Biden says 'no time to waste' on COVID relief bill
He made brief remarks Saturday after the House passed the legislation.
This is Day 40 of the administration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Latest headlines:
Tom Vilsack confirmed as secretary of agriculture
The Senate has confirmed Tom Vilsack to serve as secretary of agriculture, in a 92-7 vote.
Sen. Bernie Sanders voted with six Republicans against Vilsack, who had the same role under former President Barack Obama.
-ABC News' Benjamin Siegel
McConnell to support Garland's confirmation as AG
A spokesperson for Republican Leader Mitch McConnell confirmed reports to ABC News that McConnell intends to support the nomination of Merrick Garland to serve as attorney general.
McConnell's support for Garland was first reported by Politico.
The Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday wrapped up two days of hearings on Garland's nomination. The committee is scheduled to hold a vote on the nomination on March 1.
McConnell's support for Garland is in stark contrast to his 2016 efforts that successfully kept Garland from the Supreme Court bench.
-ABC News' Allison Pecorin
McConnell doubles down against COVID-19 relief proposal
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell doubled down on his position that the COVID-19 proposal from Democrats is far too large, not targeted enough and flies in the face of bipartisanship during a press conference Tuesday.
"We think this is dramatically more money than is required at this particular juncture. It also includes a number of things that have absolutely nothing to do with COVID relief," McConnel said. "And so it will be controversial."
McConnell said his conference is united Tuesday in "opposition to what the Biden administration is trying to do," arguing that Biden, who campaigned as a moderate, has been pushing far-left policies since his administration began, calling Biden's "a totally partisan approach to COVID relief."
-ABC News' Allison Pecorin
Biden announces nomination for director of U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Biden on Tuesday announced Kiran Ahuja as his nominee for director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, where she previously served as chief of staff during the Obama administration.
-ABC News' Molly Nagle
Garland addresses Jeffrey Epstein and police funding
Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., asked Garland if he had insight into any shortfalls of the investigation into former financier Jeffrey Epstein who died by suicide in federal custody in New York in August 2019.
"He obviously should have been vigorously prosecuted substantially earlier but I don't know the why," he said.
When asked by Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., about defunding the police, he said he doesn’t believe in it.
"We saw how difficult the lives of police officers were in the body cam videos we saw when they were defending the Capitol," Garland said. "I do believe and President Biden believes in giving resources to police departments to help them reform and gain the trust of their communities,."
-ABC News' Luke Barr