| | | | |  | | By Bethany Irvine | | | |  | THE CATCH-UP | | |  Speaker Mike Johnson touted the wins of the unreleased spending package during today's GOP conference meeting. | AP | With less than 72 hours remaining until a partial government shutdown, House Speaker MIKE JOHNSON “is trying to appease his right flank on the unfinalized spending package, using a weekly closed-door GOP meeting on Wednesday morning to champion Republican wins” in the yet-to-be-released spending deal, Olivia Beavers, Caitlin Emma and Jennifer Scholtes write. What he’s saying in private: Johnson’s remarks to the GOP conference centered around “a boost in detention beds for handling a migration surge at the southern border, billions of dollars in cuts to pandemic-era programs, longstanding anti-abortion rules, measures to limit diversity programs and more,” per Olivia, Caitlin and Jennifer. What he’s saying in public: In his post-meeting conference, the speaker expressed optimism that the conference would reach an agreement, and that now that appropriations were done, it “won’t delay” on supplemental issues. But despite Johnson’s sales job, the bill is still unlikely to appease House conservatives who still don’t have the text in hand as the shutdown deadline looms. Asked if there were any victories in the bill for the GOP, Rep. THOMAS MASSIE (R-Ky.) bluntly told NBC News’ Kyle Stewart: “Nothing.” So what’s next?
- “We should have the bill text, hopefully, by this afternoon,” Johnson told reporters today.
- He’s still deciding whether to waive the “72-hour rule.” If he doesn’t, that would push votes on the package past the shutdown deadline, NBC News’ Julie Tsirkin notes.
- But, but but: Several Republicans “said they expect Johnson to ditch that rule, confirming that a vote is likely on Friday,” Olivia, Caitlin and Jenifer write. “Johnson will have to pass the package under suspension, requiring a two-thirds vote threshold and substantial support from Democrats. And that would leave little time for the Senate to process the package before the deadline.”
MEANWHILE, IN THE SENATE — While Senate Republicans are expected to hear from Israeli Prime Minister BENJAMIN NETANYAHU via video chat during their weekly lunch today, Republicans are also weighing inviting the Israeli PM to address a joint session of Congress, Axios’ Juliegrace Brufke and Andrew Solender scoop. The potential invite comes after Senate Majority Leader CHUCK SCHUMER criticized the Israeli leader on the Senate floor, and as Netanyahu’s relationship with the Biden administration grows increasingly complex. In a floor speech this morning, Senate Minority Leader MITCH McCONNELL “trained his ire on Senate Democrats — and Chuck Schumer … slamming his colleagues on the left for ‘egregious and hypocritical attempts to influence Israeli domestic politics,’” Ursula Perano and Burgess Everett report. “Our Democratic colleagues don’t have an anti-Bibi problem,” McConnell said. “They have an anti-Israel problem. What else are we supposed to make of the way Democrats have fallen in line behind the position the Democratic leader expressed here on the floor last week?” Meanwhile, in the Middle East: Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN has added a stop in Israel to the itinerary of his ongoing tour of the region, AP’s Matthew Lee reports from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. In a statement, State Department spox MATTTHEW MILLER said that Blinken “will discuss the need to ensure the defeat of Hamas, including in Rafah, in a way that protects the civilian population, does not hinder the delivery of humanitarian assistance, and advances Israel’s overall security.” OVERSIGHT OVER ITS SKIS? — This morning, the House Oversight Committee plowed ahead in its efforts to build enough evidence to impeach President JOE BIDEN over his family’s business dealings. Though members heard testimony from HUNTER BIDEN’s former business partners TONY BOBULINSKI and JASON GALANIS, as well as former RUDY GIULIANI associate LEV PARNAS, the hearing fell short when it came to producing any real evidence that would advance the GOP’s claims (as forecasted in this morning’s Playbook). Meanwhile, Democrats continued to rail against the allegations, with Rep. JARED MOSKOWITZ (D-Fla.) even sporting a mask of Russian President VLADIMIR PUTIN in a nod to the fact that some Democrats believe the impeachment investigation is tied to Russian misinformation. More from Jordain Carney Good Wednesday afternoon. Thanks for reading Playbook PM. Drop me a line at birvine@politico.com.
| | A message from the American Bankers Association: Credit card points and cash back rewards help Americans save, travel and shop — but some in Congress want to end those benefits, just like they shut down debit card rewards in 2011. The misguided Durbin-Marshall bill would eliminate credit card rewards, reduce access to credit cards and jeopardize consumer privacy. Don’t let lawmakers take away your hard-earned rewards just to pad the profits of corporate mega retailers. Tell Congress to oppose Durbin-Marshall. Act now. | | | WHAT STEVE DAINES IS READING — “Post-UMD poll: GOP’s Hogan leads both Democrats in Maryland Senate race,” by WaPo's Erin Cox, Scott Clement, Lateshia Beachum and Emily Guskin
| | 7 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW | | |  Donald Trump has been careful to avoid any mention of his own father’s history with Alzheimer’s disease. | AP | 1. FAMILY TIES: As former President DONALD TRUMP hurls allegations that President Biden is “cognitively impaired,” he’s been careful to avoid any mention of his own father’s history with Alzheimer’s disease. WaPo’s Michael Kranish has a deep dive on Trump’s experience “watching his father’s worsening dementia — a formative period that some associates said has been a defining and little-mentioned factor in his life, and which left him with an abiding concern that he might someday inherit the condition.” Noteworthy angle: “Trump has long emphasized his belief in the importance of genetics. He has said he is a ‘super genius’ because of his ‘great genes.’ Trump’s niece, MARY L. TRUMP, said such beliefs are noteworthy. ‘If intelligence is a genetically inherited state’ as Trump believes, she said, ‘then something like dementia, Alzheimer’s, which do have very strong genetic components, is more of a concern to somebody who is directly related to FRED TRUMP SR. as Donald is. I’m not saying he has dementia, but you can’t say the one thing and not also acknowledge the other.’” Come for the Trumpology, stay for the conversation with ZIAD NASREDDINE, the neurologist who developed the Montreal Cognitive Assessment — which Trump has boasted about passing in 2018, long ago enough that “the results would not be valid to cite today.” 2. HAPPENING THIS AFTERNOON, PART I: Fed officials are widely expected to keep interest rates at their current level following the conclusion of their two-day meeting later today, but all eyes will be on Fed Chair JEROME POWELL’s scheduled comments this afternoon to get a glimpse at the agency’s thinking, NYT’s Jeanna Smialek previews. Powell is “likely to reiterate a message he’s been offering for months now, which is that there are risks to cutting rates too early, and there are also risks to leaving rates high for too long." 3. HAPPENING THIS AFTERNOON, PART II: “Biden’s regulators poised to issue rule meant to drive electric car sales,” by Jean Chemnick and Mike Lee: “The Biden administration is set to issue one of its most ambitious climate rules Wednesday — a regulation that could cause electric cars to make up the majority of U.S. auto sales eight years from now. What it would do: The Environmental Protection Agency “estimated a year ago that the [Clean Cars] rule could lead to two-thirds of new cars and passenger trucks being electric in 2032. Wednesday’s version says automakers could build a mix of vehicles to comply with the rule, including fully battery-powered vehicles, plug-in hybrids that run on electricity and gasoline, and more efficient conventional engines.”
| | | | On the ground in Albany. Get critical policy news and analysis inside New York State. Track how power brokers are driving change across legislation and budget and impacting lobbying efforts. Learn more. | | | | | 4. GEORGIA ON MY MIND: “Trump, others can appeal Fani Willis removal ruling, judge allows,” by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Tamar Hallerman, David Wickert and Bill Rankin: Fulton Superior Court Judge SCOTT McAFEE “granted permission for former President Donald Trump and seven others to appeal his recent decision that has kept District Attorney FANI WILLIS at the helm of her election interference case. McAfee issued a ‘certificate of immediate review,’ which allows the defendants to appeal his ruling to the Georgia Court of Appeals before a trial begins. It will be up to the appeals court to decide whether to take up the matter.” 5. THE NOT-SO-SAFETY NET: “Biden’s dreams of ending poverty crumbled. Will he get a second chance?” by WaPo’s Jeff Stein: The Biden’s administration's sweeping attempts during the pandemic recovery period to expand the nation’s social safety net have fallen by the wayside as the worst of the pandemic receded. And in key swing states like Michigan, “many people who hoped federal assistance could give them a boost have been disappointed,” Stein reports. “In interviews, more than two dozen people across Michigan struggling with child care, housing or hunger were unaware of Biden’s plans to expand the safety net — and unsure, at least for now, about how they’ll vote this fall.” 6. TECH-TONIC SHIFTS: In the latest move to curtail Chinese semiconductors, the White House is considering blacklisting several semiconductor companies associated with the China-based Huawei Technologies, Bloomberg’s Mackenzie Hawkins reports this morning. The sanctions would “ratchet up the pressure on a Chinese national champion that’s made advances despite existing sanctions, including producing a smartphone processor last year that many in Washington thought beyond its capabilities.” Meanwhile, the Biden administration is making one of its largest investments in tech in the U.S., awarding up to $11 billion in loans and $8.5 billion in subsidies to tech-giant Intel in order bolster computer-chip manufacturing in multiple states, WaPo’s Jeanne Whalen reports: “The administration said Intel is investing over $100 billion in the projects, which it estimated will create 10,000 manufacturing jobs and 20,000 construction jobs.” 7. ‘TIS THE SEASON: “IRS chief zeroes in on wealthy tax cheats in AP interview,” by AP’s Fatima Hussein: [IRS Commissioner DANNY] WERFEL, who will hit the one-year mark at the helm of the IRS in April, said … that the agency will expand its pursuit of high-wealth tax dodgers with new initiatives in the coming months and is using tools like artificial intelligence to ferret out abuses and taking the fight to sophisticated scammers. … Werfel is promising taxpayers better service this year as he works to repair the agency’s image as an outdated and maligned tax collector.”
| | | | Easily connect with the right N.Y. State influencers and foster the right relationships to champion your policy priorities. POLITICO Pro. Inside New York. Learn more. | | | | | | | PLAYBOOKERS | | James Lankford is pursuing a leadership bid for the next Congress. Melania Trump said to “stay tuned” for her appearances on the campaign trail. Bob Mendendez said an election announcement will come this week. MEDIA MOVE — Jess Bidgood is now the new managing correspondent for NYT’s On Politics newsletter. She previously was senior national political reporter at The Boston Globe. OUT AND ABOUT — SPOTTED last night at Diageo’s Women’s History Month reception at RPM Italian celebrating Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), and the women of the Congressional Black Caucus: Reps. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), Lucy McBath (D-Ga.), Shontel Brown (D-Ohio), Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), Marilyn Strickland (D-Wash.), Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), Valerie Foushee (D-N.C.), Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.), Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Marc Veasey (D-Texas), Glenn Ivey (D-Md.) and Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-USVI). Stephanie Childs, Cynthia Arnold, Alden Schacher, Chante Butler, Christopher Cox, Antjuan Seawright, Doug Thornell and Steve Benjamin. Did someone forward this email to you? Sign up here. Send Playbookers tips to playbook@politico.com or text us at 202-556-3307. Playbook couldn’t happen without our editor Mike DeBonis, deputy editor Zack Stanton and Playbook Daily Briefing producer Callan Tansill-Suddath.
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