Two weeks from Trump's impeachment trial, Biden moves on Cabinet and climate
With the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump slated to formally begin in two weeks, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., forced a procedural vote on the constitutionality of trying a former president on Tuesday and was met with the support of 45 Republicans -- just three weeks after the Capitol, including the Senate chamber, was invaded. Though anything could happen at trial, the vote signals Democrats will not have the numbers to convict Trump and bar him from holding future federal office.
The idea behind delaying Trump's trial to Feb. 9, an agreement reached by party leaders, was reached so that the Senate could work on Biden's Cabinet confirmations and COVID-19 relief while the House impeachment managers and Trump's defense team prepare.
On the Cabinet front, Biden meets his one-week anniversary in office with four Cabinet officials confirmed -- lagging behind other administrations in recent history. On Wednesday, confirmation hearings will be held for Jennifer Granholm for the energy secretary, Linda Thomas-Greenfield at U.N. ambassador, and Denis McDonough to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The president on Wednesday will turn his attention to the climate crisis with a suite of new executive actions -- making tackling climate change a priority across the federal government.
Biden, who has already revoked a permit for the controversial Keystone XL pipeline project and moved to rejoin the Paris Agreement on climate, is scheduled to deliver afternoon remarks and sign executive actions at 1:30 p.m., fulfilling campaign promises such as freezing new oil and gas leasing on federal land and kicking off his ambitious agenda to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki will also hold a press briefing with the nation's first ever climate envoy, former Secretary of State John Kerry, and Biden's national climate advisor, Gina McCarthy, around 12:15 p.m.
Kicking off what's expected to happen three times a week moving forward, White House COVID-19 response team and other public health officials will hold a virtual, public briefing on the pandemic at 11 a.m. with participants including Biden's chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci, COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky.
