OBAMACARE // The Republican-led Senate passed a budget resolution 51-48, clearing the first major hurdle to repealing Obamacare. The Senate HELP (Health, Education, Labor and Pensions) Committee and the Finance Committee are tasked with creating repeal legislation by Jan. 27. http://cvote.it/2jGxSUO
PP SCANDAL // StemExpress, which worked as a vendor with Planned Parenthood to sell baby body parts, dropped their lawsuit against pro-life journalist David Daleiden. http://cvote.it/2jGnlJh
INTELLIGENCE // Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said he spoke with President-elect Donald Trump regarding leaks to the press and the recent unverified report published by Buzzfeed alleging Russia has controversial information it could use against Trump. http://cvote.it/2iJ8FVF
SUPREME COURT // Vice President-elect Mike Pence met with Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Joe Donnelly of Indiana in part to try and get them on board. Trump said yesterday: “I’ll be making the decision on who we will put up … that will be probably within two weeks of the 20th.” http://cvote.it/2iJ6KjS
SUPREME COURT // Of the 21 names on Trump’s list of potential Supreme Court nominees, Judge Diane Sykes would make a great candidate because of her strong defense of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. http://cvote.it/2iJd62L
GOODBYE // Peter Wolfgang on an overlooked impact of Obama’s legacy: “I first became a conservative 20 years ago. I have friendships from childhood that survived Bill Clinton, survived George W. Bush, but did not survive Barack Obama. Some of that is the invention of Facebook. But not all of it.” http://cvote.it/2iISxUb
TRANSITION 2017 // Sen. Cory Booker, D-NJ, slammed Attorney General nominee Jeff Session on civil rights. Which is quite the turnaround because less than a year ago Booker teamed up with Sessions to sponsor legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to those brave civil rights pioneers who marched at Selma. http://cvote.it/2jGi8Bs
TRANSITION 2017 // Trump names David Shulkin, current Obama appointee, to head the Veterans Administration. Shulkin currently serves as undersecretary for health at the VA. http://cvote.it/2iJ8Q3j
CRIME // Army document leaker Bradley Manning (who refers to himself as “Chelsea”) is apparently on President Obama’s shortlist for a possible sentence commutation. Manning was sentenced to 35 years in 2013. http://cvote.it/2jGdWBx
CATHOLIC // Baby left at Minnesota cathedral now safe and healthy. http://cvote.it/2iJ8gm9
WORD OF THE DAY // Cabinet – A group of the top appointed officials of the different agencies of the executive branch, like the Attorney General and Secretary of State. The name comes from a 17th-century usage for a private room where advisers would meet.
SAINT // Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys – http://cvote.it/dailysaint
DAILY READINGS // Today’s readings – http://cvote.it/Daily-Readings
INTERESTING // The Catholic origins of 5 alcoholic beverages. http://cvote.it/2jGqA3o