Doctor says McConnell OK as publicly questions swirl |
Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell, the chamber’s longest-serving Republican leader, is “medically clear to continue with his schedule as planned” despite his second public freeze-up in just a few weeks, according to the Capitol physician.
McConnell, the 81-year-old Kentucky Republican known among colleagues for his stubbornness, suffered a concussion and a rib fracture in March after falling at a private dinner in Washington, D.C. — just one of three reported falls this year.
But the doctor and people closest to McConnell say there’s nothing to worry about.
“I have consulted with Leader McConnell and conferred with his neurology team. After evaluating yesterday’s incident, I have informed Leader McConnell that he is medically clear to continue with his schedule as planned. Occasional lightheadedness is not uncommon in concussion recovery and can also be expected as a result of dehydration,” the Capitol’s attending physician Brian Monahan said in a statement released by McConnell’s office.
Related: House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) won’t say whether he’s eyeing a run for Senate, amid McConnell’s age and questions about his health. Comer, who has been in Congress since 2016 and has been a staunch supporter of former President Trump, has built up his profile this year by taking on anti-Biden causes and investigations. (The Hill) |
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Lawmakers from the House Energy and Commerce Committee sent a letter to Hawaiian Electric seeking more information about the devastating Maui wildfires.
The pause on federal student loan payments ends Friday after more than three years on pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Former President Obama and other world leaders have called on Bangladesh to stop going after Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus for what the signatories say is “continuous judicial harassment.”
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🌀 Biden plans Florida trip this weekend after Idalia
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President Biden says he’ll make a previously undisclosed trip to Florida to see areas devastated by Hurricane Idalia’s landfall this week. Details are light, but Biden briefly discussed his plans when talking to reporters this afternoon. “Some of this is going to take months and years to restore,” Biden said of the Florida areas decimated by the storm. “We are not going to walk away, we’re not going to give up, we’re not going to slow down.” The White House hasn’t advised reporters on specifics, which usually come about 24 hours in advance. Biden and the first lady were scheduled to spend the holiday weekend in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
Biden preempted arguments ahead of Congress’s return to D.C. next month that more funding might not be needed. The president said he thinks some in Congress feel like disaster relief money is “somehow, I don’t know, not needed? I’m not really sure what they are thinking.”
Earlier today: Biden chatted with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is running for the GOP presidential nomination and may potentially face off against Biden in 2024, about resources to help the Sunshine State. No way, Jose!: Tropical storm Jose is churning in the Gulf now. |
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🗣️ Trump pens in ‘not guilty’ plea to Georgia
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Former President Trump has entered his fourth “not guilty” plea as his legal issues pile up.
He didn’t make it to the courtroom in Georgia for a formal arraignment, but he filed the documents denying he did anything wrong in the state. He faces 13 charges alleging he tried to overturn the state’s 2020 election results to remain in power. (The Hill) |
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✈️ More Clarence Thomas travel details revealed
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Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has revealed more about his gifted luxury travel, amid ethical concerns about his ties with conservative billionaires.
After a requested delay in filing, Thomas disclosed three additional trips he accepted from billionaire Harlan Crow last year, according to documents unveiled Thursday.
Thomas has denied any wrongdoing in accepting the trips, calling Crow a personal friend. (The Hill) |
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💨 Advocates, lawmakers praise news on pot reform
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Count Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) among those praising the Biden administration’s proposal to reschedule marijuana’s Drug Enforcement Agency classification.
It’s seen as a major move toward efforts to decriminalize the drug, which is being more widely approved but still holds a scheduling on par with heroin and LSD. (The Hill)
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💰 Here’s how much you need to make to live comfortably in every state
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A new survey has analyzed how much a person needs to earn as a “living wage” to be able to live comfortably in all 50 U.S. states. (KTLA via The Hill) |
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💻 X wants user biometric data, job, education history
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X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, wants to know more about you. Like, a lot more…
According to the site’s updated privacy policy, users will soon have to grant the company access to biometric, employment and education data. X has already experienced major shifts since billionaire
Elon Musk bought it — from premium paid plans to allowing political ads to restoring previously banned accounts. (The Hill) |
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“If you want to save the planet, look to the people” — Becky Chaplin-Kramer, scientist at the World Wildlife Fund-US, and Unai Pascual professor at the Basque Centre for Climate Change. (Read here) “Ukraine’s drive to eradicate corruption is a race against time” — Stephen Blank, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. (Read here) |
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26 days until the next GOP debate.
138 days until the Iowa caucuses.
320 days until the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
358 days until the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
432 days until Election Day. |
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Student loans are back. Payments will officially resume with the start of the month. 7 p.m.: President Biden and the first lady leave the White House en route to Rehoboth Beach, Del., before heading to Florida Saturday morning. |
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