Pandemic. We follow the advice of the attending physician and the sergeant of arms that were seated at least 6 feet apart. That means theres no room for the public or media here, but the media is participating we hope. And we hope the public is as well. Our website. Our witnesses are participating by Video Conference which is change for the United States senate and a welcome one because it makes it possible for us to attract witnesses to have busy schedules on the same day such as today some are participating by Video Conference senators may remove their masks since we are great thank yout a part to the press gallery and the architect in the capital police, Committee Staff for all their hard work to help keep us safe. Senator murray and i each have an Opening Statement then we will turn to our witnesses we think for being with usfoo today we ask that you summarize your remarks and five minutes to have time for the large number of senators we expect to iparticipate we will have one roun
Counties across shut down immediately because of the rapid spread of coronavirus. Marian Marianne Favro is live. Reporter none of the seven counties are here in the bay area, but the governor did ask eight other counties, including contra costa and santa clara to take action. Due to the rising spread of covid19, ordering bars to close into fresno, imperial, kern, kings, los angeles, san joaquin and tulare county. San mateo has reopened bars, is not on the list of closures. San francisco is not either and its set to reopen tomorrow. There are several reasons why Health Leaders say bars pose additional risk. Tend to draw extra crowds. People tend to take off mask to drink and they often have loud music so people have to yell and spread more airborne particles. Also harder to do Contact Tracing when people move from one bar to another. In santa clara county, bars are not allowed to reopen and governor wants it to stay that way for now. Nbc bay area news. Just in the newsroom, Belmont Poli
Coming up in a few minutes. Back to you. New this morning, a fast spreading fire in the foothills just east of concord has now been contained. It broke off near highway 4 and fire crews from cal fire and contra costa brought the fire under control despite the windy conditions. It was a real challenge. The cause of this fire is still under investigation. Now to the governors new coronavirus crackdown. Dine in restaurants and bars are now closed for three weeks in 19 counties including contra costa, santa clara and solano counties. But those arent the only bay area counties seeing some restrictions. Next up, beaches. Kpix 5s kiet do joins us live from pacifica this morning where today is your last chance to catch some sun and some surf before the Holiday Weekend. Reporter yeah, better get on it. So yesterday the governor announced the closure of the parking lots of the state beaches. Not the beaches themselves, but the parking lots. Well, then the mayor of pacifica then took it a step fu
Www. Health. Senate. Gov is our website. I think it makes it possible for us to be table to attract witnesses who have very busy schedules on the same day such as today. Some senators are participating by videoconference. Senators may remove their masks since were 6 feet apart. Im grateful to the rules committee, the sarge want at arms, the press gallery, the capitol police, our Committee Staff for all their hard work to help keep us safe. Senator murray and i will each have an opening statement, and then well turn to our witnesses who we thank very much for being with us today. Each witness we would ask that you summarize your remarks in five minutes, which will allow more time for the large number of senators who we expect to participate to present their testimony. Well have one round of questions for a five minute round. Less than four months ago on march 1st the coronavirus situation was about this. At the end of february there were 79,000 cases around the world, only 14 in the Uni
I know youre loathe to lay into fiscal policy but given forecast for Unemployment Rates, do you think its important that congress extend the extra unemployment benefits. I think were trying to keep our comments on fiscal policy at a high level ill come to your specific question let me just say this, this is the biggest economic shock in the u. S. And in the world really in living memory we went from the lowest level of unemployment in 50 years to the highest level in close to 90 years and we did it in two months extraordinary. Appropriately the response there fiscal authorities has been large, forceful, and very quick by the standards of these things roughly 3 trillion congress has authorized, and thats benefiting households, laid off workers, small and medium businesses, hospitals, state and local governments, 14 of gdp, its in a class by itself in terms of both the size and the speed of it. Its also pretty innovative. Both the ppp and Unemployment Insurance are quite innovative in th