| | | | | |  | | By Katherine Tully-McManus | | | With Andrew Desiderio. DEBT DOOM, DECEMBER EDITION? — On a scale from deal to no-deal on a short-term debt limit extension, the Senate remained in no-deal territory overnight, but with high hopes for that to change Thursday. Leaders will keep working this morning to finalize a deal that would punt the stalemate over the nation's debt limit until December. "We're making good progress, we're not there yet, but we hope we can come to an agreement tomorrow morning," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said on the floor just after midnight, before the chamber finally adjourned for the night. A vote is expected Thursday, once leadership hammers out the details of a short-term debt limit deal, but timing is still up in the air. The move towards a short term extension superseded Democrats' plans to take a doomed vote Wednesday on suspending the debt limit until Dec. 2022, knowing that they would be thwarted by Republican opposition. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) made a kind of tactical retreat from his unbending opposition to assisting Democrats on the debt limit, announcing that Republicans would clear the path for Democrats to vote on a short-term extension. His pronouncement followed some backchannel consultation with Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. Big picture, not much has changed. McConnell has no plans to lift the GOP blockade of a longer-term increase in the debt limit, and reiterated his demand that Democrats eventually use reconciliation to lift it into next year or beyond. Democrats say they will not use the time-consuming budget tool. Burgess, Marianne and Caitlin have followed every twist and turn of the debt ceiling debacle and have details on the pivot to a short term solution. What about the House? If the Senate manages to clear its short-term debt bill this week, it's not clear when the House might take it up. House Democratic leaders had promised their members 72 hours' notice before any votes that might be set during a scheduled recess, and many lawmakers have planned work travel in the coming days. (Including Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) who heads to Rome for a G-20 meeting of parliamentary leaders.) 'Tis the Season....December is shaping up to feature more frantic dealmaking than holiday cheer on Capitol Hill, but the specific ratios are TBD. In addition to a sequel to this debt limit saga, Congress will have to come to an agreement on funding the government, as the current stopgap measure is set to expire on Dec. 3. | | | | 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 Thursday, October 7, where folks are penciling "???" into their December calendars. SENATE VIBE CHECK: TENSE — Police in the basement, "no comment" from Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and the Senate stuck in the liminal space known as "recess subject to the call of the chair" … the Senate was extra strange on Thursday as tense frustration and a cool mist settled over Capitol Hill. The upper chamber isn't a particularly happy place to be this week, as lawmakers try to break out of stalemate situations on the looming debt limit default deadline and Democrats tussle over key planks of their domestic agenda. The doom and gloom was highlighted as Capitol Police deployed a handful of officers to the Senate subway platform Thursday during votes, ostensibly to crack down on sizable scrums of reporters chasing the latest news on the debt limit and reconciliation fights (despite media throngs not yet reaching pre-pandemic levels.) But the team, overseen by the watchful eye of USCP Inspector Thomas Loyd Jr. (literally, he was atop the stairs), engaged in simple escorts Manchin and shouted reminders to "let the senator walk," without really impeding media action. Manchin typically welcomes the flocking reporters, but as Wednesday dragged on even Manchin put his head down and had an aide tell reporters he wouldn't be commenting. Sinema, notorious for her silence and avoidance of the Capitol Hill press corps, has faced throngs of protestors in recent days. A series of incidents resulted in Sinema getting a police escort through the airport on her return to Wahsington this week. That may have the senator (and USCP) on edge. | | A message from HCA Healthcare: For the 11th time, HCA Healthcare has been recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere, a global leader in defining and advancing ethical business practices.
