Spiegel Stuff: The Hill's 12:30 Report - Presented by Facebook - House Republicans elect Stefanik to replace Cheney | What the CDC’s updated mask guidance means | Some states immediately scrapped mandates | Greene’s reported altercation with Ocasio-Cortez | Lawmakers reach bipartisan Jan. 6 commission agreement | De Blasio eats Shake Shack during presser

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TALK OF THE MORNING

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says fully vaccinated people do not need to wear a mask indoors or outdoors. https://bit.ly/3hv7Gtt

I.e.: Life for vaccinated people can basically go back to normal.

Does this mean vaccinated people can ditch masks entirely?: Well, not really. Private businesses can still require them.

Where the new mask guidelines do *not* apply: Health care settings, correctional facilities, homeless shelters — and on trains, planes and buses. https://cnb.cx/3hu5z9g

To answer the next logical question — what if you don’t know if everyone in a space is vaccinated?:

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky weighs in.

REACTIONS:

A few states immediately scrapped their mask mandates: Including Washington, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Kentucky. Here’s the full list of states revising mask mandates: https://bit.ly/3bq6owe

This made me lol: “For Sale: Masks, gently worn” (via Fox News’s Pat Ward) https://bit.ly/3flF9no

Disney examines its mask and capacity policies: https://bit.ly/3tGBtSw

If this Congress thing doesn’t work out, Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) may have a future on TikTok:

Watch: https://bit.ly/3ybd3E8

What a nice day for some good news: President Biden made the announcement outside the White House on a beautiful day. Here’s a photo from The Washington Post’s Seung Min Kim: https://bit.ly/3eKaTDB

^ Check out staff and reporters at the White House who have removed their masks: It’s nice to see faces again: https://bit.ly/2RRCp9x

Tidbit from Capitol Hill — new protocols: Here’s the print-out of the new guidelines in the U.S. Capitol. Photo from the New York Post’s Juliegrace Brufke: https://bit.ly/3uMTtvH

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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Exciting news!:

The Hill’s 12:30 Report has been named a finalist in Digiday’s Media Awards! Thanks to everyone for putting up with my bad puns and “Office” references for all of this time. ;)

THE LIST OF NOMINATIONS THE HILL RECEIVED:

Best Newsletter for the 12:30 Report
Best Event Series for "The Future of ..." series
Best Video Platform
Media Brand of the Year

A MESSAGE FROM FACEBOOK

The internet has changed a lot since 1996 — internet regulations should too

It's been 25 years since comprehensive internet regulations passed. See why we support updated regulations on key issues, including:

- Protecting people's privacy
- Enabling safe and easy data portability between platforms
- Preventing election interference
- Reforming Section 230

NEWS THIS MORNING

New conference chair, who dis?:

House Republicans voted to elevate Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) as Republican conference chair, replacing ousted Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.). https://bit.ly/33PvDn7

Did anyone challenge Stefanik?: Yes, conservative House Freedom Caucus member Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) launched a last-minute challenge to Stefanik.

What to know about Stefanik: Via The Associated Press, Stefanik is “a moderate turned Trump loyalist who’s given voice to many of his false claims about election fraud.” https://bit.ly/2RX3k3t

The vote: 134-46 in the closed-door election

ELISE STEFANIK’S REACTION:

“I am excited to lead our unified team alongside [House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.)] & [House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.)] to combat Biden and Pelosi’s Far-Left agenda!” Her full tweet: https://bit.ly/33LIrLk

Shake on it:

Via The Hill’s Rebecca Beitsch, “Lawmakers on the House Homeland Security Committee reached an agreement Friday on legislation to establish a bipartisan 9/11-style commission to review the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol ahead of an expected vote next week.” https://bit.ly/3uN1l0t

The agreement: The commission will include 10 members, five Democrats and five Republicans. “It’s a key diversion from one of the earliest proposals from Pelosi, which would have created an 11-member committee with seven members appointed by Democrats compared to just four by Republicans.”

The scope of the commission: “The legislation calls for an investigation into the riot and ‘the interference with the peaceful transfer of power, including facts and causes relating to the preparedness and response of the United States Capitol Police ... as well as the influencing factors that fomented such attack on American representative democracy.’ ”

IN CONGRESS

A few tense moments:

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) confronted Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday by the House chamber. https://wapo.st/3hpeEQC

What happened: “Two Washington Post reporters witnessed Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.) exit the House chamber late Wednesday afternoon ahead of Greene (Ga.), who shouted ‘Hey Alexandria’ twice in an effort to get her attention. When Ocasio-Cortez did not stop walking, Greene picked up her pace and began shouting at her and asking why she supports antifa, a loosely knit group of far-left activists, and Black Lives Matter, falsely labeling them ‘terrorist’ groups. Greene also shouted that Ocasio-Cortez was failing to defend her ‘radical socialist’ beliefs by declining to publicly debate [her].”

The full story from The Washington Post’s Marianna Sotomayor: https://wapo.st/3hpeEQC

FWIW, Greene denies screaming at Ocasio-Cortez: https://bit.ly/33GAxDd

AND THEN THIS MORNING, TAYLOR GREENE’S SPOKESMAN HAD AN ALTERCATION WITH A DEM REP:

THROWBACK — DELETED VIDEO FROM 2019 SHOWS TAYLOR GREENE HARASSING OCASIO-CORTEZ’S OFFICE:

Via CNN’s Em Steck and Andrew Kaczynski: https://cnn.it/33IUUiV

Here’s the uncovered video — it has more than 200k views so far:

Watch: https://bit.ly/3uPTGya

A MESSAGE FROM FACEBOOK

Facebook supports updated internet regulations

2021 is the 25th anniversary of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the last major update to internet regulation. It's time for an update to set clear rules for addressing today's toughest challenges.

See how we're taking action on key issues and why we support updated internet regulations.

LATEST WITH THE CORONAVIRUS

This is pretty interesting — here’s where we stand in the US:

Via CNN’s Ryan Struyk, according to the CDC’s data on vaccinations, here are the percentages of Americans who have been vaccinated from COVID-19.

“At least 1+ dose: 47% of total population, 59% of all adults, 84% of adults over 65.”

“Fully vaccinated: 36% of total population, 46% of all adults, 72% of adults over 65.” https://bit.ly/3y4ZwxX

CASE NUMBERS:

Coronavirus cases in the U.S.: 32,853,960

U.S. death toll: 584,510

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

VACCINATION NUMBERS:

Total number of vaccinations administered in the U.S.: 267 million shots have been given.

Seven-day average of doses administered: An average of 2.09 million doses

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

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

IN JERUSALEM

What a scary situation for everyone:

Via The Washington Post’s Steve Hendrix, Michael E. Miller and Shira Rubin, “Israel dramatically escalated its assault on the Gaza Strip early Friday with a combined air and artillery barrage aimed at destroying Hamas’s tunnel system, marking the addition of ground forces for the first time in the five-day battle and tipping the conflict closer to all-out war. The conflict, which shows no sign of abating, has so far resulted in the deaths of 119 people in Gaza and nine in Israel, with hundreds more injured.” https://wapo.st/3eNYrTs

HELPFUL CONTEXT — HERE’S A TIMELINE OF THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT:

From the Post’s Brian Murphy: https://wapo.st/3tPoHBb

PHOTOS OF WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE THERE:

From CNN: https://cnn.it/3tH8XQI

NOTABLE TWEETS:

This is a whole mood.

^ And a mood I can very personally related to:

Watch: https://bit.ly/2RapDTD

It’s the tiny duckling ramps that kill me:

Watch: https://bit.ly/3oikIvR

ON TAP:

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

9:50 a.m. EDT: President Biden and Vice President Harris received the President’s Daily Brief.

10:30 a.m. EDT: House votes. The House’s full agenda today: https://bit.ly/3oiSgK5

This afternoon: Vice President Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff travel to New York City for their daughter’s graduation.

3 p.m. EDT: President Biden meets with six Dreamers who work in health care, education and agriculture.

4:30 p.m. EDT: President Biden receives his weekly economic briefing.

WHAT TO WATCH:

11 a.m. EDT: National Security Agency Director Paul Nakasone testified on U.S. cyber capabilities. Livestream: https://bit.ly/3eO2tLq

12:30 p.m. EDT: White House press secretary Jen Psaki and Council of Economic Advisers Chairwoman Cecilia Rouse hold a press briefing. Livestream: https://bit.ly/3bqLMUh

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF...:

Today is National Buttermilk Biscuit Day. And for weekend planning purposes, tomorrow is National Chocolate Chip Day and Sunday is National Mimosa Day!

^ That’s a stacked lineup.

And because you made it this far, here’s a puppy enjoying one of the finer things in life: https://bit.ly/3ohtQRd