Monday, April 12, 2021

The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Biden hosts bipartisan lawmakers to discuss infrastructure | Congress returns | Infrastructure plan prioritized | White House sends mixed signals on tax hikes | Biden expected to nominate Cindy McCain for UN program ambassador | Prince Harry reportedly lands in UK for funeral | &Pizza reopens in Longworth | Lightning at the White House

The Hill 12:30 Report
 
 
 
HAPPENING TODAY

‘B’ is for bipartisan, boys and girls!

‘I?’ Yup, that stands for infrastructure.

And what does ‘P’ stand for? That’s right kids, ‘P’ stands for please-agree-to-this-bill-because-we’re-going-to-do-this-with-or-without-you-so-deal-with-it:

© MakeAGif.com

 

President Biden and Vice President Harris are meeting with a bipartisan group of lawmakers at the White House today to discuss his infrastructure package. https://bit.ly/3tbCPFb

 

The lawmakers joining the meeting: Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) Plus: Reps. Garret Graves (R-La.), Donald Payne Jr. (D-N.J.), David Price (D-N.C.) and Don Young (R-Alaska).

 

What to expect: “Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told Fox News’s Chris Wallace on Sunday that Biden would have an ‘open mind’ toward changes to the size and funding of his $2.25 trillion infrastructure plan, but he added that the president would not accept inaction.”

 

Happy Monday. 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

 

Well, this photo wins. Wins what, I don’t know, but it wins:

Rainbow over the Capitol

© Twitter

 
THE HILL EVENTS

RSVP today for The Hill's virtual Sustainability Imperative summit

 

 

Environmental sustainability is no longer optional; it's become an imperative. Join The Hill for a national multi-day virtual event including multiple tracks of programming featuring fireside chats with policy leaders and practitioners in the sustainability ecosystem including White House Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy, former GE CEO Jeff Immelt, Gov. Jay Inslee, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, fashion designer Tracy Reese and many moreView the full schedule and RSVP today. 

 
LATEST WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE PACKAGE

Back and ready to boogie:

The House and Senate are returning to Washington this week for the legislative session that will bring them to the end of President Biden’s first 100 days. https://bit.ly/329bveU

 

The big ticket item this week: Working on Biden’s infrastructure package.

 

Is this a ‘work together because we’re all one big happy family’ kinda situation?: Welllll. Biden and Senate Democrats have signaled that they want to work with Republicans to make the package bipartisan, but they also seem willing to bypass the filibuster and pass it without Republican support.

 

^To that end: Senate Republicans have already pegged this infrastructure package as a "job-crushing slush fund.” 

 

The gist of Republicans’ complaints with the bill: Republicans argue this package is too expensive, includes too many measures that are not infrastructure — and do not want tax hikes.

 
HOW TO PAY FOR THIS — THE WHITE HOUSE IS SENDING MIXED SIGNALS ON HIGHER TAXES:

Via The Hill’s Naomi Jagoda, “The White House has sent mixed signals over its plans to raise taxes on the wealthy to pay for some of its policies, providing a lack of clarity about how President Biden’s $400,000 threshold for tax increases would work.”

 

Timing: “The absence of details comes as Democrats are already debating privately how to pay for their programs, an issue when it comes to taxes that splits the party not only on philosophic lines but also on regional ones.”

 
HOW PROGRESSIVES ARE FIGHTING FOR LEVERAGE IN THEIR EVER-SHRINKING MAJORITY:

Via The Hill’s Scott Wong and Cristina Marcoshttps://bit.ly/3g7vRxo

 
NEWS THIS MORNING

Protests in Minnesota:

“Protests erupted in Minnesota overnight after an unarmed black man was shot and killed by a police officer during a traffic stop.” https://bit.ly/3dUM6LJ

 

What happened: “The Brooklyn Center officer shot the man after learning that he had an outstanding warrant and attempting to arrest him on Sunday afternoon, authorities said.”

 

Via The Star Tribune’s Mara Klecker and Kim Hyatt, “Relatives of Daunte Wright, 20, who is Black, told a tense crowd gathered at the scene in the northern Minneapolis suburb Sunday afternoon that Wright drove for a short distance after he was shot, crashed his car, and died at the scene.”

 

Footage of the protestshttp://strib.mn/3a0HRgk

 
IN THE WHITE HOUSE

Cindy, the lady for the job!:

Politico is reporting that President Biden will name Cindy McCain to serve as the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. World Food Programme. https://politi.co/3g8uRcn

 

Just as a refresher: Cindy McCain is the widow of the late-Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) 

 

Keep in mind: McCain would be Biden’s first Republican nominee to a Senate-confirmed role. 

 
MAJOR BIDEN IS RECEIVING MORE TRAINING:

Via USA Today’s Jenna Ryuhttps://bit.ly/3g4srLV

 
WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS

Remembering Capitol Police Officer Billy Evans: “William "Billy" Evans, the police officer who died in the line of duty from the car attack at the Capitol on April 2, will lie in honor in the Rotunda on Tuesday. 

 

On crimes targeting Asian Americans: “[Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.)] has teed up legislation for this week from Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) to address an uptick in hate crimes targeting Asian Americans during the coronavirus. The bill requires the Justice Department to designate an individual responsible for overseeing the expedited review of coronavirus-related hate crimes.” 

 

On employers and salaries: “The House will vote this week on the Paycheck Fairness Act, which previously passed the chamber last year. The bill would bar employers from inquiring about prospective employees' salaries and ban retaliation against employees who compare wages.” 

