Thread by @BBuchman_CNS

Today at noon ET, the @COVIDOversight Committee convenes for a hearing on the nation's job crisis with particular focus on the disparate impact communities of color have felt as the pandemic continues.
I will have the report for @CourthouseNews.
Witnesses today ⬇️⬇️⬇️

INBOX: In a new letter from @COVIDOversight to Treasury Secy @stevenmnuchin1, chairman @WhipClyburn raises concern that the Trump admin is concealing economic forecasts & unemployment projections. A report is requested by the cmte no later than July 2.
documentcloud.org/documents/6951…

The committee cites a May 28 report from WaPo which said the WH is planning to withhold economic and unemployment projections when it submits its mid-session review. This goes against 40 years of the norm, including when admins sent reports during the financial crisis in '07/08.

"However, a senior administration official reportedly said that the information will be withheld because releasing it 'may mislead the public.'"

Here's the 5/28 report from WaPo: washingtonpost.com/business/2020/…

"Faced with job losses unmatched since the Great Depression, we should avail ourselves of the expertise of career federal officials to seek a path forward, not hide their analyses for short-term political gain," @WhipClyburn writes.

Temporary pandemic assistance programs approved by Congress, like the $600 weekly increase in unemployment insurance benefits or the moratorium on evictions - that expires next month.
The request isn't political football.
The forecasts help Congress allocate funding.

The committee asks Mnuchin to inform them by June 21 whether they admin will include a comprehensive forecast covering the same categories as previous years. If they do not plan on doing that, then, by July 2, they must submit records on the following:

(continued)
And here's what else the @COVIDOversight wants from the Trump admin should they refuse to provide congress with the forecasts:

You will be able to catch a live-stream of today's hearing here:

STORY: With 40M Americans unemployed & cases of Covid cropping up at record rates in several states, the watchdog tasked w/overseeing the Trump admin's response to the pandemic wants answers from the WH about why it will not submit economic forecasts.
courthousenews.com/virus-panel-de…

“If things are getting better and we are at a turning, point, I fail to understand why we cannot get the data. Why is it that they’ve stop putting out the data?” @WhipClyburn said in a meeting hosted by the committee tasked to oversee the fed gov't response to the pandemic.

Read more about this request and what unfolded in today's committee hearing here:
courthousenews.com/virus-panel-de…