The Daily Roundup: January 29

Politics MICHAEL REGAN CONFIRMED AS EPA ADMINISTRATOR The Senate confirmed Michael Regan as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Wednesday evening by a vote of 66-34. The former secretary of North Carolina’s Department of Environmental Quality becomes the first Black man to head the agency. Regan, who has a reputation…

Curating the day’s top stories so you don’t have to. 1. Impeachment proceedings will begin today in the House, starting at 9 am. The first vote on procedural issues is slated to occur at approximately 10 am after debating the rules and vote-setting parameters. The final vote, which will occur…

Politics MATT GAETZ HIRES TRUMP ORG DEFENSE ATTORNEY AMID DOJ PROBE Reportedly the subject of a federal sex trafficking investigation, Rep. Matt Gaetz is retaining two New York defense attorneys to represent him, one of whom currently represents the Trump Organization in an ongoing criminal probe into possible bank and…

As news of Donald Trump’s latest attempt at subverting the election results dominates the airwaves, I felt it necessary to conduct a brief review of some facts. 1) When asked about their voting preferences, Americans routinely told pollsters that they intended to vote for Biden over Trump. At the time…

It has been an eventful few days, and The Middle is here to walk you through it. So without further ado, here are the day’s top stories. 1. Senate leaders arrived at an agreement Friday to delay Donald Trump’s impeachment trial until February 8, allowing President Biden time to install…

Remember what it was like not to think about the president? To go about your day—or even week—without a single second lost to the stressors that come with wondering what they were doing (or not doing, for that matter)?  It seems like such a distant memory. Like a time lost…

Last week was a big week for both the House and the Senate, as the two chambers each passed legislation with significant implications. Below, we discuss the contents of each bill, as well as the case for praise or criticism. For the People Act The House passed the For the…

Politics DEB HAALAND CONFIRMED AS INTERIOR SECRETARY The Senate voted to confirm New Mexico Rep. Deb Haaland as Interior Secretary Monday by a vote of 51-40. Haaland becomes the first Native American in U.S. history to lead a Cabinet department. With a reputation as an effective lawmaker and a consensus…

Politics BIDEN, SENATE AGREE TO LIMIT ELIGIBILITY FOR STIMULUS CHECKS Senate Democrats struck a deal with President Joe Biden Wednesday that will limit the number of Americans who will qualify for the $1,400 stimulus checks included in the coronavirus relief package. The Senate bill, currently under negotiation, will cut off…

Politics HOUSE RELEASES FIRST DRAFT OF RELIEF BILL House Democrats released the first draft of their COVID-19 relief bill on Monday with provisions for $1,400 stimulus checks, a hike in the minimum wage, extension and expansion of unemployment benefits, increases in the annual child credit and earned income tax credit,…

Joe Biden recommitted the United States to the Paris climate accord on Wednesday in one of his first official moves as president. The order attracted the praise of world leaders and climate hawks alike but drew criticism from some Republicans in Congress. Sen. Marsha Blackburn said that the decision would…

We’re rounding up all of the stories of voter fraud or other impropriety, along with their associated fact-checks, so that you can access them one in place.  CLAIM: A dead 118-year-old man voted by absentee ballot in Wayne County, Michigan this year.  FACT: The man’s son—who lives at the same…

Politics CBO RELEASES REPORT ON PROPOSED MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE According to a Congressional Budget Office report released on Monday, raising the minimum wage to $15 would cut employment by 1.4 million workers over the next four years and add $54 billion to the federal deficit over the next 10. On…

Curating the day’s top stories so you don’t have to. 1. The Trump riot by the numbers: 56: Number of police officers injured 15: Number of police officers hospitalized 11: Number of Molotov cocktails recovered 5: Number of deaths 2: Number of pipe bombs discovered 1: Number of police officers…

Much has happened since our last news summary, and we are here to catch you up. So without further ado, here are the day’s top stories. Impeachment Friday’s proceedings featured opening arguments from the defense in the impeachment trial of Donald J. Trump. Michael van der Veen began the proceedings…