By Iridian Casarez
Tuesday 2/7:
Betsy DeVos needed an historic tie-breaking vote cast by Vice President Mike Pence to become the Secretary of Education. The 51-50 vote saw two senate republicans vote against DeVos, possibly foreshadowing a fracture within party lines in light of Trump’s recent unprecedented actions.
The Army Corps of Engineers completed its review of the 1,172 mile NDAP, a step that Trump ordered in a January 24 executive order. The Trump administration approved an easement for the project, essentially repurposing the land the NDAP will pass through.
The Senate Veteran’s Affairs Committee approved David Shulkin to be the Veteran’s Affairs Secretary. Shulkin will now enter the senate confirmation phase where he is expected to be appointed VA secretary.
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals is to hear the challenge to President Trump’s Muslim ban. Three federal judges are to hear oral arguments to challenge the executive order on immigration on Tuesday. The decision will determine the fate of the nationwide temporary restraining order against Trump’s travel ban.
Watch for:
Trump’s executive order regarding stricter cyber security measures is expected to be signed this week. The order has seen repeated delays since Trump entered office. Should it be signed into action, the order would call for various heads of state to increase measures within their departments. The goal of the order is to have tighter cybersecurity.
This week in Trumptown:
Trump went golfing just two weeks into his tenure as President. Former President Obama made it four months, and his predecessor Bush made it five and a half months.
