| | | | | |  | | By Katherine Tully-McManus | | | WILL THEY OR WON'T THEY? — Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill have been eyeing today as another deadline to pull together a framework for the pared down social spending package, in order to loosen up enough votes for House action on the bipartisan infrastructure bill. But Friday has arrived and while some clarity has emerged this week, both Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) voiced skepticism that today could end with a clearly defined deal. Biden says… The president confirmed a whole laundry list of provisions and details that the Capitol Hill press corps, POLITICO included, have been reporting are in, out, or getting a haircut at his CNN town hall last night. He said that Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) is "very supportive of the environmental agenda in my legislation," but hastened to add, "she will not raise a single penny on taxes for the corporate side and or on wealthy people." More on that here. Illustrative of the challenge at hand is that Manchin is broadly the inverse, largely supportive of the Democrats' tax proposals, but out of step with the party on climate policy. Biden said Democrats plan on maintaining $150 billion for a Clean Electricity Performance Program, despite opposition from Manchin who he said "is open to my convincing him that I can use [the package] to increase environmental progress." He confirmed that the paid leave proposal will be sliced to four weeks from the proposed 12, that dental vouchers could be the path forward for the party's push to expand Medicare benefits and that free community college is out of the package. Audience of two: While Biden has now told separate groups of Democrats during meeting at the White House (and now an entire CNN town hall), the full Democratic caucus in both chambers haven't gotten such a robust status update of where the White House and key players on the Hill stand on a laundry list of provisions. The fact that so many Democrats likely learned new information from the town hall emphasizes that Biden really has an audience of two: Manchin and Sinema. What are the remaining roadblocks? Sarah, Marianne and Nicholas dig into the handful of key disputes Democrats are trying to settle. RELATED: 'Bullshit': How a Manchin-Bernie blowup helped unstick Dems' agenda, from Burgess and Marianne | | | | INTRODUCING CONGRESS MINUTES: Need to follow the action on Capitol Hill blow-by-blow? Check out Minutes, POLITICO's new platform that delivers the latest exclusives, twists and much more in real time. Get it on your desktop or download the POLITICO mobile app for iOS or Android. GET A FIRST LOOK AT CONGRESS MINUTES HERE. | | | | | GOOD MORNING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Friday, Oct. 22, where your Huddle Host is skipping town for a few days, but the newsletter will be in the safe hands of some Politico Congress Team members who you already know and trust. Of note: Biden said he was open to "fundamentally altering" the filibuster, and ditching the 60-vote threshold for voting rights and "maybe more." But Biden added that if he wades into the filibuster fray now, he could lose "at least three votes" on the rest of his agenda. WHAT'S AT STAKE — Whether or not Democrats settle on a framework today, they're staring down another deadline at the end of the month on key transportation programs. Senior Democrats are discussing another short-term Highway Trust Fund extension until Dec. 3, another patch that would avert program authorizations on track to expire Oct. 31, reports Heather. Democrats initially thought they would need additional funding to be allocated, but the sense is that they could move ahead with the patch without an appropriation. Here's what's at stake in terms of furloughs of federal employees if a patch (or House passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill) isn't put in place before the end of the month. | 
Cristina Rivero/POLITICO | There are some mixed feelings on this patch plan that settle into three general camps… Some Democrats insist a transportation stopgap won't be needed. Others have concerns that moving a patch would take pressure off the need to pass the infrastructure bill immediately if the spending plan doesn't come together. While others say the patch may be prudent even if the House passes the infrastructure bill at the end of the month, to avoid any gap between passage and enactment. | | | | A message from Energy for Progress: Tackling climate change requires innovative partnerships that connect the brightest minds in science, research, and manufacturing. See how America's natural gas and oil companies are partnering with the country's best problem solvers to help the world move toward a lower-carbon future. | | | ETHICS REFERRALS REVEALED — The Office of Congressional Ethics, an independent watchdog that evaluates and refers cases to the House Ethics Committee, found "substantial reason to believe" four lawmakers -- Jim Hagedorn (R-Minn.), Mike Kelly (R-Penn.), Tom Malinowski (D-N.J.) and Alex Mooney (R-W.V.) -- violated an array of Ethics rules. The OCE released their referral and investigation documents for inquiries into the four congressmen Thursday, detailing alleged offenses including properly reporting stock trades, misusing confidential information for personal gain, misusing official funds and violating campaign-finance laws. The House Ethics Committee said Thursday that they are extending inquiries into the lawmakers. Rep. Jim Hagedorn: The OCE found that the two-term congressman may have violated campaign finance rules when his campaign apparently allowed a donor to provide an office space for free, a situation first reported by POLITICO . He also may have misused official funds by hiring firms linked to his staffers and shelling out much more than a typical office expense. He fired his chief of staff and commissioned an internal review. Read the OCE referral regarding Hagedorn here. Rep. Mike Kelly: OCE documents show that the six-term congressman may have misused confidential information about anticipated government action on the steel industry for personal gain. Kelly had advocated for the Commerce Department to investigate steel imports and his wife, five days before the investigation was announced, purchased shares in Cleveland Cliffs, a steel producer. Investigators concluded that there was "substantial