5 things you need to know now

House presses ahead with ObamaCare repeal after late-night Senate push

House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) indicated in news conference Thursday that Republicans will remain steadfast in their efforts to repeal ObamaCare. Ryan's promise to "intervene" to prevent the "death spiral" that is the Affordable Care Act came on the heels of a Senate vote early Thursday approving a budget measure that officially began the repeal process; the resolution passed in a 51-48 vote, with Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) the lone Republican who joined Democrats in voting nay. The House will vote Friday on what Ryan described as a "procedural vote" to start repealing ObamaCare. Ryan insisted Republicans and President-elect Donald Trump are "in complete sync" about repealing and replacing ObamaCare, but declined to offer any "hard deadlines" on when a final repeal bill would be ready. A replacement plan has yet to be proposed; in a news conference Wednesday, Trump said a replacement bill would be submitted potentially within the "same hour" as a bill to repeal the health-care law.
Source: CNN, The Washington Post

2.

Justice Department to investigate pre-election DOJ, FBI actions

The inspector general of the Department of Justice announced Thursday that the department will review certain actions it took, as well as actions taken by the FBI, before last year's presidential election. In a statement, the department said it would investigate FBI Director James Comey's testimony before the Senate last July and his letters to Congress on Oct. 28, 2016, and Nov. 6, 2016, regarding the investigation of Hillary Clinton's private email server. Also up for review are whether FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe "should have been recused from participating in certain investigative matters," whether Assistant Attorney General for Legislative Affairs Peter Kadzik "improperly disclosed non-public information to the Clinton campaign," whether the FBI's Twitter account was "influenced by improper considerations," and whether employees of the DOJ and FBI "improperly disclosed non-public information."
Source: Reuters, CBS News

3.

Mattis, Pompeo talk tough on Russia in confirmation hearings

Both retired Marine Gen. James Mattis, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of defense, and Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.), Trump's nominee for CIA director, sat before the Senate on Thursday for their respective confirmation hearings. Both men — who together, if confirmed, will be the pillars of Trump's national security and intelligence operations — took a strong stance against Russia, which has been a point of controversy for Trump as critics claim he is too friendly with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Mattis expressed concerns about Putin's efforts to "break" NATO, and he said the U.S. should maintain the "strongest possible relationship" with the treaty organization. Meanwhile, testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Pompeo agreed with Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) that Putin has done "a really good job of creating chaos, division, instability in the American political process." Both men additionally expressed confidence in the intelligence community's conclusions that Russia conspired to hack U.S. institutions during the election, a notion Trump hesitated to embrace.
Source: The Washington Times, CNN

4.

Obama surprises Biden with Presidential Medal of Freedom

President Obama honored Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday with a heartfelt send-off ceremony, which concluded with Obama surprising Biden with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Obama awarded Biden the medal "with distinction," a degree of recognition Obama noted has only been bestowed upon three individuals over the last three presidencies: Pope John Paul II, former President Ronald Reagan, and former Secretary of State Colin Powell. Biden accepted the honor with tears in his eyes, and said he "had no idea" it was coming; the Presidential Medal of Freedom is the nation's highest civilian award. The event had been billed as a farewell for Biden, and Obama kicked it off by joking this would give "the internet one last chance to talk about our bromance."
Source: The Hill, Talking Points Memo

5.

Ben Carson stresses he can learn on the job during HUD hearing

Housing and urban development secretary nominee Ben Carson emphasized his medical experience, upbringing, and ability to learn on the job during his Senate confirmation hearing Thursday. Carson had previously said he would not accept a Cabinet position due to his lack of government experience, but on Thursday he proposed to embark on a "listening tour" to "hear from people with boots on the ground who are administering programs." Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) wrote this week in a letter to the retired neurosurgeon that "there is relatively little in the public record that reveals how you would further HUD's mission"; more bluntly, Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) opened her questioning Thursday by saying, "There were a lot of people who kind of scratched their heads when you were nominated." Due to a lack of senators present, Carson's hearing ended early: "Today shows why Trump team flooded the zone," tweeted former CNN reporter Jacki Schechner, referring to Thursday's three concurrent hearings. "Because senators can't be in [two] places at once, [Ben Carson] — totally unqualified — may skate."