National

A Virginia state Senate panel voted 9-6 along party lines Tuesday to block former Trump EPA head Andrew Wheeler from joining Gov. Glenn Youngkin's Cabinet as secretary of natural resources.

State of play: The majority-Democratic Privileges and Elections Committee voted to remove Wheeler's name from a resolution to approve Youngkin's cabinet picks. But Republicans could still approve Wheeler's nomination with the support of at least one Democrat in the full Senate.

Between the lines: At least one Democrat, state Sen. Joe Morrissey, told Courthouse News he would be open to voting in favor of Wheeler.

The backdrop: Wheeler rolled back many of the regulations intended to address climate change during his tenure as an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator. 

He also expressed doubts about mainstream climate science findings, dismissing the National Climate Assessment, which the EPA contributed to, as too reliant on "worst-case scenarios."

Virginia Senate panel rejects ex-Trump EPA chief for Youngkin’s Cabinet

Democrats voted to block Andrew Wheeler from becoming secretary of natural resources.

Andrew Wheeler. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images

Donald Trump

A Virginia state Senate panel <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="voted 9-6 along party lines Tuesday" data-vars-click-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEco-8PzkSg&amp;t=20s" data-vars-content-id="1a78d214-59bb-410f-9657-55e5974a4be6" data-vars-headline="Virginia Senate panel rejects ex-Trump EPA chief for Youngkin’s Cabinet" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEco-8PzkSg&amp;t=20s" target="_blank">voted 9-6 along party lines Tuesday</a> to block former Trump EPA head <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Andrew Wheeler" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/trump-epa-andrew-wheeler-virginia-youngkin-0099c74d-6a40-4c28-8539-bd35e01cc005.html" data-vars-content-id="1a78d214-59bb-410f-9657-55e5974a4be6" data-vars-headline="Virginia Senate panel rejects ex-Trump EPA chief for Youngkin’s Cabinet" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/trump-epa-andrew-wheeler-virginia-youngkin-0099c74d-6a40-4c28-8539-bd35e01cc005.html" target="_self">Andrew Wheeler</a> from joining Gov. Glenn Youngkin&#x27;s Cabinet as secretary of natural resources.State of play: The majority-Democratic Privileges and Elections Committee voted to remove Wheeler&#x27;s name from a resolution to approve Youngkin&#x27;s cabinet picks. But Republicans could still approve Wheeler&#x27;s nomination with the support of at least one Democrat in the full Senate.

President Biden has made the COVID-19 crisis and a post-Trump return to national unity and traditional democratic ideals his top priorities. From vaccinations to stimulus to schools, Biden is seeking bipartisan compromise while showing a willingness to use executive authority and bare Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate to implement his policies. Republican leaders are navigating deep party divisions over if and how to move beyond former President Trump.

Politics & Policy

Ominous forecasts about the impact of climate change serve as the backdrop for the world — led by U.S. lawmakers and companies — to debate big action on the problem, which could upend energy systems and our way of life.

Energy & Environment

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said on Tuesday "no one can guarantee" that there won't be power outages throughout the state as it braces for freezing weather. 

Why it matters: The Republican governor's remarks come just over two months after he promised the lights would stay on during the winter season, touting that the state was better equipped to endure the inclement weather. 

Abbott said the many scenarios that could result in a blackout, adding that "ice on power lines" could "cause a power line to go down, or it could be ice on trees that causes a tree to fall on power lines."

The big picture: Millions of people were left without power last February as Texas plunged into single-digit temperatures and a sub-zero wind chill. 

More than 200 people died during the winter storm. 

Between the lines: Not enough has been done to address one of the underlying causes of the blackouts — namely, preparing gas facilities for ice-cold conditions, Axios' Asher Price writes.

What they're saying: "No one can guarantee that there won't be [power outages]," Abbott said in a news conference.

What "we will work and strive to achieve — and what we're prepared to achieve — is that the power's going to stay on across the entire state," he added.

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Texas governor on storm: No guarantee there won't be power outages

Abbott said the many scenarios that could result in a blackout, adding that "ice on power lines ... could cause a power line to go down."

