Sunday shows preview: COVID-19 relief waiting on Trump’s signature; government continues vaccine roll out

President Trump’s decision on whether or not to veto a long-awaited COVID-19 relief bill and the roll out of coronavirus vaccinations are expected to dominate this week’s Sunday talk shows.

Congress passed a $2.3 trillion federal spending package on Monday, which included the long-awaited $900 billion coronavirus relief deal.

The bill’s passage quickly allowed for lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to claim victory for certain provisions of the bill. Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), who will appear on “Fox News Sunday,” claimed victory for a provision which he says clarifies the Federal Reserve’s lending authority.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Toomey had negotiated for hours last Saturday on a deal over the Fed’s lending authorities before reaching an agreement late that evening. The agreement cleared a major sticking point for Congress to move forward on COVID-19 relief. 

However, the fate of the legislation, which is tied to an omnibus spending package, now hangs in the balance after Trump blasted the bill on Tuesday and called on both chambers to increase stimulus checks from $600 to $2,000.

A government shutdown would begin Tuesday if Trump does not sign the package. 

House Republicans blocked an attempt by Democrats on Thursday to pass a bill providing for the $2,000 stimulus checks, and the bill was sent to Florida, where the president and first lady Melania Trump are spending the holidays.

Meanwhile, Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine began to be distributed this week after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted an emergency use authorization. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar publicly received their first doses on Tuesday.

Fauci, who will appear on CNN’s “State of the Union,” said on Thursday that 90 percent of the population would need to be vaccinated before herd immunity can be achieved, a higher estimate than his initial guess of between 75 and 85 percent.

Over 1.94 million people have received their first dose of either Moderna or Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine as of Saturday, according to a count from the Centers from Disease Control and Prevention.

In addition, the nation was blindsided by a recreational vehicle that exploded in Nashville, Tenn., on Christmas day. At least three people were wounded, and about 41 businesses were destroyed.

Reports emerged on Saturday that a person of interest has been identified in the explosion, but officials said that they’re looking into 500 investigative leads. 

Nashville Mayor John Cooper (D) will appear on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”

Below are the full list of guests scheduled to appear on this week’s Sunday Talk Shows:

CBS’ “Face the Nation” — Mayor John Cooper (D-Nashville); Frank Figliuzzi, Former Assistant Director for Counterintelligence, FBI Author, “The FBI Way;” Gov. Mike DeWine (R) Ohio; Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) Michigan; Dr. Scott Gottlieb, Former FDA Commissioner

CNN’s “State of the Union”— Whitmer, Representative Adam Kinzinger (R- Illinois); Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; Governor Larry Hogan (R- Maryland); Representative-elect Cori Bush (D- Missouri); Representative-elect Jamaal Bowman (D- New York)

“FOX News Sunday” — Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA); Admiral Brett Giroir, US Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary

NBC’s “Meet The Press”—“Meet The Press” will be airing a special addition of President-elect Joe Biden’s 50 interviews on the show and NBC News.

“America This Week with Eric Bolling” — Former NFL superstar Brett Favre, Ted Nugent, Phil Robertson