Here is how events are unfolding. All times Eastern.
Jan 22, 2021, 11:42 AM EST
Pelosi confirms impeachment article will be delivered to Senate by House managers on Monday
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., confirmed plans for the House impeachment managers to deliver the impeachment article to the Senate on Monday.
Absent an agreement between Senate Democrats and Republicans on the contours of the trial, the delivery of the article would trigger a start to formal proceedings the following day.
Pelosi, pushing back on GOP claims that the timeline doesn't provide former President Trump with enough time to prepare his defense, said in a statement that he "will have had the same amount of time to prepare for trial as our Managers."
“Exactly one week after the attack on the Capitol to undermine the integrity of our democracy, a bipartisan vote of the House of Representatives passed the article of impeachment, which is our solemn duty to deliver to the Senate,” Pelosi stated.
-ABC News’ Benjamin Siegel
Jan 22, 2021, 11:11 AM EST
Senate confirms Lloyd Austin to serve as secretary of defense
By a vote of 93-2, the Senate confirmed Lloyd Austin as secretary of defense on Friday.
Retired Gen. Lloyd Austin testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing to be the next secretary of defense on Jan. 19, 2021.
Jim Lo Scalzo/Pool via REUTERS
He is the second Senate-confirmed Biden appointee and now becomes the first African American to lead the Department of Defense.
Yellen is the former chair of the Federal Reserve and, if confirmed by the Senate, would become the first woman to lead the Treasury.
Jan 22, 2021, 10:51 AM EST
Photos of National Guardsmen resting in parking lot spark outrage
Lawmakers expressed outrage on Twitter Thursday night after photos of National Guardsmen allegedly being booted out of the congressional grounds and sequestered into a parking garage for their breaks went viral.
The images were first reported by Politico, which stated that thousands of National Guardsmen were forced to vacate congressional grounds and take rest breaks in a parking garage.
Rep. Madison Cawthorn posted images from his visit with National Guard troops resting in a parking garage near the U.S. Capitol, Jan. 21, 2021.
CawthornforNC/Twitter
Rep. Madison Cawthorn posted images from his visit with National Guard troops resting in a parking garage near the U.S. Capitol, Jan. 21, 2021.
CawthornforNC/Twitter
Tens of thousands of guardsmen were originally summoned to the nation’s capital to assist with security for Biden’s inauguration after the deadly mob attack earlier this month at the Capitol building.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle responded to the reports on Twitter.
“If this is true, it's outrageous,” Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wrote. “I will get to the bottom of this.”
The verified Senate Republicans Twitter handle called it “unacceptable” and said the guardsmen “should be welcomed back inside the Capitol ASAP.”
Military veteran Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill, called the news “unreal”
“I can’t believe that the same brave servicemembers we’ve been asking to protect our Capitol and our Constitution these last two weeks would be unceremoniously ordered to vacate the building,” Duckworth said. “I am demanding answers ASAP. They can use my office.”
On Friday morning, the Capitol Police Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman issued a statement assuring that, “with the exception of specific times on Inauguration Day itself while the swearing-in ceremonies were underway, the United States Capitol police did not instruct the National Guard to vacate the Capitol Building facilities.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer greets National Guard soldiers inside the Capitol Visitors Center, Jan. 22, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. The soldiers were allowed back into the Capitol Visitors Center last night after Capitol Police officials had ordered them to vacate.
Shawn Thew/EPA via Shutterstock
Pittman said that the Capitol Police has worked tirelessly to identify accommodations for the guardsmen and that on Friday, “the Thurgood Marshall Judicial Office Building reached out directly to the National Guard to offer use of its facilities.”
“As of this morning, all Guardsmen and women have been relocated to space within the Capitol Complex,” Pittman added. “The Department is also working with the Guard to reduce the need for sleeping accommodations by establishing shorter shifts and will ensure they have access to the comfortable accommodations they absolutely deserve when the need arises.”
