McCarthy puts debt deal on the table

A play-by-play preview of the day’s congressional news

Apr 18, 2023 View in browser   By Daniella Diaz and Katherine Tully-McManus With an assist from Jordain Carney, Burgess Everett and Nancy Vu House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) will brief his conference Tuesday on his plans for addressing the debt limit, marking the first time he’ll lay it out for the entire group in person. | Francis Chung/POLITICO MCCARTHY’S PITCH TO HIS CONFERENCE – It’s officially the 101st day of Congress and Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) says he has a plan for the debt limit – but the real question is whether he can get all his members behind it. In just a few hours, McCarthy will brief his fellow House Republicans at their weekly meeting, marking the first time he’ll lay it out for the entire group in person. And the speaker could try to land something on the House floor as soon as next week, according to GOP members who have spoken to him. The proposal would raise the debt limit into 2024, cut federal spending to 2022 levels and cut spending increases over the next 10 years to 1% annually. McCarthy has pledged that his cuts to federal spending would happen “without touching Social Security and Medicare.” His plan involves help for veterans and a push for stricter work requirements for social programs. Still, the pitch McCarthy will bring to his caucus Tuesday is significantly pared down compared with what he proposed just months ago – reflecting the political reality of the tightrope the speaker continues to walk keeping his slim majority in line while racing against the clock to deal with the debt before the nation defaults, which could happen as soon as July. McCarthy can only afford to lose four GOP votes if he is to pass this legislation along party lines in the House. And he has to appease all corners of his conference — especially the more conservative members, such as the Donald Trump-aligned House Freedom Caucus, who want to see other Biden administration policies ended, included clawing back Covid aid that hasn't been spent and putting a stop to climate programs. Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), who took part in a debt ceiling-focused meeting in McCarthy's office on Monday, said a vote on a debt ceiling proposal could happen as soon as next week. Asked if that was actually possible, he replied: "Oh yeah." But can McCarthy actually get a bill across the finish line? “I think we can. We’ll know more tomorrow,” Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Ala.), who chairs the House GOP policy committee, said Monday, cautioning that with the GOP’s narrow margin and complex dynamics “it might blow up.” Also worth noting: McCarthy said he has not met with President Joe Biden since their initial meeting in early February.   GO INSIDE THE 2023 MILKEN INSTITUTE GLOBAL CONFERENCE: POLITICO is proud to partner with the Milken Institute to produce a special edition "Global Insider" newsletter featuring exclusive coverage, insider nuggets and unparalleled insights from the 2023 Global Conference, which will convene leaders in health, finance, politics, philanthropy and entertainment from April 30-May 3. This year’s theme, Advancing a Thriving World, will challenge and inspire attendees to lean into building an optimistic coalition capable of tackling the issues and inequities we collectively face. Don’t miss a thing — subscribe today for a front row seat.     GOOD MORNING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Tuesday, April 18, where your Huddle hosts are happy about the carpeted Cannon tunnel. JUDICIARY JUMBLE — Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats met Monday night in Chair Dick Durbin’s (D-Ill.) third floor office to discuss details of a future hearing on the Supreme Court’s ethical standards. And they hope to hear from embattled Justice Clarence Thomas. Are they saying subpoena? Not quite yet. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said after the meeting he hoped the justice would answer committee members’ questions voluntarily. But it isn’t off the table, either. More from KTM and Burgess. Senate Judiciary is also juggling its roster problems. Democrats’ efforts to replace ailing Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) on the key panel have hit an apparent brick wall of Republican resistance. The Monday night state-of-play from Burgess and KTM. STILL THINKING — Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), who is 79, said on Monday he will make an announcement "shortly" on his 2024 plans. The Maryland senator is among a handful of lawmakers in both parties weighing to seek six more years in the Senate. The veteran Democrat said earlier this year he had hoped to decide by the end of March, but said on Monday he's still "in that process" of deciding. Oh, and how short is “shortly” for Cardin’s reelection decision? "I'm not doing a time schedule," he said. Sen. John Fetterman (R-Pa.) returned to the Capitol Monday after being out for several weeks for clinical depression. | Francis Chung/POLITICO FETTERMAN IS BACK — Sen. John Fetterman (R-Pa.) returned to Capitol Hill for Senate votes Monday for the first time in weeks since he decided to seek treatment for clinical depression. He was spotted by reporters walking into the Capitol, telling them: “It’s great to be back,” but did not answer questions. And he’s reunited with the senior senator of Pennsylvania. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) marked Fetterman’s return with a speech on the Senate floor remarking how far public perception and understanding of mental health has come. “I had similar examples in my own family of people who were speaking in whispers about these issues …That's changing for the better. Our honesty and openness in dealing with mental health makes us a better nation, and people will have better lives as a result of it. I thank my colleague, Senator Fetterman, for stepping up and making the right decision in his life,” Durbin said. Fetterman was also welcomed back by what sounded like a party in Russell after final votes. Also worth noting: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has returned to the Hill as well after a serious fall a few weeks ago left him at home recovering. Though he was technically back on Friday, Monday was his first day back with the Senate in session. JACKSON LEE COMPLIES WITH SUBPOENA — Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) complied with a subpoena for documents related to the Irwin County Detention Center, her office said in a statement. The private prison was at the center of controversy back in 2020 after a whistleblower report detailed a number of non-consensual surgeries and medical procedures being performed on multiple detained women. After the report was released, Jackson Lee visited the detention center and was one of the lead co-sponsors on a resolution to condemn performing unwanted and unnecessary medical procedures without the consent of the individual. The statement from Jackson Lee’s office did not offer any further detail on the content of the documents the lawmaker handed over. “Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee as a member of the House Committees on Judiciary and Homeland Security responded to a request for documents related to media reports on the Irwin County Detention Center, once located in Ocilla, Georgia,” the statement read. “Congresswoman Jackson Lee is not a party in this civil dispute. Her office fully cooperated with the request.” KILDEE RECOVERING — Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.) is at George Washington Hospital recovering from a surgery to remove “a small cancerous tumor found in his tonsil,” his chief of staff said in a statement Monday night. “Because of his surgery and recovery time, the Congressman will be missing votes in the U.S. House of Representatives,” the statement read. “The Congressman, his wife Jennifer and the Kildee family have been touched by all the kind notes and well wishes since his diagnosis. The Congressman thanks his constituents and colleagues in Congress for their continued support.” HUDDLE HOTDISH Santos check-in: McCarthy let out a laugh when CNN’s Manu Raju asked him if he’d support George Santos’ re-election bid. I guess that answers that. Shein spending: Nick tweeted today that it appears the person who broke into Rep. Mike Collins' district office and stole a credit card charged $223.69 to Shein, per the police incident report. Your Huddle hosts are wondering … what does one buy at Shein that racks up more than $200? AI for Congress… PopVox, Demand Progress, The Lincoln Network and The House Digital Service are hosting a briefing for staff on “AI tools, best practices, and integrations with Congressional work” this Friday. Check it out. Not just at the Capitol… Sometimes the creaky old elevators on Capitol Hill get stuck. But on Monday lawmakers got stuck in an elevator in an exciting new place: New York City. POLITICO’s own Erica Orden found herself trapped in an elevator with Reps. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and a handful of other members in the Javits Building in Manhattan. Someone eventually pried the doors open to release the passengers.   The McCain Institute will convene its 10th annual Sedona Forum on May 5-6, featuring lawmakers, journalists, military leaders, business executives, and more. This year’s theme, “Indispensable Power,” will examine the diplomatic, military, and economic means employed to protect democracy, human rights, and the global competitive edge. Established by Senator John McCain, the Sedona Forum is held each spring in the red rock country of Sedona, Arizona, to advance the mission of the McCain Institute – fighting for democracy, human dignity, and security. Visit TheSedonaForum.org to register for the livestream today.     