Pricing speed bump for COVID-19 funding; Trump administration sending mixed messages on pricing, funding

Controversy over demands from Senate Democrats for pricing assurances are holding up a bill that will provide billions of dollars to combat the COVID-19 outbreak.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Tuesday said they will not support a coronavirus supplemental spending bill unless it includes provisions requiring that contracts for vaccines and therapies developed with government funding include clauses requiring “fair and reasonable” prices. ...