Spiegel Stuff: The Hill's 12:30 Report - Presented by Facebook - Senate to vote on elections bill | GOP expected to filibuster | What happens next | Increasing pressure to nix the filibuster | White House to acknowledge missing July 4 vaccine deadline | Liberal activists, Dem senators at odds over Breyer’s future retirement | NYC’s Dem. mayoral primary | What to watch | Fake In-N-Out truck roaming DC| NYT’s eel headline the talk of Twitter

HAPPENING TODAY

The vote on how to vote in future voting events:

The Senate is expected to vote on the sweeping election reforms bill today, in which Democrats do not have the votes to overcome the filibuster.

How many votes Democrats need: At least 60 to overcome the filibuster

How many votes Democrats have: “The legislation is co-sponsored by 49 Democratic members of the Senate. The one holdout, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., has opened the door to supporting a compromise version and is expected to vote with his party on the procedural motion.”

Should we expect any Republicans to vote for the bill?: “Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., a member of McConnell's leadership team, told reporters Monday that he expects every Republican to vote to block the bill.”

What to expect, via NBC’s Sahil Kapur: https://nbcnews.to/3gWxtJ1

FORMER PRESIDENT OBAMA WEIGHED IN ON THE BILL :

From Obama: "We can't wait until the next election because if we have the same kinds of shenanigans that brought about Jan. 6, if we have that for a couple more election cycles, we're going to have real problems in terms of our democracy long-term.” https://bit.ly/3gQN9O9

PROGRESSIVES ARE WORRIED ABOUT A NIGHTMARE SCENARIO OVER VOTING RIGHTS:

Via The Hill’s Hanna Trudo, “Top liberal groups, strategists and organizers are shifting away from their core policy areas to focus on the need for the Senate to approve sweeping voter rights legislation, underscoring the deep fears in progressive America that state Republicans will lock in restrictions without federal action.” https://bit.ly/3gMiMJN

THE SENATE’S TIMING TODAY:

Here’s the Senate’s full schedule for today: https://bit.ly/35HDxjo

It’s Tuesday. 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

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

IN CONGRESS

If and when that bill fails, what happens next?:

Expect increased pressure for Democrats to nix the filibuster.

I.e.: So Democrats can pass bills with a simple 51-vote majority without Republicans blocking it.

How many Democrats support changing or nixing the filibuster: According to a Washington Post “Fix” review, “over the past year no fewer than 45 senators have called for changing or eliminating the legislative filibuster.” https://wapo.st/3xH19Rf

^Where things get tricky — 39 of those 45 senators supported the filibuster when Republicans were in control: The full story from The Washington Post’s JM Rieger: https://wapo.st/3xH19Rf

^BTW, SEN. KYRSTEN SINEMA DOES *NOT* WANT TO ELIMINATE THE FILIBUSTER:

In a Washington Post op-ed, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) argued why she thinks the filibuster should be kept in place. https://wapo.st/3xC5IMA

Her reasoning — the filibuster can later be used against her priorities: “Once in a majority, it is tempting to believe you will stay in the majority.”

An example from Sinema: “To those who want to eliminate the legislative filibuster to expand health-care access or retirement benefits: Would it be good for our country if we did, only to later see that legislation replaced by legislation dividing Medicaid into block grants, slashing earned Social Security and Medicare benefits, or defunding women’s reproductive health services?” Read her full op-ed: https://wapo.st/3xC5IMA

IN NEW YORK CITY

Let’s find out how big the Yang Gang is:

New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary is happening today!

The gist of the race: “The leading Democratic contenders include Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, former New York City Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia and former presidential candidate Andrew Yang, three centrists, and civil rights lawyer Maya Wiley, who is backed by many progressive lawmakers and advocacy groups. Polls show that while Adams leads the crop, the race remains up for grabs for any of the four top contenders.” https://bit.ly/3vOfXMz

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH:

“Can progressives clinch a late victory at the polls?”
“Do concerns over crime dominate the race?”
“Does the Garcia-Yang alliance boost them in the home stretch?”
“What will turnout be like?”
“What impact does ranked choice voting have?”

Context and details for each from The Hill’s Tal Axelrod: https://bit.ly/3vOfXMz

A STORY THAT KEEPS POPPING UP ON MY TWITTER

OK, this headline wins:

The New York Times’s Sabrina Imbler writes, “When an Eel Climbs a Ramp to Eat Squid From a Clamp, That’s a Moray.”

(It took me a minute to get the headline.)

The full story — plus video of the eel climbing the ramp!: https://nyti.ms/3gNWZSg

^I’ve seen several tweets calling for this headline to win a Pulitzer.

