A massive year-end deal to fund the government and provide coronavirus relief, which is expected to pass Congress later Monday, will establish a National Museum of the American Latino and American Women's History Museum as part of the Smithsonian Institution.
President-elect Joe Biden publicly received his first dose of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine in Delaware on Monday.
Why it matters: Biden, who at 78 years old is at risk for a more severe coronavirus infection, said he wanted to receive the shot live on television in order to bolster public confidence in the vaccine, which has been found by the FDA to be safe and 95% effective.
A renowned mixed martial arts coach is considering an independent run for the U.S. House seat in New Mexico being vacated by Deb Haaland, potentially disrupting the Democrats' effort to retain it in a closely divided Congress, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: The potential candidate, Greg Jackson, is a celebrity within the MMA world. A campaign by him could attract enough votes to throw off the carefully calibrated picks the Democrats and Republicans are expected to make in the special election to succeed Haaland, who is being nominated to serve as Interior secretary.
Shows on Newsmax, Fox Business and Fox News have begun airing corrections and clarifications to baseless allegations of election fraud involving Smartmatic and Dominion following legal threats by the two voting machine companies.
Why it matters: Defamation lawsuits could prove to be very costly, especially for fledgling networks like Newsmax and OAN that are trying to lure investors to be able to take on Fox News. Unsubstantiated claims about election-rigging have been heavily promoted by President Trump and his allies, including on these networks.
The House on Monday released the text of a $900 billion coronavirus relief package and $1.4 trillion government spending bill that Congress expects to pass before the holidays.
The state of play: The House will move quickly to pass the bill on Monday night, with the Senate likely to stay late to vote in the early hours of Tuesday morning. This gives lawmakers and their staff just hours to review a 5,593-page bill — one of the largest rescue packages in U.S. history.
The latest coronavirus relief deal, which Congress is aiming to approve later today, provides $10 billion to help the ailing U.S. Postal Service, legislative aides familiar with the text tell Axios.
Why it matters: This new round of funding comes as the Postal Service has struggled to operate amid the pandemic, withstand a surge in Christmas shipping and be ready for a busy January, when Americans typically receive documents used for their tax preparation.
Joe Biden is leaning toward nominating Miguel Cardona, education commissioner in Connecticut, to serve as secretary of the Department of Education and lead a reopening of the country's schools, according to people familiar with the matter.
Why it matters: Cardona, who has focused on reopening schools in his home state, emerged as the president-elect leaned away from another potential candidate, Leslie Fenwick, dean emeritus at Howard University, and two teacher's union candidates. A final decision has not been made.
A large collection of nonprofits is sending an open letter today calling on the incoming Biden-Harris administration to do a better job of both educating the public on misinformation and taking stronger action to protect the health care system, voting process and other critical institutions.
Why it matters: Misinformation amplified on social media has worn down the factual foundations of democracy and led to an upsurge in conspiracy theories on everything from the 2020 election results to how COVID-19 spreads.
Attorney General William Barr on Monday announced new charges related to the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Scotland in 1988, which killed 270 people, including 190 Americans.
Why it matters: The Lockerbie bombing was the single deadliest terrorist attack ever carried out in the U.K.
Attorney General Bill Barr told reporters Monday that he sees no reason to name a special counsel to investigate Hunter Biden, there is no basis for the federal government to seize voting machines, and that he agrees with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's assessment that Russia was behind the massive recent hack of federal agencies.
Why it matters: Barr has rarely contradicted President Trump so openly, but he did so three times in his last press conference as attorney general.
Virginia has removed its statue of confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from the U.S. Capitol, Gov. Ralph Northam said Monday.
Why it maters: The move takes out a "symbol of Virginia’s racist and divisive history," Northam said. Each state can display two statues in the Capitol, and the statue of Lee has been in the building for 111 years as part of the commonwealth's contribution.
Republicans began their latest attack on the Fed over the weekend, seeking to rein in the central bank's ability to recreate the slate of lending programs it rolled out in March, when it announced an open-ended commitment to move into corporate bonds and keep credit flowing.
What happened: Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and a group of Republican senators had proposed curbing the central bank’s lending powers to prevent new programs from being created that provide direct lending to large and medium-sized companies and the purchase of bonds from corporations and municipalities with just approval from the Treasury.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) was back in quarantine Sunday night after coming into contact with a staffer who tested positive for COVID-19, a spokesperson told local media.
The big picture: Newsom tested negative along with other members of staff on Sunday, but he's following state guidelines and entering a 10-day quarantine, his office said in a statement to outlets. "The Governor and staff will be tested again in the next few days," per the statement. Newsom last went into quarantine in November after being exposed to the coronavirus.
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
