Driving the news: House Democrats renamed a measure aimed at restoring a key provision of the 1965 Voting Rights Act after Lewis. The bill, which passed in the House in December, has little chance of clearing the GOP-led Senate.
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), chair of the House Intelligence Committee, called reports that the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Intelligence and Analysis compiled intelligence on at least two American journalists associated with protests "unprecedented."
Why it matters: Schiff cited a Washington Post report from July 30 that noted I&A compiled intelligence reports about protesters and journalists covering protests in Portland, even though such intelligence is meant to provide information about suspected terrorists and violent actors.
Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), a contender for vice president on Joe Biden's shortlist and chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, tweeted on Saturday that she was trying to find an “area of agreement” with the Church of Scientology in a 2010 speech.
Why it matters:In the address, Bass praised the church and its founder, L. Ron Hubbard for fighting for equality. Since, former church members have leveled accusations of abuse, human trafficking and intimidation against the Church of Scientology.
Northeastern University said Friday it will require students to receive three coronavirus tests before attending fall-term classes, per the Boston Globe.
How it works: Students must get tested as soon as they arrive on campus, again three days later and then once more two days after that. Students must quarantine until they've received their first negative test, and will not be allowed in classrooms until they've had their third.
Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) said he tested positive for the coronavirus days after attending a hearing with Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Tex.), who also tested positive and had previously declined to wear a mask.
The state of play: Grijalva says he is asymptomatic and will quarantine in his Washington, D.C., home. It's unclear if he contracted the virus at the Capitol or beyond.
Alicia Garza, co-founder of Black Lives Matters, told the San Francisco Chronicle on Saturday that Joe Biden should select a Black woman as his running mate because “Black voters are who essentially made Joe Biden the presumptive nominee."
What they're saying: Garza noted the VP on the Democratic ticket ought to be a "Black woman in particular and not just a woman of color." She did not give preference to a particular name on Biden’s shortlist, but said Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) is “very talented and qualified Black women."
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said in a Trump campaign press call on Saturday that he's "not concerned" about the safety of mail-in voting in Florida.
Why it matters: President Trump has blasted mail-in voting as unsafe and subject to fraud ahead of the 2020 election. The coronavirus pandemic has increased the push for mail-in voting as Americans look to socially distance and avoid crowded polling places.
President Trump "has a deal on his desk," whereby Microsoft would lead an acquisition of 100% of the U.S. operations of TikTok, according to a source familiar with the negotiations.
Why it matters: Trump Friday night said he plans to ban TikTok, as India has done, over concerns that the app could be sharing U.S. user data with the Chinese government.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture identified more than a dozen of the unsolicited seeds sent to Americans mostly from China that have sparked warnings in all 50 states, per USA Today.
Catch up quick: Small packets of seeds have been shipped to seemingly random American households nationwide. While most species identified seem to be innocuous herbs, officials have advised recipients not to plant the seeds for fear they could be invasive or harmful to humans.
Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, a key national security official who testified during the House impeachment inquiry and said earlier this month he plans to retire amid fears of ongoing political backlash, wrote in a Washington Post op-ed on Saturday that he is "not alone in this ignominious fate."
What he's saying: "The circumstances of my departure might have been more public, yet they are little different from those of dozens of other lifelong public servants who have left this administration with their integrity intact but their careers irreparably harmed," Vindman wrote.
President Trump said Friday that he plans to ban Chinese video app TikTok as soon as Saturday, via either executive order or emergency economic powers, according to White House press pool comments.
Why it matters: TikTok has been caught in the crossfires of the United States' escalating tensions with China.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on Friday plans to hike fees for multiple immigration and work visa applications, including a more than 80% increase on naturalization applications and a new fee for asylum applicants.
Why it matters: The adjusted costs, which take effect Oct. 2, may deter low-income immigrants from pursuing citizenship and could prevent those seeking refuge in the U.S. from applying for asylum. The shifts come as USCIS is facing COVID-19-related budget shortfalls.
