| | | | |  | | By Anthony Adragna and Nancy Vu | Presented by National Retail Federation | With an assist from Sarah Ferris and Nicholas Wu DECEMBER TO REMEMBER? House Democrats are feeling cautiously optimistic they'll be able to clear the must-pass defense bill, the National Defense Authorization Act, before leaving town after a major swerve in their intended plans late Wednesday. Lawmakers will now consider the massive, 4,400 page military policy bill under an expedited process that allows it to pass with a two-thirds majority in the House, known as suspension of the rules. With some progressives normally against the sprawling package and some Republicans likely wary of bailing out the Democrats, this will be an interesting and unusual vote for a bill of this size and scope. However, Republicans are likely rounding up the votes on their end for this must-pass legislation to support the nation's military. The Dems' whip count got into trouble as some Congressional Black Caucus members, led by outgoing chair Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), threatened to block advancing the bill without securing some progress on voting rights legislation. That vote does not appear to be coming. (The CBC, though, had been split on the issue and some Democrats were critical of the strategy, which also would have put progressives — who typically oppose the NDAA — in a tight spot). Not to be lost as they tackle the NDAA, the House intends to pass landmark legislation codifying the right to same-sex and interracial marriage into law. Now, back in July, 47 House Republicans backed this legislation , which has only been further strengthened with religious liberties protections. So, the final vote count here is something to watch super closely. LAST CHANCE TO (LONG-SHOT) DANCE? We're officially at the stage of the year where lawmakers mount long-shot bids to attach their personal priorities to anything that's moving. Some examples that jump out:
- Voting rights: Members of the Congressional Black Caucus suggested Wednesday they might refuse to advance NDAA without movement on their voting rights legislation, Sarah and Nick reported , prompting this work-around.
- Child tax credit: The "CTC Six" ― which include Democratic Sens. Sherrod Brown (Ohio), Michael Bennet (Colo.), Cory Booker (N.J.), and Reps. Rosa DeLauro (Conn.), Ritchie Torres (N.Y.), and Suzan DelBene (Wash.) ― had a press conference on Wednesday calling for the revival of the expanded child tax credit, a beefed-up monthly payment to families that expired in January. Advocates have previously suggested adding it into any year-end package. However, Bennet expressed negotiations were going slow due to confusion over a path forward on government spending. "Once there's clarity on that, there will be an opportunity for us to have a negotiation that won't be complicated, and I think we can get to a result."
- Speeding up federal permitting: Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) is seeking to amend the annual defense bill to include his compromise permitting provisions. "The Senate must vote to amend the NDAA to ensure the comprehensive, bipartisan permitting reform our country desperately needs is included," he said in a statement.
- Cannabis legislation: It got left on the cutting room floor for the annual defense bill but backers of legislation that would give cannabis producers access to banking are going to try on any government funding bill that emerges, Bloomberg reports .
Reality check: Inevitably, some policy provisions make it into the year-end legislation but those without significant bipartisan backing face exceedingly long odds. But, as many members will privately admit, sometimes you gotta get caught trying.
| | | | A message from National Retail Federation: The INFORM Consumers Act is a bipartisan solution to stop organized retail crime. It's supported by retailers, law enforcement organizations and consumer advocates alike. It's time for Congress to pass the INFORM Consumers Act — this year — and help keep our communities safe. Learn more here. | | | GOOD MORNING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Thursday, Dec. 8 where your substitute hosts, Anthony and Nancy, haven't even considered where to house our archives one day. Thank you for reading and be sure to check out the other home for our reporting, Congress Minutes! MIDWEST BLUES — Midwestern Democrats, led by Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), are officially sounding the alarm that their party has a brand problem. They're launching the Heartland Caucus to press party leaders on manufacturing, trade and other economic issues critical to their patch of the country, Sarah reports this morning. "You can't live in the bubble here," said Dingell, who predicted a victory by Donald Trump in 2016 when many in her party discounted the possibility and presented a map showing the coastal bias of their leaders during a recent caucus meeting. One absolutely stunning stat: "The number of Democrats outside the coasts who will lead the party on a House committee next year can be counted on one hand. The party's top five incoming leaders hail from New York, Massachusetts, California and South Carolina." ATTRACTIONS YET TO COME — Jan. 6 Committee Chair Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) said Wednesday his panel is eyeing Dec. 21 as the date to release its long-anticipated report, Nick reports . "There'll be a formal presentation. We haven't decided exactly what," he said. That date could also include votes on criminal referrals and Thompson said the committee materials from its investigation will be made available to the public.
| | | | POLITICO APP USERS: UPGRADE YOUR APP BY DECEMBER 19! We recently upgraded the POLITICO app with a fresh look and improved features for easier access to POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Starting December 19, users will no longer have access to the previous version of the app. Update your app today to stay on top of essential political news, insights, and analysis from the best journalists in the business. UPDATE iOS APP – UPDATE ANDROID APP . | | | | | THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT GARY — Senate Democrats are still in celebration mode after all their incumbents won reelection in a tough cycle and many want Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) to remain atop their party's campaign arm — even if the Michigander isn't ready to go there yet. He pointedly demurred when asked if he'd do another few years in the "big job" atop the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee: "I'm still celebrating today." Marianne has more this morning on how the low-key Michigander is hearing from "a lot" of colleagues who want him to stay on even amid a brutal 2024 Senate landscape for the party. MR. FROST WENT DOWN TO GEORGIA — It wasn't just Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) who emerged strengthened from his victory in Georgia this week, but also a 25-year-old congressman-elect yet to even be sworn into the body. Rep.-elect Maxwell Alejandro Frost (D-Fla.), the first member of Gen-Z elected to Congress, got tapped to be a high-profile surrogate for the incumbent, rallying young people in support of Warnock's successful bid along with Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) in some of the final events before the runoff. "They really gave us a packed schedule," he told Huddle in an interview. "I'm just honored that they thought to really use us in a big way." Frost is clear-eyed that some of the priorities he says young people have won't happen overnight, but thinks there's an imperative for a younger generation of leaders to talk about bold ideas like universal healthcare, the Green New Deal and ending gun violence. "I take solace in the history of movements and the fact that I do know it takes a while and I take comfort in the fact that I know I'm playing a small part in such a bigger puzzle. And knowing that I can be impatient about these issues that I really care about," he said. "I know we're not going to get there tomorrow, but this is where we want to go." The Florida Democrat called the leadership transition among House Democrats really exciting, but acknowledged much more work remains in bringing the voices of millennials and Gen-Z people into the fold. "Millennials and Gen Z make up a third of this country, [but] we're nowhere near a third of our government," he said. "So, I think there's work to do on seeing more of that generational change across the country and different bodies of government." So how do you do that? Frost called it an "inside, outside game" for young people to build political power. "We have to organize year-round with young folks across the country. So that way, when election time comes, we don't have to persuade young people to vote," he said, adding there's room for introspection in how politicians talk to younger generations. "Where people get disappointed is where they're lied to by politicians who say 'Vote for me and this will happen tomorrow.' That's not how our system works and that's not what I did on my campaign."
| | | | A message from National Retail Federation:   | | | A SPENDING IMPASSE ― A gridlock on bipartisan negotiations for a sprawling year-end government funding package has resulted in Democrats forging forward with a new plan: publicly releasing their own partisan proposal next Monday. Democrats are demanding $26 billion more in domestic spending than Republicans are willing to give ― just a fraction of what could be a $1.7 trillion funding bill for the current fiscal year. Both sides are refusing to budge, and Senate Dems have made Republicans a total of four offers on overall government funding levels, including one as recently as Wednesday afternoon. Their new plan ― which appropriators have been drafting behind the scenes as negotiations flounder ― is written in a way that *Democrats believe* could get the needed 60 votes in the Senate, and could come up for a vote in the House and the Senate as soon as next week. Caitlin has all the details. AOC PROBE PUSHED — The House Ethics Committee said Wednesday it would extend an investigation into Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) into the next Congress. We don't know any details here and it's important to note that this action doesn't indicate wrongdoing has occurred. It's probably also worth noting that being a high-profile member like the New York Democrat tends to invite more ethics complaints. In light of the extension, AOC's office said: "The Congresswoman has always taken ethics incredibly seriously, refusing any donations from lobbyists, corporations, or other special interests. We are confident that this matter will be dismissed." GOING INTO OVERTIME ― The Congressional Progressive Staff Association sent a letter to House leadership Thursday morning, calling on the chamber to pass a simple resolution and adopt overtime pay provisions before the current Congress adjourns. They're suggesting the measure be added to the end-of-the-year government spending bill. For the past 27 years, overtime pay provisions have been in a legal gray area ― following the passage of the 1995 Congressional Accountability Act, a procedure was set in place to give staffers standard overtime pay (1.5 times more than regular rates after 40 hours). However, both chambers have not passed separate simple resolutions to adopt the measure. Read that letter here. A group of nine organizations, led by Demand Progress, sent its own letter to House and Senate leaders , as well, demanding action.
