Friday morning news: May 17, 2024

House vote on Biden weapons restrictions » House lawmakers have passed a bill aimed at forcing President Biden to deliver heavy weapons to Israel without restriction.

The vote was 224 to 187, with 16 Democrats joining all but three Republicans in the majority.

Speaker Mike Johnson…

JOHNSON: This should not be a partisan issue. It is shameful that it has become that. We have to stand with our closest ally Israel. They are the only stable democracy in the Middle East. They are one of our closest friends.

The measure would ratchet up pressure on the White House by cutting off funding to agencies like the State and Defense departments unless Israel gets the weapons.

But the bill is largely symbolic. Democratic leaders in the Senate say they won’t take it up.

The Biden Administration is withholding heavy bombs and other weapons over a major ground operation Israel’s preparing for the town of Rafah.

The White House is concerned that would result in mass civilian casualties. But Israel says a Rafah ground offensive is the only way to wipe out Hamas’s last remaining stronghold in Gaza.

Gaza aid pier » Humanitarian aid will soon begin flowing into Gaza through a newly constructed temporary pier.

Yesterday, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters…

SINGH: Earlier this morning U.S. Central Command successfully anchored the temporary pier to the beach in Gaza with the help of IDF engineers and without any U.S. boots on the ground in Gaza.

That pier is expected to streamline the delivery and distribution of humanitarian aid to the war-torn region almost immediately with the United Nations overseeing the effort.

However, the UN says fuel imports have all but stopped, complicating aid delivery to the more than 2 million people in Gaza who need it.

Biden tapes/Garland contempt » The House Judiciary Committee is moving ahead with an effort to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress.

It’s a direct response to his refusal to release subpoenaed audio from the president’s interview with special counsel Robert Hur about Biden’s handling of classified documents.

Garland’s defending his approach.

GARLAND: We have gone to extraordinary lengths to ensure that the committees get responses to their legitimate requests. But this is not one.

The White House says transcripts of the interview are already available, so releasing the audio isn’t necessary.

But even the House’s top Democrat, Hakeem Jeffries, isn’t sure the Biden Administration’s being completely transparent.

JEFFRIES: In terms of this specific instance, you know, I’m going to reserve comment until I get an understanding of their rationale.

Republicans say the audio could be important to their impeachment investigation into the president, while the White House says the GOP wants the recordings released for purely political purposes.

SOUND: [Wreath laying ceremony]

China and Russia reaffirm ties » As Russian President Vladimir Putin forges a deeper alliance with Chinese President Xi Jinping, he took part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Monument to the People’s Heroes in Beijing Thursday.

Putin is in China for a two-day visit.

PUTIN: [SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN]

Putin says relations between Russia and China have been developing for the past 75 years…and are now at what he calls an unprecedented high level.

The White House reacted to the summit by saying it doesn’t see anything new… and says it is unacceptable that China is helping Russia in the war with Ukraine.

Marijuana reclassification » The Biden Administration is moving forward with its efforts to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug.

On Thursday, the Justice Department officially submitted the proposal to the federal register kicking off a 60-day comment period.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre…

JEAN-PIERRE: If finalized, marijuana will no longer hold the higher-level classification it currently holds over fentanyl and meth, drugs driving our nation’s overdose epidemic.

The proposal would move marijuana from a Schedule 1 drug alongside heroin and LSD to Schedule 3, sharing a classification with ketamine and some anabolic steroids.

After the comment period, a judge may still have to review the change before it becomes official.

Missouri Attorney General may defend Butker » Missouri’s attorney general is accusing the city of Kansas City of doxxing Chiefs’ kicker Harrison Butker and says he’s taking action.

In a commencement speech at Benedictine College Saturday, Butker criticized President Biden for supporting abortion as a Catholic.

Butker also said one of his life’s greatest blessings came when a fellow classmate…

BUTKER: …would convert to the faith…become my wife…and embrace one of the most important titles of all: homemaker. [APPLAUSE]

Attorney General Andrew Bailey says days after that address someone with the city of Kansas City’s social media team posted a message on X, saying, quote, Just a reminder that Harrison Butker lives in the City of Lee’s Summit.

The post has since been taken down and an apology posted soon after.

Bailey says he plans to take action under the Missouri Human Rights Act and told constituents to stay tuned.

I’m Mark Mellinger.

Straight ahead: Show biz gets serious on Culture Friday with John Stonestreet. Plus, imaginary friends on the big screen.

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