Jan 19, 2021

The New Year has barely begun and already we’ve faced a multitude of constitutional tests. Heritage President Kay C. James looks at three, and the results aren’t good. Meanwhile, anyone hoping to be free of COVID now should read our panel discussion on a solution. And conservatives looking for something to rally around should put the filibuster at the top of their list. You can find this, and more, in this week’s Agenda.

We Faced Three Constitutional Tests Already This Year
The year has only begun, but Congress has already had to grapple with several major constitutional tests. Heritage President Kay C. James looks at three of them and challenges political leaders to do better. “The House’s vote to impeach a president with less than a week left in office seemed to be more about using the Constitution as a tool for revenge than using it as the founders had intended,” she writes. Read the rest of Mrs. James’ op-ed to learn more about the constitutional tests lawmakers faced.

Rapid COVID Tests: A Cure for Lockdowns
For nearly an entire year, the government’s COVID directives could be summed up as “Avoid people, wear a mask, and wait for a vaccine.” Under those guidelines, and with vaccine accessibility still months away for most people, the crisis has reached dire levels. Is there anything that can be done in the meantime? Heritage Domestic Policy Studies Director Marie Fishpaw, visiting fellow Doug Badger, and a panel of doctors say there is. “One of the most important tools that we have that could actually stop the spread of this virus, or at least greatly limit the spread, are our rapid tests,” said Dr. Michael Mina during a panel discussion hosted by Heritage. Read the full report on the panel’s discussion to find out how rapid tests can help get Americans back on track and what is holding them up.

The Filibuster Is Our Last Line of Defense Against the Left
With Democrats taking control of the Senate this year, there is a good chance that they will try to kill off the filibuster. As Heritage’s John Cooper explains, this would be a disaster of epic proportions because the filibuster is the “one thing preventing the left from getting its way and fundamentally reshaping America.” Joe Biden himself once called attempts to eliminate the filibuster a “fundamental power grab.” Read more about the history of the filibuster and why defending it is so important.

President Trump awarded Heritage Foundation President Kay C. James the National Humanities Medal “for her intellectual leadership, devotion to our constitutional principles, and steadfast commitment to opportunity for all.” Learn more.

The state of Tennessee has secured authorization for Medicaid reforms backed by Heritage research. If approved by the Tennessee General Assembly, the waiver would give the state additional program flexibility in exchange for fixed federal funding. Learn more about Heritage’s impact.

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar discusses the Trump administration’s early actions on COVID-19 and what lessons can be drawn from the response. Watch the Heritage event.

This week on “Heritage Explains,” Melanie Israel, a research associate in the Richard and Helen DeVos Center for Religion & Civil Society, discusses attempts to make it easier for women to receive chemical abortions and the risks. Listen to the episode.

Incoming Immigration Plan the ‘Most Radical In U.S. History’
Mike Howell, senior advisor of Heritage’s executive branch relations, joined Fox News to talk about why President-elect Joe Biden’s immigration agenda is radical and bad for the country. Watch the interview.

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