The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Biden ramps up assistance to Ukraine

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–> A midday take on what’s happening in politics and how to have a sense of humor about it.* 

*Ha. Haha. Hahah. Sniff. Haha. Sniff. Ha–breaks down crying hysterically.

NEWS THIS MORNING 

Take it, keep it, use it: 

President Biden is expected to send an additional $750 million in military aid to Ukraine, according to The Hill’s Laura Kelly and Morgan Chalfant. https://bit.ly/3O8W9OA

Timing: “Russia has shifted its war aims in recent days, pulling back troops from Kyiv after Moscow was unable to capture the city. U.S. and Ukrainian officials say they anticipate Russia will now focus its attention on southern and eastern areas of Ukraine.”  

What could potentially be included in this package: “Two U.S. officials said the aid package could be worth $750 million. The package is likely to include new capabilities, such as unmanned surface vehicles — sometimes called sea drones or drone ships — and Mi-17 helicopters, according to a U.S. official and a senior defense official.” More from NBC News’s Courtney Kube and Carol E. Lee: https://nbcnews.to/37htQfZ

The goal: “Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks on Tuesday told reporters that the Pentagon was looking to provide Ukraine with weapons that would ‘give them a little more range and distance.’” More from Politico’s Alexander Ward and Andrew Desiderio: https://politi.co/3M5iBGb

This a.m.: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted a plea for more weaponry. Watch: https://bit.ly/3E8G6vi 

LIGHTER TIDBITS FROM UKRAINE:

A popular souvenir in Lviv, Ukraine: CNN’s Jake Tapper tweeted that he saw a “wide variety of Putin-themed toilet paper for sale in downtown Lviv gift shop.” Photo of the selection: https://bit.ly/3jwi5Fc 

Wow: A puppy was found under debris after Russian shelling. Video of the puppy’s rescue and reunion with its owner: https://bit.ly/3viyPFg 

Remember the Russia warship meme? It’s now a stamp:  The Economist’s Oliver Carroll tweeted, “The Russian warship meme — a masterstroke of Ukrainian propaganda — is now officially a stamp.” Photo of the stamp: https://bit.ly/368DnWc 

Carroll added: “They printed a million of them. Workers at the main post office in Kyiv say they are already running out.” An up-close photo of the stamp: https://bit.ly/3KDNd1u 

^ If you aren’t familiar with the meme, here’s the gist: While defending a small, Ukrainian island, Ukrainian soldiers told Russian invaders: “Russian warship, go f*** yourself.” It became a viral meme. Full explanation from The Wrap: https://bit.ly/3KDpWwl

It’s Wednesday. I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send comments, story ideas and events for our radar to cmartel@digital-stage.thehill.com — and follow along on Twitter @CateMartel and Facebook.

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THE LATEST WITH INFLATION 

There’s no quick fix to inflation — and Democrats are acutely aware of that headache:

Via The Hill’s Alexander Bolton, “A report by the Labor Department that inflation in March rose by 8.5 percent compared to a year ago is setting off new alarm among Democrats that their Senate majority is in serious trouble.” 

“The bad news for Democrats is that inflation is projected to be a problem for the rest of this year, there’s not much they can do about it in the short term and it is souring Americans’ view of the economy.”  

What this could mean for the Senate midterm map: https://bit.ly/3xk6fpM 

‘DEMOCRATS FACE NIGHTMARE SCENARIO, ‘BIBLICAL DISASTER’: 
Read Niall Stanage’s column today in The Hill: https://bit.ly/37HpEpQ 

SHOT AND CHASER: 
Vox’s Dylan Matthews tweeted headlines he wrote in July 2021 versus today. https://bit.ly/3jRUvmB 

He wrote in July: “Don’t worry about inflation: Why fears of the return of 1970s-style inflation are overblown.” Read the piece: https://bit.ly/3KLZGAk 

And a follow-up today: “How I (and US policymakers) got inflation wrong: Bad takes, revisited.” Read April 2022 reaction: https://bit.ly/3JIS7st

This is an interesting read — ‘This cheeseburger explains your bigger grocery bill’:

Politico’s Ximena Bustillo and Steven Overly examine the root causes of each of the increases on your grocery bill. https://politi.co/3EdReqP 

“The rising cost of each ingredient is the product of a range of economic forces and geopolitical conditions that are disrupting how our food gets from the farm to our tables. They include interrupted supply chains, dire labor shortages, climate disasters and, most recently, the war in Ukraine.” 

