President Plans Payroll Tax Relief in Response to Coronavirus

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Mark Esper has postponed a trip to India, Pakistan and Uzbekistan that was to begin next Monday, citing the coronavirus crisis.

Pentagon press secretary Alyssa Farah said Tuesday Esper will remain in the U.S to “help manage” the Pentagon response.

Meanwhile, the Securities and Exchange Commission is encouraging workers in its Washington, D.C. headquarters to work from home after an employee there had respiratory symptoms and was referred for virus testing.

Trump administration officials are meeting Tuesday with lawmakers on Capitol Hill to discuss payroll tax relief to calm financial markets’ fears over the impact of the coronavirus epidemic.