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Policy and Legislative Updates
7.17.2020
The Policy and Legislative Advisory Network (PLAN) is committed to keeping the larger network abreast of policies, legislation, regulations, and rules being implemented across the state and nation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Updates below include information through 7.17.2020 and were provided by:

Please note: This information is subject to change. In addition, some updates may be sourced from organizations that have read limits or limits on how many articles you can access in a given time period.
Local Policy Updates
Coronavirus In Colorado; The Numbers
According to today's data release, in Colorado there have been 427,699 people tested, 39,334 positive cases, 5,994 hospitalized, 1,751 deaths among cases (1,615 deaths due to COVID), 424 outbreaks at residential and non- hospital health care facilities, 63 of 64 counties with positive cases. In Adams County we have 5,024 cases and 161 deaths. Read More from CDPHE HERE
Governor, Legislators Announce Members of RTD Accountability Committee
Gov. Jared Polis and the chairs of the state House and Senate transportation committees on Friday announced the 11 members of the Regional Transportation District Accountability Committee, which will examine the transit agency's finances, resources, and structure of governance, among other issues. A multifaceted, bipartisan bill to alter the board of directors and audit RTD’s finances died during the legislative session this year. The proposal would have also established campaign contribution limits for board races and allowed state-level civil lawsuits for discrimination against the agency. Read more from Colorado Politics HERE
Governor Polis Takes Action To Address COVID-19
Governor Jared Polis signed an Executive Order in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Governor amended and extended an Executive Order suspending certain statutes allowing the operation of alternate care sites in Colorado. Read More from Governor Jared Polis HERE
Gov. Polis, Dept. Of Local Affairs, State Lawmakers Announce Rental Assistance Fund
Governor Jared Polis and the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) today announced the Property Owner Preservation (POP) Program for rental assistance, resulting from HB20-1410, COVID-19-related Housing Assistance. The Governor thanks Representatives Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, D-Denver, and Tony Exum, D-Colorado Springs; Sen. Rachel Zenzinger D-Arvada, and Sen. Julie Gonzales, D-Denver, for partnering on this important legislation that allocates nearly $20 million in federal CARES Act funding for housing assistance. Read More from Governor Jared Polis HERE
Polis Issues Statewide Face Mask Order
After pleading, prodding, cajoling, using both friendly and harsh language, and appealing to the better civic sensibilities of Coloradans everywhere, Gov. Jared Polis has finally done what he’s been resistant to do. The governor has issued a statewide face mask order. The order requires most people to wear masks in all public indoor spaces, with some exceptions. In addition to the mask order, the governor announced a two-week pause on issuing any new variances to counties in the state. Read More from CPR HERE , Denver7 HERE , and Governor Jared Polis HERE
Tri-County Health Department Has Made The Decision Not To Rescind Its Public Health Order
Via Tri-County Health Department's press release, "Because the original TCHD order includes provisions that the Governor’s does not, our order will remain in effect. Key differences in the TCHD order are the inclusion of the requirement for face-coverings in outdoor locations when 6 feet of social distancing cannot be maintained and a longer duration (up to 90 days rather than 30 days). While we believe that the risk of COVID-19 transmission is greater indoors than outdoors, we believe that close contact without a face covering even in the outdoors can provide risk." Read More from TCHD HERE
How Will Colorado's Mask Order Be Enforced?
