THE LONG GAME: GOP’s Ukraine divide; Jan. 6 tapes released to Fox
The first anniversary of the war in Ukraine exposed a major rift between the parties—and within Republican ranks. President Biden embarked on a surprise trip to Kyiv to reaffirm America’s commitment to Ukraine. Additionally, a delegation of House Republicans traveled to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky. On top of that, several lawmakers, most notably Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), attended the Munich Security Conference where they insisted that the U.S., and the Republican party specifically, was not being overwhelmed by isolationist sentiment. “Don’t look at Twitter, look at people in power,” McConnell said. “My party’s leaders overwhelmingly support a strong, involved America and a robust trans-Atlantic alliance.” However, far-right lawmakers used the occasion to blast Biden’s continued support for the war-torn nation. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) unveiled a bill calling for an audit of spending on Ukraine; she accused Biden of putting “America last” and called the administration “stupid.” Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) introduced his so-called “Ukraine Fatigue” bill, which would discourage all military, financial and even humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Caught somewhere in the middle is Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). McCarthy told CNN that he does not support Gaetz’s bill but added that he doesn’t support a “blank check” for Ukraine.
In a controversial move, Speaker McCarthy granted Fox News host Tucker Carlson more than 44,000 hours of security footage from the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol. It has emerged that the release of the tapes was part of the deal that McCarthy made with conservatives to secure their support for his bid to become speaker—though the deal did not specify that Carlson would be the sole recipient. Democrats blasted the decision. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) responded that McCarthy was “pandering to MAGA election deniers, not the truth.” Indeed, Carlson has promoted conspiracy theories about the insurrection, suggesting that it was the work of the “deep state” or a “false flag” event.
Washington Watch is published weekly when Congress is in session. Published monthly during extended recess or adjournment.
Spotlight on Puerto Rico
New report highlights Puerto Rican University system successes despite adversity
A new report released by the think tank Excelencia in Education shows that amidst hurricanes, earthquakes, financial crises, political instability, and the Covid-19 pandemic, the university system of Puerto Rico has managed to not just survive but thrive in various ways. The study focused on three public universities and two private nonprofit institutions that all dealt with declining enrollment, decreasing student retention and graduation rates, and budget constraints. To address declining enrollment, some institutions expanded and revised their program offerings while others established satellite campuses and programs on the mainland. A few colleges changed admissions criteria, hosted open houses in surrounding communities and increased their social media presence to boost recruitment. They also focused new efforts on bringing in adult learners. There were also expansions of food and housing services, mental health services and counseling, and recruitment efforts in Latin American countries.
Authorities shut, launch probe of Mayaguez zoo
The Island’s only zoo, the Juan A. Rivero Zoo in Mayaguez, is being closed by the Puerto Rican government. This follows years of alleged negligence, a lack of resources and the deaths of animals which led to complaints by activists. The 45-acre facility has been closed since the fall of 2017, when the Island was hit by hurricanes Irma and Maria. The zoo’s 300 remaining animals will be transferred to different sanctuaries. Meanwhile, it was announced Monday that a criminal investigation into the management of the zoo is now underway, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Puerto Rican Department of Natural and Environmental Resources. “Animal welfare comes first,” said the Governor of Puerto Rico. The zoo first opened in 1954.
U.S. government releases $1 billion for energy resilience in Puerto Rico
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Deployment Office has released a request for information (RFI) to gather feedback from stakeholders regarding how best to allocate $1 billion from the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund (PR-ERF). The agency seeks information on what might be the best energy solutions for the residents of the Island, including expansions of rooftop solar, critical service energy, potential non-profit partnerships, and building a workforce to maintain and sustain the new energy economy. The funding and plans will be designed to align with Puerto Rico’s goal of achieving 100% renewable energy by 2050.
Senate confirms first LGBTQ judge to serve on federal district court of Puerto Rico
The Biden Administration made history in more ways than one recently with its 100th federal court appointment. The U.S. Senate approved Gina Méndez-Miró as the first openly LGBTQ judge to serve on the federal district court in Puerto Rico. Her nomination was confirmed by the narrowly divided Senate, by a vote of 54-45. Her appointment represents the latest effort by the Biden administration to diversify the judiciary. Of Biden’s first 100 judges, 76 were women and 68 people of color. Since 2016, Méndez-Miró has served on the Puerto Rico Court of Appeals, with jurisdiction over civil and criminal matters. She joined the court from the Puerto Rico Senate, where she served as chief of staff to Senator Eduardo Bhatia. She is a 2001 graduate of the University of Puerto Rico School of Law.
View From The White House
The Biden administration released a new 153-page regulation Tuesday that largely bars migrants from applying for asylum if they traveled through other countries on their way to the U.S.-Mexico border.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development on Wednesday announced that new borrowers who take out Federal Housing Administration loans will see their premiums reduced by 30 percentage points, from 0.85% to 0.55%, saving some 850,000 low- and middle-income homebuyers an average of $800 per year.
Tightening rules on telemedicine that had been relaxed during the pandemic, the Biden Administration unveiled a new rule Friday requiring patients to see a physician in person in order to receive prescriptions for certain drugs, such as addictive painkillers and those to combat attention deficit disorder.
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