While states such as Alabama and Nebraska are split ideologically on whether to issue stay-at-home orders, these public health measures have bipartisan support in Oregon.
"I think to stop this virus, given we have no treatment or vaccine, we have to go to basic public health protocols," Representative Greg Walden (R-Ore. 2nd District), told Cheddar on Friday. "As painful as it is, especially for us in the Northwest who don't want to be cooped up, it's really important in these times."
So far, these efforts appear to be working. State officials have said that by staying home Oregonians have helped cut the spread of coronavirus by 50 to 70 percent.
Walden attributed the relative success to the state's community-based health system — though some health care professionals within the state still believe it's woefully unprepared.
One challenge facing Oregon that Walden highlighted was the impact of certain state restrictions on financially encumbered rural hospitals.
"Our rural community hospitals are struggling financially right now, in large part because the governor shut down any elective procedures. This is something we're going to have to get our hands around because some of them are losing half their monthly revenue streams."
Some of the current federal support needs to be targeted at helping these hospitals, according to the congressman.
The White House budget office says mass firings of federal workers have started in an attempt to exert more pressure on Democratic lawmakers as the government shutdown continues.
President Donald Trump says “there seems to be no reason” to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping as part of an upcoming trip to South Korea after China restricted exports of rare earths needed for American industry. The Republican president suggested Friday he was looking at a “massive increase” of import taxes on Chinese products in response to Xi’s moves. Trump says one of the policies the U.S. is calculating is "a massive increase of Tariffs on Chinese products coming into the United States." A monthslong calm on Wall Street was shattered, with U.S. stocks falling on the news. The Chinese Embassy in Washington hasn't responded to an Associated Press request for comment.
Most members of the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate setting committee supported further reductions to its key interest rate this year, minutes from last month’s meeting showed.
From Wall Street trading floors to the Federal Reserve to economists sipping coffee in their home offices, the first Friday morning of the month typically brings a quiet hush around 8:30 a.m. eastern, as everyone awaits the Labor Department’s monthly jobs report.
The Supreme Court is allowing Lisa Cook to remain as a Federal Reserve governor for now.
Rep. John Moolenaar has requested an urgent briefing from the White House after Trump supported a deal giving Americans a majority stake in TikTok.