Often, it’s up to the business establishments to enforce the rules. Many customers are compliant, but some have openly defied mask orders. Under the Governor’s new executive order, people who refuse to wear a mask in required areas could face civil or criminal penalties, such as being prosecuted for trespassing. If a business doesn’t comply, it risks losing its license The Colorado Retailers Council (CRC) also supports the state-wide consistency within the new Executive Order. CRC represents large chain retailers like big box stores, grocers, pharmacies and hardware stores. Read More from 9News HERE and The Denver Business Journal HERE
These Are The Places That Have Opted Out Of The Tri-County Health Department's Mask Mandate
A mask mandate for Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties that was approved by the Tri-County Health Department’s (TCHD) board will go into effect on July 24. These are the locations that have opted out so far. 1) Douglas County- Douglas County’s Republican commissioners sent out a news release last Friday saying they intended to opt-out – and that the mask mandate has also prompted them to ask to withdraw from the TCHD and form their own health department. 2) Brighton- Brighton is the first municipality in Adams County to opt-out of the mandate voting 9-0. They also directed staff to evaluate what it would cost to establish their own Public Health Department. 3) Glendale- The Glendale City Council in a special meeting Tuesday night agreed to take time to draft legislation before deciding if the city should opt-out of the mask mandate. 4) Bennett- Bennett's town trustees voted 6-to-1 to opt out of the TCHD mask mandate. Other municipalities are expected to take up the issue in the coming week, including Commerce City and Federal Heights. Read More from 9News HERE
These Colorado Cities And Counties Required Masks Be Worn In Public Places Prior To State Mandate
Just as some municipalities opted to extend their stay-at-home orders, nearly 40 Colorado cities and counties ordered the public to wear masks or other non-medical face coverings when going into businesses or public spaces where proper social distancing is impossible. Each of the municipalities’ orders varied slightly, especially as to how long they’re in place — and some have now expired. Read More from The Denver Post HERE
Griswold Issues Temporary Rules Nixing Online Petition Circulation, Extending Nonprofit Filings
Secretary of State Jena Griswold has adopted temporary rules that rescind recent changes to the circulation of petitions and that also push back the deadline for charitable solicitation filings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new protocols from Griswold are intended to provide certainty to proponents of ballot initiatives, petition circulators, and unaffiliated or independent candidates. Read More from Colorado Politics HERE
Weekly Colorado Unemployment Claims Rise Above 10,000 For First Time In A Month
There were more than 10,000 regular initial unemployment claims filed in the state last week, the most initial claims filed since the week ending on June 13, according to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE). There were 10,506 regular claims were filed the week ending July 11. Read More from 9News HERE
Colorado’s Unemployment Rate Was A Stagnant 10.5% In June
Colorado’s unemployment was a stagnant 10.5% in June, according to data released by the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment on Friday, indicating that the state’s jobs situation isn’t dramatically improving as the state continues to reopen after a coronavirus shutdown. In fact, the June rate was three-tenths of a percentage point higher than it was in May at 10.2%. Read More from The Colorado Sun HERE
Extra Coronavirus Unemployment Benefits Are Expiring Just As More Coloradans Seek Work
Colorado’s Department of Labor and Employment is warning unemployment recipients that the extra federal benefit of $600 will end this month, just as the state’s unemployment rate ticked up slightly last month to 10.5 percent. The state has paid out $1.9 billion through this extra federal benefit, and more than $3.5 billion total in unemployment assistance since the end of March. Read More from CPR HERE
Pandemic Not Giving Denver Home Buyers Much Of A Break
Buyers in metro Denver who expected to have an easier time snagging a discounted home given all the economic turmoil may need to recalculate. Metro Denver home price gains, at 3.9%, have lost some steam and are running below the U.S. average of 4.6%. But Denver is also a much more expensive market, with a May median sales price of $432,153 here versus a median sales price of $263,408 nationally, Zillow said. So far, that higher valuation doesn’t appear to be leaving the market more exposed to softer prices. Read More from The Denver Post HERE
Online Classes Aren’t Going Anywhere, But Thousands Of Colorado Students Still Don’t Have Internet Access
Thousands of Colorado students who are heading back to school are not much better prepared for the possibility of remote learning than they were in the spring, when they had to flip to online classes in a matter of weeks. Estimates suggest that about 10% of Colorado K-12 students — about 90,000 total — still don’t have a reliable connection to the internet, according to the Colorado Education Initiative. Read More from The Colorado Sun HERE
Colorado Is Really, Really Dry Right Now
Nearly all of Colorado is in a drought. According to the most recent map from the U.S. Drought Monitor, 95 percent of the state is experiencing drought conditions and 37 percent of Colorado — mostly in the southern half of the state — is in an extreme drought. About 47 percent of the state’s residents live in areas that are abnormally dry. That’s about 2.3 million people. Read More from CPR HERE
