15 things to know for today about coronavirus

Welcome to The Hill’s daily roundup of coronavirus news.

Cases in the U.S. surpassed 50,000 today, and the rate of infection in New York is doubling every three days. Deaths across the country are just under 700.

Congress and the White House seem to be on the verge of reaching a deal on a multitrillion-dollar stimulus package to try to blunt the economic damage from the coronavirus pandemic, with a vote expected on Wednesday. 

It will be big, and it won’t be the last. House Democratic leaders today said they expect at least two more stimulus measures in the weeks and months ahead.

But President Trump seems intent on having the country “opened up” by Easter, which is less than three weeks away, and a far shorter timeline than the one given by public health experts.

Here’s what you need to know today …

From the White House

• Trump in a Fox News town hall said he hopes to have the country “opened up” by Easter — Sunday, April 12 — his most concrete goal to date for easing off restrictions meant to curb the spread of the coronavirus. More from Brett Samuels and Morgan Chalfant here.
• White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow rejected the idea that the administration was abandoning the advice of public health professionals and said the Trump administration could look at reopening businesses in areas where the coronavirus is less prevalent as it looks to stimulate the U.S. economy. Morgan has the details here.
• Trump shot down any reports of a rift between him and one of his top health officials, Dr. Anthony Fauci, after Fauci was absent from the White House briefing on Monday and the Fox town hall Tuesday. Fauci “has other things to do,” Trump said. “We get along very well. I think it’s been very good.” Fauci was present for Tuesday’s White House press briefing. Read Morgan’s story here.
• Officials are also urging people who are leaving New York City to quarantine for 14 days to avoid spreading the virus. Dr. Deborah Birx, part of the White House coronavirus task force, said about 56 percent of all cases in the U.S. are coming out of the NYC metro area. Jessie Hellmann has more here.

In the Senate

• Republican senators say they don’t expect a vote on a $2 trillion stimulus package until Wednesday as negotiators continue to refine language in the sprawling bill. One senior Republican senator said that “legislative drafting is going to go late into the night.” Alex Bolton has the story here.
• Guardrails in the bill are also shaping up. A $500 billion corporate assistance program for distressed industries will include an inspector general and oversight committee, according to a senior administration official. Alex has details here.
• Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) said he tested negative for coronavirus but will remain in quarantine for the remainder of the 14-day period. Romney announced that he would enter quarantine Sunday after Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) became the first senator diagnosed with the virus. More on Romney here from Zack Budryk.

In the House

• Trump’s push to relax social distancing restrictions and reopen businesses by Easter has ignited a fierce debate on Capitol Hill — and among Americans around the country. The fight is mostly playing out along party lines, with pro-business Republicans desperate for American life to get back to normal. Read Scott Wong for more details.
• Even as lawmakers in both chambers are racing this week to enact a massive coronavirus relief package — the third in as many weeks — House Democratic leaders are telling members to expect at least two more stimulus measures in the weeks and months ahead. Mike Lillis and Scott have the rest of the story.

In the states 

• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) ordered anyone in the state who has traveled to the greater New York City area over the past three weeks to self-isolate on Tuesday as the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise. The Hill’s Julia Manchester has the story here. 
• Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) vowed he would take action against his state’s sole remaining abortion clinic if it provides abortions during the coronavirus outbreak. Reeves said abortions should be included among elective medical procedures and non-essential medical visits, both of which were ordered postponed by the Mississippi Department of Health. Read more from Tal Axelrod.
• Trump said New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) should be buying the ventilators his state needs to treat coronavirus patients rather than relying on the federal government. Trump’s remarks came just hours after Cuomo issued a plea for more help from the federal government. Cuomo is one of several state leaders who say they still lack equipment necessary to fight the pandemic. Jessie has more details here.
• Liberty University welcomed its students back to campus this week, despite explicit social distancing guidelines from both the White House and the state of Virginia amid the coronavirus outbreak. Marty Johnson has the rundown here.

From around the world 

• Reid Wilson examines the situation in Italy, where the tsunami of coronavirus victims overwhelming health systems offers a frightening preview of what could lie ahead for the United States. Public health officials in the United States and around the world are now warning that what has happened in Italy is just a preview of what may happen here, as the number of cases in America balloon out of control.
• The Olympics have been postponed. Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, and International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach agreed on Tuesday to postpone this summer’s Olympics by one year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Edward Moreno has more.

On the lighter (non-coronavirus) side…

Because we all need a break, here’s a story about a runaway cow.