Congress has unveiled what’s inside the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending package; a new cap on your kids’ medicines; and the coldest Christmas in four decades. These stories and more highlight our morning rundown for Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022.
SCOTUS intervenes in Title 42 lift
A Supreme Court ruling late Monday will temporarily keep Title 42 in place after it was set to expire tomorrow. The late decision came from Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts after Republican-led states filed an emergency appeal to the highest court.
The Supreme Court is asking the Biden administration to respond to that appeal by 4 p.m. CST today.
Title 42 will not be lifted tomorrow as planned. Despite this, the White House is still preparing for the public health rule’s end.
Congress unveils $1.7 trillion spending bill
Congress is giving us our first look at its massive $1.7 trillion spending package it will try to pass by Friday. In it, is record military spending.
More than $40 billion is listed as emergency assistance to Ukraine. Then another $40 billion to assist communities hit with natural disasters.
This spending package includes a record $858 billion in military spending and will fund federal agencies through September of next year. But if Congress can’t come to terms and fails to pass it, then there could be a partial government shutdown starting on Saturday. Just ahead of Republicans taking control of the House on Jan. 3.
AZ judge allows Kari Lake a trial
A judge is allowing Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake to move forward in a trial alleging she won the 2022 midterm election for Arizona governor.
While the judge did toss out eight claims presented in Lake’s election lawsuit, the judge is allowing a two-day trial to take place Wednesday and Thursday.
The judge says Lake will have to prove Maricopa County’s printer malfunctions were intentionally rigged and that the actions did actually “affect the outcome.”
Children’s medicine purchase limits
CVS and Walgreens are now limiting purchases of children’s pain relief medicine as demand increases during the cold-season.
CVS is restricting purchases to two children’s pain relief products per transaction. Walgreens has capped online purchases of fever reducers to six per person.
The two companies say it’s to avoid excess purchases and help support availability.
Coldest Christmas in 40 years
The U.S. is expecting to welcome its coldest Christmas in nearly four decades this weekend. An arctic blast is expected to come down from Canada, and its effects will reach from north to south as millions of Americans plan to travel for the holidays.
In some areas, it will be so cold that frostbite can occur within just five minutes on exposed skin.
Dangerously cold wind chills can be felt as low as negative 40 degrees in the Midwest. A winter storm is brewing across the central and eastern U.S.
Something to keep an eye on if you have plans to travel this holiday weekend.