reason to believe" that she had bought stock in the steel company with a plant in her husband's district "based upon confidential information" that he had "learned from his official job duties." When Kelly reported his wife sold at least some of the shares in January, their price was 248% higher than when she made the purchase. Read the OCE referral regarding Kelly here. Rep. Tom Malinowski: The New Jersey Democrat failed to disclose dozens of stock trades within 45 days, as Federal law requires, OCE reported. The trades took place in January 2019 through January 2021 and totaled more than $670,000, according to reporting from Insider . In August, the two-term lawmaker moved at least $1.56 million worth of his holdings into a blind trust. Read the OCE referral regarding Malinowski here. Rep. Alex Mooney: OCE alleges that Mooney may have used campaign funds for personal expenses, from $3,400 at West Virginia restaurants, to $17,000 in gift cards purchased at Mooney's church and expenses for two visits to resorts with family members. Back in August CQ Roll Call first reported on OCE's findings on Mooney. Read the OCE referral regarding Mooney here. HART HALLOWEEN — Mark your (and your kids') calendars: On Oct. 29 Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) are teaming up to launch a fun bipartisan new tradition, Hart Halloween, where kids can trick-or-treat through the Hart Senate Office Building. More details here. There are already at least 11 offices participating and your Huddle Host is hearing that along with candy, there may even be staffers in costumes?! Good thing those swirly stairs in Hart are shallow, with participating offices on the first, third, fifth and seventh floors, that's a lot of steps for little legs (or elevator adventures.) | | | | BECOME A GLOBAL INSIDER: The world is more connected than ever. It has never been more essential to identify, unpack and analyze important news, trends and decisions shaping our future — and we've got you covered! Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Global Insider author Ryan Heath navigates the global news maze and connects you to power players and events changing our world. Don't miss out on this influential global community. Subscribe now. | | | | | SPEAKING OF A PARTY — On Thursday night more than 30 members of the House Democratic caucus and a bevy of spouses and partners flocked to the Great Hall inside the Library of Congress for a reception hosted by the Democratic Spouses Forum, led by Lisa McGovern and Patti Garamendi. The group heard from members of leadership, including a toast from Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and remarks on the effort and sacrifice that families put into members' service in Congress. For some spouses of new members, the event was the first real social gathering as part of the congressional community. The fully-vaccinated crowd of about 150 moved from the reception into three exhibits the Library of Congress opened up to attendees, including the women's suffrage exhibit "Shall Not Be Denied," "Rosa Parks in her own words" and "Thomas Jefferson's Library." Spotted: HHS Secretary and former Dem Caucus Chairman Xavier Becerra and Carolina Reyes, Alisha Aguilar, Randy Florke, Kaira Rouda, Deserai Crow, Lacey Schwartz Delgado, Andrea Neguse, Lisa McGovern, Patti Garamendi, Sydney Barron Gallego and the newest democratic spouse, Rob Gulley, recently wedded to Rep. Haley Stevens ADS TARGET MODS ON CLIMATE — Seventeen moderate Democrats have a more than $1 million ad buy landing in their districts today. Third Way launched the series to focus on key climate change provisions in the social spending package and support from members in competitive states heading into 2022. An initial set of ads was launched last month, but expanded today in seven more districts on Facebook and YouTube. Here's a roundup of the lawmakers with ads dropping in their districts today: Reps. Tom O'Halleran (D-Ariz.), Lucy McBath (D-Ga.), Cindy Axne (D-Iowa), Kathleen Rice (D-N.Y.) Susan Wild (D-Penn.), Elaine Luria (D-Va.) and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.). | | | | A message from Energy for Progress:   | | | QUICK LINKS Justice Dept. Adds Two Top Prosecutors to Matt Gaetz Case, from the New York Times House Freedom Caucus prepares to select its next leader, from CNN Democrats want to slow climate change in a new bill. It's proving harder than they thought, from the Los Angeles Times Liz Cheney's Consultants Are Given an Ultimatum: Drop Her, or Be Dropped, from The New York Times This Is What Climate Change Will Look Like In D.C., from Jacob Fenston at DCist and WAMU. Women in the military pay more to keep their uniforms up to date. Two senators aim to change that, from Mariel Padilla at The 19th* News TRANSITIONS Casey Nelson was promoted to Communications Director for Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas). She was previously Jackson's press secretary. Monica Garcia is now managing director for comms at Stand Up America. She most recently was comms director for Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.). Claire Sanderson is joining the chipmaker TSMC. Sanderson will be senior director of global government affairs and previously was a legislative assistant for Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas). TODAY IN CONGRESS The House convenes at 9 a.m. The Senate is not in session. AROUND THE HILL Dealmaking or dealbreaking. TRIVIA THURSDAY'S WINNER: John D. Jones correctly answered that the first protected National Marine Sanctuary was the famous shipwreck of the USS Monitor. TODAY'S QUESTION: What caused the annual Easter egg roll to move from a Capitol tradition to the White House? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your answers to ktm@politico.com. GET HUDDLE emailed to your phone each morning. Follow Katherine on Twitter @ktullymcmanus | | | | A message from Energy for Progress: As the global population continues to grow, the demand for energy continues to rise. How can we provide more energy and tackle climate change? America's natural gas and oil companies are doing their part by creating lower carbon energy with breakthrough innovations like carbon capture, hydrogen fuels, and more. See how we're planning to help the world meet growing energy needs while addressing CO2 emissions. | | | | | | | Follow us | | | | |
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