The Hill Articles: December 18, 2020

Spanish lawmakers pass law allowing assisted suicide Oversight committee member questions Treasury Department’s approval of $700M loan to shipping firm FEMA to reimburse California hotels used to protect vulnerable populations during pandemic Trump signs bill to keep government open amid relief talks United Airlines helps to contact passengers after man on flight dies a possible COVID-19-related death US to close two Russia consulates ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ trends on social media following new Space Force name On The Money: Congress passes bill to avert shutdown as coronavirus talks drag into weekend | Federal Reserve fight imperils relief talks Google employees in US to receive weekly at-home coronavirus tests UK pushes for White House to lift travel ban: report FDA gives green light to Moderna COVID-19 vaccine Trump appoints new members to ‘patriotic education’ commission Congress passes bill to avert shutdown as coronavirus talks drag into weekend Leading legal experts urge aggressive immigration actions Lawmakers call for Trump to take action on massive government hack Overnight Health Care: CVS, Walgreens to begin nursing home vaccinations | Pence receives coronavirus vaccine on camera | 8.2M people sign up for ObamaCare Hillicon Valley: Lawmakers ask whether massive hack amounted to act of war | Microsoft says systems were exposed in massive SolarWinds hack | Senators push to keep tech liability shield out of UK trade agreement House passes two-day stopgap bill to avoid shutdown FBI agent fired ‘multiple shots’ in incident with fellow Metro passenger, transit police say Lawmakers ask IRS if its systems were compromised in SolarWinds hack How Donald Trump swindles voters 8.2M people sign up for ObamaCare, holding roughly steady Who is Michael Regan, the potential next head of the EPA? DC halting indoor dining starting Wednesday as COVID-19 cases rise Pressley calls $600 stimulus checks an ‘insult’ to struggling Americans Overnight Defense: Biden team voices concern about ‘abrupt halt’ in Pentagon cooperation | Defense chief pushes back | Lawmakers question whether major cyberattack an act of war $5B foundation started with oil money divests of fossil fuel OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Government scientists predicted border wall construction could harm wildlife refuge | Haaland nomination generates excitement in Native American communities | Trump officials wrongly awarded Alaska grant in bid to open Tongass Trumps release their final White House Christmas photo GOP senator backs down from shutdown threat Space Force troops to be called ‘guardians’ McCarthy, Pelosi receive FBI briefing on Swalwell Stanford doctors hold protest over university’s vaccine rollout plan Trump stays off-camera as vaccine is distributed President-elect Joe Biden to receive first dose of Pfizer vaccine Monday Federal Reserve fight imperils relief talks Trump officials wrongly awarded Alaska grant in bid to open Tongass forest to logging: watchdog How wealthy Americans are trying to cut the line for COVID-19 vaccines Democrats file two-day extension to avoid shutdown Analysis: More than 900 companies that got PPP loans still laid off or furloughed 90K workers GOP senator blocks bill for $1,200 stimulus checks for second time Building the Dream: Sponsor Episode Student with mom who’s high risk for COVID-19 takes exams in hazmat suit Donald Trump, the man who would not be Jackson Sesame Street creates Muppets to help refugees Beloved friend of Art Garfunkel and RBG donates $3M to ‘end blindness’ Obama appears in three campaign ads for Warnock in Georgia FDA’s commitment to transparency Michigan to reopen high schools, indoor entertainment amid stabilizing coronavirus rates Senators push to keep tech liability shield out of UK trade agreement News Corp Chairman Rupert Murdoch receives COVID-19 vaccine in UK Top GOP senator: Relief deal unlikely before government funding set to expire Trump wishes Macron a ‘speedy recovery’ following coronavirus diagnosis COVID-19’s long-term harms: What we don’t know yet could hurt us North Korean plant may be building nuclear components, report finds Poll: Support for keeping health care system ‘as is’ up 12 points from last year Australian cattle feed invention equal to taking ‘100 million cars off the road’ wins international prize Jeff Stein: Trump’s last-minute push for larger stimulus checks example of ‘long-running tension’ with other Republicans Sirota predicts that Biden won’t be able to work with Republicans Meghan McCain hits Trump over attacks on father: ‘You have disgraced the office of the presidency’ Vaccination is not entire answer to COVID-19 Incoming lawmakers stress coronavirus relief, economy as first priority of new session Five states sue EPA over rule limiting pesticide safety enforcement Presidential transitions were not always a thing Obama shares that Malia’s boyfriend quarantined with their family early in pandemic What America’s Thinking: December 18, 2020 ‘Farewell Amor’ focuses on estrangement and reconnection within the immigrant experience Scientists searching for aliens tracking ‘unusual’ radio wave from sun’s closest star Washington Monument closes after Interior secretary tests positive for COVID-19 Most Americans report wearing masks in public, poll says Congress delivers an early holiday gift to women and girls in America ‘We are still in a serious situation:’ Fauci discusses vaccines amid the U.S.’s worst COVID-19 outbreak Government faces shutdown as year-end deal remains elusive Biden team expresses concern over ‘abrupt halt’ in cooperation with Pentagon Biden adviser warns against ‘undermining’ Fed in relief bill New York City investigation finds NYPD used excessive force during George Floyd protests Pelosi, McConnell receive COVID-19 vaccine Maskless Santa tests positive for COVID-19 after South Carolina event with families Biden to receive first dose of coronavirus vaccine on Monday Hawley warns he could hold up stopgap bill as shutdown looms Nigeria’s victims of war crimes and other atrocities deserve justice CDC report reveals ways Head Start child care programs have prevented COVID-19 outbreaks Powerful Cyclone Yasa is a ‘climate emergency’ in Fiji Will Black American health workers encourage more members of that community to receive the coronavirus vaccine? The Hill’s 12:30 Report: First White House officials to receive the COVID-19 vaccine Infrastructure? Not unless the House rethinks its offer NYC advances bill protecting fast food workers from being fired without valid reason GOP senator blocks bill to provide $1,200 stimulus checks States to get 25-40 percent fewer vaccine doses next week than they expected: reports Minnesota bar vows to stay open despite lawsuit, ban on indoor dining Cory Booker says he has no plans to propose to Rosario Dawson this Christmas For Biden, the answer to North Korea is now impossible to ignore ICU nurse on pandemic frontlines loses house in fire just days before Christmas WHO says donor contributions have secured nearly 2 billion vaccines At least 2 million US workers dipping into 401(k)s for cash amid pandemic: report COVID-19 recovery spending could catalyze transformative change, but time is running out FBI investigating anti-Semitic hack with swastikas, Holocaust references and threats on Jewish school website E. Jean Carroll offers to delay defamation case against Trump CVS, Walgreens to begin nursing home vaccinations Championing democracy: How America can blunt the rise of authoritarian powers Progressives push for key national security positions under Biden Trump Jr. to campaign with Perdue in Georgia Pence receives coronavirus vaccine in televised appearance McConnell ‘more optimistic’ about a coronavirus relief deal House GOP raise concerns over Biden’s top Cabinet nominees After COVID-19: How America’s communities can build back better Obama releases annual list of his favorite movies, TV shows New York Times retracts key parts of 2018 ‘Caliphate’ podcast, reassigns terrorism reporter New York mayor to announce sweeping school integration measures: report US set to blacklist dozens of Chinese firms, including top chipmaker: report The Biden administration must dramatically expand school-based health care Rising: December 18, 2020 Supreme Court tosses challenge to Trump’s immigrant census plan Kamala Harris to stump for Ossoff, Warnock in Georgia Sun Belt cancels football conference championship game due to positive COVID-19 test Biden says Lindsey Graham is a ‘personal disappointment’ as a former colleague Socialism heads to the Peach State Iran begins construction at underground nuclear facility amid US tensions French President Macron at retreat to ride out coronavirus diagnosis Alaska health care worker released from hospital after vaccine allergic reaction Georgia sets new voting record for runoffs ‘Explosive surge’ of COVID-19 in LA sees two people dying every hour Zoom to allow unlimited meetings as holiday gift amid pandemic One of Biden’s first priorities must be addressing another health crisis: HIV and AIDS University of Houston basketball coach says entire roster has tested positive for COVID-19 Michael Flynn tells Newsmax that Georgia runoffs are ‘fake elections’ Fauci urges Americans to ‘step to the plate’ and get vaccinated Trump appointment tarnishes honor at the Air Force Academy Uber to offer free, discounted rides for people getting coronavirus vaccinations ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt tests positive for COVID-19 Microsoft says systems were exposed in massive SolarWinds hack Pence receives coronavirus vaccine on camera Texas has the answer for the pandemic’s legal liability concerns CNN’s Gupta receives first dose of coronavirus vaccine live on-air Michael Flynn: Trump could deploy military to ‘rerun’ election Tucker Carlson: Coronavirus vaccine rollout ‘feels false,’ ‘too slick’ Biden: Political efforts to target son amount to ‘foul play’ 9 holiday gifts guaranteed to be on time (because there’s no shipping) Watch thousands of documentaries, shows, and shorts on CuriosityStream Watch live: Pence publicly receives coronavirus vaccine Lawmakers ask whether massive hack amounted to act of war The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Mastercard – COVID-19 relief, omnibus talks go down to the wire Haaland nomination generates excitement in Native American communities GOP signals no support for relief ‘down payment’ GOP sees legal battle falter in Georgia ahead of runoffs Government scientists predicted border wall construction could harm wildlife refuge Legislative survey shows deep GOP divide on election