Overnight Defense: Navy tests entire crew of Roosevelt | House passes coronavirus relief package | Coronavirus public health emergency in East Africa

Happy Thursday and welcome to Overnight Defense. I’m Ellen Mitchell, and here’s your nightly guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. CLICK HERE to subscribe to the newsletter.

THE TOPLINE: The Navy has tested the entire crew of the USS Theodore Roosevelt for the coronavirus, the service said Thursday.

So far, 840 sailors have tested positive for the virus, but a “small number” of results are still pending, the Navy said in a news release.

Un uptick: Thursday’s report marked a jump from the 777 cases the Navy reported Wednesday when it said 99 percent of the crew had been tested.

Of the total positive cases, 88 sailors have since recovered, the Navy noted. Four sailors are in the hospital, down from six Wednesday; none are in intensive care.

One sailor from the Roosevelt died last week.

The background: The coronavirus outbreak aboard the Roosevelt garnered attention after the ship’s former commander, Capt. Brett Crozier, wrote a letter imploring the Navy for help with the outbreak.

After the letter leaked to the media, Crozier was fired by then-acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly, who later resigned himself after he gave a speech aboard the Roosevelt criticizing Crozier.

In the letter, Crozier asked for permission to offload all but 10 percent of the ship’s nearly 5,000-person crew.

As of Thursday, 4,234 sailors have moved ashore to Guam, where the Roosevelt is docked while the ship handles the outbreak.

Waiting on the investigation: The Navy conducted an investigation into the situation on the Roosevelt, and top officials have not ruled out reinstating Crozier when it wraps. The investigation results’s release is pending approval from Defense Secretary Mark Esper.

“My understanding is the Navy completed its investigation last week. They’re coming to see me today, tomorrow, I believe, or the next day, and they will back-brief me on their findings, their recommendations,” Esper said Wednesday night on Fox News.

“I’m sure the Navy is going to make the right recommendations, and I will have to assess those, and we’ll move forward from there,” he added.

 

IN OTHER CORONAVIRUS NEWS, A NEW RELIEF PACKAGE: The House on Thursday voted overwhelmingly to pass legislation providing roughly $484 billion in coronavirus relief for small businesses, hospitals and expanded medical testing, capping weeks of contentious negotiations that had stalled Washington’s latest round of emergency aid.

The vote was 388-5-1, with four conservative Republicans breaking with GOP leaders to oppose the measure, citing its effect on federal deficit. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) also voted against the measure, while Rep. Justin Amash (I-Mich.) voted present.

The four Republicans who voted “no” were House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Biggs (Ariz.) and Reps. Ken Buck (Colo.), Jody Hice (Ga.) and Thomas Massie (Ky.). 

 

Waiting for a signature: The legislation, which the Senate passed unanimously on Tuesday, now goes to the desk of President Trump, who has promised to sign it quickly into law.

 

The massive package is the fourth coronavirus bill to move through Congress over the last seven weeks and brings the federal response to the global pandemic up to a whopping $2.8 trillion — by far the largest emergency relief effort in modern U.S. history.

It came after two weeks of tense talks between the White House, led by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and the top Democrats in both chambers, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), over the scope and direction of the latest infusion of emergency funds.

Read more on the bill here.

 

MEANWHILE IN AFRICA, A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY: The head of U.S. forces in East Africa on Thursday declared a public health emergency for the several thousand American troops, civilians and contractors based in Djibouti due to the coronavirus.

U.S. Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) head Maj. Gen. Michael Turello made the declaration, which applies to all U.S. service members, Defense Department civilians and contractors under his authority at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, the nearby Chabelley Airfield and those working at the Port of Djibouti.

“Combating COVID-19 is my top priority,” Turello said in a CJTF-HOA statement. “By declaring a public health emergency, it keeps our forces, and those of our host nation partner, as healthy and as safe as possible.”

How many troops are there: Housing roughly 3,000 American troops, Camp Lemonnier is the U.S. military’s largest installation on the continent.

A precautionary measure: Though there has only been one confirmed coronavirus case in Djibouti — a contractor — the public health emergency declaration is being labeled as a “precautionary measure that gives the commander increased authorities to better manage, prevent and mitigate potential risk to the force,” according to a CJTF-HOA statement.

The Pentagon has previously taken precautionary measures in Africa due to the coronavirus, with U.S. Africa Command last month canceling several multinational military exercises set for March and April.

What the declaration does: The latest declaration gives Turello greater power in making sure DOD civilians and contractors comply with measures meant to prevent the spread of the illness and allows him to repurpose any facility at the Djibouti Base Cluster installation to respond to the virus.

“We are doing our part to contain the virus and minimize its impact. This is how we work in the current environment,” Turello said in the statement.

The public health emergency is effective for 30 days and CJTF-HOA said it will work with interagency and host nation partners to determine whether to extend the declaration.

 

ON TAP FOR TOMORROW

Army Brig. Gen. Thomas James, Joint Task Force-Space Defense Commander and U.S. Space Command J3; and Maj. Gen. Michael Guetlein, deputy director of the National Reconnaissance Office will speak at a Mitchell Institute’s Space Power Forum webcast at 9:30 a.m. https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_TVlagtYsRSagJqq5JgtP7w?utm_source=Daily%20on%20Defense%20042320_04/23/2020&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=WEX_Daily%20on%20Defense&rid=78393

 

ICYMI

— The Hill: Revolutionary Guards commander warns US ships will be destroyed if they threaten Iran’s security

— The Hill:Trump taps retired general, Fox commentator for key Pentagon position: report

— The Hill: Trump plans air shows around country 

— The Hill: US announces new funding for Greenland in push for stronger Arctic presence 

— The Hill: Opinion: China’s bold behavior borders on aggression and must be checked

— The New York Times: U.S. Sailors’ New Reality: Confinement on Land and at Sea

— Stars and Stripes: Veterans group accuses VA of using coronavirus patients as ‘testing subjects