2/16/2021

White House News (白宮消息) | Feb. 16, 2021

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Joe Biden $1.9 Trillion Economic Rescue Plan: THE JOE BIDEN POLICIES, STRATEGIES, TARGET TO COMBACT COVID 19/OTHER CRISIS AND RESCUE AMERICAN ECONOMIC FROM RECESSION

FEBRUARY 15, 2021
U.S. House of Representatives
House Pro Forma Session
The House met for a pro forma session.


In this Jan. 28, 2021 file photo, President Joe Biden signs a series of executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. Biden campaigned on raising the national minimum wage to $15 per hour and attached a proposal doing just that to the $1.9 trillion coronavirus pandemic relief bill.
Biden debuts on world stage as president with G-7, Munich meetings


Feb. 16 - President Biden’s vow to expand U.S. engagement with allies will be put to the test later this week when he participates in a virtual meeting with leaders of the world’s wealthiest democracies and then delivers remarks to the annual Munich Security Conference.
Administration officials say the online gathering Friday of the leaders of the G-7 — the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan — will focus mainly on global COVID-19 responses and the world economy, with Mr. Biden planning also to press for ways the group can better work together in dealing with China.

Former President Trump showed little affection for the gathering of industrial democracies, lobbying unsuccessfully to re-admit Russia to the gathering and failing to convene an actual or virtual summit last year when it was Washington’s turn to host.

Mr. Biden will separately speak Friday at the prestigious Munich conference, which is also being held online this year. White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said the president will focus his remarks on “the need for the United States and Europe to take on global challenges together.”

Both events come as Mr. Biden seeks to portray himself as more eager than Mr. Trump was to work with America’s allies and to engage more deeply in multinational organizations during his one term in office.     more details


Progressives Push for Joe Biden's $1,400 Stimulus Checks on President's Day: '44 Days'

Feb. 16 - On President's Day, progressive politicians and journalists on social media pushed Congress and President Joe Biden for the $1,400 stimulus checks that Democrats have promised to deliver to Americans.

Before taking office, Biden said that he wanted to act "boldly and urgently" to get the checks passed through Congress. "We don't have a second to waste when it comes to delivering the American people the relief they desperately need," he said. But weeks have gone by since Biden's inauguration and the instalment of a new Congress, and the president's stimulus plan has still not been passed.

On Twitter, former Ohio State Senator Nina Turner wrote, "44 Days," alongside a February 13 tweet that pointed out that "it's been 42 days since we installed a new Congress. It's time the American People got their $2,000 checks." Turner is currently running for the U.S. House in Ohio's 11th District.     continue to read
PBS NewsHour full episode, Feb. 15, 2021
Feb 15, 2021
Monday on the NewsHour, an unusually large winter storm causes freezing temperatures, power outages and extreme weather across the U.S., we discuss General Motors' big push toward zero-emission vehicles, the Chinese government's crackdown in Hong Kong extends to its education system, and Tamara Keith and Amy Walter breakdown the aftermath of the Senate impeachment trial.

2/15/2021

White House News (白宮消息) | Feb. 15, 2021

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Axios on HBO: Vice President Kamala Harris on the vaccine stockpile (Clip) | HBO
Feb 15, 2021


Kamala Harris reveals what the new administration discovered about Trump's COVID-19 response plan

Feb. 15 - In an interview with Axios on HBO, Vice President Kamala Harris claimed 'there was no national strategy or plan for vaccinations' in the Trump administration's COVID-19 plan. Harris claims what many in the Biden administration have surmised after taking over governing.


'We were leaving it to the states and local leaders to try and figure it out," Harris told reporter Mike Allen.

President Joe Biden made a similar claim when he announced the next steps for the vaccine plan.

"There is nothing for us to rework. We are going to have to build everything from scratch," one Biden source told CNN in January.

"In many ways, we are starting from scratch on something that's been raging for almost an entire year," Harris told Axios.
Sources told CNN the same thing after the inauguration, saying that during the transition it became clear to the Biden science team that they would have to essentially begin from "square one" because the Trump administration hadn't developed a plan. "Wow, just further affirmation of complete incompetence."

"The process to distribute the vaccine, particularly outside of nursing homes and hospitals out into the community as a whole, did not really exist when we came into the White House," White House chief of staff Ron Klain said in an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press."

Trump announced in August that his administration was purchasing 100 million vaccinations from Moderna and 100 million of the Pfizer vaccine. Trump was offered more vaccines by both pharmaceutical companies but refused it, said NBC NewsIt prompted questions about why Trump hadn't purchased enough to fully cover all Americans, which would be over 660 million doses.


"The suffering is so immense in terms of both the public health crisis, the number of people who have died, the number of people who've contracted it, and the economic crisis," the vice president also said.     source

Biden to focus on coronavirus challenges during upcoming G7 meeting - White House

MOSCOW, Feb 15 -- US President Joe Biden will discuss the coronavirus pandemic, economic recovery, and "challenges" posed by China during his first G7 meeting, planned for Friday, reported Sputnik news agency.
According to the White House in a statement released on Sunday, Biden will focus "on a global response to the COVID-19 pandemic," "coordination on vaccine production, distribution, and supplies," and the global economic recovery "including the importance of all industrialized countries maintaining economic support for the recovery and collective measures to build back better."
The Friday virtual G7 meeting, hosted by the UK, will be the first time that the group has met since April 2020 and will be the first time that Biden meets with leaders from the Group of Seven countries as president.
President Biden will discuss the "need to make investments to strengthen our collective competitiveness and the importance of updating global rules to tackle economic challenges such as those posed by China," the White House said.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said over the weekend that he planned to call for more cooperation in the battle against COVID-19 during the upcoming virtual G7 event.     source
PBS NewsHour Weekend Full Episode February 14, 2021
Feb 15, 2021
On this edition for Sunday, February 14, experts unpack Trump’s second impeachment trial and second acquittal: what does this mean for the Republican party, and the nation, moving forward? Plus, what concrete actions can the Biden administration take on gun reform? And, with public art all the more important during COVID-19, a new outdoor sculpture in the heart of New York City, just in time for Valentine’s Day. Hari Sreenivasan anchors.

2/14/2021

White House News (白宮消息) | Feb. 14, 2021

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Most Republicans voted not to convict Donald Trump of inciting the January 6 riot on the Capitol.
US Senate acquits Donald Trump in impeachment trial


Feb. 14, Washington: Donald Trump will be able to run for the White House again in 2024 after the US Senate acquitted the former president of inciting the deadly January 6 riot at the Capitol.

The final vote followed a chaotic morning in which the Democratic impeachment managers backed down on an unexpected plan to extend the trial by calling for witnesses to testify before the Senate.

The Senate voted 57-43 to convict Trump, with seven Republicans joining all 50 Democratic senators in declaring Trump guilty of inciting insurrection.

Mitt Romney, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Pat Toomey, Ben Sasse, Bill Cassidy and Richard Burr were the seven Republicans who voted to convict Trump. At Trump’s previous impeachment trial last year just one Republican senator, Romney, voted for conviction.

In order to convict Trump, 67 of 100 senators would have had to vote to find him guilty. A subsequent vote could then have been held to disqualify Trump from ever holding public office again.
Trump welcomed the decision in a statement, saying: “This has been yet another phase of the greatest witch-hunt in the history of our country.     continue to read

FEBRUARY 13, 2021 | PART OF SENATE ACQUITS FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP OF INCITING INSURRECTION, 57-43
U.S. Senate
Impeachment Trial
The Senate acquits former President Trump of inciting an insurrection, 57-43. Earlier, the House managers and the defense made closing arguments. Also, House Manager Raskin (D-MD) read a written statement from Rep. Herrera Beutler (R-WA).
Picture
President Joe Biden walks to board Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, Feb. 12, 2021, in Washington. Biden is en route to Camp David. 
Biden White House seeks to turn page on Trump after impeachment trial


Feb. 14 - WASHINGTON - The end of former President Donald Trump's impeachment trial opens a new chapter for his successor in the White House.

But while President Joe Biden and his team are eager to move past the impeachment, the bitterly partisan tone of the proceedings underscores the deep challenges ahead as the president and his party try to push forward their agenda and address historic crises.
Biden, who was at the Camp David presidential retreat when the Senate voted Saturday to acquit Trump, had acknowledged that Democrats needed to hold the former president responsible for the siege of the U.S. Capitol but did not welcome the way it distracted from his agenda.

