12/09/2020

White House News (白宮消息) | Dec. 9, 2020

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DECEMBER 8, 2020
President Trump Remarks on Operation Warp Speed
Dr. Moncef Slaoui, chief scientific adviser and Gen. Gustave Perna, chief operating officer for Operation Warp Speed spoke about the race to produce, gain FDA approval and distribute COVID-19 vaccines at a White House summit. Both stressed the importance of getting vaccinated.
DECEMBER 8, 2020
House Democratic Caucus Leaders News Conference
House Democrat Caucus Chair Representative Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Democratic Caucus Vice Chair-elect Representative Pete Aguilar (D-CA) held a news conference on Capitol Hill. They discussed a number of topics inducing COVID-19 relief negotiations, upcoming vote on the National Defense Authorization Act, and President-elect Biden cabinet appointments.
Congressional Republicans refuse to acknowledge they are preparing for Biden's inauguration

Dec. 8 - A high-level Inauguration planning meeting on Capitol Hill ended in acrimony Tuesday after House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer offered up a motion that the small committee – known as the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC) -- affirm that it is preparing for the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. Although all three Democrats on the committee voted in favor of the motion, their Republican counterparts voted against it, resulting in a deadlock.


"The extent to which Republicans are refusing to accept the outcome of the election and recognize Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as our next President and Vice President is astounding," Hoyer said in a statement after the meeting. "Their continued deference to President Trump's post-election temper tantrums threatens our democracy and undermines faith in our system of elections."

Senator Amy Klobuchar, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Hoyer voted in favor of the motion. Senate Leader Mitch McConnell, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, and Senate Rules Committee Chairman Roy Blunt voted no.     continue to read

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From left, Steny Hoyer, Nancy Pelosi, Roy Blunt, Mitch McConnell, Amy Klobuchar.
Republicans block inaugural committee from recognizing Biden win


Dec. 9 - Republicans on the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies voted against a resolution that would have affirmed the committee was preparing for the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) announced Tuesday.

Why it matters: By voting against the resolution, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy effectively blocked the committee from publicly recognizing Biden as president-elect...     continue to read


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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell suggested dropping discussions about two items that have been big sticking points.
Confusion grips Capitol amid flurry of stimulus plans

Party leaders and rank-and-file lawmakers are both struggling to reach a Covid deal.

Dec. 8 - No one seems to know what’s going on with coronavirus relief anymore.

In the span of an afternoon, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell suggested dropping discussions on the two biggest sticking points. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin offered a new proposal to Speaker Nancy Pelosi. A bipartisan group of senators is still working to finalize language on a $908 billion package. And President Donald Trump endorsed new stimulus checks.     continue to read


PBS NewsHour full episode, Dec. 8, 2020
Dec. 9, 2020
Tuesday on the NewsHour, Britain gets the first COVID-19 vaccine, President-elect Joe Biden names his health care advisers, a retired army general is tapped to be the next secretary of defense, and the pandemic and social stigmas complicate the process of integrating the formerly incarcerated back into society.