The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the $2.2 trillion coronavirus aid package Friday afternoon, but what was expected to be a smooth confirmation process devolved into a mad dash in the Capitol after one of the House’s own threatened to derail the vote with a procedural objection.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky. 4th Dist.) announced he would call for a recorded vote, which requires quorum — 216 members — to pass the relief bill. Lawmakers who had left Washington rushed back to make sure there were enough representatives to make a quorum, many of them furious about the health risk of traveling and meeting in a large group.
When Massie stood up to request the recorded vote during Friday’s session, he was the only member to do so. With quorum met, the bill was permitted to pass by voice vote, which it did to cheers from the socially-distanced House members. The bill will now go to the president’s desk for his signature.
In the absence of remote voting, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had tried to give members the option to stay home by calling for a voice vote. That plan would have allowed most members, many in the high-risk category for coronavirus complications, to stay home while still providing a forum for members who wanted to speak on the floor. C-SPAN had even agreed to provide air time for members to broadcast short video statements if they did not wish to return to Washington D.C.
House members, instead, debated while staying as far from each other as possible, with members standing in doorways, stairwells and even on the upper floor.
Two RollColl reporters compiled a spreadsheet to keep track of which members had returned, and how they arrived in D.C. As of 1 pm ET Friday, it had been noted that at least 11 members had driven, some of whom said they had been on the road all night.
One of those members, Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.11th Dist.) made a nearly nine-hour drive overnight and said “I rise for every American who is scared now,” raising her voice on the floor as a gavel signaled her time was over. Stevens, showing the latex gloves on her hands, said she wore them “not for personal attention, but to encourage you to take this disease seriously.” Her district is just outside Detroit, one of the regions dealing with an outbreak.
“You will see darkness. You will be pushed. And our society needs you to stand together at this time,” she said.
Massie did seem to bring together politicians across the aisle in their anger. President Trump called Massie a “third rate Grandstander” and former Secretary of State John Kerry said “congressman Massie has tested positive for being an asshole.”
The House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 riots on Capitol Hill held its first primetime hearing on Thursday. Cheddar News speaks with legal analyst Tracy Pearson, who breaks down the biggest takeaways.
Fuel and oil prices have risen almost 17 percent since May, making the national gas prices reach nearly $5 a gallon. Andrew Lipow from consulting firm Lipow Oil Associates joined Cheddar News to discuss the future of gas prices. "The biggest issue on the oil market is really events that are beyond our control, which is what is happening over in Europe," he said, regarding the ongoing Russia Ukraine war. Lipow also said he predicted gas prices to hit $5.05 and that he's focused on the Biden administration's overtures in repairing a relationship with Saudi Arabia.
March For Our Lives will be returning this weekend to Washington, DC, in the wake of the recent mass shooting seen throughout the country. Marchers include Yolanda Renee King, the only granddaughter of Martin Luther King Jr. She joined Cheddar News to discuss the importance of the march and activism in general. "I just think that it's so important to have these rallies because we need to demand to our leaders and politicians that they pass legislation and that and we actually need to see action," she said.
Erika Alexander and Whitney Dow, directors of 'The Big Payback,' join Cheddar News to discuss their new film, 'The Big Payback.' It premieres Saturday, June 11 at the Tribeca Festival.
President Biden proposed a new rule that would add 500,000 chargers for electric vehicles nationwide. The proposal comes amid the rapid shift to EVs with dozens of automakers announcing plans for all-electric fleets within the next decade. But with the new surge will the U.S. have the proper infrastructure to keep up? Scott Painter, founder and CEO of Autonomy.com joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss. "I really think the idea of standardization is a big deal. Standardization certainly makes it much better for everybody to be able to get a charge when they need one," he said.
The House select committee investigating the January 6th riots on Capitol Hill is opening its landmark series of public hearings. Cheddar News speaks with Mike Sozan, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress who explains how to follow the hearings and what to expect.
Claudia Rosenbaum, freelance reporter for Vanity Fair, joins Cheddar Politics to discuss the race for Los Angeles mayor.
Rick Caruso, a billionaire real estate developer, forced a runoff with the longtime Democratic Rep. Karen Bass, who had been the favorite in the race until an ad blitz from Caruso leaning on the city's issues with crime and homelessness.
Survivors of Larry Nassar, including Olympian Simone Biles, are seeking $1 billion in damages from the FBI due to its failure to investigate the former gymnastics team doctor convicted of committing years of serial sexual abuse of minors. Jack Queen, a senior reporter at Law360, joined Cheddar News to break down the legal grounds of this case. "This is one of the biggest black eyes that the Bureau has faced in generations, quite frankly, and the FBI has taken full responsibility and admitted that it completely botched this investigation," he said. "So, there's a lot of pressure to settle."
