Fast Facts for July 21, 2021
Well, that was fast.
This morning House Speaker rejected two of the republican selections to sit the House Select Committee to investigate the January 6th attack on the Capitol.
And shortly after — the house republican leader responded by pulling his remaining three selections from participating at all.
You’ll remember in this video I posted on Monday — I told you the House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy selected Reprentatives Jim Banks (R-Indiana), Kelly Armstrong (R-North Dakota), Rodney Davis (R-Illinois), Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Troy Nehls (R-Texas).
The House Speaker said not today – and rejected Jim Banks and Jim Jordan.
Her reason … the House Speaker said
“with respect for the integrity of the investigation, with an insistence on the truth and with concern about statements made and actions taken by these members, I must reject the recommendations of Representatives Banks and Jordan to the select committee. The unprecedented nature of January 6th demands this unprecedented decision.”
The House Minority Leader responded by saying “unless Speaker Pelosi reverses course and seats all five republican nominees, republicans will not be party to their sham process and will instead pursue our own investigation of the facts.”
Not sure what that means given, the House republicans don’t have the votes to form an official committee of their own.
The house speaker had hoped to have an independent bi-partisan committee made up of members who were *not* sitting members of congress. The republicans blocked that move last month.
It’s important to note – though McCarthy pulled his five picks to sit on the committee – Republican Liz Cheney who was selected by the house speaker remains on the committee.
The first select committee hearing is next week.
Read the Speaker’s statement here.
Read the House Minority Leader’s statement here.
PLUS
The Department of Homeland Security announced today… the land border between the US and Canada and the US and Mexico will remain closed to non-essential travel until 11:59 p.m. on August 21 and may be extended further. The reason – DHS says the rapid spread of the delta variant.
Before you say it – yes people from Canada and Mexico have been allowed to fly into the US and travel by cruise ship into the u-s as long as they meet several requirements including proof of negative Covid19 test.
This order only applies to the norther and southern *land* border.
So, what counts as essential travel?
- Lawful permanent residents returning to the us
- Traveling for medical purposes
- for work
- For public health purposes
- For lawful cross-border trade (truck drivers)
- And travel by members of the military
What’s considered “non-essential” travel?
Traveling for tourism purposes, shopping trips and attending cultural events.
Read more about what is considered “essential” and “non-essential travel here.
