Day 171: "Any necessary action."
1/ Biden told Putin the U.S. will take “any necessary action” after the latest massive ransomware attack. The White House says Biden has warned Putin that the United States would hold Moscow responsible for cyberattacks originating from Russia even if they cannot be directly linked to the Kremlin. (Washington Post)
2/ Michigan’s attorney general will launch an investigation into those who have allegedly peddled disinformation about the state’s Nov. 3 election for their own financial gain. The inquiry follows a recommendation in a GOP-led investigation into the election after the report found no evidence of widespread fraud. (Detroit Free Press)
3/ Biden nominated Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti as the U.S. ambassador to India. Garcetti would step down as L.A. mayor after Senate confirmation. Denise Bauer, a former ambassador to Belgium and prominent Biden donor, will be nominated ambassador to France. (Los Angeles Times / Washington Post)
4/ The C.D.C. issued new school guidance with an emphasis on full reopening. The guidance acknowledges that many students have suffered from months of virtual learning and urges schools to fully reopen in the fall, even if they cannot take all of the steps the agency recommends to curb the spread of the coronavirus. (New York Times)
5/ Biden signed an executive order to promote competition throughout the U.S. economy, in the most ambitious effort in generations to reduce the stranglehold of monopolies and concentrated markets in major industries. The order takes aim at monopolies in agriculture, airlines, broadband and banking. (Politico)
6/ The Department of Education urged Biden to extend student loan relief. The White House has not yet made a final decision on how and when to restart federal student loan payments, which have been frozen since March 2020. (Politico)