• Two candidates aligned with their respective parties’ leaders are on track to join the 117th Congress later this year after advancing from competitive special election primaries in Ohio. On the Democratic side of the aisle in the state’s left-leaning 11th District, Shontel Brown defeated Nina Turner, dealing a blow to the far left, while coal lobbyist Mike Carey, who was endorsed earlier this year by former President Donald Trump, advanced from a crowded field of Republicans in the state’s right-leaning 15th District. (The Associated Press)
• Following days of backlash from progressives on Capitol Hill, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced a 60-day moratorium on evictions in U.S. counties with high or substantial transmission of COVID-19. In remarks to reporters, President Joe Biden expressed skepticism about the constitutionality of the order, which is sure to draw a legal challenge. (The Washington Post)
• Biden joined a bevy of top Democrats by calling for Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s resignation after state Attorney General Letitia James released the findings of a probe that determined the New York Democrat had sexually harassed 11 women, including some state employees, in violation of federal and state laws. (USA Today) Carl Heastie, the New York State Assembly speaker, said Cuomo had lost the confidence of the chamber’s Democratic majority, which would “look to conclude our impeachment investigation as quickly as possible” after receiving all of the relevant documents from James. (Politico)
• The Food and Drug Administration is reportedly working to complete the approval process for the coronavirus vaccine made by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE by early next month, a move that could help decrease vaccine hesitancy. (The New York Times)

Biden Has a Growing Problem With Independents
Morning Consult

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Biden tells governors to ‘get out of the way’ if they won’t help on vaccines
Tyler Pager, The Washington Post

President Biden on Tuesday denounced Republican officials who have blocked efforts to mandate vaccines, as he encouraged cities and states to require that individuals show proof of vaccination to visit restaurants and other public spaces. In a notable toughening of his message, the president called out Republican governors who have banned businesses and universities from requiring vaccines or defied masking guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

300 ICE agents, ankle bracelets being used to stem border surge
Stef W. Kight, Axios

Three hundred Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials are being sent to two of the busiest sections of the U.S.-Mexico border to help overwhelmed counterparts, three government sources familiar with the move tell Axios.

The Biden administration orders a new review of oil and gas development in the Arctic.
Henry Fountain, The New York Times

The Biden administration will undertake a new environmental review of potential oil and gas development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska after citing what it called serious flaws in the initial review during the Trump presidency. The Interior Department will file a notice of intent in the Federal Register on Wednesday that begins the process of conducting a supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the oil and gas leasing program in the refuge’s 1.6-million-acre coastal plain.

NIH Director Says There’s ‘No Need to Mask at Home,’ Earlier Message ‘Garbled’
Cammy Pedroja, Newsweek

National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins clarified his comments on mask-wearing in front of children Tuesday, saying he “garbled” an earlier message on CNN.

When will Schumer cut off amendments?
Punchbowl News

The Senate will vote at 12:15 p.m. today on an amendment to the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill that would prohibit the Biden administration from canceling border wall contracts. The consensus seems to be that Schumer can get away with filing cloture on Thursday, which would set up a Saturday vote. That would mean a vote on final passage vote early next week.

Key Senator may sink Biden’s point man on guns
Burgess Everett et al., Politico

President Joe Biden’s pick to head the ATF is running into a surprising holdout who could bring down the nomination: Sen. Angus King of Maine. The low-key independent, a member of the Democratic Caucus, has declined to publicly state his position on David Chipman, whom Biden nominated to run the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Senate nears pivotal 60-vote threshold for scrapping Iraq war authorizations
Andrew Desiderio, Politico

Congress is on track to mark a 50-year milestone this year as the Senate closes in on the votes it needs to repeal outdated authorizations for the use of military force in Iraq.

Cori Bush steers progressives to win on eviction crisis
Nicholas Wu et al., Politico

Cori Bush arrived in Congress as an heir to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Now the political neophyte is coming into her own. Bush has led a one-woman protest on the Capitol steps over the last several days that forced the eviction crisis to the top of the nation’s agenda even after the House left town without taking action on the issue.

The Senate’s bipartisan infrastructure gang saddles up for one last ride
Marianne Levine and Burgess Everett, Politico

The Senate’s most successful bipartisan gang in years is undergoing a final rite of passage: protection of the infrastructure bill at all costs. The ten senators who negotiated the physical infrastructure deal are vowing to collectively block any effort that would endanger the bill’s odds of reaching President Joe Biden’s desk.

Congressional Gold Medal is awarded to Capitol Police and others who battled rioters on Jan. 6
Mike DeBonis, The Washington Post

The Senate on Tuesday unanimously approved legislation awarding the Congressional Gold Medal — the legislative branch’s highest honor — to the U.S. Capitol Police and others who defended the Capitol against a violent mob of Trump supporters on Jan. 6. Tuesday’s action closes out more than six months of quiet debate over how to best honor the officers who battled the rioters who were determined to disrupt the counting of electoral votes on Jan. 6.

Whistle-blower advocates call for a top aide on the Jan. 6 panel to be removed.
Julian E. Barnes and Luke Broadwater, The New York Times

The lawyers who represented the C.I.A. whistle-blower whose complaints led to the first impeachment of Donald J. Trump are pushing leaders of the select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot to remove the panel’s top staff official over allegations that he once retaliated against a whistle-blower.

DOJ officials rejected colleague’s request to intervene in Georgia’s election certification: Emails
Katherine Faulders and Alexander Mallin, ABC News

Top members of the Department of Justice last year rebuffed another DOJ official who asked them to urge officials in Georgia to investigate and perhaps overturn President Joe Biden’s victory in the state — long a bitter point of contention for former President Donald Trump and his team — before the results were certified by Congress, emails reviewed by ABC News show.

Officer dead, suspect killed in violence outside Pentagon
Lolita C. Baldor et al., The Associated Press

A Pentagon police officer died after being stabbed Tuesday during a burst of violence at a transit center outside the building, and a suspect was shot by law enforcement and died at the scene, officials said.

CNN Is Still Standing By Chris Cuomo, Despite His Role In His Brother’s Alleged Sexual Harassment Saga
Julia Reinstein, BuzzFeed News

CNN is standing by primetime star Chris Cuomo after an extensive investigation found a pattern of serial sexual harassment by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo — allegations that the news anchor secretly helped his brother to strategize against. Tuesday’s bombshell report, unveiled by New York Attorney General Letitia James, found the governor had groped, kissed, or made inappropriate or suggestive comments to 11 women, most of whom were current or former state employees.

Moms spent the equivalent of a full-time job on child care last year — while working at the same time
Chabeli Carrazana, 19th News

Data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on how Americans split their time last year shows moms of young kids spent about eight hours a day on child care while spending six hours on average working.

Obama Significantly Scales Back 60th Birthday Party as Virus Cases Rebound
Annie Karni, The New York Times

Hundreds of former Obama administration officials, celebrities and Democratic donors had been planning to attend the huge bash on Martha’s Vineyard on Saturday.

China’s homegrown techlash
Scott Rosenberg, Axios

With the Chinese government accelerating moves against its own tech industry, China is — for now — prioritizing Communist Party control of the domestic economy over aggressive international competition.

GOP Rep. Billy Long joins Missouri Senate race
Bridget Bowman, Roll Call

Missouri GOP Rep. Billy Long is going after the state’s open Senate seat, according to a new filing with the Federal Election Commission that shows Long’s House campaign account has been renamed “Billy Long for Senate.” Long joins an already crowded field of candidates in the race to replace retiring GOP Sen. Roy Blunt.

‘Ignore us at your peril’: Democrats fear losing House as party leaders push to sharpen message
Manu Raju and Melanie Zanona, CNN

House Democrats in some of the most competitive districts are growing increasingly anxious about their ability to hold on to their seats, with party leaders warning that they could sustain deep losses if they don’t sharpen their message and retool their strategy in the battle for control of the chamber in next year’s midterms. The concerns, voiced by several moderate Democrats in swing districts, center on fears that their economic messages — and some of their party’s biggest accomplishments like an expanded child tax credit — have not broken through.

