Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.
Here’s what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day. (You can also get “5 Things You Need to Know Today” delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.) 1. Coronavirus A growing number of places and groups are considering vaccine or mask mandates as Covid-19 cases continue to rise. California will require all state employees and health care workers to provide proof of vaccination status or get regular testing. New York City has a similar plan for its entire municipal workforce, including police officers and teachers. More than 50 major medical and health groups have issued a joint statement calling for all health care employers to mandate employees be vaccinated. Is it legal for places to impose such requirements? In short, yes. Justice Department lawyers have determined federal law doesn’t prohibit public agencies and private businesses from requiring Covid-19 vaccines. Experts say if vaccination rates remain stagnant, the US could see as many as 200,000 cases a day in the coming weeks. 2. Capitol riot The House select committee charged with investigating the January 6 insurrection will hold its first public hearing today. The committee will hear testimony from four police officers who were on the front lines the day of the attack. This is the first big public step for the committee’s investigation, which has seen strong GOP pushback. Currently, Republican leaders are hoping to zero in on security failures from the day of the attack to take attention away from former President Donald Trump’s role. Only two Republicans, Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, are on the committee. Their fellow party members are trying to chip away at their credibility to zing them for participating and undermine the committee’s mission in general. 3. Iraq President Joe Biden announced plans to formally conclude the US combat mission in Iraq by the end of the year, winding down another prolonged US military engagement. Unlike the troop withdrawal in Afghanistan, this decision was made with Iraq’s urging, and Biden made the announcement alongside Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi.
