In other news, the Biden administration is reportedly going to seek a five-year extension of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) with Russia that Trump abandoned.
Meanwhile, Speaker Pelosi says the House of Representatives will move a coronavirus stimulus bill through committees next week with a final vote in the first week of February.
Finally, another 1.3 million people filed new claims for unemployment last week according to the Labor Department.
The number of Americans filing for new state unemployment benefits dipped to 900,000 — down from the previous week but still high by historical standards, signaling the economic challenges facing the Biden administration. [...]
Claims for help under a federal program for gig workers and the self-employed rose sharply, suggesting many people are trying to renew their benefits after that program briefly lapsed in December.
Between the two programs, a total of 1.3 million unemployed workers sought help last week, a modest increase from the week before.
Programming note... I'm getting my face shot with lasers again tomorrow morning. I am still planning to be here tomorrow, but I'm sharing this just in case there are any complications. I'm not expecting any problems aside from the fact that it hurts really bad. Maybe the second time won't be as bad since I know what to expect.