Drafting Rules To Reduce Colorado’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions May Prove Even Harder Because Of Missing Data
A plan to reduce Colorado’s greenhouse gas emissions will be a device of many moving parts and after a review by an Air Quality Control Commission subcommittee Thursday it looks like those parts are moving slowly, with rules in key areas not in place for another year. The timetables rolled out during the session, carried on Zoom, had rulemakings in transportation, the fastest growing source of emissions, slated for next summer and in building efficiency later in 2021. Read More from The Colorado Sun HERE
A Year After U.S. 36 Highway Collapse, Colorado Still Seeks Compensation
The state of Colorado is still fighting a year later to hold road builders accountable for the unusual highway collapse on U.S. 36 that shut down toll lanes, snarled northwest metro traffic for months and required breakneck repair work. The Colorado Department of Transportation hasn’t released the findings of a forensic investigation into the July 2019 incident, in which a “slope failure” destroyed an eastbound overpass approach near Church Ranch Boulevard in Westminster. Read More from The Denver Post HERE
Colorado Oil Company Hit By Second Wave Of Layoffs
Extraction Oil and Gas Inc. has laid off 62 more employees in the month since it filed for bankruptcy protection, a second round of job cuts for the oil company this year. The Denver-based company (Nasdaq: XOG) on Friday notified the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment that it eliminated the jobs from its operations base in Windsor, in northern Colorado. Read More from Denver Business Journal HERE
The Graffiti On Colorado’s Capitol Will Likely Be There For A While
The amount of graffiti and other vandalism on the Colorado Capitol building and its grounds — which began to appear during late May protests of police violence — has increased almost daily since then. So have frustrations about the lack of visible cleanup efforts. A state official says an assessment of the damage and cleanup strategies is now underway. But given the challenges of dealing with a historic building and spray paint that’s had time to seep into the building’s granite walls, it’s unclear when the work will start or how much it will cost. Read More from The Denver Post HERE
Aurora Moves Closer To Another Review Of The Elijah McClain Case
The city of Aurora on Thursday moved closer to an independent investigation into the police-involved death of an unarmed 23-year-old Black man last August. The City Council's public safety policy Committee gave initial approval to a resolution outlining the review and bringing in a Washington, D.C.,-based attorney to oversee the probe into the death of Elijah McClain, who died from a medical emergency after being wrestled to the ground and placed in a chokehold. The full Aurora City Council will take up the issue at its meeting Monday. Read More from Colorado Politics HERE
Red Rocks Will Soon Host Its First Concerts Since The Coronavirus Pandemic Began
There will be concerts at Red Rocks this summer after all, as the Colorado Symphony performs a five-night acoustic series at the legendary amphitheater. The symphony announced today that it will present “Acoustic on the Rocks” from July 29 to Aug. 2, the first live concerts for both Red Rocks and the Colorado Symphony since the start of the pandemic in March. Tickets sales are open to the public on AXS.com, and the event will have limited seating to adhere to coronavirus restrictions. Read More from The Denver Post HERE
Crow, Perlmutter Introduce Resolution For "Heroes Day" On Anniversary Of Aurora Shooting
U.S. Reps. Jason Crow and Ed Perlmuttter have introduced a resolution to the U.S. House of Representatives designating July 20 as “National Heroes Day” in commemoration of the 2012 massacre in an Aurora movie theater. Four men — Jonathan Blunk, John Larimer, Matt McQuinn and Alex Teves — all shielded their girlfriends from bullets in the Century 16 theater. They were among the 12 murder victims that night. Read More from Colorado Politics HERE
Watch- Small Business Recovery In Colorado
\Axios will host a conversation on Thursday, July 23 at 12:30pm ET on how small businesses in Colorado have pivoted during the coronavirus outbreak, featuring Colorado Governor Jared Polis and Ryan Cobbins, owner of Coffee at The Point. Read More from Axios HERE
Race, Inequality, And COVID-19- Part 2
The systemic inequities in the American healthcare system existed long before COVID-19 ever arrived. Throughout history, Black, Latino, Native, and Indigenous communities have borne a disproportionate burden in public health crises due to a lack of affordable and accessible treatment options. In part one of our discussion, Denver Museum of Nature and Science explored the role of structural racism; longstanding mistrust between communities and medical practitioners; and the need for authenticity in our support systems. Read More from DMNS HERE
The State Where Protests Have Already Forced Major Police Reform
Barely a month has passed since Colorado legislators raced to approve the Enhance Law Enforcement Integrity Act as protesters marched and chanted outside the state capitol in Denver. Denver suburb attracted no national outcry at the time, but has received fresh attention this summer. Many of the new law’s provisions—banning choke holds, overhauling the use of force, and significantly expanding the use of body cameras—won’t formally take effect for months, or even years. But policing in Colorado is already changing. Read More from The Atlantic HERE
