| | | | | |  | | By Olivia Beavers | Presented by |  | | | With Sarah Ferris. DON'T GO CHASING WATERFALLS...OR STRICT DEADLINES: We all have those friends who show up 45 minutes later than the appointed meeting time (you know who you are and you need to buy a watch). Congress and the Biden administration have built a similar reputation this year, setting ambitious timelines for passing major policy packages that they keep pushing back with the equivalent of "be there in few, stuck in traffic" texts. --Infrastructure: With infrastructure, the goal posts have moved repeatedly. President Joe Biden first announced his $2.25 trillion "hard" infrastructure package in late March, followed by his jobs plan in April. His first deadline -- Memorial Day -- was DOA. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va) led a group of Senate Republicans in various rounds of negotiations with Democrats and the Biden administration as they sought to nail down a bipartisan agreement, but heading into Memorial Day, the talks appeared like they were losing steam. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg warned on May 30, over the Memorial Day weekend, that there has to be a "clear direction" on infrastructure talks by June 7, when Congress returned from Memorial Day recess. One day after this marker passed -- on June 8 -- the Biden administration broke off talks with Capito, as the two sides remained on very different pages about overall spending and how to pay for it all. But like a baton, once Capito was out, Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and other members of a bipartisan Senate group stepped in and began running the next lap of negotiations, incorporating many of the details that Capito had in her infrastructure plan. Last week was pivotal. As my colleagues Burgess and Marianne previously reported , Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) insisted almost every day last week that the Senate's latest bipartisan team had to strike an infrastructure deal before the next morning. They landed a deal on Thursday. Throughout the talks, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said she wanted the House to pass an infrastructure bill by July 4, which is less than a week away. And in an effort to stick to this deadline, the House is bringing a five-year, $715 billion infrastructure bill -- drafted by the Transportation and Infrastructure and Energy and Commerce committees -- to the floor this week. While it won't become law, House Democrats are expected to use this bill as a baseline for negotiations if and when the upper chamber passes its own standalone infrastructure package. Related: Biden worked phones to salvage infrastructure deal, by our Natasha Korecki and Christopher Cadelago: https://politi.co/3gYg0kI | Inflation summer vs. recovery summer: Biden fights to win the narrative, by our Ben White: https://politi.co/3ha19mc | Highway bill gets a vote as lawmakers mull infrastructure deal by National Journal's Zach Cohen and Casey Wooten: https://bit.ly/3xZ99NJ --Police Reform: When Biden set the anniversary of George Floyd's death, May 25th, as being the date when he wanted to have police reform done, it was already considered an ambitious timeline -- one negotiators in Congress did not agree to stick to. Still, even their goalposts have moved over the last couple of months. In late May, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) laid down the timeline marker: It was "June or bust." As we entered late June, Scott also floated Thursday as a cut off of when he hoped "in the next few hours we'll come to a conclusion where we are comfortable, or not," adding that he wanted a policing reform agreement "that will be meaningful enough for us to continue to march on." It looks like it was neither June nor bust, though, as the bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers say they are ironing out some differences heading into next month. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), the lead Senate Democrat trying to nail a compromise, declined to comment on the timing of negotiations last week and he told my colleagues public deadlines did not "serve much of a purpose for actually helping us get things done." --Covid Vaccinations: July 4th seems to be a big deadline all around. In addition to infrastructure, it is the day Biden declared his goal of having 70 percent of American adults partially vaccinated. As of last Tuesday, about 65 percent -- or nearly 169 million adults -- have received at least one dose of the two-dose vaccines and about 56 percent have received both doses, per the CDC. The White House acknowledged last week that it will likely fall short of this goal by the time the star spangled holiday rolls around next week. Daily vaccination rates have dipped since hitting their peak in early April. Related: 'A tough slog': White House struggles to increase vaccination rates as Delta variant surges, by our Erin Banco and David Lim: https://politi.co/3x4Hivm | Rush to close vaccination gap for Hispanics, by our Rachel Roubein and Dan Goldberg: https://politi.co/3hfNIRR | | | | SUBSCRIBE TO WOMEN RULE : The Women Rule newsletter explores how women, in Washington and beyond, shape the world, and how the news — from the pandemic to the latest laws coming out of statehouses — impacts women. With expert policy analysis, incisive interviews and revelatory recommendations on what to read and whom to watch, this is a must-read for executives, professionals and rising leaders to understand how what happens today affects the future for women and girls. Subscribe to the Women Rule newsletter today. | | | | | AND THE REAL FUN BEGINS: Biden and his tight Democratic majority in Congress will face a huge challenge in passing their reconciliation package this year. But first they have to agree to a budget to unlock those powers at all. In the coming weeks, Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) will