Trade nominee Tai appears poised for Finance committee approval

Trade nominee Tai appears poised for Finance committee approval-rollcall:  As the nation’s top trade official, Katherine Tai says she would hold trading partners to their obligations, shape trade policies to benefit U.S. workers and strive for balance in dealing with geopolitical rival China.

For Young Kim, it all began with ‘Atlas Shrugged’

For Young Kim, it all began with ‘Atlas Shrugged’-rollcall:  Energizer Bunny status, showdowns at the family pingpong table, representing California’s 39th District in Congress — Rep. Young Kim shares much in common with her former boss, Ed Royce.

Biden orders supply chain review for 4 industries

Biden orders supply chain review for 4 industries-politico:  President Joe Biden will sign an executive order on Wednesday to review the global supply chains used by four key industries in an effort to avoid the shortages in medical equipment, semiconductors and other goods seen as critical during the pandemic.

Newsom recall drive faces tight finish based on latest California data

Newsom recall drive faces tight finish based on latest California data-politico:  The campaign to recall California Gov. Gavin Newsom has had nearly 670,000 signatures validated with a month left to reach roughly 1.5 million, according to an official Friday update, but the total number of valid signatures submitted is likely larger.

Dems prepare for party-line House vote on Biden's pandemic aid bill

Dems prepare for party-line House vote on Biden's pandemic aid bill-politico:  The House is on track to pass President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package by the end of this week as Congress sprints to deliver aid to millions of Americans reeling from the pandemic and facing a jobless benefits cliff in mid-March.

How Covid-19 could make Americans healthier

How Covid-19 could make Americans healthier-politico:  If you tried to design a weapon customized to exploit every weakness in the U.S. health care system, you might have come up with SARS-CoV-2: the novel coronavirus.

Let’s Cut PACs Some Slack

Let’s Cut PACs Some Slack-publicaffairscouncil:  PACs aren’t the problem in campaign financing, but they may be the solution.

Biden invests $1.6 billion in COVID-19 tests, genomic sequencing

Biden invests $1.6 billion in COVID-19 tests, genomic sequencing-rollcall:  The Biden administration plans to invest $1.6 billion toward improving COVID-19 testing and genomic sequencing of the coronavirus while it waits for lawmakers to approve more funds through the congressional COVID-19 relief package.

Hoyer: 'Bipartisan' earmarks comeback in the offing

Hoyer: 'Bipartisan' earmarks comeback in the offing-politico:  House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer privately told Democrats on Tuesday that earmarks will be revived this Congress and that he can "guarantee" the effort "will be bipartisan," according to two people on the call.

FDA commissioner race could test pharmaceutical industry’s sway

FDA commissioner race could test pharmaceutical industry’s sway-rollcall:  A tug of war over who should lead the Food and Drug Administration at a critical moment has become a referendum on how the value of agency experience stacks up against new perspectives on how the FDA should regulate the pharmaceutical industry.

U.S. still falling short on basic tools to fight the virus

U.S. still falling short on basic tools to fight the virus-politico:  President Joe Biden took office with a clear plan to attack the coronavirus. But the United States is still falling short on the public health steps needed to fight a highly contagious disease, a problem that’s taking on mounting urgency as new variants of Covid-19 begin to spread around the country.

Administration considers COVID-19 tests for domestic flights

Administration considers COVID-19 tests for domestic flights-rollcall:  Despite bipartisan concern about a proposal to require domestic air travelers to take a COVID-19 test before being permitted to board a flight, two Biden administration officials say the administration is still considering the idea.

Budget nominee Tanden pledges to work with Republicans if confirmed

Budget nominee Tanden pledges to work with Republicans if confirmed-rollcall:  Neera Tanden, President Joe Biden’s nominee to lead the Office of Management and Budget, plans to tell senators Tuesday that she will work with Republicans and Democrats if she is confirmed.

Democrats clear path for filibuster-proof coronavirus relief bill

Democrats clear path for filibuster-proof coronavirus relief bill-rollcall:  The House gave final approval to a budget blueprint that will allow a dozen committees to start writing a massive coronavirus relief package next week. The tally was 219-209, following early morning Senate adoption on a 51-50 vote after Vice President Kamala Harris broke a tie.

Senate approves budget to sideline GOP on Biden’s $1.9T stimulus

Senate approves budget to sideline GOP on Biden’s $1.9T stimulus-politico:  The Senate approved a budget resolution early Friday morning to speed passage of President Joe Biden’s pandemic aid plan without the need for Republican buy-in.

Frontrunner emerges for Biden’s Medicare and Medicaid chief

Frontrunner emerges for Biden’s Medicare and Medicaid chief-politico:  Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, a longtime Democratic health policy expert, has emerged as the leading candidate to run President Joe Biden’s Medicare and Medicaid agency, according to three sources familiar with the Biden team’s discussions.

Relief bill starts to take shape as budget votes approach

Relief bill starts to take shape as budget votes approach-rollcall:  The Senate voted to move forward with debate Tuesday on a budget blueprint that will set the stage for filibuster-proof passage of a massive coronavirus relief package.  The 50-49 vote opens debate on the Democrats’ budget resolution, which would carve out room for up to $1.9 trillion in additional deficit spending, as proposed by President Joe Biden, on top of $3.5 trillion enacted last year.

Biden takes a fine-if-we-get-it approach to bipartisanship

Biden takes a fine-if-we-get-it approach to bipartisanship-politico:  Joe Biden was eager to meet with Republican senators Monday to discuss Covid relief legislation. But the show of bipartisanship is likely to be just that — a show.

Sweeping budget blueprint for pandemic aid readied for floor action

Sweeping budget blueprint for pandemic aid readied for floor action-rollcall:  Democrats on Monday will kick off a convoluted process to try to pass President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 rescue package, through a budget resolution that would direct two dozen House and Senate committees to draft pieces of a filibuster-proof reconciliation bill.