Reuters US Domestic News Summary

Canada will require all truckers entering from the United States to show proof of vaccination starting on Saturday as part of its fight against COVID-19. Biden, Obama laud former Senator Harry Reid at Nevada memorial service U.S. political luminaries including President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama celebrated the life of former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Saturday, describing him as an unpretentious pragmatist who got things done.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Manchin's $1.8 trillion spending offer no longer on table -Washington Post

U.S. Senator Joe Manchin's $1.8 trillion spending offer he proposed to the White House in late 2021 appears to be no longer on the table following a breakdown between the Democratic lawmaker from West Virginia and the White House, the Washington Post reported on Saturday. Manchin told reporters this week that he is no longer involved in discussions with the White House and has signaled privately that he is not interested in approving any legislation like President Joe Biden's Build Back Better Package, the newspaper said, citing three people with knowledge of the matter.

Analysis-Biden's 2022 pitch: target Trump acolytes, woo swing voters

U.S. President Joe Biden heads into his second year in office with two unfinished aims: ending Trumpism and unifying a polarized country. To achieve both, Biden will more regularly attack the values of Republicans aligned with former President Donald Trump as a threat to democracy, while holding out an olive branch to opponents, people close to the Democratic president said in multiple interviews inside and outside the White House in recent weeks.

Wisconsin Senator and Trump ally Ron Johnson to seek third term

Two-term Wisconsin Republican U.S. Senator Ron Johnson, a staunch ally of former President Donald Trump, reversed course and announced on Sunday that he now intends to run for a third term, rather than retire as previously planned. Johnson - who as the former chairman of the powerful Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee once held a controversial hearing to entertain baseless conspiracy theories that the 2020 presidential election had been stolen - wrote in the Wall Street Journal he felt compelled to run again because he thinks America "is in peril."

NYC building space heater malfunction sparks fire that kills 19, including 9 children

Nineteen people were killed, including nine children, and dozens were injured when a fire, started by a malfunctioning space heater, spread smoke through a 19-floor building in The Bronx borough of New York City on Sunday, city officials said. New York City Mayor Eric Adams, just over a week into the job, confirmed 19 people had died from the blaze that broke out around 11 a.m. in the imposing Twin Parks North West building which provided affordable housing units.

U.S. Supreme Court conservatives lean against Biden business vaccine policy

Conservative U.S. Supreme Court justices on Friday questioned the legality of President Joe Biden's pandemic-related vaccine-or-testing mandate for large businesses but appeared more receptive to his administration's vaccine requirement for healthcare facilities at a time of surging COVID-19 cases. The court's nine justices, who are all vaccinated, heard more than 3-1/2 hours of arguments in two cases that test presidential powers to combat a raging public health crisis that already has killed roughly 835,000 Americans.

U.S. Republican Senator Thune announces 2022 re-election bid

U.S. Republican Senator John Thune announced on Saturday that he planned to seek re-election in 2022, boosting chances this his party would retain the South Dakota seat in the fall. Thune, a member of the Senate Republican leadership, had been reportedly considering retirement after serving in the chamber since 2005.

GM recognizes California's authority to set vehicle emissions rules

General Motors Co on Sunday said it had agreed to recognize California’s authority to set vehicle emission standards under the Clean Air Act. The move will make the Detroit automaker eligible for government fleet purchases by the state of California, GM said.

Flooding hits western U.S., winter storm in the east

Floods hit parts of the Northwestern United States on Friday after heavy rains, while a winter storm brought more than a half a foot (15 cm) in snow in the eastern parts of the country, closing schools, offices and busy roads. Flood and gale warnings are in place across many coastal areas in the Pacific Northwest, whilst winter storm warnings remained for eastern parts of Maine, according to the National Weather Service.

Canada resists pressure to drop vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is pushing ahead with a vaccine mandate for international truckers despite increasing pressure from critics who say it will exacerbate driver shortages and drive up the price of goods imported from the United States. Canada will require all truckers entering from the United States to show proof of vaccination starting on Saturday as part of its fight against COVID-19.

Biden, Obama laud former Senator Harry Reid at Nevada memorial service

U.S. political luminaries including President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama celebrated the life of former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Saturday, describing him as an unpretentious pragmatist who got things done. Reid died last month https://www.reuters.com/world/us/former-us-senate-majority-leader-harry-reid-has-died-2021-12-29 at age 82 after battling pancreatic cancer.