Good morning from the WSJ Washington bureau. The world has recorded its highest daily number of new coronavirus cases in almost two weeks. Here's the latest on how Washington is responding. Take care. 

Trump's Day: President Trump meets with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott at the White House.

Congress: The Senate Armed Services Committee considers the nomination of Kenneth Braithwaite to be secretary of the Navy, while the Senate HELP Committee holds a hearing on new coronavirus tests.

Claims: Economists project jobless claims this week dropped to about half the peak of 6.9 million touched in late March. The latest data on weekly claims is due out this morning.

Readers: Have a question about how Washington is responding to the coronavirus crisis? We'll try to answer them in our regular newsletter videos. Send your question to capitaljournal@wsj.com.

President Trump has refocused the White House coronavirus task force. He said Wednesday that it would remain in place indefinitely with a new focus on reopening the country and developing a vaccine, a day after administration officials said they were considering disbanding the group in the coming weeks, reports Andrew Restuccia.

• “I thought we could wind it down sooner. But I had no idea how popular the task force is until actually yesterday when I started talking about winding down,” he told reporters at the White House.
• The president added that the membership of the task force, which includes prominent health experts like Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious-disease expert, could change.

New confirmed infections on May 6 topped 92,700, the most since April 24, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, as restrictions begin to be relaxed. The U.S. accounted for around 24,300 of them—an elevated number but much lower than the 36,000 one-day peak logged in April, reports Phred Dvorak.

Senate Republicans have cited renewed budget-deficit fears as they try to curb more coronavirus-aid spending, putting them at odds with Mr. Trump’s push for tax cuts and an infrastructure package, report Siobhan Hughes and Lindsay Wise. Republican leaders have instead prioritized creating a liability shield for companies operating during the outbreak.

House Democrats are putting the finishing touches on their next legislative response to the pandemic, reports Natalie Andrews. The bill is expected to include more than $750 billion in aid to state and local governments, as well as another round of direct support to Americans.

• ▶️ Video: Coronavirus Update: Uber, Lyft Cut Jobs, UnitedHealth Offers Discounts

• The Treasury Department plans to ramp up auction sizes of longer-dated securities and will issue a new 20-year bond. The government’s borrowing needs have increased substantially.

• Congress' economic relief plan includes one-time direct payments to most households. Here are the key details on the payments.

• A 57-year-old man became the first person to die from the coronavirus in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody.

• The U.S. Postal Service’s governance board tapped Louis DeJoy to be the next postmaster general as mail volumes plummet.

✔️ Coronavirus Checklist: When to Reopen | How to Navigate the Crisis | What We Know | You Ask, We Answer

Here's why Covid-19 is treated more seriously than the flu:

As speculation grows over Joe Biden’s selection of a running mate, Jerry Seib looks at past picks for clues into what factors the former vice president will consider, and why this year’s choice is more important than ever. 

The pandemic has brought relations between the U.S. and China to a modern-day nadir as the countries try to outmaneuver one another to shape the world order, report Kate O’Keeffe, Michael C. Bender and Chun Han Wong. Some officials and many foreign policy experts worry that mutual suspicions are fraying any remaining shared interests.

The tension can be seen in the tug-of-war for influence over the Whole Health Organiztion. The U.S. is pushing the global health agency to formally invite Taiwan to a major international summit this month.

China challenged U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to present evidence that would back his recent claim that the coronavirus came from a Chinese laboratory, in the first official government reaction to his statement.

Chinese exports rose unexpectedly in April, bucking a pandemic-induced economic slump that has crimped demand and disrupted supply chains world-wide.

President Trump on Wednesday vetoed a war-powers resolution that would limit the president’s ability to take military action against Iran without approval from Congress, dismissing the measure as an effort to divide Republicans ahead of the coming election, Andrew Restuccia reports.

American Luke Alexander Denman was hired to lead a group of insurgents to seize the Caracas airport, overthrow President Nicolás Maduro and fly him to the U.S., the imprisoned Iraq war veteran explained in a video released by Venezuela, Kejal Vyas and Jessica Donati report.

Supreme Court justices voiced split views Wednesday over rules allowing religious exemptions for birth-control coverage in employers' health-insurance plans, report Brent Kendall and Jess Bravin. The divergent views aren’t a surprise, given the court’s past divisions in similar cases. Chief Justice John Roberts holds a potentially pivotal vote. 

A federal prohibition on robocalls to mobile phones looks safe, after justices pushed back Wednesday on claims that the First Amendment entitled political organizations to use automated dialers and recorded voices to reach unwilling audiences, reports Jess Bravin.

The Education Department issued the final version of its rule for how schools must respond to allegations of sexual harassment and assault, bolstering protections for those accused of misconduct and providing some additional support for those making complaints, reports Melissa Korn. 

• The rule was met with opposition by victims-rights advocates, and is expected to elicit legal challenges.
• It allows both the accused and accuser to submit evidence and participate in cross-examination in live proceedings, and both parties can also appeal a school’s ruling.
• Unlike in the earlier draft, the final rule covers behavior that takes place both on campus and at other sites.

• The coronavirus can create a whole set of medical conditions that still confound the scientific community. (Financial Times)
• China's dishonesty about the coronavirus outbreak is stirring protests internationally, not just from the U.S. (New York Post)
• Obama administration officials are pushing back on President Trump's claims that he was left with a "bare" cupboard of emergency preparedness supplies. (NBC News)

This newsletter is a production of the WSJ Washington bureau. Our newsletter editors are Tim Hanrahan, Kate Milani, Troy McCullough and Daniel Nasaw. Send feedback to capitaljournal@wsj.com. You can follow politics coverage on our Politics page and at @wsjpolitics on Twitter.