Skimm'd with jet lag

"The VP at Tesla" – Lindsay Lohan on where her character from "Herbie Fully Loaded" would be IRL today. If only.

OH SAY CAN YOU PELO-SI

The Story

Haaave you met House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)?

Yup, but fill me in.

She became the first female House speaker back in 2007 – but had to give up the gavel in 2011 after Republicans took the House. Yesterday, she got the job back – and made history as the first person in more than six decades to return to the job after losing it. She's also the most powerful elected woman in politics.

Should I be surprised?

Yes and no. Once the House turned blue in November, everyone expected her to become speaker again. But she faced challenges from some Dems who wanted new leadership. She agreed to only stay speaker for four years if she got the Dem votes she needed. She did. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) nominated her, saying the House was "down with NDP." Let's see if that nickname sticks.

Who else got sworn in yesterday?

Congress's new freshman class, which is the most diverse ever. More than 100 women were also sworn in – a new record. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) grabbed a lot of headlines for giving a nod to suffragettes. And for dancing...in college.

What's on the agenda this year?

Expect to hear about issues like income inequality, climate change, and health care. Also, investigations on President Trump, Trump, and more Trump.

Why do I keep hearing the phrase "PAYGO"?

Ok, so it's the "pay as you go" rule. Meaning: an increase in spending has to be offset by cuts in other programs to stop the deficit from increasing. But some progressive Dems aren't down with PAYGO because it could make it harder for them to pass legislation for potentially high-cost programs they want (like Medicare for all). Yesterday, the House approved a larger rules package that included the PAYGO provision.

So...the government shutdown?

Still a thing. Last night, the House passed legislation to reopen part of the gov, though it didn't include any money for Trump's border wall. Don't expect the Senate to give it its blessing. Congressional leaders are expected to head to the White House to talk about all this today. Speaking of the border, Mexico asked the US to look into border officials using tear gas against migrants earlier this week and late last year.

theSkimm

Pelosi had to duke it out with members of her own party to become speaker again. And now that she's back on top, she gets to lead the charge for key Dem issues and go head-to-head against Trump on everything from border security to Russia.

REPEAT AFTER ME...

Who's making headlines…

Pope Francis. This week, the Pope sent a letter to US bishops calling them out for their handling of recent sex abuse scandals...but offered no specific solutions. He says that the clergy has been hurting the church's credibility by trying to blame each other and by engaging in cover-ups. And that in order to address the credibility issue, bishops need to go back to the basics and focus on spirituality and unity. Some saw this letter as a positive step on Francis's part in confronting sex abuse in the church. Others say the letter didn't do nearly enough to address the root of the problem – the abuse. They think the letter shows Francis is focused more on the church's reputation, and less on the victims and on holding abusers accountable. This isn't the first time the Pope has been criticized for his response to these crises. He's scheduled to meet up with some clergy members next month to talk about this in person.

Who's making apologies…

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT). This week, he acknowledged that more could have been done to protect female staff members from sexual harassment and other issues during his 2016 presidential campaign. The issues include things like women allegedly getting paid less than their male counterparts or being tasked with less important work – issues that were reported on by multiple outlets this week. Sanders says he didn't know about these allegations at the time. If he runs again in 2020, he says he'll step it up.

What to say while watching the NFL playoffs this weekend…

Speaking of out of bounds...

What to say while watching the Golden Globes this weekend…

Eyes on DJ Big Driis.

SKIMM READS

"What If This Were Enough?" by Heather Havrilesky

Meet the collection of essays to kick off your 2019. Havrilesky writes the "Ask Polly" advice column for NYMag. This collection brings her same wit to problems you may face this year. Think self-help sans cheesy mantras. Get it here.

PS: Want more ways to own your 2019? Our upcoming book, "How to Skimm Your Life," will make sure you're on top of everything—including money management, stress relief, geopolitics, and more. Pre-order here.

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