Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.
1. Affordable Care Act It looks like most of Obamacare might remain intact after all. The Supreme Court appeared poised to reject the latest Republican-backed attempt to kill the landmark health reform law, based on the justices’ tone during oral arguments. Chief Justice John Roberts, who famously saved the ACA in 2012, and Justice Brett Kavanaugh suggested that it wasn’t the Supreme Court’s place to invalidate the entire law. It’s the third time the court has heard a significant challenge to the law, and it seems like Roberts is so over it. If Trump and Republicans wanted to kill the law, they could have done it, he said. About 20 million people have gained coverage on the Affordable Care Act exchanges and through the expansion of Medicaid to low-income adults.2. US presidential transition President Trump’s refusal to concede the 2020 election continues, with the support of top Republicans and others in his administration. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo yesterday would not acknowledge Joe Biden’s victory, even as America’s closest allies congratulated the President-elect. The Trump administration is also carrying out sweeping changes at the Defense Department. Four senior civilian officials have been fired or have resigned since Monday, and they’ve been replaced with people seen as loyal to Trump. The actions have raised alarms inside the Pentagon, with one defense official calling them “dictator moves.” Despite those efforts, Biden is moving ahead, announcing his transition teams.3. Coronavirus Covid-19 infections and hospitalizations in the US are higher than ever before, and state leaders are urging residents to stay home. The nation is seeing a dangerous surge: Texas reached the grim distinction of becoming the first state to hit a million cases, with California nearly there, too.
