| | | | |  | | By Daniella Diaz | | | With an assist from Sarah Ferris, Nicholas Wu, Anthony Adragna, Jordain Carney and Olivia Beavers
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Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) was unhappy Thursday being forced to vote on abortion care policy at the Pentagon – but that didn't stop her from supporting the measure on the floor. | J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo | MACE SUPPORTS ‘ASSHOLE’ ABORTION PROPOSAL Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) had sharp words for her party on Thursday about its latest divisive move on abortion access – only to wind up voting yes in the end. “We should not be taking this fucking vote, man. Fuck,” a visibly frustrated Mace was overheard venting to her staff in an elevator, apparently referring to Thursday’s vote to reverse Biden administration policy on reimbursing travel costs for service members seeking abortions. “It's an asshole move, an asshole amendment.” But Mace wound up backing it anyway – as clear an indication you can get of the pressure Republicans face to support restrictions on abortion access. That’s not to mention her status as one of her party’s most unpredictable members. Asked for comment, Mace said this in a statement: "I’m all for having these conversations and debates, but doing so as part of a bill which could jeopardize our national security is wrong. Traditionally the NDAA is bipartisan legislation. This year’s bill could be historically partisan." Uh-oh: The amendment now added to the annual defense authorization bill will alienate Democrats whose votes will be needed to pass it. Prepare for more floor drama to come. Worth nothing: A source told Nicholas that Democrats aren’t whipping against the NDAA because “it is headed that way anyways.” Culture war resolved? Not quite. Mace’s fury underscores just how rocky this week has looked for the House GOP as it takes up a flurry of polarizing social issues during debate on the must-pass defense policy bill. Those culture-war votes – not just on abortion, but LGBTQ troops and diversity as well – happened after Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s team gave in to conservative demands for votes on the defense bill. The bigger picture: Mace spoke to Sarah in more detail about her frustrations with her own party. “What are we going to do for women?” she asked, pointing to a string of issues that she sees the House GOP majority as ignoring, from rape test backlogs to the foster care system to child care costs. “We have touched none of that this year. That’s my frustration." Why this matters: Mace has long been at odds with her own party over its attempts to go further right on abortion, complaining that the party is alienating moderate voters after the overturning of Roe v. Wade and potentially endangering its House majority in the process. Exhibit A on this of late is Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), who is holding up hundreds of military promotions over the same Pentagon policy that the House voted to reverse. Mace’s decision to fall in line will have consequences beyond the defense bill, too. Her vote for the abortion amendment, as well as that of Republicans from blue-state New York, promptly handed Democrats fodder to remind voters of the GOP’s rightward tilt on an issue where party leaders admit they’re still short of a unified strategy.
| | | | A message from Electronic Payments Coalition: STOP THE BIG-BOX BAIT AND SWITCH: Big-box retailers, led by Walmart and Target, are seeking a massive handout from Congress, paid for by consumers. Mega-retailers are trying to trick Congress into enacting harmful credit card routing legislation (S. 1838/H.R. 3881), falsely claiming that it will help small businesses. In reality, this bill transfers billions from consumers to big-box corporations while eliminating popular credit card rewards programs, weakening cybersecurity protections, and reducing access to credit. Congress: reject this Big-Box Bait and Switch. www.stopthebigboxbaitandswitch.com | | | GOOD MORNING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Friday, July 14, where your Huddle host is working from Miami attending the National Association of Hispanic Journalists conference and can report it is very hot in Southern Florida. NEWSMAKERS OF THE DAY Sens. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.): After Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) announced Thursday that he’ll oppose Julie Su’s nomination to be Labor secretary, they’re the only two Democratic caucus members who remain publicly on the fence. Su will need support from both to win confirmation. NEWS: FAA TROUBLE IS BREWING There’s early signs of turbulence on the House’s reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration, which is slated for floor action next week. Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) warned Thursday that the bill could stall in the Rules Committee – where he’s one of three influential conservatives with the power to vote as a bloc – if it doesn’t expand the number of slots allocated for long-haul flights at Reagan National Airport. “That’s one thing that I know needs to occur,” Roy said. “If they’re going to jam us on slots, we’re gonna have some problems.” Two other GOP sources confirmed the Reagan airport debate has rattled the conference in recent days.
