5 Stories to Watch Next Week | February 6, 2021

COVID-19 Relief Bill Making Way Through Congress The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a budget resolution that included President Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill. The vote along party lines lays the groundwork for Democrats to push through the sweeping pandemic aid package without Republican support in both chambers. As of this writing, the Senate is expected to approve a resolution later this week. These “budget reconciliation” bills only set spending levels for committees and instruct them to report back with actual legislation. Biden and Democrats in Congress want to push the legislation quickly, and the president has said that, while he wants Republican support, he is not going to make any major compromises. Republicans are concerned about the price tag, and many want stimulus checks to be more targeted and not go to people who don’t need them. Democrats have advocated a “big, bold package” for the American people. Watch next week to see how the legislative process progresses and whether lawmakers settle on how much money will go to Americans in the form of stimulus checks. Dems Try to Push Out Marjorie Taylor Greene as GOP Keeps Cheney in Leadership House Republicans on Wednesday voted to keep Rep. Liz Cheney in party leadership despite her strong criticism of former President Trump. The 145-61 vote indicates stronger support for Cheney than some observers expected. Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy declined to strip Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of her committee assignments but criticized her past comments endorsing and spreading conspiracy theories. According to reports, Greene apologized for her comments to fellow House Republicans. Still, as of this writing, the Democrats are forcing a House vote to remove Greene from her committees. Watch next week to see the fallout over how lawmakers have handled Greene’s comments. Also look out for how staunch Trump supports in Congress react to Cheney holding onto her leadership position. Bernie Sanders’s Foreign Policy Adviser Expected to Head to State Department Now that Sen. Bernie Sanders is taking over as chair of the powerful Senate Budget Committee, he is making several changes to his staff. Indeed, his chief of staff, legislative director, and top communications staffer are all leaving or changing roles. As a result, Sanders’s foreign policy adviser, Matt Duss, is expected to depart for a position in the Biden administration’s State Department. If Duss does go to Foggy Bottom, it would be a major victory for far-left progressives in trying to influence foreign policy. Duss’s views are out of the mainstream and would be a sign of the Biden administration adopting Sanders’s posture toward the world. Read more about Duss here to learn about his story and his views. Watch next week to see if Duss does go to the State Department and what position he may assume. Putin’s Most Prominent Critic Sent to Prison, Outraging Western Governments A Russian court on Tuesday sentenced Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny to three and a half years in a federal penal colony. Navalny, who is Russian President Vladimir Putin’s most prominent critic, will remain imprisoned for at least two years and eight months after the court credited him with 10 months that he had already served under house arrest as the result of a prior trial. Russian authorities charged Navalny with embezzlement and missing check-ins with Russia's prison service while he was in Germany recovering from a poisoning attack, which he and his supporters say Putin ordered. Navalny has been outspoken about Putin’s authoritarian rule, inspiring protests against the Kremlin. The US and other democracies around the world have condemned Russia for imprisoning Navalny. Watch next week to see whether the US and its European allies move to sanction Russia or impose other forms of punishment. Also look to see how Russia responds to such actions. After Coup in Myanmar, US Debates Next Moves On Monday, the military in Myanmar launched a coup, placing the country’s deposed leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, under house arrest and announcing it would take power for one year. The authorities now in power have charged Suu Kyi with possessing illegally imported walkie-talkies, allowing the generals to detain her for an extended period of time. Myanmar’s government has also blocked Facebook. President Biden has vowed to rally America’s partners to respond to the coup, but it may prove difficult to get several Asian countries to support sanctions against Myanmar. Plus, the US must be wary of China’s role and of potentially pushing Myanmar closer to Beijing. Watch next week to see if the Biden administration takes any further steps against Myanmar beyond harsh words. 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