Dems nominate Pelosi as speaker again to lead into Biden era
Against that backdrop, many House Democrats have for years impatiently insisted it's time for fresh leadership. To become speaker again, Pelosi will need more votes than House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who’s likely to garner nearly unanimous GOP support. Though she's likely to succeed, it won’t be simple because when Pelosi was elected speaker in January 2019, 15 Democrats opposed her. Pelosi came to Congress in 1987 and has led House Democrats, both as the minority and majority party, ever since 2003. Pelosi has won wide acclaim among Democrats as a leading Trump foe in battles over impeachment, immigration and health care.
Biden vows to 'get right to work' despite Trump resistance
– Vowing “to get right to work,” President-elect Joe Biden shrugged off President Donald Trump's fierce refusal to accept the election outcome as “inconsequential,” even as Democrats elsewhere warned that the Republican president's actions were dangerous. But just 71 days before he will be inaugurated, Trump and his allies seemed determined to make Biden's transition as difficult as possible. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, among six world leaders overall, congratulated Biden on his election. Meanwhile, Biden tried to stay focused on health care in the midst of the worst health crisis in more than a century. The closed-door meeting marked the first time a Biden transition official has addressed the Democrats' Senate caucus since last week's election.
Kushner says Black people must 'want to be successful'
WASHINGTON – Presidential adviser Jared Kushner said Monday that President Donald Trump wants to help Black people in America, but they have to “want to be successful" for his policies to work. She said they were trying to distract from Trump's “undeniable record of accomplishment” for Black people. Smith, who is Black, tweeted a photo of himself with Kushner and Vice President Mike Pence. Smith said Kushner has been “a huge advocate" for the issues that affect Black America, and named criminal justice reform, opportunity zones, trade and jobs. Trump, who has been trying to appeal to the Black community, has been promoting his attempts to set up economic opportunity zones, provide steady funding for historically Black colleges and universities, and institute criminal justice reforms.
Congressman seeks to end park's designation as Lee memorial
But Democratic Rep. Don Beyer, whose district is home to Arlington House, said it's time that Lee's name be stripped. Beyer's plans for legislation comes as descendants of a family enslaved at Arlington House have been lobbying for a name change. Surrounding the mansion is Arlington National Cemetery, which draws nearly 4 million visitors a year. Craig Syphax of Arlington is one of the descendants of Arlington House slaves who requested Beyer take action. He said learning his family history in his adult years helped give him a new outlook on life.
Trump committed to July 4 celebration despite lawmaker alarm
As President Trump has said, there will be an Independence Day celebration this year and it will have a different look than 2019 to ensure the health and safety of those attending, Deere said. Last year's July Fourth event featured tanks, a military flyover and a Trump speech at the Lincoln Memorial. Under recommendations by the mayors Reopen DC task force, large gatherings are prohibited during the first phase of reopening. In Phase Three, gatherings would cap at 250 people, with physical distancing. Large gatherings, like the Independence Day event, would not occur until the District enters Phase Four, "when a vaccine or other cure has been widely administered, or the disease has effectively disappeared.