QUICK LINKS  This Democratic Senator Is Making an Unusual Enemy, from Grace Segers at The New Republic U.S. Was Warned of Migrant Child Labor, but ‘Didn’t Want to Hear It’, from Hannah Dreier at the New York Times NJ Sen. Robert Menendez Setting Up Legal Defense Fund Tied to Federal Investigation, from Jonathan Dienst, Courtney Copenhagen and Ken Dilanian at WNBC Houston man arrested after leaving multiple voicemails threatening to assault, kill Congresswoman Maxine Waters, from Ninfa Saavedra at KPRC TRANSITIONS  Marisa Burleson is now director of operations and member services for Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.). She previously was operations director for Rep. Jake LaTurner (R-Kan.). Kiara Kearney is now press secretary for Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). She most recently was press secretary for Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.). TODAY IN CONGRESS The House convenes at 10 a.m. for morning hour debate and 12 p.m. for legislative business and will consider a veto override for “Waters of the United States” rule. First votes of the day are expected to begin at 1:30 p.m. and last votes are slated to start at 5 p.m. The Senate convenes at 10 a.m. and will resume consideration of Radha Plumb, of New York, to be a Deputy Under Secretary of Defense. The Senate will vote at 11:30 a.m., 2:15 p.m. and additional roll call votes are possible. AROUND THE HILL 8 a.m. Reps. David Kustoff (R-Tenn.) and Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) will be hosting a Holocaust Remembrance Day Commemoration Event for members. (Rayburn 2043) 8:15 a.m. Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) and the Congressional Hispanic Conference to hold a border security press conference. (House Triangle) 9:30 a.m. Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and John Fetterman (D-Penn.) will hold a press conference to introduce legislation to prevent conflicts of interest by prohibiting members of Congress from owning or trading stocks. (Senate Swamp) 10 a.m. Senate Banking Committee hearing on four nominations, including Jared Bernstein’s nomination to be the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. (538 Dirksen) 10 a.m. House Administration Committee hearing on the House Sergeant at Arms’ strategic plan for the 118th Congress. (1310 Longworth) 10 a.m. House Appropriations Commerce-Justice-Science Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal 2024 budget request for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. ATF Director Steven Dettelbach testifies. (H-309 Capitol) 10 a.m. House Appropriations Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal 2024 budget request for the Education Department. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona testifies. 10 a.m. House Appropriations State-Foreign Operations Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal 2024 budget request for USAID. USAID Administrator Samantha Power testifies. (2359 Rayburn) 10 a.m. House Appropriations Transportation-HUD Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal 2024 budget request for HUD. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia Fudge testifies. (2358-A Rayburn) 10 a.m. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on the fiscal 2024 budget request for DHS. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas testifies. (562 Dirksen) 10:30 a.m. Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.) will hold a press conference introducing a bill to tax the wealthiest 0.5% of Americans. (House Triangle) 10:45 a.m. Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) and Vice-Chair Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) join Reps. Morgan McGarvey (D-Ky.), Lizzy Fletcher (D-Texas) and Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.) hold a press conference. (Studio A) 12 p.m. Reps. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Judy Chu (D-Calif.) lead House colleagues in introducing Congressional Gold Medal legislation honoring American rescuers during the Holocaust. (House Triangle) 1:30 p.m. House Appropriations Commerce, Justice, Science, and related agencies Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal 2024 budget request for the Commerce Department. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo testifies. (H-309 Capitol) 2 p.m. Senate lunches 2:30 p.m. Senate Appropriations Commerce Justice Science Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal 2024 budget request for NASA and the National Science Foundation. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson testifies. (192 Dirksen) TRIVIA MONDAY’S WINNER: Emory Damron correctly answered that Massachusetts Democratic Reps. Joe Kennedy III and Stephen Lynch both ran the Boston Marathon in 2014 along with then-freshman Rep. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. TODAY’S QUESTION from Emory: In 1954 the U.S. Senate censured Sen. Joseph McCarthy (R-Wis.) by a vote of 67-22. Seven senators did not vote (including McCarthy, who was disallowed), among them Democrats George Smathers of Florida and Al Gore Sr. of Tennessee. Who was the third Democrat who did not vote? 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   Follow us

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