Biden calls for unity in inaugural address
46th President's Cabinet gets off to slow start in Senate; Buttigieg hearing today
Biden takes office. The Senate confirms only one Biden Cabinet pick; another hearing today. The House will vote on a special waiver for Biden’s Secretary of Defense. And Trump’s 6-pack of Congressional pardons. This is "Regular Order" for Jan. 21, 2021.
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN. It was an inauguration unlike any other, with very heavy security, just two weeks after Trump supporters violently stormed the Capitol. The public stayed home, and the streets stayed safe. I saw no protests, no troubles at all in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday. Read my story for the Dayton Daily News.
BIDEN URGES UNITY. “I will be a president for all Americans,” Mr. Biden said in his inaugural address. “Disagreement must not lead to disunion,” the President added. “I know speaking of unity can sound to some like a foolish fantasy,” but Biden argued it’s the best way to move the nation forward.
DEMS GET SENATE. Four hours after the inaugural, Vice President Kamala Harris helped Democrats officially take charge of the Senate. Harris swore in Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA), Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA). That made the Senate a 50/50 split, and the tie breaking vote of Harris gives Democrats control.
BIDEN CABINET. The Senate voted 84-10 Wednesday night to approve Avril Haines as the new Director of National Intelligence. But that was the only Senate confirmation vote on any Biden Cabinet picks. The Senate seems likely to vote next week on Biden’s choices for Secretary of State, Treasury, and Homeland Security.
10 GOP ‘NO’ VOTES. The 10 GOP "No" votes on DNI Avril Haines were Blackburn (R-TN), Braun (R-IN), Cruz (R-TX), Ernst (R-IA), Hagerty (R-TN), Hawley (R-MO), Lee (R-UT), Marshall (R-KS), Paul (R-KY), and Risch (R-ID).
DEFENSE. Biden’s pick for Defense Secretary, Lloyd Austin, needs some special help to be confirmed. The House will vote today on a bill which waives a federal law barring retired military officers - like Austin - from serving as Secretary of Defense until they have been away from the Pentagon for seven years.
CABINET TODAY. The Senate Commerce Committee convenes at 10 am ET to hear testimony from Pete Buttigieg, President Biden’s nominee for Secretary of Transportation. The next hearing is on Tuesday for Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo, who has been nominated to be Secretary of Commerce.
THE MAJORITY LEADER. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) now adds his name to the list of those who have been Majority Leader in the U.S. Senate. And you could tell he was excited. With the ability to set the agenda, Schumer will play a very big role in pressing the Biden agenda in Congress. But it certainly won't be easy.
TRUMP TRIAL. Schumer made no formal announcements on Inauguration Day about a timeline for the impeachment trial of former President Trump. The next step is for the House to officially present the impeachment charge to the Senate.
LEAHY NOW #4. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) moved into the line of succession for President on Wednesday. With Democrats in charge, Leahy was designated as the President Pro Tempore, the longest serving member of the majority party. Many people probably think the Majority Leader is in line - but that’s not true.
BERNIE’S MITTENS. One final note about the Inauguration is about Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT). The photo of his winter mittens became an instant internet meme.
ATTACK ARRESTS. Inauguration Day was not a day off for the probe into the attack by Trump supporters. The latest arrests included a member of the ‘Proud Boys’ in Florida, a Houston police officer who lied to the feds about being in the Capitol, a Michigan man who said Antifa was not involved in the attack, and a Connecticut man who squashed a D.C. police officer in a battle between rioters and police.
IN THE HOPPER. Two Democrats, Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) have filed H.R. 347, which would require candidates for President and Vice President to publicly release their tax returns. Donald Trump was the first President in forty years not to make his tax information public.
IN THE HOPPER II. A bipartisan House group wants more of a focus on home grown terrorists. H.R. 350 would set up specific offices on 'domestic terrorism' in the FBI, Justice Department, and Department of Homeland Security.
TRUMP PARDONS TWO MORE EX-LAWMAKERS. In a final flurry of pardons before leaving office, President Trump gave clemency to two GOP lawmakers who went to prison for corruption: Rick Renzi of Arizona, and Randy "Duke" Cunningham of California. Renzi was convicted of extortion, bribery, money laundering, racketeering, and more. Cunningham was convicted of accepting bribes.
GOP SIX PACK. In all, President Trump gave some form of executive clemency to six former House GOP lawmakers. Also on the list, Steve Stockman of Texas, Mark Siljander of Michigan, Duncan Hunter of California, and Chris Collins of New York. Hunter and Collins were the first two House members to endorse Trump's bid for President in 2016.
FINAL FLIGHT. I caught this photo of Marine One, with President Trump aboard, flying past the U.S. Capitol after his departure from the White House on Wednesday.
MUSE OF HISTORY. A day after being sworn in as President, John F. Kennedy was visited at the White House on this day in 1961 by ex-President Harry Truman. Sometimes worried by Kennedy’s youth, Truman had campaigned for JFK in 1960, and the photos of the two men at the White House show an air of affection. After a White House dinner that night, Truman played the piano for Kennedy and his guests.
UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM:
House meets at 2 pm.
Senate meets at 12 noon.
President Biden is in Washington.
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“Conference reports may be brought up at any time. Any further program will be announced later.”