Senate negotiators are finalizing how to pay for the $579 billion bipartisan infrastructure package, tapping everything from unused 2020 COVID-relief funds to targeting the Medicare rebate rule, people familiar with the matter tell Axios.
Driving the news: The core group of negotiators plans to present a finished version of their deal to the broader G22 group on Sunday evening.
Some of the most competitive battleground states have some of the least competitive House districts, according to a new data analysis first seen by Axios.
Why it matters: Big gaps between the voting margins in districts and states overall demand explanation, researchers say, since they could be a sign of gerrymandering. An alternative is they're a reflection of Americans increasingly living near like-minded people — a potential boost to candidates on the political extremes.
Members of Congress are ready to fight for government money to fund space exploration projects in their districts as the space tourism industry gains momentum.
Why it matters: The recent launches by Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos have Americans looking skyward again. Lawmakers are hoping to take advantage of it by raising awareness of potential space projects in districts outside Houston and Cape Canaveral, Florida.
A regional U.S. commander said at a Sunday news conference that the U.S. military has stepped up its airstrikes against the Taliban and that it will continue to do so in the weeks ahead, Reuters reports.
Why it matters: The United States has almost completed its military withdrawal from Afghanistan, which is slated to wrap up on Aug. 31. However the departure has coincided with large and rapid territorial gains by the Taliban and a sharp increase in violence.
Almost two-thirds of women in the U.K. military have experienced bullying, sexual harassment and discrimination during their careers, according to a parliamentary report released on Sunday.
The big picture: The U.K. defense subcommittee shared its findings after conducting interviews with roughly 4,200 women, amounting to nine percent of the regular female military population.
In a recent interview with the Washington Post, some of the founders of critical race theory discussed GOP attacks on their discipline, characterizing them as part of a political charade.
State of play: Cracking down on the teaching of critical race theory—which holds that racism is baked into the formation of the nation and is ingrained in the legal, financial, and education systems—has become a popular talking point among some Republicans.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced Sunday that she has appointed Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) to serve on the House select committee investigating the Jan 6. Capitol riot.
Cases of discrimination and harassment against Muslim Americans spiked in May and June, according to a report published by the Council of American-Islamic Relations.
Why it matters: CAIR, the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, typically publishes an annual report documenting anti-Muslim bias incidents but elected to release a mid-year report given the recent spike.
Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) on Sunday said that he believes the legislative text of the bipartisan "hard" infrastructure package will be ready on Monday, after it failed to advance during the first vote on the Senate floor last week.
Why it matters: Senate Republicans came together to oppose proceeding on the measure before it was written.
New Capitol Police chief Tom Manger said officers testifying before the Jan. 6 select committee this week "need to be heard."
Driving the news: The select committee's first hearing is set to take place on Tuesday and will feature testimony from law enforcement officers who were subject to some of the worst of violence during the insurrection.
New research shows Americans have fewer friends than in the past, and are less likely to have a best friend.
Why it matters: At a time of excruciating mental and societal stress, this is another sign we're breaking apart. And the friendship drought could get worse with more people working remotely or hybrid-ly.
British health minister Sajid Javid apologized for a now-deleted tweet Sunday, which encouraged citizens to get vaccinated and not to "cower from" the virus.
The big picture: Javid's tweet faced criticism over his choice of words: A victims' group said his comments were "deeply insensitive," according to the BBC.
The Department of Justice has decided not to launch a civil rights investigation into whether policies in New York, Pennsylvania and Michigan contributed to pandemic deaths in nursing homes, according to a letter sent to Republicans.
Why it matters: The Trump DOJ requested data from the three states plus New Jersey last August "amid still-unanswered questions about whether some states, especially New York, inadvertently worsened the pandemic death toll by requiring nursing homes to accept residents previously hospitalized for COVID-19," per AP.
