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A House divided: |
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© Getty Images Driving the entire 117th Congress: Democrats are raging at Republicans over the Jan. 6 insurrection, a boiling anger that threatens permanent bad blood in an already-narrowly divided House and Senate. Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) on Tuesday forced a full floor vote on a bill to rename a Post Office in Mississippi, offered by a member who voted to challenge election results. A hearing with Postmaster General Louis DeJoy erupted in shouts between Reps. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) and Jim Jordan (R-Ohio). And Rep. Hakim Jeffries (D-N.Y.) accused Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) of giving “aid and comfort” to insurrectionists. My colleagues Scott Wong and Mike Lillis on a House divided, here. From my own notebook: Lots of members shared particularly raw memories for our oral history of the Jan. 6 insurrection, but I was most taken aback by Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.). The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee is laid back and pretty open to working across the aisle. Here’s what he told me at the end of our interview, about his Republican colleagues who voted to overturn election results: “Maybe they’ve rationalized it in some way that I haven’t fully worked out, but at that point I’m not working with you if you believe in the violent end to our constitutional republic, then we really don’t have much more to talk about at a political level. And that’s going to make it difficult going forward.” “I look forward to sort of rebuilding a relationship, but also a legitimate conservative party in this country instead of the batshit crazy fascist conspiracy theory that too much of the Republican Party and the conservative movement has become,” Smith said. |
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| It’s Thursday. I’m Reid Wilson, filling in for Cate, with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send comments, story ideas and events for our radar to rwilson@thehill.com — and follow along on Twitter @PoliticsReid and @CateMartel. 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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It's time to update internet regulations |
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The internet has changed a lot in 25 years. But the last time comprehensive internet regulations were passed was in 1996. We want updated internet regulations to set clear guidelines for addressing today's toughest challenges. Learn More. 
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Harris the Giant: |
| Via The Hill’s Morgan Chalfant, Vice President Harris joined Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) at a Giant pharmacy in Southwest D.C. Thursday morning to encourage people to get the coronavirus vaccine when it’s their turn. Harris got her first shot at United Medical Center in Southeast, which serves Wards 7 and 8 – where vaccination rates have lagged the rest of the city. Story here. |
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US to accuse MBS: |
| The White House today will release a report from the U.S. intelligence community that lays blame for the murder of journalist Jamal Kashoggi at the feet of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The report will show bin Salman personally approved, and likely ordered, the 2018 killing. President Biden said Wednesday he had read the report. Pointedly, he has spoken to King Salman, but not the Crown Prince. |
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Jobless claims drop: |
| Initial jobless claims for the week ending Feb. 20 dropped to 730,000, well below expectations and one of the lowest figures since the pandemic began. That’s good news, but economists warn that those figures are uniquely susceptible to seasonal distortions or fraudulent claims. Still, almost 1 in 8 workers are collecting unemployment benefits. Speaking of fraud: I wrote about the avalanche of fraudulent claims that is costing states tens of billions of dollars, earlier this week. In California alone, we’re talking up to $30 billion in fraud. |
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The World Wide Web: |
| The United States has conducted counterterrorism operations in 85 countries in just the last three years, according to a new report from Brown University’s Watson Institute. U.S. service members engaged in combat in eight nations — Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Kenya, Mali and Nigeria — and conducted drone strikes in Libya. Check out the crazy graphic showing the U.S. military’s post-World War II expansion of bases and smaller installations. |
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Murphy testing waters in Florida: |
| Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D) is launching a listening tour across Florida as she considers a bid against Sen. Marco Rubio (R) in 2022. If she doesn’t challenge Rubio, she’s open to running for Sen. Rick Scott’s (R) seat in 2024, she told The Hill. Rubio beat Rep. Patrick Murphy (D) 52 percent to 44 percent in 2016. For the radar: Florida Democrats are putting a decent team on the field early this cycle, as state Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried (D) makes moves to challenge Gov. Ron DeSantis (R). On the other hand, we’re old enough to remember strong Florida Democratic tickets that have lost in the past. Democrats haven’t won a Senate seat since Bill Nelson won re-election in 2012, and they haven’t won the governorship since Lawton Chiles won re-election in 1994 – against some guy named Jeb Bush. 
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CPAC it all in: |
| Potential 2022 Republican Senate candidates are descending on CPAC this weekend. Among the speakers: Former Ohio State Treasurer Josh Mandel (R), Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), ex-Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt (R), Reps. Paul Gosar and Andy Biggs (Both R-Ariz.), Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) and former Rep. Mark Walker (R-N.C.). NRSC chairman Rick Scott’s speech, scheduled for Friday: “The Way Forward: Unlocking our churches, our voices, and our social media accounts.” Dept. of SMH Alert: Brooks will appear on a panel about protecting elections. |
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Internet regulations need an update |
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It's been 25 years since comprehensive internet regulations were passed. But a lot has changed since 1996. We support updated regulations to set clear guidelines for protecting people's privacy, enabling safe and easy data portability between platforms and more. Learn More.
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| LATEST WITH THE CORONAVIRUS | |
Boosters in the crowd: |
| Pfizer and BioNTech are kicking off a study to test whether a third shot of the COVID-19 vaccine would help protect against variants of the coronavirus popping up around the world. They’re in the midst of ongoing discussions with regulators about updating the vaccine to deal with the South African variant. Moderna has sent an updated version of its vaccine that may work better against that South African variant to NIH for study. Real talk: The speed at which new vaccines can be created is the genius of mRNA technology. Mark our words, the NIH developers behind it are in line for a Nobel Prize. Remember the name Kizzmekia Corbett. You’ll hear from her a lot in the future. By the way, Brown University School of Public Health Dean Ashish Jha says he’s optimistic about the downward trend of the virus. We love that his hometown paper, the Providence Journal, hangs on his every word. |
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| CASE NUMBERS: |
| Coronavirus cases in the U.S.: 28,338,150 U.S. death toll: 506,121 Breakdown of the numbers: https://cnn.it/2UAgW3y |
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| VACCINATION NUMBERS: |
| Total number of vaccinations administered in the U.S.: 66.5 million doses have been administered in the United States, and 218 million across the globe. Seven-day average of doses administered: An average of 1.3 million doses are being given every day. For context: The U.S. population is roughly 331 million. Breakdown of the numbers: https://bloom.bg/3iVTPLH |
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Be The Good: |
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© Twitter Backstory: Amber Marchand, a former top official at the NRSC and for Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), has spent the last few months launching the nonprofit Be The Good, which feeds needy families in Arlington and Alexandria. She’s using some of The Hill’s old newspaper boxes to create little food pantries. Read about Be The Good here. |
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| The House and Senate are in today. The Senate resumes consideration of Energy Secretary-designee Jennifer Granholm’s nomination. President Biden and Vice President Harris are in Washington, where they will participate in an event marking the administration of the 50 millionth coronavirus vaccine. First lady Jill Biden will appear on The Kelly Clarkson Show at 2 p.m. 2:15 p.m. EST: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer hold a press conference ahead of the anticipated passage of H.R. 5, the Equality Act. 5:45 p.m. EST: CPAC officially kicks off in Florida today, ahead of Saturday’s anticipated speech by former President Trump. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance’s office says they have obtained former President Trump’s tax returns after a Supreme Court ruling gave them the go-ahead. A spokesman said the subpoena was enforced Monday, the same day the Court ruled. |
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| 1:30 p.m. EST: The Hill is hosting a virtual event, “Race & Justice Imperative.” Details and livestream: https://bit.ly/2NRntWE |
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| NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF...: | |
| Today is National Clam Chowder Day, National Chili Day and National Chocolate Covered Nut Day. |
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| And because you made it this far, here’s a dog practicing its flying lessons: https://bit.ly/3pHJYKV 
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