With Melanie Zanona, Sarah Ferris, Marianne Levine and Kyle Cheney.
SMILE LIKE YOU (WAYS AND) MEANS IT: Who will write the GOP’s next tax cut bill? The fight is already underway and Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) just announced his retirement. Behind the scenes, potential contenders have already started to make calls and set up meetings in an effort to woo members who will decide which lawmaker will get the top GOP spot on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee.
Brady was term limited out of leading the tax-writing committee in the next Congress, so Republicans already knew the prized position would open up come 2023. But the Texas Republican’s announcement on Tuesday has kicked the race into a higher gear. Plus, Republicans are feeling pretty confident about their chances of winning back the House majority, which would make this role even more coveted.
Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) is widely seen as the front-runner. He is the most senior Republican after Brady, a close ally to GOP leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and a prolific fundraiser. And he is said to be very interested in the job. But, that would also mean he would have to relinquish his top role on the House Intelligence Committee, where he was able to make his mark as a loyal ally to then-President Donald Trump, particularly during the Russia probes.
But there are others looking to leapfrog Nunes — and some had been making moves even before Brady’s retirement announcement. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.), a former businessman and one of the wealthiest members of Congress, is next in line in seniority after Nunes and is expected to compete for the spot, according to multiple GOP sources.
One GOP lawmaker familiar with the matter told your Huddle host Buchanan is “aggressively pursuing” the top panel role and has been courting members of the House GOP Steering Committee, which decides panel assignments. Another source said Buchanan also has been telegraphing to K Street that he’s interested. Buchanan, when asked by your Huddle host last night about his plans, said: “It is Brady’s day today. We’ll put something out tomorrow.”
Who else: Reps. Adrian Smith (R-Neb.) and Jason Smith (R-Mo.) are also seen as members who may throw their names into the race, sources said. One Republican said Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) could also wind up being in the mix.
Of course, it is still early, and names may come and go. But the maneuvering emphasizes the excitement for such a reshuffling. Afterall, it is a high-profile role: Brady helped write the 2017 GOP tax law from his powerful perch, which Republicans describe as one of their defining accomplishments in the Trump years.
Our Brian Faler has more on what Brady’s retirement means: https://politi.co/3dfGAUC
THE STATE OF THE UNION IS…LIMITED: President Joe Biden’s first joint address to Congress is still in the planning stages, but sources tell Sarah that there will likely be around 200 people in the chamber *total*. This includes lawmakers – sans guests – and administration officials. Though, that final head count could still change.
Covid protocols will be in place throughout the chamber, with members and senators seated in the House gallery, as well as the floor, for social distancing.
HIKIN’ IT TOGETHER?:: Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) said Wednesday that he is working with Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) on a proposal to raise the minimum wage (h/t to HuffPost’s Igor Bobic).
Romney declined to elaborate on details of the proposal, but said the plan would be to ultimately take it to the G-20 group to “see how they react to it and go from there.” A group of Senate Democrats also met for a second time with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) Wednesday afternoon for about 30 minutes to discuss the issue. Sinema did not bring up her proposal with Romney at the meeting, according to an attendee.
UPCOMING: A bicameral group of Democrats will introduce legislation today that aims to expand the size of the U.S. Supreme Court by adding four seats to the high court. House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), who are leading the bill, and others will be holding a press conference at 11:30 a.m. before the Supreme Court to roll out the expansion legislation.
This move comes as Democrats have talked about changing the makeup of the court after Trump, while president, established a 6-3 majority of justices appointed by Republican presidents. It is unlikely to go anywhere — naturally, Republicans oppose it. But it does telegraph how some Dems are growing impatient with Biden’s commission approach that will review adding seats to the court.
More here from Marianne: https://politi.co/32kx9wM
ALSO TOUGH ROAD AHEAD: House panel advances bill to study reparations in historic vote, by NYT’s Nick Fandos: https://nyti.ms/32i0TdO | House panel approves bill to grant D.C. statehood, by Axios’ Ivana Saric: https://bit.ly/3tqtZ6M
FILING DAY: The deadline for lawmakers to file their Q1 campaign finance reports is TODAY and best believe we will be looking to see what is in store when the info is made public. Stay tuned.
A message from Freight Rail Works:
The freight rail industry stands ready to help America rebound, rebuild and reimagine our future. Freight rail is uniquely positioned to help policymakers meet three key priorities to help get the country back on track: strengthen our economy, reinvest in our infrastructure and protect our environment. See why freight rail has both the experience and vision to drive the nation’s recovery.
