Daily Briefing: House authorizes Biden impeachment inquiry

House Republicans formally authorized their impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. In a rare and emotional public statement, Hunter Biden defied a House subpoena. Eleven years have passed since the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

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Now, here's Thursday's news.

House Republicans authorize Joe Biden impeachment investigation

House Republicans formally authorized their impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden on Wednesday, taking their most significant step toward impeaching the president. The House voted along party lines by a vote of 221-212 to green-light the inquiry.

Republicans have alleged Biden financially benefited from his family’s foreign business dealings, though they haven't publicly released evidence backing up the claims.

• The White House says it has cooperated fully with the investigation and provided plenty of evidence disputing House Republicans’ allegations.

• House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and GOP investigators leading the inquiry say it's simply an investigation, and House Republicans have not predetermined whether to draft articles of impeachment against the president.

• But House Democrats have questioned the purpose of the investigation, given that Republicans have yet to turn up evidence directly tying Biden to his family’s business dealings.

• Biden, in a rare statement about the effort, questioned the priorities of House Republicans. “Instead of doing anything to help make Americans’ lives better, they are focused on attacking me with lies,” he said.

Hunter Biden hits out at Republicans in rare public comments

Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden's son, spoke candidly on Capitol Hill Wednesday, criticizing the Republicans who have placed him at the center of their impeachment push. The House Oversight Committee last month announced they would subpoena the president’s son as part of the GOP-led impeachment inquiry into the president over alleged connections to his family’s overseas business dealings. Hunter Biden said he would testify − but only in a public hearing. He reiterated this stance Wednesday, defying Republicans’ subpoena for a closed-door deposition. Read more

• "I have made mistakes": Defiant Hunter Biden lashes out at GOP and ignores subpoena.

• House GOP threatens Hunter Biden with contempt if he defies subpoena for closed-door testimony.

• Hunter Biden bursts into public view: Here's how the president's son will play a central role in 2024.

More news to know now

• Defiant Netanyahu vows to "continue until the end, until victory, nothing less."

• Harvard, Penn, MIT formally rebuked over campus antisemitism after House resolution passes.

• Federal prosecutors to retry ex-Louisville police officer in Breonna Taylor civil rights case.

• How Hilary Duff survives the holidays: "Lizzie McGuire" star talks parenting stress and more.

• On today's The Excerpt podcast, House Republicans authorize a Joe Biden impeachment investigation. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your smart speaker.

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11 years since Sandy Hook

Thursday marks 11 years since 20 first-graders and six educators were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. One month after the shooting, the loved ones of several victims united to launch Sandy Hook Promise, championing gun violence prevention. However, the toll the gun violence epidemic has taken on American youth remains distressingly persistent. Gun violence is the leading cause of death for children, with 2023 seeing more than 300 incidents of gun violence on school grounds and a record number of mass shootings. Read more

• UNLV shooting victims join growing number of lives lost to mass killings in U.S. this year.

• Mass killing database: Revealing trends, details and anguish of every U.S. event since 2006.

Fed holds rates steady as inflation eases, forecasts 3 cuts in 2024

The Federal Reserve left its key short-term interest rate unchanged again Wednesday, hinted that rate hikes are likely over and forecast three cuts next year amid falling inflation and a cooling economy. The decision leaves the Fed’s benchmark short-term rate at a 22-year high of 5.25% to 5.5%. The central bank has now held its key rate steady for three straight meetings since July. That provides another reprieve for consumers who have faced higher borrowing costs for credit cards, adjustable-rate mortgages and other loans. Read more

• Why your 401(k) is happy: Dow Jones reaches new record after Fed forecasts lower rates.

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• Don't throw away your old sneakers just yet. Here's how to easily repair them at home.

• Incredible dolphin with "thumbs" spotted by scientists in Gulf of Corinth.

• Watch these firefighters take on high waves and frozen water to rescue a fallen dog.

• From Reviewed: Treat someone to one of our favorite holiday beauty gift sets.

A growing COVID-19 variant has taken off this holiday season

Scientists are narrowing in on the fastest-growing COVID-19 variant, learning more about the strain that has coincided with a rise in cases as Americans head into the holidays. The JN.1 variant now accounts for more than one-fifth of all cases, based on estimates Friday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This uptick suggests that JN.1 could be more transmissible and better at slipping past people’s immune systems, the CDC said. Hospitalizations and deaths, indicators for COVID-19 spread, also remain elevated. Read more

• Opinion: This holiday season, protect yourself, your family and our communities with vaccines.

Photo of the day: Oprah Winfrey stuns in new National Gallery painting

Can you think of any other cultural institution who's accomplished as much as Oprah Winfrey, from "The Oprah Winfrey Show" to Oprah's Book Club to her hundreds of millions donated to charities? So it makes sense that her portrait unveiling ceremony at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery would similarly captivate the room. Read more

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Associated Press contributed reporting.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden impeachment inquiry, Hunter Biden, Sandy Hook, COVID: Daily Briefing: