Asian American lawmakers and advocates said Wednesday that the Justice Department's decision to end the China Initiative, a Trump-era program aimed at combating Chinese economic espionage, is an important move but that it cannot be a matter of "rebranding."
Why it matters: DOJ's announcement comes after years of advocacy from Asian Americans who accused the department of using racial profiling to target Asian researchers. Scientists had also said the program's focus on grant fraud would chill research in the U.S.
The Justice Department is ending the Trump-era China Initiative following allegations of racial profiling and an internal review, assistant attorney general for national security Matt Olsen announced Wednesday.
The former head of the Texas power grid on Wednesday testified that he was following Gov. Greg Abbott's instructions when he directed power prices to remain high during last winter's winter storm, the Houston Chronicle reports.
Driving the news: Bill Magness, the former CEO of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, said that former Public Utility Commission Chair DeAnn Walker told him that he was to do whatever necessary to prevent additional blackouts.
Two prosecutors who have helped lead the Manhattan district attorney's investigation into former President Trump's financial dealings abruptly resigned on Wednesday, the New York Times first reported.
Why it matters: Their resignations came after Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg suggested he had "doubts about moving forward" with the case, and throws the future of the investigation into doubt, per the Times.
The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday authorized for the first time a condom for anal sex, as well as vaginal intercourse.
Why it matters: Public health experts have long advocated for the authorization because it could encourage more people to use condoms while having anal sex to prevent the spread of STIs and HIV, the New York Times notes.
President Biden said Wednesday he will reverse last year's decision to waive sanctions on the entity and corporate officers behind the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, a day after Germany froze certification of the Kremlin-backed project.
Why it matters: It's an escalation in the U.S. sanctions response to what the administration has called the "the beginning of a Russian invasion" of Ukraine, and delivers a fresh blow to an $11 billion pipeline that has proven to be a massive headache for President Biden ever since he waived sanctions last May.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has lifted his hold on President Biden's State Department nominees after the Biden administration sanctioned the Russia-to-Germany natural gas pipeline Nord Stream 2.
Why it matters: Cruz has campaigned to sanction the pipeline for months, calling it a chance to stop a Russian invasion into Ukraine. His bill failed to clear the Senate in January, per Reuters.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday called Russia President Vladimir Putin a "tyrant" and said his latest aggression toward Ukraine is "an attack on democracy."
What she's saying: “It’s stunning to see in this day and age, a tyrant roll into a country," Pelosi said in her first news conference since returning from the Munich Security Conference. "This is the same tyrant who attacked our democracy in 2016."
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) on Tuesday ordered state agencies to investigate gender-affirming care for transgender kids as child abuse.
Driving the news: "The Office of the Attorney General has now confirmed in the enclosed opinion that a number of so-called 'sex change' procedures constitute child abuse under existing Texas law," Abbott wrote in a letter to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.
The Department of Defense approved the deployment of about 700 unarmed D.C. National Guard troops ahead of potential trucker protests timed around next week's State of the Union address.
Driving the news: The Capitol riot has left officials wary of miscalculating security risks. The National Guard members will help with traffic control, the Pentagon said.
The Gridiron Club, Washington's oldest association of journalists, will hold its 135th anniversary dinner April 2 — the group's first spring show in three years, per USA Today's Susan Page.
Why it matters: With the white-tie Gridiron and the White House Correspondents' Association dinner on April 30 (with Trevor Noah as entertainer), Washington's in-person social circuit is back.
The Biden administration asked a court Tuesday to send a Trump-era permit approval for an Alaska mining road running through Indigenous territory back to the Interior Department for further analysis of its environmental impacts.
Why it matters: "The Interior Department is asking the court to remand the right-of-way decision to the agency to correct the significant deficiencies we have identified in the underlying analyses," the department said in an emailed statement.
The Department of Homeland Security warned on Tuesday that U.S. organizations at all levels could face cyber threats stemming from "the potential for the Russian government to consider escalating its destabilizing actions" beyond Ukraine.
Driving the news: As part of what it's calling, "Shields Up," the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is encouraging businesses, agencies and other organizations to make sure their "most critical digital assets" are protected.
Sixteen tribal nations will receive $1.7 billion as part of Indian water rights settlements, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland announced Tuesday.
Why it matters: Over the years, at least 34 tribes have turned to settlements to resolve conflicts with the federal government over water rights. Tuesday's announcement is aimed at funding infrastructure for Native Americans to store and transport water so they no longer have to suffer from lack of access.
Russia's talk of invading Ukraine has now captured America's attention, although residents in some congressional districts are paying closer attention than others, according to new Google Trends data and analysis.
Why it matters:Some Republicans criticized President Biden on Tuesday for not taking stronger actions. Some Democrats have largely supported his focus on diplomacy. It's unclear how much the issue will affect the midterms in November — but right now, interest among potential voters is growing.
Written statements supplanted hallway interviews on Tuesday, as members of Congress reacted to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine while scattered across the country and around the world.
Why it matters: The Senate began its recess last week without taking action on a package of proposed Russian sanctions. Now, the House and Senate are effectively consigned to watching and waiting for the next steps taken by Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Biden.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sees President Biden's announcement of tougher sanctions against Russia as "a powerful first step" — though he's not starry-eyed about them changing Vladimir Putin's calculus, people close to Zelensky tell Axios.
Why it matters: Zelensky has previously criticized Biden for being too soft on the Russian president. This included an extraordinary interview with Axios in June that infuriated the administration and strained the bilateral relationship.
