unclear if it will be implemented, since Congress must support and fund it, and a number of members from both parties have expressed opposition, including saying it's a gift to Russia. Defense Secretary Mark Esper defended the plan, saying it promotes strategic goals. But Trump made clear his motivation, telling reporters, "We’re reducing the force because they’re not paying their bills. It’s very simple. They’re delinquent."
➤TRUMP RESCINDS FAIR HOUSING REGULATION: President Trump said yesterday that his administration is rescinding a fair housing regulation put in place under former President Barack Obama to fight discriminatory housing practices and segregation. The Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing mandate would require that communities that receive grants and housing aid to assess racial segregation in housing and offer plans to correct it. The Department of Housing and Urban Development said last week that it would end the rule, calling it "unworkable and ultimately a waste of time for localities to comply with." Trump tweeted yesterday, "I am happy to inform all of the people living their Suburban Lifestyle Dream that you will no longer be bothered or financially hurt by having low income housing built in your neighborhood . . . Your housing prices will go up based on the market, and crime will go down." Democrats blasted Trump both for rescinding the regulation and for his tweets about it, with Senator Sherrod Brown saying, "The President is openly endorsing segregation. And somehow he thinks so little of the American people, he assumes everyone is as racist and elitist as he is."
Joe Kelly did not hide his feeling versus the Astros as released the months of pent-up rage the Dodgers and their fans have been feeling ever since MLB found the Houston Astros cheated in 2017.#Astros #Dodgers #MLB pic.twitter.com/VKRLjwQDy2— EntertainmentIsle (@EntertainI99) July 29, 2020
➤DODGERS' KELLY SUSPENDED FOR EIGHT GAMES FOR THROWING NEAR HEAD, TAUNTING ASTROS' PLAYERS: L.A. Dodgers pitcher Joe Kelly was suspended for eight games by MLB yesterday, one day after a game against the Houston Astros in which he threw a fastball near the head of Alex Bregman and taunted Carlos Correa. The game was the first between the two teams since it was revealed that Houston stole signs during their 2017 championship season, during which they beat the Dodgers in the World Series. During the sixth inning, Kelly threw a fastball behind Bregman's head on a 3-0 count and later threw a breaking ball over Correa's head. Kelly struck Correa out, then stuck out his tongue and made a face in his direction. Correa started walking toward him, they exchanged words, and the benches cleared, however there was no pushing or punches thrown.
➤NBA RESTART BEGINS TODAY: The restart of the NBA season begins tonight (July 29th) with games between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Utah Jazz, and the L.A. Lakers vs. the L.A. Clippers in the league's "bubble" at Walt Disney World. Starting Friday and going through August 14th there will be at least four and as many as seven games per day on the three courts at the complex. A 16-team playoff bracket will be finalized next month, and 12 of the 22 teams at Disney have already clinched spots based on their records before the season was suspended in March. Eight teams didn't make it to the restart based on their pre-pandemic records: Golden State; Minnesota, Cleveland, Detroit, Atlanta, New York, Charlotte and Chicago.
➤ACC ANNOUNCES 11-GAME FOOTBALL SCHEDULE, INCLUDES NOTRE DAME: The ACC announced an 11-game football season yesterday (July 29th) that will begin the weekend of September 12th, and include FBS independent Notre Dame playing a full league schedule. The ACC schools and Notre Dame will play 10 conference games plus one nonconference game of their choosing, and Notre Dame will be eligible for the ACC championship game. All of this depends, however, on if it's allowed by public health guidelines.
➤BRAVES' MARKAKIS CHANGES MIND AFTER OPTING OUT: Atlanta Braves outfielder Nick Markakis has changed his mind after opting out of the coronavirus-shortened MLB season three weeks ago and is going to join his team. Markakis explained yesterday (July 29th) that he had a change of heart after watching his teammates play their first five games: "Sitting at home, watching these guys compete . . . and all the risks they’re going through going out there, in the pit of my stomach I felt I wanted to be out there." The 36-year-old said he felt guilty about opting out, and plans to apologize to his teammates.
➤MORE NFL PLAYERS OPTING OUT THAN MANY EXPECTED: More NFL players are opting out of playing next season due to the coronavirus than many had expected, with some three dozen players already saying they are skipping the season. That's less than in other sports, with about a dozen opting out in the NBA and MLB, and only about half that in the NHL. The latest to say they're opting out is Kansas City Chiefs running back Damien Williams, a key part of their championship run last season, who said yesterday (July 29th) he won't be playing.
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