Axios

Veterans, their spouses and caregivers will be able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine through the Department of Veterans Affairs as soon as doses are available, according to newly finalized legislation.

Why it matters: The VA has counted more than 11,000 deaths and recorded more than 223,500 coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic, according to data from the medical system.

Parts of former President Trump's Palm Beach club, Mar-a-Lago, have been closed until further notice after staff members contracted the coronavirus, AP first reported.

Why it matters: Trump moved to Mar-a-Lago after leaving Washington, D.C., in January and has used the club as a meeting place with Republican Party leaders, while other members of the GOP have hosted host fundraising events there.

President Biden condemned the recent anti-Asian violence on Friday after meeting with Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) leaders in Atlanta, three days after a deadly shooting killed eight people, six of whom were Asian women.

What they're saying: "Words have consequences," the president said at a press conference, implicitly referring to former President Trump and other officials' use of the terms "China virus" and "kung flu," among others. "It's the coronavirus. Full stop," Biden added.

A Pro-Biden group, operating with the White House's blessing, plans to raise unlimited funds — and grant donors anonymity — as it prepares to promote and protect the president's agenda from the outside.

Why it matters: By not capping anonymous contributions, the group, called Building Back Together, will have an easier time raising money, ahead of its anticipated launch next month to defend Biden's policies, including his $1.9 trillion relief package.

The Justice Department announced charges against 10 Iranian nationals on Friday for running a nearly 20-year-long scheme to evade U.S. sanctions on the government of Iran.

Why it matters: The DOJ said the defendants, who are believed to be outside the U.S., helped the country evade sanctions by disguising more than $300 million worth of transactions through front companies in the U.S., Canada, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates.

More than 183 national organizations, led by Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community groups, have called on the White House to set aside $300 million for safety and relief programs.

Why it matters: The letter of demands was delivered to President Biden and Vice President Harris during their meeting with AAPI leaders in Atlanta on Friday, days after a white gunman in Atlanta killed eight people, including six Asian women.

Twitter says its automated technology made an "error" in suspending Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's (R-Ga.) account for 12 hours, which began around 1 a.m. Friday morning, according to her office.

Why it matters: Greene's office on Friday alleged that Twitter gave "no explanation" as to why the account had been suspended. A Twitter spokesperson told Axios on Friday that our automated systems took enforcement action on the account referenced in error," adding, "This action has been reversed, and access to the account has been reinstated."

President Biden has picked former Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Florida) to lead NASA.

Why it matters: Nelson has been a staunch political advocate for the space agency for decades, even flying aboard the space shuttle in 1986.

Students who were defrauded by for-profit colleges will have their federal school loans eliminated, the Education Department announced on Thursday.

Why it matters: The change will eliminate approximately $1 billion in student loan debt for 72,000 borrowers who filed claims, AP reports.

The Atlanta massacre gives Georgia prosecutors the first high-profile chance to test the state's new hate crime law, if the charge is added in the murder case, the Washington Post reports.

Why it matters: Police say it is still too early to call the shootings a hate crime, but that has not stopped Asian Americans across the country from becoming alarmed as anti-Asian violence continues to rise.

Washington Post journalists Yasmeen Abutaleb and Damian Paletta will be out June 29 with "Nightmare Scenario," a scoopy narrative of President Trump's chaotic response to the pandemic.

• Javelin's Keith Urbahn and Matt Latimer are the agents. Harper V.P./Executive Editor Jonathan Jao is editor.

Why it matters: Harper, the publisher, says the authors "reveal the numerous times officials tried to dissuade Trump from following his worst impulses ... And they show how the petty backstabbing and rivalries amongst cabinet members, staff, and aides, created a toxic cycle of blame, sycophancy, and political pressure."

With Xavier Becerra's confirmation on Thursday as Health and Human Services secretary, the Biden administration's health care team is clicking into place — not that it's been sitting around waiting.

The big picture: Many of the most important health care jobs in the executive branch right now aren't the Senate-confirmed leadership roles, but the management advisers and rank-and-file civil servants in charge of the vaccination effort.

A new commission created to relabel U.S. Army bases named for Confederate leaders has quietly undergone a major shakeup as the Biden administration has replaced last-minute Trump appointees with a diverse panel.

Driving the news: The eight-member commission established in a bill last year, after George Floyd's death brought attention to systemic racism, will include the first African American woman to command a U.S. Navy ship and a retired West Point historian who has compared the Confederacy to treason.

Former President George W. Bush said the Capitol siege "disgusted" and "really disturbed" him in an interview with the Texas Tribune that was recorded Feb. 24 and streamed online Thursday.

What he's saying: "I was sick to my stomach ... to see our nation's Capitol being stormed by hostile forces," he said. "And it really disturbed me to the point where I did put out a statement, and I’m still disturbed when I think about it."

President Biden is reviewing a list of finalists as he prepares to nominate a series of ambassadors to key embassy postings, people familiar with the matter tell Axios.

Why it matters: The new president has promised to restore alliances and put diplomacy at the center of his foreign policy, with his ambassadors playing a crucial role in listening to host governments and explaining the administration’s policies.

There have been reports of 126 House and Senate members infected with or exposed to the coronavirus since last March — 70 Republicans and 56 Democrats, according to data collected by GovTrack.

Why it matters: The data illustrates the infectiousness of the virus and its impact on some of the most powerful and connected people in the country. It does not include Republican Luke Letlow of Louisiana, who died of COVID-19 complications five days before he was to be sworn into Congress in January.

Cedric Richmond and other senior White House officials reached out to Asian American lawmakers soon after Tuesday night's mass shooting in Georgia, including calling Rep. Grace Meng before 7 a.m. Wednesday.

Why it matters: The Asian American and Pacific Islander community has been targeted since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, stoked by rhetoric from former President Trump. The outreach underscored the new administration's increased sensitivity to its concerns.

The January attack on the U.S. Capitol had a larger impact than previously known on corporate political giving, new campaign finance filings indicate.

Why it matters: The immediate and intense political fallout over the insurrection pushed scores of companies to announce a pause or end to political donations. New numbers suggest an even larger chilling effect, with companies that had been quiet publicly also forgoing donations.