News: POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: WARREN wants END to ‘DEBT NIGHTMARE’ — BAKER signs UNEMPLOYMENT BILL — Federal MISTAKE means $100 mill COVID WINDFALL

Friday, April 2, 2021

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: WARREN wants END to ‘DEBT NIGHTMARE’ — BAKER signs UNEMPLOYMENT BILL — Federal MISTAKE means $100 mill COVID WINDFALL

Apr 02, 2021

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GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. TGIF!

WARREN NOT BACKING DOWN FROM STUDENT LOAN FIGHT — The Massachusetts congressional delegation has been all over the state this week selling President Joe Biden's Covid-19 relief package. They've toured vaccine sites and held press conferences, often several times per day.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Ayanna Pressley took a break from the American Rescue Plan promotional tour to instead push the president on another issue. Along with Attorney General Maura Healey, the lawmakers are again calling on Biden to cancel up to $50,000 in debt for student loan borrowers, and help those who are "caught in a debt nightmare," as Warren put it.

"We are calling on President Joe Biden to end that nightmare," Warren said at a press conference on Thursday. Student borrowers in Massachusetts owe about $30 billion in student loans, according to data published by the U.S. Department of Education in September.

This isn't Warren's first time pushing Biden on student debt. The issue was central to her presidential campaign last year. And Warren held a town hall in February where she called on Biden to cancel the debt. At that time, he flat-out said no, and that he'd consider eliminating $10,000 in debt per borrower, not $50,000.

It's also a test of Warren's influence in the Biden era. There's been plenty of ink spilled about the Cambridge Democrat's network of allies in key Biden administration roles, particularly after Warren was passed over for the Treasury secretary role.

There are some signs the White House is warming to student debt relief. White House chief of staff Ron Klain told my POLITICO colleagues that Biden "asked his secretary of Education ... to have his department prepare a memo on the president's legal authority" on canceling debt. The signal comes just after Biden opted to shelve Warren's signature wealth tax proposal as a way to fund his "Build Back Better" initiative, and as the president continues to walk a tightrope between progressives and moderate Democrats.

Expect to hear more about student loan debt soon . Warren announced yesterday she'll hold her first hearing as chair of the economic policy subcommittee of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee later this month. The topic? You guessed it: Student borrowers. Healey and Pressley will speak at the April 13 hearing, and Warren has also invited the CEO of student loan servicer Navient, among others.

Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com.

TODAY — Sen. Ed Markey announces the COMPRESSOR Act in Weymouth, and visits Cold Chain Technologies in Franklin.

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THE LATEST NUMBERS

– "Active COVID infections continue climbing ahead of Easter; Massachusetts reports 2,455 new cases, 32 deaths on Thursday," by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: "Active COVID infections in Massachusetts rose to 32,868 on Thursday, up from 31,911 the day before, according to the latest data from the Department of Public Health. State health officials confirmed another 2,455 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday."

– "Coronavirus in Massachusetts schools highest ever at 1,045 new cases in past week," by Alexi Cohan, Boston Herald: "A total of 1,045 staff and students in Massachusetts schools have tested positive for coronavirus in the past week, the highest weekly tally ever reported and an increase of 135 cases from the week prior, according to data from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The previous record high was 1,009 cases on December 17."

– "Number of Massachusetts cities and towns at 'high risk' for COVID jumps to 55," by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: "The number of Massachusetts cities and towns at high risk for COVID-19 spread increased again — from 32 last week to 55 as of Thursday, according to the latest data from the Department of Public Health ."

DATELINE BEACON HILL

– "Gov. Charlie Baker signs Massachusetts unemployment insurance bill that includes tax benefit for forgiven PPP loans," by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: "Small business owners with certain forgiven federal loans during the COVID-19 pandemic can now exclude those funds from their gross taxable income in Massachusetts. Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law Thursday afternoon legislation that enables 'pass-through entities' with forgiven Paycheck Protection Program loans to get the same tax benefits that corporations do."

