The US is on course to record its 15 millionth coronavirus case today
- Biden to nominate retired army general Lloyd Austin as defense secretary
- Trump says ‘Rudy’s doing well’ after Giuliani taken to hospital with Covid
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12.05pm GMT
Julia Manchester reports for The Hill that after this election cycle, US citizens will be represented in their state legislatures by more women than ever before.
According to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, women will hold more than 30 percent of seats in state legislatures for the first time in American history.
At least 1,684 women will serve as state representatives in 2021. That’s up from the previous record of 1,641. And at the state Senate level, at least 552 women will serve as state senators in 2021, besting the prior record of 521.
11.49am GMT
Up on Capitol Hill the House is set to pass the annual defense authorization bill today – and with it, laying down a challenge to outgoing President Trump to use his veto. Karoun Demirjian writes:
The legislation is the product of a months-long negotiation between the House and Senate that authorizes everything from new initiatives to counter China to health coverage for members of the National Guard [who are] aiding pandemic response efforts.
At first, Trump vehemently objected to the legislation’s mandate for the Pentagon to rename military installations that commemorate Civil War-era Confederates. In recent days, however, the president has taken existential issue with the fact that the bill does not repeal a law shielding technology companies from liability for what third parties post to their websites – an issue unrelated to defense that Trump has sought to make about national security.
Continue reading…The US is on course to record its 15 millionth coronavirus case today Biden to nominate retired army general Lloyd Austin as defense secretaryTrump says ‘Rudy’s doing well’ after Giuliani taken to hospital with CovidSign up to receive First Thing – our daily briefing by email 12.05pm GMTJulia Manchester reports for The Hill that after this election cycle, US citizens will be represented in their state legislatures by more women than ever before.According to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, women will hold more than 30 percent of seats in state legislatures for the first time in American history.At least 1,684 women will serve as state representatives in 2021. That’s up from the previous record of 1,641. And at the state Senate level, at least 552 women will serve as state senators in 2021, besting the prior record of 521. 11.49am GMTUp on Capitol Hill the House is set to pass the annual defense authorization bill today – and with it, laying down a challenge to outgoing President Trump to use his veto. Karoun Demirjian writes:The legislation is the product of a months-long negotiation between the House and Senate that authorizes everything from new initiatives to counter China to health coverage for members of the National Guard [who are] aiding pandemic response efforts. At first, Trump vehemently objected to the legislation’s mandate for the Pentagon to rename military installations that commemorate Civil War-era Confederates. In recent days, however, the president has taken existential issue with the fact that the bill does not repeal a law shielding technology companies from liability for what third parties post to their websites – an issue unrelated to defense that Trump has sought to make about national security. Continue reading…