President Joe Biden met virtually with governors to discuss accelerating COVID-19 vaccine distribution. The administration pledged to increase federal shipments to states within three weeks and invoked the Defense Production Act to boost manufacturing of syringes, vials, and protective equipment. “Help is on the way,” Biden said from the White House State Dining Room.
The CDC reported that 16.5 million doses had been administered nationwide, far short of initial projections. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, newly appointed CDC director, said the agency would release transparent data on vaccine allocation and variant tracking.
The Senate confirmed retired Gen. Lloyd Austin as Secretary of Defense in a 93-2 vote, making him the first Black American to lead the Pentagon. The House and Senate prepared to send the impeachment article against former President Trump to the upper chamber on Monday, setting the stage for a February trial.
U.S. deaths from COVID-19 reached 413,000. The National Guard began gradual drawdowns in several state capitols as security threats subsided after the inauguration.