7/26/2021

the violence on Jan. 6 | July 26, 2021

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GOP lawmaker blocked from panel blames Pelosi for Jan. 6 'breakdown of security'

Jul 26 - Rep. Jim Banks (Ind.), one of the two GOP lawmakers rejected by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) from serving on the Jan. 6 committee, accused the Speaker on Sunday of being responsible for the "breakdown of security" that day that led to a mob storming the Capitol. 

"Due to the rules of the United States Capitol, the power structure of the Capitol, Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House, has more control and authority and responsibility over the leadership of the Capitol Police than anyone else in the United States Capitol," Banks said during an appearance on "Fox News Sunday."


"So she doesn't want us to ask these questions because, at the end of the day, she is ultimately responsible for the breakdown of security at the capitol that happened on Jan. 6," he said.

A mob of former President Trump's supporters attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6 to stop the counting of the Electoral College votes. They did so after weeks in which Trump said the election had been stolen from him, a baseless claim that the former president has continued to make in the months since the attack.

Trump was impeached for inciting the mob, though the Senate did not convict him. There were notably GOP votes in the House to impeach him and to convict him in the Senate.

Five people died in connection to the violence on Jan. 6. 

Pelosi blocked Banks and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) from serving on the select committee after House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) picked them.

Banks said he was rejected because Pelosi "doesn't want to talk about what happened at the Capitol that day" and is "only interested in a narrative."

Pelosi said last week that she rejected Banks and Jordan due to concerns over how their appointments would affect the "integrity of the investigation." She accepted the three remaining appointees from McCarthy, though the GOP leader withdrew all his nominees in protest of Pelosi's decision on Banks and Jordan.

Banks, a staunch ally of Trump, had questioned the "legality" of the 2020 election and was a supporter of the Texas lawsuit that sought to overturn the election results in other states where President Biden won.

Pelosi on Sunday said she planned to appoint Rep. Adam Kinzinger (Ill.), a vocal GOP critic of Trump, to the Jan. 6 select committee. She had already named Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) to the panel.
Both backed Trump's impeachment.

​"It's clear that Pelosi only wants members on this committee who will stick to her talking points and stick to her narrative," Banks said of Kinzinger's possible nomination. "That's why she's picked the group that she's already picked, and anyone that she asked to be on this committee from this point moving forward will be stuck to her, her narrative, to her point of view."     source from

JULY 25, 2021
Speaker Pelosi on the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol
​House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), during an appearance on ABC’s “This Week,” talked about the call for more Republicans to be added to the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol.
Pelosi taps Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger for January 6 select committee
Jul 26, 2021
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appointed GOP Congressman Adam Kinzinger of Illinois to serve on the select committee investigating the January 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol. He's the second Republican Pelosi has added to the committee. Christina Ruffini has the details.

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Pelosi Appoints Trump's Republican Critic Kinzinger to US Capitol Riot Investigation Committee

Jul 26 - ...House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has formally appointed Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a critic of former US President Donald Trump, to serve on the select committee to investigate the events that transpired at US Capitol on 6 January.

​According to The Washington Times, Pelosi has blocked two Trump’s "allies," Republican Reps. Jim Jordan and Jim Banks, from joining the committee, which already counts Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, an opponent of Trump, among its ranks...     more


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Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi will meet with US President Joe Biden at the White House on Monday
Clarity over US troops in Iraq to dominate Biden-Kadhimi meeting

Iraqi PM will push for a clearer timeline for removal of US ‘combat’ troops as Biden seeks to stop armed group attacks.

Jul 26 - United States President Joe Biden will host Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi at the White House on Monday, the latest step in weeks of “strategic dialogue” over the future of US troops in Iraq, attacks by Iran-aligned groups, and fears of a resurgence of ISIL (ISIS).

At the top of the agenda for al-Kadhimi, the former director of the Iraqi National Intelligence Service who became prime minister in May 2020, will be attaining a more concrete timeline for the withdrawal of US “combat” troops, a category that the Biden administration has yet to define.

The US in April tentatively agreed to the withdrawal, which is part of Baghdad’s careful balancing of competing Iranian and US influence in the country...     more 


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7/24/2021

Afghanistan | July 24, 2021

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US Conducted Airstrikes to Support Afghan Forces: Pentagon | TOLOnews

Pentagon spokesman says the US continues to be able to conduct airstrikes in support of the ANDSF.

Jul 23 - The Pentagon on Thursday confirmed that the US carried out airstrikes across Afghanistan in the last several days as part of an effort to support the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) in their fight against the Taliban.


Pentagon spokesman John Kirby in an off-camera press briefing refused to provide details about the airstrikes.

“Without speaking to specifics, I can say that in the last several days, we have acted through airstrikes to support the ANDSF, but I won't get into tactical details of those strikes,” Kirby said. “But we continue to be able to and we continue to, as the Secretary said yesterday, conduct airstrikes in support of the ANDSF. General McKenzie has those authorities.”

