Axios

President Biden said Saturday that the Senate passage of his $1.9 trillion COVID relief package means the $1,400 direct payments for most Americans can begin going out later this month.

Driving the news: The Senate voted 50-49 Saturday to approve the sweeping legislation. The House is expected to pass the Senate's version of the bill next week before it heads to Biden's desk for his signature.

The Senate voted 50-49 on Saturday to approve President Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID relief package.

Why it matters: COVID relief has been a central promise for Biden, and passing the sweeping package has been a major priority for the administration and congressional Democrats.

Lawyers for former President Trump sent cease and desist letters Friday to the RNC, NRCC and NRSC for using his name and likeness in fundraising emails and on merchandise, Politico reports.

Why it matters: The Republican National Committee, the National Republican Congressional Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee are three of the largest fundraising organizations for the GOP.

America is more racially and ethnically diverse. But structural barriers keep people of color from gaining the political power that reflects their numbers.

The Food and Drug Administration said Friday it will attempt to reduce chemical hazards in foods for babies and young children by increasing inspections of processing plants and sampling more food products for toxic heavy metals.

Why it matters: It follows a Congressional report published last month that found "dangerous levels" of arsenic, lead, mercury and other toxic heavy metals in baby food products made by U.S. companies.

Democratic leaders struck an agreement with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) on emergency unemployment insurance late Friday, clearing the way for Senate action on President Biden's $1.9 trillion stimulus package to resume after an hours-long delay.

The state of play: The Senate continued to work through votes on a marathon of amendments overnight into Saturday morning.

Mexican Americans make up the nation's largest Latino group, yet they remain politically outshined by more recently arrived Cuban Americans.

Why it matters: The disparities in political power between Mexican Americans and Cuban Americans reflect the racial, historical, geographical and economic differences within Latino cultures in the U.S.

Race and identity play into the media platforms people use to advocate their politics, data show. 

Why it matters: People of color and Democrats are more likely to take to social platforms like Twitter to advocate for a cause, and to say that seeing something on social media changed their views. Republicans are increasingly turning to partisan outlets on TV, print and audio.

New York lawmakers on Friday voted to repeal the emergency powers Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) was granted last year to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

Why it matters: The measure comes as Cuomo faces mounting criticism over his handling of the pandemic in nursing homes, and sexual harassment allegations.

California will allow amusement parks and sports stadiums to resume operations with limited capacity as early as April 1, per state guidance unveiled Friday.

Why it matters: As coronavirus case counts drop and the vaccine campaign ramps up, California's decision reflects renewed confidence in the safe reopening of its economy and restarting some, albeit with reduced capacity, out-of-the-house activities.

Bars, restaurants and many other businesses in West Virginia can return to 100% capacity if social distancing can be maintained, Gov. Jim Justice (R) said Friday.

The big picture: Justice is the latest governor to lift statewide coronavirus restrictions, despite warnings from health officials.

All public K-12 schools in Oregon must offer in-person instruction by mid-April, Gov. Kate Brown (D) said Friday.

Driving the news: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said last month that K-12 schools could safely resume for in-person instruction and remain open if mitigation strategies are strictly adhered to and community transmission of the coronavirus remains low.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce revealed Friday it won't withhold political donations from lawmakers who simply voted against certifying the presidential election results and instead decide on a case-by-case basis.

Why it matters: The Chamber is the marquee entity representing businesses and their interests in Washington. Its memo, obtained exclusively by Axios, could set the tone for businesses debating how to handle their candidate and PAC spending following the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.

All nine Supreme Court justices have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, Kathy Arberg, a spokesperson for the court, told CNN Friday.

Why it matters: Six of the justices are at least 60 years old. People that age and older face heightened risk of developing severe illness from the virus, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Centers for Disease Control is allowing shelters handling child migrants who cross the U.S.-Mexico border to expand to full capacity, abandoning a requirement that they stay near 50% to inhibit the spread of the coronavirus, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: The fact that the country's premier health advisory agency is permitting a change in COVID-19 protocols indicates the scale of the immigration crisis. A draft memo obtained by Axios conceded "facilities should plan for and expect to have COVID-19 cases."

Eight Democratic senators on Friday voted against Sen. Bernie Sanders' amendment to ignore a ruling by the Senate parliamentarian and add a $15 minimum wage provision to the $1.9 trillion COVID relief package.

The state of play: The vote was held open for hours on Friday afternoon — even after every senator had voted — due to a standoff in negotiations over the next amendments that the Senate will take up.

The Minnesota Court of Appeals on Friday ruled that former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin should face a third-degree murder charge in the killing of George Floyd that had previously been dropped by a trial judge, the Star Tribune reports.

Why it matters: Chauvin is currently facing charges for second-degree murder and manslaughter. The decision reverses the previous ruling and sends the case back to Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill, meaning that Chauvin's trial scheduled to begin next week could be delayed.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has requested a meeting with President Biden to discuss the rising numbers of unaccompanied migrant children at the U.S.-Mexico border, in a letter sent on Friday.

Why it matters: Biden is facing criticism from the right and the left as agency actions and media reports reveal spiking numbers of migrant children overwhelming parts of the U.S. immigration system. Recent data shows an average of 321 kids being referred to migrant shelters each day, as Axios reported.

