Senate passes massive $1.7 trillion spending bill, now headed to the House; Jan 6 Committee releases dozens of transcripts ahead of final report; Oakland signs on to plan to establish a public bank

Comprehensive coverage of the day’s news with a focus on war and peace; social, environmental and economic justice.

• The Senate passes a massive 1.7 trillion dollar spending plan to fund the government for the rest of the fiscal year.
• The January 6 Committee releases dozens of witness transcripts, making public for the first time former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson’s account of the pressure campaign waged by Trump allies, urging her to “stay loyal” when she testified.
• Thousands of flights are canceled and homeless shelters are overflowing as a monster storm with potential blizzard conditions bears down on much the country.
  Russian President Vladimir Putin dismisses the importance of the U.S. pledge to send Patriot missiles to Ukraine.
• Oakland signs on to a plan to establish a Public Bank of the East Bay. It would be only the second in the nation.
• And Japan adopts an aggressive plan to pursue nuclear energy – 11 years after it turned away from nuclear power following the devastating Fukushima reactor meltdown.

Image: US Capitol Building by Wally Gobetz via Flickr

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