Reuters: U.S.

Monday, December 6, 2021

The Hill's 12:30 Report - Presented by Facebook - Schumer remains confident in Christmas deadline for Biden agenda

The Hill 12:30 Report
Presented by Facebook
 
 
IN CONGRESS

Chuck Schumer’s confidence is ~truly~ unmatched:

© Giphy

 

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) sent a letter to colleagues this morning, reiterating his goal of passing the Build Back Better (BBB) Act by Christmas. https://bit.ly/3GiWxFd

 

Read the letter: https://bit.ly/3Dtrh4w

 
BUT THERE IS STILL PLENTY OF SKEPTICISM ABOUT THAT TIMELINE:

The Hill’s Alexander Bolton writes that Democrats’ goal “ is slipping away as the Senate bogs down in one time-consuming fight after another.” https://bit.ly/3GiadQT

 

The holdup on the bill: Senators have major disagreements on the bill, including whether to lift the cap on state and local tax (SALT) deductions.

 

Why the Senate can’t focus on those negotiations: Congress needs to raise the debt limit by Dec. 15, and that has been the focus.

 

When Schumer is hoping to bring BBB to the floor: Next week, though that is a tight timeline.

 

More likely timing: Democratic aides think BBB will more likely be worked out in January.

 

We haven’t even discussed Joe Manchin yet (!): “Adding to the uncertainty, maverick Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) has expressed worries about inflation and hasn’t yet said whether he’ll even vote to begin debate on the package. He made it clear earlier this year that he wanted to take a ‘strategic pause’ to see how the economy reacts to the money being pumped into it by Congress.” 

 

How this saga could unfold: https://bit.ly/3GiadQT

 
CONGRESS BUMPED ITS RECESS:

The House added a week to its schedule, now beginning its holiday recess around Dec. 20. The Senate could potentially stay in session until Christmas. https://bit.ly/3EGecpS 

 
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN CONGRESS THIS WEEK:

Vaccine mandate: “Senate Republicans are set to net a temporary win on Biden’s vaccine mandate for larger employers … But the effort is expected to run into a wall in the House, where Republicans aren’t able to force a vote.”

 

Defense spending: “The House is expected to take up a final deal on a sweeping defense policy bill this week after hitting speed bumps in the Senate.”

 

Biden’s Build Back Better bill — wow, the alliteration in that phrase is truly phenomenal: Senate Democrats are trying to pass the Build Back Better Act by Christmas, though it’s an ambitious timeline.

 

Nominations: “The Senate will start the week with votes on Biden’s nominees, including an initial vote on Monday evening on Jessica Rosenworcel’s nomination to be a member of the Federal Communications Commission.” 

 

Context and details for each from The Hill’s Jordain Carney: https://bit.ly/3EGecpS

 

It’s 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/2UoupvN

 
A MESSAGE FROM FACEBOOK

Why Facebook supports updated internet regulations, including Section 230

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

 

Hear more from Aaron 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.

 
NEWS THIS MORNING

Campaign reporters casually googling ‘things to do while visiting Georgia’:

Via The Hill’s Max Greenwood, “Former Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.) launched a challenge to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) on Monday, setting up a primary fight between two Republican titans in one of the most competitive political battlegrounds of the 2022 election cycle.” https://bit.ly/3osLGCL

 

Quick catch-up on today’s announcement: “Perdue has been weighing a bid for office ever since he lost a runoff election to Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) in January. He ruled out another Senate bid earlier this year, but had grown more serious in recent months about challenging Kemp, a one-time ally of former President Trump who irked the former president last year after he refused to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.”

 
LATEST WITH THE CORONAVIRUS

Businesses are holding their breath:

Via The Hill’s Karl Evers-Hillstrom, “The omicron variant poses a new threat to businesses that were already struggling to recover from the economic damage done by previous strains of the virus.” https://bit.ly/32XLzXj

 

Specifically: Gyms and restaurants have taken a major hit. Airlines, concert venues and other industries have also been struggling. 

