The final countdown has actuated! Hardly 5 days remain to the beginning of the 18th FIVB Volleyball World Championships Poland 2014. On Saturday’s evening, Ary Graca (FIVB President), Bronisław Komorowski (Poland’s President) and some special guest are going to launch the most important competition of the year. It will take place during a special spectacle at the National Stadium in Warsaw. How will the opening event look like? We are raising curtain a bit just now.   

 

 

 

A singing duo, Cleo & Donatan, inaugurates the opening ceremony at 6.30 P.M on Saturday, so 95 minutes before the start of the first game between Poland and Serbia. With the sounds of the song “We are Slavic”, well-known from the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 (ranked on 5th place according to fans and televiewers voting), dancers and cheerleaders will move in at the pitch with specially-cut triangles in the national colors to puzzle big sign “Welcome” in the end of the introducing song.

You can “We are Slavic” here.

 

“We start with Polishness to enhance that this prestigious and important event is held in Poland,” comments a directing stuff member.

Just after the first artistic performance, the hosts of the World Championships, Miroslaw Przedpelski (Polish Federation president) and Ary Graca (FIVB president), will welcome all dignitaries, who visited Warsaw, including the Poland’s president and some special guest (probably Wolfgang Bach – International Olympic Committee president).

Another point of the opening ceremony will be a presentation of participating teams delegation. A banner of these nations will be brought in by women dressed infolk costumes and flags will be presented by men in white. All will be passing off with music composed by one of the most popular DJ in Poland, DJ Adamus.

Next an official speech of Bronislaw Komorowski is scheduled, and then the other part of the art. Dancers will jump out from 6-meter diameter balls in order to build the flag of Poland and FIVB sign.

“We would like spectators to have their hand in this share. Every single fan will find a coloredcardboard on his or her seat and we want them to be raised in the proper moment and then not only there will be created a colorful image, but also the World Championships cup,” a directing stuff member adds.

The last but not least surprise will be Margaret. The Polish vocalist is going to sing the official song of the tournament “Start a fire”. You could listen to the song right here.

And finally, the real struggling will begin. Teams of Poland and Serbia will be invited to play in front of 62.000 of people.

The opening ceremony, besides the very match, is directed by Yorgos Giorgos Stylianou from Greece.

 

This is the main arena of the performance.

• Photo: Opening ceremony of Euro 2012 also in Poland.
• Video: Eurovision Song Contest youtube channael

 

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Secretary of State Mike PompeoMichael (Mike) Richard PompeoPompeo slams China over Hong Kong national security law Overnight Defense: Democrats blast Trump handling of Russian bounty intel | Pentagon leaders set for House hearing July 9 | Trump moves forward with plan for Germany drawdown Pompeo tells Taliban ‘not to attack Americans’ MORE on Tuesday urged the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to “reject extortion diplomacy” by Iran as the U.S. pushes to extend an arms embargo treaty that is expected to expire in the fall.

“If Iran isn’t a threat to peace that demands a collective measure, I do not know what is,” Pompeo said. “The council must reject extortion diplomacy.”

Pompeo made his remarks as part of an effort to garner support for a U.S.-led resolution to extend the arms embargo on Iran that is set to expire in October under the conditions of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the 2015 deal under which Iran agreed to limit its nuclear ambitions in exchange for sanctions relief.

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The U.S. has signaled that without the resolution, it would push for a snapback of all sanctions on Iran under its rights as an original signatory to UNSC Resolution 2231, which enshrines the JCPOA.

Tuesday’s UNSC meeting also highlighted findings from the secretary general’s biannual report on JCPOA compliance. The report found that weapons used in the attack on Saudi oil fields in 2019 and on oil tankers in the Gulf likely originated in Iranian violation of the arms embargo.

“Iran is already violating the arms embargo, even before its expiration date,” Pompeo told Security Council members. “Imagine if Iranian activity were sanctioned, authorized by this group if the restrictions are lifted.”

Council members on Tuesday condemned Iran’s JCPOA violations, calling for Tehran to return to full compliance with the terms of the deal.

Jonathan Allen, chargé d’affaires of the British mission to the U.N., spoke out against the lifting of the arms embargo in October.

“We believe that the planned lifting of arms restrictions on Iran in October, would have major implications for regional security instability,” he said. “We are committed to working with JCPOA partners and security council members to address these concerns.”

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Yet the other signatories to Resolution 2231 rejected the U.S. assessment that it retains snapback power and allies and adversaries alike criticized the Trump administration’s initial withdrawal from the deal in 2018.

Germany’s representative to the U.N., Christoph Heusgen, said the U.S. was “violating international law” by leaving the deal.

“It is very unfortunate that the United States left the JCPOA and by doing this, and leaving, actually violating international law,” Heusgen told the virtual meeting.

But he also condemned Iran for violating its obligations under the JCPOA.

“We are very concerned that now we see Iran stepping away from the JCPOA,” he said.

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Both China and Russia pushed back on Pompeo’s assertions that the U.S. remains a signatory to the resolution and has the power to snap back sanctions. The countries have signaled that they would sell weapons to Iran once the embargo is lifted.

Zhang Jun, China’s representative to the U.N., urged the U.S. to “stop its illegal, unilateral sanctions and long arm jurisdiction, and return to the right track of observing the JCPOA and the resolution 2231.”

Vassily Nebenzia, Russia’s ambassador to the U.N., criticized Pompeo for signing out of the meeting after his remarks.

“I understand he has a very busy schedule, but we regret that he didn’t choose to listen to council members, at least some of them,” Nebenzia said.

He also criticized the U.S.’s maximum pressure campaign of sanctions, saying it created a situation “where Iran literally wouldn’t be able to breathe,” referencing the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody that sparked a nationwide debate over racial injustice in the U.S.

“Iran is being deliberately squeezed from all directions. The task is really to achieve regime change, or create a situation where Iran literally wouldn’t be able to breathe,” Nebenzia said. “This is like putting a knee to one’s neck.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also addressed the council, opposing the U.S. position that it remains a party to Resolution 2231 and saying the expiration of the arms embargo must be preserved.

“The removal of arms restrictions embodied in resolution 2231 is an inseparable part of the hard won compromise,” he said.

An internal watchdog has said that the Commerce Department led a “flawed process” during what is now known as the Sharpiegate controversy last year. 

Last September, President TrumpDonald John TrumpUtah Lieutenant Gov. Cox leads Huntsman in close governor’s race Trump tweets ‘we all miss’ Ailes after swiping at Fox Former NFL player Burgess Owens wins Utah GOP primary MORE held up a map that showed an altered path for Hurricane Dorian sketched out with a black marker that appeared to wrongly show the storm headed toward Alabama in support of a statement he made earlier about the hurricane’s projected path.

Following this, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released an unsigned statement saying that the storm did at one point appear to possibly have impacts in the state, and criticized the Birmingham National Weather Service Office for tweeting that Alabama would not see impacts from the storm. 

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A recently posted summary of a forthcoming Commerce Department inspector general report said that the department led a “flawed process that discounted NOAA participation,” and also “required NOAA to issue a Statement that did not further NOAA’s or [National Weather Service’s (NWS)] interests.”

The summary report also stated that the department “failed to account for the public safety intent of the NWS Birmingham tweet and the distinction between physical science and social science messaging.”

Although the summary stated that a copy of the report would be posted online on Monday, only the summary was available as of Tuesday afternoon.

The summary also stated that an unidentified NOAA official deleted relevant text messages.

A Commerce official who reviewed the report but was not authorized to comment told The Hill that they did not believe the evidence provided matched the report’s conclusion.

The department’s official responses will be included in the full version of the report.

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After Trump insisted last year that Alabama could be affected by Hurricane Dorian, NOAA released a statement saying that “tropical storm-force winds from Hurricane Dorian could impact Alabama,” contradicting a tweet from the National Weather Service in Birmingham, Ala., that said the state would see “no impacts” from the hurricane.

The NOAA statement also knocked the Birmingham office’s tweet, saying it “spoke in absolute terms that were inconsistent with probabilities from the best forecast products available at the time.”

The NOAA statement was met with strong public backlash, and another recent investigation found that it was driven largely by political influence rather than science.

This report was updated at 2:15 p.m. 

A three-judge federal appeals court panel on Monday upheld several restrictions on voting implemented by Wisconsin Republicans.

The panel, all GOP appointees, allowed the state to restrict early voting hours and require 28 days of residence in a district to vote, rather than 10, The Associated Press reported. The panel had not taken up the state’s requirement of photo IDs for voters but said voters can present expired student IDs or vote without ID if they present an affidavit stating they tried to get one.

“Wisconsin has lots of rules that make voting easier,” said Judge Frank Easterbrook, who wrote the opinion, according to the AP. “These facts matter when assessing challenges to a handful of rules that make voting harder.”’

