Axios

The Senate on Tuesday voted 68-29 to confirm Big Tech foe Jonathan Kanter to lead the antitrust division of the Justice Department.

Why it matters: Kanter, a favorite among progressives, joins Biden administration antitrust gurus Tim Wu and FTC chair Lina Khan who want to see more aggressive action against monopoly power.

The U.S. will now hit the debt limit on Dec. 15, revising an initial deadline of Dec. 3, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Tuesday.

Why it matters: An October vote to raise the federal debt ceiling allowed Congress to narrowly avoid a government default at least until Dec. 3. The Treasury's new estimate will give lawmakers slightly more time to work out a deal to raise the debt ceiling

The House will vote Wednesday on censuring Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) and removing his committee assignments, a source familiar with the matter tells Axios.

Why it matters: Gosar posted a video depicting violence against Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and President Biden. The resolution would remove him from the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, of which Ocasio-Cortez is also a member, and the Committee on Natural Resources, the source said.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) announced Tuesday he had placed a hold on President Biden's nominee for ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns, over concerns about Burns' business relationships in China.

Why it matters: Burns is a widely respected former career diplomat who was expected to receive overwhelming bipartisan support in the Senate. Even Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who has stalled dozens of Biden's State Department nominees, lifted his blockade for Burns.

Pfizer said Tuesday it has asked the FDA for emergency authorization of Paxlovid, its experimental COVID-19 treatment.

Why it matters: Antiviral drugs can be a key pandemic-fighting tool, as not everyone will get vaccinated against the virus, Axios Caitlin Owens reports. If authorized, the drugs can also be administered at home.

A New York state ethics panel voted Tuesday to rescind approval it gave former Gov. Andrew Cuomo to publish his memoir, “American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic,” in 2020.

Why it matters: Cuomo will have to reapply for authorization from the board for the $5.1 million deal, according to AP. If he is denied, the board could go after the money the former governor was paid to author the book.

Daniel Goldman, a former federal prosecutor who served as counsel to House Democrats during former President Trump's first impeachment inquiry, announced Tuesday that he is running for New York attorney general.

Driving the news: In video announcing his candidacy, Goldman pitched himself as a "prosecutor, not a politician," and added that he is running "to fight for one standard of justice for all."

New York City will allow people who are fully vaccinated to celebrate New Year's Eve in Times Square this year, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday.

Why it matters: Last year's event did not have a public audience due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The majority of Americans say the Supreme Court should reject a Texas law banning most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll out Tuesday.

Why it matters: The poll comes after the Supreme Court heard two cases on the Texas law earlier this month. It is set to hear a case on Mississippi's 15-week abortion ban — a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade — on Dec. 1.

Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) announced Tuesday she will not seek re-election in 2022.

Why it matters: Speier's retirement comes amid a series of House Democrat retirements, though Republicans are unlikely to flip her seat.

In polling in three suburban House districts, Stand for America — founded by Nikki Haley, former UN ambassador and South Carolina governor — found resonance for trends that drove the Virginia and New Jersey governor's races.

The big picture: A big majority in the districts — won handily by President Biden — said parents should be more involved in schools.

After yesterday's infrastructure-bill signing, President Biden, Vice President Harris and Cabinet members are beginning a months-long road show to showcase the benefits — beginning with a Biden trip today to a bridge in Woodstock, N.H.

The big picture: In addition to coast-to-coast travel, the plan includes local and national TV, social media, and Spanish-language and African American focused media.

Bloomberg Philanthropies and John Hopkins University have established what they say is a first-of-its-kind program to educate current and future civil servants.

Why it matters: The Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation, backed by $43 million from Bloomberg Philanthropies, aims to foster innovation in local government at a time when cities face myriad challenges.

President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a wide-ranging and, at times, candid discussion in a virtual meeting that lasted for about three and half hours on Monday evening.

Why it matters: The meeting didn't produce any "deliverables," but it did bolster a sense of much-needed stability between the two countries.

Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) has been elected House Freedom Caucus chair, the ultra-conservative group announced Monday night.

Why it matters: The appointment of the Trump ally comes as the Freedom Caucus aims to regain the kind of power it enjoyed when Republicans held the majority by seeking to help the GOP retake the House in the 2022 midterm elections, CNN notes.

The Biden administration denounced Cuban authorities' "intimidation tactics" during a clamp-down on activists who planned to hold a civil rights protest on the Caribbean island Monday.

Why it matters: Protesters were hoping to build on July's massive anti-government demonstrations in Havana and other Cuban cities with the nationwide "Civic March for Change." But police and security forces poured into the streets, arresting and even "trapping" activists in their homes, per the Washington Post.

An Iranian military helicopter "circled" close to a U.S. Navy warship in an "unsafe and unprofessional manner" three times in the Gulf of Oman, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said Monday.

The big picture: Saturday's incident, which ended without impact, comes as U.S. special envoy for Iran Rob Malley visits the Middle East ahead of the resumption of indirect nuclear talks with Iran.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Monday that the state has ordered Amazon to pay $500,000 for "concealing COVID-19 case numbers" from workers.

Why it matters: The court judgment is the first of its kind under California's new "right to know" law, which aims to bolster worker safety by requiring employers to disclose coronavirus cases to employees and local health agencies, among other provisions.

President Biden told Chinese President Xi Jinping at the start of Monday night's virtual summit that he's looking forward to a "candid and forthright discussion" on how to establish "common-sense guardrails" between the world's two most powerful countries.

The big picture: Biden has repeatedly said that he likely knows Xi better than any world leader does, citing the dozens of hours that the two spent together while serving as vice presidents of their respective countries.

Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) is indicating to colleagues he's preparing to run for the Senate seat being vacated by Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), people familiar with the matter tell Axios.

Why it matters: Vermont has never sent a woman to serve in either the House or Senate. Welch would likely clear the Democratic primary field but also would face the prospect of a challenge from the left, according to the Intercept.

Migrants fleeing countries that refuse to take them back are driving new backlogs in the U.S. immigration system — and White House and Homeland Security officials worry this poses a growing obstacle to balancing humanitarian and national security concerns.

Driving the news: U.S. officials at the southern border have come across an average of nearly 800 Venezuelan migrants each day for the past week— more than any other nationality except those from Mexico, according to internal immigration data obtained by Axios.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee has hired its first full-time Hispanic communications and political team as it targets Latino voters and tries to unseat Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Axios' Sarah Mucha reports.

Why it matters: A large bloc of Latinos voted for President Biden in Arizona in 2020. Republicans have started focusing on this group not just in South Texas, as Axios earlier reported, but now, Arizona.

Progressive activists are trying a high-wire act to influence Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.): launching big media buys in his home state to win his support for programs in President Biden's $1.75 trillion social spending and climate plan.

Why it matters: While the House is still waiting on a cost analysis from the Congressional Budget Office before voting this week, lawmakers, aides and activists recognize any final bill will largely be written by the Senate.

Millions of Americans were registered to vote last year but never made it to the polls for a variety of reasons, missing a chance to further boost record turnout, census surveys found.

Why it matters: Voting rights advocates have watched bill after bill fail in Congress. Now, some like RepresentUs, are pushing the Freedom to Vote Act. The group estimates the legislation would make it easier for about 6.5 million people to vote, based on what registered voters said stopped them last time.

The Wyoming Republican Party has voted to no longer recognize Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) as a member of the GOP, AP reports.

Why it matters: Since voting to impeach former President Trump, Cheney has faced repeated criticism from Republicans and was removed from her leadership position in the House.

The Biden administration is warning Americans in Ethiopia to evacuate immediately or risk being trapped if the civil war spreads to the capital.

What they're saying: State Department spokesperson Ned Price said U.S. passport holders should not expect a Kabul-style airlift if the fighting reaches Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa. That's not going to happen, Price told Axios, calling the Afghanistan withdrawal a "unique and extraordinary situation."