Karen Bass signals openness to Los Angeles mayoral run
Sean Sullivan, The Washington Post

Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), one of the most prominent Black women in Congress and an ally of President Biden, has signaled she is open to running for mayor of Los Angeles in 2022 under encouragement from some Democrats, according to two people familiar with her thinking.

D.N.C. Staff to Join Union, in a Milestone for Labor
Lisa Lerer, The New York Times

Staff members at the Democratic National Committee are set to be represented by a union, the first time a national party organization will have a unionized work force, committee officials said on Tuesday. Roughly 150 employees at the committee will join the Service Employees International Union Local 500, a group that represents public-sector workers in the District of Columbia and across Maryland.

Donations fizzle to GOP AG group involved in Jan. 6 rally
Lachlan Markay, Axios

Donations to the Republican Attorneys General Association dipped considerably in the months following the Jan. 6 siege on the U.S. Capitol, records show.

What to Know About Kathy Hochul, Cuomo’s Possible Successor
Katie Glueck and Michael Gold, The New York Times

Ms. Hochul, who has served as New York’s lieutenant governor since 2015, would become the first female governor in the state’s history if Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned or was removed from office.

Judge orders Arizona Senate to produce Maricopa audit records
Jeremy Beaman, Washington Examiner

An Arizona judge ordered the state’s Republican-led Senate to produce records related to its audit of the 2020 election in Maricopa County, delivering a big win for critics of the controversial review. The documents, sought by left-leaning watchdog group American Oversight, are subject to Arizona’s public records statute and must be provided to the organization “immediately,” Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Michael Kemp ruled Monday.

Missouri governor pardons gun-waving St. Louis lawyer couple
The Associated Press

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Tuesday announced that he made good on his promise to pardon a couple who gained notoriety for pointing guns at social justice demonstrators as they marched past the couple’s home in a luxury St. Louis enclave last year. Parson, a Republican, on Friday pardoned Mark McCloskey, who pleaded guilty in June to misdemeanor fourth-degree assault and was fined $750, and Patricia McCloskey, who pleaded guilty to misdemeanor harassment and was fined $2,000.

Tennessee sued over school bathroom policy for trans students
Shawna Chen, Axios

LGBTQ advocacy organization Human Rights Campaign (HRC) filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Tennessee over a state law barring transgender students and staff from using public school restrooms that align with their gender identity.

New York City will require vaccines for entry to restaurants and gyms
Alexis Benveniste, CNN Business

New York City will require proof of vaccination to enter all restaurants, fitness centers and indoor entertainment venues, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday.

Navy admiral criticizes defense contractors over lobbying efforts
Karl Evers-Hillstrom, The Hill

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday on Monday criticized defense contractors for “lobbying Congress to buy aircraft that we don’t need.” The Navy’s top officer made the comments during a panel discussion at the Navy League’s annual Sea Air Space conference.

Maryland judge slams Trump-tied lobbyist for defying court order
Josh Gerstein, Politico

A Maryland judge dealt another legal blow to Trumpworld lobbyist Barry Bennett Tuesday, refusing to lift a default judgment against him for defying a court order for over a year in a lawsuit brought by a former associate who claims she was never paid $300,000 in referral fees.

Why We Need the $3.5 Trillion Reconciliation Package
Bernie Sanders, The Wall Street Journal

The American Rescue Plan boosted the economy during the pandemic. But it didn’t go far enough.

Biden’s Honeymoon Is Over, and He Knows It
Thomas B. Edsall, The New York Times

The first seven months of the Biden presidency have been easy compared to what’s coming down the pike.

Stop harassing the unvaccinated
Marc A. Thiessen, The Washington Post

In recent weeks, President Biden has been trying to insult unvaccinated Americans into getting immunized. He has told the vaccine-hesitant that they are “not nearly as smart as I thought you were,” that they are responsible for the pandemic, that they are refusing to do their patriotic duty, and that Americans’ patience with the unvaccinated is “running thin.” Here’s a better idea: stop harassing them.

Correction: Due to an editing error, yesterday’s Morning Consult Washington misidentified the author of this Morning Consult op-ed: His name is Bob Keefe.