Recess is over for Congress

Plus, Emmanuel Macron wins reelection in France. Congress returns this week with a busy agenda ahead of the 2022 midterms; President Emmanuel Macron wins reelection in France. Tonight's Sentences was written by Jariel Arvin.   TOP NEWS What Democrats hope to get done ahead of this year's midterms Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images - Congress is back in session after a two-week recess, and Democrats have just six months to accomplish their congressional goals before the 2022 midterm elections. [[The Hill / Jordain Carney](] - Up first is securing $10 billion for Covid-19 testing, treatment, and therapeutics. Before the holiday, Senate leaders reached an agreement that fell apart when GOP lawmakers demanded the funding be contingent on extending Title 42. [[CNN / Betsy Klein](] - Presidents Trump and Biden have used Title 42 to prevent asylum seekers from entering the US because of the pandemic. The rule is set to expire in May; Republicans and vulnerable Democrats have demanded it be extended. [[National Public Radio / Deepa Shivaram](] - Biden has also called on Congress to approve $800 million for heavy weapons and artillery for Ukraine to defend itself against Russia’s invasion. [[Associated Press / Matthew Lee](] - And Democrats hope to restart negotiations on a pared-down version of Biden’s Build Back Better spending package. Prospects for doing so remain dim, as Sen. Joe Manchin, who tanked the plan last year, hasn’t publicly backed a reboot. [[NBC News / Sahil Kapur and Benjy Sarlin](] - Lawmakers also hope to pass legislation bolstering competitiveness with China and reducing drug prices, if they can find bipartisan agreement on both issues. [[Vox / Li Zhou](] [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( Emmanuel Macron wins French presidential elections - Emmanuel Macron beat far-right challenger Marine Le Pen in run-off elections Sunday, to become the first French president reelected in 20 years. [[CNN / Joshua Berlinger and Joseph Ataman](] - Macron’s 59 percent to 41 percent victory over Le Pen was greeted with relief from leaders across the European Union and NATO who believe Le Pen is too close with Russia. [[CBS News]]( - But Le Pen, who also faced Macron in 2017, had her best showing yet, succeeding in bringing far-right ideas about Islam and immigration into the French mainstream. [[The Atlantic / Yasmeen Serhan](] - Macron’s triumph could also be short-lived. If his party doesn’t win a majority in June’s parliamentary elections, Macron’s ability to advance his agenda will be limited. [[Reuters / Sophie Louet and Ingrid Melander](]   MISCELLANEOUS The Supreme Court appears likely to rule in favor of a Washington football coach’s right to pray publicly after games. [[New York Times / Adam Liptak](] - On Monday, a judge held Donald Trump in contempt for failing to comply with document subpoenas in a New York state civil case. [[BBC](] - Last week, Kane Tanaka of Japan, Guinness world record-holder for the oldest living person, died at 119. [[NBC / Elisha Fieldstadt](] - Twitter’s board has accepted Elon Musk’s $44 billion buyout offer. [[CNBC / Lauren Feiner](]   Support our journalism Reader contributions help keep newsletters like Sentences free for all. Support our work with a one-time gift today. [Give](   VERBATIM “My sense is this is a make or break moment,” [[Sen. Chris Van Hollen on Biden’s spending package, in the Washington Post](]   LISTEN TO THIS The Philosophers: Loneliness and totalitarianism Sean Illing talks with professor Lyndsey Stonebridge about the philosopher Hannah Arendt's insights into the roots of mass movements, how her flight from Nazi occupation shaped her worldview, and how loneliness and isolation — which abound in our world today — can prepare a population for an authoritarian turn. [Listen now ▶](   Read more from Vox [The faulty foundation of our new post-pandemic normal]( [The enormous stakes in the Supreme Court’s “Remain in Mexico” case, explained]( [The bloody, fantastical The Northman refuses to be modern]( [We live in an age of misinformation. Sandy Hook was just the beginning.]( [Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is fracturing the delicate peace in the Arctic]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...](   [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [YouTube]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Manage your [email preferences]( or [unsubscribe](param=sentences). If you value Vox’s unique explanatory journalism, support our work with a one-time or recurring [contribution](. View our [Privacy Notice]( and our [Terms of Service](. Vox Media, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Floor 12, Washington, DC 20036. Copyright © 2022. All rights reserved.