 

Experts don’t expect a return to early pandemic lockdowns: “Thanks to the prevalence of vaccines, U.S. officials don’t foresee a return to the early days of the pandemic, when entire sectors of the economy were forced to shut down. But experts still worry that many businesses that barely overcame the delta variant might not survive another outbreak.” 

 

Where the variant stands: “Several states have detected cases of the omicron variant, which health experts say could be more contagious than the delta variant. Shortly after scientists in South Africa discovered the omicron variant, the country’s COVID-19 cases spiked dramatically.” 

 

Where businesses stand as the new variant spreads: https://bit.ly/32XLzXj

 

You raise a good question:

CDC vaccine compliance

© Twitter

 
CASE NUMBERS:

Coronavirus cases in the U.S.: 49,097,146

 

U.S. death toll: 788,418

 

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

 
VACCINATION NUMBERS:

Total number of vaccinations administered in the U.S.: 462 million shots have been given.

 

Seven-day average of doses administered: An average of 949,494 doses

 

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

 

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

 
IN THE WHITE HOUSE

Oh, make this a reality show STAT:

Via The Hill’s Alex Gangitano, “The Biden administration on Monday released the first-ever United States Strategy on Countering Corruption, which focuses on preventing bad actors using the U.S. and international financial systems to hide assets and launder money.” https://bit.ly/3IrDxqb

 
A MESSAGE FROM FACEBOOK

Why Facebook supports updated internet regulations, including Section 230

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

 

Hear more from Aaron 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.

 
REMEMBERING BOB DOLE

Rest in peace, Bob Dole:

Former Republican Sen. Bob Dole (Kan.) died yesterday at the age of 98.

 

From his New York Times obituary: “A Republican, Mr. Dole was one of the most durable political figures in the last decades of the last century. He was nominated for vice president in 1976 and then for president a full 20 years later. He spent a quarter-century in the Senate, where he was his party’s longest-serving leader until Mitch McConnell of Kentucky surpassed that record in June 2018.” More from his obituary: https://nyti.ms/3IpvSbD

 
LAWMAKERS REMEMBER DOLE:

Here are some of their reactions: https://bit.ly/3rFu5JD

 

A lighter tidbit — Lol, that’s pretty good:

Bob Dole and his leaky campaign plane

© Twitter

 
LATEST WITH THE ABORTION FIGHT

Activists are taking their battle positions:

Via The Hill’s Julia Manchester, “Activists and political candidates in key swing states are preparing for midterm elections that could take place just months after the biggest overhaul to abortion rights the U.S. has seen in almost 50 years.” https://bit.ly/31pj4BL

 

Keep in mind: A decision is expected in June or July, roughly five months before the midterms (!) 

 

What this could mean for the November 2022 midterms: https://bit.ly/31pj4BL

 
NOTABLE TWEETS:

Very, very carefully. Don’t rush:

The Capitol Gingerbread House is on the move

© Twitter

Watch: https://bit.ly/3DtGB1f

 

Last night in Washington, DC:

The second family heads to the Kennedy Center

© Twitter

 

Back story: “President Joe Biden celebrated artists including Bette Midler, Joni Mitchell and Lorne Michaels on Sunday at the Kennedy Center Honors, bringing back presidential participation to an annual event skipped by Republican Donald Trump.” (More from Reuters’s Jeff Mason and Trevor Hunnicutt) https://reut.rs/3IpzhHK

 
ON TAP:

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

 

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

 

3 p.m. EST: The Senate meets. The Senate’s full agenda today: https://bit.ly/3xXbNVx

 

5:30 p.m. EST: A Senate cloture vote on a nomination. 

 
WHAT TO WATCH:

1 p.m. EST: White House press secretary Jen Psaki holds a press briefing. Livestream: https://bit.ly/3EtCT9h

 

2 p.m. EST: President Biden delivers remarks on the Build Back Better Act and its prescription drug price components. Livestream: https://bit.ly/3dqjoT2

 
IN LIGHTER NEWS:

Today is National Gazpacho Day.

 

And to start the week with a good competition, here’s a well-matched noodle-eating contest: https://bit.ly/3pyQA03

 
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