Eye on Congress

The pandemic and political divisions have revealed the cracks in this country and those who are falling through them. Along the fault lines of American society are truth and free speech. These two bedrocks of the nation’s civil discourse have been challenged, questioned and even battered like never before. We wanted to explore how speech and misinformation will play out in the future. CQ Roll Call's Shawn Zeller speaks to Suzanne Nossel, PEN America CEO and author of “Dare to Speak.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump loved to hate the swamp, or official Washington. President-elect Joe Biden is bringing a different approach by bringing on a group of no-drama experienced government hands to run the executive branch. Niels Lesniewski discusses. And Ben Hulac outlines some of the outgoing administration's "midnight rules" and how they could affect the incoming administration, and the public. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

UPS and Federal Express have been tapped to handle the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine calling into question whether passenger airlines -- that have received government funds and have been preparing for months -- will be needed. CQ Roll Call's Jessica Wehrman reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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President-elect Joe Biden will have very different health policies than his predecssor especially when it comes to abortion and LGBTQ. CQ Roll Call's Sandhya Raman reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The incoming Biden administration continues to come into focus. The president-elect's nomination of retired Gen. Lloyd Austin to be Defense secretary, who would be the first Black man to head the Pentagon, also means Biden passed over a woman long considered a frontrunner for the job: Michelle Flournoy. And as a recently retired officer, Austin requires a waiver from the House and Senate, CQ Roll Call Senior Staff Writer John Donnelly discusses the nomination. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Department of Health and Human Services gave more than $32 million to private companies to open shelters for unaccompanied immigrant children - that never got built, according to a new report by a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs panel. CQ Roll Call's Camila DeChalus reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The $908 billion bipartisan plan for COVID-19 aid, which left many optimistic of a deal last week, is now being held up again over the fine print. Among the chief concerns for both parties are liability protections for businesses and state and local aid. CQ Roll Call’s David Lerman and Jennifer Shutt discuss where the parties stand on the issues holding up COVID-19 aid and when we could expect a deal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amias Gerety co-hosts Fintech Beat to interview Tricia Kemp, one of the country's most successful venture capitalists, to unbundle just what digital "infrastructure" is and what the answer means in the race for the perfect payment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Political Theater's The Transition, Congress is still in a tug of war over a possible COVID aid package. CQ Roll Call's David Lerman talks about where things stand. Then, we turn to health care and CQ Roll Call's Mary Ellen McIntire breaks down who President Biden-elect wants on his team to lead the country out of the pandemic and why. Katherine Tully-McManus hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The momentum built on Capitol Hill last week for another bill to provide coronavirus relief could turn out to be a mirage. Part of the problem, as CQ Roll Call's Shawn Zeller reports, is how the GOP and Democratic party view how they have or have not fought the pandemic to date. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the holiday season is upon us, so too is a time honored tradition. Congress working at the last minute to shore up must-pass bills. CQ Roll Call's Jim Saksa talks with budget tracker David Lerman on the latest on appropriations and a COVID relief package. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The House took a symbolic swipe at the 1970s war on drugs and passed a bill on Friday to legalize marijuana. It is unlikely to pass the GOP-controlled Senate. CQ Roll Call's Emily Kopp has more on what it means. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's no secret that in the corridors of power there is a struggle for the soul of the Democratic Party. While Joe Biden won the presidency, there certainly wasn't a blue wave. Moreover, House Democrats lost seats and the fate of the Senate will be decided by two runoffs in Georgia in January. It's the progressives versus the moderate centrists. CQ Roll Call's Shawn Zeller speaks to Donna Shalala and Ben McAdams, Democrats who lost their seats, to talk about why and what's next for the party. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a year of jockeying, Rep Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., bested two other lawmakers Ohio Rep. Marcy Kaptur, chairwoman of the Energy-Water subcommittee, and Florida’s Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who leads the Military Construction-VA panel. CQ Roll Call's Jenn Shutt reports on what is ahead for the Appropriations chairwoman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Ambassador Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley has usually been the only U.S. African American, female diplomat in the room. It's a reflection, she tells Mary C. Curtis, of how few Black women — or women in general — are senior diplomats. Abercrombie-Winstanley makes the case for diversity in national security, talks about her role in creating the organization Leadership Council for Women in National Security and why she is hopeful that change is on the horizon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

CDC Director Robert Redfield says that this winter will be the worst time this nation has ever seen when it comes to public health. CQ Roll Call's Sandhya Raman reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jim Bendat has literally written the book on our Inauguration Day traditions and history. And one thing he is pretty confident of predicting: between Donald Trump's propensity for antics and the ongoing pandemic, the Jan. 20 inauguration of Joe Biden is going to be one we'll remember. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The National Defense Authorization Act has become a political football. President Trump has threatened twice to veto this important bill -- once over Confederate base names, and now over demands to repeal a law that currently shields tech companies from lawsuits over content. Congress has said it won't bend. CQ Roll Call's John Donnelly explains where things stand. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congress is very good at putting off its most important business until the end of the year. The current spending measure funding the government expires on December 11. And with the economy starting to show signs of strain, lawmakers are offering their own proposals for a COVID relief package that they hope to pass in the coming weeks. The two big ticket items might end up in one big year end measure. But a lot could happen before we get there. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices