Spiegel Stuff: The Hill’s 12:30 Report: House to send impeachment article on Monday | Only 5-6 Senate Republicans to possibly vote to convict Trump | Senate confirms Austin for defense secretary | Biden already faces obstacles in passing legislative priorities | Executive order to feed hungry Americans affected by pandemic | Fauci says lack of facts ‘likely did’ cost lives in COVID fight | DC resumes indoor dining at 25 percent

NEWS THIS MORNING

The impeachment article will be sent to the Senate on Monday:

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said this morning that the House-passed impeachment article against former President Trump will be delivered to the Senate on Monday. https://bit.ly/3iBP1L6

Schumer said from the Senate floor: "Make no mistake, a trial will be held in the United States Senate and there will be a vote whether to convict the president. I've spoken to Speaker Pelosi, who informed me that the articles will be delivered to the Senate on Monday.”

What that means for timing: “The article moving to the Senate triggers the start of the trial at 1 p.m. the following day, except for Sundays. But Schumer, in his floor speech, said he is having discussions with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) about the timing and length of the trial.”

It’s highly unlikely there are enough Republican votes to convict:

Via The Hill’s Alexander Bolton, “Republicans say the chances that former President Trump will be convicted in an impeachment trial are plummeting, despite lingering anger among some Republicans over his actions.” https://bit.ly/3paU2g2

How many Republican senators seem likely to vote to convict: “Only five or six Republican senators at the most seem likely to vote for impeachment, far fewer than the number needed, GOP sources say.”

For context: “A two-thirds majority vote would be necessary for a conviction, something that would require at least 17 GOP votes if every Democrat votes to convict Trump.”

TIDBIT — IT WAS A BLUEBIRD MORNING AT THE CAPITOL:

The Washington Post’s Seung Min Kim tweeted a photo of the Capitol this morning captioned, “She’s more beautiful than ever.” Photo: https://bit.ly/3iDLfkd

The Senate just confirmed our nation’s first Black defense secretary:

Via The Hill’s Rebecca Kheel, “The Senate has approved President Biden’s nominee to lead the Pentagon, paving the way for retired Gen. Lloyd Austin to make history as the nation’s first Black secretary of Defense.” https://bit.ly/2KE5HVH

The vote: 93-2; GOP Sens. Josh Hawley (Mo.) and Mike Lee (Utah) were the only two to vote against Austin

For context: “Presidents typically have key national security nominees confirmed on Inauguration Day, but a combination of factors — including the Trump administration delaying the transition, control of the Senate being up in the air until the Georgia runoffs in early January and the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol — meant Biden only got one confirmed on his first day: Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines.”

Happy Friday! 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.

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NOTE: I’ve heard from a number of you that you had issues opening the link to this tweet:

I didn’t want you to miss out, so here you go! Watch: https://bit.ly/3qDPsaz

IN THE BIDEN WHITE HOUSE

Next up — expanding food benefits for those affected by the pandemic:

Via The Hill’s Niv Elis, “President Biden on Friday is set to sign an executive order expanding the scope of nutrition assistance programs, an effort to address a growing hunger crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and boosting worker protections.” https://bit.ly/366o90R

For context: “The latest census Pulse Survey found 13.7 percent of adults said they did not have enough to eat in the previous week, a figure that's higher among Latino and Black households.”

TIDBIT — NO FEELING LIKE A FRESH BOX OF PENS:

Here’s a photo of the pens President Biden used to sign executive orders: https://bit.ly/39U5PZU

INSIDE THE NEW DIGS ‚ THE WASHINGTON POST WAS GIVEN A 20-MINUTE TOUR OF THE REDESIGNED OVAL OFFICE:

Here are photos and the full story: https://wapo.st/3caAmoO

Oh! You wanted that done … quickly?:

President Biden is already facing big challenges in moving his legislative priorities through Congress. https://bit.ly/3bWQsT8

The elephant in the room: “There’s a looming second impeachment trial for former President Trump and, in the meantime, a chaotic Senate that is stuck in limbo amid a standoff on a power-sharing agreement with Republicans.”

“Biden’s problems are two-fold: His Cabinet nominees appear poised to move at a sluggish pace and two of his legislative priorities — coronavirus relief and immigration reform — are already being panned by top Republicans.”

What to expect: https://bit.ly/3bWQsT8

LATEST WITH THE CORONAVIRUS

This hurts to hear:

In an interview on CNN’s “New Day,” the nation’s leading infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci was asked whether a “lack of candor or facts” in the coronavirus pandemic led to lives lost. https://bit.ly/2Y2xjH0

Fauci’s response: “You know it very likely did. You know I don’t want that ... to be a sound bite, but I think if you just look at that, you can see that when you’re starting to go down paths that are not based on any science at all, that is not helpful at all, and particularly when you’re in a situation of almost being in a crisis with the number of cases and hospitalizations and deaths that we have."

He also added: “When you start talking about things that make no sense medically and no sense scientifically, that clearly is not helpful.”

Watch Fauci’s full response: https://bit.ly/2KE9ORL

MEANWHILE — DC INDOOR DINING RESUMES AT 25 PERCENT CAPACITY:

Details from WTOP: https://bit.ly/3c0klll

THE NUMBERS:

Coronavirus cases in the U.S.: 24,643,586

U.S. death toll: 410,637

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

How many Americans have been given at least one dose of the vaccine: 15,053,257, according to the CDC. https://bit.ly/3c4exrk

IN OTHER NEWS

Joe Exotic thinks he knows why Trump didn’t pardon him:

He tweeted: “I was too innocent and too GAY to deserve a Pardon from Trump. I only mattered to Don Jr. when he needed to make a comment about me to boost his social media post. Boy were we all stupid to believe he actually stood for Equal Justice? His corrupt friends all come first.” Full story from the Los Angeles Times’s Nardine Saad: https://lat.ms/3qB7UAG

NOTABLE TWEETS:

Love this!:

Lol:

ON TAP:

The House meets for a pro forma session today. The Senate is in. President Biden and Vice President Harris are in Washington, D.C.

9:30 a.m. EST: President Biden and Vice President Harris received the President’s Daily Brief.

Noon: President Biden and Vice President Harris have lunch together in the Private Dining Room.

2 p.m. EST: President Biden and Vice President Harris receive a briefing on the economy.

This evening: Vice President Harris holds a virtual meeting with National Economic Council director Brian Deese and small business owners affected by the pandemic.

1:30 p.m. EST Monday: The Hill is hosting a virtual event, “Rebuilding the Federal Workforce.” Details and how to RSVP: https://bit.ly/3c0bIqX

1 p.m. EST Tuesday: The Hill is hosting a virtual event, “Modern Credit Systems, Alternative Data & the American Dream.” Details and how to RSVP: https://bit.ly/39UeTho

3:30 p.m. EST Tuesday: The Hill is hosting a virtual event, “Listening to America.” Details and how to RSVP: https://bit.ly/3sQpQsK

WHAT TO WATCH:

12:30 p.m. EST: White House press secretary Jen Psaki and National Economic Council director Brian Deese hold a press briefing.

2:45 p.m. EST: President Biden delivers remarks on the economic crisis and response. Livestream: https://bit.ly/3c99So1

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF...:

Today is National Blonde Brownie Day.

Ah hahaha, well played:

By the way, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) really is in this photo. It’s not a gimmick. I KNOW because I spent a little too much time this morning looking for him.