The Hill's 12:30 Report — Presented by McDonald's — US economy teeters with new interest rate hike

View Online  12:30 REPORT PRESENTED BY MCDONALD'S HAPPENING TODAY Where the US economy currently stands: ©  Giphy The Federal Reserve is expected to raise interest rates yet again, even as fears increase that it could trigger a recession in the U.S.    The expected interest rate increase: Another 0.75 percentage points    Then why are they doing it?: To slow inflation and hopefully bring prices down. Increasing interest rates can help, but it's an incredibly tricky balance not to send the U.S. into a recession.    More on the difficult balance the Federal Reserve must weigh, via The Hill's Sylvan Lane    Watch the announcement: Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is holding a news conference at 2:30 p.m. C-SPAN livestream  ➤ 'TOP FEDERAL RESERVE OFFICIALS SAY THEY MISREAD INFLATION AND NOW PLAN TO CORRECT THE COURSE': Via CNBC's Carlos Waters  ➤ 'DEMOCRATS WARN FED'S RATE HIKES MAY TRIGGER RECESSION': Via The Hill's Alexander Bolton  IT'S WEDNESDAY. I'm Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what's coming up. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here.  Content from our sponsor: McDonald's Advancing Education Under the Arches McDonald's U.S. Archways to Opportunity® program has increased access to education for more than 72,000 people as of year-end 2021. Since its inception, the program has awarded $165M in high school and college tuition assistance. Click here to learn how McDonald's and its Franchisees are helping to support better futures for their respective employees and their families.   🍭 News this morning  Biden has a negative COVID lollipop to show his employer:   President Biden has tested negative for COVID-19 twice, tweeting a picture this morning of his rapid test.     Biden tweeted: "Back to the Oval. Thanks to Doc for the good care, and to all of you for your support." Photo of his negative COVID-19 test    From Biden's doctor: "Biden completed his five-day course of PAXLOVID 36 hours ago. As of this morning, he has completed his five full days of isolation. He remains fever-free and he discontinued use of any acetaminophen … His symptoms have been steadily improving, and are almost completely resolved."   Read the full memo from Biden's doctor    ➤ ADDED TO BIDEN'S SCHEDULE SHORTLY AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT:  President Biden delivered remarks from the Rose Garden after his negative COVID-19 test. Watch    ➤ 'A STIR CRAZY JOE BIDEN FOUGHT COVID CABIN FEVER WITH HELP FROM HIS DOG AND A STACK OF BOOKS ABOUT IRELAND':  From CNN's Kevin Liptak  🏛 Jan. 6 The Justice Department is asking questions:    Via The Washington Post's Carol D. Leonnig, Devlin Barrett, Josh Dawsey and Spencer S. Hsu, "The Justice Department is investigating President Donald Trump's actions as part of its criminal probe of efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, according to four people familiar with the matter."      What we know, according to two Post sources: "Prosecutors who are questioning witnesses before a grand jury — including two top aides to Vice President Mike Pence — have asked in recent days about conversations with Trump, his lawyers, and others in his inner circle who sought to substitute Trump allies for certified electors from some states Joe Biden won."   The significance of this development — and what could happen now    ➤ READING IN BETWEEN THE LINES — THE DOJ IS UNDER INCREASING PRESSURE AFTER LAST WEEK'S NEW EVIDENCE:    "Thursday's hearing furthered insight into Trump's state of mind the day of the riot and after as he removed language from a Jan. 6 address asking rioters to leave the Capitol and on Jan. 7 as he slashed language from an address condemning their actions and struggled to say the election was over."   Some helpful context of where the probe stands, via The Hill's Rebecca Beitsch and Harper Neidig    🗳 On the campaign trail  Hovering, but in a casual, cool way: ©  Giphy   Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who has kept a low profile since suspending her 2020 presidential campaign, is slowly stepping into spotlight again — and in key states.    Which states?: Wisconsin. Michigan. Pennsylvania.    Warren is in a pretty interesting spot: "The Warren momentum that emerged last cycle is still ever-present. [President Biden] and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), his closest competitor for the 2020 nomination, will both be in their 80s by 2024. And some see a lane clearly marked for Warren, one of just a handful of female progressives thought of as potential presidential contenders — if she wants it."     Keep in mind: Warren is up for reelection to the Senate in 2024. She would have to choose between reelection and a potential presidential bid.     More on where Warren stands, via The Hill's Hanna Trudo   ➤ THIS NEW POLL IS STRIKING:  75 percent of Democratic voters do not want President Biden as their party's 2024 presidential nominee in 2024, according to a new CNN poll.     For context: Earlier this year, roughly half of Democratic voters said they wanted another nominee for 2024.       The full CNN poll    ➤ 'TRUMP TIPTOES CLOSER TO NEW WHITE HOUSE RUN IN DC ADDRESS':  The gist of former President Trump's address — and how it was received, via The Hill's Brett Samuels  📝 In other news It's just, well, the name…:    "The commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Ashwin Vasan, called on the World Health Organization (WHO) to rename monkeypox to prevent the 'potentially devastating and stigmatizing effects' that the virus's name could bring about." More from Vasan's letter to the WHO  🦠 Latest with COVID Seth Meyers canceled his shows this week: ©  Giphy "Later Night" host Seth Meyers announced that he tested positive for COVID-19 and will cancel his shows for the rest of the week.    Keep in mind: This is the second time this year that Meyers has tested positive for COVID-19 and had to cancel shows. He is fully vaccinated, FWIW.   BY THE NUMBERS Cases to date: 90.3 million  Death toll: 1,022,668  Current hospitalizations:  35,406 Shots administered: 601 million  Fully vaccinated: 67.2 percent of Americans  CDC data here. Content from our sponsor: McDonald's McDonald's Increases Educational Opportunities in the Communities it Serves "When we invest in our team, we also invest in our community." This companywide belief is evident in programs like Archways to Opportunity® which offers tuition assistance and career support. Learn more about the program's impact to date here.   🐥Notable tweets  Today in DC protests:   ©  iStock Bloomberg's Josh Wingrove tweeted, "Outside the White House: a demonstration calling for cancellation of student debt. Biden has said he will make a decision by the end of next month." Photo of the demonstration  ⏱ On tap The House and Senate are in. President Biden is isolating at the White House. Vice President Harris is in Washington, D.C., with no public events scheduled.  9:30 a.m.: Biden received his daily briefing.  11:30 a.m.: Two Senate votes. Today's Senate agenda  11:30 a.m.: First House votes of the day. Today's House agenda  4 p.m.: Last House votes of the day.  4:30 p.m.: One Senate roll call vote.  Thursday: The annual Congressional Baseball Game at Nationals Park. Tickets and info  All times Eastern.  📺 What to watch 10 a.m.: Gun manufacturing executives testified on gun violence. Watch  11:30 a.m.: Biden delivered remarks from the Rose Garden. Livestream  3 p.m.: White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre gives a press briefing. Livestream 🍮 In lighter news  Today is National Crème Brûlée Day!  And because you read this far, here's a dog intently watching golf.  Stay Engaged Send comments, story ideas and events for our radar to cmartel@thehill.com and follow along on Twitter and Facebook. A friend forward this to you? Subscribe here. Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  Sign Up for Other Newsletters 1625 K Street NW, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20006 © 1998 - 2022 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved.