Reuters US Domestic News Summary

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs. U.S. court rules Florida cannot force felons to pay fees before voting

A U.S. judge ruled on Sunday that the state of Florida cannot force felons to pay legal fines and other fees before allowing them to register to vote. The ruling, for now, clears the way for potentially hundreds of thousands of citizens to register to vote in the swing state for the November presidential election. Special Report: In Oklahoma pork-packing town, COVID stirs fear, faith and sorrow

Over 25 years, the massive pork plant that dominates this small city brought jobs, new residents and an economic lifeline to a slowly shrinking farming community. Attracted by relatively good wages at Seaboard Foods, immigrants like Felix and Pilar Jimenez arrived by the hundreds to slaughter hogs and process meat for shipment all over the world. The Mexican couple started work in Guymon, on the vast plains of Oklahoma’s panhandle, about a year after the plant opened, followed in time by their sons Michael, now 26, and Anthony, 22. Most publicly listed companies keep U.S. small-business aid loans

More than four-fifths of publicly listed companies that received emergency small-business loans from the U.S. government have held onto them, sticking with a certification that they need the money, according to data from market research firm FactSquared. Companies that should not have applied for the loans because they had enough resources to get by on their own had until May 18 to return the money without facing any sanctions. Those that returned the money announced it through regulatory filings, which are required within four business days of a major corporate event. U.S. CDC reports total of 1.6 million coronavirus cases and 97,049 deaths

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Sunday reported 1,622,114 cases of the new coronavirus, an increase of 26,229 cases from its previous count, and said the number of deaths had risen by 1,047 to 97,049. The CDC reported its tally of cases of the respiratory illness known as COVID-19, caused by the new coronavirus, as of 4 p.m. ET on May 23, compared with its count a day earlier. Americans pass pandemic holiday on beaches, in parks as death toll nears 100,000

Americans sunbathed on beaches, fished from boats and strolled on boardwalks this holiday weekend, but the occasional person wearing a mask was a constant reminder that the world is still battling the coronavirus pandemic. The Memorial Day weekend that signals the start of the U.S. summer is normally a time when cemeteries across the nation fill with American flags and ceremonies to remember those who died in U.S. wars. This year the holiday week is when the U.S. death from COVID-19 is expected to exceed 100,000. Trump plays golf for first time since declaring coronavirus a national emergency

U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday went on his first golf outing since the White House declared a national emergency over the coronavirus in March, visiting his club in the Washington suburbs in a purposeful display of normalcy. On a sunny spring day, Trump's motorcade took him from the White House to Trump National Golf Club, and he was spotted wearing a white cap and white polo shirt. Behind Trump and Sessions Twitter row, a key Senate seat

Former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and President Donald Trump are fighting on social media about a primary battle in Alabama that may be key to Republicans retaining control of the U.S. Senate. Trump has targeted https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-sessions-idUSKBN1A51X7 Sessions for retribution since Sessions recused himself in 2017 from a U.S. probe into Russian election meddling. COVID-19 distancing compels shifts at the beach on crowded U.S. Memorial Day weekend

Americans excited about what for many was their first big break from coronavirus shutdowns flocked to beaches and outdoor areas on Saturday, snarling roadways and forcing some closures on the Memorial Day weekend that signals the start of the U.S. summer. In Destin, Florida, The Back Porch, a surfside restaurant on Henderson Beach, was full. The restaurant was operating at 50% seating capacity to ensure that chairs and umbrellas could be placed 6 feet apart, and newcomers had to wait for places to become free before they could enter, said hostess Julianna Preede, 18. New York's Cuomo says groups of up to 10 must aim to stay 'safe'

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo advised people to exercise good judgment and social distancing when gathering in groups of up to 10 people as allowed in an executive order loosening restrictions issued late on Friday. In his daily briefing on Saturday, he said New York recorded 84 coronavirus deaths on May 22 compared with 109 the day before, continuing a downward trend in the state's toll from the pandemic. Months before election, liberal groups press Biden on picks for economic posts

Liberal groups are pushing Joe Biden to pick tough watchdogs for U.S. economic posts ahead of the Nov. 3 election to generate broader support for the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. Leaders of organizations including the Revolving Door Project and Demand Progress said they expect to advance names of people they find acceptable to oversee taxes, regulation, stimulus oversight and markets should Biden defeat Republican President Donald Trump.