Facebook and Google are investing in new undersea internet cables that will run between California and Southeast Asia in an effort to boost internet speed and reliability, the companies announced Monday. 

Facebook said it will invest in two new subsea cables, Echo and Bifrost, and Google said it will be investing in Echo. The projects are subject to regulatory approvals.

Echo and Bifrost will be the first transpacific cables and will connect Singapore, Indonesia and North America. 

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The two companies touted the projects as helping to bring reliable internet access around the world. 

“Echo and Bifrost will support further growth for hundreds of millions of people and millions of businesses. We know that economies flourish when there is widely accessible internet for people and businesses,” Facebook said in a blog post. 

Google in a post said the cable will decrease latency for users connecting to applications running the Google Cloud Platform in the area. 

Echo is expected to be ready for service in 2023, Google said.  The goal is for Echo to be completed by late 2023, CNBC reported.

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Amazon on Friday issued an apology for a tweet last week denying claims from some Amazon workers that they were worked so hard that they were forced to urinate in plastic bottles instead of going to the restroom.

The tweet from the Amazon News account came in response to a post from Rep. Mark PocanMark William PocanAmazon apologizes for tweet denying some workers urinate in bottles White House delays release of budget plan Intercept reporter: ‘There’s no way’ Amazon management didn’t know about ‘routine’ of drivers peeing in bottles MORE (D-Wis.), who commented on claims of a “progressive workplace” from Amazon consumer chief Dave Clark. 

“Paying workers $15/hr doesn’t make you a ‘progressive workplace’ when you union-bust & make workers urinate in water bottles,” Pocan tweeted. 

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Amazon pushed back in its own tweet, writing, “You don’t really believe the peeing in bottles thing, do you?”

“If that were true, nobody would work for us,” the account added at the time. “The truth is that we have over a million incredible employees around the world who are proud of what they do, and have great wages and health care from day one.”

Amazon apologized on Friday for its response, writing in a blog post, “This was an own-goal, we’re unhappy about it, and we owe an apology to Representative Pocan.”

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“First, the tweet was incorrect,” Amazon said. “It did not contemplate our large driver population and instead wrongly focused only on our fulfillment centers.” The company noted that these locations usually have “dozens of restrooms, and employees are able to step away from their work station at any time.” 

“If any employee in a fulfillment center has a different experience, we encourage them to speak to their manager and we’ll work to fix it,” the multinational tech giant added. 

Amazon also said that the tweet “did not receive proper scrutiny,” recognizing the “need to hold ourselves to an extremely high accuracy bar at all times, and that is especially so when we are criticizing the comments of others.” 

The corporation admitted that Amazon drivers especially may “have trouble finding restrooms because of traffic or sometimes rural routes, and this has been especially the case during Covid when many public restrooms have been closed.”

“This is a long-standing, industry-wide issue and is not specific to Amazon,” the post added before including a series of links for additional news reports on drivers for ride-hailing services and workers for delivery companies struggling to find accessible bathrooms while working. 

Amazon went on to say, “Regardless of the fact that this is industry-wide, we would like to solve it. We don’t yet know how, but will look for solutions.” 

Several Twitter users had criticized Amazon for its response last week, including Pocan himself, who tweeted, “And yes, I do believe your workers. You don’t?”

Since 2018, some Amazon workers have come forward with claims that they were forced to urinate in bottles as well as other allegations of worker mistreatment, including that pregnant employees were required to stand for hours on their shifts and were repeatedly targeted for termination.

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Multiple soldiers who oversee training at Fort Sill, Okla., were suspended this week after they were accused of sexually assaulting a trainee.

An investigation was quickly launched after a female trainee at the base reported the sexual assault, Maj. Gen. Ken Kamper, head of the Fires Center of Excellence at Fort Sill, told reporters Thursday. 

“This past Sunday, a soldier assigned to Fort Sill reported she was a victim of sexual assault involving Fort Sill cadre members,” Kamper said. “This information was immediately reported to law enforcement.”

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Kamper would not say how many cadre members were suspended, though The Intercept reported that 22 service members from the 1-78 Field Artillery Battalion were involved in multiple assaults of the trainee.

The outlet also reported that video of one incident was circulating at the base and had been obtained by Army investigators.

The incident was first reported by local outlet The Lawton Constitution.

