World News: Coronavirus and Congress: What's going on?

Thursday, March 19

President Donald Trump speaks during press briefing with the Coronavirus Task Force, at the White House, Wednesday, March 18, 2020, in Washington.

OnPolitics: Cash for Americans and a crippled justice system

The coronavirus news is coming in fast and furious and politics is not immune. So take a moment to get caught up.

Congress weighs cash for Americans

President Donald Trump signed a measure to ensure paid sick leave for workers and widen coronavirus testing after its passage in the Senate.

Now, Congress is crafting its next emergency relief package: one that would provide checks of $1,000 or more for Americans and financial lifelines for businesses socked by the coronavirus pandemic that is ravaging the economy and upending daily life.

Upending the criminal justice system

The coronavirus pandemic has upended the day-to-day operations of the criminal justice system, raising significant questions about what incarceration and access to justice looks like as the virus reaches all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Everybody, from judges to defendants, now confronts a stark reality. Jury trials have been suspended in more than two dozen states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as in dozens more localities.

•	How much did it hurt Democratic primary turnout?
•	Congress considers voting remotely as coronavirus illnesses hit home
•	Stranded Americans seek US help amid global lockdown

Here's how to get updates all day

USA TODAY creates a daily politics blog that is continually updated with the news of the moment. The moments nowadays are largely coronavirus. As an example, here are some updates from today's blog.

•	Trump signals he's open to the government taking an equity stake in companies
•	Lawmakers concerned after 2 House members test positive
•	State Department to Americans: 'Do Not Travel' abroad
•	US, Mexico consider border restrictions
•	Iran releases detained American amid coronavirus outbreak
•	Mnuchin offers a timeline for $1,000 payments if stimulus passes