Spiegel Stuff: The Hill's 12:30 Report - Presented by Facebook - Dems near finish line on legislative agenda

Presented by Facebook

TALK OF THE MORNING

‘Oh baby, why don't you just meet me in the middle? I'm losing my mind just a little.’:

President Biden is leaving for Italy tomorrow and had hoped that a vote on his bipartisan infrastructure plan would happen before he left.

Will that happen?: It’s looking increasingly unlikely, not because of disagreements over said infrastructure plan, but because of the outstanding issues with the supplemental social spending package.

At what point will progressives agree to vote on the bipartisan infrastructure plan?: When all of the unresolved issues are finalized for the Build Back Better Agenda. https://bit.ly/2ZruqEh

The big outstanding issue: The topline number of the package is still being negotiated.

What else is still being ironed out?: Paid family leave, climate change provisions, Medicare and Medicaid expansions and a tax on billionaires https://bit.ly/3bvvzx3

What we’re hearing on climate change: Democrats may spend $500+ billion on climate change provisions, according to the White House. https://bit.ly/3vN6tCQ

TIDBIT — MANCHIN IS HOPEFUL THAT A DEAL COULD BE REACHED TODAY:

Via Politico’s Burgess Everett, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said a deal could “absolutely” be reached today. https://bit.ly/3GkGVls

^ But he said he doesn’t like the idea of targeting billionaires to pay for the bill: “I don’t like it. I don’t like the connotation that we’re targeting different people.” https://bit.ly/3GDmO2j

It’s Wednesday. 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

Weeeeeee:

A MESSAGE FROM FACEBOOK

Why Facebook supports updated internet regulations

Jack is one of 40,000 people working on safety and security issues at Facebook.

Hear more from Jack on why Facebook supports updating regulations on the internet’s most pressing challenges, including reforming Section 230 to set clear guidelines for all large tech companies.

IN CONGRESS

Spotted together — Bernie Sanders and Joe Manchin:

‘You must share that muffin recipe. It was to DIE for.’

THE FINAL STICKING POINT, ACCORDING TO SCHUMER:

Lowering prescription drug prices and expanding Medicare benefits, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) told reporters. https://bit.ly/3jI6a7v

‘THIS MAY BE DEMOCRATS’ BEST CHANCE TO LOWER DRUG PRICES’:

Via The New York Times’s Margot Sanger-Katz: https://nyti.ms/3mjmn4Z

‘DEMOCRATS HAGGLE AS DEAL COMES INTO FOCUS’:

Via The Hill’s Alexander Bolton: https://bit.ly/3pFuDyj

This morning — so here’s the tea on that billionaire tax proposal:

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) announced the details of his proposed annual tax on billionaires. https://bit.ly/3pWT0Yz

Who would be affected: “The proposal would affect taxpayers with assets of more than $1 billion or income of more than $100 million for three years in a row. About 700 taxpayers are expected to be subject to the tax.”

The gist of what it would mean: “In cases of tradeable investments, such as stocks, applicable taxpayers would pay taxes on gains and claim deductions for losses annually … In cases of nontradable assets, such as real estate, billionaires would not pay taxes annually on the gains but would pay a charge, on top of regular capital gains taxes, when they sell the assets.”

See for yourself — here’s the proposal: https://bit.ly/3pHv2QB

IN THE WHITE HOUSE

Joe Biden is taking it from all sides:

Via The Hill’s Niall Stanage, “President Biden is looking into the jaws of two major challenges.” https://bit.ly/3vQ2C8e

The two issues are intermingled: “He is desperate to move his legislative agenda forward within days on Capitol Hill. And whether he succeeds or fails could make all the difference in a vital gubernatorial race in Virginia, where early voting has already begun and Election Day is Nov. 2.”

How Biden’s domestic agenda could have an effect in the Virginia gubernatorial race: https://bit.ly/3vQ2C8e

PRESIDENT BIDEN CAMPAIGNED FOR TERRY MCAULIFFE YESTERDAY:

More on the campaign stop from The Hill’s Julia Manchester: https://bit.ly/3EmVmUl

NEWS THIS MORNING

The first ‘X’ gender passport in the US:

Via The Associated Press’s Colleen Slevin, “The United States has issued its first passport with an ‘X’ gender designation — a milestone in the recognition of the rights of people who don’t identify as male or female — and expects to be able to offer the option more broadly next year, the State Department said Wednesday.” https://abcn.ws/3GpPlIr

LATEST WITH THE CORONAVIRUS

You have our blessing:

Via The New York Times’s Sharon LaFraniere and Noah Weiland, “An expert committee advising the Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday recommended that regulators authorize Pfizer-BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine for 5- to 11-year-olds, bringing about 28 million children a major step closer to becoming eligible for shots.” https://nyti.ms/3nADEpK

Now what: The FDA and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) decide whether to take the recommendation of the FDA panel.

I.e.: Yesterday was a big step, but it’s nonbinding.

CASE NUMBERS:

Coronavirus cases in the U.S.: 45,619,660

U.S. death toll: 738,949

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

VACCINATION NUMBERS:

Total number of vaccinations administered in the U.S.: 415 million shots have been given.

Seven-day average of doses administered: An average of 710,300 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

Jack is one of 40,000 people working on safety and security issues at Facebook.

Hear more from Jack on why Facebook supports updating regulations on the internet’s most pressing challenges, including reforming Section 230 to set clear guidelines for all large tech companies.

NOTABLE TWEETS:

This is very funny:

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

White House assistant press secretary Emilie Simons tweeted the clip and added: “I truly have the best team, and @PressSec proves again and again why she is the best boss. Apologies if I miss your email during my wedding and honeymoon, but my boss said, ‘she can throw her phone in the river.’ “ https://bit.ly/3vPLaAK

Check out what Sen. Kyrsten Sinema wore while presiding over the Senate:

Watch: https://bit.ly/3jE9L6Q

C-SPAN’s wizard, Howard Mortman, found a clip of denim being worn in the House: It was in 2001. Photo: https://bit.ly/3nEYapk

Lol, I appreciate the creativity:

ON TAP:

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

8:30 a.m. EDT: President Biden participated virtually in the annual East Asia Summit.

9:45 a.m. EDT: President Biden received the President’s Daily Brief.

11 a.m. EDT: Two confirmation votes and a cloture vote in the Senate. The Senate’s full agenda today: https://bit.ly/3CkDDMT

2:15 p.m. EDT: Two more cloture votes in the Senate.

1:45 – 3:15 p.m. EDT: First and last votes in the House. The House’s full agenda today: https://bit.ly/2XUHocU

5:15 p.m. EDT: Another two cloture votes in the Senate.

WHAT TO WATCH:

1 p.m. EDT: White House press secretary Jen Psaki holds a press briefing. Livestream: https://bit.ly/3mknt0e

2:30 p.m. EDT: The White House COVID-19 Response Team holds a press briefing. Livestream: https://bit.ly/3CwIla4

IN LIGHTER NEWS:

Today is National American Beer Day.

Cel-e-brate the end, come on!:

Via Popville, this is the last week of street sweeping in Washington, D.C., until March 1. I.e.: D.C. residents don’t have to move their cars for the weekly street sweeping. https://bit.ly/3GtJUZ2

And because it’s a festive week, here are otters enjoying a seasonally appropriate snack: