PBS News Hour - Politics

Wednesday's daily briefing of the Coronavirus Task Force came amid new information about a key administration firing. Until Tuesday, Dr. Rick Bright served as a top federal expert on vaccines, heavily involved in the response to COVID-19. Now, Bright says he was forced out of his job because he refused to tout unproven treatments for the disease. Yamiche Alcindor joins Judy Woodruff to discuss.

On Tuesday, the Senate renewed its effort to mitigate economic pain caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Lawmakers approved a $483 billion relief package including money for hospitals, testing and small business lending -- especially targeted to business categories less successful in securing funding through previous legislation. Amna Nawaz reports, and Lisa Desjardins joins Judy Woodruff to discuss.

In his daily White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing, President Trump discussed his new push to limit U.S. immigration via a forthcoming executive order. Yamiche Alcindor joins Judy Woodruff to discuss the details of the expected 60-day partial suspension, why some critics are arguing it's "a step too far" and how legal challenges to the order might ensue.

NPR's Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report join Amna Nawaz to discuss the latest political news, including protests against government COVID-19 restrictions, polling on how Americans more broadly feel about reopening the economy amid a public health threat and China's role in the 2020 campaign strategies of President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden.

Congressional leaders and White House officials say an additional $400 billion to aid businesses, hospitals and communities could be approved as soon as this week, as the coronavirus continues to shut down much of the country's economy. NewsHour Correspondent Lisa Desjardins joins Hari Sreenivasan for more on the debate over the latest relief package and what it means for small businesses.

Vice President Mike Pence was chosen by President Trump to lead his Coronavirus Task Force. This week, the administration offered governors a plan for how to begin lifting restrictions implemented due to the pandemic. Judy Woodruff talks to Pence about persistently inadequate COVID-19 testing and his message to front-line health care workers forced to share and reuse their protective gear.

A woman has come forward alleging that former Vice President Joe Biden sexually assaulted her in 1993, when she was an employee in his Senate office. Biden, poised to become the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee, has faced criticism in the past over unwanted touching of women. Amna Nawaz talks to The New York Times' Lisa Lerer for details of the story and what it means for Biden's candidacy.

After federal aid for small businesses, called the Paycheck Protection Program, ran out of its allotted $350 billion, there were questions about if and when lawmakers could land on a deal to provide additional funding. As of late Friday, Republicans and Democrats seem to be making progress toward an agreement -- but they aren't there yet. Lisa Desjardins joins Judy Woodruff to discuss.

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Judy Woodruff to discuss the week's news, including the Trump administration's guidance to states about when to reopen amid the pandemic, the ongoing struggle to conduct more COVID-19 tests, Trump's criticism of Democratic governors and what Sen. Bernie Sanders' endorsement means for former Vice President Joe Biden.

At the evening White House briefing of the Coronavirus Task Force, President Trump laid out a phased approach to reopening the U.S. economy. He also emphasized that governors would be able to make their own decisions about when to lift pandemic restrictions in their states. Yamiche Alcindor joins Judy Woodruff to discuss the details of Trump's plan and why COVID-19 testing continues to be a worry.