Activists accusing House Republicans of playing “political games” with the lives of people with HIV staged a sit-in in House Speaker Kevin McCarthy‘s (R-Calif.) personal office Monday.
The demonstration concerned both domestic program funding and the reauthorization of the global President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR.
PEPFAR, which was first signed into law in 2003, is set to expire on Sept. 30, and its reauthorization has been tangled up in abortion politics. The Associated Press has more on this here.
“PEPFAR has saved millions of lives. It is criminal for some members of Congress to treat it as a political football,” said Charles King, CEO of Housing Works, which worked with Health GAP to organize Monday’s sit-in.
Capitol Police said several demonstrators were arrested on charges of unlawful entry after refusing to stop the demonstration.
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CATCH UP QUICK
Senate candidate and current Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) criticized
California Gov. GavinNewsom‘s (D) comment that he’d appoint
a Black woman to Sen. Dianne Feinstein‘s (D) seat if it became vacant, but he would not appoint one who’s currently running — ruling out Lee. Lee said the appointee would be “a caretaker to simply check a box.”
Group of 20 leaders agreed to “pursue and encourage efforts to triple renewable energy capacity globally” in a new declaration over the weekend.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) announced she has COVID and was “experiencing mild symptoms.” Her absence leaves Democrats short one vote short as the chamber takes up spending bills this week.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)approved a new COVID vaccine on Monday as cases tick up and a winter increase is anticipated. There are a few more steps in the process before the new vaccine is available.
“Outside advisors for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday will recommend who should get the shots, which are manufactured by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech,” The Hill’s Nathaniel Weixel wrote. “Once the CDC director signs off, the shots will be available to the public.”
Meadows makes another move in Georgia election case
Mark Meadows, who served as former President Trump‘s chief of staff and is one of his 18 co-defendants in the Georgia election case, is urging a judge to block a possible conviction pending an appeal.
Meadows is appealing a judge’s ruling last week denying his request to move his case to federal court. Meadows’s legal team argues he shouldn’t face possible conviction until that appeal plays out.
“If successful, Meadows’s motion would still allow the state court to move toward trial as long as it doesn’t enter a conviction for him,” The Hill’s Zach Schonfeld explained. Read more here.
CAMPAIGN
Trump unleashes on Fox, WSJ over age questions
Former President Trump spent part of Sunday railing against Fox News and The Wall Street Journal, accusing them of pushing a narrative “that ‘BOTH’ Crooked Joe Biden and 45th President Donald J. Trump are unpopular within their own Party.”
Trump focused partly on a Wall Street Journal poll that asked respondents about the candidates’ ages and mental competencies. Trump said the questions about him came “out of nowhere” and challenged President Biden to an acuity test.
Several polls have found voters are concerned with Biden’s age. The White House, Biden’s reelection campaign and the president himself have pushed back on the concern. Read more on their comments here.
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“It was actually my first year teaching, and we had only been in school a couple of weeks when it happened, so I was very brand new still,” said Shannon Seneczko, who was teaching fifth grade 22 years ago in a Chicago suburb on Sept. 11, 2001.
“And so that kind of really hits me. That was one of my very first teaching experiences, dealing with my own emotions that day and then being there for the kids too.”
ASL services added to 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
The Department of Health and Human Services announced the addition of American Sign Language (ASL) services to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. There’s an “ASL Now” button at 988lifeline.org for those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
From The Hill’s Tiah Shepherd: “Direct dialing to 988 from a videophone — a device used by deaf and blind people that transmits video as well as audio — will be available in the coming weeks, according to the department. ASL callers can currently call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) from their videophone to access ASL services.”
PUNDIT CORNER
“I was a witness to the 1973 US-backed coup in Chile. It changed my life.” — Joe Eldridge, the founder of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) and its former executive director. (Read here)
“22 years later, 9/11 families are still fighting for justice” — Brett Eagleson, an advocate for many 9/11 community members who lost his father, Bruce Eagleson, on 9/11. (Read here)
⏲️ COUNTDOWN
16 days until the next GOP presidential primary debate.
🗓 ON TAP THIS WEEK
Monday: Florida Gov.
Ron DeSantis will participate in an interview on Fox News in the 7pm hour. Also, Walter Isaacson’s “Elon Musk” biography will be released.
Tuesday: The trial in the
Department of Justice‘s antitrust case against Google begins.
Wednesday:
9 p.m.: NewsNationhosts a town hall with former Vice President Mike Pence. Nexstar Media Group owns both NewsNation and The Hill.
Thursday: 12 p.m.: Former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly interviews former
President Trump on SiriusXM Triumph channel 111. It’s their first interview together since May 2016.
UNDER THE RADAR
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