| | | | |  | | By Katherine Tully-McManus | Presented by The American Health Care Association | With a big help from Daniella Diaz
|  Senate Intelligence Committee ranking member Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) will be back for more info today on the incursions into U.S. airspace. (Scott Applewhite) | AP | ANOTHER ONE, THANK YOU — Senators are set to get another briefing from administration officials on three unidentified objects the U.S. shot down in the last few days, with many members telling POLITICO they hope to get at least some details on the threat the objects pose to the nation's national security. Senators on both sides of the aisle said they feel left in the dark about these objects. Over the past four days, the U.S. military shot down three unidentified objects: the first on Friday near Deadhorse, Alaska, the second over western Canada on Saturday and the latest on Sunday over Lake Huron. That came just days after the military brought down a Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina. “(The administration is) creating a bigger problem for themselves by the lack of transparency because people's minds, their imaginations begin to run wild,” GOP Sen John Cornyn of Texas said. “I think they're behind the curve on this and they really need to be more transparent.” Tuesday’s briefers include Melissa G. Dalton, an assistant secretary of Defense for homeland defense and hemispheric affairs, Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Sims II, director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Gen. Glen D. VanHerck, commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, according to a list obtained by Burgess. “The sense I'm getting right now is that there's a big ‘Circle the wagons, let's constrain and control information,’ primarily,” Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chair on Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said. “And I would imagine some of it is because they don't want to say things that aren't true and primarily because they're not sure what they're dealing with yet, and what have you. But there's been things flying over places they don't belong in America for a very long time.” Here’s a look from Marianne, Burgess and Daniella this morning on what senators want to hear from the administration today. On the lighter side… Senators are voicing real concerns about the aerial intrusions but they are also acknowledging the absurdity of it all. Sens. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) chatted about “little green men” on Monday night as they waited for the Senate Rules Committee meeting to begin. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), who has spent time in orbit himself, told HuffPost’s Igor Bobic: “So if they’re green and if they’ve got big eyes — I would say yes,” on how to tell if an unidentified flying object is an alien or not. And Rubio joked to reporters on Monday: “I was worried for Rihanna .. because that stage kept going up!” RELATED: Balloon furor deflates China’s commercial charm offensive, from Gavin Bade; NORAD air defense exercise in DC area scheduled for early Tuesday, from Matt Pusatory, WUSA-TV; Tensions Rise Over Spy Programs as U.S. Investigates Downed Craft, from Edward Wong, David E. Sanger, Julian E. Barnes and Eric Schmitt at The New York Times
| | A message from The American Health Care Association: Nursing homes across the country are facing a historic labor crisis, forcing many facilities to limit patient admissions or worse, permanently close. The long term care labor crisis has affected all aspects of health care, creating bottlenecks in hospitals. A federal staffing mandate for nursing homes without resources to help with recruitment would make things worse. Help us hire, don’t require. | | | GOOD MORNING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Tuesday, Feb. 14, where hopefully love is the only thing left in the air. Some housekeeping news: We’re excited to announce some moves on our Hill team and a new name you’re probably not used to seeing assisting with Huddle. Daniella Diaz joins the POLITICO Hill team as a congressional reporter after eight years covering Washington at CNN. But it’s a homecoming for her – Daniella’s first job out of college was at Politico as a web producer – and we’re glad to have her back. Also some promotions: Kate Irby, who joined Politico in early 2021 as deputy editor, is now Congress Editor after helping steer the ship through the rollicking 117th session. And Sarah Ferris is now a senior congressional reporter after notching scoop upon scoop on House Democrat during the midterms. MICHIGAN REELS — Michigan lawmakers reacted overnight to the deadly shootings across the Michigan State University Campus that killed three people and wounded five more before the gunman killed himself. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) urged “students and the East Lansing community to stay safe and follow guidance from law enforcement,” while an hour-long manhunt unfolded for the gunman, leaving students hiding and terrified. Peters said he was in touch with local officials and described the attack as “horrifying.” Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), who represents East Lansing, shared photos of the shooter during the manhunt and also urged students to shelter in place. “It’s hard to describe the agony we’re feeling in East Lansing tonight. Our hearts are breaking for the families of the students who were killed, for those who have been injured, and for the entire Spartan community,” she tweeted after the all-clear was given. “The Spartan family is strong, and as devastating as tonight has been, I know that Michiganders and Americans of all stripes are wrapping their arms around East Lansing and our Spartans to mourn alongside us and to lift us up,” she said. More from Michigan: Suspect dead, 3 killed, 5 injured in Michigan State shooting: What we know, by Darcie Moran, Paul Egan, David Jesse, Emily Lawler and Andrea May Sahouri at The Detroit Free Press; Deceased suspect in MSU mass shooting identified as 43-year-old male; no MSU affiliation, from Miranda Dunlap at The State News
| | | | 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 our West Wing Playbook newsletter, 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. | | | | | PENCE’S SENATORIAL DEFENSE — Former Vice President Mike Pence’s decision to challenge Special Counsel Jack Smith’s grand jury subpoena for testimony isn’t about executive privilege. “Rather, Pence is set to argue that his former role as president of the Senate — therefore a member of the legislative branch — shields him from certain Justice Department demands,” write Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein. ONE IF BY AIR, TWO IF BY RAIL — There is another serious threat lawmakers are demanding answers about: the environmental and health catastrophe unfolding after a train derailment in Ohio. A controlled vent and burning of the toxic chemical vinyl chloride occurred several days after the initial derailment over concerns the rail cars might explode. Pete takes the heat: Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle want to hear from Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. No floor fury: Lawmakers put out statements and tweets on Monday but none took to the Senate floor to speak on the crisis. READ MORE: East Palestine train derailment: What we know about the situation, from Victoria Moorwood at the Cincinnati Enquirer; Health concerns grow in East Palestine, Ohio, after train derailment, from Juliana Kim at NPR; Worried residents near Ohio train derailment report dead fish and chickens as authorities say it's safe to return, from Aria Bendix and David K. Li at NBC News BYE, BYE, BLANTON — The search for a new Architect of the Capitol is on after Brett Blanton was ousted by Biden on Monday. Chere Rexroat assumed the interim role of Acting Architect of the Capitol on Monday night. Rexroat is a licensed architect and has served as the AOC’s chief engineer “responsible for providing consolidated services for the safe and efficient delivery of planning, design and construction program for the maintenance of critical infrastructure,” according to the agency. Senate Rules Committee Chair Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) told Huddle the process will get moving soon. “We're gonna advise the White House – the White House ultimately makes the decision – but we're gonna embark on this immediately to find a new architect of the Capitol,” Klobuchar told Huddle on Monday evening. “So all these guys around us have a boss,” she said, gesturing to the scaffolding and plywood we spoke under in the Senate. Filling the Architect of the Capitol role is a long and arduous process that takes many months, if not years. A bicameral and bipartisan congressional commission must be assembled to recommend candidates to the president, and then the president chooses from that list. The group is made up of 14 lawmakers, including the speaker, the president pro tempore and the majority and minority leaders of both chambers. It also includes the chairs and ranking members of the House Administration and Senate Rules Committees, plus the Appropriations panels in both chambers.
| | | | A message from The American Health Care Association:   | | | FETTERMAN’S BACK — Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who spent a few days in the hospital last week after feeling faint, was spotted by POLITICO back in the Senate going to votes Monday night. His office released a statement that he voted to confirm Judge Cindy Chung to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers all of Pennsylvania. Anthony has more on his return.
