🤫 Scoop - Senate immigration bid

Plus: Closing coke disparity | Wednesday, April 06, 2022

Open in app View in browser   Presented By American Bankers Association   Axios Sneak Peek By the Axios Politics team · Apr 06, 2022 Welcome back to Sneak. 📅 Join Axios national political correspondent Jonathan Swan — a newly minted prize-winner! — tomorrow at 8:30am ET for an exclusive interview with Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell. Register here to attend in-person or virtually. Smart Brevity™ count: 815 words ... 3 minutes. Edited by Glen Johnson.     1 big thing: Scoop - Bidding to keep Title 42 Sen. Kyrsten Sinema speaks to Sen. James Lankford. Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images   Five Democratic and six Republican senators will introduce a new bill tomorrow that would prevent the Biden administration from lifting Title 42 without a detailed plan in place to stop an expected surge of migrants at the border, Axios' Alayna Treene has learned. Why it matters: The administration's plans to end the Trump-era COVID-19 immigration ban by May 23 were immediately met with scathing criticism from lawmakers in both parties. They fear the announcement will trigger a mass migration event. Vulnerable Democrats also worry it will create a political firestorm and provide Republicans with fresh ammunition just months before the midterms. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), who drafted the proposal in conjunction with Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), told Axios she met with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas last week and again this morning. "It is evident that the current preparations and plans for the end of Title 42 aren't adequate," she said. "It seems highly unlikely it will be adequate by May 23, because of poor logistics," Sinema said. Administration aides did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Keep reading. 👓 Go deeper: Read the bill.     2. Closing the coke disparity Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios   Congress is on the cusp of eliminating the federal sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine crimes, which has led to the disproportionate incarceration of Black people — and whose elimination would free thousands from prison. Why it matters: Republican receptiveness to this targeted legislation is an indication of the potential for bipartisan criminal justice reform, despite the GOP's law-and-order posture and "tough-on-crime" rhetoric, writes Axios' Sophia Cai. Driving the news: On Monday, Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) became the 11th Republican to sign onto the Senate bill — the EQUAL Act. He joined a wide-ranging cast, from Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) to Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine). Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also met yesterday with advocates and formerly incarcerated leaders, where he described the legislation as "a priority." What we're watching: Schumer has given no indication of timing but told Axios last week he plans to bring the legislation to the floor. The Congressional Black Caucus wrote to him and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, yesterday to urge them to do so. The House passed the bill last September, with significant Republican support. President Biden has signaled he'd sign it into law, should it reach his desk. Keep reading.     3. Mapped: Russian spy crackdown Note: The U.S. has also expelled 12 Russian diplomats. Data: Axios research; Map: Kavya Beheraj/Axios The U.S. and Europe have together ordered the expulsion of more than 400 Russian diplomats and embassy staff since the invasion of Ukraine began on Feb. 24, according to an Axios tally conducted by Zachary Basu. Why it matters: Many of the Russians declared "persona non grata" are alleged intelligence officers working under diplomatic cover. Their removal should degrade Russia's ability to spy and carry out subversive activities on Western soil but also may cause collateral damage if Moscow makes a tit-for-tat response. By the numbers: The U.S. became the first country to kick out alleged Russian spies post-invasion on Feb. 28. It expelled 12 "intelligence operatives" from Russia's mission to the UN for "engaging in espionage activities" considered "adverse" to U.S. national security. NATO's Eastern-flank countries initiated the next major wave in late March, with Poland setting a record (45) following expulsions by Bulgaria (10), Estonia (3), Latvia (3) and Lithuania (4). Images of the atrocities in Bucha last weekend spurred other countries in Western Europe to take unprecedented action against Russian diplomatic staff this week, including Germany (40), France (30) and Italy (30). Keep reading.     A message from American Bankers Association America's banks want everyone to benefit from a bank account     The banking system works best when everyone has access. Today the number of unbanked adults is at its lowest level ever, and the Bank On movement is helping reduce it further. Banks of all sizes now offer low-cost, easy-access Bank On certified accounts at more than 36,000 branches. Learn more.     4. Worthy of your time Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to the family of Randi Levine after swearing her in as U.S. ambassador to Portugal. Photo: Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images   🇺🇳 More than 60 House Republicans, including some of the chamber's most prominent right-wingers such as Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), voted against a resolution affirming Congress' support for NATO amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Axios' Andrew Solender writes in tonight's Sneak roundup. 📁 A new report from the cross-partisan political group Issue One details the three biggest threats facing the 2022 election, Axios' Alexi McCammond writes. 🐘 Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio) announced his retirement after being drawn into a district with Trump-backed candidate Max Miller. Miller, a former Trump aide, was previously challenging Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-Ohio), who voted for impeachment and, like Gibbs, opted to retire. 🛠 During a speech to the North America's Building Trades Unions, the president celebrated the unionization of Amazon warehouse workers in Staten Island and signaled support for further unionization at the company. He stated, "Amazon, here we come!" 🦠 Several politicians who attended the Gridiron Dinner over the weekend announced positive COVID-19 tests, including Reps. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), Attorney General Merrick Garland and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.     5. Pics du jour Rep. Bobby Rush. Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images   House Democrats and Republicans had different targets as executives from the nation's largest oil companies testified on Capitol Hill. Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) talked about company profits amid high prices at the pump. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) focused on President Biden's leadership during the period of rising gasoline prices. Rep. Steve Scalise. Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images     A message from American Bankers Association America's banks want everyone to benefit from a bank account     The banking system works best when everyone has access. Today the number of unbanked adults is at its lowest level ever, and the Bank On movement is helping reduce it further. Banks of all sizes now offer low-cost, easy-access Bank On certified accounts at more than 36,000 branches. Learn more.   🐫 We made it through Hump Day. It's all downhill from here! Get email delivery of Sneak or any of Axios' other free local and national newsletters through this link. Like this email style and format? It's called Smart Brevity®. Over 200 orgs use it — in a tool called Axios HQ — to drive productivity with clearer workplace communications.   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. If you're interested in advertising, learn more here. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Axios, 3100 Clarendon B‌lvd, Suite 1300, Arlington VA 22201   You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios. Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.   Was this email forwarded to you? 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