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President Biden is considering appointing Matthew Rojansky, head of the Wilson Center's Kennan Institute, as Russia director on the National Security Council, according to a source familiar with the situation.
Why it matters: Rojansky has been praised for his scholarship on Russia and is frequently cited in U.S. media for his expert commentary. But his work has drawn criticism — including in a 2018 open letter from Ukrainian alumni of Kennan that blasted the think tank he runs as an "unwitting tool of Russia’s political interference."
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After co-piloting President Obama's efforts to fight climate change as vice president, Joe Biden is having his second go, releasing a broad infrastructure proposal his administration hopes will lead to meaningful legislation and investment into stemming U.S. greenhouse emissions.
The big picture: Though there are no concrete programs yet — Congress will have to formulate those — many in venture capital are hopeful such programs will provide new opportunities for startups tackling climate change.
Special assistant to the president and coordinator for the Southern Border Ambassador Roberta Jacobson speaks as White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki listens during a daily press briefing at the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House March 10 in Washington, D.C. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images
Southern border coordinator Roberta Jacobson’s last day in the Biden White House will be at the end of April before she retires, she announced on Friday.
Why it matters: The former ambassador to Mexico has been at the forefront of the administration’s efforts to handle the surge of migrants at the border — which shows no sign of stopping.
Supreme Court Justices at Biden's inauguration in January 2021. Photo: Patrick Semansky/AP Photo/Bloomberg via Getty Images
President Biden will sign an executive order Friday that creates a bipartisan commission to study a number of Supreme Court reforms, including expanding the number of seats on the court, the White House said.
Why it matters: The six-month commission, promised by Biden throughout the 2020 election, will provide an analysis of the principal arguments surrounding the divisive subject. Progressives are pushing for more seats after former President Trump appointed three justices to the court.
Biden speaking in the Rose Garden of the White House on April 8. Photo: Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The Biden administration unveiled its first budget proposal to Congress on Friday, offering a glimpse into President Biden's policy agenda for the 2022 fiscal year.
The big picture: The $1.52 trillion budget proposal outlines top-line figures for Biden's major priorities, though it will ultimately be up to Congress to begin the lengthy appropriations process and allocate funding to federal agencies.
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Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) is pushing the Biden administration to designate overseas white supremacist groups as foreign terrorists, Reuters reported Friday.
Why it matters: White supremacist propaganda nearly doubled in the U.S. last year. Social media and conferences have allowed different groups to draw inspiration from one another, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
President Biden called gun violence in the U.S. an "epidemic" and "international embarrassment" in a press conference Thursday announcing new executive actions on gun access.
Why it matters: A recent spate of mass shootings, including two high-profile incidents that killed a total of 18 people, has fueled calls for greater action.
Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
The Treasury Department estimates its plan to end subsidies for fossil fuel companies would bring in over $35 billion in federal revenue over 10 years.
Driving the news: "The main impact would be on oil and gas company profits. Research suggests little impact on gasoline or energy prices for U.S. consumers and little impact on our energy security," officials said in a report on the wider White House tax policy proposal.
President Biden. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images
President Biden is expected to present a series of executive actions on guns Thursday, including directing his Justice Department to tighten regulations on purchases of so-called “ghost guns."
Why it matters: The president has faced increased pressure from Democrats and gun violence prevention groups to act on the issue following a series of recent high-profile gun tragedies across the U.S.
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The U.S. Treasury has disbursed over 156 million direct payments worth approximately $372 billion since President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan into law, the agency announced Wednesday.
What to watch: The fourth batch of relief checks — over 25 million payments worth more than $36 billion — is due to start appearing in bank accounts on Wednesday, according to the Treasury.