Monday, Feb.
13
á US House
committee on tax oversight decided not to ask Trump for his tax returns.
á Steven Mnuchin confirmed as Treasury
secretary.
á Federal judge in Virginia ruled TrumpÕs immigration ban will remain suspended despite a request for a rehearing.
á Following
criticism for mishandling intelligence documents, Trump openly discussed
national security policy about North Korean ballistic missiles in full view of
diners at his private club.
Tuesday, Feb.
14
á National
security advisor Michael Flynn resigned.
á Regarding
FlynnÕs resignation, Trump tweeted, ÒThe real story here is why are there so
many illegal leaks coming out of Washington?Ó
á FCC
Chairman Ajit Pai, a former
Verizon attorney, pushed to repeal net
neutrality reform.
á Trump signed a law repealing 2010 Dodd-Frank rule mandating energy companies to report
royalties and payments to foreign governments related to oil, natural gas, coal
and minerals. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson led
opposition to this rule. Some lawmakers criticize that repealing the rule will
cause millions of dollars of U.S. citizens and investors to Òvanish into the
pockets of corrupt foreign oligarchs.Ó
á White
House said Trump wouldnÕt seek to impose a two-state solution for the
Israel-Palestinian conflict — a break with a decades-long
American posture.
á HR1031
and S370, House and Senate bills introduced to
eliminate the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.
á HCR23, a House resolution introduced establishing a joint
Committee on Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Wednesday,
Feb. 15
á Trump
campaign chair, campaign officials and associates made repeated contacts with
senior Russian intelligence during the year leading up to the election. Trump
reacted to revelations by saying, ÒThe fake news media is going crazy with
their conspiracy theories and blind hatred.Ó Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort resigned
from the Trump campaign last August amid controversy over his lobbying work for
pro-Russian Ukrainian oligarchs.
á Andy
Puzder, TrumpÕs nominee for labor secretary, withdrew
his nomination.
á Trump
nominated Alexander Acosta to serve as U.S. Secretary of Labor.
Thursday,
Feb. 16
á Democrats introduced bipartisan House bill that would
prevent Trump from lifting Russia sanctions without Congressional approval.
á Members
of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus were reportedly told
they could not attend a meeting about deportations and raids with ICE
acting director Thomas Homan. Rep. Luis GutiŽrrez
said, ÒIÕve been here 25 years and IÕve never been told by the Speaker of the
House that I canÕt attend a meeting IÕve requested.Ó
á Nikki Haley, U.S. envoy to the UN, says U.S. still backs
two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians.
á Trump signed a bill repealing a rule preventing coal
companies from dumping mining waste in streams.
Friday, Feb.
17
á Following a press conference, Trump blasted
the media as Òthe opposition partyÓ and Òthe enemy of the American people.Ó
á FBI Director Comey
met with lawmakers from the Senate Intelligence Committee behind closed doors
over contacts between members of TrumpÕs campaign and Russian officials.
á EPA
employees urged their senators to vote against the confirmation of Scott
Pruitt.
á Senate
confirmed Scott Pruitt as EPA administrator.
á Secretary of State Rex Tillerson
lays off employees at State Department.
á The
Federal Trade Commission approved the Enbridge-Spectra merger after approving
the Dakota Access Pipeline and reversing the blocked Keystone XL pipeline.
Saturday,
Feb. 18
á Former
CIA Director David Petraeus pulled his name from
consideration to replace Michael Flynn as National Security Adviser.
á Vice President Mike Pence sought to calm
jittery European partners by declaring the U.S. under Trump,
would Òhold Russia accountableÓ and maintain steadfast support for NATO, the
military alliance Trump once dismissed as Òobsolete.Ó
á Trump held a campaign rally at Orlando
airport, sponsored by the Re-Elect Trump 2020 Committee. At the rally, Trump erroneously said Sweden, because they
Òtook in large numbersÓ of refugees, is Òhaving problems
like they never thought possible.Ó Sweden denies any problem.
á Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly
signed sweeping new guidelines to more aggressively detain and deport illegal
immigrants, with plans to hire thousands of additional enforcement agents,
expand the pool of immigrants prioritized for removal, speed up deportation
hearings and enlist local law enforcement to help make arrests.
Sunday, Feb.
19 (Day 31)
á In
opposition to Trump, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis
said he does not see the media as the enemy of the American people.
á The
Senate Intelligence Committee sent formal requests to more than a dozen
organizations, agencies and individuals, asking them to preserve all materials
related to the committee's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016
election.