Texas

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said on Tuesday &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="no one can guarantee" data-vars-click-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kvk6dMNhGMQ" data-vars-content-id="2d75196d-4e5c-49b6-97ab-8a351a959380" data-vars-headline="Texas governor on storm: No guarantee there won&#x27;t be power outages" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kvk6dMNhGMQ" target="_blank">no one can guarantee</a>&quot; that there won&#x27;t be power outages throughout the state as it braces for freezing weather. Why it matters: The Republican governor&#x27;s remarks come just over two months after he promised the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="lights would stay on" data-vars-click-url="https://abc13.com/texas-winter-storm-gov-greg-abbott-promise-the-lights-will-stay-on/11289069/" data-vars-content-id="2d75196d-4e5c-49b6-97ab-8a351a959380" data-vars-headline="Texas governor on storm: No guarantee there won&#x27;t be power outages" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://abc13.com/texas-winter-storm-gov-greg-abbott-promise-the-lights-will-stay-on/11289069/" target="_blank">lights would stay on</a> during the winter season, touting that the state was better equipped to endure the inclement weather.

Truck drivers, who have protested in Ottawa, Canada for more than five days, said Wednesday they won't vacate Canada's capitol until a COVID vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers is dropped, Reuters reports.

Driving the news: The protest began last week, and has been punctuated by reports of violence and unruly behavior. Ottawa police have declined to end the protests despite a mounting list of complaints from nearby residents, per Reuters.

The backdrop: Earlier this week, Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly said intelligence and investigative officers were being deployed to curb the unruly behavior at the protests.

Sloly also said police had "several active criminal investigations undergoing from bribery to threats to assault to the dangerous operation of vehicles."

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau denounced protesters Monday for their behavior, which included flying "racist flags" in the Canadian capitol, adding that there "is no place in our country for threats, violence or hatred."

What they're saying: "We understand your frustration ... but the responsibility for your inconvenience lies squarely on the shoulders of politicians," protest leader Chris Barber said, per Reuters. 

"We are here and we are not going anywhere until we achieve our objective, to see an end of all COVID-19 mandates and with that a restoration of freedoms of all Canadians," he added.

Go deeper: Canadian police set up hate crime hotline over protest violence

Ottawa protestors not "going anywhere" until vaccine mandate is dropped

The protest began last week and has been punctuated by reports of violence and unruly behavior.

Photo: Arindam Shivaani/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Protesters waiving signs in front of the Parliament building in Ottawa, Canada. Photo: Arindam Shivaani/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Coronavirus

Truck drivers, who have protested in Ottawa, Canada for more than five days, said Wednesday they won&#x27;t vacate Canada&#x27;s capitol until a COVID vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers is dropped, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Reuters reports" data-vars-click-url="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/anti-vaccine-protesters-say-they-will-block-ottawa-long-necessary-2022-02-02/?utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+Trending+Content&amp;utm_medium=trueAnthem&amp;utm_source=facebook" data-vars-content-id="7a7cf217-55d2-462f-b7a6-de69991432be" data-vars-headline="Ottawa protestors not &quot;going anywhere&quot; until vaccine mandate is dropped" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/anti-vaccine-protesters-say-they-will-block-ottawa-long-necessary-2022-02-02/?utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+Trending+Content&amp;utm_medium=trueAnthem&amp;utm_source=facebook" target="_blank">Reuters reports</a>.Driving the news: The protest began last week, and has <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="been punctuated by" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/canada-ottawa-police-hate-crime-hotline-anti-vax-protest-dd1bb666-0d20-4310-a63f-6c9914a94f2d.html" data-vars-content-id="7a7cf217-55d2-462f-b7a6-de69991432be" data-vars-headline="Ottawa protestors not &quot;going anywhere&quot; until vaccine mandate is dropped" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/canada-ottawa-police-hate-crime-hotline-anti-vax-protest-dd1bb666-0d20-4310-a63f-6c9914a94f2d.html" target="_self">been punctuated by</a> reports of violence and unruly behavior. Ottawa police have declined to end the protests despite a mounting list of complaints from nearby residents, per Reuters.

More than 7,000 Latinos held elected office in 2021, a 75% increase since 2oo1, a report by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) found.

The big picture: Although that's a record-high number of Latinos in 0ffice, they are still less than 2% of elected officials nationwide — but roughly 18% of the population.

Zoom in: New York and California saw the largest growth in elected Latinos, but over half of all Latinos in office live in California and Texas, according to the report.

Latinos make up less than 10% of the U.S. House of Representatives, and there are six Latinos in the U.S. Senate. 

Chuck Rocha, a Democratic strategist working to boost Latino candidates, blamed the dearth on the lack of access to funding. 

Rocha also told Axios having more Latino campaign advisers and consultants will improve candidates' standings, especially in Hispanic communities. 

What they're saying: "The 2020 election once again showed us that Latino voters are politically and ideologically diverse," Arturo Vargas, CEO of NALEO, tells Axios Latino.

"This reality highlights the opportunities for both parties to make further and new inroads with Latino communities by uplifting the wide variety of Latino candidates."

But Latinos in statewide and national offices are mostly Democrats.

What to watch: Nearly 30 Latino candidates have announced their bid for federal and state-level office in the 2022 election cycle. 

Latinos are running for governor this year in Florida, Colorado, Arizona, Texas, Maryland, Massachusetts and Oregon. Michelle Luján Grisham, the nation's first Democratic Latina governor, is running for re-election in New Mexico.

"There is an enthusiasm and an energy that keeps building up in the Latino community with each election year because our people want to have a voice in our government," Nathalie Rayes, CEO of Latino Victory Fund, told Axios.

Get more news that matters about Latinos in the hemisphere, delivered right to your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Sign up for the Axios Latino newsletter.

Latinos are a flourishing force on ballots

Nearly 30 Latino candidates have announced their bid for federal and state-level office in the 2022 election cycle.

Illustration of three speech podiums, with two unoccupied by any politician

Hispanic and Latino Americans

More than 7,000 Latinos held elected office in 2021, a 75% increase since 2oo1, a report by the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials" data-vars-click-url="https://naleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/2021-National-Directory-Latino-Elected-Officials.pdf" data-vars-content-id="b0981e12-0042-4531-a927-b48378e8664b" data-vars-headline="Latinos are a flourishing force on ballots" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://naleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/2021-National-Directory-Latino-Elected-Officials.pdf" target="_blank">National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials</a> (NALEO) found.The big picture: Although that&#x27;s a record-high number of Latinos in 0ffice, they are still less than 2% of elected officials nationwide — but roughly 18% of the population.

Unvaccinated people, who contracted coronavirus during the Omicron wave, were 23 times more likely to be hospitalized, according to a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

Why it matters: The study, which examined data from Los Angeles County, found that incidence and hospitalization rates during the Omicron wave were "consistently highest" for unvaccinated people.

The study underlined that staying "up to date" with coronavirus vaccination can profoundly decrease the likelihood of infection and hospitalization.

Zoom in: Unvaccinated people were 3.6 times more likely to contract the virus than fully-vaccinated people who got boosted, according to the study.

The study also found that COVID-related hospitalizations were 5.3 times higher for unvaccinated people than those who were vaccinated but had not received a booster shot. 

Incidence and hospitalization rates remained lower among those who were fully vaccinated and received a booster dose, per the study.

What they're saying: "Efforts to promote COVID-19 vaccination and boosters are critical to preventing COVID-19–associated hospitalizations and severe outcomes," the CDC wrote in the study.  

"Ongoing COVID-19 surveillance with data linkages to vaccination ... are critical for monitoring vaccine effectiveness and increased protection from boosters, particularly during the Omicron predominant period."

CDC: COVID hospitalization rates higher for unvaccinated than boosted

The study underlined that staying "up to date" with COVID vaccination can profoundly decrease the likelihood of hospitalization.

Photo: Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Omicron variant COVID

Unvaccinated people, who contracted coronavirus during the Omicron wave, were 23 times more likely to be hospitalized, according to a study conducted by the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Centers for Disease Control and Prevention" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7105e1.htm?s_cid=mm7105e1_w" data-vars-content-id="b2032bc4-6b7e-4946-808a-08c60faf1204" data-vars-headline="CDC: COVID hospitalization rates higher for unvaccinated than boosted" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7105e1.htm?s_cid=mm7105e1_w" target="_blank">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a> (CDC). Why it matters: The study, which examined data from Los Angeles County, found that incidence and hospitalization rates during the Omicron wave were &quot;consistently highest&quot; for unvaccinated people.

The U.S. faces a range of health care flashpoints — unaffordable drugs, opioids, vaping — as we debate whether to adopt universal care. For now, the Affordable Care Act is the law of the land, but Republicans want to issue it a final death blow.

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Stories

Latinos are a flourishing force on ballots

Ottawa protestors not "going anywhere" until vaccine mandate is dropped

Texas governor on storm: No guarantee there won't be power outages

Virginia Senate panel rejects ex-Trump EPA chief for Youngkin’s Cabinet

CDC: COVID hospitalization rates higher for unvaccinated than boosted