Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, is pushing to give senators adequate time to review the package and offer amendments.
Democrats can rush forward now since the legislation, which is currently only a framework, on Wednesday cleared the 60-vote threshold to survive in the chamber. The infrastructure deal advance with 17 Republicans joining all 50 Democrats.
The vote was a major victory for President Biden, who ran on his ability to work across the aisle and now is poised to deliver $1.2 trillion of infrastructure projects.
Former President Donald Trump’s attempt to get an infrastructure deal never got off the ground with Senate Democrats.
Top Stories this PM: 228 Republicans ask to overturn Roe v. Wade; where the vaccinated are catching COVID-19
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What happened today:
Biden’s vaccine mandate. President Joe Biden announced that all federal employees will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or be tested regularly for the infectious disease and wear a mask. The White House has also asked the Pentagon to look into how to require it for the military. The move will impact the nation’s roughly 2 million federal workers and 2 million members of the armed forces.
Abortion rights are under threat … again.Nearly 230 congressional Republicans urged the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade. Forty-four senators and 184 House members believe the court should use an upcoming Mississippi case to leave abortion-related legislation up to states. And yep, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy are on the list.
Biden Orders Military to Move Toward Mandatory COVID Vaccine
U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Julianne Darius receives the Covid-19 vaccine from Senior Airman Tiffany Aiello, 108th Medical Group, New Jersey Air National Guard, on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., Feb. 21, 2021. (U.S. Air National Guard/Master Sgt. Matt Hecht)
29 Jul 2021
President Joe Biden on Thursday said he has ordered the military to start taking steps toward making the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for uniformed service members.
In comments at the White House, Biden stopped short of imposing a vaccine mandate right away. But he said he has asked the Defense Department to look into how, and when, the military will add vaccines to protect against COVID-19 to the list of other vaccinations service members must receive.
Congress passes emergency Capitol security money, Afghan aid
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The Associated Press
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Today at 3:44 p.m.
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., arrives to meet with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., before an event to promote investments in clean jobs, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, July 28, 2021. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
WASHINGTON Congress overwhelmingly passed emergency legislation today that would bolster security at the Capitol, repay outstanding debts from the violent Jan. 6 insurrection and increase the number of visas for allies who worked alongside Americans in the Afghanistan war.
The $2.1 billion bill now goes to President Joe Biden for his signature. The Senate approved the legislation today, 98-0, and the House passed it immediately afterward, 416-11.
Updated July 29, 2021 at 6:18 PM ET
With the highly transmissible delta variant driving a surge in coronavirus cases, President Biden on Thursday sought to boost a flagging vaccination campaign by announcing new efforts, including rules for federal employees and contractors. Vaccines are the best defense against you getting severely ill from COVID-19 the very best defense, Biden said in remarks from the White House.
The president has been trying to expand access to COVID-19 vaccines and pleading with Americans to get inoculated, but he has limited ability to force action.
Except when it comes to the federal workforce. Here, Biden has the ability to go beyond urging.