Sexual violence has been a scourge on the armed forces for decades, with the April 2020 killing of Spc. Vanessa Guillén throwing the issue into stark light.

Guillén was bludgeoned to death at Fort Hood, Texas, after telling her family that she was being sexually harassed by a superior.

Aaron David Robinson, another soldier who was a suspect in her death, killed himself when authorities attempted to arrest him after some of Guillén remains were found at the end of June.

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The Army fired or suspended at least 14 officials following the slaying.  

Defense Secretary Lloyd AustinLloyd AustinOvernight Defense: 1 officer dead, 1 injured after car rams Capitol barrier | Army suspends multiple service members over sexual assault allegations Army suspends multiple service members after trainee says she was sexually assaulted Biden says Cabinet ‘looks like America’ at first meeting MORE has since declared tackling military sexual assault and harassment as one of his top priorities and in February stood up a 90-day independent review commission on sexual assault in the military. 

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Kamper said Thursday that the soldier who reported the sexual assault at Fort Sill “is absolutely safe,” and has access to special victims counsel and victim services.

“We’re just heartbroken, just sad, sad that something like this happened,” Kamper said. “On a personal level it is just heartbreaking.”

President BidenJoe BidenBiden should look to ‘Ostpolitik’ to negotiate with autocrats The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden’s infrastructure plan triggers definition debate The Memo: Biden’s bet on taxes MORE’s chief medical adviser Anthony FauciAnthony FauciFauci touts vaccinations: ‘This is not going to last forever’ Navajo Nation president: Disparities in health care system contribute to COVID-19’s impact on indigenous Americans Sunday shows preview: Democrats eye passage of infrastructure bill; health experts warn of fourth coronavirus wave MORE said in a Monday podcast that the federal government will not mandate passports that show proof of COVID-19 vaccinations.

But the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases told the “Politico Dispatch” podcast that expects certain businesses and educational institutions may require them.

“I doubt that the federal government will be the main mover of a vaccine passport concept,” he said. “They may be involved in making sure things are done fairly and equitably, but I doubt if the federal government is gonna be the leading element of that.”

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Fauci said “individual entities,” such as theaters and universities, might take the lead on vaccine requirements and implement their own policies.

“I’m not saying that they should or that they would, but I’m saying you could foresee how an independent entity might say, ‘Well, we can’t be dealing with you unless we know you’re vaccinated,’” Fauci said. “But it’s not going to be mandated from the federal government.”

The debate over digital or physical vaccine passports has been growing in recent weeks as the U.S. starts to transition into post-pandemic life.

Fauci’s comments are in line with what other administration officials have said recently, with White House press secretary Jen PsakiJen PsakiUK to pilot use of coronavirus passports at upcoming large gatherings Once-secret Guantanamo Bay unit shuttered by US Buttigieg says infrastructure plan will cut deficit ‘by year 16’ MORE saying last week that there will be “no federal mandate requiring everyone to obtain a single vaccination credential.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantisRon DeSantisDeSantis spars with ’60 Minutes’ over vaccine rollout: ‘What you’re saying is wrong’ Why some Republicans think vaccine passports will backfire on Democrats Florida governor: State looking to prevent ‘a real catastrophic flood situation’ MORE (R) signed an executive order last week banning government entities from giving out vaccine passports to residents and prohibiting businesses from mandating customers provide proof of vaccination to receive services.

New York, on the other hand, launched the Excelsior Pass last month, which uses a QR code on a phone app to verify proof of vaccination. The European Union also released a proposal for vaccine passports that would allow travelers to cross country borders without having to quarantine.

Republican strategists and operatives told The Hill that they plan to highlight the vaccine passport debate in an effort to win over midterm voters who are concerned about government overreach.

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Hunter Biden on Monday defended his decision to serve on the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma, but acknowledged he would not do it again after the position became a point of attack for the Trump campaign during the 2020 election.

The president’s son, in a pair of CBS interviews to promote his new memoir, was adamant that he did nothing wrong and that he was qualified to serve on the board of Burisma, contrary to claims from former President Donald Trump and his allies.

“The question of whether I would do it again, though, is no,” Hunter Biden said on “CBS This Morning.”

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“I didn’t fully comprehend the level to which this former administration and the people around it would go,” he added when asked whether he felt the role would make him a political target. “The difference between the politics that you’re talking about in terms of the last, you know, four years is a very different game. And I don’t… ever want to again to hand a weapon to people that would use it in a illegitimate way that they used the weapon of me against my dad.”

In a separate interview with “CBS Sunday Morning,” Hunter Biden said he does not believe he made a mistake taking a spot on the Burisma board, and he insisted he did not foresee the optics it would create given his father, then-Vice President BidenJoe BidenBiden should look to ‘Ostpolitik’ to negotiate with autocrats The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden’s infrastructure plan triggers definition debate The Memo: Biden’s bet on taxes MORE, was overseeing foreign policy in Ukraine.

“All I know, is that not one investigative body, not one serious journalist have ever accused — has ever come to the conclusion that I did anything wrong, or that my father did anything wrong,” Hunter Biden said.

The president’s son has been on a media blitz over the past few weeks to promote his new memoir, “Beautiful Things,” which details his struggles with substance abuse.

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Hunter Biden joined the board of Burisma Holdings, a natural gas giant in Ukraine, in 2014. The company’s founder was under investigation by then-prosecutor general Viktor Shokin, who the U.S., United Kingdom and other Western governments argued had failed to rein in corruption in the country.

The U.S. threatened to withhold roughly $1 billion in loan guarantees if Shokin was not replaced as prosecutor general, a message Joe Biden delivered to officials in Kyiv while serving as vice president and recounted during a 2018 Council on Foreign Relations conference.

While many of Trump’s allies and some former government officials have argued that there was a conflict of interest in the case, Biden has denied acting with his son’s business interests in mind. There is no evidence of any criminal wrongdoing by either of the Bidens and no evidence that Hunter Biden’s work influenced U.S. policy.

Trump’s call for Ukraine to investigate the Biden’s triggered his first impeachment in 2019.

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A lockdown in several provinces of the Philippines including its capital, Manila, was extended by one week on Monday as officials grapple with a surge of cases blamed on new variants of COVID-19.

The Associated Press reported a spokesperson for President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration made the announcement on a local news channel while adding that the government was setting up mobile intensive care units around Manila.

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“No one could have probably foreseen how infectious these new variants are and as a result of which we have these ballooning numbers,” Harry Roque said, according to the AP.

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Numerous hospitals in the country have begun refusing walk-in patients due to a spike in hospitalizations, according to the news service, while others are facing staff shortages.

Duterte originally instituted the lockdown last week, banning all public gatherings, including religious services ahead of Easter weekend.

The government is still prioritizing health care workers in its vaccine rollout as it struggles to obtain more doses of COVID-19 vaccine. The country received its first batch in February, after delays, via a donation from China’s government.

“Do not worry. Our goal is still to ensure that everybody will be vaccinated,” Carlito Galvez, a government official heading up the country’s vaccination program, said last week. “But while we do this, the government is prioritizing healthcare workers as they are the most exposed and the most at risk of getting COVID.”

“More vaccines will arrive, we are sure of that. We just have to wait for our turns to be vaccinated,” Galvez added.

Many experts have warned that slow progress in vaccinations among populations in poorer nations could contribute to new variants of COVID-19 emerging and an overall slower recovery from the pandemic.

“COVID-19 vaccines should be treated as a global public good and made available to all, rich and poor alike,” Duterte said in February, adding that “no one is safe until everyone is safe.”

One Capitol Police officer was killed and another was injured after a car rammed one of the barriers surrounding the Capitol complex on Friday, forcing the area into a lockdown, with police fatally shooting the suspect.

Police said a vehicle ran into two officers. A suspect exited the car with a knife and started “lunging” toward police, who then fired on the man, acting Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman said at a briefing.

“He did not respond to verbal commands. The suspect did start lunging toward U.S. Capitol Police officers, at which time U.S. Capitol Police officers fired upon the suspect,” she said.

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“The suspect has been pronounced deceased. Two U.S. Capitol Police officers were transported to two different hospitals, and it is with a very, very heavy heart that I announce one of our officers has succumbed to his injuries,” she said.

Capitol Police identified the officer who was killed as William Evans, a member of the Capitol Police force for 18 years. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who ordered flags to fly at half-staff to honor the slain officer, called Evans “a martyr for our democracy.”

“Members of Congress, staff and Capitol workers, and indeed all Americans are united in appreciation for the courage of the U.S. Capitol Police. Today, once again, these heroes risked their lives to protect our Capitol and our Country, with the same extraordinary selflessness and spirit of service seen on January 6. On behalf of the entire House, we are profoundly grateful,” she said in a statement.

Police said they will continue to investigate the motive behind the attack. Police have not yet publicly confirmed the identity of the suspect, though multiple media reports have identified him as 25-year-old Noah Green, an Indiana man who was an apparent follower of Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. It’s unclear who fired at Green.

Capitol Police said Friday evening that the second officer who was hit by the car was in stable and non-threatening condition.

“It does not appear to be terrorism-related, but obviously we’ll continue to investigate to see if there’s some type of nexus,” acting Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee III said of the attack.

“Whoever or whatever, we just don’t know right now, so we have a responsibility to investigate that to get to the bottom of this, whether the attack was at law enforcement or whoever, we have a responsibility to get to the bottom of it,” he said.

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Pittman said the suspect was not previously known to Capitol Police “so there’s no indication at this time that there’s any nexus to any member of Congress.”

The acting police chief previously told lawmakers that threats against members of Congress have nearly doubled in the past year.

National Guard troops responded to the automobile attack on Friday and were seen in videos shared on social media lining up with their shields at various intersections near the Capitol. Capitol Police also closed streets surrounding the complex, blocking intersections that were previously closed by prior fencing.

A number of National Guard members have been patrolling the Capitol since the deadly Jan. 6 riot and about 2,300 National Guardsmen remain in D.C.

“The DC National Guard deployed a Quick Reaction Force (QRF) composed of National Guard soldiers and airmen to the Capitol complex this afternoon to support the U.S. Capitol Police. Due to operational security, we cannot discuss further details regarding the QRF,” the D.C. National Guard said in a statement to The Hill on Friday.

As the scene was unfolding early Friday afternoon, a Fox News reporter said two people were seen on stretchers outside the Capitol, and a helicopter was spotted landing in the area to respond to the incident.

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Capitol Police sent out a notice shortly after the attack saying there was an “external security threat.” No one was allowed to enter or leave the building and staff was advised to stay away from doors and windows. The Capitol lockdown was lifted shortly after 3 p.m. after officers concluded their press conference.

The incident comes as U.S. intelligence agencies warned the nation remains at an elevated risk for domestic terror attacks, with a report issued last month warning of the threat posed by lone-wolf attacks.

Security fencing surrounding the Capitol has also been reduced in recent weeks. Just nine days ago, security forces finished removing the outer perimeter fencing that had been surrounding the complex, leaving just the fencing that closely circles the main Capitol building.

Numerous lawmakers in recent weeks have questioned the need for the fencing as well as the continued National Guard presence, though Friday’s attack will force members to revisit the issue.

“I think we’ll be reviewing everything at this point, including the fencing with the big concern I know for a lot of people [being] these kind of lone-wolf attacks,” said Rep. Tim RyanTimothy (Tim) Ryan1 officer dead, 1 injured after car rams Capitol barrier; suspect fatally shot Capitol Police watchdog issues report slamming ‘deficiencies’ before riot Lofgren says she’s been briefed on ‘disturbing’ police report on riot MORE (D-Ohio), who chairs the House Appropriations subcommittee responsible for the legislative branch.

“I recognize that the fence is a disturbance, it’s an eyesore. It sucks. Nobody wants that there. But the question is, is the environment safe enough to be able to take it down?” Ryan said, adding that in the meantime it could “prevent some of these things from happening.”

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Ryan’s subcommittee is leading an investigation into the response to the Jan. 6 attack and has called for adding 1,000 officers to the Capitol Police force, which was stretched thin by an inauguration, requiring even tighter security and long shifts to monitor the Capitol following the riots.

Friday’s incident took place on the Senate side of the Capitol by a security station near an entrance frequently used by lawmakers and their staff. Congress is in recess this week.

“Praying for the United States Capitol Police officers who were attacked at the Capitol. We are still learning what’s taken place. Grateful to all the USCP and first responders who are on the scene,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellWhite House says bills are bipartisan even if GOP doesn’t vote for them Officer slain in vehicle attack at Capitol identified Overnight Defense: 1 officer dead, 1 injured after car rams Capitol barrier | Army suspends multiple service members over sexual assault allegations MORE (R-Ky.) tweeted.

“The brave men and women of the United States Capitol Police put their lives on the line every day to protect the heart of our democracy. We are hoping and praying for the recovery of those injured in the line of duty,” Sen. Amy KlobucharAmy KlobucharOvernight Defense: 1 officer dead, 1 injured after car rams Capitol barrier | Army suspends multiple service members over sexual assault allegations 1 officer dead, 1 injured after car rams Capitol barrier; suspect fatally shot Alzheimer’s group launches tool to connect patients with health resources MORE (D-Minn.) said in a statement.

The officer’s death Friday is the third within Capitol Police ranks since the beginning of this year, after Officer Brian Sicknick died in the line of duty during the Jan. 6 riot. Another officer, Howard Liebengood, died by suicide in the days after the Capitol insurrection.

“Please keep the United States Capitol Police family in your thoughts and prayers at this time. It has been an extremely difficult and challenging year for us,” Pittman said Friday.

– This story was last updated at 8:28 p.m.

 

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The U.S. added a whopping 916,000 jobs and the unemployment rate fell to 6 percent in March as the recovery from the coronavirus recession chugged ahead, the Labor Department reported Friday.

The March jobs report showed the U.S. economy picking up speed as COVID-19 vaccinations accelerated, restrictions eased and President BidenJoe BidenThe Hill’s Morning Report – Biden may find zero GOP support for jobs plan Republicans don’t think Biden really wants to work with them Lack of cyber funds in Biden infrastructure plan raises eyebrows MORE signed a $1.9 trillion relief plan meant to give struggling households and businesses a bridge to the other side of the pandemic.

Economists had projected the U.S. to gain 675,000 jobs in March as consumer and business confidence rose, manufacturing activity sped up and workforce management companies reported steady rises in hiring and hours worked.

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The Labor Department also revised February’s surprisingly strong gain from an initially reported 379,000 jobs up to 468,000 and January’s gain of 166,000 jobs up to 233,000, a combined total of 156,000 more jobs.

The U.S. is still 8.4 million jobs short of pre-pandemic levels, and millions more have left the workforce without a clear path to return. Labor force participation was also largely unchanged at 61.5 percent in March, 1.8 percentage points lower than it was in February 2020.

Even so, the March jobs report marked an encouraging step forward for an economy expected to speed up into the spring and summer.

The hard-hit leisure and hospitality sector led March’s haul with a gain of 280,000, 176,000 in food and beverage service places. Arts, entertainment and recreation added 64,000 jobs, and accommodation added 40,000.

Education added 190,000 jobs in March as in-person schooling resumed across much of the U.S., and the construction sector added 110,000 jobs. Professional and business services added 66,000 jobs, manufacturing employment rose by 53,000 and retailers added 23,000 workers.

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“Job growth accelerated sharply in March, with gains across a number of sectors, including both goods-producing and service-providing industries. We fully expect that this pace of job gains will continue for months, and anticipate that the unemployment rate, now at 6 percent, will be well below 5 percent by the end of the year,” wrote Mike Fratantoni, chief economist at the Mortgage Bankers Association, in a Friday analysis.

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The two surveys used to calculate the March employment report were conducted the week Biden signed a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill. While the March jobs report does not capture the direct fiscal impact of Biden’s relief measure, it may capture some of the decisions made based on the bill’s likely passage.

Many economists say the direct household payments, extended unemployment benefits, rental aid and state and local government support included in Biden’s relief bill will help accelerate the recovery and limit the recession’s long-term damage.

The March report also comes two days after Biden rolled out his $2.5 trillion infrastructure package, the American Jobs Plan, as the next piece of his broader economic agenda. 

Biden’s proposal would spend trillions to repair bridges, roads, and waterways, expand Internet access, make the U.S. more resilient to climate change, build more affordable housing, and boost electric vehicle productions. The plan is not only intended to boost the country’s long-run economic productivity but ensure that the recovery from the COVID-19 recession leaves no one behind.

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Black and Hispanic Americans have taken a disproportionate toll from both the pandemic and the economic crisis and remain well behind their white counterparts on the road to recovery. The Black unemployment rate was 9.6 percent and the Hispanic unemployment rate was 7.9 percent in March, while the white unemployment rate was just 5.4 percent. 

Another 3.7 million Americans also said they were unable in March due to the pandemic, and there were roughly 6.9 million people who wanted a job but were not currently looking for one, meaning they are not counted among the unemployed.

“The extent to which the rebound is more inclusive will depend on how eventual legislation prioritizes investments in sectors with a high concentration of Black and Hispanic workers and recognizes care, skills training, and broadband as necessary provisions to unlock opportunities and ensure a more equitable recovery,” said Nicole Goldin, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council.

Updated at 9:28 a.m.

Pope FrancisPope FrancisPope issues Easter message, hopes world can ‘begin anew’ after the pandemic Pope says devil taking advantage of pandemic in Palm Sunday service Palm Sunday mass in Indonesia hit by suicide bomber MORE denounced increased military spending and ongoing armed conflicts during his second Easter Sunday message amid the COVID-19 pandemic, calling them “scandalous.”

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Reuters reported that the pope spoke to just around 200 people in St. Peter’s Basilica. St. Peter’s Square remained empty, with the thousands of Catholics who usually gather outside for the pope’s message absent due to pandemic-related concerns.

“The pandemic is still spreading, while the social and economic crisis remains severe, especially for the poor. Nonetheless – and this is scandalous – armed conflicts have not ended and military arsenals are being strengthened,” he said, according to the news service.

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“I urge the entire international community, in a spirit of global responsibility, to commit to overcoming delays in the distribution of vaccines and to facilitate their distribution, especially in the poorest countries,” the pope reportedly added.

His comments come as the ongoing civil war in Yemen, in which Houthi rebels believed by the U.S. to be backed by Iran are facing off against Saudi Arabia and the remains of Yemen’s government, has resulted in a famine in which 16 million face starvation, according to the United Nations.

The depth of the crisis led the Biden administration to withdraw U.S. support for the war earlier this year, though the administration continued to support Saudi Arabia in response to attacks from Houthi forces.

Francis said Sunday that the famine in Yemen has been “met with a deafening and scandalous silence” by the world.

He also called for peace in other ongoing conflicts including in Ethiopia’s Tigray region as well as in Mozambique, where Islamic insurgents are fighting government security forces.

Partisan battle lines are being drawn around coronavirus vaccine passports in what could become one of the defining issues of the 2022 midterm elections.

A growing number of the Republican Party’s most conservative members have seized on the passport proposals and expected guidance from the White House, blasting them as an example of government overreach that would isolate Americans who choose not to get vaccinated and violate the privacy of those who do.

But that strategy carries some risks for the GOP, potentially giving Democrats a platform to tout their response to the coronavirus outbreak while simultaneously forcing Republicans to navigate the politics of the pandemic well into 2022.

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“It’s red meat for the base, sure, but this doesn’t help us win back the middle,” one veteran GOP campaign aide said. “It’s just more of the culture wars…and it also means talking about COVID instead of the damage being done by Democrats.”

The vaccine passports have become a topic of increasing discussion among the GOP’s most conservative members, who have cast the proposals as an opportunity for the government to assert control over the daily lives of Americans.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor GreeneMarjorie Taylor GreeneRep. Marjorie Taylor Greene says she’s meeting with Trump ‘soon’ in Florida QAnon site shutters after reports identifying developer Republicans head to runoff in GA-14 MORE (R-Ga.), the controversial congresswoman whose conspiratorial remarks have drawn criticism from some in her own party, this week dubbed the passports President BidenJoe BidenThe Hill’s Morning Report – Biden may find zero GOP support for jobs plan Republicans don’t think Biden really wants to work with them Lack of cyber funds in Biden infrastructure plan raises eyebrows MORE’s “mark of the beast” and called the proposal a form of “corporate communism.”

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantisRon DeSantisThe biggest campaign issue of 2022? Marjorie Taylor Greene offers bills to fire Fauci, ban vaccine passports Trump adds veteran organizer to help run political operations: report MORE (R), a steadfast ally of former President TrumpDonald TrumpThe Hill’s Morning Report – Biden may find zero GOP support for jobs plan Republicans don’t think Biden really wants to work with them The biggest campaign issue of 2022? MORE and prospective 2024 presidential candidate, vowed this week to take executive action to ban businesses and local governments from implementing vaccine passport policies. He also urged the Republican-controlled state legislature to draft a more permanent measure against such requirements.

“It’s completely unacceptable for either the government or the private sector to impose upon you the requirement that you show proof of vaccine to just simply be able to participate in normal society,” DeSantis said at a press conference on Monday.

Republicans need to pick up five seats in the House and only one seat in the Senate next year to recapture their majorities in both chambers.

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While conventional wisdom dictates that the president’s party typically loses seats in Congress in the first midterm after they are sworn in, Republicans still face a challenging Senate map that will require them to defend 20 seats to the Democrats’ 14.

They’re hoping for something of a repeat of the 2010 midterm elections, when voter backlash against the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and government spending under the Obama administration and a Democratic-controlled Congress helped hand the GOP a 63-seat gain in the House.

“The health care discussion is why Republicans took over Congress [in 2010],” one Republican strategist said. “If we’re going to have that discussion again, I think things are probably going to shake out in our favor.”

But Democrats say that Republican critics of Biden’s coronavirus-related policies and the proposed vaccine passports are fundamentally misreading the electorate.

Biden has consistently received high marks in polling for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic since taking office in January. And despite some early reluctance about receiving COVID-19 vaccinations, a majority of Americans are now on board.

A Kaiser Family Foundation poll released on Tuesday found that 61 percent of adults have either received their first dose of the vaccine or intend to do so as soon as possible – up from only 34 percent in December. Meanwhile, only 13 percent of respondents said they will avoid getting vaccinated altogether.

And as eligibility for COVID-19 vaccinations has rapidly expanded, some Democrats see the implementation of vaccine passport or certificate systems as a way to stimulate business while reassuring wary consumers that it’s safe to return to normal pre-pandemic activities, like indoor dining and traveling.

“The vaccine is popular. The president is also popular, and his policies around COVID-19 are popular,” said Jon Reinish, a Democratic strategist. “This is the Republicans grasping at straws. They’re trying to find something to create mistrust and suspicion around.”

“That’s hard to do when the president is popular and people want to reopen the country,” he continued. “So if there is a tool that can enable people to do that, it’s going to be received well by most Americans.”

The opposition to vaccine passports is the latest front in a year-long effort by conservatives to rally their supporters around restrictions put in place since the outset of the pandemic. Throughout 2020, some of the most prominent Republicans, including Trump, railed against government-mandated lockdowns and mask mandates.

Biden, meanwhile, promised strong federal action that he said would help bring the pandemic to an end. Reinish said that Biden’s message clearly proved more successful than that of the GOP.

“After last year, I don’t think Republicans want to spend another election cycle talking about COVID,” he said. “It clearly hasn’t been a winning issue for them.”

Another reason it may prove difficult for Republicans to attack Biden and congressional Democrats over the implementation of vaccine passports is that there are no plans for a federal mandate requiring them.
 
While the White House is expected to issue some basic guidance on vaccine certification, the Biden administration is leaving the ultimate decision on such programs to the private sector and the states.

“There are a couple key principles that we are working from,” White House press secretary Jen PsakiJen PsakiRepublicans don’t think Biden really wants to work with them The biggest campaign issue of 2022? On The Trail: How marijuana went mainstream MORE said at a press briefing on Monday. “One is that there will be no centralized universal federal vaccinations database, and no federal mandate requiring everyone to obtain a single vaccination credential.”

So far, the only state to roll out any sort of passport program is New York. Gov. Andrew CuomoAndrew CuomoThe biggest campaign issue of 2022? Cuomo book deal negotiation overlapped with hiding nursing home death toll: report New Mexico lawmakers send recreational marijuana bills to governor MORE (D) announced the launch of “Excelsior Pass,” a free mobile app that will allow people to show businesses that they have either tested negative for COVID-19 or been vaccinated. Even at that, residents are not required to download the app.

Polling on the prospect of vaccine passports is scant, for now. A survey by travel app TripIt of 3,200 of its users found that 81 percent of respondents supported some sort of digital health passport to provide proof of vaccination in order to travel.

For some Republicans, talking about vaccination passports isn’t a winning message in itself.

One Republican strategist who has worked on presidential campaigns said that any discussion of the issue needs to be wrapped into a larger debate over the role of the federal government or the power of businesses to dictate personal health decisions.

“You’re going to have more things that come up like this beyond the passport,” the strategist said. “How much of a role should medical professionals have in making policy? How comfortable are you with expanding the role of government in your daily life?”

What’s more, the strategist said, “it’s great for fundraising. It appeals to the base.”