| | | | |  | | By Daniella Diaz | Presented by Sallie Mae® | | 
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) during a press conference last week, flanked by Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and other Republican lawmakers. | J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo | ALMOST 100 DAYS — Just days before House Republicans were set to have the majority at the start of the 118th Congress, then-House Majority Leader-elect Steve Scalise released a plan for 11 bills he was going to put on the House floor within the first two weeks of the Republican majority. The problem? It’s almost 100 days into the new Congress and Republicans have only passed five of these bills. What this reveals are the internal struggles the conference faces as it navigates a split Congress and a narrow margin where Speaker Kevin McCarthy can only lose four Republican votes if he plans to advance legislation. Out of the 11 bills Scalise committed to putting on the floor, the House passed five of them in the last three months:
- H.Res.11 - Establishing the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (which established a bipartisan Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party)
- H.Con.Res.3 - Expressing the sense of Congress condemning the recent attacks on pro-life facilities, groups, and churches (This resolution condemned the recent attacks on pro-life facilities, groups, and churches)
- H.R.26 - Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act (This bill ensures “infants born alive after an abortion receive the same protection of law and degree of care as any newborn”)
- H.R.22 - Protecting America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve from China Act (the bill would prohibit the Secretary of Energy from sending petroleum products from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to China)
- H.R.21 - Strategic Production Response Act (which prohibited non-emergency drawdowns of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve without a plan to increase energy production on federal lands)
But there are still six bills that Republicans have either had to pull or have not been able to put on the floor schedule at all: - Family and Small Business Taxpayer Protection Act (which would rescind tens of billions of dollars allocated to the IRS for 87,000 new IRS agents in the Inflation Reduction Act)
- H.R.27 - Prosecutors Need to Prosecute Act (This bill would “create transparency in our criminal justice system by letting the public know how many cases prosecutors are declining to prosecute, the number of offenses committed by career criminals, and the number of criminals released”)
- H.Con.Res.4 - Expressing support for the Nation’s law enforcement agencies and condemning any efforts to defund or dismantle law enforcement agencies (This resolution expresses the “sincere gratitude” to law enforcement officers who protect and serve our communities and reject “misguided and dangerous efforts to defund” law enforcement)
- Border Safety and Security Act (This bill would “empower the Department of Homeland Security to turn away” undocumented migrants at the border if the Secretary of DHS does not have operational control)
- Illegal Alien NICS Alert Act (This would require the National Instant Criminal Background Check system “to notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and relevant local law enforcement when a firearm transferee is illegally present in the United States”)
- No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act (This bill makes “permanent the long-standing Hyde Amendment as well as similar provisions to prohibit federal funding for abortion and funding for any insurance plan that includes abortion on demand”)
When asked about the six bills that haven’t reached the House floor for a vote, despite Scalise committing to the vote, his office defended his strategy. "In less than 100 days … we have passed more bills, had more bills reach the President’s desk, and will have an equal number signed into law compared to last Congress,” Scalise's spokeswoman Lauren Fine said in a statement Sunday. “This is especially notable since we did that with a Democratic Senate and White House, while last Congress they had total one party control.” Worth noting: House Republicans also successfully passed HR1 – a sprawling energy bill that became their biggest legislative win since they took control of the chamber in January. Not only that, but Republicans have also had some success with Congressional Review Act resolutions, a tool that overturns rules issued by federal agencies. Looking ahead: Republicans’ calendar is going to look a lot busier soon. Besides addressing the debt limit, McCarthy has committed to put all 12 appropriations bills on the floor.
| | A message from Sallie Mae®: The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently confirmed college financial aid offer letters are often unclear and confusing, leaving too many families in the dark about the true cost of college and their eligibility for aid. Establishing a standardized format and content for financial aid offer letters would be a good step toward providing clarity and transparency. Learn how Sallie Mae helps families navigate financing higher education. | | | GOOD MORNING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Monday, April 10, where we hope you had a lovely Easter Sunday. LAST WEEK OF RECESS — Lawmakers may be gone but there has still been plenty of news. Here’s what your Huddle host is watching: Thomas fallout: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) again called for the impeachment of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas following the explosive report that revealed his relationship with a GOP megadonor billionaire who treated him to luxury travel over the last two decades. Ocasio-Cortez called on the House to investigate the matter on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “I believe that we should pursue the course. And if it is Republicans that decide to protect those who are breaking the law, then they are the ones who then are responsible for that decision,” she added. “But we should not be complicit in that.” Reaction to judge ruling on abortion pills: After a Texas judge’s ruling that the FDA’s approval of the abortion drug mifepristone was improper, Democrats have begun speaking out against the ruling, including Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra who said the ruling does not represent America. “If a judge decides to substitute his preference, his personal opinion for that of scientists and medical professionals, what drug isn’t subject to some kind of legal challenge?” Becerra said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “So we have to go to court — and for America’s sake, and for women’s sake, we have to prevail on this.” Leaked Pentagon documents: There’s portions of leaked documents with details about Ukraine’s spring military offensive that have been circulating the internet as early as March. It’s unknown who obtained the documents, who leaked them online, and how they’ve been altered, if at all. It also raises major national security questions as it’s one of the most high-profile breaches of military intelligence since the Russian invasion in 2022.
| | | | A message from Sallie Mae®:   | | | BLUMENTHAL BACK AFTER RECESS — Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who said he fractured his femur during the University of Connecticut’s victory parade for its NCAA men’s basketball champions, had successful surgery on Sunday and won’t miss votes after recess, he said in a series of tweets. “Senator Blumenthal received surgery at Stamford Hospital to repair the fracture in the upper femur and a couple of pins were inserted to ensure that it heals properly. The surgery was completely successful and he started physical therapy this afternoon. Senator Blumenthal will be discharged tomorrow, and is planning on being back in DC for votes next week,” his office told your Huddle host in an email.
| | | | 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. | | | | | CASEY WILL RUN — Democratic Sen. Bob Casey, the longest-serving Democratic U.S. senator in Pennsylvania history, announced Monday morning on Twitter he is going to run for re-election in Pennsylvania. This is a huge relief for Democrats who face a tough 2024 map with Senate seats in red states like Montana, Ohio and West Virginia all up for election, as well as some swing states that have seats that are up, including Wisconsin, Arizona, Nevada and Michigan.
| | ICYMI: Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is still the best tweeter in the game. QUICK LINKS No One Should Be That Shocked by What’s Happening in Tennessee, by Natalie Allison My Friend Evan Gershkovich Is Suffering for Doing a Job He Loved, from Linda Kinstler ’A whole appeasement psychology’: How America let Putin off the hook after Crimea, from Nahal Toosi
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TODAY IN CONGRESS
The House convenes at 2 p.m. in a pro forma session. The Senate convenes at 11:30 a.m. in a pro forma session.
| | | | 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. | | | | | AROUND THE HILL None, recess! TRIVIA FRIDAY’S WINNER: Michael Hawthorne correctly answered that President Lyndon B. Johnson's remarks about not running for re-election could be referred to as a Shermanesque statement. TODAY’S QUESTION from Michael is: While William Howard Taft was the first president to throw the ceremonial first pitch at a baseball game, which president was the first to throw a pitch from the mound? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your answers to ddiaz@politico.com. GET HUDDLE emailed to your phone each morning. Follow Daniella on Twitter @DaniellaMicaela | | | | Follow us | | | | |
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