Happy Monday. Only two weeks until Christmas! Parts of the East Coast area got a beautiful dusting of snow last night. I mean, just look at this video of the Blue Ridge Mountains. 😍 -
The presidents of Harvard, Penn and MIT are facing mounting criticism after their controversial testimony about antisemitism on campuses. UPenn President Liz Magill resigned over the weekend.
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Congress only has a few days left on Capitol Hill before the holidays, but there is quite the to-do list stacking up, including Ukraine aid and increased border security. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is in D.C. tomorrow to plead with lawmakers.
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A wagon of puppies (!!!!) being trained to be Capitol Police K-9s was seen outside the U.S. Capitol. Of course I included a video because I am not a monster.
I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send tips, commentary, feedback and cookie recipes to cmartel@digital-release.thehill.com. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here. |
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Fallout from the college antisemitism hearing: |
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The presidents of Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are facing mounting scrutiny after their controversial testimony at a House hearing on antisemitism last week.
What happened at the hearing?: Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) asked the presidents if calling for genocide of Jewish people would be considered harassment under their schools’ policies. The three college presidents said it depended on the circumstances. Watch the clip — it has nearly 6 million views so far
One of those presidents has already resigned: Penn President Liz Magill resigned on Saturday following criticism.
‘4 key events that led to [Magill’s] resignation]’: CNN
Watch the ‘Saturday Night Live’ cold open on the testimony |
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➤ A FEW OPINIONS ON THE CONTROVERSY: |
The White House called the university presidents’ responses ‘unbelievable’: “It’s unbelievable that this needs to be said: Calls for genocide are monstrous and antithetical to everything we represent as a country,” said White House spokesperson Andrew Bates.
‘What the University Presidents Got Right and Wrong About Antisemitic Speech’: Op-ed from The New York Times’s David French ‘Why university presidents are under fire’: Op-ed from CNN’s Fareed Zakaria ‘The College Presidents Were Right About Campus Antisemitism’: New York Magazine’s Jonathan Chait makes the argument in favor of the college presidents’ responses.
^ Excerpt: “The presidents’ efforts to deflect every question about genocide of the Jews into a legalistic distinction between speech and conduct may have sounded grating, and Stefanik’s indignant replies may have sounded like moral clarity. But on the whole, they were right to focus on the distinction between speech and conduct, and Stefanik was wrong to sneer at it. A better criticism would be that colleges are failing to protect Jewish students by refusing to enforce rules of conduct. But that is different from, and in some ways the opposite of, the point Stefanik chose to stand on.” (New York Magazine)
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| *shakes 80s teased hair in the most dramatic fashion* ‘IT’S THE FINAL COUNTDOWN’: |
Even without a looming, pre-Christmas government shutdown threat, Congress still has a hefty to-do list before leaving town at the end of the week.
Ukraine: The Senate is working on a deal to send aid to Ukraine in exchange for increased border security.
Defense spending: Senators will consider the annual defense spending bill and hope to send the bill to the House before leaving town.
Biden impeachment: House Republicans are expected to vote on a resolution to bolster the Biden impeachment inquiry. Why?: To give the probe more legal heft
Reforming warrantless surveillance: The House is holding a vote to reform the U.S.’s warrantless surveillance powers. This debate is pitting the House Judiciary Committee against the House Intelligence Committee.
The Hill’s Mychael Schnell has a helpful primer on Congress’s happenings this week. |
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When the Biden administration and former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) negotiated the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) in the spring to suspend the debt ceiling, the deal also set budget caps for Congress when the government spending talks came up.
But now: Lawmakers in both parties are concerned about this deal stands since McCarthy was ousted.
“But now that Congress is trying to ramp up its annual appropriations work, critical components of that months-old deal that were not reflected in the law are in question as ultraconservatives, in pursuit of steeper cuts amid climbing debt, say Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is not beholden to what Democrats say is the full commitment made by McCarthy.”
How the heat is getting dialed up in the government funding talks, via The Hill’s Aris Folley and Tobias Burns |
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➤ 🐾 GOOD BOYS AND GOOD GIRLS IN TRAINING!: |
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“Senate Republicans allied with former President Trump are stepping up calls for the rest of the GOP to rally around him as the party’s inevitable nominee for president and warn that fellow Republicans who hold back are giving aid and comfort to Joe Biden.”
Trump’s D.C. influence lately: “Trump’s commanding lead in the polls has strengthened his influence with Republicans in Congress, tilting political momentum on Capitol Hill in favor of demands for major border security reforms and away from funding the war in Ukraine.”
Timing: “GOP senators have softened their public skepticism about the push in the House to impeach Biden — which Trump has encouraged House lawmakers to pursue — and have largely stopped entertaining the hope that someone other than Trump may emerge as the victor in next year’s primary.” How this could play out, via The Hill’s Alexander Bolton |
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Former President Trump surpassed 50 percent support in Iowa, according to a new NBC News/Des Moines Register/Mediacom poll.
Keep in mind: “Trump’s lead [is] the largest recorded so close to a competitive Republican caucus in this Iowa poll’s history…” (NBC) |
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🥯 Celebrate: Today is National “Have A Bagel” Day! Not to be confused with National Bagel Day on Jan. 15… 🤔 🍩 C’est incroyable, mes amis!: Krispy Kreme opened a doughnut shop in Paris, which has had a 500-person line, including some patrons who camped out overnight.
^ France loves American fast food, apparently: “In the spring, Popeye’s fried chicken drew huge crowds in Paris when it opened the first of 350 restaurants planned across France. Wendy’s has announced plans to set up shop in France. Burger King, KFC, Starbucks, Domino’s Pizza, Chipotle, Steak ’n Shake, Carl’s Jr. and Five Guys have long had toeholds, but they are rapidly expanding their footprints with plans for hundreds of new locations across the country.” (The New York Times)
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🎅 I would love to watch documentary about this neighborhood: A TikTok user posted a video of a street in Toronto, where every house has a giant, inflatable Santa Clause. Watch
🎤🎄Mariah lives quite comfortably in December: “How ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ Still Dominates the Holiday Charts.” (TIME) |
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The House and Senate are in. President Biden is in Philadelphia. Vice President Harris is in Washington, D.C., holding two afternoon holiday receptions. (all times Eastern) |
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12:30 p.m.: Biden delivers remarks at an event in Philadelphia on the $22.4 million SAFER Grant award to fund firefighters’ salaries and benefits. 💻 Livestream 📹 Watch Biden’s Marine One departure
- 2:30 p.m.: Biden participates in a campaign reception then returns to the White House.
- 4:15 p.m.: Harris holds a press call to make an announcement on investments to community-based care services.
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5:30 p.m.: The Senate holds a judicial confirmation vote. 🗓️ Today’s agenda
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6:30 p.m.: First and last House votes. 🗓️ Today’s agenda
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7:05 p.m.: Biden and first lady Jill Biden host a Hanukkah holiday reception. 💻 Livestream
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