need to agree to a budget blueprint that can win over almost every member of their party, as Sarah and Caitlin Emma explain. In the House, that vote could happen as soon as late July. It's a wonky but critical part of the reconciliation process — and all happening as Biden tries to balance a separate deal with the GOP. Cheat sheet: The document itself will have little more than topline numbers for each committee — effectively setting a price ceiling for the bill. And it's more symbolic than anything, akin to the Senate's vote-a-rama. But both progressives and moderates care a LOT about those numbers and Pelosi can currently only lose four members in the House. So far, top Democrats say the figure will be less than the $6 trillion initially floated by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), but saying little beyond that. Perhaps the biggest challenge: Most Dems believe their party can ultimately get to yes. But Dems from all corners of the party will need to approve the budget without knowing exactly what the reconciliation package will look like. "That's going to be tough," said Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.). "A lot of us want to know what we're talking about here." More here from Sarah and Caitlin: https://politi.co/3didCmz | | | | A message from Genentech: A person's health shouldn't be determined by their gender, race, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background or zip code. But data show these factors significantly influence access to care and health outcomes. Read more about how Genentech is challenging ourselves, and others, to pursue bold solutions rooted in population science, inclusive research, and philanthropy to realize the promise of personalized healthcare and optimized treatment outcomes for all. | | | GOOD MORNING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Monday, June 28, where this 90 year old is going to bring you good vibes to kick off the week. FRIDAY'S MOST CLICKED: Burgess and Marianne's story on how the infrastructure deal got done was the winner. ON TAP THIS WEEK: Two key votes are happening this week while the House is in: 1) As we mentioned earlier, a vote on House Democrats surface transportation bill, and 2) A vote authorizing a select committee to examine the Jan. 6 Capitol attack. Jan. 6 Related: GOP candidate bankrolled Jan. 6 riot trip with campaign cash, by the Daily Beast's Roger Sollenberger: https://bit.ly/3y15r6d | Inside William Barr's breakup with Trump, Jonathan Karl writes in the Atlantic: https://bit.ly/3hgLxgC SPEAKING OF INFRASTRUCTURE...Biden has steered quite a few Republicans towards an off-ramp after his veto threat of the infrastructure bill, with the White House issuing a long statement seeking to quell GOP lawmakers who support the bipartisan deal. "I fully stand behind it without reservation or hesitation," he wrote. The walkback was good enough for three of the original five GOP supporters of the proposal -- Portman as well as Sens. Mitt Romney (Utah), Bill Cassidy (La.). But others have made demands of their Dem colleagues that already seem moot. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), who has endorsed the proposal, told Bloomberg he wants assurances from Sinema and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) that they will oppose the larger reconciliation bill. Let's see how that statement plays with the left... More here from Burgess on the clean-up: https://politi.co/3x0GaZX HEATING UP: Biden directed the U.S. military on Sunday night to launch airstrikes targeting facilities used by Iran-backed militia groups in the Iraq-Syria border region that have in recent weeks conducted armed drone strikes on locations with the American military present. As Andrew pointed out: "These new strikes are sure to heat up the AUMF fight currently brewing on the Hill." Here is a reminder of how Democrats responded the last time Biden authorized airstrikes in the region against Iran-backed groups without congressional approval... https://politi.co/3sSzGdd Stay tuned… Related: U.S. carries out airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, by NYT's Eric Schmitt: https://nyti.ms/3h9xsSp | Iran-backed militias threaten revenge after U.S. airstrikes in Iraq, Syria, by WSJ's Jared Malsin: https://on.wsj.com/3Aa18HQ RUN, RETIRE OR REMAIN?: "Rep. Stephanie Murphy was hiring staff for an all-but-declared Senate bid in Florida. Rep. Madeleine Dean consulted with Democratic leaders about a potential statewide run in her home state of Pennsylvania. And in Texas, Rep. Vicente Gonzalez was fighting off rumors of retirement. But all three House Democrats have since declared that they do plan to seek reelection next November, in a sign that the wave of members departing from the House has slowed — at least for now," our Ally Mutnick and Sarah report. "I will one day, but it won't be anytime soon," Gonzalez, who saw parts of his district swing sharply toward Republicans last November, told my colleagues when asked about a possible retirement. "We've hired people. We've got more of a robust fundraising operation going on. We've been up and down throughout the region." So far, six Dems have announced they will be leaving the House after the next cycle. The downside: These departures are mostly in swing districts where the lack of an incumbent is expected to make it even harder on Dems to keep their grip on these seats. And a seventh could likely be added soon to the list, as Rep. Conor Lamb (D-Pa.) is expected to jump into his state's Senate race later this summer. The upside: party strategists say this figure is smaller than they expected. More here from Ally and Sarah: https://politi.co/3dlPlvZ | | | | TUNE IN TO DISPATCH+ ON APPLE PODCASTS : POLITICO Dispatch, our daily podcast that cuts through the news clutter and keeps you up to speed on the most important developments of the moment, is expanding. In collaboration with