| | | | | |  | | By Olivia Beavers | Presented by |  | | | FIRST IN HUDDLE -- GOP MEETS WITH WOLF ON IMMIGRATION: Chad Wolf, the former acting homeland security secretary, has been meeting with House Republicans, providing them with advice and counseling as it relates to immigration, your Huddle host has learned. Wolf's guidance comes amid a surge of migrant children and families being detained at the U.S.-Mexico border and an accompanying political battle over whose fault it is: the Biden administration or his predecessor, Donald Trump. But Republicans may not be the only ones taking outside meetings. Multiple Hill sources tell our Laura Barron-Lopez that DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is meeting with the Congressional Hispanic Conference today, whose members are certainly expected to ask about the border situation. This all comes as the House is slated to soon vote on two Dem immigration bills. Melanie reports that GOP leaders are whipping against The Dream and Promise Act, which would provide a path to citizenship for Dreamers. There were seven Republicans who previously supported the legislation last Congress, and now some tell Mel they are going to vote against it this go around, citing -- at least in part -- the escalating situation at the border. They argue they don't want friendlier immigration laws without pairing it with money for securing the border. Some GOP members also aren't supporting Dems' other immigration bill, the Farm Modernization Workforce Act, which more than 30 Republicans supported last Congress. Take Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), who says he will likely oppose the bill, despite voting for it last time. In a conversation with Melanie, he cites the crisis at the border and the fact that his Farm Bureau came out against it. (They were opposed to it last time, but they were more "adamant" now, he told her.) "What is happening on the border today is probably the worst time the Democrats could offer to do this," GOP leader Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) told reporters Tuesday night. SPEAKING OF IMMIGRATION: Freshman Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.) will roll out a proposal this morning to provide a framework for addressing the situation at the border that can appeal to both parties. As you might remember, Salazar attended a Republican Study Committee meeting last month, where she and former Trump administration adviser Stephen Miller got into a back and forth over how the GOP should seek to attract hispanic voters. (Flashback: "I told him that the GOP needs to attract the browns.") Senior Republican aides tell me she will focus on five key areas in her plan, which Salazar hopes can be a starting point for Congress overhauling the immigration system, especially since it looks increasingly unlikely President Joe Biden has the votes to push his comprehensive immigration bill through both chambers in its current form. The five areas: 1-Border security, 2-Asylum Reform, 3-Protection for Dreamers, 4-Practical solutions for undocumented and guest workers, 5-An economic relief component for American workers. | | | | JOIN THE CONVERSATION, SUBSCRIBE TO "THE RECAST": Power dynamics are shifting in Washington, and more people are demanding a seat at the table, insisting that all politics is personal and not all policy is equitable. "The Recast" is a new twice-weekly newsletter that breaks down how race and identity are recasting politics, policy and power in America. Get fresh insights, scoops and dispatches on this crucial intersection from across the country, and hear from new voices that challenge business as usual. Don't miss out on this new newsletter, SUBSCRIBE NOW. Thank you to our sponsor, Intel. | | | | | The issue is near and dear to the congresswoman's heart -- a point she emphasized to your Huddle host when I talked to her late last month. Salazar is also expected to make the appeal to Dems that she will work with them because she is after a bipartisan solution -- one that is "reasonable and compassionate and also workable," the aides tell me. Salazar has a unique perspective: Before Congress, Salazar worked as a journalist for 35 years, where she closely covered the issue of immigration. She's also lived in multiple Central American countries -- including El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua -- so expect that to be a point that she leans into when talking about addressing the issue. As a lawmaker, she represents a district in South Florida that is nearly 80 percent hispanic. As she previously told me, she is inspired by former President Ronald Reagan's immigration plan 35 years ago that benefited 3 million people. "It's time for us to do the same thing that Reagan did," she told me last month. ALSO HAPPENING TOMORROW: House Republicans are expected to discuss and potentially vote today on whether to lift an internal ban on earmarks, Melanie scooped last night. This vote comes after the conference had a lengthy meeting on the matter last week, and while they're definitely split, it seems like more Republicans want to take advantage of earmarks rather than not. Stay tuned, Melanie and your Huddle host will keep you posted how this goes down. | | A message from Freight Rail Works: According the American Society of Civil Engineers' Infrastructure Report Card, rail is top of the class. The U.S. rail network was recently awarded its highest grade. Thanks to spending $260,000 on average per mile of track, freight railroads are keeping our economy – and our country – moving forward. Learn more. | | | HAPPY WEDNESDAY! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill on this March 17, where your Huddle host had her mind blown about senators' given names. TUESDAY'S MOST CLICKED: The San Francisco Chronicle's story on how a California Democrat's survival in 2020 could provide a road map for party in Congress was the big winner. PUPS OF CAPITOL HILL: Howdy Huddlers. Since we received so many fabulous doggos (I loved looking at my inbox for once), I'm doing two batches of five photos over the next couple of days and then a final square off between the finalists -- so if you don't see your pup in the mix today, never fear, they will be coming up over the next few Huddle editions. Be sure to vote for your favorite and get your friends involved in this bi-paw-tisan competition: Batch 1 and Batch 2. (It asks for your email, but that is just how the software is set up to count votes.) BACK WITH MORE VAX: Brian Patrick Monahan, Congress' Attending Physician, issued a new letter Tuesday night laying out the House's expanded Covid vaccine program starting today, including giving members six additional vaccines for their personal staff and 16 additional vaccines for committee staff offices. The news couldn't have come at a better time. Frustrations were beginning to bubble over over vaccinations, including how some offices received more vaccines than the two previously allotted by the physician per office (the physician is using a simple spreadsheet to track who receives the vaccinations). GOP aides had described to me and Mel how tensions are "high" over vaccinations, though not all staffers we talked to felt this way. But then the good news came -- and some cried at the news that more vaccinations were coming to the Hill. Keep in mind, staffers must contact the vaccine center for scheduling within two weeks. And now some offices are confronting the question of: Do they offer the vaccine to state staff or simply stick to those in D.C. offices? Sarah tells me she's heard some offices won't use all eight doses and some are thinking of providing them to district staff. Related: A number of Republican lawmakers are saying no to COVID-19 vaccines by Scott Wong and Mike Lillis: http://bit.ly/3qPhT5b GOING ON TOUR: The White House is having preliminary convos with top Democratic lawmakers about hitting the trail and helping to sell Biden's Covid relief package, which they hope will boost their efforts to explain to the American people how the far-reaching stimulus plan impacts them directly. Per my colleagues: "Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I-Vt.) office is involved in early discussions about possible travel. And the White House has reached out to Democratic Reps. Raul Ruiz (Calif.) and Ayanna Pressley (Mass.), according to sources familiar with the discussions. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) did events recently in Minnesota and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) did events in her home state as well. " More here from Laura Barron Lopez and Burgess: http://politi.co/3vwKAas | | | | JOIN TODAY - THE FUTURE OF SATELLITE IMAGERY: From capturing the devastation left by natural disasters to observing crops, pictures taken from space are critical, and the power of satellite data to produce remarkably sharp images continues to grow. But these images play another crucial role — national security — which raises ethical questions. Join POLITICO for a virtual conversation with politicians and scientists on the growing commercial and military use of satellite imagery and the future possibilities of this technology. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | GONNA MAKE YOU WORK, WORK: Republicans are planning to make Dems pay after they were steamrolled by Dems onBiden's coronavirus relief plan, which could mean potential stalemates over raising the debt ceiling, spending cuts and unemployment benefits, Burgess and Caitlin Emma report. They write: "Despite overseeing trillions of dollars of red ink during Donald Trump's presidency, the GOP is rediscovering its past embrace of fiscal discipline. And the party can exert itself on a series of politically painful votes where Democrats will need cooperation in the months ahead." "What keeps me up at night is our national debt and how much we're paying right now. So it is a huge concern," said Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.). "We're certainly going to dig in on those issues." And Dems are going to need some Republican help (think 10 GOP votes) down the line to fund the government, prevent major Medicare cuts and perhaps most importantly, raise the debt