Happy Tuesday and welcome to Overnight Defense. I’m Ellen Mitchell, and here’s your nightly guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. CLICK HERE to subscribe to the newsletter.

THE TOPLINE: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has asked the Pentagon to temporarily house unaccompanied migrant children at two Texas military installations, the Department of Defense (DOD) confirmed Tuesday.

HHS sent a request for assistance to the Pentagon for specific use of a vacant dorm at Joint Base San Antonio, in Lackland, and vacant land at Fort Bliss outside of El Paso, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters.

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Limited details: Kirby could not say if the request included the number of children that would be housed at each location, saying he had not seen the document and referring further questions to HHS.

“We have just received this request so I don’t have much more detail than that. We’ll analyze it and evaluate it just like we would any other request for assistance,” he said.

A surprise: The two bases had previously not been disclosed as under consideration to house migrant children, who have increased in number at the southwestern border in recent months.

The Pentagon revealed in early March that the Biden administration was considering Fort Lee, Va., about 30 miles south of Richmond, as a possible location to place some children and had conducted a site assessment. DOD has not yet received a formal request for assistance from HHS to use the Army facility.

Strained facilities: While the Biden administration is deporting most single adults and families attempting to cross the border illegally, it is not doing the same to unaccompanied children.

HHS-run shelters typically house the minors before they can be released to parents or other sponsors in the United States, but the department’s facilities have become strained under the current flood of border crossings.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas acknowledged last week that the number of attempted crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border is expected to reach its highest level in 20 years.

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Read more here.

TOP ADMIRAL WARNS POSSIBLE CHINA INVASION OF TAIWAN CLOSER THAN WE THINK

The possibility of China trying to invade Taiwan could happen sooner than most people think, the admiral nominated to lead U.S. military forces in the Indo-Pacific region said Tuesday.

Adm. John Aquilino, the head of U.S. Pacific Fleet, made the comment while testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee for his confirmation hearing to become head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (Indo-Pacom).

Asked by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) about a recent prediction from the current head of Indo-Pacom that China could try to invade Taiwan in as little as six years, Aquilino declined to endorse that specific timeline, saying “there’s many numbers out of there” ranging from “today to 2045.”

Aquilino’s prediction: Aquilino did suggest he thinks it is liable to happen sooner rather than later, saying Beijing views annexing Taiwan as its “No. 1 priority.”

“The rejuvenation of the Chinese Communist Party is at stake” when it comes to Taiwan, Aquilino said.

“My opinion is this problem is much closer to us than most think, and we have to take this on,” he added, advocating that a multibillion-dollar fund known as the Pacific Deterrence Initiative (PDI) be put in place “in the near term and with urgency.”

More money, please: The current commander of Indo-Pacom, Adm. Philip Davidson, has proposed Congress provide the PDI with about $4.7 billion in fiscal 2022 and about $27 billion through fiscal 2027 to fund items such as an Aegis Ashore missile defense system on Guam, upgrades to training ranges and expanded wargames.

Pentagon weighs in: Asked later Tuesday about the Defense Department’s confidence in the military’s ability to prevent China from moving on Taiwan, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby declined to “speculate about potential future operations” but said “nobody wants this to result in conflict.”

“The secretary is concerned at the significant changes that have been taking place in the PRC’s strategic forces,” Kirby said, referring to the People’s Republic of China. “And he’s also concerned about the lack of transparency by Beijing about what they’re doing. We would certainly welcome greater transparency about both their intentions and their modernization program. But again, nobody’s interested in seeing this resulting conflict of any kind.”

A rocky relationship: U.S.-Chinese tensions have picked up in recent weeks as the Biden administration raises concerns with Beijing’s human rights and economic abuses and other aggressive behavior in the Indo-Pacific region.

The administration is also seeking to cooperate with China in areas of mutual concern, such as climate change.

But the Biden administration’s first meeting with Chinese officials, which took place last week in Alaska, quickly turned into a verbal sparring match.

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NORTH KOREA TESTS MISSILES

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North Korea reportedly fired off multiple short-range missiles last weekend after it denounced Washington for going forward with joint military exercises with South Korea.

The Washington Post first reported the missile tests, citing unnamed sources familiar with the situation.

Everyone is mum: North Korea has yet to comment on the missile launches, which the Post notes is unusual for the country which typically boasts of such developments as a sign of its military might. 

Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby was asked about the reported tests Tuesday afternoon during a Department of Defense press conference.

“I have nothing for you on that right now,” Kirby said.

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Last week: News of these missile tests come about a week after Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un, gave a vague warning to the U.S. regarding its approach to North Korea.

“We take this opportunity to warn the new U.S. administration trying hard to give off powder smell in our land,” she said according to the North Korean state news agency. “If it wants to sleep in peace for [the] coming four years, it had better refrain from causing a stink at its first step.”

No luck: The Biden administration has reportedly attempted multiple times, through several different avenues to get in contact with North Korea, but has been ignored so far.

First vice minister of Foreign Affairs for North Korea, Choe Son Hui, also said last week that the isolated nation will not discuss denuclearization until the U.S. stops its “hostile policies.”

ON TAP FOR TOMORROW

A Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee subpanel will hold a hearing on Preparing for Future Crises: Examining the National Response Enterprise,” at 10 a.m. in Dirksen Senate Office Building, room 342. https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/subcommittees/etso/hearings/preparing-for-future-crises-examining-the-national-response-enterprise

The National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations will hold a webinar on the new report: “Changing Military Dynamics of the Middle East North Africa Region,” at 10 a.m. https://ncusar.org/?utm_source=Daily%20on%20Defense%20032321_03/23/2021&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=WEX_Daily%20on%20Defense&rid=78393

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The National Defense Industrial Association will hold its Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Conference and Exhibition, with Tom Cartledge, branch chief of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s Nuclear Detection Division, at 10 a.m. https://www.ndia.org/events/2021/3/24/cbrn-quarterly-forum?utm_source=Daily%20on%20Defense%20032321_03/23/2021&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=WEX_Daily%20on%20Defense&rid=78393

Acting Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Director Peter Highnam will speak at the National Defense Industrial Association’s virtual National Security and Artificial Intelligence Conference and Exhibition, at 10 a.m. https://www.ndia.org/events/2021/3/23/1se1-national-security-ai-conference-and-exhibition?utm_source=Daily%20on%20Defense%20032321_03/23/2021&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=WEX_Daily%20on%20Defense&rid=78393

The Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress will hold a virtual discussion on “Lessons from New START and the Road Ahead for Nuclear Arms Control,” with former government officials, at 11 a.m. https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_7vnYTzJ3T1Wt3CBi40GUjA?_x_zm_rtaid=uz0IK1IYSlmbch2igtzNEg.1615824459262.6742b124cb8dda01014e1eaa2cb2dc48&_x_zm_rhtaid=727&utm_source=Daily%20on%20Defense%20032321_03/23/2021&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=WEX_Daily%20on%20Defense&rid=78393

Retired Army Gen. Vincent Brooks, former U.S. Korea commander, and retired South Korean Lt. Gen. In Bum Chun will speak at the Hudson Institute virtual event on “North Korean Threat Perception and the US-South Korea Alliance: Political-Military Dimensions,” at 12 p.m. https://www.hudson.org/events/1930-virtual-event-north-korean-threat-perception-and-the-us-south-korea-alliance-political-military-dimensions-part-1-of-2-32021?utm_source=Daily%20on%20Defense%20032321_03/23/2021&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=WEX_Daily%20on%20Defense&rid=78393

A Senate Armed Services subcommittee will hold a hearing on “Sexual Assault in the Military,” with a panel of survivors of sexual assault in the military and survivor advocates, and two subsequent panels with Brenda Farrell, director, Defense Capabilities and Management, Government Accountability Office; and retired Air Force Col. Don. Christensen, president of Protect Our Defenders, at 2:30 p.m. in Dirksen 106. https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings/21-03-24-sexual-assault-in-the-military?utm_source=Daily%20on%20Defense%20032321_03/23/2021&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=WEX_Daily%20on%20Defense&rid=78393

And coming up next week: Former Defense Secretaries Chuck Hagel and Leon Panetta, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Brown, Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville and Michèle Flournoy will participate in The Hill’s Future of Defense Summit at 12:30 p.m. March 29. RSVP today for event reminders. (https://futureofdefense.splashthat.com/)

ICYMI

— The Hill: Second Marine officer fired after investigation into deadly sinking of assault vehicle

— The Hill: White House confirms new round of talks with Iraq on US troop presence

— The Hill: Opinion: We cannot let America’s eyes go dark by ending drone intelligence

— The New York Times: Foes in Afghan War See a Common Threat of Islamic State’s Return

— The Washington Post: Facing sweltering soldiers and flooded ports, NATO to focus on climate change

— Military Times: Skepticism surrounds VA promise to draw down backlog of compensation and pension exams

 

 

The CEOs of the country’s biggest social media platforms will testify Thursday before a Congress eager to press them on their roles spreading misinformation related to coronavirus and the leadup to the deadly insurrection at the Capitol in January.

