Reuters US Domestic News Summary

U.S. Capitol lockdown lifted, fire nearby contained The U.S. Capitol complex was shut down for about an hour on Monday out of an abundance of caution after a small fire broke out nearby, underscoring security jitters days before President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs. Biden taps Chopra as consumer financial regulator, Gensler as SEC chairman - statement

U.S. President-elect Joe Biden will nominate Gary Gensler to serve as the commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission and Federal Trade Commission member Rohit Chopra to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the campaign said in a statement on Monday. Yellen says U.S. must 'act big' on next coronavirus relief package

Janet Yellen, U.S. President-elect Joe Biden's nominee to run the Treasury Department, will tell the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday that the government must "act big" with its next coronavirus relief package. Biden, who will be sworn into office on Wednesday, outlined a $1.9 trillion stimulus package proposal last week, saying bold investment was needed to jump-start the economy and accelerate the distribution of vaccines to bring the virus under control. U.S. Capitol lockdown lifted, fire nearby contained

The U.S. Capitol complex was shut down for about an hour on Monday out of an abundance of caution after a small fire broke out nearby, underscoring security jitters days before President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration. The Capitol Police in a statement said the lockdown was lifted and the fire nearby was contained. Student, retired firefighter charged in U.S. Capitol riots

Federal authorities arrested a retired firefighter and a fashion student, both from New York, and a man from Iowa on Monday in the storming of the U.S. Capitol, according to the FBI and court documents. Nicolas Moncada, a 20-year-old student at the Fashion Institute of Technology, was arrested at his home in Staten Island early on Monday, the FBI said. The school shared information with the FBI about a social media post showing him at the Capitol, according to local media reports. Trump sought the world's attention and got it. Now the White House reality show ends

A red tie, often tied too long. A raised fist, often held high to a supportive crowd. A scowling face. A raised voice. President Donald Trump never hid how he felt. His words and body language made his thoughts clear. Woman may have tried to sell Pelosi computer device to Russians, FBI says

U.S. law enforcement is investigating whether a woman took a laptop computer or hard drive from U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office during the Jan. 6 siege of the Capitol and tried to sell the device to Russian intelligence, according to a court filing. An FBI agent disclosed the detail in an affidavit released on Sunday night that outlined a criminal case against Riley June Williams, a Pennsylvania woman accused of unlawfully breaching the Capitol building and directing people to Pelosi's office. Annual pro-gun event at Virginia fizzles in wake of U.S. Capitol siege

Only a few dozen gun-rights activists converged on the Virginia state capital on Monday for an annual demonstration that typically draws thousands, with this year's protests dampened by tensions in the wake of the Jan. 6 siege of the U.S. Capitol. The annual "Lobby Day" gathering had put authorities on high alert in Richmond, about 110 miles (175 km) south of Washington, D.C., where Democratic President-elect Joe Biden will be sworn in on Wednesday, replacing Republican President Donald Trump, an outspoken defender of gun rights. New York governor asks Pfizer to directly sell COVID-19 vaccine doses

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo asked Pfizer Inc Chief Executive Albert Bourla on Monday if the state could buy COVID-19 vaccine doses directly from the U.S. drugmaker. Pfizer, however, told Reuters that such a proposal would first require approval by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Exclusive: Senator Gillibrand eyes extending Civil Rights Act protections to U.S. troops

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand says she will work with colleagues on legislation giving U.S. troops the same legal protections against discrimination as civilian employees, a move advocates say could be a game-changer for minorities in America's armed forces. The effort by Gillibrand, who is expected to lead a Senate subcommittee responsible for U.S. military personnel, follows a 2020 Reuters investigation https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-military-civilrights that showed U.S. troops were far less likely to file racial discrimination complaints than their civilian counterparts. Florida COVID-19 whistleblower turns herself in on felony computer charge

A former Florida public health whistleblower who says she was fired because she refused to manipulate COVID-19 data turned herself in to face a felony computer offense and was released on bail on Monday, Florida officials and media said. But the judge refused the state's request to deny her internet access and fit her with a GPS tracking device while awaiting trial, Florida Today reported.