The Hill Articles: December 15, 2020

Congress closes in on COVID-19 relief, funding deal DeVos urges Education Dept. staff to ‘resist’ when Biden takes office FDA funding study around blood donations from gay men Top Trump aide Derek Lyons to leave White House this month LGBTQ groups celebrate Buttigieg pick for Transportation secretary Tom Cruise yells at ‘Mission: Impossible’ crew over breaking COVID-19 rules in leaked audio Biden administration needs bipartisan solutions for older Americans, lawmakers say Former Koch official joins advisory firm Progressives rally around Turner’s House bid Judge rules Trump Org must turn over documents to NY AG as part of probe Longtime GOP strategist Steve Schmidt announces he’s registering Democrat Bipartisan senators urge surprise billing deal’s inclusion in year-end package Democratic leaders under pressure to agree to slimmed-down COVID-19 relief deal Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has donated over $4 billion in last 4 months Dozens of Democrats urge Biden to quickly end federal death penalty Progressives ramp up calls for increased unemployment insurance, direct payments Civil rights groups work to convince Black communities to get vaccine Overnight Defense: Military reports second active-duty death due to COVID-19 | Pentagon, State Department among agencies hit by cyberattack On The Money: Congressional leaders to meet on government funding, COVID relief | Small businesses say worst of pandemic yet to come | Fed joins global network to fight climate change FDA approves first over-the-counter COVID-19 test that delivers near-instant results Biden taps former EPA head Gina McCarthy as domestic ‘climate czar’: reports Haaland, a Native American, is lead contender for Interior secretary, report Record number of journalists jailed globally in 2020 Gmail users hit with error messages Maryland waitress gets $2K tip ahead of county’s COVID-19 restaurant closures Times Square New Year’s Eve will not have public audience GOP Rep calls for investigation into sexual harassment allegations against NY Gov Andrew Cuomo Electric vehicle charging stations follow racial divide in Chicago Supreme Court hands LGBTQ+ families victory in birth certificate case Lawmakers grapple with implementing COVID-19 vaccine on Capitol Hill Overnight Health Care: FDA endorses safety and efficacy of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine | FDA authorizes first at-home, over counter test | Fauci says Trump, Biden should be vaccinated soon United begins flying Pfizer vaccine on passenger flights The climate candidate won — what can activists do now? The White House should order production of 1 billion vaccine doses Buffett, Goldman Sachs CEO urge Congress extend PPP for small business Barr exit hints at further tumult under Trump ‘Great British Baking Show’ judge receives COVID-19 vaccine as UK rolls out inoculations OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Biden reportedly selects Granholm as energy secretary | Trump administration narrows protection of habitat for endangered species | Administration rolls back efficiency standards for showerheads, washers and dryers Biden to select Granholm as Energy secretary: reports Pelosi warns lawmakers they’ll be barred from speaking on House floor without a mask California sheriff refusing to comply with order to release inmates due to COVID Hillicon Valley: Facebook ad freeze lifted for Georgia runoffs | More branches hit in massive cyberattack | Krebs to testify on election security Graham introduces bill to repeal tech liability shield targeted by Trump Parents charged for allegedly violating Ohio health order by renting party bus for 60 kids Judge approves settlement between Brown and athletes over women’s sports Utilizing the International Space Station to enable humans to reach Mars Study: More LGBTQ characters but fewer women and people of color seen on TV Trump administration will propose finding no new, significant environmental impacts of Arctic oil testing plan Could Exxon Mobil’s new climate plan signal a turning point for the energy industry? Pentagon, State Department among agencies hacked: report Florida governor asked if he accepts Biden as president-elect: ‘It’s not for me to do’ Judicial independence must be preserved in our federal courts Breonna Taylor’s mother calls for Biden to ‘hold true’ to promises on holding police accountable Biden nominates Pete Buttigieg for Transportation Secretary Biden rallies Democrats in Georgia to secure a Senate majority Trump administration launches $250 million campaign to convince Americans to get COVID-19 vaccine Study: New York lost net 70K