The trial ended with every Democrat and seven Republicans voting to convict Trump, but the 57-43 vote was far from the two-third threshold required for conviction. Whether the seven GOP votes against Trump offered Biden any new hope for bipartisan co-operation within Congress remained an open question.     more details


2/13/2021

White House News (白宮消息) | Feb. 13, 2021

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TRIAL MEMORANDUM OF DONALD J. TRUMP, 45TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Defense Filing Publication Arranged by Sky Pelletier Waterpeace (Second ... of Donald J. Trump Legal Filings)

FEBRUARY 12, 2021
White House Daily Briefing
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki held her daily briefing with reporters. She was joined by Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan (D) and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez (R), who discussed their meeting with President Biden on his $1.9 trillion COVID-19 economic aid package. Following their remarks, Press Secretary Psaki answered reporters' questions, focused mainly on the administration’s coronavirus response efforts, CDC guidance for reopening schools, and the Senate impeachment trial against former President Trump. In addition, Ms. Psaki said that Deputy White House Press Secretary TJ Ducklo had been suspended for one week without pay over comments he made to a female reporter. 


Was Donald Trump's address to supporters on 6 January an incitement to riot?
Trump impeachment: Insurrection incitement charge a 'monstrous lie'


Donald Trump's insurrection incitement charge is a "monstrous lie", defence lawyers said as they presented evidence in the US Senate.

Feb. 13 - Lawyer Michael van der Veen called impeachment proceedings against the former president a "politically motivated witch hunt" by the Democrats.
Mr Trump is accused of causing riots in the Capitol on 6 January which left five people dead. He denies the charge.

Most Republicans have indicated they will not vote to convict Mr Trump.
The defence team took less than four of its 16 hours, trying to move the impeachment trial to a speedy end.

After this, senators were given four hours to ask questions of the two sides.

Earlier, they sat through two days of minute-by-minute accounts featuring video and audio footage, as Democratic prosecutors sought to show that Donald Trump had a pattern of condoning violence, had done nothing on the day to prevent the riot, and had expressed no remorse.

They argued that an acquittal could see a repeat attack on Congress.

What is Trump's defence?
On Friday, Mr van der Veen used his opening remarks to dispute the Democrats' case that Mr Trump had incited violence during his speech to supporters on 6 January in Washington DC to try to stop Joe Biden's election victory being certified...     continue to read

Related Articles:

FEBRUARY 12, 2021
President Biden Meets with Governors on COVID-19 Relief
President Biden met with a bipartisan group of governors and mayors to discuss his $1.9 trillion COVID-19 economic aid package. The president spoke about the importance of working with governors and mayors in order for the federal government to help them combat the virus. 


Members of Utah MoveOn hold letters spelling the word “CONVICT” as they rally outside of GOP Sen. Mitt Romney’s office at the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 12, 2021. The group demanded that Romney vote to convict former President Donald Trump in his impeachment trial.

Mitt Romney, Mike Lee submit questions for lawyers in Trump impeachment trial


 Feb. 13 - Utah Republican Sens. Mitt Romney and Mike Lee submitted questions for the House managers and for lawyers representing former President Donald Trump in his Senate impeachment trial Friday.

Trump’s lawyers ended their defense of Trump on Friday afternoon, well under the allotted 16 hours to make their case. Senators asked questions for about three hours before adjourning for the day. The Senate will convene Saturday to hear closing arguments and vote on whether Trump incited an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

Romney has said he wanted to listen to both sides before making a decision. He submitted five questions for the lawyers. He is among six Republicans who joined the Democrats in voting to declare the trial constitutional.

Romney’s first question was, “When President Trump sent the disparaging tweet at 2:24 p.m. regarding Vice President Pence, was he aware that the vice president had been removed from the Senate by the Secret Service for his safety?”

Trump tweeted that Pence “didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution.”     more details

2/12/2021

White House News (白宮消息) | Feb. 12, 2021

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FEBRUARY 11, 2021
White House Daily Briefing
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki held her daily briefing with reporters and answered a range of questions , inclucing the president’s response to the impeachment trial against former President Trump, the coup in Myanmar, border control and U.S. relations with Russia, China and Iran. Press Secretary Psaki also announced that the president would address the Munich Security Conference on U.S.-transatlantic relations. 



House impeachment manager Rep. Eric Swalwell delivers part of the impeachment managers opening argument in the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump, on charges of inciting the deadly attack on the Capitol, Feb. 10., 2021.
Day 3 key takeaways from Trump's 2nd impeachment trial
Democrats still appear to be short of the GOP support needed to convict Trump.