National Policy Updates
U.S. Reports 77,200 New Coronavirus Cases, Shattering One-Day Record
The United States reported 77,255 new cases of the coronavirus on Thursday, shattering its previous record single-day spike in new cases by nearly 10,000, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The previous record of 67,791 new cases was reported on July 10. The U.S. has reported more than 65,400 new cases on average over the past seven days, up nearly 22% compared with a week ago, according to a CNBC analysis of the data from Hopkins. Read More from CNBC HERE
HHS To Begin Distributing $10 Billion In Additional Funding To Hospitals In High Impact COVID-19 Areas
Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), is announcing it will begin distributing $10 billion in a second round of high impact COVID-19 area funding to hospitals starting next week. As parts of the nation confront a recent surge in positive COVID-19 cases and hospitals elsewhere continue to recover and grapple with the financial hardships caused by the pandemic, HHS recognizes the need to quickly get these funds to frontline health care providers. Read More from HHS HERE
Mask Mandates Catch On As States, Businesses Try To Bypass A Toxic Debate
Even as the White House continued to resist pushing for a national mask mandate, evidence abounded that face coverings were becoming a de facto requirement — and not only in big cities where they have been in widespread use for months. Governors in two conservative states — Alabama and Montana — said Wednesday that people would be obligated to wear masks while in public. The announcements, which came as Alabama recorded a new single-day peak in COVID-19 deaths and Montana hit a new high for cases, mean that nearly half of all states now have a mask mandate. Read More from The Washington Post HERE
Are There Mask Guidelines For Your State? Here's What You Need To Know
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the use of cloth face coverings to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. As the United States continues to lead the world in the total number of COVID-19 cases and deaths, some states are enforcing mask recommendations with fines and jail time, while others are leaving it up to individuals to decide. Here are the mask requirements in place across all 50 states and Washington, D.C.. Read More from Today HERE
Georgia Governor Overrides All Local Mask Orders In The State
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) is prohibiting local municipalities across the state from mandating that masks be worn in public to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. Kemp’s executive order issued Wednesday prevents local governments from enforcing mandatory face-covering orders that are more restrictive than the current statewide order. The move effectively voided orders issued by at least 15 local governments across the state, according to The Associated Press. Read More from The Hill HERE
Georgia Governor Sues Atlanta Mayor Over City's Mask Mandate
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced Thursday he is suing Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms over the city's mask mandate, claiming the measure violates his emergency orders. Read More from CNN HERE
May And June COVID-19 State Testing Plans
State plans from all states, territories and localities on COVID-19 testing from May and June will be publicly available. Testing strategies from other states and localities can be used as road maps for how to reach vulnerable populations including minorities, immunocompromised individuals and older adults. Read More from HHS HERE
Judge Rules Hospital Outpatient Payment Cuts Are Valid
A panel of federal judges upheld the Trump administration's cuts to Medicare payments for routine medical visits in a hospital outpatient office — a blow to the hospital industry, which will lose hundreds of millions of dollars annually. The big picture: Hospitals last year successfully quashed a similar rule, which would have equalized Medicare's pay rates for basic doctor visits, regardless of whether they took place in a hospital-owned or independent clinic. The American Hospital Association said in a statement it is "carefully reviewing the decision to determine our next steps." Read More from Axios HERE
Target, CVS Shoppers Will Be Required To Wear Masks
Target and CVS are the latest national retail chains requiring customers to wear masks as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to skyrocket. The companies announced the new policies on Thursday following similar moves by a growing number of retailers acting to fill a void left by local, state and federal agencies that have so far refused to set mandatory face coverings policies. As of Thursday, only about half of the country's states require masks in public places. Read More from CPR HERE
CDC To Recommend Against Retesting Coronavirus Patients Before They End Isolation
The CDC is developing guidance that will recommend coronavirus patients no longer be retested to prove they have cleared the disease — a move that comes amid a nationwide testing crunch. Read More from Politico HERE
With CDC Pulled Off Data Collection, Some States Lose Access To COVID Hospital Data
Just as the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 approaches new highs in some parts of the country, hospital data in Kansas and Missouri is suddenly incomplete or missing. The Missouri Hospital Association reports that it no longer has access to the data it uses to guide statewide coronavirus mitigation efforts, and Kansas officials say their hospital data reports may be delayed. The Trump administration this week directed hospitals to change how they report data to the federal government and how that data will be made available. Read More from NPR HERE
