kendallmitchell's MyC-SPAN

Judge Merrick Garland, President Biden’s attorney general nominee, appeared for his confirmation before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Judge Garland said that if confirmed he would be an attorney for the people, not the president. He added that the investigation and prosecution of those responsible for the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol would be a top priority. Other topics discussed included the Trump administration’s family separation policy at the southern border, investigations concerning Hunter Biden, Justice Department ethics and impartiality, and foreign terrorism.

In 2016, then-President Obama nominated Judge Garland to fill a Supreme Court vacancy following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. Senate Republicans, in the majority at the time, blocked his nomination, arguing that it was an election year and that the next president should fill the vacancy.

The House approved a measure that restricts robocalls, and members started work on a bill that bans illegal insider trading, making exchanges to the Securities Exchange Act.

The House passed H.R. 1. The bill would set up a publicly-financed matching fund program for small donations to congressional candidates. It also makes Election Day a federal holiday, requires congressional district lines to be drawn by non-partisan commissions, and requires the president to release 10 years of tax returns.