Working With Congress On Sanctions, SCOTUS Consultation Beginning

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has clarified the White House position on two key political questions.

• The White House working closely with Congress on the bipartisan Russian sanctions bill. 'Sanctions can be an effective tool of deterrent.'
  • No direct response to the question of whether Biden will be willing to sign the bill into law. Last year President Biden vetoed a Nordstream 2 sanctions bill. A move praised by the Kremlin for supporting stability in Europe. Whether or not Nordstream 2 is in the final sanctions package will become clear in the coming days.
• Supreme Court: Biden will select a SCOTUS nomination with the Senate’s guidance. Consultations to start this week. The President will choose a black woman with 'impeccable credentials' and hope for bipartisan support for his nomination.
• Psaki stressed that the nomination will be qualified for the role. This is in reference to a poll that has circulated today saying that most Americans don’t support the President’s ambition to restrict the nomination to a black woman. This could become a bitter debate in the coming weeks.
• No official news on Build Back Better but there is a lot of 'discussion on the Hill' about how to move forward.