| 
Senate Rules Committee's cozy kickoff meeting Monday night. | Francis Chung/POLITICO | THE COZIEST RULES MEETING — The Senate Rules Committee met off the floor on Monday night to organize the committee for the new Congress, approving the committee’s rules and budgets for all senate committees in quick voice votes. The panel cozied up on couches and upholstered chairs for the meeting, which required Chair Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) to head out on an expedition to lure a quorum off of the Senate floor. Newcomer Sens. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo) got a warm welcome, alongside Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who scooted in late, and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) who was already settled in on the couch. A COIN FOR SUND — Former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund, who is on a book tour, was gifted a Congressional Gold Medal by some of his former colleagues on Monday. Capitol Police officers collected money to buy the coin from the U.S. Mint to present to their former chief, ABC News reported. The coin is a bronze replica of the Congressional Gold Medal presented to Capitol Police “and those who protected the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.” It looks like Sund was given the three-inch $160 version. He was forced to resign following the Jan. 6 2021 attack on the Capitol.
| | | Brews and bruise… Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.), who fended off an assailant in her apartment building on Thursday, confirmed that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris called her to offer support after the horrific incident. She also said her fellow Minnesota lawmaker Amy Klobuchar “brought beer over on Friday night.” QUICK LINKS Across the Capitol from McConnell, McCarthy tries the opposite of his peers: rewarding his opponents from Tal Kopan at the Boston Globe Hopeful freshman lawmakers run up against the reality of a divided House from Marianna Sotomayor at the Washington Post TRANSITIONS Eli Rosen is now Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s (D-Wis.) communications director. Rosen was previously press secretary and worked for Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado.
| | | | DOWNLOAD THE POLITICO MOBILE APP: Stay up to speed with the newly updated POLITICO mobile app, featuring timely political news, insights and analysis from the best journalists in the business. The sleek and navigable design offers a convenient way to access POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Don’t miss out on the app you can rely on for the news you need, reimagined. DOWNLOAD FOR iOS– DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID. | | | | | TODAY IN CONGRESS The House convenes for a pro forma session at 10 a.m. The Senate convenes at 11 a.m. to resume consideration of the nomination of Gina R. Mendez-Miro to be United States District Judge for the District of Puerto Rico. At 11:30 a.m., the Senate will hold two roll call votes: the Méndez-Miró nomination and on a motion to invoke cloture on Lindsay C. Jenkins’ nomination to be a U.S. District judge for the Northern District of Illinois. The Senate will recess until 2:15 p.m. for weekly caucus lunches. At 2:15 p.m. the Senate will proceed to roll call votes on Jenkins’ nomination (if cloture is invoked) and on a motion to invoke cloture on Matthew L. Garcia’s nomination to be a U.S. District judge for the District of New Mexico. AROUND THE HILL 10 a.m. The Senate will receive a classified briefed by administration officials on the UFOs. (Senate SCIF) 10 a.m. Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on “Crypto Crash: Why Financial System Safeguards are Needed for Digital Assets.” (Dirksen 538) 10 a.m. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing to consider Gigi Sohn’s nomination to be an FCC Commissioner. (Russell 253) 10:30 a.m. Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing to consider Richard Verma’s nomination to be deputy secretary of State for Management and Resources. (Dirksen 419) 11 a.m. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on “Protecting Our Children Online.” (Hart 216) 2 p.m. Senate Democratic and GOP leaders hold separate press conferences following closed door caucus lunches. (Ohio Clock Corridor) 4:30 p.m. Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) holds a press conference on a resolution disapproving of the new D.C. criminal code. (Senate Studio)
| | | MONDAY’S WINNER: Zev Siegfeld correctly answered that presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan are the only two presidents who have skipped Brooks Brothers suits since the brand launched in 1818. TODAY’S QUESTION from Zev: Which two sitting members of Congress are alumni of Colgate University? 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 The American Health Care Association: The long term care community needs help. Facing a historic labor crisis, nursing homes cannot find the workers they need, resulting in limited admissions to facilities with some permanently closing. Nursing homes are doing everything they can to recruit caregivers, but with limited government funds, they can’t compete.
This crisis has also created bottlenecks in hospitals as patients wait for beds in nursing homes. A federal staffing mandate without resources to help with recruitment would only worsen access to care for vulnerable seniors.
We need an investment in our long term workforce, not unfunded staffing mandates. Learn more about better solutions to the labor shortage. | | | | | | | Follow us | | | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment