President Trump’s schedule (EDT):
9:30 AM: Departs the White House, South Lawn;
12:05 PM: Arrives at Atlantic Aviation, 3800 Southern Boulevard, West Palm Beach, FL; and
2:00 PM: Hosts a meeting with Caribbean leaders from The Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, and Saint Lucia at Mar-a-Lago, Palm Beach, FL.
“Trump Says China Deal Is ‘Close’ Ahead of Fresh Round of Talks.” This morning’s Bloomberg article leads with:
President Donald Trump said Friday that a trade deal with China is close as he prepared to send his negotiators to Beijing for a fresh round of talks next week, but U.S. officials downplayed the prospect of a swift conclusion.Trump has said that he wants an agreement that could be enforced, not a quick deal. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, who is leading the talks for Trump, and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will travel to Beijing for meetings at the end of next week, and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He will then come to Washington in April to continue the discussions, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.“I think we’re getting very close,” Trump said in an interview broadcast on Fox Business Network’s “Mornings With Maria” on Friday. “That doesn’t mean we get there, but I think we’re getting very close.”
“Drug Company Protections Are Latest Stumbling Block for Nafta Rewrite.” Yesterday’s New York Timesarticle led with:
WASHINGTON — President Trump’s ability to get his revised North American Free Trade Agreement through Congress may hinge on a little-noticed provision governing intellectual property protections for new pharmaceutical products.Congressional Democrats have seized on measures in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement that establish protections for drug companies, saying they are a boon to the pharmaceutical industry and could undermine efforts to make American health care more affordable.The issue is the latest complication in Mr. Trump’s yearslong effort to rip up Nafta and rewrite the rules of trade with Canada and Mexico. While Mr. Trump secured Canada’s and Mexico’s signoff on the new agreement last year, the trade pact must be ratified by legislators in all three countries, including by Congress.Democrats, who now control the House, have already made it clear that they will not approve the new trade deal without significant changes to labor and environmental provisions. Now, they are also looking for revisions to the trade deal’s pharmaceutical provisions, in particular a measure providing an advanced class of drugs called biologics 10 years of protection from cheaper alternatives.
“Private Health Insurance: Enrollment Remains Concentrated among Few Issuers, including in Exchanges.” Yesterday’s 69-page Government Accountability Office report stated:
Enrollment in private health insurance plans continued to be concentrated among a small number of issuers in 2015 and 2016. In the overall large group market (coverage offered by large employers), small group market (coverage offered by small employers), and individual market (coverage sold directly to individuals), the three largest issuers held 80 percent of the market or more in at least 37 of 51 states. This is similar to what GAO previously reported for 2011 through 2014.
Tax Refunds of $177.2 b. through March 15 versus $182.8 b. last year. Yesterday, the IRS posted the latest weekly filing season statistics here. The average refund is almost exactly equal to last year’s, and the 3.1% refund shortfall is in line with 3.0% fewer returns with refund that have been process so far.
“Coast Guard Says It Took a Hit From Government Shutdown.” Yesterday’s Wall Street Journal article led with:
SAN DIEGO—The U.S. Coast Guard has yet to fully recover from the effects of the partial government shutdown, top officers said, underscoring the service’s vulnerability to political fights in Washington despite its expanding mission.The Coast Guard falls under the Department of Homeland Security, the agency at the center of President Trump’s demands for more border-wall funding. When funding for the DHS lapsed in late December that temporarily froze Coast Guard spending and prevented guard members from being paid.The military service hasn’t fully replenished its supply warehouses and caught up with maintenance work after the 35-day federal shutdown, Rear Admiral Peter Gautier told reporters Wednesday at the Coast Guard station in San Diego. He commands the service’s District 11, which includes California and much of the West Coast.“We’re not yet fully caught up,” Adm. Gautier said. “There’s no doubt a 35-day shutdown created an erosion in readiness.”Adm. Gautier and the station commander in San Diego, Capt. Joseph Buzzella, said the shutdown prevented crucial parts and supplies from being shipped to units in the field and required troops to sometimes strip parts from airplanes to ensure the airworthiness of others. During the shutdown the Coast Guard also paused its most in-depth refitting of planes, known as depot-level maintenance.The top officer in the Coast Guard, Adm. Karl Schultz, said the service will be fully caught up sometime around June 1, the start of hurricane season, which is a busy time for the Coast Guard.
2018 Election: “Historic Do-Over Election in North Carolina Brings Out Bruising Politics.” Yesterday’s Wall Street Journal article led with:
RALEIGH, N.C.—The do-over election for North Carolina’s empty Ninth Congressional District seat is off to a contentious start, with accusations of misconduct followed by a threat of a lawsuit in the first official week of the campaign.There is a long road ahead: 10 Republican candidates will face off in a May 14 primary, and the winner will challenge Democrat Dan McCready in the fall. The district, which encompasses suburban Charlotte and stretches east through several rural counties, favored President Trump by 54% in 2016, and the general election is rated a toss-up by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.If no GOP candidate gets more than 30% of the vote in the primary, a runoff between the two top vote-getters would be held on Sept. 10 and the general election will be on Nov. 5.