| | | | POLITICO AT CES 2023 : We are bringing a special edition of our Digital Future Daily newsletter to Las Vegas to cover CES 2023. The newsletter will take you inside the largest and most influential technology event on the planet, featuring every major and emerging industry in the technology ecosystem gathered in one place. The newsletter runs from Jan. 5-7 and will focus on the public policy related aspects of the event. Sign up today to receive exclusive coverage of CES 2023. | | | | | | | | Many Democratic senators are enthusiastically welcoming Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) back at the Capitol following his win in the Georgia runoff. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) greeted Warnock in front of the Senate steps on Wednesday, while Booker went in for a hug during Senate votes. We caught up with the newly-reelected lawmaker on how he felt after his victory ― and one thing he's excited to do now that he's done with campaigning? Write health care bills. "I was fighting for health care before I ran," he told Huddle. "Now I get to write health care bills for another six years." Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Mich.) with a quip that made us laugh : "If you're a member of Congress, the 13 most terrifying words in the English language are: 'The House is now in recess subject to the call of the Chair.'" Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) used the Taylor Swift smash "Anti-Hero" as they pitched their tax proposal on big oil companies. The Modernization Staff Association is having a holiday party on Thursday, Dec. 15 from 5-7 p.m. in HVC 201 A&B ― and we're told a bake-off for the best cookies will be held as well. QUICK LINKS — Congress to direct faster review of Army recruiting fraud cases from Army Times' Davis Winkie — Congressman Says He Is Throwing a 15-Minute Christmas Party: 'It's Real' from People's Virginia Chamlee. — Congress sticks with Twitter instead of flocking to other social media, for now from Roll Call's Jim Saksa. TRANSITIONS Jeff Bishop will serve as Rep.-elect Marc Molinaro's (R-N.Y.) chief of staff when Molinaro is sworn in, WIVT reports. He was previously Rep. Pete Stauber's (R-Minn.) deputy chief of staff and legislative director. TODAY IN CONGRESS The House convenes at 9 a.m. with a couple of vote series scheduled throughout the morning. The Senate convenes at 11 a.m. with a couple of votes slated on judicial nominees. AROUND THE HILL 9 a.m. Texas House Republicans unveil a border security plan (House Triangle). 10:30 a.m. House Oversight Chair Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) holds a press conference on the Equal Rights Amendment (House Triangle). 1 p.m. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) holds her weekly press conference (HVC Studio A).
| | | WEDNESDAY'S WINNER: Bruce Mehlman of Mehlman Castagnetti Rosen & Thomas was the first to identify the first White House Christmas as taking place in 1800 under President John Adams. TODAY'S QUESTION from Bruce: Every incumbent senator won reelection in 2022. When was the last time that happened? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your answers to aadragna@politico.com . GET HUDDLE emailed to your phone each morning. Follow Anthony on Twitter @AnthonyAdragna and Nancy at @NancyVu99 | | | | A message from National Retail Federation: According to NRF's National Retail Security Survey, retailers reported an average 26.5% increase in organized retail crime last year alone. Retailers, consumer advocates and law enforcement organizations agree: Congress should pass the INFORM Consumers Act this year. This bipartisan bill will make it tougher for criminals to sell stolen goods online, while ensuring honest small businesses can use ecommerce to reach customers. Learn more here. | | | | | | | Follow us | | | | |
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