Reuters US Domestic News Summary

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs. U.S. Supreme Court justices worry about 'chaos' in Electoral College dispute

Supreme Court justices on Wednesday indicated skepticism toward whether "electors" in the complex Electoral College system for choosing U.S. presidents may disregard laws directing them to back the candidate who prevails in their state's popular vote. If enough electors do so, it could upend an election, or, as some of the justices suggested, cause "chaos." Where coronavirus cases are rising in the United States

Nearly all 50 U.S. states have begun to allow some businesses to reopen and residents to move more freely, but only 14 states have met the federal government's guidelines for lifting measures aimed at fighting the pandemic, according to a Reuters analysis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended states wait until their daily number of new COVID-19 cases falls for 14 days before easing social distancing restrictions. Pentagon awards $134 million for medical supplies for U.S. nursing homes

The Pentagon said on Wednesday it has awarded a $134 million contract to buy protective eyewear, gloves, gowns, and masks for medical personnel at over 15,000 U.S. nursing homes, as it helps gather medical equipment to stop the spread of COVID-19. Deliveries of the equipment started this week in New York, New Jersey, Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia, said Lieutenant Colonel Mike Andrews, a Department of Defense spokesman. U.S. Senate blocks bid to curb surveillance of Americans' internet habits

The U.S. Senate narrowly blocked an amendment on Wednesday that would have prevented law enforcement from collecting information on Americans' internet habits without a warrant, as the Senate moved toward a reauthorization of divisive surveillance tools. The Senate defeated the amendment sponsored by Republican Senator Steve Daines and Democrat Ron Wyden by 59-37, just short of the 60 votes that would have included it in legislation to renew three surveillance tools used in national security investigations that expired two months ago. U.S. governors call for less partisanship, more aid to fight pandemic

Governors from both major political parties on Wednesday urged lawmakers in Washington, D.C., to cast aside partisanship and deliver relief to U.S. cities and states facing economic ruin as they fight what they called a "red, white and blue pandemic." The plea followed the unveiling on Tuesday of a $3 trillion-plus coronavirus relief package by Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives. The proposal would provide funding for states, businesses and families. Trump ex-campaign aide Manafort leaves prison for home amid coronavirus

President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort was released from a federal prison in Pennsylvania on Wednesday to finish his sentence at home due to the coronavirus pandemic, his lawyer said, drawing fresh Democratic criticism over Justice Department actions that have benefited Trump associates. Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen, imprisoned in a separate case, also is expected to be released based on the threat of the coronavirus, a U.S. official familiar with the decision-making regarding inmates said, speaking on condition of anonymity. California moving university classes online as Fauci warns of reopening too soon

California's state university system, the largest in the United States, on Tuesday canceled classes on campus for the fall semester and moved instruction online because of the coronavirus, while Los Angeles County said its stay-at-home order was likely to be extended by three months. The announcements on the West Coast came after the nation's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, told Congress that lifting the sweeping lockdowns could touch off new outbreaks of the illness, which has killed nearly 81,000 Americans and devastated the economy. U.S. lawmakers renew push to grant assistance to local news outlets

Thousands of local U.S. newspapers and broadcast outlets, grappling with a massive downturn in advertising because of the COVID-19 pandemic, would be eligible for financial help under legislation introduced in Congress on Wednesday. A bipartisan U.S. Senate proposal of Democrats Maria Cantwell, Amy Klobuchar, Chuck Schumer and Republicans John Boozman and Joni Ernst would provide news outlets emergency assistance under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Trump to tap ex-Glaxo exec, U.S. general for coronavirus vaccine effort

President Donald Trump is expected to tap a former GlaxoSmithKline executive and a U.S. general to spearhead the government's effort at developing a coronavirus vaccine on an accelerated schedule, officially called "Operation Warp Speed," an administration official said on Wednesday. The former head of Glaxo's vaccines division, Moncef Slaoui, will serve as chief adviser on the operation and U.S. General Gustav Perna will act as its chief operating officer. Trump previously said he would be the top boss on the effort to develop, test and produce on a shortened timeline a vaccine against the deadly coronavirus that has caused a global pandemic. CDC reports 1,364,061 coronavirus cases, 82,246 deaths

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Wednesday reported 1,364,061 cases of the new coronavirus, an increase of 21,467 cases from its previous count, and said the number of deaths had risen by 1,426 to 82,246. The CDC reported its tally of cases of the respiratory illness known as COVID-19, caused by the new coronavirus, as of 4 pm ET on May 12, compared with its count a day earlier. (https://bit.ly/2SGLijD)