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 Trouble is brewing over vaccine supplies in Europe. Italy has blocked the export of 250,000 AstraZeneca vaccine doses to Australia, citing European Union measures put in place after the company warned of delays in supply shipment to the bloc. Now, France may follow suit and block more vaccine exports in order to meet domestic demand. In Tanzania, Turkmenistan and North Korea, a different threat grows. These countries have shared little or no Covid-19 data with the World Health Organization, which WHO says prevents experts from assessing public need and could cause a problem when it comes to international spread. In the US, leaders and businesses are pushing back against a wave of eased Covid-19 restrictions, saying protection like masks is still essential.2. Stimulus The Senate debate on the Covid-19 relief bill, termed the American Recovery Plan, will start in earnest today after some theatrics yesterday on the Senate floor. GOP Sen. Ron Johnson forced Senate clerks to read the 628-page bill aloud, a pit stop that took hours, and now Republicans will set about trying to peel off Democratic votes in a process known as «vote-a-rama.» Basically, each amendment to the bill gets introduced and debated for a few minutes, then members get 10 minutes to vote. It’s part of Democrats’ plan to get the bill passed quickly, but Republicans are hoping to divide Dems on parts of the bill along the way. Regardless, Democrats are looking to pass it this weekend with their narrow Senate majority. Want to know what you stand to gain from the bill? Here’s a rundown of offerings for various situations.3. Immigration The Biden administration is urging the Supreme Court to dismiss pending cases concerning «sanctuary cities,» which limit cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.
