The House met at noon for legislative business and is set to pass legislation that aims to prevent the White House from instituting expansive travel bans like the one former President Donald J. Trump imposed on predominantly Muslim countries, and would explicitly bar any such edict based on religion. The No Ban Act would restrict the president’s wide-ranging power to control immigration by requiring that travel bans be temporary and subject to congressional oversight, among other limitations. It would prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion. The House is also expected to approve a related measure that would require that certain immigrants be allowed access to a lawyer when they are detained at ports of entry.
The Senate met at 10:30 a.m. and confirmed the nomination of Vanita Gupta for associate attorney general despite nearly unified opposition from Republicans. Gupta was confirmed by a 51-49 vote, largely along party lines. Moderate Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, of Alaska, voted along with the Democrats. Earlier in the day, the Senate advanced Gupta’s nomination for the Justice Department’s Number three spot in a 51-49 vote after Murkowski joined all Democrats in bringing the nomination to a vote and vowed to back her confirmation. Murkowski’s support meant Vice President Kamala Harris was not needed to break a tie.
This morning, former senator Bill Nelson (D-Florida), President Joe Biden’s pick to be NASA Administrator, said during his confirmation hearing that he would push to land the astronauts on the moon as soon as possible, carrying on the key space policy program of the Trump administration. Nelson said the ambitious moon program, dubbed Artemis, transcends politics and that it “has to be continued, regardless of who’s in the majority, of who’s in the presidency.” Nelson was one of three Biden administration nominees who appeared simultaneously before members of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee in a hearing notable for an often constant switch among topics. The other nominees were Lina Khan, who has been named to be a member of the Federal Trade Commission, and Leslie Kiernan, who Biden has tapped as general counsel of the Department of Commerce.
President Biden on Wednesday announced the nation is poised to meet his goal of administering 200 million coronavirus vaccine doses before his 100th day in office and urged U.S. employers to provide paid time off for workers to get their vaccines as part of efforts to boost demand for the shots. As the pace of vaccinations has accelerated over the past few weeks and with supply beginning to outpace demand, Mr. Biden announced new tax incentives for small and medium-sized businesses to provide leave for their employees for when they receive their vaccinations and for recovery from any side effects. White House FACT SHEET.