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State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R), a congressional candidate, said the decision “puts municipalities in every corner of Wisconsin closer to equal footing when it comes to early in-person voting.”

State Democrats, however, blasted the ruling as enabling voter suppression in a state that was key to President TrumpDonald John TrumpUtah Lieutenant Gov. Cox leads Huntsman in close governor’s race Trump tweets ‘we all miss’ Ailes after swiping at Fox Former NFL player Burgess Owens wins Utah GOP primary MORE’s 2016 victory and is likely to be pivotal again in November. The president won the Badger State by about 22,000 votes, one of his slimmest state margins of victory.

“As Trump and his team become increasingly nervous for November, a Republican-controlled court just made another egregious assault on voting rights in Wisconsin,” state Democratic Party Chairman Ben Wikler said, according to the AP. “Trump knows his path to victory involves suppressing the vote as much as possible, and as we saw on April 7 when Republicans forced thousands of people to vote in-person during a pandemic, there is no low they aren’t willing to stoop to to grab power.”

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Republicans implemented many of the restrictions after achieving a trifecta in the state’s government in the 2010 elections. After two 2016 rulings allowing affidavits in place of photo IDs, as well as another ruling that allowed the voter ID requirement to stand but threw out several other requirements, Democrats won every state office on the ballot in 2018.

HAPPY TUESDAY! Welcome to Overnight Energy, The Hill’s roundup of the latest energy and environment news. Please send tips and comments to Rebecca Beitsch at rbeitsch@thehill.com. Follow her on Twitter: @rebeccabeitsch. Reach Rachel Frazin at rfrazin@thehill.com or follow her on Twitter: @RachelFrazin.

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SOLVING THE CLIMATE CRISIS IN JUST 547 PAGES: House Democrats officially unveiled their vision for solving the climate crisis, detailing a plan on Tuesday that would put the U.S. on a path to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.

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The sweeping plan touches nearly every sector of the economy, pushing for rapid deployment of renewable energy, cleaning up transportation through electric vehicles and a massive expansion of public transit and promoting cleaner buildings and manufacturing processes.

“We are releasing a transformative roadmap for solving the climate crisis,” said Rep. Kathy CastorKatherine (Kathy) Anne CastorOVERNIGHT ENERGY: House Democrats chart course to ‘solving the climate crisis’ by 2050 | Commerce Department led ‘flawed process’ on Sharpiegate, watchdog finds | EPA to end policy suspending pollution monitoring by end of summer House Democrats chart course to ‘solving the climate crisis’ by 2050 House Dems to offer up road map to solve the climate crisis MORE (D-Fla.), chairwoman of the House Select Committee on Climate Crisis. “We have a plan for building the 100 percent clean energy economy. And we are going to do it in an equitable and inclusive way.”

It’s the first major piece of legislation from the committee, and while it has almost no chance of becoming law this session, the general timetable for decarbonizing the economy is in line with what has been called for by former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenTrump tweets ‘we all miss’ Ailes after swiping at Fox Senior Trump campaign official reassigned in staff shakeup Poll: Biden, Trump locked in neck-and-neck battle for North Carolina MORE, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

“Democrats know that the climate crisis is the essential crisis of our time, threatening public health, jobs and the economy, national security, and values,” Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiColorado GOP Rep. Scott Tipton defeated in primary upset OVERNIGHT ENERGY: House Democrats chart course to ‘solving the climate crisis’ by 2050 | Commerce Department led ‘flawed process’ on Sharpiegate, watchdog finds | EPA to end policy suspending pollution monitoring by end of summer White House says Trump has now been briefed on Russian bounty intel MORE (D-Calif.) said at a press conference on the Capitol steps.

“Our plan honors our obligation to address the climate crisis and embraces our opportunity to solve that crisis as we build a new clean energy economy that creates millions of good paying jobs with strong labor protections.”

The 547-page plan calls for transitioning to 100 percent clean energy by 2040 — a goal in line with many existing state plans that have called for the electricity sector to decarbonize.

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But some of the other goals may be tougher to meet. To tackle transportation emissions — now the largest sector of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. — auto manufacturers would have to sell only zero-emission cars by 2035. Similarly, all new residential and commercial buildings, both major energy users, would have to be net-zero by 2030.

The plan incorporates some of the ideals of the Green New Deal, creating a National Economic Transition Office to assist workers from polluting sectors in finding new employment. 

“To the young people who have inspired us to act fearlessly, we have heard you. This is your moment to press policymakers to enact our solutions to solve the climate crisis now,” Castor said.

It also borrows many of the suggestions from Washington Gov. Jay InsleeJay Robert InsleeOVERNIGHT ENERGY: House Democrats chart course to ‘solving the climate crisis’ by 2050 | Commerce Department led ‘flawed process’ on Sharpiegate, watchdog finds | EPA to end policy suspending pollution monitoring by end of summer House Democrats chart course to ‘solving the climate crisis’ by 2050 House Dems to offer up road map to solve the climate crisis MORE (D), a former 2020 presidential candidate, whose climate team has since formed a group to forward the ideas in Congress. 

It also calls for protecting 30 percent of U.S. lands and oceans by 2030, legislation previously introduced by Sens. Cory Bennet (D-Colo.) and Tom UdallThomas (Tom) Stewart UdallOVERNIGHT ENERGY: House Democrats chart course to ‘solving the climate crisis’ by 2050 | Commerce Department led ‘flawed process’ on Sharpiegate, watchdog finds | EPA to end policy suspending pollution monitoring by end of summer House Democrats chart course to ‘solving the climate crisis’ by 2050 Trump’s 4th of July celebration double the cost from previous years: study MORE (D-N.M.), and establishing a new Civilian Conservation Corps, something supported by many members of the House. It would also establish a climate bank used to fund green endeavors.

The bulk of the plan, however, lays the groundwork for what would likely be a series of legislation that would be needed to establish new standards and regulations across the economy while funneling investments in the green areas that would need to grow.

“Imbedded in here is a lot for Biden as a candidate to pick up and run with,” said Bracken Hendricks, a co-founder of Evergreen, the group formed by former Inslee staffers. “It’s setting a framework for how to build econ transformation, setting goals and incentives to move there and make sure you’re taking steps to bring everyone along.”

Read more about what’s in the plan here.

WATCHDOG WORLD:

-Pay up, Pruitt… An internal watchdog said Tuesday that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hasn’t provided a good explanation for its decision not to recover travel expenses from former Administrator Scott PruittEdward (Scott) Scott PruittOVERNIGHT ENERGY: House Democrats chart course to ‘solving the climate crisis’ by 2050 | Commerce Department led ‘flawed process’ on Sharpiegate, watchdog finds | EPA to end policy suspending pollution monitoring by end of summer Watchdog: EPA hasn’t provided ‘sufficient justification’ for decision not to recover Pruitt travel spending OVERNIGHT ENERGY: DOJ whistleblower says California emissions probe was ‘abuse of authority’ | EPA won’t defend policy blocking grantees from serving on boards | Minnesota sues Exxon, others over climate change MORE that were found to be improper. 

In a new update to a report from last year, the EPA Office of Inspector General (OIG) said the agency decided it won’t try to recoup the costs but “has not provided sufficient justification to support the basis of the determination, that is, evidence that a security risk existed at the time.”

A 2018 OIG report found that Pruitt and his staff spent $123,942 on “excessive airfare expenses … without sufficient justification to support security concerns requiring the use of first- and business-class travel.” It recommended that the EPA demand reimbursement from Pruitt for his share of the expenses. 

Read more on the report here. 

-Sharpiegate difficult to erase… An internal watchdog has said that the Commerce Department led a “flawed process” during what is now known as the Sharpiegate controversy last year. 

Last September, President TrumpDonald John TrumpUtah Lieutenant Gov. Cox leads Huntsman in close governor’s race Trump tweets ‘we all miss’ Ailes after swiping at Fox Former NFL player Burgess Owens wins Utah GOP primary MORE held up a map that showed an altered path for Hurricane Dorian sketched out with a black marker that appeared to wrongly show the storm headed toward Alabama in support of a statement he had made earlier about the hurricane’s projected path.

Following this, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released an unsigned statement saying that the storm did at one point appear to possibly threaten in the state, and criticized the Birmingham National Weather Service Office for tweeting that Alabama would not see impacts from the storm. 

A recently posted summary of a forthcoming Commerce Department inspector general report said that the department led a “flawed process that discounted NOAA participation,” and also “required NOAA to issue a Statement that did not further NOAA’s or [the National Weather Service’s (NWS)] interests.”

The summary report also stated that the department “failed to account for the public safety intent of the NWS Birmingham tweet and the distinction between physical science and social science messaging.”

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Read more on the report here. 

MONITOR THIS: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will rescind its controversial policy allowing companies to skip monitoring their pollution by the end of the summer, the agency wrote in a letter to lawmakers.

The policy, unveiled in a March 26 memo in an effort to help companies reduce regulatory burdens during the coronavirus, alerted companies they would not face penalties for failing to monitor their pollution emissions as required under a host of environmental laws.

EPA said it would terminate the policy at the end of August, bringing to a close a directive that was previously listed as temporary but with no set end date. 

“Recognizing that there will be a period of adjustment as regulated entities plan how to effectively comply both with environmental legal obligations and with public health guidance … EPA has established a termination date for the Temporary Policy of August 31, 2020,” the agency wrote in a letter to lawmakers on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Lawmakers on a number of committees had pressured EPA to end the policy quickly, arguing the agency had no way of knowing how much pollution might be emitted into the air or water without sufficient monitoring.

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“This policy had no business being put into effect, but fortunately it will be coming to an end soon. We demanded a firm end date because we had feared that the administration would not commit to one otherwise, and might attempt to keep this policy in place indefinitely,” House Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.), Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Peter DeFazioPeter Anthony DeFazioOVERNIGHT ENERGY: House Democrats chart course to ‘solving the climate crisis’ by 2050 | Commerce Department led ‘flawed process’ on Sharpiegate, watchdog finds | EPA to end policy suspending pollution monitoring by end of summer EPA to end policy suspending pollution monitoring by end of summer OVERNIGHT ENERGY: White House threatens veto on Democrats’ .5 trillion infrastructure plan | Supreme Court won’t hear border wall challenge | Witnesses describe ‘excessive force’ used by law enforcement in Lafayette Square MORE (D-Ore.) and Appropriations subcommittee on the Interior and Environment Chairwoman Betty McCollumBetty Louise McCollumOVERNIGHT ENERGY: House Democrats chart course to ‘solving the climate crisis’ by 2050 | Commerce Department led ‘flawed process’ on Sharpiegate, watchdog finds | EPA to end policy suspending pollution monitoring by end of summer EPA to end policy suspending pollution monitoring by end of summer Lawmakers seek investigation of Park Police after clearing of White House protesters MORE (D-M.N.) said in a statement.

The letter defended the policy at length, arguing that a number of other programs help the EPA monitor spills, leaks and emissions.

“The burden is on the regulated entity to prove to EPA that compliance is not reasonably practicable due to COVID-19,” Susan Bodine, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, wrote in the letter, adding later that the policy did not appear to be widely used by industry.

“Moreover, given the continued submission of discharge monitoring reports, it appears that COVID-19 has not had a significant impact on routine compliance monitoring and reporting.

Read more on the letter here. 

OUTSIDE  THE BELTWAY:

Tesla overtakes Exxon’s market value in symbolic energy shift, Bloomberg reports

New Florida laws address sea level, algae, pythons, iguanas, The Associated Press reports

Emails reveal fired regional chief’s stormy exit, E&E News reports

ICYMI: Stories from Tuesday (and Monday night)…

Court rules against energy regulator over delayed appeals

George Washington University to fully divest from fossil fuels by 2025

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House Democrats on Tuesday hit President TrumpDonald John TrumpUtah Lieutenant Gov. Cox leads Huntsman in close governor’s race Trump tweets ‘we all miss’ Ailes after swiping at Fox Former NFL player Burgess Owens wins Utah GOP primary MORE for denying knowledge of intelligence that Russia offered bounties to incentivize Taliban-linked militants to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan, rather than vowing to get to the bottom of a matter that suggests U.S. service members are at risk.

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In a press conference Tuesday morning, a group of Democrats who had just been briefed at the White House questioned why Trump’s advisers did not make sure Trump saw the intelligence as he kept up communications with Russian President Vladimir PutinVladimir Vladimirovich PutinPompeo tells Taliban ‘not to attack Americans’ McConnell: Russia should not be admitted to G-7 Intercepted financial data raised suspicions about Russian bounties: report MORE.

“It makes no sense whatsoever for the President and the administration not to call out Putin,” House Foreign Affairs Chairman Eliot EngelEliot Lance EngelColorado GOP Rep. Scott Tipton defeated in primary upset Overnight Defense: Democrats blast Trump handling of Russian bounty intel | Pentagon leaders set for House hearing July 9 | Trump moves forward with plan for Germany drawdown Democrats hit Trump for handling of Russian bounty allegations after White House briefing MORE (D-N.Y.) said at the podium, surrounded by other physically-distanced Democrats. “I don’t understand what it is with the president’s infatuation with Putin.”

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Democrats also stressed that the briefing at the White House is not a substitute for a full House briefing and said they want intelligence professionals from the CIA and NSA to conduct the briefings, rather than officials like White House chief of staff Mark MeadowsMark Randall MeadowsOvernight Defense: Democrats blast Trump handling of Russian bounty intel | Pentagon leaders set for House hearing July 9 | Trump moves forward with plan for Germany drawdown GOP senator calls reporting on Russia bounties ‘absolutely inaccurate’ after White House briefing Democrats hit Trump for handling of Russian bounty allegations after White House briefing MORE, national security adviser Robert O’Brien, Director of National Intelligence John RatcliffeJohn Lee RatcliffeOvernight Defense: Democrats blast Trump handling of Russian bounty intel | Pentagon leaders set for House hearing July 9 | Trump moves forward with plan for Germany drawdown GOP senator calls reporting on Russia bounties ‘absolutely inaccurate’ after White House briefing Democrats hit Trump for handling of Russian bounty allegations after White House briefing MORE.

“The right people to give the briefings really were not in the room,” said Rep. Adam SchiffAdam Bennett SchiffDemocrats hit Trump for handling of Russian bounty allegations after White House briefing Voters must strongly reject the president’s abuses by voting him out this November Democrats face tough questions with Bolton MORE (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

“We need to hear from the heads of the intelligence agencies about how they assess the allegations that have been made publicly, what can they tell us about the truth or falsity of these allegations, what can they tell us about steps they are undertaking or have undertaken to vet any information that they may have,” he added

“I think we knew the White House perspective, what we need to know is the intelligence perspective,” said Rep. Steny HoyerSteny Hamilton HoyerOvernight Defense: Democrats blast Trump handling of Russian bounty intel | Pentagon leaders set for House hearing July 9 | Trump moves forward with plan for Germany drawdown Reparations bill gains steam following death of George Floyd Democrats hit Trump for handling of Russian bounty allegations after White House briefing MORE (D-Md.), the House Majority Leader, adding that they did not receive “any new substantive information.”

Democrats, who were limited to what they could say about the intelligence, said they forcefully disagree with President Trump that the allegation about the rewards is a “hoax.”

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“Nothing in the briefing that we’ve just received led me to believe it is a hoax,” said Hoyer.

The briefing at the White House comes a day after the White House briefed House Republicans about the intelligence, a move that came as the Trump administration faced bipartisan pressure to explain what Trump knew about the threat — or why he didn’t.

White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany on Monday denied that Trump was “personally” briefed on the reported bounties, noting that he was not briefed because of a lack of consensus and “dissenting opinions” within the intelligence community about the credibility of the information. She did not answer questions as to whether Trump received elements of the intelligence in his Daily Presidential Briefing.

Citing officials, The New York Times then reported late Monday that Trump was provided a written briefing in late February.

Democrats suggested the White House has no reason to claim Trump didn’t see the intelligence. If he didn’t read the briefing, it fell to his advisers to ensure he was aware of the facts, however he best takes in information, they said.

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“If a president doesn’t read the briefs, it doesn’t work to give him a product and not tell him what’s in it,” Schiff said, noting that that he is speaking generally. “It’s not a justification to say that the president should have read whatever materials he has. If the president doesn’t read, he doesn’t read. They should know that by now.”

Schiff speculated that maybe Trump’s advisers were afraid to give the president information that he doesn’t want to hear, while Hoyer quoted former national security adviser John BoltonJohn BoltonJudge temporarily blocks publication of Mary Trump book The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Fauci ‘aspirationally hopeful’ of a vaccine by winter Democrats hit Trump for handling of Russian bounty allegations after White House briefing MORE in saying that it is “inconceivable” that matter as grave as U.S. troops being killed did not reach the president.

Others, however, expressed skepticism about the White House claims that the president didn’t know.

Rep. Adam SmithDavid (Adam) Adam SmithOvernight Defense: Democrats blast Trump handling of Russian bounty intel | Pentagon leaders set for House hearing July 9 | Trump moves forward with plan for Germany drawdown Trump approves Pentagon plan to move 9,500 troops out of Germany Top Senate Democrats request Esper, Pompeo testify over Russian bounties reports MORE (D-Wash.), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said based off what he heard at the White House briefing, “it seems to me like [Trump] did know about it.”

“Now maybe he was aware of the allegation, looked at it and said, there’s nothing to this,” Smith said during a separate phone call with reporters during the press conference. “It’s hard for me to believe based on the way it was presented that the president knew nothing about it as he stated.”

Rebecca Kheel contributed.

Happy Tuesday and welcome back to On The Money, your virtual elbow-bump of financial news in these socially distant times. I’m Sylvan Lane, and here’s your nightly guide to everything affecting your bills, bank account and bottom line.

See something I missed? Let me know at slane@thehill.com or tweet me @SylvanLane. And if you like your newsletter, you can subscribe to it here: http://bit.ly/1NxxW2N.

Write us with tips, suggestions and news: slane@thehill.com, njagoda@thehill.com and nelis@thehill.com. Follow us on Twitter: @SylvanLane, @NJagoda and @NivElis.

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THE BIG DEAL—Mnuchin, Powell differ over how soon economy will recover: Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and Treasury Secretary Steven MnuchinSteven Terner MnuchinOn The Money: Mnuchin, Powell differ over how soon economy will recover | Millions fear eviction without more aid from Congress | IRS chief pledges to work on tax code’s role in racial wealth disparities Mnuchin, Powell differ over how soon economy will recover The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Fauci ‘aspirationally hopeful’ of a vaccine by winter MORE offered differing opinions Tuesday on how quickly the U.S. economy would recover from the coronavirus recession.

In testimony before a House committee, Powell and Mnuchin offered disparate forecasts for a budding economic recovery despite broadly agreeing on the success of the federal response so far.

• Mnuchin told members of the House Financial Services Committee that he expected the economy to “improve significantly” in the second half of the year after adding 2.5 million jobs in May.
• “We are in a strong position to recover because the administration worked with Congress on a bipartisan basis,” Mnuchin said, later ceding that further help for certain industries may be necessary.
• While Mnuchin asserted that the worst of the pandemic-driven recession is in the rearview mirror, Powell warned of daunting obstacles still ahead after the country suffered “a level of pain that is hard to capture in words.”
• “The path forward will also depend on the policy actions taken at all levels of government to provide relief and support the recovery for as long as needed,” he added, arguing in favor of another round of stimulus.

Read more from the hearing here.

The background: The officials’ comments come as Democrats push for another sweeping coronavirus relief bill and Republicans caution against moving forward before existing measures work their way through the system.

Powell and Mnuchin’s competing levels of optimism mark one of the few splits between the two most powerful U.S. economic officials amid months of close collaboration. 

• Both have worked in lockstep to deploy trillions of dollars in economic aid that’s widely credited with dampening the staggering blow of the pandemic.
• But Mnuchin’s bullish outlook, which is shared widely among President TrumpDonald John TrumpUtah Lieutenant Gov. Cox leads Huntsman in close governor’s race Trump tweets ‘we all miss’ Ailes after swiping at Fox Former NFL player Burgess Owens wins Utah GOP primary MORE’s top aides, has occasionally contrasted with Powell’s cautious approach as the chief of the independent central bank.

 

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LEADING THE DAY

Millions fear eviction without more aid from Congress: Millions of tenants are at risk of receiving eviction notices in late July as protections from a major coronavirus stimulus program are set to expire.

The coronavirus relief bill, signed as the CARES Act in late March, included a moratorium on evictions for tenants in units with federally backed mortgages or other assistance who were unable to pay rent.

But with no agreement in Congress on an extension of the moratorium, families hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic may soon have to make new living arrangements. The Hill’s Niv Elis tells us more here.

The problems: 

• The federal moratorium only applies to housing being paid off through federally backed mortgages or insurance, so it only applies to about a fifth of renters.
• But because many of the government programs are aimed at keeping costs down for low-earners, those renters also tend to be among the most vulnerable. 
• A patchwork of other state and local level policies for keeping people in their homes are also due to expire, creating a slew of potential problems nationwide.

The proposals: 

• Experts note that one of the best ways to keep the housing problem in check is to maintain an expanded level of unemployment benefits, which are also due to run dry come August. The income is one of the main things keeping millions of newly unemployed Americans afloat.
• House Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine WatersMaxine Moore WatersOn The Money: Mnuchin, Powell differ over how soon economy will recover | Millions fear eviction without more aid from Congress | IRS chief pledges to work on tax code’s role in racial wealth disparities Millions fear eviction without more aid from Congress House approves statehood for DC in 232-180 vote MORE (D-Calif.) sponsored her own bill that would extend the eviction moratorium into March and also expand its scope, while providing billions in emergency rental assistance and low-cost loans for landlords. It passed in the House Monday night 232-180, largely along party lines.

 

IRS chief pledges to work on tax code’s role in racial wealth disparities: IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig said Tuesday that his agency would work with Congress to examine any ways that the tax code contributes to racial wealth disparities.

“I’m [a] huge proponent of inclusiveness, diversity,” Rettig said during a Senate Finance Committee hearing, in response to a question from Sen. Sherrod BrownSherrod Campbell BrownOn The Money: Mnuchin, Powell differ over how soon economy will recover | Millions fear eviction without more aid from Congress | IRS chief pledges to work on tax code’s role in racial wealth disparities IRS chief pledges to work with Congress on examining tax code’s role in racial wealth disparities Millions fear eviction without more aid from Congress MORE (D-Ohio).

“I think you’re possibly aware of the fact that I’m the first commissioner whose spouse came to this country as a refugee. And so I understand how people are treated in different arenas, and we’re all in,” he added. Rettig’s wife came to the United States as a refugee from Vietnam.

Brown said communities across the country are calling for an end to systemic racism following the deaths of Black Americans at the hands of police, and that tax policy hasn’t been closely examined through a racial justice lens. The Hill’s Naomi Jagoda has more here.

 

GOOD TO KNOW

• Legislation exploring whether Black Americans should receive restitution for slavery may soon get a huge boost, as a growing number of Democrats are hoping to move reparations this summer as another response to the death of George Floyd.
• Stocks rallied Tuesday to cap off the best quarter for all three major U.S. indexes in several decades despite months of economic damage and anxiety driven by the coronavirus pandemic.
• A federal mandate to wear masks would slow the spread of the coronavirus enough to save the economy from losing 5 percent of its value, according to a Goldman Sachs study.
• The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Tuesday formally designated Chinese telecommunications groups Huawei and ZTE as national security threats, blocking them from accessing FCC funds.

 

On tap tomorrow

• The House Foreign Affairs Committee holds a hearing entitled “The End of One Country Two Systems?: Implications of Beijing’s National Security Law in Hong Kong,” 9:30 a.m.
• The House Small Business Committee holds a hearing entitled “The Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program: Status Update from the Administration,” 10 a.m.

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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellDemocratic lawmakers call for expanding, enshrining LGBTQ rights Manchin draws line against repealing legislative filibuster Hillicon Valley: Facebook takes down ‘boogaloo’ network after pressure | Election security measure pulled from Senate bill | FCC officially designating Huawei, ZTE as threats MORE (R-Ky.) said on Tuesday that Russia should not be readmitted to the Group of Seven (G-7), breaking with President TrumpDonald John TrumpUtah Lieutenant Gov. Cox leads Huntsman in close governor’s race Trump tweets ‘we all miss’ Ailes after swiping at Fox Former NFL player Burgess Owens wins Utah GOP primary MORE, who has repeatedly floated having Moscow attend the group’s summits. 

Asked if Russia should be let back into the economic group, McConnell told reporters, “Absolutely not.” 

Trump said late last month that he wanted to expand the group of countries that take part for the next meeting, including inviting Russia. The president spoke with Russian President Vladimir PutinVladimir Vladimirovich PutinPompeo tells Taliban ‘not to attack Americans’ McConnell: Russia should not be admitted to G-7 Intercepted financial data raised suspicions about Russian bounties: report MORE earlier this month when, according to a White House readout, they “discussed progress toward convening the G7.”

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Russia was ousted from the then-Group of Eight in 2014 to punish Moscow for annexing Crimea and supporting pro-Kremlin separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Trump’s warmer rhetoric toward Moscow has been a perennial headache for himself and Republicans. Congress passed new sanctions on Russia in 2017 despite pushback from the White House. 

McConnell previously said in 2018 that Russia should not be allowed back into the economic group after Trump floated allowing it back in. 

The relationship with Moscow is back in the spotlight following multiple reports that the U.S. intelligence community concluded months ago that a unit within the GRU, Russia’s military intelligence agency, secretly offered payments to Taliban-linked militants for attacks on coalition forces, including Americans, in Afghanistan last year.  

The New York Times reported on Friday that administrations officials had deliberated potential response options, but the White House had not authorized any further action.

Trump defended his suggestion earlier this month that Moscow be allowed to attend the meeting, calling it “common sense.”

“It’s not a question of what he’s done, it’s a question of common sense,” Trump said. “We have a G-7, he’s not there. Half of the meeting is devoted to Russia and he’s not there.” 

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