IN THE SUPREME COURT

It must be a weird feeling when all your buds are debating when they want you to retire:

Via The Hill’s Alexander Bolton, “Liberal activists fearful of Democrats losing control of the Senate are pushing for stalwart liberal Justice Stephen Breyer to retire this year, but Democratic senators don’t share their enthusiasm, knowing a fall confirmation battle could quickly become a partisan circus.” https://bit.ly/3gSoOHQ

Why Democratic senators aren’t eager for Breyer to leave: “They aren’t spoiling for another bruising Senate confirmation fight, which could put President Biden’s legislative agenda on hold and further fuel partisan tensions in the chamber.”

Tidbit — where Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) stands on the issue: Oh, I have no comment on that. None,” Warren said.

The debate: https://bit.ly/3gSoOHQ

LATEST WITH THE CORONAVIRUS

Biden knows that his July 4 deadline will likely be a miss:

Via NBC’s Mike Memoli, “The Biden administration planned to concede Tuesday that it will likely fall short of President Joe Biden’s goal of partially vaccinating 70 percent of American adults by Independence Day, but insist it has ‘succeeded beyond our highest expectations’ in returning the nation to a pre-pandemic normal.” https://nbcnews.to/2TUjcF0

Where the White House stands — we will hit the goal for 27+, not 18+: “Jeffrey Zients, the head of the White House COVID-19 response team, was scheduled to announce that the administration has hit its 70 percent vaccination target among Americans ages 30 and older, and is poised to reach that threshold for those 27 and older by the Fourth of July. But it will take ‘a few extra weeks’ to include all Americans 18 and older to that group, he is to acknowledge.”

Tidbit:

CASE NUMBERS:

Coronavirus cases in the U.S.: 33,555,224

U.S. death toll: 602,118

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

VACCINATION NUMBERS:

Total number of vaccinations administered in the U.S.: 319 million shots have been given.

Seven-day average of doses administered: An average of 1.13 million doses

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

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

A MESSAGE FROM FACEBOOK

Why 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.

NOTABLE TWEETS:

Great, this toddler could likely beat me in tennis in a year or two:

Watch: https://bit.ly/3j5vYem

Today in ‘Wilmington Heavily Leans Into Being The President’s Hometown’:

ON TAP:

The House and Senate are in. President Biden and Vice President Harris are in Washington, D.C.

10:15 a.m. EDT: President Biden and Vice President Harris received the President’s Daily Brief.

11:45 a.m. EDT: Two roll call votes in the Senate. The Senate’s full agenda today: https://bit.ly/35HDxjo

12:30 p.m. EDT: President Biden has lunch with Vice President Harris.

1:45 p.m. EDT: President Biden meets with FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and Homeland Security Advisor and Deputy National Security Advisor Dr. Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall.

2:30 p.m. EDT: Another roll call vote in the Senate.

5:30 p.m. EDT: A cloture vote in the Senate.

6:30 p.m. EDT: First and last votes in the House. The House’s full agenda today: https://bit.ly/3gKCwNP

1 p.m. EDT Wednesday: The Hill is hosting a virtual event, “America's Unfinished Business: An LGBTQ+ Summit.” Speakers and how to RSVP: https://bit.ly/3jbmJJV

WHAT TO WATCH:

10 a.m. EDT: D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) testified on statehood for Washington, D.C. Livestream: https://bit.ly/3qffMZI

12:30 p.m. EDT: The White House COVID Response Team holds a press briefing. Livestream: https://bit.ly/3d1xj2e

1 p.m. EDT: White House press secretary Jen Psaki holds a press briefing. Livestream: https://bit.ly/2SgpLBg

1 p.m. EDT: The Hill is hosting a virtual event, “Mental Health, Addiction & the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Speakers and how to RSVP: https://bit.ly/3gT2JbW

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF...:

Today is National Chocolate Eclair Day and National Onion Ring Day!

I want you to hear this from me before you briefly get your hopes up:

Via Washingtonian’s Jessica Sidman, “An Imposter In-N-Out Food Truck Is Roaming Around DC.” https://bit.ly/3d55O7J

“Photos of the imposter began circulating on Reddit earlier this week after it was spotted around the National Mall. The red truck touted a rip-off logo, photos from the In-N-Out website, and a copycat menu including a ‘Double-Double,’ cheeseburger, burger, French fries, and shakes. Prices were scrawled by hand.”

Here’s a photo: https://bit.ly/3gSK9AX

And here’s the Reddit thread: https://bit.ly/3xIUYwc

And to brighten your Tuesday afternoon, here’s a puppy that is striving to be an individual, to stand outside the pack, to be its own canine:

If everyone jumped off a bridge, this lil’ guy sure wouldn’t, let me tell you!