The Hill's Morning Report - Surging COVID-19 infections loom over US, Olympics | TheHill

President BidenJoe BidenGraham says he'd 'leave town' to stop .5T spending plan Afghan ambassador, diplomats withdrawn from Islamabad Biden seeks to prove his skeptics wrong MORE is expected to field questions about the pandemic and other issues during a CNN town hall broadcast from Cincinnati on Wednesday, while first lady Jill BidenJill BidenBiden calls for voting rights passage on anniversary of John Lewis's death Biden meets with Merkel in German leader's last official trip to Washington The Hill's 12:30 Report - Presented by Facebook - Merkel visits the White House before stepping down MORE is scheduled to represent the United States on Friday in Japan, where only 20 percent of the population has been vaccinated against COVID-19, as the Olympics get underway. Orange County, Fla., Mayor Jerry Demings, the Democratic spouse of Rep. Val DemingsValdez (Val) Venita DemingsCuba, Haiti pose major challenges for Florida Democrats Schumer, Tim Scott lead as Senate fundraising pace heats up Haiti Caucus: Forging path out of crisis will not be quick, but necessary to avoid false 'democracy' MORE (D-Fla.), who is running for the Senate, also urged unvaccinated and vaccinated residents to wear masks indoors while in public locations (The Hill). Arkansas leads states suffering through a surge of infections (The New York Times) and Gov. Asa HutchinsonAsa HutchinsonArkansas doctor: Patients have told me they wish they got COVID-19 vaccine The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Goldman Sachs - Biden rallies Senate Dems behind mammoth spending plan Arkansas sees biggest increase in COVID-19 cases in five months MORE, a Republican and chairman of the National Governors Association, is delivering straight-up advice to get vaccinated to occasionally hostile constituents (The Associated Press). LEADING THE DAYCONGRESS: Fresh doubt was tossed over the immediate future of the bipartisan infrastructure bill on Sunday as two key Senate Republican negotiators criticized Senate Majority Leader Charles SchumerChuck SchumerPortman rips 'arbitrary deadline of Wednesday' on infrastructure Senate Republican says he can't vote to open debate on infrastructure bill before he sees text Biden calls for voting rights passage on anniversary of John Lewis's death MORE (D-N.Y.) for teeing up a procedural vote on it this week even though there is no legislative text yet. Sen. Bill CassidyBill CassidySunday shows - Surgeon general in the spotlight as delta variant spreads Senate Republican says he can't vote to open debate on infrastructure bill before he sees text Sunday shows preview: Feds slam social media over COVID-19 misinformation MORE (R-La.), a member of the group of 22 senators involved in discussions (pictured below), said on Sunday that he will not vote to start debate on the $1.2 trillion package without a nailed-down deal between the two sides. “How can I vote for cloture when the bill isn't written?” Cassidy asked “Fox News Sunday.” host Chris WallaceChristopher (Chris) WallaceSenate Republican says he can't vote to open debate on infrastructure bill before he sees text Surgeon general 'concerned about what we're seeing' as COVID-19 cases surge Defense official: Troop withdrawal doesn't mean US has lost leverage against Taliban MORE. Meanwhile, Sen. Rob PortmanRobert (Rob) Jones PortmanSunday shows - Surgeon general in the spotlight as delta variant spreads Portman rips 'arbitrary deadline of Wednesday' on infrastructure Key Republican says no IRS pay-fors in infrastructure bill MORE (R-Ohio), another top negotiator, described this week’s planned procedural vote set by Schumer for the Senate floor as an “arbitrary deadline” (Axios). “We are still negotiating,” Portman told CNN's “State of the Union.” “Chuck SchumerChuck SchumerPortman rips 'arbitrary deadline of Wednesday' on infrastructure Senate Republican says he can't vote to open debate on infrastructure bill before he sees text Biden calls for voting rights passage on anniversary of John Lewis's death MORE, with all due respect, is not writing the bill, nor is [Senate Minority Leader] Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellKlobuchar: If Breyer is going to retire from Supreme Court, it should be sooner rather than later Portman rips 'arbitrary deadline of Wednesday' on infrastructure The Memo: Trump is diminished but hasn't faded MORE [R-Ky.], by the way. On the GOP side, Sen. Tim ScottTimothy (Tim) Eugene ScottThe Memo: Trump is diminished but hasn't faded The Hill's 12:30 Report - Presented by Facebook - Manchin on board with spending deal Schumer, Tim Scott lead as Senate fundraising pace heats up MORE (R-S.C.) took the cake. Raphael WarnockRaphael WarnockKlobuchar, Stacey Abrams to team up on voting rights event Schumer, Tim Scott lead as Senate fundraising pace heats up Number of nonwhite Democratic Senate staffers ticks up from 2020 MORE (D-Ga.), Mark KellyMark KellySchumer, Tim Scott lead as Senate fundraising pace heats up Equilibrium/ Sustainability — The gentler side of Shark Week Senate committee advances bipartisan energy infrastructure bill  MORE (D-Ariz.) and Marco RubioMarco Antonio RubioThe Memo: Trump is diminished but hasn't faded Cuba, Haiti pose major challenges for Florida Democrats Florida's Crist urges Biden to provide direct federal aid to Cuban people MORE (R-Fla.), all of whom will likely face tough reelection campaigns next year. THE CLOSERAnd finally, with sports in mind … White House press secretary Jen PsakiJen PsakiBiden seeks to prove his skeptics wrong Feds step up pressure on social media over false COVID-19 claims Hypocritical Psaki leads chilling effort to flag 'misinformation' MORE threw the opening pitch at the Nationals game in Washington on Sunday, hurling the ball to its destination without a bounce (video) one day after a shooting outside the ballpark injured three people and suspended the team’s game against the San Diego Padres (WTOP).