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U.S. NEWS Thursday 31 March 2022
Biden receives 2nd booster, presses Congress on virus funds

By ZEKE MILLER $15.6 billion bipartisan ver-
Associated Press sion that congressional
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- leaders crafted earlier this
dent Joe Biden called on month. The original com-
Congress to pass billions of promise collapsed after
dollars in additional fund- rank-and-file Democrats
ing to fight the COVID-19 rebelled against cuts in
pandemic on Wednesday, unspent pandemic aid
as he received a second for states that would have
booster dose of the Pfizer helped pay for it.
vaccine a day after fed- The two parties' continu-
eral regulators approved a ing disagreements are over
fourth shot for those aged how to find savings to offset
50 and older. the measure's cost, not the
Biden spoke as his admin- new spending itself.
istration rolled out COVID. Leaders would like Con-
gov, designed to be a one- gress to approve the as-
stop website to help people sistance before lawmakers
in the United States access leave for a spring recess af-
COVID-19 tests, vaccines ter next week.
and treatments, along with "We are not yet at the finish
status updates on infec- line, but we will keep work-
tion rates where they live. ing throughout the day,"
Biden pressed lawmakers President Joe Biden receives his second COVID-19 booster shot in the South Court Auditorium on Schumer said Wednesday.
to provide additional fund- the White House campus, Wednesday, March 30, 2022, in Washington. He said if a new COVID
ing "immediately" to ensure Associated Press variant emerges that "ex-
continued supply of the tends its nasty tentacles
tools that have helped the dose was administered by the Centers for Disease won't have the supplies across the country and we
nation begin to emerge a member of the White Control and Prevention we need this Fall," Biden don't have the tools to re-
from the pandemic. House Medical Unit. cleared the way for an- warned, noting the possibil- spond, then woe is us."
"Congress, we need to "It didn't hurt a bit," Biden other shot for anyone 50 ity that regulators will ap- Romney said Tuesday that
secure additional supply said. and older, who can get prove a fourth shot for all bargainers were discussing
now," he said, warning of The additional booster the additional booster at Americans. savings options. "But we're
shortages of vaccines, tests is meant to beef up the least four months after their Senate Majority Leader making progress and hope-
and treatments. "This isn't body's protection against last vaccination. Severely Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., fully we'll get there soon,"
partisan, it's medicine." COVID-19 in populations immune-compromised pa- and Sen. Mitt Romney, R- he said.
Biden, 79, received the first most vulnerable to the tients, such as organ trans- Utah, have been negotiat- A subvariant of the highly
series of two doses of the coronavirus, which has plant recipients, as young ing in hopes of reviving the transmissible omicron that
coronavirus vaccine shortly killed more than 975,000 as 12, are also eligible. COVID-19 package. scientists call BA.2 is now
before taking office and a people in the U.S. "We have enough supply If an agreement emerges, the dominant coronavi-
first booster shot in Septem- On Tuesday, the Food and to give booster shots, but participants say they ex- rus mutant in the United
ber. The additional booster Drug Administration and if Congress fails to act we pect it to be similar to the States.q
Police chief: More officers needed to fully reopen Capitol

By KEVIN FREKING U.S. Capitol Police Chief the U.S. Capitol Police and
Associated Press Thomas Manger said the Metropolitan Police De-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The department doesn't have partment responded to
chief of the U.S. Capi- the personnel to staff the the Jan. 6 attack and doz-
tol Police told lawmakers number of posts deemed ens of them were beaten
Wednesday it was his rec- necessary to secure the and injured as the mob of
ommendation to move Capitol and adjacent of- former President Donald
forward with a phased-in fices. Additional posts were Trump's supporters pushed
reopening of the U.S. Capi- added after Jan. 6. past them to break into the
tol as his agency works to "I regret we're the choke- building and interrupt the
overcome attrition after point, we're the problem certification of President
the January 6 insurrection in terms of getting it re- Joe Biden's victory.
and hiring delays because opened fully," Manger said. Congress has boosted
of the pandemic. The Capitol saw a return funding for the agency af-
The testimony before a of more visitors this week ter Jan. 6 to increase hir- The reflection of the U.S. Capitol during a early rainy morning,
House subcommittee un- with congressional offices ing, cover overtime costs is reflected in a skylight in Washington, Wednesday, March. 30,
derscores that persistent limited to leading one tour and bolster the security of 2022.
security concerns are play- weekly. The adjacent Capi- the complex itself. Hazard Associated Press
ing a major role in restrict- tol Visitor Center would re- bonuses were paid to offi-
ing the public's access to open for limited numbers of cers who responded to the fiscal year recommends cy has about 1,850 officers,
the Capitol, an increasingly people on May 30. insurrection and retention about a 17% increase in but is about 300 short of
sore point with lawmakers "By the end of the summer, bonuses were paid to curb funding. where it needs to be. Some
from both parties who are my hope is that we can do attrition levels that tempo- Manger said it takes time to of those positions have al-
urging a return to normalcy a little bit more," Manger rarily doubled their normal get in place the number of ready been authorized
after two years of restric- said. rate. officers the agency needs, and about 130 officers are
tions. Hundreds of officers from The budget for the coming though. He said the agen- in training.q