Axios

Darnella Frazier, who was 17 years old when she recorded the viral video of Derek Chauvin kneeling on George Floyd's neck, posted a tribute on Tuesday, decrying a country that looks at Black people as "thugs, animals, and criminals."

Why it matters: Tuesday marks the one-year anniversary of Floyd's death, which triggered an avalanche of Black Lives Matter protests across the U.S. and around the globe and led to Chauvin's conviction on charges of murder and manslaughter.

George Floyd's family told reporters on Tuesday that President Biden assured them he was still committed to passing a police reform bill and "doing everything to make sure [Floyd's] legacy was respected."

Why it matters: The family's visit to the White House came on the one-year anniversary of Floyd's murder. Congress is expected to miss Biden's self-imposed May 25 deadline for passing police reform legislation, which has stalled in the Senate due to Republican opposition to certain provisions.

A bipartisan group of senators are preparing a separate infrastructure proposal after negotiations between the White House and Republicans stalled, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) confirmed to Axios Tuesday.

Why it matters: The new package would narrow the definition of infrastructure and do away with some of the initiatives Democrats have pushed to include, such as funding for elder care and electric vehicles, according to the Washington Post, which first reported the news.

In a lawsuit filed Tuesday, the ACLU argued that Arkansas' bill criminalizing gender-affirming care for transgender children violates the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause, plus the 1st Amendment right to free speech.

Why it matters: Arkansas is the only state to pass legislation totally barring gender-affirming care for trans children, as a record number of bills targeting trans youth have been introduced in state legislatures this year.

The Senate voted 51-48 on Tuesday to confirm longtime civil rights attorney Kristen Clarke to lead the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.

Why it matters: Clarke is the first Black woman to lead the division, which is responsible for enforcing federal statutes prohibiting discrimination based on race, color and sex.

President Biden will visit Tulsa, Oklahoma, next week to mark the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, the White House said Tuesday.

Why it matters: The visit will conclude a weekend of events commemorating one of the worst mass killings in U.S. history. On May 31, 1921, a white mob torched 35 blocks of a Black neighborhood and killed an estimated 300 people. No one was charged in the killings, and survivors say the community never recovered.

George Floyd's murder, one year ago today, and the subsequent surge of support for Black-owned small businesses "had an unprecedented impact," according to Shelly Bell, CEO of Black Girl Ventures.

Axios Re:Cap speaks with Bell in the second of a six-part series, America's Business Comeback, about what 2020 meant for Black-owned small businesses and where things stand now. We also share the first of our conversations with proprietors of some of America's most iconic small businesses.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) told reporters on Tuesday that she would support the House-passed bill to launch a commission to investigate the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.

Why it matters: Murkowski is now the second Senate Republican, along with Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), to express public support for the bill. At least 10 Senate Republicans are needed for the bill to pass.

Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) on Tuesday urged Senate Republicans to work with Democrats to "find a path forward" on a commission to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Why it matters: Democrats need the support of 10 Republicans to reach a filibuster-proof majority. Manchin and Sinema are the two most prominent Democratic senators opposed to eliminating the filibuster.

Income inequality affects people's ability to defend themselves and get proper legal representation during criminal trials, Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) said during an Axios event on Tuesday.

Why it matters: Bass is the lead House negotiator in talks over the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which passed the House in March but has stalled in the Senate due to Republican opposition to certain provisions, including curbing qualified immunity for police officers.

A group of GOP senators negotiating on infrastructure is preparing a $1 trillion counteroffer for the White House this week, a key leader said, far closer to President Biden’s target than previous overtures.

Why it matters: Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) signaled that Republicans will be moving in a big way toward the Biden administration's plan, reigniting hopes that a bipartisan deal is possible.

The Department of Homeland Security will issue new cybersecurity regulations on fuel and oil pipelines to prevent future cyber attacks like the one that crippled the Colonial Pipeline, senior DHS officials told the Washington Post.

Why it matters: The new directives on pipelines demonstrate the significance of the Colonial breach, since only a few vital infrastructure sectors — like bulk electric power and nuclear plants — have to follow federal cybersecurity regulations in event of an attack.

U.S. Commission of Fine Arts chair Justin Shubow told NPR that he and three other commissioners on the independent federal agency have been asked to resign by the Biden administration — or be fired.

Why it matters: Shubow, who was appointed to the commission by former President Trump in 2018, said no commissioner has been removed from the agency in its 110-year history.

The top two Republicans in the House denounced Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) on Tuesday for comparing mask mandates to the Holocaust, but accused Democrats of ignoring a rise in antisemitism in their own party.

Why it matters: The U.S. and parts of Europe have seen a rise in antisemitic attacks and harassment in the wake of violence between Israel and Hamas.

Former President Trump on Monday asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) over his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots because he has "absolute immunity."

Driving the news: In a memo, Trump's attorney said the lawsuit "directly attacks" the First amendment, adding that the congressman took comments the former president made out of context and that the court should dismiss the lawsuit because "[t]he President's absolute immunity forecloses the jurisdiction of this Court."

President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 16 for their first in-person summit, the White House announced on Tuesday.

Why it matters: The highly anticipated summit offers an early test of the Biden administration's goal of holding Russia accountable for its abuses while seeking a more "stable" and "predictable" relationship.

There's broad agreement among leaders of both parties that Big Tech needs to be reined in — but widely different views on how to do it, as two Monday stories illustrated.

The state of play: In Washington, Democrats on a key House committee met with various stakeholders to carefully craft new legislation that might fly with both industry and its critics, Axios' Margaret Harding McGill scooped. Representatives of Facebook, Twitter and Google all attended.

Members of George Floyd’s family on Tuesday will meet with lawmakers, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), on the one-year anniversary of Floyd's murder in Minneapolis, CNN and NBC News report.

Why it matters: The meeting comes amid negotiations on a police reform bill named after Floyd that the House passed in March. The legislation has stalled in the Senate due to Republican opposition to certain provisions, including curbing qualified immunity for police officers.

Americans are taking off their masks and re-engaging publicly at levels not seen since the start of the pandemic, with the most dramatic shifts in people over 50 and those who've been vaccinated, according to the latest installment of the Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index.

The big picture: It's happening despite significant distrust over strangers' honesty about their COVID-19 vaccination status and amid major confusion over Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance on mask use and social distancing for those vaccinated.

Secretary of State Tony Blinken landed in Israel on Tuesday, the first stop on his first trip to the Middle East since assuming office.

Why it matters: State Department officials, who are realistic about the current low chances of reviving the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, say the visit will focus on stabilizing the Gaza ceasefire and start discussions on humanitarian aid and reconstruction.

The FBI and Capitol Police are investigating a suspicious package containing white powder that was sent to Republican Sen. Rand Paul's home in Bowling Green, Kentucky, Monday Politico first reported.

Driving the news: Also in the large envelope was an image containing a death threat, Paul's spokesperson Sergio Gor confirmed in an email to Axios.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) on Monday signed into law a bill banning state agencies, schools and businesses from requiring COVID-19 vaccine passports to access services.

Why it matters: Alabama is the latest Republican-led state to outlaw coronavirus immunization credentials in the name of personal freedom and privacy protection.

The Department of Justice moved late Monday to partially appeal a court order to release a memo then-Attorney General Bill Barr cited to justify clearing former President Trump for obstruction of justice in the Russia investigation.

Why it matters: The DOJ's court filing just before the midnight deadline goes against a request from Senate Democrats, who urged Attorney General Merrick Garland in a letter not to appeal Judge Amy Berman Jackson's order earlier this month.

Just a few months after being sworn into Congress, several freshman members — particularly some in the House — have already sponsored and co-sponsored hundreds of bills and resolutions, according to data from Quorum.

By the numbers: Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.) has collectively sponsored and co-sponsored the most measures by a wide margin — 287 combined. Rep. Nikema Williams (D-Ga.) follows with 222, the data show.

Former Rep. Joe Crowley is registering to lobby for his first client — a coalition of recording artists fighting to finally get paid when their work is played on the radio.

Why it matters: Crowley is a New York Democrat who was on track to become House speaker until he lost a primary to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in 2018. Now, by registering to lobby, it's unlikely he’ll join the Biden administration in any capacity.

A PAC that launched Monday will raise funds to support school board candidates who oppose public schools teaching critical race theory and the 1619 Project, which details the history of slavery, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: It's the first national political action committee to target local, historically nonpartisan school boards. And it's another sign of how they have entered the crucible of partisan politics.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's campaign committee has repeatedly promised her donors she would personally match their financial contributions, but as of the last reporting period she hadn't provided a dime of her own money, records show.

Why it matters: Deceptive political fundraising tactics are under scrutiny, and few are more popular than donation-matching pledges. Pelosi's campaign has gone a step further than most — promising that she herself would put up those matching funds. It hasn't reported any such contributions.

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) told reporters Monday he "would support" a House-passed bill to create a commission to investigate the deadly Capitol riots.

Why it matters: Romney is the first Republican senator to publicly support the bill to set up a bipartisan 9/11-style commission looking into the Jan. 6 insurrection.

President Biden said in a statement Monday his administration is developing "appropriate options" in coordination with the EU to hold Belarus accountable following the country's diversion of a flight to arrest an opposition leader.

Driving the news: Earlier Monday, the European Council called for an independent investigation into the episode, the submission of sanctions proposals and advised EU-based carriers to avoid and airspace.