Axios

The Justice Department sent a letter to state officials on Transgender Day of Visibility, advising them that blocking transgender and non-binary youth from receiving gender-affirming treatment could violate U.S. law.

Why it matters: Thursday's announcement comes as a wave of anti-trans laws targeting transgender youth has been introduced and passed in a number of Republican states around the country.

On Jan. 6, 2021, during an apparent seven-hour gap in White House call logs that the House select committee investigating the attack is now trying to piece together, then-President Trump's executive assistant, Molly Michael, was absent for most of the day, three sources with direct knowledge tell Axios.

Why it matters: Though sources said the Trump White House's already spotty record-keeping operation had virtually collapsed by the final weeks of his presidency, Michael's absence is a previously unreported detail that may play a role in explaining the incomplete records for a key stretch of time.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) signed a bill Thursday to create the U.S.'s first statewide alert system for missing Indigenous people.

The big picture: Native American women experience higher rates of violence than most other women, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) said in an October report. They are murdered at rates more than 10 times the national average.

Ivanka Trump has helped virtually organize CEOs, industry leaders and nonprofit groups to deploy medicine, medical supplies and hospital equipment to Ukraine and Poland, an aide tells me.

Driving the news: After donating 1 million meals to be distributed in Ukraine, she spoke with the Polish ambassador to the UN, Krzysztof Szczerski, who said Ukraine was in dire need of medical supplies.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) in a Teen Vogue op-ed out Thursday urged lawmakers to pass federal protections for transgender children, writing that such measures "cannot wait any longer."

Why it matters: March 31 marks Transgender Day of Visibility. It comes this year as Republican-led states across the nation continue to introduce and pass legislation targeting transgender youth.

President Biden is ordering the release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve of 1 million barrels per day on average for the next six months, he announced Thursday.

Why it matters: The historic release size underscores how much Russia's war is causing havoc in energy markets — and how the White House hopes to limit political fallout from high gas prices.

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) announced in a statement Thursday that he is endorsing Rep. Madison Cawthorn's (R-N.C.) opponent, GOP state Sen. Chuck Edwards, in the state's upcoming primary race, CNN reported.

Why it matters: Rep. Madison Cawthorn has drawn the ire of his Republican colleagues after suggesting that other lawmakers have invited him to orgies and snorted cocaine in front of him.

Left-leaning Latina political consultants tired of being underrepresented in their field have formed a coalition to leverage their influence.

Why it matters: Latinos are one of the nation's fastest-growing voting blocs, with around 30.6 million eligible voters in 2020. But congressional campaigns historically have looked to few Hispanic political consultants — and even fewer Latinas — as both parties scramble to reach these voters.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) says he has “concerns” about the sexual harassment allegations surrounding Eric Garcetti, publicly raising the possibility he could oppose President Biden’s nominee for ambassador to India.

Why it matters: Two Senate Republicans have already placed “holds” on the Los Angeles mayor's nomination, preventing a speedy floor vote. Blumenthal's added doubts mean Garcetti’s nomination is firmly in limbo — and in danger of suffocating.

CIA Director William Burns, 65, tested positive for COVID-19 from a routine PCR test, the agency said Thursday.

Driving the news: Burns last saw President Biden Wednesday morning "in a socially distanced meeting, and was wearing an N-95 mask. Their interaction is not considered close contact as defined by CDC guidance," the CIA said in a news release.

President Joe Biden will issue a directive Thursday to boost domestic production of metals and minerals used in large capacity batteries, electric vehicles and the energy sector, according to the White House.

Why it matters: Adding the materials under the 1950 Defense Production Act is part of the Biden administration's efforts to curb rising fuel prices from supply chain disruptions and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

LGBTQ advocates filed a lawsuit Thursday challenging Florida's controversial Parental Rights in Education Bill — which critics have dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" law.

Why it matters: This is the first federal challenge to the law, which bans classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity from kindergarten through 3rd grade.

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Thursday confirmed that he plans to run for another term as the GOP's leader in the chamber but said, "I don't own the job," when asked about a potential challenge by Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.).

Driving the news: "Anybody in the conference can run if they choose to," McConnell said at a Punchbowl News event on Thursday.

Democrats across the political spectrum are panicking about a recent NBC News poll showing President Biden's approval rating at the lowest levels yet — 40%.

Why it matters: Moderate and progressive Democrats, particularly in the House, are fearful of an electoral tsunami this November. They tell Axios they're unsure whether the party can repair the damage in time.

U.S. citizens will be able to select "X" as their gender on their U.S. passport applications from April 11, the White House announced Thursday as part of a rollout of new policies to coincide with Transgender Day of Visibility.

Why it matters: The development is a milestone for Americans who identify as nonbinary and gender-nonconforming, and the White House Tuesday called it a "major step" in the president's efforts to expand their access to accurate ID documents.

The Department of Health and Human Services will fly a trans pride flag in honor of Transgender Day of Visibility, becoming the first federal agency to do so, the White House announced Thursday.

The big picture: President Biden on Wednesday declared March 31 as the Transgender Day of Visibility to "recognize the resilience, strength, and joy of transgender, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming people."

Nikki Haley — former U.S. ambassador to the U.N., and South Carolina governor — on Oct. 4 will publish a book "If You Want Something Done ... ," aimed at inspiring the next generation of female leaders.

• Haley hit the N.Y. Times bestseller list with an earlier memoir, "With All Due Respect." The new book "celebrates some of the world's most iconic and inspirational women leaders."

Five Ukrainian women, all members of parliament, left Kyiv this week for Washington — but only long enough to ask in person for more help before heading back into danger.

Driving the news: "We are mothers. We are MPs. We are volunteers. We are coordinators. And we are fighters," Ukrainian MP Maria Ionova told a group of journalists on Wednesday after meetings with lawmakers and Pentagon and State Department officials. "We do not have time to be diplomatic and must be very direct with you."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday night that Russia's invasion has reached a "turning point," as Russian forces launch attacks in the Donbas region of Ukraine while bombarding Kyiv and other key cities.

Driving the news: Zelensky said during his televised address that he had spoken with President Biden about Ukrainian forces needing more military help, as he noted there's an "ongoing negotiation process" with Russian officials but added "these are still words."

U.S. and British intelligence officials believe Russian President Vladimir Putin has "massively misjudged" the economic and military consequences of his forces invading Ukraine.

State of play: The head of British intelligence agency GCHQ said in a rare address Thursday that Putin was trying to follow through on his plan, but "it is failing." So Putin's "Plan B has been more barbarity against civilians and cities," GCHQ director Jeremy Fleming said in his address in Canberra, Australia.

President Biden met Wednesday with the parents of Trevor Reed, a former Marine who has been wrongfully detained in Russia since 2019, the White House said in a news release.

Driving the news: Biden in the meeting told Joey and Paula Reed he's committed to securing the release of their son, along with other Americans wrongfully held in Russia and elsewhere, per the White House.

Some Democratic governors up for re-election are proposing to use their budget surplus to give cash directly to residents through stimulus checks and rebates.

Why it matters: It's a direct form of relief to a beleaguered population — and potential voters — as Americans feel the effects of inflation and sky-high gas prices.

Democrats have a reality check for Black voters: achieving what they want all boils down to math.

Driving the news: "This is not a Joe Biden issue, and it's definitely not a caucus issue," Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), said Wednesday to an annual gathering of Black print, TV and radio journalists. "We don't have the numbers right now on voting rights."

Federal regulators last week allowed a legal loophole that could effectively let former members of Congress spend leftover campaign money on personal expenses.

Why it matters: Campaign finance reform advocates say that opens the door to former public servants to live large off of money intended for political contests. Scores are already retired, and more members are heading for the door this fall ahead of potential Democratic losses and GOP challenges.