1 House To Vote On Biden's $1.9T COVID Relief Package Today
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says House Dems are preparing President Biden's nearly-two-trillion-dollar coronavirus relief bill for a vote this morning. The California Democrat said this is the most "remarkable" piece of legislation since the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. When asked if this will be the last relief bill, Pelosi responded by saying this will be if the virus stops mutating and spreading. She said Congress will reassess items in the bill that have a deadline, like unemployment benefits, closer to that time. Under the measure, unemployment benefits will be extended through September 6th.Once passed, it’s expected to head directly to Biden’s desk. Pelosi said it's "hard to understand" how Republicans can vote against this bill because it has such an impact on their constituents. Of course, Republicans see things very differently – pointing to the number of projects unrelated to Covid that are in the bill.
2 Immigration Arrests Decline Under President Biden
Immigration arrests are free falling under President Biden. The “Washington Post” reports the number of migrants taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement dropped by more than 60% in February, compared to the last three months of former President Trump's tenure. Deportations also went down by nearly the same amount. The Biden administration put out temporary guidance to slim down ICE enforcement priorities. A 100-day moratorium on deportations was also put in place but a federal judge in Texas blocked it. Thing is? The number of people crossing illegally is surging. In fact, more than three thousand ‘unaccompanied minors’ have been taken into custody in the last three weeks alone. With that in mind, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki will not call the situation at the southern border a crisis as some Republicans allege. Instead, Psaki told reporters the situation is "very challenging."
3 Pentagon Approves National Guard At Capitol For Two More Months
National Guard troops aren't leaving the Capitol just yet. The Pentagon just approved a request to keep them deployed until May 23rd. The soldiers have been protecting Congress amid continued threats, but were set to depart on Friday. As you might recall, about 26-thousand troops were activated shortly after the deadly Capitol attack in January, at a cost close to 500-million dollars. There's no estimate yet for the next two months. “It’s not just about a threat assessment,” chief Pentagon spokesman John Kirby says in a statement. “It's about assisting and supporting capabilities that the Capitol Police may now lack and may need to look at improving.”