ceiling this year. More here: http://politi.co/3cCmHpu Related: GOPers on Biden's Covid bill: We bungled this one, by our Gabby Orr, Christopher Cadelago, Meridith McGraw, and Natasha Korecki: http://politi.co/3eSwien | Republican attorneys general threaten key element of the $1.9 trillion stimulus by WaPo's Tony Romm and Jeff Stein: http://wapo.st/30OJWXR POLICY POPS: -IMMIGRATION, MINIMUM WAGE: Senate centrists weigh brokering deals on immigration, minimum wage, Burgess reports: http://politi.co/3bTfz8U -HEALTHCARE: Democrats treading lightly on Biden's next big health care promise, by our Alice Miranda Ollstein and Joanne Kenen: http://politi.co/2OyZTyW -DEFENSE: 50 House Democrats urge Biden to 'significantly' slash defense budget, by The Hill's Rebecca Kheel: http://bit.ly/3ePzxmH BUT: Dual letters from Congress signal Hill headed for defense spending showdown, by U.S. Naval Institute News's Mallory Shelbourne: http://bit.ly/38PsrLe -FOREIGN POLICY: Democrats call for $12B boost in State, USAID budget, which they say will help the government compete with China, prepare for pandemics and fight climate change, by our Nahal Toosi and Benjamin Din: http://politi.co/2Oz0fpg -ENVIRONMENT: Long ignored, water systems are getting attention on Hill by Roll Call's Jessica Wehrman: http://bit.ly/2Q3gbQL THE PAY-FOR BATTLE BEGINS: House Democrats are moving quickly to get to Biden's next big priority. In a meeting with the House Dems' steering and policy committee on Tuesday night, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) kicked things off by talking infrastructure -- including how to pay for it. Pelosi floated the idea of raising the corporate tax rate or capital gains tax, Sarah scooped Tuesday night. (Treasury Sec. Janet Yellen recently backed a corporate tax hike). Pelosi reiterated that she wants the package to be bipartisan but said reconciliation remains an option -- an outcome that senior Dems increasingly think is more likely. Things are still in flux, of course. Dems likely won't even take up a budget resolution until late April at the earliest. But it's a sign that Dems are wasting no time and thinking about how to reduce the load on deficit spending, as Sarah and Burgess wrote about here: https://politi.co/3euPSNt HOT TAKES ON CARDIN'S HOT MIC MOMENT: "It's very disappointing to be honest with you. I was in the Oval Office with President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Secretary Buttigieg, with a small group of Republicans and Democrats a few weeks ago, and the exact message we sent to all of them was 'Do not use this process. Do not make transportation partisan,'" Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) told OANN this a.m. "But now we see from Senator Cardin's comments and Secretary Buttigieg's nods in agreement that is what they've planned all along. Even the masks over their face couldn't hide them from a hot mic." Related: Biden says he supports reforming Senate filibuster, by ABC's Ben Siegel: http://abcn.ws/3qWoElu DEFIANT DIFI: Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) says the press blew California Gov. Gavin Newsom's comments about her hypothetical replacement out of proportion -- describing it as "a mountain out of a molehill" to be specific -- while insisting she would serve out the remainder of her term, which runs through 2024. Meanwhile, NYT's Jonathan Martin reports that her husband, Richard Blum, has indicated to Biden advisers that he is interested in an ambassadorship, which could create an easy exit for her to leave the Senate. Though, again, she says she will "absolutely'' serve out her term. More here: http://nyti.ms/30SxnKU NOT GOING FOR THE GOLD?: Some members of the House Freedom Caucus are weighing whether to vote against Pelosi's bill that would award gold medals to U.S. Capitol Police officers and those who protected the Capitol during the Jan. 6 attack, citing issues with the language. In particular, they took issue with calling the Capitol "the temple of our American Democracy" and the attackers as "a mob of insurrectionists." "These words all matter, right?" Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) told Melanie last night. "We are looking at it, we will figure it out… I have to study the language fully." Roy noted there are a few in HFC who feel the same, pointing to a wide variety of opinions on this issue. Related: Hispanic lawmakers press Pentagon on extremism in the military, by CBS News' Nikole Killion: http://cbsn.ws/3qPSYhT | Menendez slams GOP's Ron Johnson for 'bigoted tropes,' Marianne reports: http://politi.co/3eJMWNj | | | | A message from Freight Rail Works:   | | | CAMPAIGN CENTRAL: -CLF SCOOP: "The Congressional Leadership Fund, the super PAC with close ties to House Republican leadership, is launching a hard-money arm that will allow it to endorse and contribute directly to candidates and members of Congress. The effort, dubbed the 'CLF Trailblazers Fund,' marks a new step for the high-spending super PAC that will allow it to have a more direct role in congressional races, potentially including GOP primaries." More here from our Zach Montellaro: http://politi.co/3qVmoej - Warnock win unleashes flood of Black candidates by our Maya King, Holly Otterbein, and James Arkin: http://politi.co/3cJKG5U -Drew Ferguson considers 2022 Senate bid against Warnock by AJC's Greg Bluestein: http://bit.ly/3qWvQhD -Democrats' 2018 Trump Country hero Conor Lamb faces hard political path, by the AP's Marc Levy: http://bit.ly/3cEsQRN -Inside the GOP courtship of Trump's endorsement, by Axios' Jonathan Swan, who says Trump is expected to make more 2022 endorsements this week: http://bit.ly/3qWc8lW CABINET CORNER: Upcoming: -The Senate will resume consideration of Katherine Tai, Biden's nominee to be United States Trade Representative. The upper chamber is expected to also advance Xavier Becerra to be Health and Human Services secretary, while the Senate HELP Committee will vote on the nomination of Rachel Levine to be an assistant secretary of HHS. Levine, if confirmed, would become the first openly transgender official confirmed by the Senate to a federal role. Updates: -Deb Haaland has officially resigned from Congress after the Senate confirmed her as Biden's secretary of Interior. (Now, Dems can only lose two votes until they fill the seat in Louisiana's 2nd special election. ZOINKS.) TRANSITIONS Emily Taylor joined Rep. Peter Meijer's team this week as his new comms director. Emily previously served as comms director for the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, the House Budget Committee. She is also a Martha Roby alum. Ben Driscoll is now senior counsel for the Senate Rules Committee. He previously was judiciary program director at the League of Conservation Voters. Corey Schrodt is now government relations manager for climate policy at the Niskanen Center. He previously was chief of staff for Rep. Francis Rooney (R-Fla.). TODAY IN CONGRESS The House meets at 10 a.m. for morning hour debate and 12 p.m. for legislative business. The Senate convenes at 10:30 a.m. AROUND THE HILL 9:30 a.m. The House Homeland Security Committee has a virtual hearing on homeland security. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas testifies. 10 a.m.: Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar holds a news conference on immigration. 10 a.m: The House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hold a virtual hearing on Covid-19 vaccines, where Anthony Fauci and CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, among others, will testify. The House Financial Services Committee will also have a virtual hearing on GameStop stock trading. The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on the Equality Act. 10:15 a.m.: Dem Caucus Chair Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY.) and Vice Chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) hold a press conference. 10:45 a.m.: Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) will hold a press conference ahead of passage of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) reauthorization. 11 a.m.: The House Freedom Caucus will hold a news conference on immigration at the southern border. 12:30 p.m.: Pelosi hosts a virtual annual Friends of Ireland Celebration with Biden and others. 12:30 p.m.: The Republican Study Committee is slated to hear from Ryan Anderson, the new president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, during their member lunch today, where they will discuss how Anderson's book was banned on Amazon, which is titled "When Harry Became Sally: Responding to the Transgender Movement," as well as section 230, and PAYGO, per a copy of the agenda your Huddle host reviewed. 4 p.m.: Pelosi, Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) and others will hold a news conference on Equal Rights Amendment ratification TRIVIA TUESDAY'S WINNER: John Sullivan was the first person to correctly guess that 1973, the year Lyndon Baines Johnson died, was the last time there were no living ex-presidents. TODAY'S QUESTION: From John: When did Chicago first dye its river green for St. Patrick's day? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your answer to obeavers@politico.com. GET HUDDLE emailed to your phone each morning. Follow Olivia on Twitter: @Olivia_Beavers | | A message from Freight Rail Works: Once again, rail receives top marks in safety and infrastructure. The American Society of Civil Engineers just awarded freight rail the highest accolade of any U.S. infrastructure. How does the industry keep almost 140,000 rail miles running smoothly? Through healthy private investment that prioritizes improvements in safety and efficiency. Over the last 40 years, freight railroads have spent nearly $740 billion to maintain and modernize today's network, averaging $25 billion a year. And as policymakers work to address infrastructure challenges and advance other priorities, railroads stand as ready partners to help craft well-designed, viable solutions. See how rail is uniquely poised to be a key player in helping the U.S. meet future climate, economic and infrastructure goals. | | | | | | | Follow us | | | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment