WHAT'S BREWING
TED CRUZ HITS GOP PANIC BUTTON Sen. Ted Cuz (R-Texas) is warning Republicans that his state could go blue during November’s presidential election. Even though Texas hasn’t voted for a Democrat for president since 1976, Joe Biden currently has a 0.7 percentage point edge over Trump, according to the latest FiveThirtyEight polling average. “Texas is in play,” Cruz warned. “The whole country is divided right now and the hard left is angry.” [HuffPost]
OBAMA TO DELIVER EULOGY AT JOHN LEWIS FUNERAL Former President Barack Obama will deliver the eulogy at Rep. John Lewis’ funeral on Thursday, according to reports. Former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush are also expected to attend the service honoring the late Georgia member of Congress and civil rights icon. Lewis, a Democrat, died this month at the age of 80 after a monthslong battle with pancreatic cancer. [HuffPost]
MCCONNELL STALLED, AND NOW UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS ARE EXPIRING Millions of unemployed Americans received their final $600 unemployment payment from the federal government last weekend and things are not looking good for a continuation of the extra benefit past July. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) are nowhere near a deal on the next bill to help the country stumble through the coronavirus pandemic. The House passed a bill preserving the expanded benefits two months ago, but McConnell waited until Monday to unveil a complicated proposal that would take months for some states to implement. [HuffPost]
MILLIONS OF AMERICANS ARE ABOUT TO BE HOMELESS, AND IT'S PREVENTABLE The federal moratorium on evictions expired last Friday, ending protections for nearly 12 million Americans. This Friday, 25 million people will stop receiving an extra $600 in weekly coronavirus relief in their unemployment benefits. And on Saturday, rent is due for millions of Americans who won’t be able to pay. If Congress doesn’t step in, these people could be evicted come September. All lawmakers need to do is take quick and decisive action by extending the moratorium and additional unemployment benefits as the pandemic crisis continues. But that’s yet to happen. [HuffPost]
FEDERAL COPS TO RETREAT FROM PORTLAND After weeks of clashes with protesters, federal militarized forces will begin withdrawing from the Oregon city beginning today. The officers, ostensibly assigned to protect federal property, became an "occupying force" that brought "violence and strife," Gov. Kate Brown said. The agents were seen beating peaceful protesters and wantonly tear-gassing crowds. Their presence had the paradoxical effect of increasing the number and ferocity of anti-racism demonstrators. [HuffPost]
FAUCI SAYS IT AGAIN: HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE 'NOT EFFECTIVE' IN TREATING COVID-19 Dr. Anthony Fauci has again stressed the determinations by health officials that hydroxychloroquine is ineffective in combatting the coronavirus after Trump continued to baselessly endorse its use this week. “Hydroxychloroquine is not effective in the treatment of coronavirus disease or COVID-19,” Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said. He cited the results of numerous clinical trials that he said have “consistently” shown this. [HuffPost]
BIDEN'S CHILD CARE PLAN IS AS MUCH ABOUT THE MESSENGER AS IT IS THE MESSAGE Biden last week rolled out a “caregiving agenda” that, among other things, envisions an ambitious new federal child care initiative. That initiative deserves a lot more attention than it’s getting. The main goal of Biden’s plan is to make sure every family can access affordable, high-quality child care. It calls for a complex mix of spending and regulations that could help millions of families, though a debate over its particulars would raise plenty of criticisms from both left and right. [HuffPost] | 
