Presented by The AIDS Institute Welcome to The Hill’s Morning Report. Today is Thursday! We get you up to speed on the most important developments in politics and policy, plus trends to watch. Alexis Simendinger and Al Weaver are the co-creators. Readers can find us on Twitter @asimendinger and @alweaver22. Please recommend the Morning Report to friends and let us know what you think. CLICK HERE to subscribe! Total U.S. coronavirus deaths each morning this week: Monday, 498,901; Tuesday, 500,310; Wednesday, 502,660; Thursday, 505,890. Johnson & Johnson's vaccine is effective at preventing moderate and severe cases of COVID-19, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday, paving the way for the shot to potentially be approved for emergency use this week and for shots to be administered to Americans next week. According to the FDA’s analysis, the single-dose vaccine is 66 percent effective, well within the agency's standards, and safe to use. The vaccination is also more than 85 percent effective at preventing severe COVID-19 cases and completely prevents hospitalizations and deaths ( The Hill ). Wednesday’s news was a major boost for the U.S.’s efforts to ramp up vaccinations across the country as it will hand it a third shot to use to inoculate Americans against the virus that has ravaged the country over the past year. President Biden Joe Biden Klain on Manchin's objection to Neera Tanden: He 'doesn't answer to us at the White House' Senators given no timeline on removal of National Guard, Capitol fence Overnight Defense: New Senate Armed Services chairman talks Pentagon policy nominee, Afghanistan, more | Biden reads report on Khashoggi killing | Austin stresses vaccine safety in new video MORE ’s COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients Jeff Zients Overnight Health Care: Johnson & Johnson vaccine safe, effective in FDA analysis | 3-4 ...
Presenters of this morning
Congressional Black Caucus unveils ‘100 Day Plan’
Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chairperson Joyce Beatty Joyce Birdson Beatty Harris holds first meeting in ceremonial office with CBC members On The Money: Senate panels postpone Tanden meetings in negative sign | Biden signs supply chain order after 'positive' meeting with lawmakers Congressional Black Caucus unveils '100 Day Plan' MORE (D-Ohio) on Wednesday rolled out the group’s “100 Day Plan,” outlining the CBC’s legislative priorities that it hopes to see come to fruition during the first months of President Biden Joe Biden Klain on Manchin's objection to Neera Tanden: He 'doesn't answer to us at the White House' Senators given no timeline on removal of National Guard, Capitol fence Overnight Defense: New Senate Armed Services chairman talks Pentagon policy nominee, Afghanistan, more | Biden reads report on Khashoggi killing | Austin stresses vaccine safety in new video MORE ’s administration. The virtual event began with a video introducing the caucus’s new theme “our power, our message,” featuring CBC members celebrating Black History Month and the caucus’s 50th anniversary. Established in 1971, the caucus has a record 58 members, three more than the previous record set in the last Congress. The release of the caucus’s “100 Day Plan” comes as Black activists and lawmakers have set high expectations for the Biden White House. In November, after becoming president-elect, Biden promised to have Black Americans’ backs, a pledge that the caucus fully expects the president to keep. ADVERTISEMENT Black voter turnout was up across the country, with record turnout occurring in Georgia, a traditionally Republican stronghold that Democrats were able to flip. Notably, Democrats swept the Peach State’s Senate runoff races, giving the Democratic Party the majority. Vice President Harris — a CBC alum — casts the tie-breaking vote on bills split along party lines, a slim advantage that could potentially give ...
Haaland courts moderates during tense Senate confirmation hearing
Interior secretary nominee Deb Haaland Deb Haaland Biden's picks face peril in 50-50 Senate OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Key vote for Haaland's confirmation | Update on oil and gas leasing | SEC update on climate-related risk disclosure requirements Manchin will back Haaland's confirmation MORE sought to court moderates while facing tough questions during her Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday. Haaland, a progressive House Democrat from New Mexico who has expressed support for the Green New Deal and opposition to a controversial oil and gas extraction method called fracking, emphasized her bipartisan record in making her case. She was introduced on the first of two days of question-and-answer sessions by Rep. Don Young Donald (Don) Edwin Young Haaland courts moderates during tense Senate confirmation hearing OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Haaland courts moderates during tense confirmation hearing | GOP's Westerman looks to take on Democrats on climate change | White House urges passage of House public lands package Haaland courts moderates during tense confirmation hearing MORE (R-Alaska), who noted that he disagreed with her on fossil fuels but stressed that “she will listen to you.” ADVERTISEMENT Haaland faced forceful opposition from Republicans who questioned her on fracking, fossil fuels and a past tweet in which she said Republicans don’t believe in science. She repeatedly noted that she will be implementing President Biden Joe Biden Klain on Manchin's objection to Neera Tanden: He 'doesn't answer to us at the White House' Senators given no timeline on removal of National Guard, Capitol fence Overnight Defense: New Senate Armed Services chairman talks Pentagon policy nominee, Afghanistan, more | Biden reads report on Khashoggi killing | Austin stresses vaccine safety in new video MORE ’s agenda, not her own. Biden has said he doesn’t support the Green New Deal, and he opposes bans on ...
