Biden wants Congress to take action on gun reform

The call for gun reform comes on the third anniversary of the Parkland shooting.

This is Day 26 of the administration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.


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DOJ drops Trump-era suit against Yale for 'illegal discrimination'

The Justice Department on Wednesday filed notice with the District Court in Connecticut that it is voluntarily dropping its discrimination lawsuit against Yale University that was brought under the Trump administration.

Back in October, the Justice Department sued, alleging that Yale used illegal discrimination practices to decide who gets admitted to the university.

Specifically, the department alleged Yale discriminated against Asian American and white students. Its complaint accused Yale of injuring applicants and students based on their race and alleged that the university engaged in "racial balancing."

-ABC News' Alexander Mallin and Luke Barr


Biden meets with Dems in Oval Office to discuss COVID-19 relief

Biden is meeting with Senate Majority Leader Chuck  Schumer and Senate Democratic chairs of the committees most involved in the drafting budget reconciliation to make way for his COVID-19 "American Rescue Plan" in the Oval Office on Wednesday.

Along with Schumer, Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Pat Leahy, D-Vt., Bob Menendez, D-.N.J., Gary Peters, D-Mich., Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., are also in attendance.

Sens. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Ben Cardin, D-Md., are overseeing confirmations hearings and were not able to attend, the White House said.

The meeting with Democrats comes after Biden met with 10 Republican senators on their COVID-19 relief plan -- which costs about a third of Biden's -- in the Oval Office Monday night.


Biden's home state senators discuss targeted payments at White House meeting

About an hour ahead of hosting Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and 10 other Democratic committee chairs in the Oval Office, Biden also had his home state Senate delegation -- Delaware Democratic Sens. Chris Coons and Tom Carper -- in the Oval Office Wednesday morning to discuss the COVID-19 relief negotiations.

"The centerpiece of our conversation was giving him insight and feedback on what we've heard from our Republican colleagues, and what's possible, while still keeping an eye on the urgency of relief in the midst of a raging pandemic where literally thousands of Americans will die today," Coons said outside the Oval Office after the meeting.

Asked whether Biden indicated any deal-breakers, Coons replied "Speaking for myself, if there is zero for state and local aid, I think that's a non-starter."

Coons also divulged the three Delawareans discussed how to potentially increase the targeting of relief payments.

"He will do his best, but unity doesn't mean unanimity, and unity doesn't mean letting the minority party block progress in the Senate," Coons added.

In terms of timing, Coons said his view is that relief should come in "weeks, not months." Carper noted the $900 billion package passed last year mostly expires in the middle of March and expressed a desire for a smooth transition to new aid.

Notably, Carper and Coons said the looming Senate impeachment trial did not come up at all.

-ABC News' Sarah Kolinovsky


Biden tells House Dems he won't go below $1,400 on relief checks

Biden joined a House Democrats Caucus call Wednesday morning, telling members he's willing to further target relief payments in his COVID-19 "American Resue Plan" but that he will not go below the $1,400 amount proposed by the White House, according to a source on the call.

"We can make compromises but we must take care of the people. We have to go big," he said, according to the source.

"This package gets money into the pockets," Biden continued. "We can't walk away from additional $1,400 in direct checks we proposed because people need and frankly, they've been promised it. Maybe we can, I think we can better target that number. I'm OK with that. But ... I'm not going to start my administration by breaking a promise to the American people.”

GOP senators whom Biden met with Monday night would scale back direct payments to Americans from $1,400 for those making up to $75,000, to $1,000 for those making up to $40,000 -- a plan Biden has now confirmed he's not on board with.

-ABC News' Benjamin Siegel