Happy Tuesday and welcome back to On The Money. I’m Naomi Jagoda, in for 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 njagoda@thehill.com or tweet me @njagoda. 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 — Banks point finger at IRS for brief stimulus checks delay

A group of banking and credit union industry groups on Tuesday defended banks from criticism by customers who haven’t received their stimulus payments yet, saying the funds aren’t being sent to financial institutions by the Biden administration until Wednesday.

“The IRS recently sent an initial wave of tens of millions of economic impact payments via the Automated Clearing House (ACH) system,” the banking groups said in a statement. “The actual funds will be sent to the banks and credit unions on March 17, at which time funds will be made available to customers. Until that time, the funds remain with the government.” 

Details on timing of the $1,400 stimulus payments:

• The IRS started the process of sending out the payments last week. The agency said Friday that the official payment date is Wednesday and that some Americans may see pending or provisional payments in their bank accounts before then. 

• Some financial technology companies, such as Chime and Green Dot, have already started to credit customers’ accounts, advancing funds to them. But large banks have said the stimulus payment money won’t start to be available to customers until Wednesday.

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• Some customers of large banks are frustrated that they have not yet gotten their payments and have criticized the companies on social media.

I have more for you on the banking groups’ statement here.

 

LEADING THE DAY – Huge fight looms over raising taxes

Washington is gearing up for a battle over raising taxes as President BidenJoe BidenBiden and Congress must take bold action to prevent violent extremism The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Biden faces GOP’s immigration and filibuster offensive Democrats play defense on border crisis MORE looks for a way to pay for his agenda while Republicans are planning to dig in their heels ahead of the 2022 elections.

Biden last week signed a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package that was mostly deficit-financed. The White House and congressional Democrats are now turning their attention to another economic recovery package, possibly focused on infrastructure, jobs and climate change. A key question will include if and how to pay for such a proposal.

Biden proposed a slew of tax increases during his presidential campaign that are expected to be on the table as part of the discussions. But they will face fierce opposition from Republicans and business groups, jeopardizing any attempt to pass an economic package on a bipartisan basis.

Biden’s proposals: Biden’s campaign tax proposals included raising the corporate tax rate from 21 percent to 28 percent, as well as raising the top individual income tax rate and the capital gains tax rate for high-income taxpayers. 

White House press secretary Jen PsakiJen PsakiThe Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Biden faces GOP’s immigration and filibuster offensive Biden says he supports return to ‘talking filibuster’ Biden: Cuomo should resign if harassment probe confirms allegations MORE said Monday that there isn’t a proposed infrastructure package yet but also said that Biden’s tax priority is ensuring that the wealthy and corporations pay their “fair share.”

“That remains his overarching approach, but there isn’t a package yet where we’re talking about pay-fors yet,” she said.

The politics of tax increases: Conservatives argue that corporate tax increases would hurt the economy and voters’ 401(k) retirement accounts. Progressives say that it would be smart politics to pay for infrastructure through tax increases on the wealthy and corporations because polling shows public support for those types of tax hikes.

I have more for you here about the coming fight over tax increases. 

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Also be sure to read this article from The Hill’s Jordain Carney about Senate Republicans pushing back on the idea of raising taxes to help pay for an infrastructure package.

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GOOD TO KNOW

• Financial markets are settling into what’s becoming familiar territory of record highs on the first anniversary of the worst one-day decline in decades, underscoring the gap between Wall Street and the economy.

• The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Isabel Guzman to lead the Small Business Administration (SBA), approving another member of President Biden’s economic team.

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• Retail sales plummeted by 3 percent in February, according to a report released Tuesday by the Census Bureau, as extreme winter weather kept people at home.

• A group of more than 100 House members on Tuesday urged the IRS to extend the tax filing and payment deadlines — the latest effort from lawmakers to press the IRS to postpone the April 15 due date.

 

ODDS AND ENDS 

• Treasury Secretary Janet YellenJanet Louise YellenOn The Money: Details on timing of the ,400 stimulus payments Yellen provides signature for paper currency Huge fight looms over raising taxes MORE last week provided her official signature that will be used on the 2021 series of U.S. paper currency, the department said Tuesday.

• Sen. Tom CottonTom Bryant CottonOn The Money: Details on timing of the ,400 stimulus payments Tom Cotton: Chamber of Commerce is ‘a front service for woke corporations’ Top 5 Republican presidential contenders, and 2 on the way out MORE (R-Ark.) on Tuesday slammed the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, saying the powerful business lobbying organization has lost its way and is siding more often with Democrats and progressive causes.

President BidenJoe BidenAstraZeneca says COVID-19 vaccine found 79 percent effective in US trial with no safety concerns The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden: Back to the future on immigration, Afghanistan, Iran This week: Senate works to confirm Biden picks ahead of break MORE is coming under increasing pressure from lawmakers and other officials to nominate a White House cyber czar as the government starts formulating its response to two major foreign cyberattacks.

More than halfway through his first 100 days in office, Biden has yet to name his pick for national cyber director, a Senate-confirmed position that comes with a 75-member staff.

The absence of a leader to coordinate federal policy on cybersecurity is becoming glaring as the administration works to quickly respond to both the Russian SolarWinds hack and the Microsoft Exchange Server vulnerabilities exploited by Chinese hackers.

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“Fill senior positions — there is no substitute for getting people into jobs who develop policy proposals and then implementing those ideas,” said Michael Daniel, a cyber coordinator during the Obama administration who’s now president and CEO of the Cyber Threat Alliance.

“The Administration deserves credit for prioritizing filling cybersecurity positions, but it needs to press forward with filling the remaining positions as expeditiously as possible,” he said.

The cyber czar position, created by the most recent National Defense Authorization Act, would carry even more authority than the White House cyber coordinator role that was eliminated by the Trump administration in a move to cut down on bureaucracy.

That left a gap in the executive branch to lead on cybersecurity, one that has been highlighted by recent security breaches.

The first incident, known as the SolarWinds hack, was discovered in December and involved likely Russian hackers breaching at least nine federal agencies and 100 private sector groups.

More recently, Microsoft announced this month that state-sponsored Chinese hackers were using vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange Server to infiltrate and steal data from hundreds of thousands of organizations.

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An administration official stressed Friday that Biden saw filling the cyber czar position as “a priority,” noting that the administration is in the midst of a 60-day review of the position and its structure.

“Setting up a new federal entity is complicated — and we’re taking a look at how we can do this in a way that makes the most sense,” the official told The Hill. “This remains a priority. As it has been made clear by our actions, the White House takes cyber threats very seriously.”

The National Defense Authorization Act became law on Jan. 1.

Biden has taken some interim steps. He appointed Anne Neuberger, the former cybersecurity lead at the National Security Agency, to a new role on the National Security Council (NSC) as deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technology.

She is now serving as the point person in the executive branch on the SolarWinds incident.

But while Neuberger has been praised on both sides of the aisle, her position is not Senate-confirmed, and she does not have the same authorities designated to a cyber czar.

“It is discouraging that we don’t have a national cyber director, and we are coping with these serious intrusions,” Sen. Angus KingAngus KingBiden under growing pressure to nominate cyber czar Officials urge Biden to appoint cyber leaders after SolarWinds, Microsoft hacks Microsoft breach ramps up pressure on Biden to tackle cyber vulnerabilities MORE (I-Maine) told reporters on a call earlier this month.

He said the delay in nominating someone to fill the role could lead to more security risks.

“It may be that we are losing valuable time … let’s name a national cyber director, send the nomination up here, and in the meantime the White House can work on establishment of the office,” King said.

Concerns over the lack of a central cyber czar have grown in recent weeks, with lawmakers increasingly worried about leadership in the wake of the two breaches.

“We need a head coach, and the head coach has got to be a national cyber director. And I am hopeful we are going to have one up and running soon, because we have a lot of things we need to do,” Rep. John KatkoJohn Michael KatkoBiden under growing pressure to nominate cyber czar Officials urge Biden to appoint cyber leaders after SolarWinds, Microsoft hacks Microsoft breach ramps up pressure on Biden to tackle cyber vulnerabilities MORE (N.Y.), the top Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee, said Friday at an event hosted by the Wilson Center.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee held a hearing on the SolarWinds breach earlier this month, where top federal officials testified on the breach.

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At a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on the SolarWinds breach earlier this month, ranking member Sen. Rob PortmanRobert (Rob) Jones PortmanJohnson, Grassley indecision freezes key Senate races Republicans set to rebound big in 2022 midterms, unless… Biden under growing pressure to nominate cyber czar MORE (R-Ohio) grilled acting Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Director Brandon Wales about why the position remains open in the wake of “the most massive attack in the history of our government.”

Wales stressed that the administration needed to take time to evaluate the position in order to ensure it is “additive and strengthening” to existing federal cybersecurity cooperation between CISA and other agencies.

David Kris, former head of the Justice Department’s national security division and founder of Culper Partners consulting firm, told The Hill that Neuberger’s appointment at the NSC might be allowing the administration to take a little more time before filling the cyber czar position.

“The aftermath of Solar Winds brought a renewed focus on the importance of unity of effort in cyber matters,” Kris told The Hill. “With a strong and capable leader, Anne Neuberger, already in place and working such matters at the NSC, perhaps the Biden Administration is taking time to consider how adding another leader, the cyber director, will enhance that unity of effort.” 

King, however, stressed that while he supported the administration reviewing the position, timing was of the essence. 

“If you hear a little frustration in my voice, you are right, because I am frustrated,” King said. “I don’t understand, we can do two things at once around here, and if they put up someone for confirmation, it will take two, four, six weeks. Let’s get it started.”

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Treasury Secretary Janet YellenJanet Louise YellenOn The Money: Details on timing of the ,400 stimulus payments Yellen provides signature for paper currency Huge fight looms over raising taxes MORE on Tuesday said poorer nations will need continued coronavirus relief given the pandemic’s role in widening economic inequality everywhere.

Yellen made the comments during a discussion with interfaith leaders as well as leaders from nonprofit Jubilee USA, according to a readout of the meeting posted by the Treasury Department.  

“The Secretary observed that the pandemic has accelerated global economic inequality, and with limited policy space, low-income countries will need continued international support to address the COVID-19 crisis,” the department said.

Yellen also noted the Treasury Department’s support for the Debt Service Suspension Initiative, which was established by G-20 nations to provide debt relief for low-income countries, and for the Common Framework for debt treatments, which helps countries achieve longer-term economic stability.

The Treasury also said that Yellen stressed that the poorer countries will suffer the most from climate change, though they are the least responsible for it. She noted that Biden administration is committed to “using the full power of the U.S. federal government” to address climate change.

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The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is opening a review into the Trump administration’s decision to move U.S. Space Command headquarters from Colorado Springs to Alabama. 

Rep. Doug LambornDouglas (Doug) LambornGAO to review decision to move Space Command to Alabama Colorado presses Biden to reverse Trump Space Command move Overnight Defense: Trump impeached for second time | National Guard at Capitol now armed, swelling to 20K troops for inauguration | Alabama chosen for Space Command home MORE (R-Colo.), who had asked the GAO to open a probe, said in a press release that the agency had informed him of the upcoming review.

“I am very pleased that the Government Accountability Office is conducting an investigation of the methodology behind the headquarters selection process for U.S. Space Command,” Lamborn said.

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“I believe the process the Department of the Air Force used was fundamentally flawed,” he said. “It is crucial we thoroughly review their entire process to ensure that the decision was both sound and rooted in our national security interests.”

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Lamborn added, “This kind of review is precisely what GAO excels at, and I am confident they will investigate in a transparent, nonpartisan, and unbiased manner. I will continue working to ensure that USSPACECOM is headquartered at a location which strengthens and does not disrupt our national security space enterprise.” 

The Hill has reached out to GAO for comment.

The Air Force first decided in mid-January to establish the permanent headquarters of U.S. Space Command in Huntsville, Ala. 

U.S. Space Command was established in December 2019 as the military’s 11th unified combatant command. Its command’s predecessor, Air Force Space Command, was headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, a city that was seen at the time as the front-runner in the race to host the new headquarters.

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Colorado lawmakers banded together to reverse the decision by the Trump administration to stand up the Space Command in Alabama, sending a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd AustinLloyd AustinThe Hill’s Morning Report – Biden: Back to the future on immigration, Afghanistan, Iran Pentagon chief lands in Afghanistan ahead of troop withdrawal deadline Biden’s Asian outreach reflects the power of demographics MORE in February pressing him to review the decision before moving forward.

“Without a review, this hasty decision will undermine our country’s ability to respond to national security threats in space. We have concerns about the transparency, impartiality, and bias of the process that the previous administration used when coming to a final decision that should be addressed prior to any final decision on permanent basing,” they wrote in Feb. 1 letter.

Lamborn had separately asked GAO to conduct a review.

Anthony FauciAnthony FauciGetting the facts right on Operation Warp Speed 1 in 6 US adults has been fully vaccinated for COVID-19, CDC says Fauci: COVID-19 variant likely accounts for up to 30 percent of US infections MORE, the government’s leading infectious disease expert, warned that variants of the coronavirus could account for up to 30 percent of infections in the U.S.

Fauci specifically sounded the alarm at a White House press conference Friday over the B.1.1.7 variant, which was first discovered in the United Kingdom and has since spread across the globe.

“This variant, as you know, is every day getting more and more dominant in our own country,” Fauci said.

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“It was first detected in the U.K. in December of 2020. It was reported in over 90 countries. The first U.S. cases were detected in the United States, in Colorado, at the end of December of 2020. And since then, it has been detected in 50 jurisdictions in the United States, and likely accounts now for about 20 to 30 percent of the infections in this country, and that number is growing,” he said.

Fauci noted experts’ concerns that the variant is more easily transmissible and that a serious infection is more likely once it is contracted.

“Of concern is that there are about 50 percent increase in transmission with this particular variant that has been documented in the U.K., and there’s likely an increase in severity of disease if infected with this variant,” he said. 

Public health officials have specifically pointed to the U.K. variants, as well as other strains, in their calls for the public to not ease up on following safety guidelines like mask wearing and social distancing.

One study showed a 64 percent increased risk of death for people who contract the B.1.1.7 variant, and another showed a 61 percent higher risk of death.

However, vaccines have proven to be effective against the variant.

“The way we can counter 1.1.7, which is a growing threat in our country, is to do two things: to get as many people vaccinated as quickly and as expeditiously as possible with the vaccine that we know works against this variant; and finally, to implement the public health measures that we talk about all the time,” said Fauci.

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Twitter on Friday announced that it plans to establish a legal representative in Turkey, making it the latest social media company to do so to ensure compliance with a new internet law in the country. 

Twitter said in a statement that upon reviewing the new law, which requires representatives for social media platforms to review content flagged for privacy violations, it had decided to “establish a legal entity” in order to “ensure that Twitter remains available for all who use it in Turkey.” 

“In coming to this decision, we were guided by our core mission: defending open, public conversation and ensuring our service is available to people everywhere,” Twitter added. 

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“We remain committed to protecting the voices and data of people in Turkey who use Twitter,” the statement said. “We will continue to be transparent about how we handle requests from government and law enforcement.” 

According to The Associated Press, social media companies under the Turkish law must answer requests to take down information violating privacy and personal rights within 48 hours, either by removing the content or by providing a justification for not doing so. 

A social media platform can be held liable for damages should the specified content not be removed within 24 hours following a decision, the AP noted. 

Turkey in January issued advertising bans on Twitter, as well as Periscope and Pinterest, in a move to push the platforms to comply with the law passed last year. Critics have argued that the law could allow the Turkish government to curb dissent within the country. 

That same month, Facebook announced that it had initiated the process of appointing a legal representative in Turkey to comply with the social media law, though the platform said in a statement that it would not be changing its community standards or its process of reviewing government requests.

“We will withdraw the representative if we face pressure on either,” Facebook said at the time. 

YouTube in December said it would comply with the new law after facing fines for not doing so. 

“We have been able to find a way forward and will commence the process of appointing a local representative legal entity in compliance with the law, without compromising our values,” YouTube said in a statement.

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Jockeying over defense funding is heating up amid expectations President BidenJoe BidenAstraZeneca says COVID-19 vaccine found 79 percent effective in US trial with no safety concerns The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden: Back to the future on immigration, Afghanistan, Iran This week: Senate works to confirm Biden picks ahead of break MORE will request an essentially flat Pentagon budget for next year.

This past week, a group of progressive Democrats sent Biden a letter calling for him to “significantly” slash defense spending.

The letter sparked fierce backlash from Republicans, who view defense cuts as a red line and would like to see the budget increase.

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The back-and-forth points to a difficult balancing act the administration and Democrats will face when the budget works its way through a narrowly divided Congress.

Defense budget watchers have for months been anticipating a request from the Biden administration that’s little changed from current spending levels, particularly amid other budget pressures such as the trillions of dollars spent on the COVID-19 crisis.

Pentagon officials are reportedly crafting a fiscal 2022 budget between $704 billion and $708 billion that is essentially flat compared with this year’s funding.

The spending request is not expected until May, but top generals have already started the annual ritual of appearing before defense committees in Congress to make their cases for more resources.

With the focus of national security increasingly turning to competition with China, the budget request for Indo-Pacific Command (Indo-Pacom) is garnering extra attention.

In a congressionally mandated report earlier this month, Indo-Pacom Commander Adm. Philip Davidson called for about $4.7 billion in fiscal 2022 and about $27 billion through 2027 to fund items such as an Aegis Ashore missile defense system on Guam, upgrades to training ranges and expanded war games.

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Davidson told the Senate Armed Services Committee at a hearing this month that he’s been “quite encouraged” by the administration’s draft budget requests, but acknowledged there’s “a long way to go before the budget is finalized.”

A flat budget is likely to mean efforts to retire older weapons systems, something Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks telegraphed Friday as she outlined how the United States will need “to demonstrate the will and capability to credibly deter [Chinese] aggression.”

“Making room for new capabilities will require difficult choices where the nation’s security needs are no longer being met,” Hicks said in a speech to the National War College, her first public remarks as deputy Defense secretary. “The department will work closely with Congress to phase out systems and approaches optimized for an earlier era.”

Those trade-offs are likely to spark more jostling between Congress and the administration as lawmakers work to protect programs that benefit their constituents. For example, in response to reports the Pentagon may again propose an early retirement of the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier, Virginia lawmakers in both parties blasted the idea.

“As we look to expand the U.S. Navy’s presence in response to malign Chinese activity and illegal maritime claims, the last thing we should consider is cuts to our carrier fleet,” Rep. Elaine LuriaElaine Goodman LuriaBattle heats up over Pentagon spending plans Democrats snipe on policy, GOP brawls over Trump Chamber-endorsed Dems struggle on election night MORE (D-Va.) said in a statement this month. “One cannot place a value on the unparalleled power projection and deterrence provided by our fleet of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and their embarked air wings.”

Meanwhile, with the White House and both chambers of Congress controlled by Democrats for the first time in years, progressives are hoping to advance their longstanding goal of cutting the defense budget.

In a Tuesday letter, 50 House Democrats — led by former Progressive Caucus chairs Reps. Barbara LeeBarbara Jean LeeBattle heats up over Pentagon spending plans Bipartisan House bill would repeal decades-old war authorizations Overnight Defense: 50 House Democrats urge Biden to ‘significantly’ slash defense budget | Blinken, Austin put China on warning | Pentagon could extend Guard mission at border MORE (Calif.) and Mark PocanMark William PocanBattle heats up over Pentagon spending plans Overnight Defense: 50 House Democrats urge Biden to ‘significantly’ slash defense budget | Blinken, Austin put China on warning | Pentagon could extend Guard mission at border 50 House Democrats urge Biden to ‘significantly’ slash defense budget MORE (Wis.) and Marines veteran Rep. Jake Auchincloss (Mass.) — urged Biden to “go further” than submitting a budget that doesn’t increase spending.

“Rather than requesting a flat Pentagon budget, we urge you to seek a significantly reduced Pentagon topline,” they wrote.

“Hundreds of billions of dollars now directed to the military would have greater return if invested in diplomacy, humanitarian aid, global public health, sustainability initiatives, and basic research,” they added.

With a slim Democratic majority in the House and a 50-50 split in the Senate, Democrats are expected to need Republican votes to pass a defense budget.

Republicans have been urging Biden to boost the defense budget by 3 to 5 percent, the pace of defense spending increases early in the Trump administration, and sent a letter to that effect earlier this month signed by the top Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee.

After Tuesday’s letter from progressive lawmakers, Republicans pounced.

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In a floor speech, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellDemocrats vow to go ‘bold’ — with or without GOP Johnson, Grassley indecision freezes key Senate races Republicans set to rebound big in 2022 midterms, unless… MORE (R-Ky.) cast Biden’s upcoming budget as a test of his seriousness in competing with China.

“Unfortunately, reports suggest the Biden administration may plan to freeze defense spending. Of course that means a reduction, after inflation. Dozens of Democrats are pressuring the administration for even steeper cuts,” McConnell said.

“If the administration is serious about competing with China, deterring Russia, and preserving American leadership, the most important test will be in the president’s budget submission,” he said.

Rep. Mike RogersMichael (Mike) Dennis RogersBattle heats up over Pentagon spending plans On The Money: IRS plans to extend tax filing deadline to mid-May | Powell voices cautious optimism | Treasury has sent out 90 million stimulus payments House Republicans vote to support earmarks MORE (R-Ala.), the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), said in a speech this past week his “biggest concern” right now is Biden’s upcoming defense budget.

“As we all know, he is being pressured from his left to reduce defense spending,” Rogers said at an event hosted by the Ronald Reagan Institute. “Just two days ago, 50 Democrat House members wrote to Biden urging him to submit a budget that reduces the defense budget. In fact, even a HASC Democrat was on that letter.”

“This is a real threat to the Pentagon’s budget and makes working on the NDAA that much harder,” he added, referring to the annual defense policy bill known as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

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A succession of Republicans also took to Twitter to blast the House Democrats’ letter.

Sen. Roger WickerRoger Frederick WickerBattle heats up over Pentagon spending plans GOP goes on the attack against Biden relief bill White House plans PR blitz to sell coronavirus relief bill MORE (R-Miss.) tweeted that slashing the defense budget would be “disastrous,” while Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) said it would be “reckless” and Rep. Mike TurnerMichael Ray TurnerBattle heats up over Pentagon spending plans Sunday shows preview: CDC school reopening guidance stirs debate; Texas battles winter freeze Former Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel jumps into Senate race MORE (R-Ohio) blasted “far-left lawmakers … on a mission to undo President TrumpDonald TrumpThe Hill’s Morning Report – Biden: Back to the future on immigration, Afghanistan, Iran Juan Williams: Biden flips the script The Memo: Two months in, strong Biden faces steep climbs MORE‘s agenda.”

“This caucus would let the [Chinese Community Party] and Russia shape the 21st Century to their liking, as well as jeopardize our allies and the American homeland,” Rep. Rob WittmanRobert (Rob) Joseph WittmanBattle heats up over Pentagon spending plans Marine Corps commandant says China, Russia to pose biggest challenges for years The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Forget about comity in Congress MORE (Va.), the top Republican on the House Armed Services’s seapower subcommittee, said in his own tweet.

In response to Wittman, Pocan shot back, accusing Republicans of “fearmongering.”

“If we literally cut our defense budget in half, we’d still spend: $100,000,000,000 more on defense than China. $300,000,000,000 more on defense than Russia,” Pocan tweeted. “Please don’t let the @GOP scare you into any more bottomless defense budgets. Thanks, Defense Spending Reduction Caucus.”

Last year, Lee and Pocan and Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersDemocrats vow to go ‘bold’ — with or without GOP The Memo: Two months in, strong Biden faces steep climbs Cotton: Democrats’ infrastructure bill will be focused on higher taxes, ‘Green New Deal’ MORE (I-Vt.) pushed an amendment to cut the overall $740 billion defense budget, which includes both Pentagon funding and non-Pentagon sources such as the Energy Department’s nuclear weapons funding, by 10 percent. The amendment failed by large bipartisan majorities in both chambers.

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Rogers expressed confidence that any attempt at defense cuts would again be rejected.

“I’m certain that an NDAA or Defense appropriations with cuts will not pass the House,” he said in his Reagan Institute speech. “House Republicans just won’t go along with that. And I don’t believe a majority of Democrats will either.”

Speaking to reporters last month, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack ReedJack ReedBattle heats up over Pentagon spending plans Afghanistan 20 years on US proposes interim power-sharing deal between Taliban, Afghan government: report MORE (D-R.I.) predicted the jockeying over the defense budget, but said the 50-50 split in the Senate will require a bipartisan agreement. He said he expects a “tight” defense budget, rather than an increase.

“They’ll be individuals on the right, who would urge for significant increases, you know, never enough. And then others on the left would say we have to just cut it dramatically and they can figure out what to do with what’s left,” he said.

“I think both sides are going to recognize, a majority, in fact more than a majority, are going to recognize that we have to continue our investment in national security and defense and the men and women who carry the burden for us. I think that will be the prevailing element at the end,” he said.

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The strongest dust storm in 10 years hit northern China on Monday, illustrating what conservation groups have called an “ecological crisis.”

Li Shuo, policy director for Greenpeace China, told The New York Times that the storm, which grounded hundreds of flights, was “the result of land and ecological degradation in the north and west of Beijing.” Industrial pollutants in the vicinity of Beijing so far this year have already exceeded the last four years’ annual average, he added.

“Beijing is what an ecological crisis looks like. After two weeks of smog and static air, strong wind carries a sand storm in, sending [air quality index] off the chart,” Li said.

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The weather system had its genesis in a winter storm that passed through Mongolia, where it killed at least nine and knocked out power in several regions of the country. In northern China, the air surpassed hazard levels for airborne particles.

The air quality readings reached 999 Monday after averages of around 80 through most of 2020.

China’s weather bureau declared a “yellow alert” due to the storm. The event extended from the northwestern Xinjiang and Gansu provinces to Inner Mongolia and Hebei province, according to NPR. Overall, the storm affected 12 provinces and cities, NPR reported, citing state media.

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The weather has been compared to the “airpocalypse” events that struck the country in years past before Chinese Communist Party leaders took steps to slash pollution levels.

Beijing officials imposed a stay-at-home order for children and sick and elderly people as the resulting smog discolored the air. The effects are expected to persist through at least Tuesday morning, according to the Times.

President Xi Jinping has said a “green revolution” is needed in the country and that China will ramp up its efforts to cut carbon emissions, but this target has frequently been at odds with accelerated economic development. Heavy pollution in recent days has been tied to increased production of steel and cement, and China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment recently told local officials that four steel mills in Hebei province have not adequately cut emissions, according to the Times.

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Former President TrumpDonald TrumpThe Hill’s Morning Report – Biden: Back to the future on immigration, Afghanistan, Iran Juan Williams: Biden flips the script The Memo: Two months in, strong Biden faces steep climbs MORE in an interview released Monday labeled the nation’s top infectious diseases expert, Anthony FauciAnthony FauciGetting the facts right on Operation Warp Speed 1 in 6 US adults has been fully vaccinated for COVID-19, CDC says Fauci: COVID-19 variant likely accounts for up to 30 percent of US infections MORE, “a promoter more than anything” after the two sometimes clashed on the nation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I thought rather than firing him, you know, I listened to him, but I didn’t do what he said because, frankly, his record is not a good record,” Trump told the podcast “The Truth with Lisa Boothe.”

“I like him personally,” Trump continued. “He’s actually a nice guy. He’s a great promoter. He’s really a promoter more than anything else.”

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When asked if he regretted “elevating” Fauci, Trump said, “Well, I didn’t really elevate him. He’s been there for 40 years. He’s been there forever.”

But Trump said Fauci has been “wrong so much” on COVID-19 recommendations, citing his early advice against masks that aligned with other experts at the time over a concern that there would not be enough protective equipment for health care workers.

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The former president also reiterated criticisms against Fauci for initially speaking out against the travel restrictions on China last year. Trump said that there would have been “hundreds of thousands of more deaths” without the measure.

Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, later acknowledged the ban on travel bought the U.S. some time but did not halt the virus. 

“Fauci has been so wrong. So has Birx, they’ve been so wrong,” Trump said, referring to his former White House coronavirus response coordinator Deborah BirxDeborah BirxBirx: Trump’s disinfectant injection moment was ‘extraordinarily uncomfortable’ Birx ‘concerned’ about asymptomatic COVID-19 spread Deborah Birx to become fellow at George W. Bush Institute MORE.

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“And if I would’ve listened to them?” he continued. “And then they went to the other extreme, like the entire country should lock up. I didn’t go for that. And you know, it just wasn’t for me. I didn’t go for that.”

Trump during the interview applauded governors who allowed their states to remain open or reopen amid the pandemic, adding that those who shut down more activity did “really terribly” and “ruined their economies.”

After last year’s presidential election, the Biden administration asked Fauci to stay on as chief medical adviser, which the infectious diseases expert said he accepted “right on the spot.” 

In recent weeks, Fauci has called on the former president to instruct his supporters to get the vaccine, as Republicans remain a key demographic that is skeptical of the inoculations. Trump did tell people at the Conservative Political Action Conference to get immunized, which Fauci praised. During an appearance on Fox News earlier this month, Trump again urged his supporters to get vaccinated.

Japan on Saturday issued a tsunami warning after a 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit the northeastern coast of the country, with shaking felt hundreds of miles from the epicenter. 

The Japanese Meteorological Agency reported that the quake hit the coast of Miyagi Prefecture just after 6 p.m. local time, with a depth of approximately 40 miles, according to Reuters.

While the country’s weather service initially issued a tsunami warning for the area of up to 3 feet of water, this was later lifted, though the agency continued to predict slight sea level changes along the coast. 

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Japan’s NHK public broadcaster advised residents to avoid the coast, and added that the quake caused a temporary blackout in some areas and suspended bullet train services, according to The Associated Press. 

The New York Times reported that the quake, which lasted for roughly 30 seconds, could be felt hundreds of miles away in Tokyo. 

Videos shared on social media captured the moments the quake was felt throughout the country, with security footage capturing buildings shaking as people drove in the street and worked in offices. 

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Despite power outages, NHK said there were no immediate reports of major infrastructure damage. 

NHK added later in the evening that a handful of minor injuries were reported as a result of the earthquake. 

Saturday’s quake came just over a week after Japan recognized the 10th anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that struck Fukushima Prefecture, killing an estimated 20,000 people. 

The 30-foot waves in the 2011 disaster also led to a nuclear power plant meltdown that triggered a nuclear emergency, with total damage estimated at $300 billion, according to CNN.

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