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You know, Congress, it’s getting harder to repeatedly come up with witty government funding headlines.: |
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© Getty Images Via The Hill’s Alexander Bolton, “Senate and House leaders are closing in on a coronavirus relief deal that would include direct stimulus payments, according to sources familiar with the talks.” https://bit.ly/2Wlc9TL What we know about the negotiations: “A person familiar with the negotiations confirmed the package will total around $900 billion, include a new round of stimulus checks, enhanced federal unemployment benefits and “other avenues to deliver aid to states, localities, territories and tribes” but will not include liability protections.” What we know about the stimulus checks: They would likely be at a lower amount than the $1,200 checks last March. What this package would exclude: $160 billion in state and local government funding The final price tag: It will likely stay under $1 trillion. |
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| It’s a snowy Wednesday in D.C.! Well, maybe more of a wintry mix ... I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send comments, story ideas and hot chocolate 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 |
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| LATEST WITH THE GOVERNMENT FUNDING | |
What happened yesterday: |
| Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) met twice to negotiate. https://bit.ly/2J0sOZW ^Also involved in the negotiations: Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on behalf of the White House McConnell described the negotiations to reporters: "We're making significant progress and I’m optimistic that we're gonna be able to complete an understanding sometime soon," McConnell told reporters. "Everybody wants to get a final agreement as soon as possible. We all believe the country needs it. And I think we're getting closer and closer.” |
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| HOW DEMOCRATS ARE UNDER PRESSURE TO AGREE TO A SLIMMED-DOWN DEAL: |
| Via The Hill’s Alexander Bolton and Scott Wong: https://bit.ly/3aisrF2 |
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The fat lady is singing: |
| “While [President Trump] is digging in and showing little sign of ending his public campaign despite a long losing streak in the courts, GOP senators — from leadership on down — are signaling they view the election result as settled and want to move on without a messy weeks-long fight.” https://bit.ly/2Ka0p46 The big change in momentum: Following Monday’s Electoral College vote, McConnell congratulated Biden. Rank-and-file Senate Republicans then followed McConnell’s lead. What to take from McConnell’s remarks: “McConnell’s remarks in the call reflected two truths: that he and other GOP Senate leaders want an end to the fight, and that they are worried that House Republicans are ready to keep it going. If a single GOP senator joins Brooks, it would ensure a vote by both chambers of Congress that would divide Republicans and publicly force them to vote against Trump, which the Senate’s top Republicans seem keen to avoid.” |
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Trump thoroughly disagrees: |
| President Trump lashed out at McConnell’s assessment that the presidential election is over. https://bit.ly/3oWaErt Trump tweeted: “Mitch, 75,000,000 VOTES, a record for a sitting President (by a lot). Too soon to give up. Republican Party must finally learn to fight. People are angry!” https://bit.ly/2IUWiIt |
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| LATEST WITH THE CORONAVIRUS | |
| Coronavirus cases in the U.S.: 16,737,063 U.S. death toll: 304,094 Breakdown of the numbers: https://cnn.it/2UAgW3y |
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A rapid at-home COVID-19 test!: |
| Via The Washington Post’s William Wan, “The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday authorized the first rapid coronavirus test that can be taken at home without prescription and that yields immediate results.” What to know about the test: https://wapo.st/2WldHx9 |
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Give us the goods: |
| Via The New York Times’s Sharon LaFraniere, Katie Thomas and Noah Weiland, “The Trump administration is negotiating a deal to use its power to free up supplies of raw materials to help Pfizer produce tens of millions of additional doses of its Covid-19 vaccine for Americans in the first half of next year, people familiar with the situation said.” https://nyti.ms/2K9LnLH |
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Getting traction — Melania takes off her mask at the children’s hospital: |
| “First lady Melania Trump took off her mask on Tuesday to read to children at the Children's National Hospital, where hospital policy requires visitors to wear a face covering though officials noted she sat away from others.” https://bit.ly/3rd7WzU Video: https://bit.ly/34lwRaq |
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Awww, this is heartwarming: |
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© Twitter Watch: https://bit.ly/3oZ6GhG |
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Ummm, is this a joke?: |
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© Twitter |
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| The House and Senate are in. President Trump and Vice President Pence are in Washington, D.C. President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris are in Wilmington, Del. 11:30 a.m. EST: President Trump held a Cabinet Meeting. This was closed to press. 11:30 a.m. EST: Two roll call votes in the Senate. The House’s full agenda today: https://bit.ly/34kF7rf This afternoon: President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris separately receive the President’s Daily Brief. Biden and Harris will then virtually meet with governors. 3 p.m. EST: The House meets. 4 p.m. EST: Vice President Pence leads a White House Coronavirus Task Force meeting in the Situation Room. Thursday: The Hill is hosting a virtual event, “Meet the New Members.” Details and how to watch: https://bit.ly/34ecEn5 |
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| Today: The Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs committee holds a hearing, "Examining Irregularities in the 2020 Election." Livestream: https://bit.ly/3gRbJOq 11:30 a.m. EST: House Democratic leaders hold a news conference. Livestream: https://bit.ly/3gSQA6n 11:45 a.m. EST: President-elect Biden announced the nomination of Pete Buttigieg for transportation secretary. Livestream: https://bit.ly/37q4VUI 1 p.m. EDT: The Hill is hosting a virtual event, “COVID-19, Tech and Economic Resilience. Details and how to watch: https://bit.ly/3r5ozNA 2 p.m. EST: Vice President Pence is holding a “Life is Winning” event in the South Court Auditorium. Livestream: https://bit.ly/2KqULua |
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| NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF...: | |
| Today is National “Chocolate Covered Anything” Day. |
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| And to brighten your afternoon, here’s a cat with a rather unusual napping spot: https://bit.ly/2Kt8u3M |
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