The Hill's Morning Report – Senate GOP in a bind over same-sex marriage
Senate Republicans found themselves in yet another game of “Will they or won’t they?” on Wednesday as Democrats indicated they will move ahead with an effort to codify same-sex marriage. On Tuesday, 47 House Republicans voted alongside every Democrat to advance a bill cementing marriage rights for same-sex and interracial couples. The situation shifted a day later to the upper chamber, where Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) opened the door to a floor vote and tasked Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), the first openly gay senator, with pul
Read MoreWhat would declaring a national climate emergency do?
Facing mounting pressure to act on climate change and little hope of passing major legislation, President Biden may soon declare a national climate emergency. The White House has said that such a move won’t come this week, but is still on the table. Experts told The Hill that declaring a national emergency could open up additional avenues to fight climate change, but also comes with political risks. Mark Nevitt, a professor at Emory University’s law school, described the declaration as a “skeleton key” that “unlocks the door” to other powers.
Read MoreThe Memo: Jan. 6 committee hopes to go out, for now, with a bang
The Jan. 6 Committee is returning to primetime on Thursday for what is likely to be the final public hearing of an initial series. Thursday’s hearing promises to delve into the three-plus hours that elapsed between the end of then-President Trump’s fiery rally at the Ellipse and his first, belated efforts to disperse the rioters. One of the panel’s two GOP members, Rep. Adam Kinzinger (Ill.), told CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday that the hearing would “open’s people’s eyes in a big way.” On Wednesday, a committee aide told reporters on a
Read MoreHarris becomes face for White House in abortion rights fight
Vice President Harris has quickly become the face of the White House fight for abortion rights. Since it became clear the Supreme Court would strike down Roe v. Wade, Harris has hosted a handful of meetings on abortion at the White House and sprinkled comments about abortion throughout public speeches. While a trip to the Middle East and plans for domestic stops focused on climate change and gun violence have kept Biden busy in recent days, Harris has traveled to multiple states to meet with state legislators and other stakeholders on abortion rights in addit
Read MoreJan. 6 hearing to focus on Trump’s frantic 187 minutes
The House panel probing last year’s attack on the U.S. Capitol is promising a “minute-by-minute” account of Donald Trump’s actions throughout the rampage, turning its focus Thursday on those crucial hours at the White House to boost the case that the former president had supported — if not instigated — the violence of Jan. 6. In a prime-time hearing designed to maximize viewership, the select committee will examine the frantic 187 minutes between the start of the melee and Trump’s unhurried effort to defuse it with the release of a short video urgi
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