Monday, July 27

á           The United States and Russia held a one-day dialogue on space security in Vienna. The U.S. proposed rules Òmodeled on existing rules of war that are based on the principles of proportionality and humanityÓ according to a federal security official. Russia meanwhile backs an outright ban of weapons in space by international treaty. The two global powers followed this with three days of nuclear arms control talks.

á           National Security Advisor Robert OÕBrien tested positive for the coronavirus, the highest-ranking official in President Donald TrumpÕs cabinet to be infected so far. A White House statement said he Òhas mild symptoms and has been self-isolating and working from a secure location off site.Ó

á           Rep. John Lewis was laid to rest, the first Black politician to lie in state in the rotunda of the Capitol.

á           Trump filed a new challenge to the Manhattan District AttorneyÕs subpoena for his tax returns. TrumpÕs lawyers said the subpoena was Òwildly overbroadÓ and Òamounts to harassment of the President.Ó

á           The White House agreed not to deport a group of immigrant children it detained in a Texas hotel under a coronavirus-related emergency declaration. Immigration officials removed the children from the hotel but did not disclose where they were taken.

Tuesday, July 28

á           The White House extended the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA program for a year as it reviews last monthÕs Supreme Court ruling against the Trump administrations attempts to end the program.

á           Attorney General William Barr, in a five-hour, combative hearing before the House Judiciary Committee, defended the administration and his leadership of the Justice Department.

Wednesday, July 29

á           Oregon Gov. Kate Brown tweeted that federal troops sent to Portland July 4, ostensibly to protect federal property in the city from protesters, Òhave acted as an occupying force & brought violence. Starting tomorrow, all Customs and Border Protection & ICE officers will leave downtown Portland."

á           The Department of Justice said it would also send federal officers to three more cities run by Democrats: Cleveland, Detroit and Milwaukee.

á           Defense Secretary Mark Esper announced that Trump ordered 12,000 U.S. troops to be removed from Germany. About 6,400 active troops in Germany will be sent home while roughly 5,600 others will be moved to other NATO countries. About 24,000 troops will remain in Germany.

á           Congressman Louie Gohmert, who has been antagonistic toward facial covering requirements and has shunned wearing a mask, announced he tested positive for COVID-19.

á           In a two-day policy-setting meeting, the Federal Reserve noted minor improvements in the U.S. economy since the pandemic hit the nation in March, but said there is a long way to go before it recaptures its pre-pandemic strength. Chairman Jerome Powell said, ÒEven with the improved economic news in May and June, overall, activity remains well below its level before the pandemic.Ó

á           The House antitrust panel held a hearing that put four of the U.S.Õs most prominent tech CEOs — FacebookÕs Mark Zuckerberg, AmazonÕs Jeff Bezos, Google AlphabetÕs owner Sundar Pichai and AppleÕs Tim Cook — in the hot seat for alleged abuses of their market power. ÒWhat we heard from witnesses at the hearing confirmed the evidence that we have collected over the last year,Ó Rep. David Cicilline said.

Thursday, July 30

á           In an early morning tweet, Trump raised the idea of delaying the Nov. 3 election after attacking the security of mail voting.

á           In a story repeated widely by other news outlets, Vanity Fair reported that the White House coronavirus task force headed by presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner had developed a detailed national coronavirus testing strategy in March and early April. The strategy was never announced or implemented because, at least according to one member of the team, the virus was hitting blue states hardest and a national plan would not make sense politically.

á           The Bureau of Economic Analysis reported the U.S. economy had its worst quarter on record, plunging at an annualized rate of 33% or a one-quarter rate of 9.5% from April through June. The bureau cited a sharp contraction in consumer spending since the pandemic as the main driver of plummeting GDP numbers.

á           The Labor Department reported more than 1.4 million workers in the country applied for state unemployment benefits the week prior, the second consecutive weekly rise in jobless claims and the 19th straight week that more than one million people applied for unemployment.

á           The D.C. Circuit Court of appeals ordered that the case against former Trump national security advisor be re-tried. Flynn had pleaded guilty to lying about his contacts with Russians, then withdrew his plea after the Justice Department changed its position and tried to drop the prosecution.

á           The U.S. government dropped its effort to silence TrumpÕs former personal lawyer Michael Cohen by lifting the media ban preventing Cohen from speaking publicly in the weeks leading up to the publication of his book critical of his former boss.

á           Protests in Portland, Oregon, were mostly peaceful Thursday night after federal troops withdrew from the city.

Friday, July 31

á           The Marine Corps said a Òtragic incidentÓ took place involving an assault amphibious vehicle off the coast of Southern California that left one Marine dead, two injured and eight missing.

á           Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nationÕs top infectious disease expert, said he was Òcautiously optimisticÓ that a vaccine would be available to the American public in 2021. He also said the virusÕs rampant presence in the country was the result of inadequate, inconsistent and piecemeal shutdowns.

á           The House Foreign Affairs Committee issued a subpoena to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo requesting documents he provided to the Senate committee investigating Hunter Biden, the son of Joe Biden. Committee Chairman Eliot Engel said this action was part of an investigation into PompeoÕs Òapparent use of Department of State resources to advance a political smear of former Vice President Joe Biden.Ó

á           White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany denounced Hong Kong leader Carrie LamÕs decision to delay legislative elections by a year for safety concerns as anti-democratic. A day prior, Trump suggested the U.S. postpone its own election in November.

Saturday, Aug. 1

á           Brian Murphy, who headed the Intelligence and Analysis Office for the Department of Homeland Security, was reassigned within the department. The office compiled intelligence reports on journalists and protesters amid the continuing uprising in Portland, according to various media outlets.

á           House Natural Resources Chair Rep. Raul Grijalva announced he tested positive for COVID-19. A statement indicated he is asymptomatic and in quarantine. He served on a committee with Louie Gohmert, who tested positive on Wednesday.

Sunday, Aug. 2

á           House Speaker Nancy Pelosi criticized Trump and coronavirus task force coordinator Deborah Birx for spreading misinformation about the pandemic.