The Afghan Defense Ministry in a statement on Friday said that 17 Taliban fighters were killed in an airstrike by Afghan Air Force on Thursday night. Another airstrike was conducted in Nijrab district in Kapisa province in which 10 Taliban fighters on Thursday night, the Defense Ministry said.

​But the ministry has not mentioned anything in its statements about US airstrikes on Taliban targets.
Taliban has rejected the figures provided by the Ministry of Defense.     source from

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US President Joe Biden with his Afghan counterpart Ashraf Ghani 

Biden reassures support for Afghan security forces over phone
call with Ghani


Jul 24 -  US President Joe Biden pledged to continue support for the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), said President Ashraf Ghani on Friday as both leaders during a phone call noted the importance of preserving the gains of past decades.

"This evening, I spoke with President Biden over a phone call. We discussed the evolving but continuing relationship between the two countries. President Biden reassured me that support for the ANDSF will continue. We have confidence that they will protect & defend Afghanistan," Ghani tweeted.

Both leaders reiterated the enduring partnership, continued diplomatic and economic support for the Afghan government, security forces and the importance of preserving the gains of the last twenty years.

"We stressed on the importance of the Afghans coming together for peace and security. And reiterated the enduring partnership, continued diplomatic and economic support for the Afghan government, security forces and the importance of preserving the gains of the last twenty years," Afghan President added.

The US military in the past few days conducted airstrikes in Afghanistan to support Afghan security forces, the Pentagon confirmed on Thursday...     more

JULY 23, 2021
White House Daily Briefing

​White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki 
held a briefing on the Biden administration’s policy agenda. A variety of topics were discussed including the rise in cases of COVID-19 due to the Delta variant, vaccination efforts, raising the debt ceiling, negotiations on transportation infrastructure, and continued U.S. presence in Afghanistan. Ms. Psaki also answered questions on gun violence and the recent shootings in Washington, DC.


Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, July 23, 2021

JULY 23, 2021PRESS BRIEFINGS

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room
 
MS. PSAKI:  Hi everyone.  Happy Friday.  Okay, a couple of notes for you at the top.
 
Today, the Biden-Harris administration took additional steps to provide stability and relief to homeowners who are still feeling the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
HUD, USDA, and the VA announced details to help people with government-backed mortgages stay in their homes through monthly payment reductions and potential loan modifications.
 
Homeowners could see reductions in their monthly payments of roughly 20 to 25 percent, allowing them to remain in their homes and build long-term equity.
 
We’re working hard to get the word out to Americans who may benefit from these new programs.  And thanks to the work of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and today’s actions, most servicers of mortgages are required to provide borrowers information about these options...     more

Slain Haitian President Jovenel Moise Laid to Rest​
Jul 23, 2021
The body of slain Haitian President Jovenel Moise was laid to rest in the northern port city of Cap-Haitien today. Moise was gunned down in his home in Port-au-Prince on July 7. The assassination underscored the continuing influence of foreign actors in the Western Hemisphere’s poorest country.  VOA’s Laurel Bowman has our story.
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People attend the funeral for slain Haitian President Jovenel Moise at his family home, where smoke in the background rises from where Moise's supporters burn tires to protest his murder and not being allowed into the funeral 

Gunfire, Protests Disrupt Funeral of Haiti's Assassinated President

Jul 23 - ...hundreds of protesters gathered outside the site of the state funeral in the northern city of Cap-Haitien, burning barricades and shouting, prompting police to fire tear gas.

VOA Creole reporters on the scene said some guests panicked and foreign diplomats left the scene as smoke wafted into the Moise family's private compound, where the funeral was taking place.

No one attending the funeral was reported injured.

The funeral was held amid heavy security. National police officers and private security guards protected the A-list guests.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who led the U.S. delegation, left before Moise's widow spoke.

​"The Presidential Delegation to the funeral of President Moise is safe and accounted for, and those traveling from Washington, D.C. have arrived safely back in the United States," national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement.
"We urge everyone to express themselves peacefully and refrain from violence," Thomas-Greenfield said on Twitter Friday...     quoted from


7/23/2021

Crime Victims Fund Act | July 23, 2021

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President Joe Biden signs H.R. 1652, the VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021, on Thursday, July 22, 2021, in the East Room of the White House.

​Biden signs crime victims fund replenishment bill

Jul 23 - President Joe Biden celebrated what he called "a day of hope" Thursday before signing the VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021, a bipartisan bill that aims to provide assistance for crime victims, including counseling expenses, medical bills and lost wages.

Biden thanked lawmakers of both parties in the room, including Democratic Sens. Dick Durbin of Illinois and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, and Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.


