News: House and Senate return to September slog

Monday, September 20, 2021

House and Senate return to September slog

Sep 20, 2021

HERE WE GO — Both the House and Senate are back in session this afternoon, launching what is poised to be a jam-packed legislative period as lawmakers stare down deadlines of their own making that have serious consequences. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) already warned his caucus that night and weekend work should be expected, firmly establishing the next few weeks as the September Slog, even if only in your Huddle host's head.

'Failure is not an option': Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) summed up the party's wildly urgent to-do list with the drama of a movie trailer: "Keep the government open. Don't default on the debt. Make sure the president gets a win on the infrastructure bill … and, obviously the mother of all legislation, the reconciliation package," he said, referring to the massive bill that Democrats want to pass along party lines to spend trillions of dollars on a wide array of social priorities. "Failure is not an option," Warner added. More on Dems' fall plans: https://politi.co/3zuqEpj

This week the House will take up a continuing resolution to fund the government past the Sept. 30 deadline and includes supplemental emergency funding to address damage from recent hurricanes and funding for the settlement of Afghan refugees. Also on the agenda this week is the annual National Defense Authorization Act and a bill on abortion access.

RULED OUT OF ORDER — The Senate parliamentarian dropped a Sunday night blow to Democrats' push to include a pathway to legal status in their social spending plan, a setback to the party's efforts to enact immigration reform.

Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough, a former immigration attorney, wrote that the "policy changes of this proposal far outweigh the budgetary impact scored to it and it is not appropriate for inclusion in reconciliation," according to a copy of her decision obtained by POLITICO.

The Democrats' proposal had sought to grant legal status to Dreamers, immigrants who were granted Temporary Protected Status, close to one million farmworkers and millions categorized under "essential workers."

Schumer said Sunday evening that Democrats are "deeply disappointed in the decision" but plan to meet with the Senate parliamentarian in the coming days and pursue other options.

Marianne dug into the immigration ruling and responses last night: https://politi.co/3tWanIP

Immigration isn't the last key Democratic proposal that may have to face the gauntlet of a parliamentarian ruling. Other provisions that could also require parliamentarian clearance include a boost for labor organizing efforts, a program to incentivize utilities for steadily ramping up their clean energy sources and a plan that would empower Medicare to negotiate drug prices and penalize drug companies that raise prices faster than inflation. Marianne, Anthony and Caitlin Emma break down the dynamics at play for four Democratic policy priorities what could get caught up in the the parliamentarian's rulings: https://politi.co/3CwAYz0

STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down and who really has the president's ear in West Wing Playbook, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today.

GOOD MORNING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Monday, September 20, where there aren't enough festive fall vibes in the universe to ease what the coming weeks will bring.

FRIDAY'S MOST CLICKED: The letter from former members of Congress and organizations on continuity of government planning.

PSST… HEY the POLITICO Congress team has been working on something new and cool for folks who want the ins-and-outs of Capitol Hill from a team you already trust. Follow @politicongress on Twitter to get clued into today's soft launch.

THE THOMPSON-CHENEY BOND — Amid personal vitriol and partisan divisions on Capitol Hill, there's a dynamic duo (or odd couple) emerging on the Jan. 6 Select Committee as Chair Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and vice chair Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) have built comity to present a united front united front on critical investigative decisions.

Thompson and Cheney didn't really know one another before Jan. 6, but these days they are calling and texting each other daily and even planning a trip to hunk elk together in Cheney's home state of Wyoming. They each spoke separately with POLITICO about their partnership on the high profile panel and Kyle and Olivia asked their colleagues about how the select committee leaders operate.

The partnership is both strategic and genuine, but could be tested by the tight timeline Thompson envisions for the panel to wrap up work and by political realities as Cheney fights for her political life against a Trump-backed challenger. Kyle and Olivia dig into it all: https://politi.co/2Xx09SS

BIPARTISAN RAFTING — If you can't wait for the Thompson-Cheney elk hunt, let the Romney-Bennett rafting trip tide you over for outdoorsy bipartisan adventures. Sens. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Mitt Romney (R-Utah) led a rafting trip on the Colorado River this weekend, aimed at considering solutions to building climate resilience in the West. There were even highly coordinated Twitter posts here and here. It looks like neither were given rowing or steering duties.

FAREWELL, FENCE — Workers started dismantling the fence around the Capitol Sunday afternoon.

SINEMA SAYS NO — Sen. Kyrsten Sinema is raising objections to the drug pricing overhaul that Democrats' are already struggling to get through the House and has also given an ultimatum to the White House on infrastructure and reconciliation. More on drug pricing from Laura Barrón-López here and more on the ultimatum in Playbook.

NOT EMPTY THREATS — Threats against members of Congress this year are on track to double those in 2020, with 4,135 threats recorded in the first three months of this year, according to Capitol Police.

"It's changing the job for lawmakers, who now must tread a fine line between being accessible to the people they represent and keeping themselves, their families and their staff safe," writes Sarah Wire of the Los Angeles Times. More on how lawmakers are weighing the new reality: https://lat.ms/2XFlVo5

JOIN THURSDAY FOR A WOMEN RULE CONVERSATION ON ENDING SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE MILITARY: Sexual assault in the military has been an issue for years, and political leaders are taking steps to address it. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) proposed bipartisan legislation to overhaul military sexual assault policies, but still face opposition. Join Women Rule for a virtual interview featuring Sens. Ernst and Gillibrand, who will discuss their legislative push and what it will take to end sexual assault and sexual harassment in the military. REGISTER HERE.

QUICK LINKS

— This Powerful Democrat Linked to Fossil Fuels Will Craft the U.S. Climate Plan, from the New York Times

— Kevin McCarthy's Extreme MAGA Makeover, from Rolling Stone

— Rep. Lee Zeldin confirms cancer diagnosis, says he is now in remission, from Spectrum News

— After 54 years and 29 campaigns, Kucinich faces end of the road, from National Journal

— From tampons to ticks, it's the defense bill, of course, from John Donnelly at CQ Roll Call

TRANSITIONS

Nick Raineri joins the Republican Main Street Caucus as its first executive director. He previously served as director of member services for Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), the chairman of the Republican Study Committee (RSC). (More on this from Olivia later this morning.)

John Wood will be senior investigative counsel for the Jan. 6 select committee and of counsel to the vice chair. He most recently was at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and is a Bush administration alum.

Amanda Fuchs Miller is now legislative director for Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.). She most recently was president of Seventh Street Strategies.

Devan Cayea is now senior adviser/director of strategic planning for New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. He most recently was scheduling director for Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.).

Maddy McGarry is now deputy press secretary for Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa). She most recently was press assistant in the office.

TODAY IN CONGRESS

The House convenes at 2 p.m. with votes at 6:30 p.m.

The Senate convenes at 3 p.m. with a vote at 5:30 p.m.

AROUND THE HILL

Calm before the (legislative) storm

TRIVIA

FRIDAY'S WINNER: Shiv Patel correctly answered that the five pro athletes in Congress in 1988 were: Mo Udall (D-Ariz.), Bill Bradley (D-N.J.) and Tom McMillen (D-Md.) were former NBA players, Jack Kemp (R-N.Y.) played in the NFL and Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) played in the MLB.

TODAY'S QUESTION: How many current House members are Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996)?

The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your answers to ktm@politico.com.

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Follow Katherine on Twitter @ktullymcmanus