Breakdown by grocery item: https://politi.co/3EdReqP

NEWS THIS MORNING 

The manhunt for the Brooklyn shooting suspect:

Authorities have officially named Frank R. James as a suspect in the shooting at a Brooklyn subway station yesterday. 

Was anyone killed?: No. At least 29 people were shot or injured, but none of the injuries are life-threatening, according to WABC News. https://7ny.tv/3vfgjh3 

Investigators linked the incident to a rented U-Haul van: “The key and the credit card used to rent the van were both found at the Sunset Park station. That’s what yielded James’ name,” according to NBC New York. What else we know about the suspect: https://bit.ly/369YuHR 

‘HOW THE BROOKLYN SUBWAY SHOOTING UNFOLDED’: 
Here’s a timeline and graphics to show what happened, via The New York Times: https://nyti.ms/37l9pie 

LATEST WITH COVID-19 

How I imagine a COVID-19 internal all-hands meeting —

‘OK team, the mask mandate is about to expire. You know what to do!’: 

The mask mandate on public transportation is set to expire on Monday after multiple extensions. 

Will it actually expire?: It could go either way. The White House is considering extending the mandate versus letting it expire. 

What about BA.2?: The omicron subvariant is causing a rise in cases in some states. Yes, but: “[T]he White House has indicated that it is not overly concerned about the variant due to the low hospitalization numbers associated with recent cases.”  

What we know about the decision on whether to extend the mandate: The White House says an extension is being considered, but that it will let the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) decide. The CDC says it will have guidance in the “next few days.”  

What to expect, via The Hill’s Alex Gangitano: https://bit.ly/3EaSJWH

^ NEW UPDATE — What’s another two weeks between friends?: 

“The Biden administration will extend the federal mask mandate for all transportation networks through May 3, 15 days after it had been set to expire amid a new coronavirus surge fueled by the BA.2 variant.” Details: https://bit.ly/3JRItEl

CASE NUMBERS:  

Coronavirus cases in the U.S.: 80,479,911

U.S. death toll: 986,452

Breakdown of the numbers: https://cnn.it/2UAgW3y 

VACCINATION NUMBERS: 

Total number of vaccinations administered in the U.S.: 567 million shots have been given. 

Seven-day average of doses administered: An average of 104,373 doses 

For context: The U.S. population is roughly 331 million. 

Breakdown of the numbers: https://bloom.bg/3iVTPLH 

NOTABLE TWEETS: 

All dog owners can relate to this one:

AFAR Media’s Victoria M. Walker tweeted, “My dog, who does not pay rent or bills and is, himself, a bill, has sighed three times in the past five minutes.” https://bit.ly/3viQi0g 

^Lol, this tweet clearly resonated with people because it has more than 556,000 likes so far. 

This is pretty great: 

Axios’s Kendall Baker tweeted a clip of Tampa Bay Rays’ Brett Phillips discussing a home run he hit after meeting with a girl battling cancer. Watch — I think she gets the credit for that hit: https://bit.ly/3uF1oOi

ON TAP: 

The House and Senate are out. President Biden and Vice President Harris are in Washington, D.C. 

10:15 a.m. EDT: President Biden and Vice President Harris received the President’s Daily Brief. 

6:15 p.m. EDT: Vice President Harris participates in a Democratic National Committee fundraiser. 

April 18: Tax Day. USA Today’s Orlando Mayorquin has an explainer on why it’s not on April 15 this year: https://bit.ly/3OcwIeL 

WHAT TO WATCH: 

2:15 p.m. EDT: Vice President Harris meets with Cabinet officials to discuss improving maternal health. Livestream: https://bit.ly/3KHcgR1 

3 p.m. EDT: White House press secretary Jen Psaki holds a press briefing. Livestream: https://bit.ly/3JxpIpm 

IN LIGHTER NEWS: 

Today is National Peach Cobbler Day.

And to brighten your day, here are some of the best cheerleaders a runner could ever ask for: https://bit.ly/36fkIs0