The Hill’s 12:30 Report — Lawmakers process gut-wrenching Uvalde survivor testimony

by Cate Martel - 06/08/22 12:35 PM ET

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–> A midday take on what’s happening in politics and how to have a sense of humor about it.*

*Ha. Haha. Hahah. Sniff. Haha. Sniff. Ha–breaks down crying hysterically.

NEWS OF THE MORNING

Well, this is excruciating:

A fourth grader who survived the Robb Elementary School shooting testified this morning in a House committee hearing. https://bit.ly/39euvjr

Who?: 11-year-old Miah Cerrillo. She is the survivor who covered herself in her friend’s blood and played dead. She asked for a CNN producer to tell her story a few weeks ago and is now telling her own story on Capitol Hill.

Other witnesses who are testifying today: A pediatrician in Uvalde, Texas, and families of victims in Buffalo, N.Y., and Uvalde. List of witnesses

Watch the hearing: Here’s the livestream

If you want to follow the hearing, but don’t want to watch it: Here’s a live blog of updates

➤SIGHTS AND SOUNDS

This was a relief: 11-year-old Miah Cerrillo did not testify in person. The committee played pre-recorded video. Watch Miah’s testimony

From her father: “I come because I could have lost my little girl… Something needs to really change.”

From the mother of Lexi Rubio, who died that day: “I left my daughter at that school, and that decision will haunt me for the rest of my life.” Kimberly Rubio’s testimony

Outside the room where the hearing is happening: Photo from @alexnazaryan

NBC’s Garrett Haake read the testimony ahead of time: He tweeted, “Survivors and victims of mass shootings will testify before House Oversight today. I’ve just read the testimony of the pediatrician treating kids at Uvalde Memorial Hospital that day. [It’s] absolutely gut-wrenching. Know that this is going to be a very difficult hearing to watch.”

➤ GETTING TRACTION — MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY SPOKE FROM THE WHITE HOUSE LECTERN:

Actor Matthew McConaughey, who is an Uvalde, Texas, native, spoke at yesterday’s White House press briefing about his meetings with families after the shooting. Watch McConaughey tell the stories of a few of the victims and their families

McConaughey’s wife held the bright green shoes that one of the victims was wearing.

➤ ALSO HAPPENING TODAY — A FEW SYMBOLIC HOUSE VOTES:
Via Roll Call’s Michael Macagnone, “House Democrats plan to press forward on voting, starting Wednesday, on a series of gun control proposals, most of which appear to have slim chance to become law amid Republican opposition in the evenly divided Senate.” Details

➤ WHERE THE SENATE NEGOTIATIONS ON GUN MEASURES STAND:

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.

🏛 In the Supreme Court

An armed man was found outside Justice Kavanaugh’s house:

Via The Washington Post’s Devlin Barrett, Dan Morse and Ellie Silverman, “A California man carrying at least one weapon near Brett M. Kavanaugh’s Maryland home has been taken into custody by police after telling officers he wanted to kill the Supreme Court justice, according to people familiar with the investigation.”

Yikes: “The man, described as being in his mid-20s, was found to be carrying at least one weapon and burglary tools.” Read the full Washington Post story

🔥 The Jan. 6 investigation

Drink every time you hear Mike Pence’s name:

“Former Vice President Mike Pence will not be present when the House Jan. 6 committee holds a prime-time hearing on Thursday, but he will be a central figure as the panel makes its first presentation to the public of what unfolded before and during the riot at the Capitol.”

How involved has Pence been with the probe?: “Pence has not directly cooperated with the committee, but some of his former aides have.” Why Pence is such a key figure, via The Hill’s Brett Samuels

➤ REP. LIZ CHENEY (R-WYO.) HAS A LOT TO LOSE:
“And as both parties anxiously await the select committee’s findings — and the public’s reaction to them — few have more on the line than Rep. Liz Cheney.”

How so?: “[Cheney] has not only embraced her role as a leading figure in Congress’s expansive examination of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot, she’s also assumed the GOP face of the anti-Trump movement in the process — a high-stakes gamble that’s made her both a pariah within her conference and a hero to those national Republicans fighting to steer the party away from the influence of former President Trump.” What these hearings mean for Cheney’s political future, via The Hill’s Mike Lillis and Rebecca Beitsch

🦠 Latest with COVID

Another new vax in town:

A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel voted 21-0 in recommending the authorization of a fourth COVID-19 vaccine.

So, now what?: The FDA will decide whether to take the panel’s recommendation. Hint: It usually does.

Why Novavax’s vaccine might convince some holdouts: It’s a more traditional vaccine than the newer mRNA vaccines.

Primer on how this vaccine is different, via The Hill’s Nathaniel Weixel

➤ TIDBIT — MODERNA’S GIVING A SHOUTOUT TO ITS UPDATED VACCINE

“Moderna on Wednesday said that a new version of its vaccine provided a superior immune response against the COVID-19 omicron variant, making it the lead candidate for a booster shot this fall.” What we know about the updated vaccine, via The Hill’s Peter Sullivan

➤ BY THE NUMBERS

Cases to date: 84.7 million

Death toll: 1,004,260

Current hospitalizations: 22,532

Shots administered: 589 million

Fully vaccinated: 66.7 percent of Americans

CDC data here.

🎯In other news

Target may have some good sales coming up:

“Target is canceling orders from suppliers, particularly for home goods and clothing, and it’s slashing prices further to clear out amassed inventory ahead of the critical fall and holiday shopping seasons.”

What changed?: “[A] pronounced spending shift by Americans, from investments in their homes to money spent on experiences like travel and nights out for dinner and other pre-pandemic routines. Shoppers are also focusing more on non-discretionary items like groceries as inflation makes them more selective.”

What we know about Target’s cut in prices and vendor orders, via The Associated Press’s Anne D’Innocenzio

🐥Notable tweets

Matthew McConaughey and his entourage:

NBC’s Haley Talbot tweeted a video of actor Matthew McConaughey leaving House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) office yesterday. Watch

This turtle is a legend:

CBS News tweeted, “This sea turtle freed itself from the jaws of a tiger shark by flipping over several times and using its shell to escape the attack.” Watch

⏱On tap

The House and Senate are in. President Biden and Vice President Harris are both in Los Angeles, Calif.

11:15 a.m.: Biden left for Los Angeles
11:30 a.m.: Two Senate confirmation votes. The Senate’s agenda today
1:30 p.m.: First votes in the House. The House’s agenda today
4:45 – 8:30 p.m.: More House votes.
5 p.m.: Harris visits Dream Big Children’s Center to discuss small businesses and inflation.
5:40 p.m.: Biden tapes an interview with Jimmy Kimmel.
7 p.m.: Biden meets with the heads of delegations at the Ninth Summit of the Americas.

All times Eastern.

📺What to watch

1:15 p.m.: White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and national security adviser Jake Sullivan speak with reporters aboard Air Force One. Livestream
2 p.m.: Harris speaks at the CEO Summit in Los Angeles Livestream
8 p.m.: Harris delivers brief remarks at the inaugural ceremony of the Ninth Summit of the Americas. Livestream
8:15 p.m. Biden and first lady Jill Biden participate in the inaugural ceremony of the Ninth Summit of the Americas. Livestream
8 p.m. Thursday: The first hearing of the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Livestream

🍩 In lighter news

Today is National Jelly-Filled Doughnut Day.

I see you, Wendy’s:

Via CNN Business’s Jordan Valinsky, Wendy’s is now selling a strawberry-flavored Frosty for a limited time.

This is good news unless you want a vanilla Frosty: “[S]trawberry is temporarily replacing vanilla -— though Wendy’s promised that flavor will return following the promotion.” The full story

And to leave you on a lighter note, here’s a puppy learning how to handle a hot day.