Elections
GOP Rep McCarthy ‘unsure’ if he has votes needed for Speakership

Today, California Republican Kevin McCarthy “battles to secure enough votes to be named House Speaker, while facing fierce opposition from the right-wing of his caucus” to take the place of outgoing Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, also from California, reports The Guardian.
McCarthy needs 218 votes to win the speakership, but faces opposition from far-right Republican representatives such as Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert and Matt Gaetz.
The right-wing House freedom caucus chair’s Scott Perry tweeted:
Kevin McCarthy faces election for House speaker unsure if he has votes needed – live https://t.co/Yz4fdGBixq
— Guardian news (@guardiannews) January 3, 2023
Pelosi will continue to represent California as a congresswoman in the House for her San Francisco district, but announced she will be stepping back from her leadership role.
Pelosi’s replacement for Democratic leadership is pointing to progressive Hakeem Jeffries to be House minority leader.

Elections
BREAKING: Biden to announce first federal office for gun-violence prevention

According to unnamed sources first reported by the Washington Post, Biden will announce the first federal office for gun-violence prevention.
President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are expected to formally make the announcement of the new office Friday afternoon at a White House event and provide further details.
Gun-control advocates have been trying to get President Biden to take executive action on firearms, including the specific creation of a federal office dedicated to gun-violence prevention since he took office. In January of this year, 117 groups sent a letter to the White House calling for such an office, among other demands.
News reports say President Joe Biden will announce the creation of the first federal office for gun-violence prevention at the end of the week. The Washington Post cited four anonymous sources who have been allegedly been briefed on the executive action.
Biden aide Stefanie Feldman is reported to lead the new office, according to the Post. The Community Justice Action Fund’s Greg Jackson and Everytown for Gun Safety’s Rob Wilcox, leaders of the two prominent gun-control groups, are also expected to hold key roles, reports National Review.
In June 2022, Biden signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which increased background checks for gun buyers under 21, and allocated money to states to implement “red flag” laws.
The Safer Communities Act also allocated billions of dollars for mental health and school-safety programs. Proponents touted it as the first gun-control legislation signed into law in about 30 years.
“I really think this is a testament to survivors, impacted communities, pushing for years the administration to do this,” an anonymous source with direct knowledge of the plan told Politico.
National Review reports: “So far this year, there have been more than 500 shootings in the U.S. in which four or more people were injured or killed, according to the Gun Violence Archive.”
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