Facebook’s Mark ZuckerbergMark Elliot ZuckerbergThe Hill’s Morning Report – Biden leans heavily into gun control House lawmakers fired up for hearing with tech CEOs Facebook rolls out physical keys to guard against hacking mobile accounts MORE, Twitter’s Jack Dorsey and Google’s Sundar Pichai will appear remotely in front of two House Energy and Commerce subcommittees set to take a markedly different tone from previous hearings.

“We are done with conversation,” Rep. Jan SchakowskyJanice (Jan) Danoff SchakowskyProgressives up pressure on Biden to back COVID vaccine patent waiver House lawmakers fired up for hearing with tech CEOs Lawmakers press federal agencies on scope of SolarWinds attack MORE (D-Ill.), chairwoman of the Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee, said at an event Monday. “We are now moving ahead with regulation and legislation, and that is inevitable. We want them to understand how seriously they better take this.”

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The hearing will likely focus on the part the massive platforms play in spreading potentially dangerous misinformation — ranging from election result conspiracies to lies about the coronavirus vaccine — and a suite of proposed and forthcoming legislative fixes to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which gives platforms liability protection from content posted by third parties and allows them to safely moderate.

All three companies have highlighted their work on content moderation and new policies recently, hinting at how they will approach the hearing.

Facebook published a blog by Guy Rosen, its vice president of integrity, on Monday that outlined efforts to take down fake accounts, fact-check content and remove coronavirus misinformation across its platforms.

YouTube earlier this month revealed that it took down 30,000 videos with COVID-19 vaccine misinformation.

Twitter rolled out a policy for labeling vaccine misinformation posts and implemented a strike system for broader coronavirus misinformation that could see accounts suspended or removed for repeated violations.

The storming of the Capitol on Jan. 6 that left five people dead will undoubtedly be a focus of questioning, at least by Democrats.

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Social media was rife with both planning of the event and the falsehood — that former President TrumpDonald TrumpThe Hill’s Morning Report – Biden leans heavily into gun control Justice Dept. faces risks, rewards with riot sedition charges Online harassment is ugly and routine for women in journalism MORE was robbed of a second term — that seemingly motivated many of the participants.

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone Jr. (N.J.) sent a letter along with the 22 other Democrats on the panel to Zuckerberg earlier this month raising concerns about Facebook’s role in boosting dangerous information ahead of the January attack.

Pallone, Schakowsky and Rep. Mike DoyleMichael (Mike) F. DoyleHouse lawmakers fired up for hearing with tech CEOs Lawmakers press federal agencies on scope of SolarWinds attack House Democrats press Facebook on role as a ‘breeding ground for polarization’ MORE (D-Pa.), the chairman of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee, sent a letter to Pichai around the same time pressing the CEO about YouTube allegedly promoting extremist content.

Democrats on the committee have also sent letters to Facebook, Google and Twitter about efforts to contain coronavirus misinformation.

The top Republican on the committee, Rep. Cathy McMorris RodgersCathy McMorris RodgersHouse lawmakers fired up for hearing with tech CEOs 1.3B Facebook posts removed between October and December, company says Hillicon Valley: Google ad report reveal | SolarWinds fallout raises pressure on Biden | UK Uber drivers get some solace MORE (Wash.), has led letters to all three platforms this month asking if they coordinated content removal decisions and for greater clarity on how they handle political content.

The hearing also comes the same week the nonprofit group Avaaz identified 267 pages and groups on Facebook, with a total of 32 million followers, that shared content glorifying violence. Facebook spokesperson Andy Stone told The Hill that only 18 of the pages and groups violated company policies. Those have since been taken down.

But Avaaz’s campaigns director, Fadi Quran, told The Hill that Facebook was “very slow” in taking action.

“We’ve done more than any other internet company to combat harmful content, having already banned nearly 900 militarized social movements and removed tens of thousands of QAnon pages, groups and accounts from our apps,” Stone said.

Despite Facebook’s and the other platforms’ efforts to tackle these issues, lawmakers remain skeptical.

Lawmakers are also likely to spend some time in the hearing brandishing their legislative proposals to amend Section 230, a bipartisan concern, although the parties are split on how to approach reform.

Schakowsky is set to unveil later this week the Online Consumer Protection Act, which would allow the Federal Trade Commission and consumers to sue platforms that violate their terms of service.

“Our members are very enthusiastic right now and anxious to go,” she said Monday.

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Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Chairwoman Anna EshooAnna Georges EshooHouse lawmakers fired up for hearing with tech CEOs Lawmakers press federal agencies on scope of SolarWinds attack Biden can build on Pope Francis’s visit to Iraq MORE (D-Calif.) and Rep. Tom MalinowskiThomas (Tom) MalinowskiHouse lawmakers fired up for hearing with tech CEOs Obama ties Biden priorities to ObamaCare anniversary: ‘We’ve still got more work to do’ Holding Biden to his promise on human rights MORE (D-N.J.) are also set to reintroduce a proposal later this week that would strip Section 230 protections when platforms’ algorithms promote harmful or extremist content.

Rep. David CicillineDavid CicillineHouse lawmakers fired up for hearing with tech CEOs Democratic lawmakers propose B hike for State Greene calls Italian American House Democrat ‘Rep. Mussolini’ MORE (D-R.I.), who has captained the Democrats’ approach to antitrust in the context of Big Tech, is readying a bill on the issue that also focuses on algorithmic amplification, a spokesperson confirmed to The Hill.

Proposals from Democrats in the Senate will also likely come up.

The Safe Tech Act, proposed by Sens. Mark WarnerMark Robert WarnerHouse lawmakers fired up for hearing with tech CEOs On The Money: Fed will allow COVID-19 capital requirement exemption to lapse | Study: Climate change could reduce more than 60 countries’ credit ratings GOP lawmaker introduces bill targeting tech liability protections MORE (D-Va.), Amy KlobucharAmy KlobucharHouse lawmakers fired up for hearing with tech CEOs GOP lawmaker introduces bill targeting tech liability protections Watch live: Schumer, Klobuchar, Merkley hold briefing on voting rights MORE (D-Minn.) and Mazie HironoMazie Keiko HironoThe Hill’s Morning Report – Biden leans heavily into gun control House lawmakers fired up for hearing with tech CEOs Duckworth drops threat to oppose Biden picks over diversity concerns MORE (D-Hawaii), gained some momentum as a potential light-touch reform to the controversial law.

“Section 230 was well intentioned at its outset as a tool for this emerging industry of content providers and online platforms who wanted to do a little bit of self-moderation,” Warner said on a panel hosted by Protocol on Monday. “We’ve seen that evolve into an almost blanket immunity or ‘get-out-of-jail-free’ card for large online providers who want to do nothing about foreseeable, obvious and repeated misuse of their platforms.”

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The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Shalanda Young as the White House’s deputy budget director, even as plans to fill the top spot remain on hold.

Young, a former staff director for the House Appropriations Committee, was confirmed by a vote of 63-37.

Many Republicans who initially supported Young’s confirmation as the No. 2 at the Office of Management and Budget withdrew their support after an initial round of confirmation hearings, citing objections to her support for repealing the Hyde Amendment in her written responses.

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The Hyde Amendment bars government funds from being used for abortions.

Young’s confirmation comes as the White House struggles to name a nominee to fill the top budget spot, which plays a central role in overseeing the executive branch.

Its original nominee, Neera TandenNeera TandenThe Hill’s Morning Report – Biden leans heavily into gun control Duckworth drops threat to oppose Biden picks over diversity concerns Duckworth, Hirono vow to oppose Biden picks over diversity concerns MORE, withdrew her nomination after losing support from Sen. Joe ManchinJoe ManchinThe Hill’s Morning Report – Biden leans heavily into gun control Dems plan to squeeze GOP over filibuster Biden allies eye two-step strategy on infrastructure MORE (D-W.Va.) and several key Republicans, who said her previous tweets about both Republicans and progressives were disqualifying. Tanden’s defenders cried foul, arguing Republicans repeatedly turned a blind eye to tweets from former President TrumpDonald TrumpThe Hill’s Morning Report – Biden leans heavily into gun control Justice Dept. faces risks, rewards with riot sedition charges Online harassment is ugly and routine for women in journalism MORE, who had a penchant for personal attacks both on and off social media.

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Since Tanden’s withdrawal, top House Democrats including Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiThe Hill’s Morning Report – Biden leans heavily into gun control Biden allies eye two-step strategy on infrastructure Progressives up pressure on Biden to back COVID vaccine patent waiver MORE (D-Calif.) have made a public push for Biden to offer Young the top budget job. She would be the first African American woman in the position.

But while she is expected to serve as acting director following her confirmation, Biden has been slow to name a new nominee.

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Gene Sperling, a former director of the National Economic Council, had been floated for the job. Biden instead offered him a position in the administration overseeing the implementation of the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief law signed earlier in the month.

Ann O’Leary, another potential nominee who was most recently chief of staff to California Gov. Gavin NewsomGavin NewsomOn The Money: Yellen defends raising taxes ‘in a fair way’ to fund infrastructure plan | Senate confirms Young as deputy budget director | Fed creates climate financial risk panel Poll: Newsom beating recall effort Governor races to test COVID-19 response, Trump influence MORE (D), took herself out of the running earlier this week.

Some Asian American groups are making a push for Biden to pick Nani Coloretti, who was deputy secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the Obama administration and is of Filipino descent.

A group of nearly 200 businesses worth a combined $539 billion is urging Congress to expand access to paid family and medical leave in the next spending package.

The signers of a letter sent to Capitol Hill on Tuesday include Spotify, Pinterest, Levi Strauss & Co., Patagonia, Lady Gaga’s makeup company Haus Labs, JJ Abrams’s production company Bad Robot and Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop.

“We cannot emerge from this pandemic and remain one of only two countries in the world with no form of national paid leave,” the letter states. “We need a policy that is inclusive and that protects all workers equally, regardless of what kind of work they do, where they live, or whom they love. Congress must work with the administration to build a framework for a permanent paid family and medical leave policy, so we’re never unprepared for a crisis again.”

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Two of the COVID-19 relief packages already signed into law have included paid family and medical leave for some workers at a reduced pay rate.

The companies and advocates at groups such as PL+US are now pushing to expand it in the massive spending proposal the Biden administration is assembling.

Advocates hope to extend the number of months of paid leave, expand access to medical and caregiving needs, allow for incremental leave, ensure wage replacement of at least 80 percent, and guarantee job protection and anti-retaliation protections.

“The pandemic transformed the politics of paid leave, and the massive surge in business support for leave we see in this letter is one of the surest signs we’ve seen of that fact so far,” said Annie Sartor, PL+US’s senior director of business partnerships.

“The COVID crisis allowed millions of Americans to see how broken our care infrastructure has been for years,” Sartor added. “This letter makes it clear that the business community isn’t just ok with federal action on paid family and medical leave, they want Congress to act right now.”

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The Senate voted Tuesday to confirm Vivek MurthyVivek MurthyThe Hill’s Morning Report – Biden leans heavily into gun control Vivek Murthy confirmed as surgeon general This week: Senate works to confirm Biden picks ahead of break MORE to be President BidenJoe BidenThe Hill’s Morning Report – Biden leans heavily into gun control Justice Dept. faces risks, rewards with riot sedition charges Dems plan to squeeze GOP over filibuster MORE‘s surgeon general, handing the administration one of its top public health officials amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Senators voted 57-43 to confirm Murthy, a bump from the 51 votes he got for the same position in 2014. Murthy served as surgeon general under the Obama administration but was fired by former President TrumpDonald TrumpThe Hill’s Morning Report – Biden leans heavily into gun control Justice Dept. faces risks, rewards with riot sedition charges Online harassment is ugly and routine for women in journalism MORE in 2017.

GOP Sens. Bill CassidyBill CassidyVivek Murthy confirmed as surgeon general OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Supreme Court declines to hear challenge to Obama marine monument designation | Interior reverses course on tribal ownership of portion of Missouri river | White House climate adviser meets with oil and gas companies Senate GOP pushes back on list of participants in oil and gas leasing forum MORE (La.), Susan CollinsSusan Margaret CollinsThe Hill’s Morning Report – Biden leans heavily into gun control Congress wonders how to pay for Biden’s infrastructure proposal Vivek Murthy confirmed as surgeon general MORE (Maine), Roger MarshallRoger W. MarshallVivek Murthy confirmed as surgeon general Overnight Health Care: Biden says country will pass 100 million COVID-19 shots this week | US to send surplus AstraZeneca vaccine doses to Mexico, Canada | Senate confirms Becerra for HHS in tight vote Pat Roberts joins lobbying firm weeks after Senate retirement MORE (Kan.), Lisa MurkowskiLisa Ann MurkowskiTrump allies line up ahead of potentially bruising primaries OVERNIGHT ENERGY: White House pulls deputy Interior secretary amid reported pushback | Fed to form committee focused on climate risks to financial system | Democratic senators call on Biden to sanction Russian gas pipeline Nord Stream 2 Vivek Murthy confirmed as surgeon general MORE (Alaska), Rob PortmanRobert (Rob) Jones PortmanTrump allies line up ahead of potentially bruising primaries Vivek Murthy confirmed as surgeon general Biden takes sales blitz to swing-state Ohio MORE (Ohio), Mitt RomneyWillard (Mitt) Mitt RomneyVivek Murthy confirmed as surgeon general Press: What Biden could have taught Obama Trump ramps up activities, asserts power within GOP MORE (Utah) and Dan SullivanDaniel Scott SullivanVivek Murthy confirmed as surgeon general The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Split screen: Biden sells stimulus; GOP highlights border OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Senate confirms Haaland to lead Interior | House Republicans pitch nuclear, natural gas as ‘cleaner’ energy future | Congress investigating ‘clean coal’ tax credit | SEC to weigh requiring further climate disclosures to investors MORE (Alaska) joined Democrats in supporting his nomination on Tuesday.

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“.@vivek_murthy is a highly experienced, crisis-tested leader and an excellent choice to return as Surgeon General. Glad he was confirmed today—and I’m looking forward to working with him to address this pandemic and the underlying health inequities it has made way worse,” Sen. Patty MurrayPatricia (Patty) Lynn MurrayLobbying world Vivek Murthy confirmed as surgeon general Obama ties Biden priorities to ObamaCare anniversary: ‘We’ve still got more work to do’ MORE (D-Wash.), who chairs the Senate’s Health Committee, tweeted Tuesday night.

But getting the support of every Democratic senator wasn’t always guaranteed. Sen. Joe ManchinJoe ManchinThe Hill’s Morning Report – Biden leans heavily into gun control Dems plan to squeeze GOP over filibuster Biden allies eye two-step strategy on infrastructure MORE (D-W.Va.) told reporters last month that he hadn’t made a decision, but ultimately ending up voting for him Tuesday.

“Murthy has confirmed his commitment to remaining non-partisan as Surgeon General and reaffirmed his belief that the vast majority of gun-owning Americans are responsible and follow the law. For these reasons, I believe Dr. Murthy is qualified to be Surgeon General and I look forward to working with him to address the numerous issues facing our nation,” Manchin said in a statement. 

Murthy previously called gun violence a health threat to the United States, which had won him opposition from the NRA. Manchin voted against Murthy’s nomination in 2014, saying that questioned if Murthy could “separate his political beliefs from his public health views.” 

Trump’s firing of Murthy in 2017 surprised employees at the Department of Health and Human Services and sparked accusations from Democrats that Trump was trying to politicize the role. 

Murthy advised Biden for several months during the campaign on the coronavirus pandemic and vowed to focus on the mental health impact if he was confirmed. 

“We know a lot of what we need to do, we just aren’t doing it. We have for example, programs that we could be investing in schools to help provide mental health counseling to kids to detect symptoms of mental illness early. We can train more mental health providers,” Murthy said.

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President BidenJoe BidenThe Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Biden to hit road, tout COVID-19 relief law Oregon senator takes center stage in Democratic filibuster debate This week: Democrats eye next step after coronavirus relief bill win MORE is under increasing pressure to share the U.S. vaccine stockpile with the rest of the world. 

The federal government has been amassing doses, growing its supply into what will likely become a surplus, as the rest of the world struggles with shortages. The U.S. has purchased enough vaccines to immunize every adult in the country three times over. 

The supply is likely to grow.

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This week, Biden announced he had directed the administration to purchase an additional 100 million doses from Johnson & Johnson. 

The White House said the extra doses could be a backstop for possible manufacturing issues, help vaccinate children, or serve as booster doses if they become necessary to fight against variants of the virus. 

If finalized, the deal would not be fulfilled until the second half of the year, but would give the U.S. a total of 200 million shots from Johnson & Johnson, enough for 200 million people.

When asked at the White House event about the widening gap between the U.S. and the rest of the world, Biden acknowledged the global nature of the pandemic but said his goal is to bring COVID-19 under control in America first.

“This is not something that can be stopped by a fence, no matter how high you build a fence or a wall,” Biden said. “So we’re not going to be ultimately safe until the world is safe. We’re going to start off making sure Americans are taken care of first, but we’re then going to try to help the rest of the world.”

“If we have a surplus, we’re going to share it with the rest of the world,” Biden added, noting that the U.S. has already committed $4 billion to COVAX, the World Health Organization-led program for distributing the vaccine across the world. 

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On Friday, Biden committed to working with the leaders of Australia, India and Japan to expand vaccine manufacturing and delivery in Asia. The new commitment is aimed at addressing shortages in vaccines in Southeast Asia.

Yet administration officials reiterated that the United States will not donate any vaccines until the full American population is inoculated, and did not say what threshold the country would set before considering exporting vaccines.

Experts and global health advocates think the U.S. has the ability to donate vaccines to other countries without significantly impacting their availability to Americans, but has been unwilling to make such a plan.   

“The world is currently facing a vaccine access crisis and the Biden administration has not yet established a clear framework or timeline for distributing excess vaccine doses while simultaneously vaccinating the U.S.’ domestic population,” said Sarah Swinehart, a spokeswoman for The ONE Campaign. 

The global aid organization UNICEF, which is working with COVAX to deliver vaccines, has said countries that have vaccinated their own health workers and highest risk populations should share vaccine doses with other countries. 

In the U.S., demand still outpaces supply, but that is beginning to change. States are opening up eligibility, and President Biden said he expects there will be enough supply for every American who wants a vaccine by the end of May. 

During a speech Thursday evening, Biden said every adult will be able to sign up for a vaccine no later than May 1.

But pressure and frustration among allied countries is only growing after the administration said it has been keeping tens of millions of doses of a vaccine made by AstraZeneca in storage. 

The Trump administration ordered 300 million doses of the vaccine, but issues with clinical trials have held up its authorization and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is still waiting on additional data. 

The vaccine has been authorized for emergency approval in the European Union, and is the primary vaccine being used by COVAX in poor countries. But even though it has not been authorized in the U.S., Biden administration officials said they are holding on to the supply.

White House coronavirus coordinator Jeff ZientsJeff ZientsUS comes under pressure to share vaccines with rest of world Sunday shows preview: Democrats declare victory on COVID-19 stimulus; Vaccination efforts provide hope for summer Five things that must happen to get people vaccinated MORE told reporters the U.S. has a “small inventory” of the AstraZeneca vaccine on hand so it can be ready to distribute quickly if the company receives FDA clearance in the coming weeks.

“We’re following the exact same process that we did with the other three now-approved vaccines; Moderna, Pfizer and J&J,” Zients said.

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White House press secretary Jen PsakiJen PsakiBiden: Cuomo ‘investigation is underway and we should see what it brings us’ Gun control groups focus all efforts on Senate Cats, dogs, birds, horses and even a raccoon: A brief history of White House pets MORE said the U.S. has rejected all requests from other countries to share doses of its vaccines.

“There have been requests around the world from a number of countries who have requested doses from the United States, but we have not provided doses from the U.S. government to anyone,” Psaki said. 

Psaki said the administration is trying to cover all contingencies and ensure Americans are getting put first. 

“We want to make sure we have maximal flexibility, that we are oversupplied and over prepared and that we have the ability to provide vaccines — whatever the most effective ones are — to the American public,” Psaki said. “There are still 1,400 people who are dying in our country every single day and we need to focus on addressing that.”

 

 

Bangkok — A dog found swimming more than 135 miles from shore by workers on an oil rig crew in the Gulf of Thailand has been returned safely to land. A worker on the rig belonging to Chevron Thailand Exploration and Production, Vitisak Payalaw, said on his Facebook page that they saw the dog swimming toward the platform last Friday. He said they were lucky to spot it because if there had been waves it probably would not have been visible. Payalaw posted a video to his Facebook account, showing the rescued dog.  “His eyes were so sad. He just kept looking up just like he wanted to say, ‘Please help me,'” Payalaw told CNN. “At that moment, whoever saw this, they would just have to help.”