 

And, of course, nominations: “Schumer has teed up votes on several nominations: Polly Ellen Trottenberg to be deputy secretary of Transportation, Wendy Sherma to be a deputy secretary of State, Gary Gensler to be a member of the Securities and Exchange Commission and Brenda Mallory to be a member of the Council on Environmental Quality.” 

 

Context and details for each from The Hill’s Jordain Carneyhttps://bit.ly/329bveU

 

Big news for everyone on Capitol Hill:

House cafeteria opens

© Twitter

 
THE HILL EVENTS

RSVP today for The Hill's virtual Sustainability Imperative summit

 

 

Environmental sustainability is no longer optional; it's become an imperative. Join The Hill for a national multi-day virtual event including multiple tracks of programming featuring fireside chats with policy leaders and practitioners in the sustainability ecosystem including White House Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy, former GE CEO Jeff Immelt, Gov. Jay Inslee, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, fashion designer Tracy Reese and many moreView the full schedule and RSVP today. 

 
LATEST WITH THE CORONAVIRUS

Regeneron could prevent COVID-19!:

Via CNBC’s Berkeley Lovelace Jr., “Regeneron Pharmaceuticals said Monday it will ask the Food and Drug Administration to allow its Covid-19 antibody therapy to be used as a preventative treatment.” https://cnb.cx/3d73Eox

 

The treatment is already being given to COVID patients, but: “Regeneron said it is seeking to expand the use of its treatment in the U.S. after a phase three clinical trial, jointly run by the National Institutes of Health, found the drug reduced the risk of symptomatic infections in individuals by 81%.” 

 

The full storyhttps://cnb.cx/3d73Eox

 
CASE NUMBERS:

Coronavirus cases in the U.S.: 31,199,286

 

U.S. death toll: 562,080

 

Breakdown of the numbershttps://cnn.it/2UAgW3y

 
VACCINATION NUMBERS:

Total number of vaccinations administered in the U.S.: 187 million shots have been given.

 

Seven-day average of doses administered: An average of 3.14 million doses — hey, the weekly average is pi!

 

For context: The U.S. population is roughly 331 million.

 

Breakdown of the numbers: https://bloom.bg/3iVTPLH

 
IN OTHER NEWS

Harry has landed. I repeat, Harry has landed.:

Prince Harry has reportedly landed in the United Kingdom for his grandfather Prince Philip’s funeral. https://cnn.it/3dWbjVV

 

Keep in mind: This is the first time Harry, The Duke of Sussex, has returned to the U.K. since stepping back as a senior royal. 

 

What we knowhttps://cnn.it/3dWbjVV

 
KEEP IN MIND — MEGHAN IS NOT ATTENDING:

Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex who is pregnant with the couple’s second child, will not attend Prince Philip’s funeral. 

 
TIDBIT — PRINCE WILLIAM POSTED A TRIBUTE TO HIS GRANDFATHER:

“I will never take for granted the special memories my children will always have of their great-grandpa coming to collect them in his carriage and seeing for themselves his infectious sense of adventure as well as his mischievous sense of humour!” https://bit.ly/3wMf3C1

 

The full post — including a photo taken by Kate, The Duchess of Cambridgehttps://bit.ly/3g3AUPj

 

^ That photo is adorable.

 
NOTABLE TWEETS:

HAHA, the resemblance is uncanny:

Happy Gilmore watches the Masters

© Twitter

 

^ Chubbs is also watching and is very proud.

 

Whoa!:

Thunder and lightning at the White House

© Twitter

 

Watchhttps://bit.ly/3uJ3r0Y

 

Pretty cool tidbit:

Masters winner Hideki Matsuyama at the airport

© Twitter

 

^ Back story If you didn’t watch the Masters yesterday:  “[29-year-old] Hideki Matsuyama made history on Sunday as the first male golfer from Japan to win a major championship.” https://es.pn/3wISU7L

 
ON TAP:

The Senate meets this afternoon. The House is out. President Biden and Vice President Harris are in Washington, D.C.

 

10 a.m. EDT: President Biden received the President’s Daily Brief.

 

Noon: President Biden joins the virtual CEO summit on Semiconductor and Supply Chain Resilience. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, National Economic Council Director Brian Deese and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo attend.

 

1:45 p.m. EDT: President Biden and Vice President Harris meet with a bipartisan group of lawmakers to discuss the American Jobs Plan.

 

3 p.m. EDT: The Senate returns! 

 

5:30 p.m. EDT: The Senate holds a cloture vote on a nomination. The Senate’s full agenda todayhttps://bit.ly/3dctvdo

 

You’re invited — Wednesday: The Hill is hosting a virtual event, “The Sustainability Imperative.” Details and how to RSVPhttps://bit.ly/3wZ80pQ

 
WHAT TO WATCH:

10 a.m. EDT: Day 11 of the Derek Chauvin trial. Livestreamhttps://bit.ly/3mJrWYT

 

11 a.m. EDT: The White House COVID Response Team held a press briefing. Livestreamhttps://bit.ly/3s8gh73

 

12:15 p.m. EDT: White House press secretary Jen Psaki holds a press briefing. Livestreamhttps://bit.ly/325lD8L

 
IN LIGHTER NEWS...:

Today is National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day!

 

Big yikes:

Via WTSP Tampa Bay, a large waterspout came ashore in Panama City Beach, Fla. Videohttps://bit.ly/2RtEb0h

 

And to brighten your Monday, here’s a bunny who is *DEFINITELY NOT* trying to annoy its cat friend: https://bit.ly/3wNwhyN

 
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