A new review of Trump-era pandemic guidance found that several controversial recommendations were not "primarily authored" by staff or based on scientific evidence, according to a report posted on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website Monday.
Why it matters: Former President Trump repeatedly refused to acknowledge the severity of the pandemic throughout 2020, often downplaying the need to wear face masks or have states remain in lockdown.
Border officials told House Republicans today they are having to pull agents from patrolling the border to process and care for the growing number of migrant children and families in their custody, according to two sources familiar with the briefing.
Why it matters: Thousands of children are now being held for days and the number of people illegally crossing the border continues to rise, so shelters for minors are rushing to find more space.
The Biden administration told the Supreme Court on Monday that low-level crack cocaine offenders should be considered eligible for reduced prison sentences under the First Step Act, Reuters reports.
Why it matters: The Trump administration's 2018 First Step Act introduced a number of reduced prison sentences and reforms, but did not include minor cocaine possession as a "covered offense." Now the Biden administration is signaling support for a reversal of this stance.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) will continue her efforts to celebrate Independence Day with fireworks at Mount Rushmore despite the Biden administration's refusal to grant her request.
Why it matters: Noem's push to ensure the fireworks comes amid a number of concerns about coronavirus spread, wildfires and tribal sovereignty — the monument is carved into land sacred to the Lakota Sioux.
Entrepreneur Andrew Yang (D) has raised over $2.1 million in direct donations for his New York City mayoral bid, and his campaign expects that number to increase to $6.5 million once matchable donations are finalized, according to a campaign memo obtained by Axios.
Why it matters: Yang, 46, gained a following during his 2020 presidential campaign for highlighting proposals like universal basic income, and has gained traction in his bid to replace current NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio. Yang and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams are leading in local polling.
President Biden said in a speech from the White House Monday that his administration will reach two "giant goals" in the next 10 days: 100 million coronavirus vaccine doses and 100 million relief checks distributed to the public.
Why it matters: The speech kicks off the administration's "Help is Here" campaign, which will see Biden and Vice President Harris travel the country to sell the benefits of the $1.9 trillion COVID relief package to the American public.
All Mississippi residents will be eligible to get the coronavirus vaccine starting Tuesday, Gov. Tate Reeves (R) announced Monday.
Why it matters: President Biden has called on states to designate all adults eligible by May 1. Mississippi is the second state after Alaska to open up the vaccine to people ages 16 and older.
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) called in a New York Times op-ed on Monday for U.S. corporations and spectators to stay home for the 2022 Beijing Olympics, and for President Biden to invite Chinese dissidents, religious leaders and ethnic minorities to represent the U.S. instead of sending a diplomatic delegation.
Why it matters: The U.S. declared China's campaign against over 1 million Muslim minorities in Xinjiang as "genocide" and "crimes against humanity" in January, intensifying calls from activists and political figures like former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to boycott the winter games.
The U.S. will begin using the downtown Dallas convention center as a "decompression center," to house up to 3,000 migrant teenagers, specifically boys ages 15 to 17, according to a memo obtained by the AP.
Why it matters: The convention center's conversion comes amid a rise in border crossings that has strained sheltering capacities along the U.S.-Mexico border. The Department of Health and Human Services is moving to open new facilities to house the children.
Flashback: The CDC had allowed shelters housing children to expand to full capacity in spite of a previous COVID-19 safety protocol, a change that highlighted the extent of the housing capacity crisis, Axios previously reported.
What's more: The surge at the border has already prompted the creation of new shelters for children, including a tent facility in Donna, Texas that is housing "more than 1,000 children and teenagers, some as young as 4," according to AP.
The government is also considering housing unaccompanied minors in a military base in Virginia, Reuters reports.
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's defense attorney said in court Monday that he is "gravely concerned" that the Minneapolis City Council's $27 million settlement with George Floyd's family “has incredible potential to taint the jury pool," AP reports.
Why it matters: The settlement, which the Floyd family attorney called the largest pretrial civil rights settlement ever, was reached the same week that jury selection began in Chauvin's criminal trial.
Two men were arrested and charged on Monday for allegedly using bear spray on U.S. Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick during the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, the Washington Post reports.
Why it matters: Sicknick died from injuries he sustained while responding to the attack by pro-Trump rioters. Authorities have not determined whether the spray assault was the cause of Sicknick's death.
General Motors has made five additions to its roster of outside lobbying firms that will work on topics including electric vehicles.
Why it matters: Big companies are positioning themselves to influence policy and legislation as Democrats wield expanded power, but Republicans also hold lots of sway in the narrowly divided Congress.
This week's seven-stateswing by the first and second families is just the beginning: The White House is mapping a multi-week campaign — in red and blue states — to sell the COVID stimulus.
Why it matters: President Biden's top advisers see the $1.9 trillion relief bill, which Biden signed Thursday, as the key to solidifying his political fortunes. The bill's strong bipartisan approval ratings supply Democrats with an opportunity to bludgeon Republicans in states that will determine elections for the foreseeable future.
Most American kids have returned to some form of in-person school by now — but low-income school districts are paying a higher price for it.
The big picture: Preparing for testing, infrastructure improvements and distancing has cost school districts tens of millions of dollars. And poorer districts have had to freeze hiring and cut entire programs to make it work.
While the Biden administration has been slow to appoint the key decision makers at agencies overseeing technology issues, a handful of people are on the inside track to lead them.
Between the lines: By and large, these likely appointees do not have direct ties to Big Tech companies and have advocated for tougher measures against the industry. Many also previously served in the Obama administration and fall in the progressive camp.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Monday that Facebook is building a tool to connect people to information about where and when to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
The big picture: Facebook has been blamed for the spread of anti-vaccination misinformation during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond.
Thousands of protesters rallied across Australia on Monday against the sexual abuse and harassment of women — driven by allegations centered on Australia's Parliament, per the Guardian.
Why it matters: Many are angry at Prime Minister Scott Morrison's government, after Attorney General Christian Porter was accused of raping a 16-year-old girl when he was a teenager in 1988, Reuters notes.
Myanmar's ruling junta imposed martial law on townships in the country's most populous city Sunday following the deadliest day since the Feb 1 coup, per Reuters.
Driving the news: At least 38 civilians were killed in live ammunition Sunday, said the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, an independent monitoring group, in a statement. A police officer was also killed.
Larry Schwartz, who oversees New York's COVID-19 vaccine rollout, allegedly called county officials seeking support for Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) amid mounting sexual misconduct accusations, per multiple reports Sunday. Schwartz and Cuomo's office deny the claims.
Driving the news: The Washington Post and New York Times report an unnamed Democratic county executive who claims Schwartz contacted them filed a notice of an impending ethics complaint with the N.Y. attorney general's office Friday.
President Biden told reporters Sunday he'll wait for the outcome of an investigation into sexual harassment allegations leveled against New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) before commenting on whether the governor should resign.
Why it matters: The only Democratic figure who could likely persuade Cuomo to resign is Biden, per Axios' Jonathan Swan. Their friendship and political alliance dates back years.