Private White House Document Says Counties In 'Red Zone' Should Close Bars And Gyms
A document prepared for the White House coronavirus task force and obtained by the Center for Public Integrity says 18 states are in the “red zone” for new cases and suggests hard-hit areas should take steps to roll back reopening phases such as closing bars and gyms. The document lays out specific recommendations for each state in more detail than Trump administration officials have given publicly. Among the notable recommendations are for counties in the “red zone” to close bars and gyms and to limit gatherings to 10 people or fewer. Read More from The Hill HERE
Election 2020- Jamaal Bowman Unseats Veteran Rep. Eliot Engel In New York Primary
Progressive challenger Jamaal Bowman has defeated House Foreign Affairs Chair Eliot Engel in New York's 16th congressional district's Democratic primary, which took place on June 23, according to an AP call of the race on Friday. Why it matters: It's the biggest upset of the 2020 House primary cycle thus far. Engel, a 16-term incumbent who served as one of the committee chairs that led the impeachment inquiry into President Trump, had been endorsed by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, New York Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, and Hillary Clinton — her first House primary endorsement of 2020. Read More from Axios HERE
Election 2020- Cook Political Report Moves 20 House Races Toward Democrats
Cook Political Report on Friday moved its outlook for 20 House races toward Democrats. Why it matters: President Trump's troubles are spilling over to affect Republicans down the ballot — which could foreshadow a blue wave in November. The state of play: Republicans need to pick up 18 seats to win the House back in 2020, but the tide is firmly moving against that hope. Read More from Axios HERE
1.3 Million Americans Filed First-Time Unemployment Claims Last Week
Another 1.3 million people filed first-time jobless claims on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending July 11, according to the Department of Labor. That's down 10,000 from the prior week's revised level. On an unadjusted basis, more than 1.5 million people filed first-time claims, up almost 109,000 from the week before. The seasonal adjustments are traditionally used to smooth out the data, but that has tended to have the opposite effect during the pandemic. Read More from CNN HERE
Lawmakers Press SBA, Treasury Officials On Cares Act Transparency And Loan Forgiveness
In an oversight hearing Friday morning lawmakers pressed top federal officials for clarity on the administration’s small business bailout programs, which remain in a state of flux as coronavirus cases spike in several Southern and Southwestern states. In just a few chaotic months after the coronavirus economic crisis set in, the SBA scaled up to process more small business assistance than in its entire 67-year history combined, SBA officials have said. But committee chairwoman Nydia Velázquez, D-NY, said the programs could have done more to address the smallest and neediest businesses. Read More from The Washington Post HERE
Jobs Recovery Shows Signs Of Slowing As Coronavirus Surges
The U.S. labor-market recovery is losing momentum as a surge in coronavirus cases triggers heightened employer uncertainty and consumer caution. Job openings in July are down from last month across the U.S., and Google searches for “file for unemployment” are creeping up. Growth in worker hours is waning at small businesses after several weeks of gains. Read More from The Wall Street Journal HERE
Exact Change Please- Walmart, Kroger, CVS Are Feeling The Coin Shortage
Supermarkets and gas stations across the U.S. are asking shoppers to pay with a card or produce exact change when possible. The trouble began weeks ago, when the coronavirus pandemic delivered a bizarre double blow to the U.S. supply of quarters, dimes, nickels and even pennies. Social distancing and other safety measures slowed production of coins at the U.S. Mint. But also fewer coins made their way from customers to banks, coin-sorting kiosks and stores' cash registers as people holed up at home. Read More from NPR HERE
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Announces Cancer Recurrence, Says Chemotherapy Yielding 'Positive Results'
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said Friday she is undergoing chemotherapy to treat a recurrence of cancer. The treatment is yielding "positive results." The liberal justice, 87, said she remains "fully able" to continue in her post. Read More from CNN HERE
Virus Threatens Food Programs
Kids will already suffer this fall if they can't return to classrooms, and for millions of them it also threatens their access to nutritious food. Why it matters: School is not just a place for learning; it's also a place where children get fed. Millions of children who don't go to school on any given day risk going hungry at home. The big picture: 13.9 million children are suffering from food insecurity, up from 2.5 million in 2018 and 5.1 million at the height of the Great Recession in 2008, according to Lauren Bauer of the Hamilton Project, who used data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Read More from Axios HERE
How The ‘15-Minute City’ Could Help Post-Pandemic Recovery
