Daily Briefing: House goes Red

Republicans won majority control of the House of Representatives, a blow for Democrats and President Joe Biden. Also in the news: The driver of an SUV who plowed through a Christmas parade, killing six people and injuring dozens last year, has been sentenced to life in prison.

👋🏾 I'm Jane Onyanga-Omara, filling in for Nicole, who's off on a well-earned break.

Now, let's get to Thursday's news:

House goes Red, Senate GOP sticks with McConnell as leader

Republicans won majority control of the House of Representatives Wednesday evening, a blow for Democrats and creating a major roadblock for President Joe Biden's agenda for the next two years. Despite overall disappointing midterm results for Republicans that saw Democrats keep control of the Senate, Rep. Mike Garcia's victory in California's 27th Congressional District did give the GOP the 218th seat needed for House control. In the other chamber, Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell will continue in his role as Senate minority leader for another session of Congress, after his reelection to the post on Wednesday. Read more

One thing to know: Nancy Pelosi won't be speaker when the new Congress is sworn in Jan. 3. Her deputy chief of staff tweeted late Wednesday she "plans to address her future plans (Thursday)."

• Expect GOP lawmakers to start investigations on a number of fronts including Hunter Biden’s business dealings and the migrant surge on the southern border.

• House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy, who could become the the next House Speaker, has vowed to immediately open an inquiry into the FBI's search of Mar-a-Lago.

• "I'm not going anywhere": Mitch McConnell emerged triumphant from the vote for Senate GOP leader, in which he won about 75% of the tally.

🔴 The Republican House majority has a message for "woke" big business: Get out of politics.

🔴 Ivanka Trump says she won't be "involved in politics" after her father announces 2024 bid.

Man sentenced to life in prison in Wisconsin Christmas parade attack

The driver of an SUV who plowed through a Milwaukee area Christmas parade, killing six people and injuring dozens of others, was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday.  Darrell Brooks Jr. was found guilty late last month on dozens of criminal charges after a jury found him responsible in the 2021 Christmas parade attack in Waukesha. The sentence came one day after victims and family members of the dead described the impacts of Brooks' rampage. More than 40 victims and family members took to the stand or submitted written statements. Read more

More news to know now

• 🚨 "Going the wrong-way": Five people were critically injured after a driver in an SUV struck 25 Los Angeles County sheriff's and police recruits, authorities said.

• ❤️‍🩹 Jay Leno to undergo second surgery for "pretty significant" burns to face, hands, chest.

• 🚨 At least 32 transgender people were killed in the U.S. this year, a report finds.

• 📱 What is Mastodon? What to know about the decentralized site some see as a Twitter alternative.

• 🔴 Louisville reaches $2 million settlement with Kenneth Walker, Breonna Taylor's boyfriend.

• ⚖️ "Another idiot running around": Oath Keeper describes Jan. 6 regret in surprise testimony.

• 💰How to prepare now that student loan forgiveness likely isn't coming anytime soon.

• 🎧 On today's 5 Things podcast, USA TODAY White House correspondent Michael Collins looks at the Biden administration’s response to the missile strike that killed two in Poland this week. You can listen to the podcast every day on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on your smart speaker.

Russia didn't take US phone call after Poland missile strike

The top U.S. military officer said Wednesday that he tried to reach out to his Russian counterpart in the aftermath of the missile explosions in Poland, but wasn't able to get through. The U.S. and other top leaders now say they believe the strike was probably launched by Ukrainian air defenses to defend against a Russian missile bombardment. But uncertainty swirled for hours. The lack of communications raises concerns about high-level U.S.-Russian communications in a crisis. A strike against Poland, a NATO member, could have risked a larger conflict if it turned out that Russia had launched the strike. Read more

📸 Photo of the day: Banksy revealed seven new paintings throughout Ukraine. Click here to see them.

Candace Cameron Bure addresses 'traditional marriage' comment after backlash

JoJo Siwa, Hilarie Burton and more stars are responding to controversy around new network Great American Family, backed by Candace Cameron Bure, who said it "will keep traditional marriage at the core." YouTube star Siwa, 19, expressed outrage, saying it's "rude and hurtful to a whole community of people." Siwa, who came out as a member of the LGBTQ community in 2021, was supported in the comments by her fellow "Dance Moms" alum Maddie Ziegler and Bure's "Full House" co-star Jodie Sweetin. In a statement on Instagram Wednesday, Bure said that "it absolutely breaks my heart that anyone would ever think I intentionally would want to offend and hurt anyone." Read more

Just for subscribers:

• 🏫 Title IX: A Marshall University student is in prison for rape. His victims reveal how the school failed them.

• 🦫 Live near a dam? It could be crumbling, threatening homes and lives as heavy rains increase.

• 🎓 Opinion: Are college classes too hard for today's students? Alarming numbers say "yes."

• ✈️ My flight was canceled but I got most of my costs covered (after 3 months).

These articles are for USA TODAY subscribers. You can sign up here. Already a subscriber and want premium content texted to you every day? We can do that! Sign up for our subscriber-only texting campaign.

'Paralyzing' lake-effect snowstorm takes aim at western New York

Snowfall will be measured in feet, not inches, around Buffalo, New York, over the next few days as a potentially historic lake-effect snowstorm wallops the western part of the state. In addition to western New York, lake-effect snow is likely over the next few days in western and Upper Michigan, northern Indiana, northeast Ohio and northwest Pennsylvania, Weather.com said. "Buffalo and its southern suburbs may receive as much as 3 to 6 feet of snow by Sunday," AccuWeather meteorologist Matt Benz said, adding that the heaviest snow may fall over two stretches – Thursday night into Friday and Saturday into Saturday night. "These two periods will likely feature the worst conditions of this event." Read more

• Bills' newcomers are getting ready for their first Buffalo snowstorm.

• With a winter storm threatening Buffalo, will Bills-Browns game be another "Snow Bowl"?

🌤 What's the weather up to today? Check your local forecast here.

One more thing:

• 🏆 Brendan Fraser says he won't attend Golden Globes after "history" with HFPA.

• 🚂 10 holiday train rides guaranteed to get you in the Christmas spirit.

• 🥤Starbucks Red Cup Day 2022: When to get your free reusable coffee cup.

• ✨ Skywatchers, rejoice! The Leonid meteor shower, an annual mid-November treat, will be coming to a sky near you this week.

• 🏈 TNF revels in Richard Sherman's second act. It's more of the first, only without pads.

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: House, Senate, Wisconsin parade, Candace Cameron Bure, Buffalo snowstorm