On the next episode of “Axios on HBO,” Axios national political correspondent Jonathan Swan interviews Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). 

Catch the full interview and much more on Sunday, March 7 at 6 p.m. ET/PT on all HBO platforms.

President Biden's freeze on new federal lands oil leases will deter Permian Basin output to a limited degree but will also push development from the New Mexico side of the basin to Texas, per a new Dallas Fed forecast.

Why it matters: It's an attempt to gauge the impact of emerging federal policies in the country's most prolific shale basin.

The company behind the Keystone XL pipeline broadened its advocacy team with Biden-linked lobbyists in January, public records show.

Why it matters: The K Street hires weren't enough to save the pipeline, which President Biden effectively canceled during his first days in office. But they could help ensure similar projects don't meet the same fate.

69% of the public intends to get a COVID vaccine or already has, up significantly from 60% in November, according to a report out Friday from the Pew Research Center.

Yes, but: The issue has become even more partisan, with 56% of Republicans who say they want or have already received a coronavirus vaccine compared to 83% of Democrats.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday designated former Ukrainian billionaire and former public official Ihor Kolomoyskyy as an individual involved "in significant corruption."

Why it matters: The designation prohibits Kolomoysky and his immediate family from traveling to the U.S. and signals that the Biden administration will help Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his fight against oligarchs and entrenched corruption. U.S. authorities view Kolomoyskyy as among the most powerful of the oligarchs.

Sweden, Iceland, Finland and Norway take the top spots as the best countries for working women, according to The Economist's latest glass-ceiling index released on Thursday.

Details: The U.S. ranked at No. 18 out of 29, earning less than the average overall score of 60. Sweden came in at No. 1 with more than 80 points.

Charlotte Bennett, a former aide to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo who has accused him of sexual harassment, told "CBS Evening News" that the governor asked her inappropriate questions about her personal life and sought to sleep with her.

Why it matters: Clips from the interview were released a day after Cuomo issued an apology for making people feel "uncomfortable" in the wake of harassment allegations by three women.

A Democratic congressman filed a lawsuit against former President Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) on Thursday alleging that they and others are "responsible for the injury and destruction" of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Why it matters: The federal lawsuit filed on behalf of Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), who served as one of the House's impeachment managers, adds to the mounting legal exposure Trump has found himself facing since leaving office.

The FBI on Thursday arrested former State Department aide Federico Klein, a Trump appointee who worked on the former president's 2016 campaign, on charges related to the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol, according to a court filing.

Why it matters: The 42-year-old Klein is the first member of the Trump administration to be arrested in connection with the insurrection, which led to the former president's second impeachment and charges against over 300 people.

Just over a month into his presidency, President Biden is staring down a mounting crisis at the border that could be just as bad as the ones faced by Barack Obama and Donald Trump, if not worse.

Why it matters: Immigration is an issue that can consume a presidency. It's intensely and poisonously partisan. It's complicated. And the lives and welfare of vulnerable children hang in the balance.

The Senate on Thursday voted 51-50 — with Vice President Kamala Harris breaking the tie — to proceed to debate on President Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus rescue package, likely setting up a final vote this weekend.

The state of play: Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) forced Senate clerks to read the entire 628-page bill on the floor, which took nearly 11 hours and lasted until 2:04 a.m. on Friday. The Senate is set to return at 9 a.m. to debate the bill before considering amendments, which could drag into the weekend.

An outspoken progressive Democrat is wary of President Biden’s approach to the Middle East, arguing it’s like “conceding defeat of the aspiration” to win a Nobel Peace Prize.

Why it matters: A number of members of Biden’s own party dislike his Middle East strategy, as his administration signals the region is no longer the priority it was for President Obama and his predecessors.

Comprehensive immigration reform is a pipe dream, but some Senate Democrats are hoping to tie key immigration provisions to the next big reconciliation push.

Why it matters: Immigration is one of the most controversial and partisan issues in U.S. politics, which is why the budget reconciliation process — which allows for bills to pass the Senate with a simple majority rather than the usual 60 votes — is so attractive.

President Biden plans to meet this month with the leaders of Japan, Australia and India in a virtual summit of the so-called Quad, according to people familiar with the matter.

Why it matters: By putting a Quad meeting on the president’s schedule, the White House is signaling the importance of partnerships and alliances to counter China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region.

Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Nydia Velázquez are pushing ahead with a bill in Congress that would let Puerto Rico decide its future — a proposal threatening Gov. Pedro Pierluisi's determination to pursue statehood for the island.

Why it matters: There's an urgency among supporters of statehood to get it done while Democrats control both chambers of Congress, and President Biden has been publicly supportive. But there's a growing divide within the party about whether statehood is actually the best solution for the U.S. territory.

The House Republicans’ campaign arm is offering donors copies of the Dr. Seuss classic “The Cat in the Hat," seeking to capitalize on a new front in the culture war.

Why it matters: The offer, while gimmicky, shows how potent appeals to “cancel culture” can be for grassroots Republicans, even amid debates about more weighty policy matters like coronavirus relief and voting rights.