Momentum against TikTok is brewing in Congress, where House Republicans are marking up legislation to empower President Biden to ban the app.
Why it matters: The U.S. government's security review of TikTok has dragged on for years, and lawmakers are growing impatient to appear strong against potential Chinese threats.
Draft legislation to stop Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) from profiting after leaving office has already garnered support from several of his Republican colleagues, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: It highlights a growing chasm between Santos and his fellow New York Republican freshmen – many in swing districts – as they seek distance from the embattled Long Islander ahead of 2024.
Mississippi became the third state to ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth in 2023 after Gov. Tate Reeves (R) signed the GOP-led bill into law on Tuesday.
The big picture: The move comes amid a mounting attack on trans rights that has escalated in recent weeks as high-profile Republicans, including former President Trump, are jockeying to establish increasingly extreme positions on gender-affirming care.
Progressive lawmakers are accusing conservative Supreme Court judges of putting politics over legal analysis on President Biden's student debt forgiveness plan.
Why it matters: Those lawmakers say existing legislation gives the Biden administration the authority to eliminate debt, a decision that is in the best overall interest of the economy.
President Biden announced Tuesday that he plans to nominate Julie Su, a longtime advocate for workers' rights, to lead the Labor Department.
Why it matters: If confirmed, Su, who currently serves as the department's No. 2, will replace outgoing labor secretary Marty Walsh, making her the first Cabinet-level secretary of Asian heritage in the Biden administration.
Why it matters: During oral arguments on Tuesday, the conservative justices questioned Biden's legal authority to offer the debt relief, signaling that the fate of the far-reaching plan may be endangered.
For Black History Month, Axios journalists from around the country identified local heroes in their cities.
Through the lens: Whether an executive director created the first office of racial equity in San Francisco, or a Columbus-based teacher who led efforts to desegregate the city school system, these Black trailblazers and lesser-known historical figures have made their mark. Learn more about them:
House Republicans are pushing to give defendants in ongoing Jan. 6 riot cases access to raw Capitol surveillance footage from the day of the attack.
Driving the news: "It is our intention to make available any relevant videos and documents on a case-by-case basis as requested by attorney’s representing defendants," Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), chair of the House Administration Committee’s oversight subpanel, said in a statement.
The House panel investigating China's threat to the U.S. began its work this week by hearing emotional testimony about the Chinese Communist Party's brutal treatment of dissidents and pro-democracy activists.
Why it matters: The harrowing stories of those who escaped the regime's crackdowns were meant to establish the CCP as not just an economic, technological and military threat — but also as a menace to human rights.
Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.) on Tuesday introduced a bill that seeks to tighten safety measures for trains carrying hazardous materials and to ensure they are properly classified.
Why it matters: This is the first bill to be put forth by Congress after the derailment of a Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous materials in East Palestine, Ohio, this month.
President Biden is preparing to run for re-election with a relentless, aggressive focus on the economy — convinced the data cuts in his favor, even as vast swathes of the public remain skeptical that conditions have improved.
Why it matters: It’s a high-risk, high-reward strategy.
House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) is declaring a huge portion of the U.S. government ripe for investigation, dramatically expanding Republicans' probes beyond the Biden administration, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: The Oversight panel has a broad mandate to ensure the effectiveness of U.S. agencies, but Comer's plan is particularly ambitious — involving probes of everything from the U.S. Postal Service to the National Archives to the city of Washington, D.C.
The White House has mandated that federal agencies remove TikTok from phones and systems in a bid to keep U.S. data safe, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced Monday.
The big picture: The ban follows similar actions from Canada, the EU and Taiwan, notes Reuters, which first reported the news.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantisis aggressively testing the limits of running an unofficial presidential campaign, ramping up national engagements that leave little doubt about his plans for 2024.
Why it matters: DeSantis and former President Trump are the GOP frontrunners, but their approaches to campaigning so far have been starkly different.
Obama editing a speech in 2009. Photo: Pete Souza/The White House via Getty Images
One of former President Obama’s speechwriters will be out with a book next year on how everyday citizens can connect with their audiences.
Driving the news: Terry Szuplat, one of Obama’s longest-serving wordsmiths, has signed a deal with HarperCollins to publish a book that he’s been noodling on for more than a year: "Well Said: Find Your Voice, Speak Your Mind, Inspire Any Audience."