the new Apple Podcasts Subscription platform, Dispatch+ launches this week! This new podcast gives premium Dispatch+ subscribers exclusive bonus weekly reporting and analysis from POLITICO's newsroom. Don't miss out, subscribe and listen to Dispatch+ on Apple Podcasts. | | | | | FIRST IN HUDDLE: The Republican Study Committee's steering panel took an official position opposing increases to the Debt Limit without reform today, writing in a statement: "Congress has demonstrated a total lack of fiscal restraint, which is contributing to the rise of inflation impacting every American today, while further endangering our long-term fiscal future. Now, Democrats want to increase the Debt Limit to double down on their reckless Socialist spending agenda. We will oppose any effort to increase the Debt Limit without reforms." The reforms include spending reductions, long-term spending and revenue control measures, and that it not be tied to a larger spending package like a CR or reconciliation package. They also described the debt limit as a "tool" that can help spotlight and "force action on our nation's spending problem." BUT, lest you forget, the debt ceiling was raised or suspended a handful of times while Trump was in office, including suspending the nation's borrowing limit for two years starting in 2019 without little to no ado from the Republican Study Committee. When Trump took office, the national debt was over $19 trillion and it surpassed $27 trillion by the time he left office. TOYOTA HIGHLANDER OR TOYOTA HIGHDONOR?: "Nearly three dozen corporate PACs have donated at least $5k to one or more of the 147 GOP election objectors. Toyota has given by far the most—$55k to 37 objectors, or roughly a quarter of the Stop the Steal caucus," Axios' Lachlan Markay tweeted. Here is his story: https://bit.ly/3jjke8c STOCK TALK: Freshman Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) is a vocal critic of the Chinese government. But he also previously owned thousands of dollars of stock in a Chinese company that has ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Insider's Dave Levinthal and Kimberly Leonard report. New financial disclosures suggest that Tuberville, as a Senate candidate and senator-elect, owned stock in Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., a Chinese e-commerce and technology company that Reuters reported was behind the development of a Chinese propaganda app. Jack Ma, the founder and former chairman of the company, is also reportedly a member of the CCP. Tuberville spokesperson Ryann DuRant told Insider that the Alabama senator has financial advisors who "actively manage his portfolio," and that he no longer owns Alibaba stock. "In early 2020, upon becoming aware of the Alibaba investment, which was less than $5,000, he instructed his advisors to divest in the stock," DuRant said. "The candidate report reflects that divestment in that stock, which took place on June 1, 2020." More here: https://bit.ly/3hcri3P RIP: Mike Gravel, former US senator for Alaska, dies at 91: https://politi.co/2UC0aDE OH, BABY! Bret Manley, chief of staff to Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.), and his wife Cara welcomed Mason Scott Manley into the world on Saturday. We have pics.. Pic 1 … Pic 2. | | | |   | | | TRANSITIONS Keri Ann Hayes will join Husch Blackwell Strategies to lead a new PAC and campaign resources services practice. She previously has been a longtime political aide to Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.). Wade Giltz is now a campaign manager with Calvert Street Group. He previously was legislative correspondent for Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.). Laura Epstein will be replacing Aaron Jacobs as Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.)'s Comms Director. She has served in the Hassan office as press secretary the past two years. Anne Feldman has joined Hassan's office as deputy comms director, after most recently serving as Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.)'s CD. And Sydney Petersen, who most recently has served as deputy press secretary for Hassan, will now be serving as press secretary. TODAY IN CONGRESS The House meets at noon, with votes postponed until 6:30 p.m. The Senate meets at 9 a.m. in a pro forma session. AROUND THE HILL 5:50 p.m.: Pelosi holds a photo-op with Israeli President Rivlin ahead of a bipartisan leadership meeting. TRIVIA FRIDAY'S WINNER: David Regan was the first person to correctly guess that John Heinz was the victorious candidate who self-funded his campaign with a then record shattering $2.5 million in 1976 after the Buckley v. Valeo decision that struck down the $50,000 limit on campaign contributions to one's own campaign. TODAY'S QUESTION: From your Huddle host: Which president hired Louis C. Tiffany—first design director of Tiffany and Co.—for a massive renovation of the White House and its private chambers? And how did they help pay for it? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your answers to obeavers@politico.com. GET HUDDLE emailed to your phone each morning. Follow Olivia on Twitter @Olivia_Beavers | | | | A message from Genentech: Having a serious illness is challenging enough without having to worry about being able to afford the necessary treatment. The reality is that out-of-pocket costs are a significant concern for many patients and – all too often – can prevent people from getting the care they need. We believe there are opportunities to implement smart solutions that lower costs for patients and the system, while sustaining the large research and development investments necessary to drive the medical breakthroughs that are urgently needed. Learn more about how Genentech is engaging with patients, advocacy groups, providers, payors, other businesses and legislators to explore market-based policy reforms. | | | | | | | Follow us | | | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment