The Chesapeake Bay’s health slightly increased last year, improving from a C-minus to a C, according to a yearly report from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES).

Individual indicators included in the 2020 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Report Card, released on Tuesday, illustrated mixed results in 2020, but the overall Bay-wide trend showed improvement.

The report found that seven out of 15 regions significantly improved health trends.

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“UMCES scientists continue to lead the way on assessing not just the environment, but also the social and economic factors that influence ecosystem health. This year’s report card provides new insights in our journey of restoring the Chesapeake Bay,” Peter Goodwin, president of the UMCES, said in a statement.

“Improvements in our environment go hand-in-hand with improvements in our communities particularly those that are traditionally disadvantaged,” he added.

The report included new indicators for watershed health, including stewardship, protected lands, walkability and heat vulnerability.

Dissolved oxygen and total nitrogen scores improved, according to the report, and chlorophyll a and total phosphorus scores decreased. Additionally, water clarity, benthic community and aquatic grass scores all slightly declined.

The report noted, however, that from March to May there was a monitoring gap, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The effects of the pandemic on the Chesapeake Bay’s health ecosystem is not net known, other than a decrease in atmospheric nitrogen, which has a declining trend that was continued due to the reduction in travel last year, according to the report.

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“Our close collaboration with partners at the federal, state, and local levels will continue to improve the long-term vitality of the Chesapeake Bay,” Rep. John SarbanesJohn Peter Spyros SarbanesChesapeake Bay’s health increases slightly to a C Efforts to secure elections likely to gain ground in Democrat-controlled Congress Former Md. senator Paul Sarbanes dies at 87 MORE (D-Md.), who serves as co-chair of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Task Force, said in a statement.

He commended the UMCES and advocates across the U.S., adding “Although we have lots of work ahead of us, I am confident that our shared commitments will help ensure that the Chesapeake Bay remains one of America’s great environmental treasures for generations to come.”

The report included definitions for the four new indicators included in this year’s report: stewardship, protected lands, walkability and heat vulnerability.

The Stewardship Index focuses on “actions that residents are taking to support the Bay, volunteerism, and civic engagement,” according to the report.

The Protected Lands indicator, according to the report, measures valuable lands protected in the watershed that keep up with water quality and habitat, sustain forests, farms and communities and back cultural, indigenous and community values.

The UMCES said the Heat Vulnerability Index concentrates on “climate safe neighborhoods throughout the watershed,” including information on tree canopy, impervious surface, temperature and poverty.

Finally, Walkability refers to the number of people that can walk to a park in 10 minutes.

The UMCES gave the Chesapeake watershed a B- grade for 2020, which, according to The Associated Press, is the same mark it received in 2019.

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Iran claimed on Wednesday that the U.S. would lift oil and shipping sanctions on the country but the State Department said nothing has been agreed to.

Iran claimed the concession was made during talks to renegotiate the Iran Nuclear Deal that President BidenJoe BidenSchumer vows to advance two-pronged infrastructure plan next month Biden appoints veteran housing, banking regulator as acting FHFA chief Iran claims U.S. to lift all oil sanctions but State Department says ‘nothing is agreed’ MORE is aiming to rejoin after former President TrumpDonald TrumpIran claims U.S. to lift all oil sanctions but State Department says ‘nothing is agreed’ Ivanka Trump, Kushner distance themselves from Trump claims on election: CNN Overnight Defense: Joint Chiefs chairman clashes with GOP on critical race theory | House bill introduced to overhaul military justice system as sexual assault reform builds momentum MORE backed out of it.

“An agreement has been reached to remove all insurance, oil and shipping sanctions that were imposed by (former U.S. President Donald) Trump,” outgoing Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s chief of staff, Mahmoud Vaezi, said.

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But the State Department pushed back on the notion.

“During negotiations of this complexity, negotiators try to draft text that capture the main issues, but again, nothing is agreed until everything is agreed,” a State Department spokesman told Reuters.

National Security Advisor Jake SullivanJake Sullivan North Korea says it won’t engage in talks with U.S. that would get nowhere Iran claims U.S. to lift all oil sanctions but State Department says ‘nothing is agreed’ Iran says US has agreed to lift sanctions on oil, shipping MORE said on Sunday there was still a long way to go in the talks with Iran and other countries when it comes to a renegotiated deal.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas echoed Sullivan’s sentiments.

“We are making progress but there are still some nuts to crack,” Maas said, according to Reuters.

Iran has been looking to have sanctions lifted as they have devastated the country’s economy. 

The Hill has reached out to the State Department for comment.

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Congress is barreling toward a fight as soon as next month over raising the debt ceiling, creating a huge challenge for President BidenJoe Biden 64 percent of Iowans say ‘time for someone else’ to hold Grassley’s Senate seat: poll Philadelphia shooting leaves 2 dead, injures toddler Ron Johnson booed at Juneteenth celebration in Wisconsin MORE and Democratic leaders in Congress.

Under a 2019 deal during the Trump administration, Congress agreed to let the government borrow through July 31. The Treasury Department at that point can take what’s known as extraordinary measures to keep the government solvent, but it’s unclear how long it will be able to do this.

In the Senate, raising the debt ceiling is subject to the filibuster, meaning Democrats will need GOP support.

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But GOP senators say they don’t expect their caucus to provide the 10 votes needed to hike the borrowing limit, which would set up a high-profile financial showdown with dramatic implications for the world’s economy. 

“I’d say it’s unlikely,” said Sen. John ThuneJohn Randolph ThuneTrump endorses Murkowski challenger Yellen: Disclosure of tax data to ProPublica a ‘very serious situation’ Sanders won’t vote for bipartisan infrastructure deal MORE (S.D.), the No. 2 Senate Republican, about the likelihood that enough Republican support raising the debt ceiling. 

Sen. Roy BluntRoy Dean BluntExcellence Act will expand mental health and substance use treatment access to millions Overnight Health Care: Takeaways on the Supreme Court’s Obamacare decision | COVID-19 cost 5.5 million years of American life | Biden administration investing billions in antiviral pills for COVID-19 Five takeaways on the Supreme Court’s Obamacare decision MORE (R-Mo.), another member of leadership, argued that lawmakers typically use the debt ceiling “to try to figure out some mechanism to control future debt.” 

“Probably the Budget Control Act was the most effective of all of those things but this is the first year in 10 years that we haven’t had a spending cap to try to deal with. … I think we’ll have that same kind of debate again,” Blunt said, referring to a 2011 law that set top-line spending limits through fiscal 2021. 

“I would think it’s likely to get 10 Republicans you’re going to have to do some kind of spending reform to get a debt ceiling increase,” he added. 

It’s not just Republican senators. 

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Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), the chairman of the House Republican Study Committee, sent a memo to his members outlining demands they could make in exchange for raising the debt limit later this year. 

“Given the worsening fiscal outlook for the federal government and at least three-and-a-half more years of President Biden proposing trillions and trillions of dollars of deficit-financed spending, it is more important than ever for conservatives to reclaim the debt limit as a tool to highlight and force action on our nation’s spending problem,” Banks wrote.

The options outlined by Banks include rejecting suspending the debt limit; trying to prevent a debt hike from being linked to a spending package — a tactic frequently taken by leadership to try to make it harder to vote “no”; or trying to require spending offsets. 

It’s the latest sign from Republicans that they are bracing for an all-out fight over any attempt by Democrats to increase the debt ceiling without making spending cuts or reforms, even after taking a relatively hands-off approach to checking the debt under Trump. 

Senate Republicans offered symbolic support earlier this year during a debate on their conference rules to offset any increases in the debt ceiling with spending reforms, in a move pushed for by Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who chairs the Senate GOP campaign arm. 

Thune added that some Republicans might vote for raising the debt ceiling if some reforms are included.

“Most Republicans in order to deliver a vote for a debt ceiling increase are going to want to deal with the debt,” Thune said. 

Democrats are brushing off the threats, warning that it would backfire on Republicans politically by threatening to roil the markets and injecting a huge dose of fiscal uncertainty just as the country is coming out of a year-plus pandemic that put the economy on shaky grounds. 

Sen. Chris MurphyChristopher (Chris) Scott MurphyEnd the practice of hitting children in public schools Public option fades with little outcry from progressives Centrists gain leverage over progressives in Senate infrastructure battle MORE (D-Conn.) warned that it would be “political suicide” if Republicans risked a debt default by refusing to help raise or suspend the debt ceiling. 

“I’m not sure Republicans are going to want to risk the catastrophe that would occur,” Murphy said. “I think we’ve gotten to a good place where we understand you can’t negotiate on the debt ceiling.” 

When, exactly, Congress will have to deal with the debt ceiling fight is unclear. 

The debt ceiling will automatically kick back in Aug. 1. It’s not an ideal time for Congress, given that it comes amid the summer recess season when lawmakers are itching to get out of town if they haven’t dispersed from Washington already. 

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The House is scheduled to leave Washington at the end of July and not hold votes again until Sept. 20. The Senate, meanwhile, is scheduled to leave Aug. 6 and return Sept. 13. 

The Bipartisan Policy Center is estimating that the so-called X date, or the point at which the U.S. government will be unable to fully meet its financial obligations on time, to arrive at some point in the fall, based on Treasury’s announcement about what its cash on hand will be Aug. 1. 

The Treasury Department hasn’t yet put a firm timeline on how long it expects that it will be able to use extraordinary measures to delay running up against the country’s borrowing limit. A spokesperson on Friday pointed The Hill back to guidance it released last month on its latest quarterly statement. 

“In light of the substantial COVID-related uncertainty about receipts and outlays in the coming months, it is very difficult to predict how long extraordinary measures might last. Treasury is evaluating a range of potential scenarios, including some in which extraordinary measures could be exhausted much more quickly than in prior debt limit episodes,” Brian Smith, the deputy assistant secretary for federal finance, said in the quarterly guidance. 

Though the debt fight has largely been on the back burner, Democrats are increasingly aware that they are barreling toward the deadline. 

Asked about the guidance from Treasury, Senate Majority Leader Charles SchumerChuck SchumerCentrists gain foothold in infrastructure talks; cyber attacks at center of Biden-Putin meeting Five takeaways on the Supreme Court’s Obamacare decision Senate confirms Chris Inglis as first White House cyber czar MORE (D-N.Y.) told reporters last month that Congress “should get something done in the right way.” 

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“You know, I think it’s an absolute disgrace that the Republicans are using the debt ceiling, which deals with the financial security, as sort of a political issue,” Schumer said. 

The issue also came up in an unrelated meeting among senators this week as they discussed the legislative calendar and upcoming deadlines.

One option, if Republicans dig in against helping raise the debt ceiling, could be to try to deal with it through reconciliation, a budget process that allows certain bills to bypass the Senate’s 60-vote legislative filibuster. 

Democrats are privately discussing what to put in their next package with Senate Budget Committee Chairman Bernie SandersBernie SandersCentrists gain foothold in infrastructure talks; cyber attacks at center of Biden-Putin meeting Democrats facing tough reelections back bipartisan infrastructure deal The Hill’s Morning Report – ObamaCare here to stay MORE (I-Vt.) telling reporters that he hasn’t yet decided if they will include the debt ceiling. 

But one hurdle is that the timing for both when a Democratic-only infrastructure package could pass the Senate and when the debt ceiling fight will ripen are in flux. If Democrats bank on sticking the debt ceiling hike into the infrastructure package, and then those talks stall, that could leave them without a vehicle. 

If Treasury determines that it needs Congress to act sooner, an infrastructure package might not yet be ready. Though Schumer has indicated that he wants to pass a potential bipartisan bill and the budget resolution that unlocks a second Democratic-only bill in July, that could still leave passing the second infrastructure bill itself until the fall. 

“It’s not clear reconciliation is going to be all done and wrapped up by July,” Murphy said, while acknowledging that “it’s easier to get a debt ceiling bill done if it’s built into something bigger.”

 

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The Biden administration is struggling to articulate how it will keep Afghanistan from falling to the Taliban after American forces depart, even as the U.S. is more than halfway through its troop withdrawal.

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The Pentagon’s top brass have insisted the U.S. military will conduct operations launched from outside the country if needed, but they’ve offered few details on logistics such as where those troops would be based. 

The lack of specifics came into focus Friday when the Afghan government’s chief peace envoy warned that the Taliban will not have an interest in reaching a peace agreement with Kabul after American and NATO forces depart.

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The head of Afghanistan’s National Reconciliation Council, Abdullah Abdullah, told The Associated Press that withdrawal “will have an impact on the negotiation with the Taliban.”

He said Taliban leaders “may find themselves further emboldened and they may think — some of them at least — that with the withdrawal, they can take advantage of the situation militarily.”

The remarks come amid reports that the Taliban are quickly reclaiming territory they had lost during the 20-year conflict, putting more pressure on the Biden administration to spell out how it plans to provide support to Afghanistan’s government after all U.S. troops exit the country by September.

During a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing Thursday, Defense Secretary Lloyd AustinLloyd AustinBiden struggles to detail post-withdrawal Afghanistan plans Overnight Defense: Pentagon pulling some air defense assets from Middle East | Dems introduce resolution apologizing to LGBT community for discrimination | White House denies pausing military aid package to Ukraine Pentagon pulling ‘certain forces and capabilities,’ including air defenses, from Middle East MORE said there was a “medium” risk that an extremist group such as al Qaeda could regenerate in Afghanistan just two years after U.S. forces leave the country.

U.S. Army Gen. Mark MilleyMark MilleyBiden struggles to detail post-withdrawal Afghanistan plans Overnight Defense: House votes to repeal 2002 Iraq war powers | Pentagon leaders press senators to reimburse National Guard | New pressure on US-Iran nuclear talks Milley downplays report of 1,900 lost or stolen military firearms MORE, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also testified at the hearing, backing up Austin’s claims and adding, “If certain other things happen, if there was a collapse of the government or dissolution of the Afghan security force, that risk would obviously increase.”

The United States has been in Afghanistan since 2001, invading the country following the 9/11 terror attacks by al Qaeda. The militant group planned and carried out the attack from Afghanistan, where it had been given safe haven by the Taliban. Coalition troops have been there ever since to prevent similar terrorist attacks on the U.S. or its allies.

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But President BidenJoe Biden 64 percent of Iowans say ‘time for someone else’ to hold Grassley’s Senate seat: poll Philadelphia shooting leaves 2 dead, injures toddler Ron Johnson booed at Juneteenth celebration in Wisconsin MORE in April said the roughly 2,500 remaining U.S. forces will withdraw from the country by Sept. 11, as will the approximately 7,000 NATO troops. 

Though Biden has given a general outline of the plan, specifics have remained few and far between. 

While in Brussels for his first NATO summit this week, Biden was repeatedly questioned on plans to bolster the Afghan government after U.S. troops leave. He declined, however, to provide specifics on securing critical infrastructure such as embassies and airports or how to ensure the Taliban will not once again place strict rules on girls and women.

“Our troops are coming home, but we agreed that our diplomatic, economic and humanitarian commitment to the Afghan people and our support for the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces will endure,” Biden said Monday after meeting with other NATO officials.

Some lawmakers say they fear that with no solid plan in place, the U.S. is creating a recipe for disaster, especially amid reports of fighting in 80 of the roughly 400 districts.

“I’m very concerned that Afghanistan is going to fall to the Taliban and that we once again will see the imposition of Sharia law and that girls and women will not be allowed to pursue an education or participate fully in society,” Sen. Susan CollinsSusan Margaret CollinsCentrists gain foothold in infrastructure talks; cyber attacks at center of Biden-Putin meeting Biden struggles to detail post-withdrawal Afghanistan plans White House reiterates opposition to raising gas tax amid infrastructure debate MORE (R-Maine) told Milley on Thursday.

Sen. Jeanne ShaheenCynthia (Jeanne) Jeanne ShaheenCentrists gain foothold in infrastructure talks; cyber attacks at center of Biden-Putin meeting Biden struggles to detail post-withdrawal Afghanistan plans Centrists gain leverage over progressives in Senate infrastructure battle MORE (D-N.H.) later followed up, questioning whether the United States was working with international partners to protect vulnerable populations once American troops leave.

“Realistically, if we’re not there, we’re going to have very limited impact on the protection of those that are still in Afghanistan,” Milley replied.

Also tied up in those concerns is increasing alarm over the fate of Afghans who helped U.S. troops during the war. 

Lawmakers this past week repeatedly warned that the Biden administration must act with more urgency to grant visas to those Afghans and evacuate them before the withdrawal is complete, as they risk being executed by the Taliban for working with U.S. forces.

“If he doesn’t act and he doesn’t get these people out, blood will be on his hands and on his administration’s hands,” Rep. Michael WaltzMichael WaltzBiden struggles to detail post-withdrawal Afghanistan plans Overnight Defense: Biden, Putin agree to launch arms control talks at summit | 2002 war authorization repeal will get Senate vote | GOP rep warns Biden ‘blood with be on his hands’ without Afghan interpreter evacuation GOP rep: If Biden doesn’t evacuate Afghan interpreters, ‘blood will be on his hands’ MORE (R-Fla.), a former Green Beret, said of Biden at a news conference Wednesday. “The time for talk, the time for debate is over.”

A day earlier, Sen. Angus KingAngus KingCentrists gain foothold in infrastructure talks; cyber attacks at center of Biden-Putin meeting Biden struggles to detail post-withdrawal Afghanistan plans Centrists gain leverage over progressives in Senate infrastructure battle MORE (I-Maine) said the White House should have its “hair on fire” over the issue.

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The Pentagon has maintained it is prepared to help Afghans in any way but stressed it is the State Department, not the Defense Department, that is in charge of processing visas. 

Milley on Thursday sought to alleviate concerns, emphasizing that while there are many other outcomes that are possible for Afghanistan, the military will “work to try to have those outcomes achieved as opposed to the worst case outcome.”

“It’s the president’s intent to keep an embassy open, to keep our security forces around the embassy and to continue to work with the Afghan government to continue to fund the Afghan security forces and to keep that situation from devolving into the worst case, and that’s what we’re planning on, and that’s what we’re working toward,” he said.

“There are not guarantees in any of this,” he added.

Sales of alcohol will be banned at the Tokyo Olympics next month.

“If our citizens have concerns (over serving alcohol at the Olympics), I think we have to give up on that. That’s why we have decided to ban the sale of alcohol,” Seiko Hashimoto, president of the Tokyo Olympics Organizing Committee, told reporters on Wednesday, according to Reuters.

The decision came amid outcry after local media reported that organizers were considering allowing alcohol consumption inside Olympic venues, the news service noted.

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The reports sparked the hashtag “cancel the Olympic Games,” which garnered thousands of tweets.

Last week, Japan said it would ease the COVID-19 state of emergency and switch to scaled-back measures that focused on bars and restaurants. Under the protocol, bars and restaurants are allowed to serve alcohol until 7 p.m.

The Tokyo Olympics are set to begin on July 23 after being delayed a year due to the pandemic. But the Games are not expected to look like those of previous years.

Earlier this week, Olympic organizers announced that only 10,000 local fans will be allowed to attend the Games, which is up to 50 percent capacity.

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However, Hashimoto told NBC News that it’s possible for spectators to be banned from the Games .

Foreign spectators were banned from the Olympics months ago to reduce the number of people traveling to Japan for the Games.

The measures come amid debate about whether the Olympics should go forward this year. According to a poll by Kyodo News, 86 percent of people in Japan are concerned about the Games spreading the coronavirus, NPR reported.

President BidenJoe BidenSchumer vows to advance two-pronged infrastructure plan next month Biden appoints veteran housing, banking regulator as acting FHFA chief Iran claims U.S. to lift all oil sanctions but State Department says ‘nothing is agreed’ MORE on Wednesday designated Sandra Thompson as the acting director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) after ousting the agency’s previous chief earlier in the day.

Thompson will lead the FHFA, the conservator and overseer of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, until a full-time nominee is confirmed by the Senate. Biden has not yet chosen a permanent replacement for Mark Calabria, a Trump appointee who led the FHFA from 2019 until his dismissal Wednesday.

Thompson has served as deputy director of the FHFA’s Division of Housing Mission and Goals since 2013. She joined the FHFA after more than 23 years at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

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“As a longtime regulator, I am committed to making sure our nation’s housing finance systems and our regulated entities operate in a safe and sound manner. We can accomplish this, and at the same time have a laser focus on mission and community investment,” Thompson said in a statement. 

“There is a widespread lack of affordable housing and access to credit, especially in communities of color. It is FHFA’s duty through our regulated entities to ensure that all Americans have equal access to safe, decent, and affordable housing.” 

Biden’s decision to replace Calabria came hours after the Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down a provision limiting when the president could fire the FHFA director.

The court held that the FHFA director must be fireable at-will by the president, not just for misconduct or malfeasance, in order to preserve the president’s authority over the executive branch. 

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President BidenJoe BidenObama: Ensuring democracy ‘continues to work effectively’ keeps me ‘up at night’ New Jersey landlords prohibited from asking potential tenants about criminal records Overnight Defense: Pentagon pulling some air defense assets from Middle East | Dems introduce resolution apologizing to LGBT community for discrimination | White House denies pausing military aid package to Ukraine MORE nominated Health and Human Services (HHS) official Christi Grimm on Friday to become the department’s permanent inspector general.

Grimm, who has been serving as acting HHS inspector general since early 2020, was tapped to fill the role on a permanent basis after being targeted by former President TrumpDonald TrumpWhite House denies pausing military aid package to Ukraine Poll: 30 percent of GOP voters believe Trump will ‘likely’ be reinstated this year Black Secret Service agent told Trump it was offensive to hold rally in Tulsa on Juneteenth: report MORE last year.

Trump went after Grimm in April 2020 over a report that highlighted supply shortages in hospitals early in the COVID-19 pandemic, and sought to replace her atop the watchdog office.

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Her office concluded in the report that there were “severe” shortages of usable coronavirus tests and “widespread” shortfalls of protective equipment for workers.

The former president called the report “wrong” and “another Fake Dossier” in a tweet at the time, referring to allegations that his campaign had links to Russia.

About a month later, in an attempt to replace Grimm, Trump’s White House unveiled his pick for a permanent inspector general at HHS as then-assistant U.S. attorney Jason Weida. However, Weida was never confirmed to the top-ranking position by the Senate.

Grimm continued to serve as HHS principal deputy inspector general and has been performing the duties of the inspector general since January 2020, the White House said in a release.

She defended the watchdog’s work following pushback last year, saying that independent investigators should complete their probes without undergoing political interference. 

“Anything that is done that could impair independence, I think, compromises the effectiveness of oversight of programs that are there to serve the American public,” she said in front of the House Oversight and Reform Committee. 

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The HHS watchdog is the largest federal inspector general office.

In Friday’s release, the White House described Grimm, who started working in the HHS Office of Inspector General in 1999, as “a crucial voice in guiding and informing key stakeholders,” including on the unaccompanied children program, COVID-19 response and health care technology.

A recent string of cyberattacks targeted at thousands of Polish email users, including government officials, have been linked by the Polish intelligence services to a Russian hacking group. 

“The findings of the Internal Security Agency and the Military Counterintelligence Service show that the UNC1151 group is behind the recent hacker attacks that hit Poland,” Stanisław Żaryn, a spokesperson for the Polish Minister Coordinator of Special Services, said in a translated statement Tuesday. 

“The secret services have reliable information at their disposal which [links] this group with the activities of the Russian secret services,” he said. 

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Żaryn noted that given past actions of the UNC1151 hacking group, Polish officials believed the attacks on Poland were part of a larger effort to destabilize Central European nations. 

Żaryn said that the recent attacks hit 4,000 Polish email users, more than 100 of whom were former and present members of the Polish national government, senators, local government officials and others. 

Among those targeted by the hackers was Michał Dworczyk, the chief of the Polish prime minister’s office. Żaryn said there were foreign logins used to access Dworczyk’s email, and several potential malicious phishing emails sent to the account. 

The Russian hackers also targeted those working for nongovernmental organizations and media groups. 

Żaryn said the Polish government notified member nations of NATO of the hacking incident last week. 

The attacks come as Russia is under increasing international pressure due to cyberattacks linked to both the government and cyber criminal groups operating from within the country. 

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U.S. intelligence agencies linked the Russian government to the SolarWinds hack earlier this year, which compromised nine federal agencies and 100 private sector organizations. 

Russian-speaking cyber criminal groups have also been linked to recent ransomware attacks on Colonial Pipeline and JBS USA, which significantly disrupted critical supply chains. 

President BidenJoe BidenBaltimore police chief calls for more ‘boots on the ground’ to handle crime wave Biden to deliver remarks at Sen. John Warner’s funeral Garland dismisses broad review of politicization of DOJ under Trump MORE imposed a sweeping set of sanctions on Russia in April in retaliation for the SolarWinds hack, and addressed his concerns around cybersecurity issues with Russian President Vladimir PutinVladimir Vladimirovich PutinRussia deems Bard College program a threat to ‘order and security’ The Biden-Putin summit was a master class in diplomacy Cyberattack on Polish government officials linked to Russian hackers MORE during their summit in Switzerland last week. 

The U.S. and other NATO member states endorsed a new cyber defense policy during the NATO summit in Brussels last week, which took steps to lay out how NATO would respond to a major cyberattack on a member. 

Biden told reporters at the summit that the new policy would “improve the collective ability to defend against counter-threats from state and nonstate actors against our networks and our critical infrastructure.”

“Our alliance can still prevail against the challenges of our time,” Biden said.

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National Guard officials may have to cut troops’ training beginning in July if Congress does not reimburse the force for its months-long deployment protecting the U.S. Capitol, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth warned on Tuesday. 

“Without those resources, the Guard … will find themselves with training issues,” Wormuth told lawmakers at a Senate Appropriations subpanel hearing on Army funding. 

Thousands of National Guardsmen from around the country deployed to Washington, D.C., for nearly five months to shore up security at the Capitol after the Jan. 6 attack on the building by supporters of former President TrumpDonald TrumpGuardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa wins GOP primary in NYC mayor’s race Garland dismisses broad review of politicization of DOJ under Trump Schumer vows next steps after ‘ridiculous,’ ‘awful’ GOP election bill filibuster MORE. 

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The cost of the deployment — which at its height included nearly 26,000 Guardsmen — was estimated at $521 million and was pulled from the Guard’s operational and training funds.

A House-passed bill to bolster Capitol security included funding to reimburse the Guard, but the Senate is still crafting its own version of such legislation, leaving the Guard without payment for the mission.

“If we are not able to cover that right now, the Army Guard is basically in a situation where they are concerned about their ability to pay for training for the rest of this year,” Wormuth said of the lack of funds.

The Guard has already postponed some regularly scheduled training due to preoccupations with COVID-19 support and missions at the southern border and the Capitol, she said.

Wormuth added that the Guard could cancel training as soon as July or be at risk of violating federal law that prevents excess spending over the designated budget. 

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“It’s definitely a concern and something that will impact our Guard all around the nation,” she said.

Defense Secretary Lloyd AustinLloyd AustinPentagon chief backs change to military sexual assault prosecution Overnight Defense: Joint Chiefs warn against sweeping reform to military justice system | Senate panel plans July briefing on war authorization repeal | National Guard may have ‘training issues’ if not reimbursed Joint Chiefs warn against sweeping reform to military justice system MORE voiced similar concerns a week prior, telling lawmakers on Thursday that failure to approve Guard funding before Congress’s August recess “will impact their ability in the near term to be able to train and adequately prepare.” 

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And Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark MilleyMark MilleyPentagon chief backs change to military sexual assault prosecution Overnight Defense: Joint Chiefs warn against sweeping reform to military justice system | Senate panel plans July briefing on war authorization repeal | National Guard may have ‘training issues’ if not reimbursed Joint Chiefs warn against sweeping reform to military justice system MORE, who testified alongside Austin, added that a lack of reimbursement for the Guard will have a “significant negative impact on their ability to maintain their readiness.”

In addition to the Capitol and southern border deployments, the National Guard has been strained in the past year assisting local law enforcement in response to civil unrest, helping after hurricanes, wildfires and other natural disasters, and bolstering cyber defenses and local poll workers during last year’s elections.

Republican Sens. Rick Scott (Fla.) and Mike LeeMichael (Mike) Shumway LeeDemocrats block GOP bill to lift mask mandate on public transportation Senate confirms Biden pick for No. 2 role at Interior Big Tech critic Lina Khan named chair of the FTC MORE (Utah) were thwarted by Democrats on Wednesday when they attempted to pass a bill that would revoke the Biden administration’s mask requirement on public transportation.

The federal mask mandate for interstate transit is set to expire in September. It requires masks on airplanes, in airports, on buses and on rail systems.

“We cannot pretend this pandemic is over. This virus is still spreading, it is still mutating, it is still costing lives, and it is still leaving survivors with long-haul symptoms. And, the new delta variant is more contagious, likely to send people to the hospital, and already in our country,” Sen. Patty MurrayPatricia (Patty) Lynn MurrayDemocrats block GOP bill to lift mask mandate on public transportation Public option fades with little outcry from progressives Senate GOP blocks bill to combat gender pay gap MORE (D-Wash.), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, said when she blocked the GOP bill.

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Scott and Lee cited the nation’s vaccination rates in arguing that the mask mandate imposes unnecessary expectations and consequences on families and children.

“Now the science is clear that broad mask mandates aren’t necessary. Unfortunately, the CDC has decided to buck the science when it comes to travel and it is still requiring face masks on public transportation,” Scott said on the Senate floor.

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“Why is the CDC signally out airlines and public transportation? It doesn’t make any sense,” he added.

The federal mask mandate went into effect in February with an expiration date of May 11, which the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has since extended to Sept. 13. President BidenJoe BidenSchumer vows to advance two-pronged infrastructure plan next month Biden appoints veteran housing, banking regulator as acting FHFA chief Iran claims U.S. to lift all oil sanctions but State Department says ‘nothing is agreed’ MORE signed an executive order on his first full day in office directing federal agencies to “immediately take action” to mandate the use of masks on trains, intercity buses, ferries and in airports.

Scott and Lee introduced their legislation last week, with Rep. Dan CrenshawDaniel CrenshawDemocrats block GOP bill to lift mask mandate on public transportation Chuck Todd reluctant to ‘ban’ election deniers from ‘Meet the Press’ Cotton, Pentagon chief tangle over diversity training in military MORE (R-Texas) sponsoring a companion measure in the House. 

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Scott said on Wednesday that airlines and other private companies should be able to make their own decisions about mandating masks.

Before the mandate expiration date was pushed back to September, airlines and unions lobbied TSA to extend it, arguing that the safety and health of workers and passengers were at risk without the mandate.

“If the airline or other company decides it wants to implement a mask policy, so be it. This does not prohibit them from doing so. I’ve been clear, private companies should be able to make decisions that they feel is appropriate for their employees and their customers,” Scott said.