| | | | | |  | | By Nicholas Wu | Presented by |  | | | With help from Melanie Zanona WHITE HOUSE BUDGET DROP – The coming weeks could be all about budgets. As Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) lobbies the Senate parliamentarian to allow Democrats to revise the fiscal year 2021 budget as a vehicle for the infrastructure bill, the White House could release its own budget request as soon as this week. The White House budget will outline its proposed funding levels for each federal agency, as Democrats aim to increase funding for non-defense programs. The request is the first step in the arduous congressional budget process, and President Joe Biden will need to win Republican support for government funding to pass. The budget had already been delayed. The Biden administration was expected to unveil it at the end of March, but the administration pushed back its release last week and said the budget would come out "soon." Budget delays are not uncommon, and past presidential administrations have missed their own deadlines for budget requests too. But Biden has not yet named a permanent pick to lead the Office of Management and Budget after Neera Tanden's nomination was withdrawn. Shalanda Young was not confirmed as Deputy OMB Director until March 24, when she was also named as Acting Director. The White House's budget could collide with budget politics in the Senate. Schumer asked the Senate parliamentarian last week to rule on whether the 2021 budget resolution used to pass Democrats' $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill could be reused for further legislation. If the parliamentarian rules in Democrats' favor, they could continue to stretch reconciliation further. The political reality of the budget process, which will require Republican votes to break a filibuster, is worlds away from how Biden might pass his $2 trillion-plus infrastructure spending plan. Democrats might once again sidestep Republicans and pass the bill along party lines through reconciliation. Republicans, however, are taking Biden's promise on the campaign trail for bipartisanship to heart, and some of them continue to hope this time will be different. As Burgess and Marianne note , "Biden's administration gave a briefing on his new plan to centrist Republicans, though they worry that may just all be for show." The Biden administration tried to engage with Republicans on the COVID relief bill before deciding to go it alone through reconciliation, after all. And with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) privately telling House Democrats she aimed for House passage of the infrastructure plan by July 4, there is only so much time left for a deal. But some Republicans aren't giving up hope yet. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who talks to Biden regularly, told Burgess Everett and Marianne LeVine she believed Biden wanted a "bipartisan approach" on infrastructure, but said there was "a lot of pressure on him from his staff and from outside leftist groups." Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said it was unlikely any Senate Republicans would support Biden's plan, but Collins said a "focused" infrastructure package could win wide support on both sides of the aisle. More on Biden and bipartisanship from Burgess and Marianne: https://politi.co/2PXWBFL Related: Sen. Blunt sees 'easy win' if infrastructure plan scaled back, by David Cohen https://politi.co/3fHtl0M; Biden will push through infrastructure plan if no Republican support - energy secretary says, by Reuters' Katanga Johnson and Doina Chiacu https://reut.rs/31LR47H | | | | JOIN AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION, SUBSCRIBE TO "THE RECAST" NEWSLETTER: Power dynamics are shifting in Washington and across the country, 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 our 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 important new voices that challenge business as usual. Don't miss out, SUBSCRIBE . Thank you to our sponsor, Intel. | | | | | FEARLESS (BIDEN'S VERSION) – Democrats might be eyeing the reconciliation process for the infrastructure bill, but the White House is engaged in a massive outreach effort to sell the plan to the American public. As Natasha Korecki and Megan Cassella report, National Economic Council director Brian Deese briefed 60 senators, 124 House members, and hundreds of legislative directors and chiefs of staff over two days – even before Biden unveiled his infrastructure plan. At the same time, Biden's Cabinet secretaries were talking to governors and mayors across the country and hitting the airwaves to pitch the plan on TV. Suburban women , who have been heavily impacted by the pandemic, will be part of the White House's sales pitch, they report. The demographic also happens to be a key voting bloc that helped bring Democrats into the House majority in the 2018 midterms and win the Senate and White House in 2020. Progressives in Congress want a single bill combining Democratic priorities on jobs and health care, but to the White House, the package would be an easier sell if separated into two packages: an infrastructure bill in one, and a caring economy bill in another. "Some of that is just a function of trying to streamline and make sure that these are explicable and clear to the American people," Deese told them. Read the full story from Natasha and Megan: https://politi.co/31Taqrr Related : Buttigieg: 'Now's our chance' for infrastructure plan, by Maria Carrasco https://politi.co/3cNJPm0; Some Democrats Cool to Biden's Plan to Boost Corporate Tax Rate, by the Wall Street Journal's Andrew Duehren https://on.wsj.com/3ulVP4b KEEP YOUR CHEN UP -- After she voted to impeach Trump, it looked like Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) — once a fast-rising star in the party — was toast in the GOP. But since then, she easily overcame an effort to oust her from House leadership; Wyoming rejected a measure that could have made it tougher to prevail in a crowded primary; big names in the Republican establishment are lining up behind her; and the scandal surrounding her House-member foe, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), is serving up some vindication. But the headwinds aren't gone yet. In fact, this is only the beginning of what could be a years-long fight for Cheney's place in the GOP — and it's still TBD whether there's room for a Trump turncoat to not only remain, but also rise, inside the party. Already, several ambitious Republicans are nipping at Cheney's heels. That includes Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), chair of the conservative Republican Study Committee, who drafted a messaging memo last week outlining a competing vision for the future of the GOP. Cheney was asked about the memo during a Congressional Institute call last week and forcefully rebutted its contents, sources tell Mel — more proof that the GOP is still riven with tensions over the direction of the party. The story: https://politi.co/3mhHseu | | A message from Energy for Progress: Let's work together on climate solutions. Through innovative partnerships, we've helped reduce CO2 emissions to a generational low. Let's make even more progress together. | | | HAPPY MONDAY! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill on this April 5. Peak bloom has come and gone, and we're hoping our Huddle readers got to see some cherry blossoms (or have enough Claritin stocked when the pollen comes with a vengeance like it did for your Huddle host). FRIDAY'S MOST CLICKED: POLITICO Magazine's exclusive excerpt from John Boehner's upcoming book was the big winner. WILL THE FENCE EVER COME DOWN? – Last Friday's car attack at the Capitol could renew the debate on Capitol Hill over the tall fencing that was built after the Jan. 6 riot as lawmakers struggle to strike a balance between security and open access to the grounds. Many lawmakers and staff want the fencing gone, but with the campus on edge, the fence's future is in question. Lt. Gen. Russel Honoré, whose security review had recommended retractable or temporary fencing, said Sunday on ABC's "This Week" the outer ring of fencing had not come down too soon but added it was now up to Congress to actually act on his report and pass supplemental funding for security. Additional funding will be required to maintain a security presence at the Capitol and to bring the Capitol Police up to full strength. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), the ranking member of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, said on ABC's "This Week" he agreed with the need for additional security funding, though he opposed the fencing. It "should come down," he said, adding "I don't think it does the job. In fact, the fencing was right there when the car drove through." Distaste for the fence is bipartisan. Democrats have fumed at the lack of public access to the Capitol complex, and Republicans railed against the fence as "Fort Pelosi." But others urged caution as in light of recent events. Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), the Chair of the House Appropriations Committee's Legislative Branch Subcommittee, told reporters Friday of the fence, "Nobody wants that there. But the question is, is the environment safe enough to be able to take it down? In the meantime, maybe that fence can prevent some of these things from happening." Related: "Capitol Police union warns of potential exodus after latest attack, urges security increases," by NBC's Allan Smith and Frank Thorp V https://nbcnews.to/2R1qqWd REMEMBERING THOMAS RASKIN – Thomas "Tommy" Bloom Raskin, the late son of Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) was memorialized Saturday morning at a socially distant service outside RFK Stadium. Friends and family took turns eulogizing Thomas Raskin, a Harvard Law School student who died by suicide on the last day of 2020. More from the Washington Post's Peter Jamison: https://wapo.st/3fIhnDW | | | | TUNE IN TO GLOBAL TRANSLATIONS: Our Global Translations podcast, presented by Citi, examines the long-term costs of the short-term thinking that drives many political and business decisions. The world has long been beset by big problems that defy political boundaries, and these issues have exploded over the past year amid a global pandemic. This podcast helps to identify and understand the impediments to smart policymaking. Subscribe and start listening today. | | | | | WATCH THIS SPACE – Newly formed groups of COVID survivors, including people who lost loved ones to the virus, are gearing up to lobby on Biden's follow-up package on "human infrastructure." Mandatory paid sick leave and a permanent expansion of Obamacare subsidies are on the table for the groups, among other major priorities, Alice Miranda Ollstein reports. Groups like COVID Survivors for Change and Marked by COVID are in the midst of launching efforts at the federal, state, and local levels. They're drawing inspiration from gun control groups and have been through Zoom training with Rep. Lucy McBath (D-Ga.) and other advocates on how to turn tragedy into political action. But for now, the groups are encountering many of the same organizational struggles any organization faces amid the pandemic – the groups say Zoom meetings with senators and staff feel cold and stilted, for example. Alice's story: https://politi.co/39Glv3q TWITTER TROUBLES – Rep. Greg Murphy (R-N.C.) took criticism for a since-deleted post on Twitter telling Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) last Friday's attack at the Capitol would have been worse if "they had been flying planes into the buildings also." Murphy had been replying to one of Omar's posts expressing condolences for the Capitol Police officer killed during the assault and adding, "the death toll would have been worse if the assailant had an AR-15 instead of a knife." North Carolina NBC affiliate WITN notes it is "not the first time Murphy has faced criticism for deleted tweets," including criticism of Vice President Harris's background. Last October, during the vice presidential debate, Murphy tweeted and deleted a post saying Harris had "only" been picked as the nominee "for her color and her race." More from WITN: https://bit.ly/3sPTez9 | | | |   | | | TRANSITIONS Joan Kirchner Carr is starting Joan K. Carr Consulting after 20 years in the Senate. She is former chief of staff to three senators from Georgia: Republicans Kelly Loeffler and Johnny Isakson, and Democrat Zell Miller. Shadawn Reddick-Smith, House Judiciary Committee communications director, will be the Department of Homeland Security director of strategic communications. Emma Lydon, Congressional Progressive Caucus communications director, is stepping down from her position and relocating to the Bay Area before welcoming her first child later this month. Joe Hack, chief of staff to Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), will join the Daschle Group as its first Republican. Danny Kazin is joining American Bridge 21st Century as VP of campaigns to oversee the paid media program. He most recently ran the DCCC's independent expenditure last cycle. Aaron Bennett is now deputy speechwriter for Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He previously was press and digital assistant for Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) TODAY IN CONGRESS THE HOUSE will meet at noon and THE SENATE at 2 p.m. in pro forma sessions. AROUND THE HILL Rep. Matt Gaetz's office says a former staffer will hold a media availability in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., regarding a "recent encounter with the FBI" at 11:00 am ET. TRIVIA FRIDAY'S WINNER: Gregory Jenner was the first person to correctly guess that Helen Gahagan Douglas was the actress turned congresswoman who was the inspiration for the Wicked Queen in "Snow White" based on her role in the movie "She." And LBJ was the future president she had an affair with. TODAY'S QUESTION: From your Huddle host: who was the shortest-serving Speaker of the House? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your answer to nwu@politico.com. GET HUDDLE emailed to your phone each morning. Follow Nicholas on Twitter: @nicholaswu12 | | A message from Energy for Progress: Innovative Climate Solutions and Powering America
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