Spiegel Stuff: The Hill's 12:30 Report - Presented by Facebook - Gohmert tests positive for COVID-19 | Spoke with Barr without a mask during yesterday’s hearing | Barr gets tested | Tech executives testify in blockbuster antitrust hearing | Bezos’s first appearance on Capitol Hill | Republicans under mounting pressure for quick coronavirus relief deal | Biden’s VP finalists’ last-minute jockeying

Presented by Facebook

HAPPENING NOW

Alexa, answer this wonderful, intelligent congress member’s great question for me.

Siri, sidestep this eloquent question for me — and add a positive spin, plz:

The CEOs of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google are testifying today as part of the House Judiciary subcommittee’s investigation. https://bit.ly/39D2lu2

Who is testifying: Apple CEO Tim Cook, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.

Keep in mind about Bezos: This is his first time testifying on Capitol Hill.

And on the other end of the spectrum: Zuckerberg has testified more than any of the other three.

WATCH LIVE:

Here’s the livestream: https://cs.pn/337DJIW

FIVE THINGS WE ARE WATCHING:

How will CEOs handle questions on their concentrated power
How will Bezos handle his congressional debut
How will Bezos handle his congressional debut
How the CEOs handle questions about racism and bias
Questions about the 2020 election

Context and details for each from The Hill’s Chris Mills Rodrigo: https://bit.ly/39D2lu2

HERE’S HELPFUL PRIMER ON WHST TO EXPECT FROM EACH OF THE FOUR:

Via The New York Times: https://nyti.ms/3jV7oeq

HOW EXECTUVIES TYPICALLY PREPARE FOR CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS:

Protocol has an interesting read of how executives generally prepare. Scroll down to “How to prepare for your big day in Congress:” https://bit.ly/2CX8pSg

Happy Wednesday. I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send comments, story ideas and events for our radar to cmartel@thehill.com — and follow along on Twitter @CateMartel and Facebook.

Did someone forward this to you? Want your own copy? Sign up here to receive The Hill's 12:30 Report in your inbox daily: http://bit.ly/2kjMNnn

A MESSAGE FROM FACEBOOK

Facebook's Summer of Support program helps small businesses

As many storefronts remain closed, Boost with Facebook's Summer of Support program is helping millions of people and small business owners gain skills and find resources they need to grow and transition online.

Learn more about the program.

NEWS THIS MORNING

You mean the same Louie Gohmert who questioned Bill Barr during yesterday’s hearing?

The one not wearing a mask?

Oh, right.:

Via Politico’s Jake Sherman, Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), who has been walking around the U.S. Capitol complex without a mask and attended yesterday’s hearing with Attorney General William Barr, has tested positive for COVID-19. https://politi.co/2BJ12NS

Yikes:

Watch: https://bit.ly/39B4l66

REACTION — BILL BARR IS GETTING TESTED:

Via Politico’s Josh Gerstein, Attorney General William Barr will be tested for the coronavirus today. https://bit.ly/3gbw3Jg

WHERE THE CORONAVIRUS RELIEF NEGOTIATIONS STAND

^ Well, not great:

Via The Hill’s Morgan Chalfant, “Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Wednesday said both the White House and Republicans were ‘very far apart’ from Democrats on negotiations over the next coronavirus relief package.” https://bit.ly/3fcRzvT

What we know: “Mnuchin said they are discussing a short-term extension of enhanced unemployment benefits and extending the federal moratorium on evictions before they expire at the end of the week.”

LATE THIS A.M. — TRUMP WEIGHED IN :

“President Trump on Wednesday dismissed Republican criticism of his push for the inclusion of funding for a new FBI building in the next coronavirus relief package, saying GOP senators should ‘go back to school and learn.’ ” https://bit.ly/30cmEf3

HOW REPUBLICANS ARE UNDER MOUNTING PRESSURE TO STRIKE A DEAL QUICKLY:

https://bit.ly/39EKJyg

A MESSAGE FROM FACEBOOK

Facebook launches Global State of Small Business Report

Together with the World Bank and the OECD, we surveyed businesses in 50+ countries and regions to understand the challenges they face and how we can support them.

Go further: Read the first report.

LATEST WITH THE CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus cases in the U.S.: 4,363,511

U.S. death toll: 149,407

Breakdown of the numbers: https://cnn.it/2UAgW3y

ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL

*Cue game show host* “This week on ‘The Veepstakes,’ meet your four finalists!”:

Via The Hill’s Amie Parnes, “The final contenders to be Joe Biden’s running mate are engaged in some furious last-minute jockeying as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee nears a decision.” https://bit.ly/3hQBLkj

Four possibilities: Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), former national security adviser Susan Rice and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)

“With the vetting process completed and many of the interviews wrapped up, the candidates hoping to be Biden’s veep are in wait-and-see mode, anticipating his selection. They are also doing what they can to make their final pitches before Biden and his team land on a choice.”

For example: Harris “has been working the phones behind the scenes to underscore her desire to get the job, sources say, even as she has played it cool in front of television cameras.”

And: “Susan Rice took to Twitter over the weekend to show that she has the moxie to take on President Trump when she posted a photo of herself throwing out the first pitch at Nationals Park in 2013.”

What to expect: https://bit.ly/3hQBLkj

JOE BIDEN’S TIMING:

Former Vice President Joe Biden says he will choose his nominee by the end of next week (!) https://cnn.it/2CX4W6c

THIS A.M. — TRUMP WEIGHS IN ON KAMALA HARRIS AS A CONTENDER:

"I think she’d be a fine choice. Kamala Harris. A fine choice,” Trump told reporters this morning. https://bit.ly/30X9eCP

NOTABLE TWEETS:

This morning at the Capitol:

Tbh, I get it:

This video has nearly 900k likes already.

Watch: https://bit.ly/30XqHuL

ON TAP:

The House and Senate are in. President Trump is in Texas today and Vice President Pence is in North Carolina.

9 a.m. EDT: President Trump left for Odessa, Texas.

11 a.m. EDT: Vice President Pence left for Raleigh, N.C.

11:30 a.m. EDT: The Senate holds a cloture vote. If cloture is invoked, roll call votes are also expected at 2:45 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. The Senate’s full schedule today: https://bit.ly/3hPJkb0

12:50 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence visits a fourth grade class in Apex, N.C.

1:10 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence participates in a roundtable on reopening schools.

1:30 p.m. EDT: President Trump participates in a roundtable with supporters in Odessa.

2:05 p.m. EDT: President Trump speaks at a closed press fundraising committee reception in Odessa.

3 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence participates in a roundtable in Durham, N.C. on coronavirus vaccine trials.

3 – 8 p.m. EDT: The House votes. The House’s full schedule today: https://bit.ly/2CRRMaS

3:50 p.m. EDT: President Trump tours the Double Eagle Energy Oil Rig in Midland, Texas.

5:50 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence arrives in Washington, D.C.

9:05 p.m. EDT: President Trump arrives at the White House.

Invite for Thursday: The Hill is hosting a virtual event, “American Resilience: The Future of Small Business.” Featured speakers: Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio). Details and how to RSVP: https://bit.ly/2P2xXjo

WHAT TO WATCH:

Now through 4:30 p.m. EDT: The Hill is hosting a virtual event, “The Future of Human Connectivity.” Featured speakers: Chairman, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai and Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.) Livestream: https://bit.ly/3fZxf2h

4:20 p.m. EDT: President Trump delivers remarks on “restoring energy dominance in the Permian Basin.” Livestream: https://bit.ly/2X7f5Ed

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF...:

Today is National Lasagna Day. It’s also National Chicken Wing Day.

And because this made me laugh, here’s a trampoline for birds: https://bit.ly/39A0aYq