Reuters US Domestic News Summary

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs. U.S. coronavirus lockdown to last 10-12 weeks, top Trump official says

The lockdown affecting large segments of the American public to try to curb the spread of the coronavirus is likely to last 10 to 12 weeks, or until early June, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Sunday. Americans are adapting to the biggest change in daily life since World War Two with schools closed, sports canceled and economic upheaval as job losses mount with the shuttering of businesses across many industries. States work to limit prescriptions of potential coronavirus drugs

At least four state pharmacy boards have taken steps to limit prescriptions of potential coronavirus treatments touted by U.S. President Donald Trump that are in short supply as demand has surged with the rapid spread of the outbreak. State pharmacy boards in Texas, Ohio, Idaho and Nevada in recent days moved to restrict who can be prescribed the malaria treatments chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, and how much of the drugs can be prescribed, according to documents filed by the boards. Texas has also limited prescriptions of the antibiotic azithromycin as well as another anti-malarial drug, mefloquine. Senate GOP coronavirus bill aides U.S. transit, airports but loans not cash for airlines

A Senate Republican coronavirus stimulus package would provide financial aid to U.S. airports, transit systems and passenger railroad Amtrak, but $50 billion for struggling U.S. airlines would be a loan not a cash payout, according to a copy of the proposal seen by Reuters. The nearly 600-page proposal would set aside in grants $10 billion for grants to airports, $20 billion for transit systems and about $1 billion for Amtrak. Amtrak and transit systems have warned of massive losses as ridership has dramatically fallen - in some places by 90% - as tens of millions of Americans are ordered to shelter in place and others voluntarily work from home to help slow the spread of the highly contagious disease. Coronavirus aid bill includes $3,000 for families, $4 trillion liquidity for Fed: Mnuchin

The coronavirus economic relief bill being finalized by the U.S. Congress will include a one-time $3,000 payment for families and allow the Federal Reserve to leverage up to $4 trillion of liquidity to support the nation's economy, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Sunday. Mnuchin, speaking on the "Fox News Sunday" television program, said the additional liquidity measures would allow the U.S. central bank to help a broad base of businesses to get through next 90 to 120 days. Partisan battles block U.S. Senate coronavirus bill but talks continue

Partisan battles in the U.S. Senate on Sunday stopped a coronavirus response bill from advancing, even as negotiations continued over Democrats' demands for more federal funding for medical care and state and local efforts to combat the outbreak. The measure faltered after it failed to get the necessary 60 votes in the 100-member chamber to clear a procedural hurdle after days of negotiations. No immediate plans to halt U.S. travel: acting Homeland Security chief

There are no immediate plans to halt travel within the United States amid the coronavirus outbreak, acting U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said on Sunday, adding that the administration could implement targeted restrictions if needed. Wolf, in an interview on Fox News, also said reports of a national shutdown were false and are part of a disinformation campaign, stemming possibly from Russia or other cyber actors. Rand Paul becomes first U.S. senator to test positive for coronavirus

U.S. Senator Rand Paul has tested positive for the coronavirus, his office said on Sunday, becoming the first member of the Senate to announce he has COVID-19, as the number of U.S. cases of the respiratory disease grows. The 57-year-old Kentucky Republican has no symptoms and was tested out of an "abundance of caution" given his recent travels, according to a statement, which came as the Senate prepared to take up a massive economic relief bill. Exclusive: U.S. axed CDC expert job in China months before virus outbreak

Several months before the coronavirus pandemic began, the Trump administration eliminated a key American public health position in Beijing intended to help detect disease outbreaks in China, Reuters has learned. The American disease expert, a medical epidemiologist embedded in China’s disease control agency, left her post in July, according to four sources with knowledge of the issue. The first cases of the new coronavirus may have emerged as early as November, and as cases exploded, the Trump administration in February chastised China for censoring information about the outbreak and keeping U.S. experts from entering the country to help. Biden to start considering running mates, consulted Obama

Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden said on Sunday he needed to start vetting possible running mates "in a matter of weeks" and that he discussed the pick with former President Barack Obama. Biden's vice presidential options will include at least six or seven women who will be subjected to background checks to ensure there will not "be any snafu," he told donors at a fundraising event held by telephone. U.S. Senate stops Republican coronavirus bill

Partisan battles in the U.S. Senate on Sunday stopped a coronavirus response bill from advancing, even as negotiations continued. By a vote of 47-47, a Republican bill failed to clear a procedural hurdle that required 60 affirmative votes. Democrats were pushing for more robust help for healthcare workers and others, saying the Republican measure concentrated too heavily on helping corporations affected by the disease outbreak.