​"This bill is going to allow us to make sure that all the fines and penalties that are from federal cases go to the victims, the Crime Victims Fund, to rebuild this fund, because it's badly needed," Biden told those gathered in the East Room of the White House. "This is going to enable us to provide more help and support to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, trafficking and other crimes all across America"...     more

JULY 22, 2021
White House Daily Briefing
​White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki talked about the president’s agenda with reporters. Reporters asked several questions about the administration’s pandemic response. Other topics discussed included policy in Iraq, the infrastructure deal and Hunter Biden’s meeting with potential art buyers.

Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki and Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, July 22, 2021

JULY 22, 2021PRESS BRIEFINGS
 
MS. PSAKI:  Hi, everyone.  Happy Thursday.  Okay, we have a special guest.  Happy to welcome back Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. 
 
Today, she will be telling us about a new economic development initiative that the Department is launching, thanks to the American Rescue Plan.  She’ll take a couple of questions.  After that, as always, I’ll be the bad cop. 
 
With that, I’ll turn it over to Secretary Raimondo.

 
SECRETARY RAIMONDO:  Thank you, Jen.  Let’s see here.  Thank you, Jen. 
 
Good afternoon, everybody.  So, as the President often says and as we all know, we’re on the road to recovery.  And today, with this announcement, we mark a real step forward in that recovery. 
 
As Jen just said, the President signed the American Rescue Plan into law, intended to get our country back on its feet.  And thanks to that law, I’m thrilled right now to be announcing the launch of a transformative $3 billion economic development initiative that will be running out of the Department of Commerce.  I’m even more excited to say that, starting today, this afternoon, every community in America can begin applying for that funding. 
 
We believe that this is the largest local economic development initiative that the Commerce Department has ever made.  And it’s a testament to the President’s commitment to do far more than simply recover, but to build back better and make sure every community and every American is included in our comeback.
 
Everybody ought to benefit from this $3 billion initiative — from working mothers working to balance multiple jobs; to young adults looking for work; to factory workers or retail workers who lost their job in the pandemic — many of them mid-career and they’re wondering, “What happens to me now?  What happens to me next?”
 
These funds — this initiative has been specifically designed to make sure that we are going to be providing high-quality, real jobs for you and for your community...     more

JULY 22, 2021
President Biden Signs Crime Victims Fund Act
President Biden signed the Victims of Crime Act fix into law. The bill would use money collected as legal penalties to pay for victim compensation and assistance programs. After signing the bipartisan legislation the president said, “This is one of those deals where what they did is literally, not figuratively, will change the lives of women and children and some men out there. Thank you.” 

Remarks by President Biden at Signing of H.R. 1642, the VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021

​JULY 22, 2021SPEECHES AND REMARKS

East Room 
 
(“Hail to the Chief” is played.)
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Every time I hear that, I wonder when he’s coming.  (Laughter.)  Please, everybody sit down.  Thank you.
 
Let me begin by doing something no speaker should ever do — by apologizing.  I got a little tied up in that other office I work in, Pat, and I apologize for keeping you waiting because I know you’re all as equally busy as I am.  And I want to thank you.
 
Today, I think is a day of hope.  And I mean that.  A day of hope and healing for victims or crime and organizations that support those victims of crime.
 
And I want to thank the Vice President and the Second Gentleman, Senators Durbin — I think he’s here; I thought I saw him.  Senators Durbin and Baldwin and Grassley and Graham and Murkowski.  Representatives Nadler and Fitzpatrick and Jackson-Lee and Wagner and Scanlon.  And everyone who has helped make possible this moment, including so many of you who are here today that I haven’t mentioned.
 
When someone commits a crime, it’s — it’s not enough to bring the predator to justice; we also need to support the victims.  And it’s something that, way back — 150 years ago, when I was Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, we spent a lot of time working on and setting up victims’ funds.  That’s what this Crime Victims Fund does...     more 


JULY 22, 2021
Representative Scalise and House Republican Doctors Caucus on COVID-19 Delta Variant
Representative Steve Scalise and the House Republican Doctors Caucus hold a press conference on the COVID-19 Delta variant.
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GOP’s vaccine push comes with g words, few actions

Jul 23 - ...“These vaccines are saving lives,” said DeSantis, who recently began selling campaign merchandise mocking masks and medical experts.

The outreach comes as COVID-19 cases have nearly tripled in the U.S. over the last two weeks, driven by the explosion of the new delta variant, especially in pockets of the country where vaccination rates are low. Public health officials believe the variant is at least twice as contagious as the original version, but the shots appear to offer robust protection against serious illness for most people.


​Indeed, nearly all COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. are now people who haven’t been vaccinated. Nonetheless, just 56.2% of Americans have received at least one vaccine dose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.


Overall, only 51% of Republicans said in mid-June that they had received at least one vaccine dose, versus 83% of Democrats, according to an AP-NORC poll. And many appeared to have made up their minds. Forty-six percent of those who had not been vaccinated said they definitely would not. Among Republicans, even more — 53% — said they definitely wouldn’t; just 12% said they were planning to...    more details

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