The Hill's 12:30 Report - Presented by Capital One - Biden unveils batch of his White House team

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The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Moderna applies for vaccine emergency authorization | Biden announces economic team | Yellen tapped for Treasury | Announces historic all-female White House comms team | Congress returns with 11 days to fund the government | Arizona certifies election results | Melania unveils 2020 Christmas decorations | 400+ Cyber Monday deals

LATEST WITH THE BIDEN TRANSITION

Announced this a.m. — Step right up! We are now shifting into the economics portion of the program:

President-elect Joe BidenJoe Biden Budowsky: A Biden-McConnell state of emergency summit DC might win US House vote if it tries Inaugural poet Amanda Gorman inks deal with IMG Models MORE formally announced his nominees for his economic team. https://bit.ly/37pcsSy

THE LIST:

Treasury secretary: Biden nominated former Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet YellenJanet Louise Yellen On The Money: Senate confirms Yellen as first female Treasury secretary | Biden says he's open to tighter income limits for stimulus checks | Administration will look to expedite getting Tubman on bill Senate confirms Yellen as first female Treasury secretary Sorry Mr. Jackson, Tubman on the is real MORE. https://bit.ly/2VjT7g8

Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget: Neera Tanden, president of the liberal Center for American Progress think tank.

Chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers (CEA): Cecilia Rouse, dean of the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs.

CEA members: campaign adviser and former chief economist Jared Bernstein and the Washington Center for Equitable Growth co-founder Heather Boushey.

Who run the world? (girls), who run the world? (girls):

President-elect Biden unveiled his all-female White House communications team for his upcoming administration. https://bit.ly/3miHXEa

White House press secretary: Jen Psaki, who served as “White House communications director, deputy White House communications director and deputy White House press secretary during the Obama administration.”

Principal deputy press secretary: Karine Jean-Pierre, “a former NBC and MSNBC political analyst, served as a senior adviser to Biden and the chief of staff to Harris during the campaign.”

White House communications director: Kate Bedingfield, who served as the deputy campaign manager and communications director for the Biden campaign.

Deputy White House communications director: Pili Tobar.

Communications director for Harris: Ashley Etienne. “Etienne was previously the first woman and person of color to serve as the communications director and senior adviser to the House Speaker.”

Spokeswoman for Harris: Symone SandersSymone Sanders Exclusive 'Lucky' excerpt: Vow of Black woman on Supreme Court was Biden turning point Record number of women to serve in Biden Cabinet Kayleigh McEnany leaves letters for incoming Biden press officials MORE.

Communications director for soon-to-be first lady Jill Biden: Elizabeth Alexander.

ANNOUNCEMENTS! ALL! AROUND!:

President-elect Biden just announced the leaders of the inauguration planning committee. https://bit.ly/39waQcq

IF YOU’RE LOSING TRACK OF ALL THE NOMINATIONS, HERE’S A LIST OF BIDEN’S CABINET SO FAR:

https://nyti.ms/2JfbUqC

It’s Monday — welcome back! I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send comments, story ideas and events for our radar to cmartel@thehill.com — and follow along on Twitter @CateMartel and Facebook.

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NEWS THIS MORNING

Dec. 21 could be the magic Moderna date if all goes to plan:

Moderna announced that it is applying for emergency authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine today (!) https://nyti.ms/2HQlWNY

“Moderna’s application is based on data that it also announced on Monday, showing that its vaccine is 94.1 percent effective, and that its study of 30,000 people has met the scientific criteria needed to determine whether the vaccine works … The new data also showed that the vaccine was 100 percent effective at preventing severe disease from the coronavirus.”

The scale of doses: The company is planning to produce 20 million doses by the end of the year and between 500 million to a billion next year. Keep in mind: Each patient requires two doses, so 20 million doses means 10 million people.

Is Moderna the first to apply?: No, Pfizer applied on Nov. 20. “Pfizer has said it can produce up to 50 million doses this year, with about half going to the United States. Its vaccine also requires two doses per person.”

Everything we know about the vaccine authorization process from The New York Times: https://nyti.ms/2HQlWNY

THE CDC IS CONSIDERING A SHORTER QUARANTINE PERIOD:

Via The New York Times’ Apoorva Mandavilli, “The accumulating data presents a quandary: Should public health officials shorten the recommended isolation time if it means more infected people will cooperate? Or should officials opt for longer periods in order to prevent transmission in virtually all cases, even if doing so takes a harsher toll on the economy?”: https://nyti.ms/2KICc4H

If the CDC changes its recommendations, when could that be?: Possibly next week.

THE NUMBERS:

Coronavirus cases in the U.S.: 13,393,166

U.S. death toll: 266,932

Breakdown of the numbers: https://cnn.it/2UAgW3y

THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS

The real action is what happens in private:

Lawmakers are returning to Washington today with just 11 days to pass a government funding bill to avert a holiday shutdown.

The plan B if Congress doesn’t fund the government by Dec. 11: Pass a short-term funding bill.

The major legislative items left to pass: “Much of the action will be off of the floor this week. Congress is juggling a looming deadline for funding the government with unresolved fights over a fifth coronavirus relief bill and a mammoth defense policy measure.”

Another day with no real movement on the coronavirus relief negotiations: “The need for quick action on funding the government comes amid no signs of movement on a fifth coronavirus relief deal … Public health experts expect initial distribution of a vaccine by the end of the year, but economists are warning that, given the deep and far-reaching fallout from the virus, another round of assistance is needed to help stabilize the economy and provide relief to hard-hit small businesses.”

Where the negotiations stand: Republicans are pushing for a roughly $500 billion bill. Democrats are eyeing a bill closer to $2.2 trillion.

WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING IN CONGRESS:

GSA briefing is today: “General Services Administration (GSA) deputy administrator Allison Brigati is slated to conduct a 30-minute briefing to the House committee chairs and ranking Republican members on Nov. 30 to discuss the presidential transition process.”

Another Democratic senator in town: “Sen.-elect Mark KellyMark Kelly Moderates vow to 'be a force' under Biden Arizona Gov. Ducey says he won't run against Mark Kelly for Senate Bipartisan Senate gang to talk with Biden aide on coronavirus relief MORE (D-Ariz.) is expected to be sworn in this week after the result of his Senate race against GOP Sen. Martha McSallyMartha Elizabeth McSally Cindy McCain on possible GOP censure: 'I think I'm going to make T-shirts' Arizona state GOP moves to censure Cindy McCain, Jeff Flake Trump renominates Judy Shelton in last-ditch bid to reshape Fed MORE is certified on Monday.” Why today: It was a special election.

Medical marijuana: “The House is slated to take up legislation aimed at decriminalizing marijuana on the federal level, House Majority Leader Steny HoyerSteny Hamilton Hoyer Budowsky: Democracy won, Trump lost, President Biden inaugurated Congressional leaders present Biden, Harris with flags flown during inauguration LIVE INAUGURATION COVERAGE: Biden signs executive orders; press secretary holds first briefing MORE (D-Md.) announced.”

Nominations: “Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnell Schumer: Impeachment trial will be quick, doesn't need a lot of witnesses McConnell: Power-sharing deal can proceed after Manchin, Sinema back filibuster Budowsky: A Biden-McConnell state of emergency summit MORE (R-Ky.) has teed up several nominations on the Senate floor.”

Details for each from The Hill’s Jordain Carney and Juliegrace Brufke: https://bit.ly/2KSGMgZ

THE INCOMING CONGRESS LOOKS A LOT MORE LIKE AMERICA:

Via The Hill’s Lillian Bautista, Damare Baker and Reid Wilson, “The 117th Congress will be the most diverse group of lawmakers ever to chart the nation's course when it meets in January after women and nonwhite candidates made gains in the November elections.” Breakdown: https://bit.ly/36kfuIs

JUST RELEASED — THE HILL’S NEW MEMBERS GUIDE 2020:

“Congratulations on your 2020 election victory — and welcome to Capitol Hill.” https://bit.ly/39qUS3d

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