residents and $34 billion in personal income this year Rep. Peter King: Eric Swalwell should resign from House Intel panel Trudeau: Canada set to receive 168K doses of Moderna vaccine by year’s end Top GOP lawmakers call for Swalwell to be removed from Intelligence Committee Global Funding must be in the next COVID-19 emergency supplemental Pence says he will receive coronavirus vaccine ‘in the days ahead’ Georgia GOP senators dig in on refusal to recognize Biden win For conservative justices, faith in ‘religious freedom’ trumps public health Small businesses say worst of pandemic yet to come: survey McConnell says he will ‘absolutely’ take vaccine to reassure public President Macron wants to add climate goals to France’s constitution Twitter to shut down livestreaming app Periscope Krebs to testify during Senate hearing on election security this week Mexican president congratulates Biden on presidential win Melania Trump removes mask to read to young patients at hospital Poll finds increasing number of Americans, including Black people, would take COVID vaccine Addressing our culture of contempt will require a social movement Boston medical workers go viral with dance celebrating vaccine arrival McConnell urges GOP senators not to object to Electoral College vote It’s a race against time as vaccinations roll out while US COVID-19 deaths surge past 300,000 Congress must modernize itself Joel Osteen’s Texas megachurch received $4.4M COVID-19 stimulus loan Facebook lifts political ad ban for Georgia runoffs Iowa using federal COVID-19 funding to pay police officers: report Poll: Majority of voters support a coronavirus relief bill without stimulus checks Matthew McConaughey: ‘The extreme left and the extreme right completely illegitimize the other side’  To secure an Iran nuclear deal, include the Mideast’s powers AEI fellow: Indian farming protests are Modi’s ‘most serious test’ Building the Dream: Housing Priorities Fashion designer Peter Nygard indicted on sex-trafficking charges Intercept bureau chief predicts Biden will show ‘temper’ to challengers during presidency Biden taps Buttigieg to serve as Transportation secretary What America’s Thinking: December 15, 2020 Matthew McConaughey, Amy Schumer and Pharrell help struggling local restaurants by ordering charity food deliveries FBI investigating shooting involving agent on Metro train in Maryland Barr goes out with a ‘love letter’ to Trump ICU nurse who was first to get COVID-19 vaccine reports no side effects US could begin seeing signs of herd immunity in late spring, early summer, Fauci says Trump administration rolls back efficiency standards for showerheads, washers and dryers ‘The Sopranos’ family is reuniting for one night only Trump attorney Jenna Ellis reportedly lied about being fired from DA’s office Watch Live: Biden campaigns for Democratic Senate candidates in Georgia The fight du jour is no scapegoat for a mounting debt and health crisis Hydroponic container farming company joins forces with renewable energy provider House Republican urges GOP lawmakers to join effort to stop ‘illegitimate’ Biden win De Blasio presses for second total lockdown in NYC Trump administration punts on protections for monarch butterfly Nina Turner announces bid for House seat Biden says he spoke to McConnell EU threatens to break up tech giants under sweeping new proposals Support democracy by giving Joe Biden a chance Nursing, doctor and hospital groups urge health workers to take COVID-19 vaccine Boko Haram claims kidnapping of hundreds of Nigerian schoolboys GOP gubernatorial candidate in Virginia calls on Trump to declare martial law Crenshaw releases ‘Georgia Reloaded’ ad in which he fights antifa Cruz, Texas lawmakers pitch San Antonio for Space Command headquarters The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Senate Republicans acknowledge Biden win California appoints first Muslim chaplain to legislature Congress may pass a bipartisan agreement to end the most hated practice in American health care Joe and Jill Biden to give first joint interview since election Pinterest pays $22.5M to settle gender discrimination suit filed by former executive Facebook takes down French, Russian networks targeting African nations Rep. Calvert says he tested positive for COVID-19 Biden needs to go ‘all in’ on ASEAN FDA authorizes first fully at-home, over the counter COVID-19 test Oregon governor calls special legislative session to consider COVID-19, wildfire aid Congressional leaders to meet on government funding, coronavirus relief as deadline looms Over a quarter of Americans say they will not get vaccinated for COVID-19: poll Biden inauguration planners urge Americans to watch ceremony from home Newsmax says it will refer to Biden as president-elect Postal employees report backlogs across the country amid holiday shipping William Barr leaves his mark as a defender of justice in this nation Watch live: White House press secretary holds briefing Trump administration narrows protection of habitat for endangered species Fauci says Biden and Harris must go to the head of the vaccination line ASAP Jeff Zucker weighing possible departure from CNN: NYT Senate chaplain in prayer: ‘We respect the conclusions of the Electoral College’ Pressley urges Newsom to appoint a Black woman to Harris’s seat NRA sends Nerf gun to boy mall Santa told ‘no guns’ for Christmas House Democrat introduces bill to overhaul temporary guest worker visa program Where Trump has left his mark like no other president Justices side with religious challenges to health limits in Colorado, New Jersey Fed joins global network to fight climate change through financial system Hungary redefines ‘family’ in constitution, effectively banning adoption for same-sex couples Sackler family to testify to Congress on Purdue Pharma, opioids Pinterest settling former executive’s gender discrimination lawsuit for $22.5M Infected Santa, Mrs. Claus could have exposed 50 children in Georgia to COVID-19 Pompeo to meet with Biden nominee Antony Blinken: reports Fondness for over-regulation may undercut Biden’s infrastructure plans from the start LA Times editor steps down, to become adviser Lobbying world Trump claims new fraud evidence as Michigan officials push back on disputed report Trump retweets lawyer who said Republican officials in Georgia are ‘going to jail’ FDA approves genetic alteration of pigs in bid to block allergies, organ rejection First wild animal in US tests positive for COVID-19 Romney: ‘Not surprised’ Barr ‘could no longer associate himself’ with Trump election fraud claims Prince Harry, Meghan Markle to host and produce podcasts for Spotify Tucker Carlson mocks Jill Biden: She’s a doctor ‘in the same sense Dr Pepper is’ Biden’s cabinet is built for comfort, not speed Rising: December 15, 2020 McConnell congratulates Biden on White House win Geraldo Rivera, Charlie Kirk clash over voter fraud: ‘That is so dishonest’ Virginia county Republicans condemn GOP congressman for considering vote for Biden Twitter becomes first US tech firm fined for EU privacy law violation Utah college votes to strip ‘Dixie’ from name Biden needs reinforcement, not retrenchment, of Trump’s China policy CNN parent refuses to run Trump ads over election fraud claims: report Tim Ryan praises Lebron James’s new job training Hub in Akron 2020 holiday gifts that give back Tokyo Olympic Games torch relay scheduled to start in 100 days Stocks bounce on hopes of stimulus Pornhub removes all unverified content from platform Biden’s choice and the left’s response Elector in emotional speech says vote for Biden was his final ‘duty’ after terminal diagnosis Active-duty US soldier in Germany dies of COVID-19 FDA endorses safety and efficacy of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine The more war stays the same, the more it changes Moderna vaccine data accessed in cyberattack on EU regulator Fauci says Trump, Biden should be vaccinated immediately Rouhani says Iran would rejoin nuclear pact an hour after US does Epstein confidant Ghislaine Maxwell asks for release from jail on $28.5M bond It’s time for Congress to save live events now No Labels tapping Larry Hogan as co-chair These innovative car accessories are marked down for an extra 20% off These 15 power banks are an additional 20% off for Green Monday Biden’s incoherent proposal to ban fossil fuel leasing on federal lands Germany ramps up pressure for vaccine approval before Christmas Feehery: Lame duck leaders Press: Does Kevin McCarthy even believe in democracy? Percentage of Americans who say they’ll get vaccine right away doubles since September: poll Putin congratulates Biden on election win Lawmakers express concern about lack of young people in federal workforce The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Mastercard – US inoculations begin; state electors certify Biden; Barr is out Progressive group backs Foy in Virginia governor’s race Biden heads to Georgia aiming to get Democrats a Senate majority Sanders, Hawley embrace odd couple status in push for stimulus checks The Memo: High stakes for Trump in vaccine rollout GOP leaders pinched by pro-Trump bid to reverse election outcome Fox News confident in face of new rivals from right in Newsmax, OAN Ford’s chief lobbyist retiring: ‘We represent families across America’