15 things to know about coronavirus for today

Welcome to The Hill’s daily roundup of coronavirus news. 

Globally, the number of coronavirus cases surpassed 2 million. In the U.S., there are now more than 600,000 cases.

President Trump said that the White House on Thursday would release new guidelines for states on how to ease social distancing restrictions.

Meanwhile in the states, more governors have begun looking ahead to life after the pandemic. They are outlining the milestones they need to see and steps they’ll need to take start to re-open their economies.

In Congress, Democrats are brainstorming ways to try to combat President Trump’s vow to block U.S. funding for the World Health Organization. Trump’s attacks on the world health group have brought it to the forefront of a national conversation, and highlighted some of the issues with the WHO already familiar to people in the public health sector: it has no real enforcement power and struggles to balance the interests of member countries that often seem at cross purposes.

Here’s what you need to know today:

From the White House

• President Trump threatened to adjourn both chambers of Congress if the Senate did not confirm his nominees for vacancies in his administration. The GOP-controlled Senate has been conducting pro forma sessions, keeping Trump from making recess appointments. But because of the pandemic, the chamber is not expected to return until May 4. Brett Samuels has more on Trump’s threat.
• The president also said the White House on Thursday would release guidelines on relaxing social distancing restrictions and on reopening businesses. The decision on what individual states do, however, will be up to governors. Morgan Chalfant has the story.
• President Trump’s decision to suspend funding to the World Health Organization is sparking a fierce blowback from health groups and Democrats, who said it would hinder the global response. Peter Sullivan reports. 
• The World Health Organization’s delicate diplomatic balancing act is getting harder given Trump’s attacks, and the episode highlights its lack of power in some instances. Reid Wilson reports. 
• Public health experts Deborah Birx and Anthony Fauci have been playing a less prominent role at the most recent White House press briefings; they did not speak at all on Tuesday. Brett Samuels and Morgan Chalfant report.

From Congress

• GOP senators like Pat Toomey (Pa.) and Ted Cruz (Texas) want some states to quickly reopen their economies. Jordain Carney reports.
• The biggest barrier to reopening is the lack of large-scale testing. Senate Democratic leadership unveiled a proposal on Wednesday to provide $30 billion in emergency funding to build that infrastructure. Jordain has that story here.
• Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin appear to be inching closer to a deal to provide $250 billion in additional funding to a popular small-business lending program that is almost out of money, Alex Bolton writes.
• House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Trump’s decision to defund the WHO would be “swiftly challenged” but did not give any details yet as to how that will happen. Olivia Beavers has more.
• House Democrats want to give people more money: Reps. Tim Ryan (Ohio) and Ro Khanna (Calif.) introduced legislation that would expand the federal government’s coronavirus relief cash payments to $2,000 a month until the economy recovers. Cristina Marcos has the full story.

From the states

• State health officials said a lack of testing supplies like swabs and reagents is hurting their ability to reopen the economy. Jessie Hellmann reports.
• New York said it would require everyone to wear masks while in public if they are in situations where they can’t stay six feet apart from others. Nathaniel Weixel reports.  
• Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser is extending the city’s stay-at-home order through May 15. Read Marty Johnson for more.
• Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) said that fear of the COVID-19 pandemic is not a viable reason for Texas residents to apply for an absentee ballot for this year’s upcoming elections. Marty has the story here.

And from the campaign trail

• Former Vice President Joe Biden hit President Trump for his decision to not wear a mask, telling voters that he does not go outside without wearing one. Julie Manchester reports.