– "If Mass. doesn't have a robust summer school this year, 'shame on us,' Baker says," by Felicia Gans, Boston Globe: "Given the disruptions to traditional learning that Massachusetts students have faced in the past year, Governor Charlie Baker implored education leaders Thursday to organize a 'robust summer school' program for students to help combat learning loss from the pandemic."

– "Massachusetts to recommend modifying graduation requirements, not mandating MCAS test for Class of 2022 and extending timeline for grades 3-8 until June," by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: "In light of the COVID pandemic's impact on the school year, Massachusetts Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Jeffrey C. Riley announced he will be recommending changes to the state's graduation requirements for the Class of 2022."

– "Pittsfield police chief, Boston chaplain among new members of Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission," by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: "A Pittsfield police chief, a Boston chaplain and a retired judge are some of the nine inaugural members of the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission. Gov. Charlie Baker and Attorney General Maura Healey announced the new members Thursday afternoon, the deadline for making these appointments."

– "Study says Massachusetts 'millionaires tax' wouldn't just hit the mega-rich," by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: "A new study from the Pioneer Institute says the so-called "millionaires tax" that's regularly discussed on Beacon Hill wouldn't just dip into the pockets of the wealthiest few, but would also nail middle-class people cashing out for retirement."

– "Pandemic Hits Working Women Especially Hard," by Craig LeMoult, GBH News: "The pandemic has had an outsized impact on working women. Now advocates say workplaces and the state legislature should take steps to lessen the burden. Leslie Forde said her research has shown the impact all too clearly. She's a member of the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts and founder of an online community called Mom's Hierarchy of Needs, who conducted a study of nearly 2,000 parents, mostly mothers."

VAX-ACHUSETTS

– "Experts say 'herd immunity' could conquer COVID-19. But is it even possible?" by Adam Vaccaro, Boston Globe: "As the nationwide vaccine drive kicks into high gear, the concept of herd immunity is fraying under the scrutiny. Far from a clear target that we can aim for in vaccination programs, herd immunity has become a catch-all term that may mean different things to different people — and it's not clear whether using the strategy to fully squelch the virus is even possible."

– "Virus notes: COVID cases among people over 70 way down," by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: "The high vaccination rate among older people in Massachusetts is driving down the number of COVID-19 cases in that age group. According to the latest state data, there were 943 COVID-19 cases among people over 70 in the last two weeks, or 4 percent of total cases. That figure is important because elderly people are most likely to become hospitalized or die of COVID-19."

– "Baker says state should know next week how a Johnson & Johnson manufacturing error could impact Mass. vaccines," by Travis Andersen, Boston Globe: "Governor Charlie Baker said state officials expect to learn next week how a manufacturing error in Baltimore that ruined about 15 million doses of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine will affect the supply chain of the doses coming to Massachusetts."

FROM THE HUB

– "Boston expecting $100M-plus additional coronavirus relief cash budgeted to defunct Suffolk County," by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: "But wait, there's more! Boston's expecting to receive a windfall of another $100 million or more in coronavirus recovery money — on top of the $434 million it's already getting — because the feds budgeted big bucks for the nonexistent Suffolk County government."

– "Boston's Positivity Rate Jumps Again, But This Time With Less Alarm," by Saraya Wintersmith, GBH News: "Acting Mayor Kim Janey said Thursday the positivity rate jumped for the second time in 30 days to 4.8 percent, or more than 200 cases per day, but those metrics are only two of six that officials are using to gauge Boston's overall level of risk. Just two days ago, Janey announced that Boston's positivity rate was 4.2 percent, which was a 17 percent increase over the previous plateau of 3.5 percent."

– "Boston councilors seek to provide city employees paid leave for loss of pregnancy," by Christopher Gavin, Boston.com: "A trio of Boston city councilors is seeking to extend the city's paid parental leave policy for its employees to those who have experienced a loss of pregnancy. Councilors Lydia Edwards, Michelle Wu, and Annissa Essaibi George on Wednesday filed an amendment to a city ordinance that currently allows up to 12 weeks paid leave for parents of newborns and recently adopted children, and those who have experienced a stillbirth."

– "Thousands Of Students Prepare For Full-Time, In-Person Learning On Monday," by Arun Rath and Amanda Beland, GBH News: "On Monday, thousands of elementary students will head back to classrooms full-time, many for the first time in months. For parents and students, it's a mixed bag of emotions — especially as coronavirus cases tick back up."

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

– "Amtrak unveils proposed new routes in response to Biden's $2 trillion jobs and infrastructure plan," by Brittany Bowker, Boston Globe: "Amtrak on Wednesday released the first outline of a proposal that would jump-start expansion of the nation's railroad system. The plan was unveiled in the wake of President Biden's $2 trillion jobs and infrastructure proposal that would allocate $80 billion to modernize Amtrak's Northeast Corridor line — which runs through Boston and other cities scattered throughout the northeast."

MARKEYCHUSETTS

– "Supreme Court rules Facebook didn't violate U.S. robocall ban," by John Fritze and Bart Jansen, USA TODAY: "One of the original authors of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., denounced the decision in a joint statement with Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif. The lawmakers said they would introduce legislation to 'fix the court's error .'"

DATELINE D.C.

– "Biden and Walsh are strongly pro-union. But some progressives worry a top White House aide falls short on a big labor issue," by Jim Puzzanghera, Boston Globe: "Joe Biden has vowed to be 'the most pro-union president' and helped back that up by choosing Martin J. Walsh, a former union leader, as labor secretary. But some progressives aren't happy with Biden's pick for another job — this one a labor policy position inside the White House — that is filled by a Washington veteran who they said brings troubling baggage on the key issue of expanding protections to gig economy workers."

ABOVE THE FOLD

— Herald: "HELL ON WHEELS," — Globe: "Despite mishap, J&J doses still coming," "Caution urged as Boston cases rise."

FROM THE 413

– "MCLA moves to remote learning after uptick in on-campus COVID-19 cases," by Francesca Paris, The Berkshire Eagle: "The Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts will send students home and shift to remote learning after a surge in COVID-19 cases among resident students. The college announced Thursday that it would move classes online starting Monday and close dorms for the semester April 11."

THE LOCAL ANGLE

– "State Sen. Barry Finegold Reaches Out To Football Team After Allegations Of Anti-Semitism," by Anthony Brooks and Walter Wuthmann, WBUR: "In Duxbury, there are still questions around the disturbing story of the high school varsity football team, whose players were accused last week of using anti-Semitic language. The school fired the head coach and is conducting an investigation into exactly what the football players said: they allegedly used words like 'dreidel,' 'Rabbi,' and 'Auschwitz' to call plays on the field."

– "Owner of Worcester's Nuestra restaurant, closing due to COVID impact, has something she'd like to say to Gov. Baker," by Michael Bonner, MassLive.com: "Nuestra, a restaurant serving Puerto Rican cuisine in Worcester, announced on Thursday it would be temporarily closing on April 18 due to COVID-19. 'It's just the right move at the right time,' owner Natalie Rodriguez said. 'We can't keep continuing to lose each week. We have to figure out a different strategy. So that's where we're at.'"

– "Lawrence teachers stage 'walk-in,'" by Allison Corneau, Eagle-Tribune: "Teachers across the city gathered Thursday wearing their union's signature "red for ed" T-shirts to protest the school system's reopening plan. Under state guidelines, students in pre-kindergarten through grade five, and special education learners, are scheduled to return to classrooms on Monday."

– "St. Vincent CEO Carolyn Jackson says strike part of larger agenda for nurses," by Cyrus Moulton, Telegram & Gazette: "St. Vincent Hospital CEO Carolyn Jackson alleged that nurses are being used as pawns to enact a union objective of statewide mandatory staffing ratios, something she said would lead to higher health care costs, delays, and not improve care."

HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to state Rep. Frank Moran, Billy Jaffe, and Pete D'Agostino, partner at Tenax Strategies

HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND – to Saturday birthday-ers Ed Cash, founder and president of Frontier Security Strategies; UMass Journalism's Karen List, Niall Murphy, Juan Jaramillo, Greg Honan, Mark Lannigan, and Molly Thomas. And to Sunday birthday-ers Springfield City Councilor Jesse Lederman and Sam Doran of State House News.

Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you're promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com.

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