Friday, March 27, 2020
Contact: Carter Christensen, [email protected]
by Ben Ritz, Director of the Center for Funding America's Future

These measures and more are essential for supporting public health efforts to contain the virus and preventing long-term damage to the American economy. But how much will they cost? Although price tags shouldn’t prevent policymakers and their constituents from taking any action necessary to combat the worst pandemic of our lifetimes, they can help prepare everyone for the hard choices we will have to face when this crisis is over. 
by Michael Mandel, Chief Economic Strategist

We must make it clear that innovation and new ideas are encouraged, even risky ones. Legitimate researchers with new tests and new solutions should be encouraged. And unnecessary regulatory barriers that slow down drug and vaccine development should be temporarily thrust aside. This is not a time for business as usual.
by Jason Gold, Managing Director

As Congress passes its historic multi-trillion spending package, people across the country, as well as investors in our beleaguered financial markets, will breathe a sigh of relief. But the truth is, this “Phase 3” response to the pandemic-induced economic shutdown may just be the beginning of what we need to avert a savage recession or even depression.
by Ben Ritz, Director of the Center for Funding America's Future

After several days of negotiations, the U.S. Senate is voting tonight on a third bill to combat the coronavirus crisis. Whereas the first two bills focused on funding medical research and providing economic support to victims of the virus, the “Phase 3” stimulus bill is a massive rescue package for the broader American economy.
by Alec Stapp, Director of Technology Policy

A distributed approach would be much more resilient to the inevitable mistakes and accidents inherent to pandemic response. Instead, in this crisis, the FDA bet big on a single testing protocol from the CDC and burned its ships. And when the “perfect” test failed spectacularly, everyone was left wishing for a way to retreat.
by Curtis Valentine, Deputy Director of the Reinventing America's Schools Project

For parents struggling with the uncertainty of employment while also dealing with a global pandemic, paying for an internet connection may be the last thing on their minds. But with the closure of nearly every public and private school in America, many school systems are relying on the internet to make sure their students can keep learning. 
by Paul Bledsoe, Strategic Adviser

Biden’s bombshell pronouncement in the debate that he will choose a woman as running mate, while unprecedented, is less surprising than it may initially look — given the pressure he was under to pick a woman.
by Will Marshall, PPI President

Sen. Bernie Sanders has signaled his imminent departure from the nomination contest. His sooner-than-expected exit frees presumptive nominee Joe Biden to fire up his general election campaign to defeat President Trump in November.
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