The COVID-19 crisis in the U.S. has torn a hole in city budgets, decimating urban economies across the country even as infections continue to roar back and the specter of second-wave lockdowns loom. Local governments may face a cumulative shortfall of hundreds of billions of dollars, small businesses are closing at staggering rates, and when the temporary boost in unemployment benefits expires, municipal sales tax shortfalls may get even worse. An international coalition of cities believes that the only path forward for mayors is funding green stimulus plans focused on job creation. Read More from CityLab HERE
Doctors And Dentists Still Flooding U.S. With Opioid Prescriptions
Despite widespread devastation caused by America's opioid epidemic, an investigation by NPR found that doctors and other health care providers still prescribe highly addictive pain medications at rates widely considered unsafe. Public data, including new government studies and reports in medical literature, shows enough prescriptions are being written each year for half of all Americans to have one. Patients still receive more than twice the volume of opioids considered normal before the prescribing boom began in the late 1990s. Read More from NPR HERE
Defense Secretary Effectively Bans Confederate Flags From Military Bases While Rejecting ‘Divisive Symbols’
Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper effectively banned the display of the Confederate battle flag on U.S. military installations on Friday, saying in a memo that the “flags we fly must accord with the military imperatives of good order and discipline, treating all our people with dignity and respect, and rejecting divisive symbols.” The memo does not explicitly mention Confederate banners, but states that the American flag is the “principal flag we are authorized and encouraged to display.” Read More from The Washington Post HERE
Federal Employees May Wear Or Display Black Lives Matter Paraphernalia At Work
Federal employees are permitted to wear or display Black Lives Matter paraphernalia in the workplace, as it is not an “inherently partisan” movement, according to the independent agency that oversees the Hatch Act prohibiting civil servants from participating in political activity while on the job. The Office of Special Counsel released updated guidance on Wednesday on how the Hatch Act applies to the Black Lives Matter movement, as first reported by Federal News Network. Read More from Government Executive HERE
Why Linking More Diverse Players Is Crucial To Commercial Space
Politico caught up this month with Jose Ocasio-Christian, CEO of Caelus Partners, a space consulting firm based in McLean, Va., that is focused not just on connecting investors and corporate clients with growing space-related opportunities in the private sector or government agencies, but also with each other. Ocasio-Christian, a retired Army officer and military strategist, has an ongoing initiative called the “Community in Space” that is predicated on the vision that while there’s historic excitement in the commercial possibilities of space, there is “no plan for how to organize such development, let alone alignment across key stakeholders as to how it could be done.” Read More from Politico HERE
Oil Producing Countries Strike Deal To Increase Production
A coalition of oil-rich nations has agreed to increase petroleum production as demand for gas ticks back up amid the easing of coronavirus restrictions, according to reporting from The Wall Street Journal. Members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and other Russia-led allies agreed late Wednesday to increase production by 1.6 million barrels a day, easing an agreement reached in April to cut oil production by nearly 10 million barrels per day, roughly 10 percent of global demand. Read More from The Hill HERE
International Policy Updates
India Coronavirus Cases Surge Past One Million
India hit a milestone on Friday morning that it had made great sacrifices to avoid: recording more than one million coronavirus infections. The virus has been gnawing its way across this country of 1.3 billion people and gaining speed, fueled by high population density, an already beleaguered health care system and a calculation by the central government to lift a nationwide lockdown in hopes of getting the economy up and running, come what may. But as India’s number of confirmed new infections keeps hitting record highs, many states and cities have been locking down again. Read More from The New York Times HERE
China’s World-Beating Growth Rate Of...3.2%
At the start of the year no one would have predicted that China would crow about such slow growth by its lofty standards. Yet on July 16th it proudly reported that GDP grew by 3.2% in the second quarter compared with a year ago, rebounding from its coronavirus lockdown. This makes it, by far, the best-performing big economy. Skeptics question the data. But alternative indicators confirm that the recovery is real, albeit highly uneven.  Read More from The Economist HERE
About Rocky Mountain Cradle to Career Partnership (RMC2C)
The Rocky Mountain Cradle to Career Partnership (RMC2C) Backbone team is working to support network partners in their efforts to navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic. The Backbone continues to be in a position to bring people together to work collectively, specifically around emergency response and recovery related to COVID-19.

Previously, RMC2C has exclusively focused on supporting youth from Cradle to Career. However, in light of the crisis our community currently faces, there is an immediate need to provide the Backbone's expertise, skills, and resources to the larger community.
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