| | | | | |  | | By Olivia Beavers | Presented by Sallie Mae® | RETREAT YO' SELF: The House GOP retreat in Florida is already off to a bumpy start after air traffic in Orlando was grounded, instead stranding multiple members in Tampa for hours on end. Speaking of bumps: It has been a year drenched in scandal for House Republicans, and as they begin looking towards how to retake the House, their frame of mind is simple as they gather in Orlando for their party retreat this week: How do they avoid messing things up? The GOP conference is the first such gathering of the party since the start of the Covid pandemic and their 2020 loss of the White House. But Republicans are feeling confident about their changes of taking back the majority next year; not only do they believe that both history and redistricting are on their side, they also believe the various political moves by Democrats will rally the GOP base ahead of the upcoming midterms: immigration, taxes, and policing. "They've already given us the big votes that we need to take the majority," one senior House GOP member told me ahead of the retreat. Another thing they think will benefit them? The perception that Democrats are not negotiating with Republicans on infrastructure and taxes. While Republicans may feel like Democrats are handing them messaging gifts ahead of next year, they also recognize there the next 18 months are littered with political tripwires. As Melanie notes they could face dust-ups "from internal divisions over the former president trying to influence them from Mar-a-Lago to the fringe elements in their ranks that threaten to swamp their agenda. Democrats are trying to fan those flames across the aisle by yoking the entire GOP to QAnon and elevating some of the conference's most divisive personalities, like freshman Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), at every turn." Their goal? Focus on the party's policy plans and try to move the spotlight away from the party's most extreme names. Easier said than done. One day before the retreat, Greene kicked leadership's policy-first push to the side when she headlined a Florida rally. Instead, she trumpeted Trump's false claims of voter fraud, touching on a sore spot for the GOP. Senior Republicans, however, are determined not to lose focus this week. Also being rolled out during the retreat: House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is planning to introduce seven different task forces during the retreat that he says members will be working on. Such task forces will help the party have policy plans in place should they get control of the majority. The task forces will be focused on issues like China, energy, health, Big Tech, the economy, protecting American freedoms, and security. Each session will be led by a different lawmaker with expertise in that area, McCarthy said. The lineup of retreat speakers includes Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), chairman of the NRCC; Ronna McDaniel, chair of the Republican National Committee; Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Trump's former press secretary and a GOP candidate for governor of Arkansas; and Ari Fleischer, a former press secretary for President George W. Bush. Ben Shapiro is also slated to speak at their dinner tonight. One Florida resident who won't be showing up? Former President Donald Trump. Mel and yours truly are in the ground in Orlando and will be keeping you updated with all the big developments of what we see and hear over the next two days. Stay tuned. More here from Mel: https://politi.co/3tSUkL4 Related: Businesswoman image key to Marjorie Taylor Greene's rise, by AJC's Brad Schrade: https://bit.ly/3gCKWHr | | | | JOIN TODAY FOR A PLAYBOOK INTERVIEW WITH ENERGY SECRETARY GRANHOLM : President Biden's $2 trillion infrastructure and climate plan includes boosting investment in clean energy and significantly cutting fossil fuel emissions. Can the administration meet its climate targets? Join Playbook co-author Tara Palmeri for a virtual interview with Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm on the administration's plans to embrace renewable energy, electric vehicles and new solar technologies as part of Biden's call for an energy transition. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | CAPITO-LIZING: Joe Manchin's unique position as a key Dem swing vote has become such a topic of conversation that my colleagues have joked about starting a newsletter that focuses on just what the West Virginia Democrat says on a given day. But as Burgess reports, you should also start tuning into the comments of the other Mountain State senator: GOP Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, who is taking a key role in the debate over President Joe Biden's infrastructure plan. Capito acknowledges her approach is quite different from Manchin, noting that he "is flashier" than she is. "And that's fine for him," she said. "So I have to be what I am." For this self-described "worker bee," she has taken on a high-profile role as the face of the GOP's counteroffer to Biden's $2 trillion-plus plan and Republican efforts to find common ground as she pitches their plan, which comes with a price tag of $568 billion. Their negotiations face headwinds bridging that divide, but she recognizes this is a key role for her. "This is a big role for me," Capito told Burgess. "It's raised not just my profile, but also my profile as a serious legislator who wants to be a part of something we can do together." Burgess has the story: https://politi.co/3dNSzJs Related: Manchin, Capito praise Republicans' infrastructure plan, by our Allie Bice: https://politi.co/3dM7a89 | | A message from Sallie Mae®: Too many students are starting college without getting smart about debt. That's why it's Sallie Mae's mission to help students figure out how to pay for college responsibly. We aren't just a provider of private student loans, we help students and their families navigate the scholarship search process and simplify financial aid so the entire higher education funding process is more accessible. See how Sallie Mae makes sense of paying for college. | | | HAPPY MONDAY! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill on this April 26, where authorities are hatin' on the player and the game. FRIDAY's MOST CLICKED: Time's story on Kevin McCarthy's gamble on a "big tent" GOP was the big winner. PSA: Keep an eye out for my fresh interview with freshman Rep. Mondaire Jones lower down. HITTING 100: President Joe Biden's address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday night is the big ticket item on the schedule this week, coming just before his 100th day in office. Democrats are expected to play up Biden's Covid relief plan and other accomplishments. The Senate is expected to vote on three nominations this week: Jason Scott Miller, nominated to be deputy director for management at OMB, with a cloture vote expected today at 5:30pm as well as Janet McCabe to be deputy administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and Colin Kahl to be under secretary of defense for policy. Bills on tap: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is also expected to continue work on the bipartisan Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021, which they are aiming to pass this week. The New York Democrat is also expected to call a vote on a Congressional Review Act resolution disapproving of the Trump administration's rule on methane emissions, which only needs a simple majority to pass. That could happen Wednesday. Also on our radar: The Senate Commerce Committee will mark up the bipartisan Schumer-Young Endless Frontier Act on Wednesday. Related: Biden's first 100 days: Where he stands on key promises, by the AP's Alexandra Jaffe, Aamer Madhani and Kevin Vineys: https://bit.ly/32O8i4R 'TIGHTEST TIGHTROPE': NYT's Mark Leibovich is out with a new story about McCarthy's decision to stick with Trump after the Jan. 6 attack, and he has some good nuggets in there from the minority leader himself. McCarthy acknowledges Trump not only has the power to blow up his political ambitions of being speaker some day, but that he can also impact other GOP campaigns or leave the Republican party altogether: "He could change the whole course of history," McCarthy told him. "This is the tightest tightrope anyone has to walk." And after Jan. 6, he admitted to a close friend how much it had impacted him: "This is the first time I think I've ever been depressed in this job," McCarthy confided to McHenry. "Patrick, man, I'm down, I'm just really down." On Greene: "Look, I work with people I don't get to hire,"McCarthy said. Lots more here in Mike's story: https://nyti.ms/3xsBr3B | | | | 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. | | | | | Related: House Minority Leader McCarthy defends Trump's response to Jan. 6 insurrection, by WaPo's Amy B Wang and Marianna Sotomayor: https://wapo.st/2QoOXox | Full clip from the Daily Beast: https://bit.ly/3gC6rbp | INBOX via Pelosi: "McCarthy Again Tries to Bury the Truth About Capitol Riot Phone Call with Trump": https://bit.ly/3aF3FhL POLICY CORNER: Healthcare: 17 senators ask Biden to push for Medicare expansion, by our David Cohen: https://politi.co/3dPN9Of Immigration: Border lawmakers see different answers to immigration quandary, by WSJ's Josh Jamerson and Eliza Collins: https://on.wsj.com/2S535nd Elections: Golden bill would ban spending by corporate PACs, the AP reports: https://bit.ly/3dTgNC2 | Black Democrats, conflicted on a voting rights push, fear it's too late, by NYT's Astead Herndon: https://nyti.ms/3viKJgF DRAMA DEPARTMENT: -GAETZ UPDATEZ: Gaetz probe includes scrutiny of potential public corruption tied to medical marijuana industry, CNN reports: https://cnn.it/3dN9hbM -FLOOD GATES OPENED?: Democrats warn Waters censure move opens floodgates, by The Hill's Cristina Marcos: https://bit.ly/3vhN2Rd -CAUGHT ON TAPE: In light of the security camera video of Pelosi in the Capitol on Feb. 4, which Republicans released and your Huddle host first reported, the U.S. Capitol Police say they plan to re-evaluate its procedures for sharing security footage with the Congressional community. "The Department regrets that individuals authorized to access its closed circuit television system would share video that could compromise its security protocols intended to protect Congress," U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement. "Because of this incident, the Department is re-evaluating its procedures for sharing security footage with the Congressional community." As Kyle notes, there may be broader implications: "This is important: Capitol Police have been fighting release of security footage to Jan. 6 defendants because they say sharing it could compromise safety by revealing location of security cameras. Here, Rs revealed it themselves." CAMPAIGN CENTRAL: Val's Moves: Last week, Rep. Val Demings told us she was seriously considering a statewide bid in Florida against Sen. Marco Rubio or Gov. Ron DeSantis. Now we're getting word she's building a team for that by hiring a new advisor, Zack Carroll, who managed current DNC Chair Jaime Harrison's 2020 U.S. Senate campaign. (H/t Marc Caputo) LA 2: Troy Carter wins Louisiana special election in blow to progressives, by our Ally Mutnick: https://politi.co/3xqoQxM Arizona Senate: Peter Thiel makes $10M bet on associate in Arizona Senate race, our Alex Isenstadt reports: https://politi.co/3eAk0p8 Redistricting: The redistricting cycle is about to begin, Ally also reports: https://politi.co/2QWTOgm | Once-a-decade Census numbers to redraw U.S. political landscape, by Bloomberg's Gregory Korte: https://bloom.bg/3xqg2Z5 | | | |   | | | A MEMBER YOU SHOULD KNOW: Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.), who is one of the first openly gay black members of Congress, is quick with a laugh. But he's also ready to put up a fight for progressive policy goals that he says more of the party should get behind. He's a member you should know. The New York progressive has a bone to pick with some moderate Dem senators."I think we need more progressives in the Congress." (Jones told me the greatest lesson he learned while working at the Justice Department during the Obama administration is "how not to waste time trying to appease Republicans who are not engaging in good faith over policy.") The real senator he can't seem to stand? Sen. Krysten Sinema (D-Ariz.). "The bone I have to pick is not with the failure of West Virginia to elect a more progressive candidate," he said pointing to Manchin. "The bones that I have to pick are with other states that could easily be electing progressive candidates to the Senate. This idea that the senior senator from Arizona, who's openly LGBTQ, would be blocking the Equality Act or the $15 minimum wage after beginning her career in politics as a Green Party candidate -- it is just extraordinary." (Some electoral context on Arizona: Sinema, elected in 2018, won her seat by 2.4 percentage points. Freshman Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) won in Arizona in 2020 by 2.4 points while Biden won the state by just three-tenths of a point.) Another breaking point: "Any Democratic senator would be blocking voting rights after winning on the backs of black and brown people and their elections is an abdication and something that does not have to be tolerated in a Democratic primary," Jones said. H.R. 1, Democrats' sprawling voting rights legislation, is the No. 1 bill he'd like to see passed while serving in Congress, he said. He tells me he is reserving the "right" to get involved in Senate primaries to campaign for more progressive candidates. As for the House? He's withholding comment, citing how he is "very proud" of what the House has accomplished thus far. If he became Speaker today, what would he do first? "Take an active role in changing or eliminating the filibuster." In the House, I asked? "I would use my bully pulpit to join the effort to eliminate the filibuster in the Senate," he replied. One policy stance that may surprise you? The SALT deduction, which he argues has impacted working people and middle class people, especially those who live in states with a high-cost of living. Who he looks up to? Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Jamie Raskin (Md.) and David Cicilline (R.I.) as well as Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). Related: Heated argument erupts after Rep. Mondaire Jones calls GOP objections to DC statehood 'racist trash,' by The Hill's Morgan Gstalter: https://bit.ly/3nlhgjA TRANSITIONS Emma Vaughn is rejoining the RNC as national press secretary. She most recently was comms director for Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.). She is also a Dave Joyce alum. TODAY IN CONGRESS The House is out. The Senate will meet at 3 p.m. AROUND THE HILL House Republicans have their GOP retreat in Florida. Spotted: Trump and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) golfing Sunday a.m. at Trump International in West Palm Beach, Fla. (h/t Daily Mail) TRIVIA FRIDAY'S WINNER: Jon Deuser was the first person to correctly guess that Joe Valachi was the first member of the Mafia to publicly acknowledge its existence during his Senate testimony in 1963. Bobby Kennedy called his testimony the "biggest single intelligence breakthrough yet in combating organized crime and racketeering in the United States." TODAY'S QUESTION: From Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.): Kentuckian John Marshall Harlan's vote as the sole dissenter in Plessy vs. Ferguson earned him a place in American history. Who was his much-more-famous-at-the-time law partner who went on to become the first President of the American Bar Association? 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 Sallie Mae®: In today's educational climate, prospective college students need to be familiar with both graphing calculators, and savings calculators. Luckily, Sallie Mae is here to make sense of the college financing process. From providing private student loans, to cutting the time it takes to apply for financial aid in half, students and families can count on our tools and resources to help them start their unique educational journeys responsibly. Which might be why 97% of Sallie Mae loans in repayment are being successfully managed and less than 2% default annually. And as the higher education landscape continues to evolve, we're eager to collaborate with policymakers to build a system that makes sense for all students. Learn more. | | | | | | | Follow us | | | | |
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