Coronavirus government response updates: Trump sends mixed messages on reopening risks as more states look to lift restrictions

Official White House Photo by D. Myles CullenBy LIBBY CATHEY, ABC News

(WASHINGTON) --As Vice President Mike Pence said much of the coronavirus pandemic could be "behind us" by early summer, House lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill Thursday and overwhelmingly approved the Senate-passed $484 billion interim relief package that replenishes a small business loan program and also boosts funding to hospitals and testing.

Lawmakers, many donning masks per CDC guidelines, some wearing gloves, returned to vote in person on this fourth stimulus measure after Republicans insisted on the in-person vote.

The vote Thursday was 388-5.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York was the lone Democrat to oppose the measure along with Republican Reps. Andy Biggs of Arizona, Ken Buck of Colorado, Georgia’s Jody Hice, and Thomas Massie of Kentucky.

President Donald Trump said that he would probably sign the measure later Thursday.


Here are the latest developments in the government response:

'We're getting there, America,' Pence says

Vice President Mike Pence delivered an optimistic prediction at Thursday's White House briefing, saying that much of the coronavirus pandemic could be "behind us" by early summer.

"Our task force actually believes, Mr. President, that if we continue these mitigation efforts in the days ahead, as states implement their policies, including phased reopening that will preserve those gains, we do believe by early summer, we could be at a much better place as a nation with much of this coronavirus epidemic behind us," Pence said, turning to the president.

Pence also ran through a list of places, previously known to be hotspots, that appear to be past their peak caseload of the virus, including the New York City metro area, New Jersey, Connecticut, Detroit, and New Orleans.

"Our only conclusion is that we’re getting there, America," Pence said.

Treasury asks publicly traded companies to repay coronavirus small business loans

The Trump administration issued new guidance Thursday telling publicly-traded companies to repay their coronavirus stimulus loans meant to help small businesses by May 7.

In updated guidance on the implementation of the CARES Act, the Treasury Department and Small Business Administration said "it is unlikely that a public company with substantial market value and access to capital markets will be able to make the required certification in good faith" attesting to its need for the loan.

"Any borrower that applied for a PPP loan prior to the issuance of this guidance and repays the loan in full by May 7, 2020 will be deemed by SBA to have made the required certification in good faith," the new guidance reads.

Several prominent publicly traded companies have been criticized for seeking loans under the Paycheck Protection Program.

Shake Shack and Ruth's Chris Steak House separately said they would return their loans after facing backlash this week.

-- ABC News’ Benjamin Siegel

Trump's reopening push comes as 4.4 million more people file for unemployment, jobless claims worse than in Great Recession

A record-shattering 26 million people have filed for unemployment in the last month, wiping out a decade of employment gains and jobless claims reaching a number worse than the Great Recession, the key reason driving President Trump's "Opening Up America Again" plan.

Last week alone, 4.4 million people filed for unemployment insurance, according to a Department of Labor report released Thursday morning.

The unprecedented influx in jobless claims has created a number of issues for those in dire need of benefits as businesses across the country are forced to close their doors and Americans report ongoing struggles in the unemployment application process.

Prior to the pandemic, the unemployment rate in the U.S. was at a historic low of 3.6%.

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