“Isit awryt if a can take a holiday the day mate” - One Scottish man’s text to his boss, asking for the day off. It was Sunday.

ALL TIED UP

THE STORY

Yesterday, VP Mike Pence put his finger on the scale to give Betsy DeVos the Education Secretary job.

WHAT HAPPENED?

The Senate held a vote to confirm DeVos. They were tied 50-50. The VP is head of the Senate, and has the tie-breaking vote in cases like this. So Pence’s ‘yes’ clinched it. This was the first time a VP has ever stepped in to confirm a cabinet nominee.

WHY WAS IT SO TIGHT?

After getting a LOT of calls from voters, Dems and some Republicans put on the pressure for the Senate to vote ‘no.’ Critics say she has a thin resume, and that her support for things like charters and voucher programs will take away from public schools. Supporters say other schooling choices are exactly what families need.

ANYTHING ELSE?

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) is still waiting on the green light for attorney general. Supporters say the longtime senator and former US attorney for Alabama has the right experience. Critics point to his civil rights record. Back in the ’80s, Sessions was rejected from becoming a federal judge after accusations of racism. Last night, during a Senate debate over whether to approve him, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) read aloud part of an ’80s letter written by Coretta Scott King to the Senate accusing Sessions of black voter suppression. Republicans said it’s against the rules for Warren to diss a fellow senator, and voted to end her time on the floor.

theSKIMM

If it seems like the Senate’s moving at a very tense and glacial pace to OK these nominees, that’s because it is. Even though they have little leverage, Dems are putting almost every name under the microscope…while Trump sits at a cabinet table with lots of empty seats. 

REPEAT AFTER ME...

WHAT TO SAY WHEN YOUR SISTER’S TRYING TO CONVINCE YOU TO DO MEATLESS MONDAYS…

Present your case. Last night, President Trump’s immigration ban got its day in court. This has to do with the executive order that temporarily bans people from seven mostly-Muslim countries from entering the US. Last week, Washington state’s attorney general sued the White House, saying the ban is unconstitutional. A federal judge said ‘I hear ya’ and lifted the ban. Then the Justice Department appealed to have the ban put back in place immediately. An appeals court said ‘nah,’ but asked both sides to come back with more info before making a final decision. That’s what went down last night. The Trump Administration argued the federal judge overreached by striking down the ban nationwide, and that the president has the power to decide who comes and goes based on national security concerns. State AGs argued that the ban amounts to religious discrimination and is disrupting people’s lives. The court says it’ll make a ruling later this week. And cue the waiting music.

WHAT TO SAY WHEN YOU GO BACK TO CABLE AFTER TRYING TO CUT THE CORD…

On again. Yesterday, the US Army Corps of Engineers said it’s going to approve the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) after all. DAPL is the controversial oil pipeline project that runs across four states. It also sparked months of protests last year, since the pipeline is supposed to run near a Native American reservation in North Dakota. The pipeline’s construction is finished except for the section near the reservation. The local Standing Rock Sioux tribe and its supporters say the pipeline could destroy sacred sites and contaminate the water supply. Under the Obama Administration, the Army Corps decided the pipeline needed to find a different route. Then President Trump took office, and he feels differently. Last month, he told the Army to put the project back on the fast track. Here we are. The tribe has said it’ll take the US gov to court if the pipeline gets approved.

WHAT TO SAY WHEN YOUR CO-WORKER FUDGES THE NUMBERS ON A GROUP PRESENTATION…

Raises eyebrows. Yesterday, Russian President Putin signed a law that decriminalizes certain kinds of domestic violence. It means that first-time offenders who don’t seriously injure someone (like their child or their spouse) are only punished with things like a fine, or up to 15 days in jail. Supporters say it’s not the government’s job to get in the middle of family arguments. Critics point out that domestic abuse is already a huge problem in Russia and no, this law doesn’t help. Putin on a ‘this can’t be real’ face.

WHAT TO SAY WHEN YOUR FRIEND POSTS A SUNSET SELFIE AFTER A TOUGH BREAKUP...

Former President Obama’s also feeling fly.

SKIMM SLEEP

Microsleep: When your brain hits ‘power off’ for a quick sec when it’s not supposed to, and you realize you can’t remember the last two seconds. Think: morning meeting pre-coffee, reading spreadsheets. Microsleep’s a sign you should spend a liiiiittle more QT with your bed. This mattress and this pillow are champs. PS…we got you a little discount on the mattress.

SKIMM WINE

Skimm’ologist says to check your cal. V-Day is coming up. Whether you have a date with bae, your BFF, or your remote, you’ll want wine. We hear these bottles are single. Buy here. 

SKIMM GIFT

Winter has you feeling blue. That’s why Skimm HQ thinks it’s time for three nights in Jamaica. Spa trip included. Bobsled sold separately. Enter here. 

SKIMM SHARE

SKIMM BIRTHDAYS

* indicates Skimm’bassador. Pop some confetti.

Chris Malcolm (Portland, OR); *Jackie Nikpour (Philadelphia, PA); *Rich Yarbrough (Atlanta, GA); *Racheal Caswell (Los Angeles, CA); *Mark Brustman (Oakland, CA); *Chamberlaine Kerr (Hartford, CT); *Stephanie Hanback  (Huntsville, AL); *McKensie Curnow (Scranton, PA); *Emily Ervin (Memphis, TN); *Lauren Randolph (Pasadena, CA); *Lisa Stone (Atlanta, GA); *Sarah Harris (St. Simons Island, GA); *Samantha Gaboury (Santa Cruz, CA); *Victoria Cannon (Austin, TX); *Sarah Williams (Boca Raton, FL); *Emily Colman (Washington, DC); *Emily Heying (Saint Cloud, MN); *Bella Moritz (Virginia Beach, VA); *Nora Li (Philadelphia, PA); *Leslie Blair (Oklahoma City, OK); *Leilani Larsen (Austin, TX); *Gabi Saleh (Raleigh, NC); *Jamie Johnson (Monroe, LA); Denise Bryant (Gurnee, IL); Jen Stipa (Philadelphia, PA); Tina Newton Boylan (Ocean City, NJ); Nidhi Minhas (San Francisco, CA); Noah Kronemeyer (Atlanta, GA); Alyssa Billmeyer (Iowa City, IA); Justin Kelly (Gulfport, FL); Ayelet Rosenberg (Bronx, NY); Terry Mele (Newport Beach, CA); Makaila Zimick (New York, NY); Bridget Starr (Sonoma, CA); Corinne Smith (Pittsburgh, PA); Katy Guyon (Algonquin, IL); Lorraine Lesko (Cliffwood Beach, NJ); Nadine Burkhardt (Columbus, OH); Anna Jeffers (Baltimore, MD); Karen Trang (San Francisco, CA); Riley Frazer (Atlanta, GA); Ellen Graulich (Philadelphia, PA); Alex Crowell (Starkville, MS); Corie Hancock (Olympia, WA); Michele LaBouff (Marietta, GA); Nancy Skewes-Cox (Thousand Oaks, CA); Michelle Alfano (Seattle, WA); Kate Roth (Ames, IA); Robin Foskey (West End, NC); Christine Vardaro (Edison, NJ);  Sparkman Sharp (Sydney, Australia); Dee Miller (New York, NY); Melissa Milligan (PeWee Valley, KY)