Feb. 12 - House Democrats wrapped up their opening arguments in Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial Thursday by honing on Trump’s slow response to the Jan. 6 riot and his lack of remorse about the attack – and the weaknesses the riot revealed in America’s system of government at home, and to the rest of the world.

Democrats, who also warned the Senate about the lasting danger Trump would pose if not convicted, were again praised by Republicans for their performance. But they still appear to be short of the Republican support needed to convict Trump, as the former president’s lawyers prepare to mount their defense on Friday.

Here are five key takeaways from Thursday’s proceedings.

IN THEIR OWN WORDS: DEMS SAY RIOTERS FELT ENCOURAGED BY TRUMP

After a day of emotional and searing moments on the House floor Wednesday as Democrats played never-before-seen footage of the Capitol riot, managers argued before the Senate that many participants pointed to Trump’s own words to defend their actions, and claimed he had invited their attack.     continue to read

FEBRUARY 11, 2021 | PART OF U.S. SENATE: IMPEACHMENT TRIAL
U.S. Senate
Impeachment Trial, Day 3 (Closing Arguments)
House Managers continued their presentation, focusing on First Amendment concerns among other issues. Later, Managers Neguse (D-CO) and Raskin (D-MD) gave a summation of their case.


Rep. Ted Lieu, an impeachment manager.
Impeachment manager says he's not afraid of Trump running in 2024. He's afraid of him running, losing, and inciting another insurrection.

Feb. 11 - Rep. Ted Lieu of California, an impeachment manager, on Thursday said he was not frightened of former President Donald Trump running for president again in 2024 — but scared of the consequences of another Trump loss. 


In short, Lieu is worried that if Trump ran again and lost, it could result in another violent insurrection similar to Capitol attack on January 6.

"You know, I'm not afraid of Donald Trump running again in four years. I'm afraid he's going to run again and lose. Because he can do this again," Lieu said during the third day of Trump's Senate impeachment trial.     continue to read

2/11/2021

White House News (白宮消息) | Feb. 11, 2021

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Stacey Elizabeth Plaskett[1][2] /ˈplæskɪt/ (born May 13, 1966) is an American politician, attorney, and commentator who is currently the 5th Delegate to the United States House of Representatives from the United States Virgin Islandsat-large congressional district. She is a member of the Democratic Party.
Plaskett has practiced law in New York CityWashington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.    
from Wikipedia


Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett represents the United States Virgin Islands’ at-large Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. She is currently serving her fourth term in Congress.

For the 117th Congress, the members of the House Steering and Policy Committee unanimously appointed Congresswoman Plaskett to serve on the House Committee on Ways and Means, the oldest and one of the most exclusive committees in Congress. In true historic fashion, Ms. Plaskett is the first Member from a U.S. territory and the fourth African-American woman to serve on this committee. Currently serving her fourth term on the House Committee on Agriculture Congresswoman Plaskett previously served as the Chair of the Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture and Research. Ms. Plaskett is also a new member of the House Committee on Budget.     continue to read


FEBRUARY 10, 2021
U.S. Senate
Impeachment Trial
The Senate Impeachment Trial of Former President Donald Trump continues with arguments from the House managers.
Trump impeachment trial day two: Republicans shaken by footage of Capitol police officer crushed during riot

Feb. 11 - Previously unreleased videos have shown how close a pro-Trump mob came to members of Congress and congressional staff during the Capitol riot.


Some Republican senators appeared shaken as they were shown footage of a Capitol police officer being crushed during the riot.

Look back on the events of day two of Donald Trump's second impeachment trial as they unfolded.     source

Key events
FEBRUARY 10, 2021
President Biden Remarks on Myanmar
President Biden announced sanctions on Myanmar military officials over their involvement in the recent coup. The president again called on the military to immediately release the Democratic political leaders and activists that are being detained.



The coup has sparked widespread protests across Myanmar
Biden orders sanctions on Myanmar generals as key Aung San Suu Kyi aide detained

US prevents generals from accessing $1bn in government funds as Kyaw Tint Swe held amid new wave of arrests

Feb. 11 - US President Joe Biden has approved an executive order for new sanctions on those responsible for the military coup in Myanmar, as the army detained another key aide to civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi.


Fresh protests took place on Thursday following days of demonstrations in major cities and towns inside Myanmar calling for the military to cede power following its 1 February coup.     continue to read