NPR News: 08-06-2026 5AM EDT
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Why is the Senate considering a contempt vote against Dr. Anthony Fauci?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dave Mattingly. The Senate Homeland Security Committee is scheduled to vote today on whether to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress. Fauci declined to answer questions from members of the committee last week during a hearing on the federal government's response to the COVID pandemic. NPR's Eric McDaniel reports.
Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right to avoid self-incrimination at last week's hearing. That infuriated Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, who's long tried to prosecute him. Paul, a libertarian opposed to government mandates, is a longtime critic of Fauci's response to COVID-19.
He presented your recommendations, not his judgments, open to debate. but as dictates of science itself.
Contempt of Congress is the mechanism by which lawmakers can attempt to compel someone to cooperate with the legislative process or face potential criminal proceedings. It remains unclear whether the Justice Department will choose to pursue an investigation or charges for the 85-year-old Fauci as it has for other former officials President Trump dislikes. Eric McDaniel, NPR News, Washington.
What are the implications of appointing Dr. Erica Schwartz as CDC director?
The Senate has confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz to be director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The vote was largely along party lines. It's been almost a year since the CDC lost its last permanent director. That's when Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired Susan Menares in a dispute over vaccine policy. The CDC is currently responding to a surge in measles cases in the U.S., as well as outbreaks of cyclosporiasis. The war with Iran, energy prices, and the U.S. economy got a lot of attention from President Trump yesterday as he traveled to Nevada. The president spoke to supporters in Las Vegas, as NPR's Daniel Kurtzleben reports.
Trump emphasized his no-tax-on-tips policy, which allows a worker to deduct up to $25,000 in tips on their income taxes. That was passed last year as a part of the spending package known as the One Big Beautiful Bill. He also talked about the price of oil, which has been elevated since the start of the war in Iran, but has fallen from its peak in the spring.
How is President Trump addressing the oil price surge and its impact on the economy?
Trump acknowledged, however, that it could rise again.
We may have to send it up again. We may have to. You know what happens when we send it up, but we hope we don't have to. But when that oil and gasoline go down, everything else follows.
Amid the higher prices, President Trump's approval rating has slid and is currently just below 40 percent, according to multiple polling aggregators. Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR News.
A man suspected of starting one of the wildfires burning near Spokane, Washington, is scheduled to be arraigned today. 37-year-old Aaron Farinacci is charged with first-degree arson. Investigators believe Farinacci intentionally set the Old Trails fire. It's the largest of three wildfires burning near the city. The flames have destroyed hundreds of homes and forced tens of thousands of people in the area to evacuate.
What details are known about the Spokane wildfires and the arson suspect?
This is NPR News from Washington. The Vatican says Pope Leo plans to visit South America later this year. The Pope will travel to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru in November. The Pope holds both U.S. and Peruvian citizenship, having worked as a missionary in Peru during the 1980s and later serving as a bishop there. Water rationing begins tomorrow in Puerto Rico, where the territory is experiencing the most severe drought in more than a decade. NPR's Adrian Florido in San Juan says the National Guard will be distributing drinking water as the government cuts service to more than a half million residents.
So little rain has fallen this summer that key reservoirs have run nearly dry. Governor Jennifer Gonzalez says the public water utility will start cutting service to parts of the capital, San Juan, and neighboring cities. People's taps will go dry on a schedule, 48 hours with water, then 48 hours without, until reservoirs are restored. But that could be weeks or longer.
Why is Puerto Rico implementing water rationing and what will it look like?
Forecasters expect no significant rainfall for the Caribbean islands in the short term.
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
Why is the Senate considering a contempt vote against Dr. Anthony Fauci?
0:01–1:04
2
What are the implications of appointing Dr. Erica Schwartz as CDC director?
1:04–2:06
3
How is President Trump addressing the oil price surge and its impact on the economy?
2:06–2:56
4
What details are known about the Spokane wildfires and the arson suspect?
2:56–3:57
5
Why is Puerto Rico implementing water rationing and what will it look like?
3:57–4:52
6
What does the upcoming Pope Leo trip to South America mean for the region?
4:52–5:04