The Hill's Evening Report — Biden urges Congress to act after Nashville school shooting

View Online  Evening Report Tuesday, March 28 ©  AP Fallout after Nashville school shooting President Biden again called on Congress to act on gun policy Tuesday in the wake of the deadly mass shooting at a school in Nashville, saying a "majority of the American people want an assault weapons ban."   Authorities have released surveillance footage of the shooter entering The Covenant School while brandishing a rifle and body camera footage showing officers confronting the suspect.   Police have identified the suspect as 28-year-old Audrey Hale, a former student at the school, and are working through a potential motive. Police said Hale had been under the care of a doctor for an "emotional disorder."    Police Chief John Drake told NBC News that investigators believe Hale had "some resentment for having to go to that school." Police said Hale, who identified as transgender, left behind a "manifesto" though said it did not appear any individual was specifically targeted.   The small private Christian school has around 200 students and was founded in 2001, according to its website.   Police said Hale had two "assault-style" weapons and a pistol when shooting through the school's front door. They found more firearms at the suspect's home and said Hale legally purchased seven guns from five stores.    Three 9-year-olds were killed in the shooting along with the school head, a custodian and a substitute teacher.   Biden has previously urged the reinstatement of the assault weapons ban, which expired in 2004 and was not included in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act that the president signed last June.   Biden issued an executive order earlier this month aiming to increase compliance with existing background check laws, increase the effective use of "red flag" laws and more. He said Tuesday, "I have gone the full extent of my executive authority," calling on Congress to pass further legislation.    Discussing tougher gun laws without naming specific proposals at a closed-door Democratic Caucus meeting Tuesday, Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) "suggested Democrats should launch a discharge petition, which would force the reforms to the floor with the support of a simple House majority," The Hill's Mike Lillis reported.   "Given the Republicans' slim House majority, Democrats would need the support of only five GOP lawmakers on their discharge petition to force bills to the floor," Mike explained.  Welcome to Evening Report! I'm Amee LaTour, catching you up from the afternoon and what's coming tomorrow. Not on the list? Subscribe here. CATCH UP QUICK Florida governor and potential 2024 presidential candidate Ron DeSantis (R) is planning a trip to Israel to give the keynote address at the "Faces of Israel" event on April 27. A Northwestern University poll shows Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas tied at 44 percent support in Chicago's April 4 mayoral race, with 12 percent undecided. A group of female lawmakers of color launched the Congressional Caucus for the Equal Rights Amendment, with co-founders Reps. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) as chairs.  NEW THIS AFTERNOON Defense chief comments on Tuberville nominations delay Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday criticized Sen. Tommy Tuberville's (R-Ala.) decision to delay Pentagon nominations over his opposition to the Defense Department's abortion policy.   "Not approving the recommendations for promotions actually creates a ripple effect in the force that makes us far less ready than we need to be," Austin said. "The effects are cumulative and it will affect families, it will affect kids going to schools … it's a powerful effect and it will impact our readiness."   The Defense Department changed its policy in February to provide leave and reimbursement to servicemembers who travel to get an abortion, a procedure the department allows for in certain limited cases. Tuberville said, "This is about not forcing the taxpayers of this country to fund abortion. That's been a bipartisan consensus for more than 40 years."    From The Hill's Brad Dress: "The GOP senator's hold forces the Democrat-controlled Senate to consider and vote on each nomination rather than approving them in batches, dragging out the process." Read more here. INVESTIGATIONS Pence must answer questions in Jan. 6 case Former Vice President Mike Pence must appear before the grand jury in the Justice Department's Jan. 6 investigation as D.C. District Court Chief Judge James Boasberg ruled executive privilege doesn't shield him from answering questions, according to reports Tuesday.   Boasberg reportedly ruled that Pence must answer questions about former President Trump's actions but not about Pence's role as Senate president that day. It's unclear whether Trump or Pence will appeal the judge's ruling. CONGRESS Some House Democrats come out against TikTok ban Amid bipartisan scrutiny and calls for a TikTok ban in the U.S. or other restrictions on the app, Reps. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) have in recent days spoken out against a ban.    From Omar on Tuesday: "We should create actual standards and regulations around data harvesting and privacy violations across social media companies — like many countries around the world have already done — not ban particular platforms we don't like."   House Democratic Caucus chairman Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) said when asked about the possibility of a TikTok ban, "I don't think any door is closed."  The opioid crisis, the pandemic and mental health. Sign up for Overnight Health Care, The Hill's daily newsletter on health policy and trends. Click here to sign up IN OTHER NEWS ©  AP Prosecutors allege Bankman-Fried bribed Chinese officials Federal prosecutors alleged in an indictment that FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried bribed Chinese officials with at least $40 million in cryptocurrency in an effort to unfreeze his accounts.  The Hill's two-part series on fentanyl in the U.S. Check out the two-part series on fentanyl from The Hill's Rafael Bernal and Rebecca Beitsch, focusing on statistics around who's trafficking the drug and how it's affecting U.S.-Mexico relations. Renewables overtake coal in electricity generation for first time The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that more electricity was generated from renewable sources than from coal or nuclear power for the first time last year, with natural gas remaining the top source of electricity.   From The Hill's Zack Budryk: "In a statement to The Hill, Gregory Wetstone, president and CEO of the American Council on Renewable Energy, said the surge was largely the result of economic factors, with wind energy and solar energy costs falling by 70 percent and 90 percent, respectively, in the last decade." PUNDIT CORNER "Conflicts that will drive US politics this decade" — John Feehery, a longtime GOP strategist and staffer who is a partner at EFB Advocacy. (Read here)   "Democrats need a post-populist economics" — Will Marshall, president and founder of the Progressive Policy Institute. (Read here) ⏲️  COUNTDOWN 588 days until the presidential election. 🗓  ON TAP TOMORROW 10 a.m.: The House Financial Services Committee holds a hearing on federal regulators' response to the recent bank collapses.   10 a.m.: The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee  is holding a hearing "to examine the need to end illegal union busting at Starbucks."   The second Summit for Democracy, with leaders from Costa Rica, the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea and the Republic of Zambia, begins Wednesday. UNDER THE RADAR There a story you think should be getting more attention? Something people should be talking about? Drop me a line: alatour@thehill.com Stay Engaged You're all caught up! Stay with TheHill.com for the latest and recommend this newsletter to others: TheHill.com/Evening. See you tomorrow. 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