The Hill Articles: February 16, 2022

Trump-nominated FAA administrator to resign at end of March Biden administration sues Missouri over controversial gun-rights bills Baltimore parking garage turned into morgue for over 200 bodies Judge temporarily blocks release of Bob Saget death records, photos Republican voters split over RNC censure of Cheney and Kinzinger: poll Pilot dies after plane crashes into tractor-trailer on North Carolina highway US sends F-35 fighter jets to Germany to bolster NATO defenses Senate slips within 48 hours of government shutdown deadline ‘Yellowstone’ actor won’t attend awards ceremony over COVID-19 rules Trump issues endorsements in Texas congressional races Overnight Defense & National Security — US officials accuse Russia of lying El Salvador leader tells ‘boomer’ US senators to stand down over bitcoin adoption Texas sues Biden administration over transportation mask mandate Vast majority in Southeast Asia see China topping US as economic power WATCH: CDC chief Walensky gives update on COVID-19 guidance Harris to meet with Ukraine’s Zelensky in Munich Alondra Nelson and Francis Collins temporarily taking top White House science roles Overnight Health Care — CDC to change guidance, including masking As Feb. 16 passes by, Biden administration pressed on Russian invasion intel We protect individuals from predatory lending practices — why not small businesses too? New study finds all states lacking mental health support at schools  US says Russia has added troops at border despite pullback claims Produce professional photos and video with Deal of the Day savings on this smartphone tool Overnight Energy & Environment — Interior watchdog: Zinke broke ethics rules Ukraine lobbies Security Council against Russian move to recognize separatists Former presidential hopeful, Marianne Williamson, says purity testing in candidate endorsements is ‘immature’ Brihana Joy Gray discusses safety issues surrounding death on ‘Rust’ set San Francisco DA drops charges against woman linked to property crime by rape kit DNA Five unanswered questions on the crisis at CNN  Drug overdose deaths reach record high Judge allows brother’s defamation suit against Mariah Carey to proceed but tosses most claims Here’s two actions Congress can take now to make our communities safer Equilibrium/Sustainability — An international protected area for the Moon? Human Rights Campaign rounds up LGBTQ+ affirming reads as book challenges mount Lawyers for Oath Keepers founder ask federal judge to release him from jail On The Money — Retail sales rallied in face of omicron Education department to erase $415M in student loan debt for nearly 16K borrowers Hillicon Valley — Senators introduce online kids’ safety bill Russia likely to launch ‘limited’ attack against Ukraine, Estonia foreign intelligence agents say Poll: 70 percent of Americans support a path to citizenship US Olympic skaters given torches amid medal doping debate A matter of precedent: Objections over Jan. 6 investigation are purely political   Biden to ask for more than $770B in defense dollars for FY23: report Air Force paying to prevent ‘lunar traffic jams’ Brazil’s president told Putin he ‘supports any country that seeks peace’ 16 states allow undocumented migrants to obtain driver’s licenses School counselor alerts parents they can opt kids out of Black History Month lessons The coming industrial policy hangover Man sentenced to 7 years in federal prison for 4 Tennessee church arsons FBI investigating bomb threats at HBCUs in North, South Carolina Senate Democrats urge DOJ to open criminal investigation into Sackler family members Suspect arrested in Sweden in connection to fires at Massachusetts Jewish institutions Hillary Clinton on Durham report: ‘Trump & Fox are desperately spinning up a fake scandal’ Monitor phone use and keep kids safe with 30% off this lifetime software subscription A new agency to accelerate biomedical science can succeed, under the right conditions Britney Spears invited to Congress to discuss conservatorships Washington state legislative staff stage sick-out over labor organizing bill Inflation tops list of most urgent issues facing US: poll Unprecedented effort to feed starving manatees has used 25 tons of lettuce so far This is our moment to end cancer as we know it Youngkin signs bill banning school mask mandates in Virginia Pentagon: Navy planes experienced ‘unprofessional intercepts’ by Russian aircraft over Mediterranean Cassidy places hold on EPA nominees over carbon capture project approval delay Republicans spurned by Trump in primaries still embrace him Democrats call on Biden to address ‘disparate and often inhumane treatment’ of Black migrants Billy Long goes on tirade against Josh Hawley over Missouri Senate endorsement Supreme Court to consider challenge to teacher vaccine mandate in New York City Michigan to spend $1.2B to fight COVID-19, address health care worker shortage Jan. 6 panel requested phone records from Alex Jones’s security employee Lieu, Mace call on NIH to phase out animal experiments Disney is developing residential communities, offering condos, single-family homes and estates Former Celtics player Kanter Freedom attends Senate GOP lunch The looming 3G shutdown comes with life-threatening risks Chicago man pleads guilty to inciting 2020 rioting with online posts Rubio holding up funding bill over crack pipes Original ‘View’ co-host: Show wasn’t ‘supposed to be political’ Pardoned Kushner friend Ken Kurson agrees to plea deal White House says Biden won’t be swayed on Supreme Court pick McConnell’s unconstitutional blockade of Garland poisoned subsequent proceedings Cowboys pay four cheerleaders $2.4 million settlement after voyeurism allegations: report Democratic group launching super PAC targeting election result deniers Fed officials floated faster rate hikes in January meeting Zuckerberg announces Nick Clegg will lead Meta on policy issues White House chief of staff to speak to Senate Democrats 80 unruly passenger cases referred for possible prosecution in past year, FAA says Facial-recognition firm planning expansion beyond law enforcement: report More Americans choosing to work from home instead of going into the office, study says Virginia House approves law to make masks optional in schools US says Russian hackers targeted defense contractors White House criticizes GOP for blocking Biden Fed nominees amid inflation Ex-Goldman Sachs banker testifies money laundering scandal made him a ‘hero’ NJ governor ‘deeply disturbed’ by video showing Black teen handcuffed, pinned by police Coast Guard suspends search for eight believed lost in plane crash NFL hires ex-Obama AG Loretta Lynch as counsel on racial discrimination suit FBI analyst details racist slurs used by Arbery killers Inflation in UK surges to fastest rate in almost 30 years Palin jury learned of Judge’s motion to dismiss case against NYT before giving verdict Russian, Ukrainian Olympic athletes share hug amid escalating tensions between the two nations Feds propose protection for rare plant species critical to bees, butterflies As China thrives in the post-9/11 Middle East, the US must counter Staten Island Amazon workers to vote on unionization next month, workers say US skater Vincent Zhou to perform in Olympics closing gala after leaving quarantine Germany plans to end most COVID-19 restrictions on March 20 Alphabet’s self-driving car unit to test autonomous trucks in Texas Polis unveils reelection campaign in Colorado America is experiencing a binary sex transformation Four workers fired after thousands of Massachusetts drivers got licenses without road tests 39 percent of Americans approve of Biden’s handling of the pandemic: poll Hezbollah leader boasts of drones, precision-guided missile technology CDC looks to update mask guidance in coming weeks Unaccounted consequences of a war between Russia and Ukraine Vermont House bill would simplify amending birth certificates to match gender identity Blinken: US has seen no pullback of Russian forces BioNTech planning modular factories to boost vaccine production in Africa Interior IG finds Trump secretary Zinke broke ethics rules The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Biden demands Trump’s White House visitor logs Philadelphia lifts vaccine mandate for indoor dining South Korea handing out free rapid tests as COVID-19 cases soar Ukraine says Russia likely to blame for cyberattack 8M Yemenis at risk of losing aid in March, says UN Court reinstates Trump Organization as defendant in lawsuit against inaugural committee Houston area littered with antisemitic, racist flyers US fighters, coalition aircraft escort Russian bombers in eastern Syria: report Private prison company to operate ‘home curfew’ pilot program for detained migrants: report Switzerland to lift most COVID-19 restrictions amid declining infections The economic consequences of Joe Biden Ottawa police warn of arrest for ‘anyone blocking streets’ GOP group pledges more spending on Supreme Court races Italian abuse survivors call for Catholic Church inquiry Adults who ignored traditional gender norms as children earn less money than those who did not: study America’s Report Card Judicial palindrome: How Sarah Palin was left with losing by jury or by judge New Twitter CEO taking ‘a few weeks’ of paternity leave Nighttime wildfires growing in frequency, intensity: study Sailor stopped with bomb-making materials in car stopped at base near San Diego Construction industry pushes back on Biden order for labor agreements Pelosi vows US will fight with Israel ‘against terrorism posed by Iran’ Senate Democrats press YouTube on removing ‘ghost gun’ videos Russian skater listed two legal substances on anti-doping form Mexican national accused of aiding Russian intelligence in US pleads guilty Police: Man lunged at Applebee’s employee with cleaver after being asked to leave over vaccination proof Watch live: White House press briefing Red Dawn redux: Art imitating life or life imitating art with Russia-Ukraine aggression?  Apple AirPods are steeply discounted on Amazon, but the sale won’t last long Google plans privacy changes for Android phones First Latina judge nominated to California’s high court US accuses China of failing to meet commitments to WTO Police investigating allegations surrounding one of Prince Charles’s charities Portman backs Timken as successor in Ohio Retail sales jumped 3.8 percent in January, beating expectations CDC lowers cruise travel warning, still remains ‘high’ Democrats call for $5B in election security grants in upcoming budget DC jail settles allegations of unsafe conditions in pandemic outbreak The Fed is fiddling while inflation burns Baby formula is getting harder to find. Here are six brands you can buy in bulk Cruz endorses Schmitt in Missouri Senate race Feinstein approval at record low in California poll Oklahoma case reveals the medical profession’s complicity in American executions Woman allegedly used PPP loan to hire hitman Migrants sew mouths shut in bid to gain passage to US through Mexico Mother humpback entangled in hundreds of feet of line freed off coast of Maui 3 San Francisco school board members ousted after priorities questioned Blinken warns ‘swift and firm response’ if Russia recognizes ‘independent’ eastern Ukraine China’s Xi calls on Hong Kong officials to get COVID-19 outbreak under control Los Angeles County lifts outdoor mask rules Getting COVID-19 vaccine improved mental health and well-being: study Over 400 arrested in California human trafficking investigation Rising: February 16, 2022 The cancel culture of the right Ohio man pleads guilty in bomb threat at reproductive health clinic Majority of pregnant women in US have heart risks: study Watch live: COVID-19 response team, public health officials hold press briefing Chris Cuomo faced assault allegation before CNN departure: report Russian speedskater apologizes for middle finger display after win over US Did Durham find something worse than Watergate? Not so far Most Democrats in new poll say its too early to lift mask mandates Half of Republicans want to move on from election fraud claims: poll Biden’s Supreme Court pick will provide unprecedented diversity of experience Bob Saget’s family sues to block release of death investigation records Pavlich: It was always spying Russia says it is returning more troops to bases Science, logic not on Trudeau’s side in trucker convoy battle Coachella returning without mask requirement Mellman: Bearing burdens and paying prices in Ukraine Budowsky: Biden rises, GOP feuds, Dem prospects brighten NATO chief says it appears Russia is ‘continuing the military buildup’ Biden orders Trump visitor logs turned over to Jan. 6 panel If France is to lead the European Union, its antisemitism warrants attention The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden on Russia: Distrust and verify Bipartisan senators introduce Kids Online Safety bill GOP eyes ambitious agenda if House flips Senate seeks offramp as funding deadline nears White House brushing off Graham handicapping of high court choice Judiciary under microscope as Congress weighs stock trade ban Democrats seek midterm course-correct in suburbs An avocado shortage is looming. Here’s what you need to know. Poll: Rubio leads Demings by 7 points in Florida States advance bills targeting transgender youth Lobbying world