| | | | STEP INSIDE THE GOLDEN STATE POLITICAL ARENA: POLITICO’s California Playbook newsletter provides a front row seat to the Golden State’s political power centers, from inside the state Capitol and governor's mansion in Sacramento, to the mayor’s office and City Council and Los Angeles, to the influence of Silicon Valley. Authors Lara Korte and Dustin Gardiner bring you exclusive news, buzzy scoops and behind-the-scenes details that you simply will not get anywhere else. Subscribe today and stay ahead of the game! | | | | | And there’s more: One of those sources added that some Republicans also may have issues with the bill’s proposal to raise the commercial pilot retirement age from 65 to 67, as well as its codification of telework – considering that the House already passed a bill this year curbing telework for federal employees. Important to note: This isn’t yet a full-on conservative revolt against the bill, as Nick, Anthony and Alex Daugherty report. Others on the right held their fire for now, indicating they’re pleased with leaders’ vow to take up ample amendments on the floor. “I don’t foresee any problems” getting the bill done, said Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), another conservative on the Rules Committee. Don’t count on Dems here: They’re feeling the squeeze from the nation’s largest pilot union, which is on record opposing the House FAA bill over the retirement age provision. TICK TOCK: Congress has only eight legislative days left before the scheduled start of August recess. And 78 days total until Sept 30, when FAA authorization and the farm bill both expire – and government funding runs out.
| | | | A message from Electronic Payments Coalition:   | | | HOOSIERS CLEAR THE FIELD FOR BANKS Rep. Jim Banks is delivering a keynote at the Indiana Republican Party’s state dinner Aug. 10, according to a notice shared with Huddle. It’s the latest sign that the former Republican Study Committee chair is locking down support as he continues to run unopposed in the GOP primary to succeed retiring Republican Sen. Mike Braun (Ind.), who’s running for governor. N.Y. DEMS CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC AFTER REDISTRICTING RULING Hill Democrats rejoiced Thursday after a mid-level New York state appeals court gave their party a victory in its quest to redraw the state’s congressional maps ahead of next year’s elections. The Empire State will be critical to House control come 2025, and Nick heard plenty of chatter from Democrats who see their prospects there improving thanks to the ruling. Queens County party boss Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) told reporters that “now the legislature has the ability to do and finish the job.” But other Dems aren’t popping champagne corks yet, with good reason. More litigation to come: The redistricting lawsuit will likely make its way to the state’s highest court, where Democrats are hopeful a new liberal justice will side with them and allow the state’s bipartisan commission — then, ultimately, the legislature — to step in and redraw more favorable maps. The dimmer Dem view: Because the fight isn’t close to over, other Hill Dems warn that it could still produce a repeat of last cycle’s debacle, where the party lost several seats in the deep-blue state. And there’s still some doubt about whether even redrawn maps would truly help Dems in tight New York races.
| | | | SUBSCRIBE TO POWER SWITCH: The energy landscape is profoundly transforming. Power Switch is a daily newsletter that unlocks the most important stories driving the energy sector and the political forces shaping critical decisions about your energy future, from production to storage, distribution to consumption. Don’t miss out on Power Switch, your guide to the politics of energy transformation in America and around the world. SUBSCRIBE TODAY. | | | | | GOP CONGRESSMAN USES DEROGATORY PHRASE ON HOUSE FLOOR Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.) referred to Black Americans as "colored people" during the NDAA floor debate on amendments Thursday and was immediately admonished by a former chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio). “My amendment has nothing to do with whether or not colored people or Black people or anybody can serve,” Crain said on the House floor. “It has nothing to do with any of that stuff.” Beatty called for the phrase to be stricken from the record and Crane then said he meant “people of color.” The words were ultimately removed by unanimous consent. Crane told NBC News in a statement he “misspoke.” “In a heated floor debate on my amendment that would prohibit discrimination on the color of one’s skin in the Armed Forces, I misspoke,” Crane said. “Every one of us is made in the image of God and created equal.” SPOTTED ON THE HILL Stephen Miller: The former Trump administration official known for his hardline conservative views was in the Senate basement on Thursday morning heading to the CVC. He didn’t reply to text messages asking why he was at the Capitol and who he was meeting with. (If you know the answer, readers, get in touch with me.) Rahm Emanuel: The U.S. ambassador to Japan popped up outside the House chamber on Thursday ahead of a scheduled appearance this evening with Reps. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), the top two lawmakers on the House China Select Committee. That press event was later canceled for reasons that a committee spokesperson didn’t address when asked. Emanuel, a former House member, told Nick he was simply “taking a tour.” HOT ITEM: THE ‘TRUMP’ IS IMPLIED The House Intelligence Committee wants the FBI to notify congressional leaders within 48 hours of opening a counterintelligence investigation into any federal officeholder or candidate. The provision was tucked into a bill authorizing intelligence community funding that cleared the panel in a voice vote, along with an additional requirement to notify leadership about counterintelligence threats to Congress or a legislative branch official. TUBERVILLE AND AUSTIN FINALLY CONNECT Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) talked on Thursday with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin about the hundreds of holds that Tuberville has placed on military promotions in his protest of Biden administration abortion policy, roiling the Pentagon. Your Huddle host was referred to this tweet when she asked Tuberville’s office for more details. Count Thursday’s conversations as progress, albeit faint. The senator has long complained that he’d gotten no outreach from the Biden administration on his holds.
| | | | A message from Electronic Payments Coalition: CONGRESS: DON’T FALL FOR THE BIG-BOX BAIT-AND-SWITCH: Despite vigorous lobbying efforts from mega-retailers like Walmart and Target, proposed credit routing mandates (S. 1838/H.R. 3881) face steep bipartisan opposition. Consumers and small businesses don’t want to lose valuable credit card benefits or suffer from weakened cybersecurity protections– both consequences of proposed credit card routing mandates. Americans didn’t send their lawmakers to Washington to be fooled by the retail giants’ massive corporate welfare scheme--and they won’t forget those who sold out Main Street so that big-box retailers could line their pockets while consumers and small businesses suffer. Last year, Congress wisely rejected a similar Big-Box Bill, and they must do so again. Congress must protect consumers, preserve the integrity of the payment ecosystem, and reject this detrimental and unnecessary government intervention. www.stopthebigboxbaitandswitch.com | | | QUICK LINKS House GOP plans to hold long-teased UFO hearing, by Jordain Nick Begich challenging Peltola for House seat in Alaska, by Eric Bazail-Eimil House intel committee pushing new legislation to help CIA sexual assault victims, from Daniel Lippman TRANSITIONS Austin Clark is now press and staff assistant for Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.). He most recently was a legislative director in the Georgia General Assembly House of Representatives. Emma Hall has been promoted to be deputy chief of staff for Rep. Burgess Owens (R-Utah). She continues as communications director for Owens. Knox McCutchen is now press secretary for the House Committee on Small Business. He most recently was comms director for Rep. Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.). TODAY IN CONGRESS The House convenes at 9 a.m. First and last votes of the day are expected to begin at 10:15 a.m. The Senate convenes for a pro forma session at 9:30 a.m. AROUND THE HILL 10 a.m. Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries will host his weekly press conference. (HVC Studio A)
| | THURSDAY’S WINNER: Benjamin Wainer correctly guessed that Mitch McConnell and Fred Thompson, who would one day represent neighboring states in the Senate, were both born in 1942 at the same hospital in Sheffield, Alabama. TODAY’S QUESTION from Benjamin: Under which President did a Supreme Court nominee most recently decline to serve following a successful confirmation? (Bonus if you name the nominee!) 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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