This accolade recognizes our dedication to doing the right thing and ensuring our actions reflect our mission: Above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of human life. For our patients, colleagues and communities, you can count on HCA Healthcare to show up. | | | TESTER PUSHES 'POSITIVE VIBES' — "I'm thinking positively of running again. But I haven't made a final, final decision," Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) tells Burgess, citing the advantages to his chairmanship of the Veterans Affairs Committee and senior role on the Appropriations Committee. "I still think there's folks that appreciate good, moderate perspective." But don't tie Tester to Manchin, the moderate man who gets all the attention these days. Tester has a different style and viewpoint. "It's hard for Chuck right now, dealing with the Bernie-Warren faction and the Manchin-Sinema faction. I don't want to add to that," Tester said. "They're going to hear me complain and bitch and holler and scream when I don't like it, but it's not going to be in front of you. And I'm going to be very specific in what I want." Come for insight into how a Trump-state Democrat navigates the Senate, stay for Tester swearing he's trying to swear less and comparisons between his Senate colleagues and elementary school music classes Tester used to teach. Yep, it's a must-read. A CLASSIC OF THE GENRE — Sen. Rand Paul's (R-Ky.) bid to offset the cost of replenishing Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system is fueling some strife among Republicans. For one, GOP senators are worried about the optics of holding up the funding while the party seeks to portray Democrats as anti-Israel. And of course, Republicans want to project a united front on the issue and get the Iron Dome money out the door. But Paul — the only senator blocking unanimous, swift passage of a $1 billion measure for the Iron Dome — isn't showing any signs of relenting, insisting that the funds be paid for by cutting foreign aid. "If he won't lift his hold, we need to just use the legislative process. There's probably 90-plus votes for this," Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) lamented. It's a classic example of Congress being unable to efficiently pass legislation that the vast majority of lawmakers support. And Senate floor time is precious these days, so Democratic leaders aren't eager to use up valuable hours on an effort that, in theory, should pass without controversy. It's at least partially why many Republicans have insisted that Democrats should have added the Iron Dome money to the stopgap CR that passed last week. Andrew has more on the Iron Dome spat, and how it could be resolved. | | | | HAPPENING TODAY – POLITICO'S FIRST EVER DEFENSE FORUM : President Joe Biden is making critical shifts in the Pentagon's priorities, including fully withdrawing all U.S. troops from Afghanistan, scaling back U.S. military presence across the Middle East and rethinking the positioning of military forces around the world to focus more on China. Join POLITICO for our inaugural defense forum to talk to the decision makers in the White House, Congress, military, and defense industry who are reshaping American power abroad and redefining military readiness for the future of warfare. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | CASEY, ECONOMISTS CALL FOR CARE ECONOMY — As Democratic leaders work to shave trillions off of their social spending bill in an effort to win centrist support, Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) is circulating a letter signed by 100 top economists pushing to keep investments in home care. The letter calls for negotiators to include $250 billion for home caretaking, which is already just over half of the originally proposed $400 billion backed by advocates. Read the letter here. MARK YOUR CALENDARS — It's that time of year. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) is once again hosting his "bipawtisan" Halloween costume party for dogs at Oct. 27 at 5 p.m. in the Hart Atrium. "All dogs and humans are welcome and encouraged to wear costumes," reads the invitation. DON'T FRET THE FENCE — If you spotted a familiar tall black fence going up... don't worry. There's repairs and rehabbing planned for the West Front, including fixing mortar, replacing stones and more. Kristin Wilson first flagged the West Front activity. | | | | A message from HCA Healthcare:   | | | QUICK LINKS — Screaming matches, oxygen masks, and wild stampedes: A congressman describes January 6 from the House floor , an excerpt of Rep. Adam Schiff's book in Vanity Fair — Facebook whistleblower to talk to January 6 committee, from CNN — One state has never taken in refugees. Will it welcome Afghans? a Washington Post dispatch from Wyoming TRANSITIONS Valerie Chicola is now Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar's (R-Fla.) senior communications advisor. She was previously broadcast communications advisor for Sen. Mitch McConnell. Alejandra "Allie" Rodriguez is now Salazar's press secretary, promoted from legislative correspondent and scheduler. Caitlin Frazer is now legislative director for Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.). She previously was deputy chief of staff/legislative director for Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.). Tracy Moore will be digital director and press secretary for Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.). She currently is a press/digital assistant for Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux (D-Ga.). TODAY IN CONGRESS The House is not in session. The Senate convenes at 10 a.m. with a vote expected on the debt limit deal, but timing TBD. AROUND THE HILL 11 a.m. Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) holds a press conference on "no climate no deal." TRIVIA WEDNESDAY'S WINNER: Lorraine Tong correctly answered that in 1971 the Senate broke a 150-year-old tradition when it accepted female appointments to the Senate page program. More on the trailblazing pages from the Senate historical office and The New York Times archive. TODAY'S QUESTION: Who is the only U.S. President to serve as President pro tempore? 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 HCA Healthcare: This year, HCA Healthcare was recognized for the 11th time as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere, a global leader in defining and advancing ethical business practices.
This accolade recognizes our dedication to doing the right thing and ensuring our actions reflect our mission. A recent example is from early 2020, when we made the decision not to lay off or furlough any colleagues due to the pandemic. HCA Healthcare kept this promise and also introduced a novel pandemic pay program that provided paychecks to colleagues unable to work due to government mandates that halted many elective procedures.
We exist to give people a healthier tomorrow and we're focused on creating more resources, solutions and possibilities for healthcare everywhere. For our patients, colleagues and communities, you can count on us to show up. | | | | | | | Follow us | | | | |
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