HAPPY THURSDAY! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill on this April 15, where emotional comfort dogs are roaming around the Capitol and your Huddle host can confidently say they are bringing lots of joy … and taking lots of pics with admirers.
WEDNESDAY’S MOST CLICKED: Teen Vogue’s story on how Brittany Ramos DeBarros, Veteran and Activist, is running for Congress was the big winner.
KA-POW PELOSI: “‘Nancy doesn’t have much patience for people who don’t know what they don’t know.’ That was what a senior congressional Democrat close to the speaker of the House told me when I asked what Nancy Pelosi really thought of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.” That is how an excerpt from USAToday’s Susan Page’s upcoming book “Madam Speaker” starts. The excerpt, featured in Politico Mag, details the Speaker’s battle with Ocasio-Cortez and the progressive Squad. Page interviewed Pelosi 10 times for her book, digging into who the speaker is and how she has accumulated and used her power.
She basically dismissed AOC as being too idealistic rather than realistic with her policy goals. Take this other bit: “Allies of Pelosi compared AOC to Bernie Sanders, the nominally independent Vermont senator: a leader with a vision, but not a legislator who could build the sort of coalitions necessary to get much done in Congress.”
Lots more here: https://politi.co/3tjVtLe … Our Playbook friends also dive in deeper: https://politi.co/3gdEGWK
MAKING MOVES: The Senate voted 92-6 on Wednesday to move forward on legislation from Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) to address the rise in hate crimes against Asian-Americans. Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) haven’t yet worked out a time agreement on amendments, making it more likely that debate and a final vote on the bill will go into next week, BUT Schumer said Wednesday that Democrats and Republicans are “making good progress on reaching a bipartisan agreement.”
Senators in both parties are cautiously optimistic that the legislation will pass the chamber, after a series of amendment votes. Among the amendments that will be considered is a bipartisan proposal from Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Jerry Moran (R-Kans.) that would provide grants to state and local governments to improve hate crime reporting.
In addition, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Hirono are working on an amendment to modify the bill’s language. Collins told Marianne that they’re trying to “come up with something that would make it clearer that you didn’t have to prove a connection to COVID.”
Related: Race debate grips Congress, by The Hill’s Mike Lillis: https://bit.ly/3e4XoNl | Senators eye revitalized amendment process, by the National Journal’s Zachary Cohen: https://bit.ly/3wXWCdF
GOLDEN RULE…IN CONGRESS? McConnell had an unusual request for Senate Republicans on Tuesday: Say nice things about two of their colleagues across the aisle, Sinema and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.).
The GOP leader noted how the two moderate Dems are facing a lot of pressure from liberal activists and their own Dem colleagues to nix the filibuster, so they should seek to help protect the two moderates by publicly praising them, he explained, arguing they could “save this institution,” reports Burgess: https://politi.co/3uRg5eb
Meanwhile: Christie to GOP study group: Call Biden out as ‘a liar,’ by RCP’s Philip Wegmann: https://bit.ly/2QvPXH6
NOT A GOOD LOOK: The Capitol Police’s riot control unit was so dysfunctional that officers often sought ways to avoid serving on it, an internal watchdog found, which was part of a searing indictment of the department’s handling of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. The so-called Civil Disturbance Unit had been problematic for months, but there appeared to be no effort to make urgently needed reforms as of March, Inspector General Michael Bolton found.
The report, which also describes crucial intelligence-gathering failures by the department, will be the subject of a hearing Thursday afternoon by the House Administration Committee.
Although Bolton is likely to stick closely to the wording of his report, lawmakers may prod him to tip his hand on their own concerns about what went down on Jan. 6 — including the ongoing internal reviews of nearly three dozen Capitol Police officers over their own conduct that day. Bolton may be able to speak to the status of those probes as well as to the review Democrats have sought of pre-Jan. 6 surveillance footage and visitor logs to determine whether any would-be rioters were given access to the building beforehand.
More from Kyle here: https://politi.co/3di7FGG …
Here is Bolton’s prepared statement: https://bit.ly/2Rro4Aa … Summaries of his first two reports on the Jan. 6 aftermath are here and here.
Related: Prosecutors decline to charge officer who fatally shot Jan. 6 Capitol rioter, Kyle reports: https://politi.co/3abLRus
DOES THIS TRAIN LEAVE THE STATION? Senate Republicans are preparing to put forward an infrastructure proposal that aims to counter Biden’s plan, with a far smaller price tag that is likely to be between $600 to $800 billion — though that is still being ironed out. All of this would be more targeted in scope — i.e. more focused on roads, bridges, and more — and funded by unspecified user fees, several GOP senators tell our Sam Mintz.
Sam writes: “Romney said that it’s not clear yet if the counter will be offered just by Republicans or by a bipartisan group. A few Democrats have criticized the Biden plan’s size or substance, and some have expressed concerns about corporate tax hikes as the funding source.”
More here: https://politi.co/3uJSs7o
SWERVE: “Chuck Schumer’s bid to put a bipartisan China bill on the Senate floor this month is in danger thanks to a behind-the-scenes GOP push to pump the brakes on an issue personally vital to the majority leader,” Andrew reports: https://politi.co/32dJink
GET THE INTEL: Intel chiefs sound alarm on China in global threats hearing, by our Martin Matishak and Andrew: https://politi.co/3gbQPeO
GAETZ UPDATEZ: Rep. Matt Gaetz announces ad buy to ‘fight back’ against CNN, allegations, by our Benjamin Din: https://politi.co/3ejQmEP | Matt Gaetz’s wingman paid dozens of young women—and a 17-year-old, by the Daily Beasts’ Jose Pagliery and Roger Sollenberger: https://bit.ly/3g8WuSJ … And yes, he was seen again at House votes yesterday.
Per our E&E News’ Emma Dumain: “Interesting nugget…: Manchin reportedly declined to meet with Elizabeth Klein when she was the original choice to be Deputy Interior Secretary and “suggested she was too hostile to fossil fuels.” More here from WaPo’s Juliet Eilperin and Joshua Partlow’s story: https://wapo.st/3uR6STb
HOW YOU LIKE DEM MAPS?: Red states on U.S. electoral map lagging on vaccinations, by the AP’s Russ Bynum: https://bit.ly/2Qv3Hl2
A message from Freight Rail Works:
CAMPAIGN CENTRAL:
-Former N.C. Governor Pat McCrory (R) jumps into NC Senate race: His announcement: https://bit.ly/3wWZIyr … The Charlotte News & Observer’s Brian Murphy and Théoden Janes have more: https://bit.ly/3mNXVHv
-Pennsylvania Senate race runs through Mar-a-Lago, our Holly Otterbein reports: https://politi.co/3afAzpf
-Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), who is in her fourth term, raised $1.1 million in the first three months of 2021 from 30,000 donors, cementing her status as a small-dollar fundraising juggernaut as she weighs a run for governor or a leadership bid in the House. Average contribution size: $25. More here from Ally Mutnick: https://politi.co/3e0ZttD
-Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), who voted to impeach Donald Trump as GOP conference chair, raised a whopping $1.5 million for her re-election campaign during Q1, which her office describes as a new record for her political career. Also… Cheney says she won’t support Trump if he runs in 2024, per CNN’s Paul LeBlanc.
TRANSITIONS
Kat Cosgrove is joining Rep. Gerry Connolly’s (D-Va.) office as Senior Legislative Aide handling his House Foreign Affairs Committee portfolio. She most recently served in Rep. Chris Pappas’ (D-N.H.) office, serving as a senior Legislative Aide handling his House Veterans Affairs Committee portfolio. She is also a Beto O’Rourke and Human Rights First alum.
Nicholas Scoufaras joined the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association this week as manager of public and government affairs. He was most recently legislative director for former Rep. Rob Woodall (R-Ga.).
Elizabeth Gibson is now a director at Bullpen Strategy Group. She previously was a speechwriter for Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.).
Sophie Crowell will lead Rep. Ashley Hinson’s (R-Iowa) reelection campaign. She currently is a regional data director for the RNC, and is a North Carolina GOP alum.
TODAY IN CONGRESS
The House will meet at 12 p.m. for legislative business.
The Senate will convene at 10 a.m. and resume consideration of the motion to proceed to the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act.
AROUND THE HILL
9 a.m.: The House Intelligence Committee will hold its worldwide threats assessment.
10:30 a.m.: The National Security Task Force will hold a press call on Biden’s withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, featuring Dem Vice Chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) and Reps. Jason Crow (D-Colo.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), and Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.), co-chairs of the National Security Task Force.
10:30 a.m.: Connecticut Democratic Sens. Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal will have a press conference on gun violence prevention legislation… Also: Anthony Fauci and CDC DIrector Rochelle Walensky will testify before a House Oversight subcommittee.
10:45 a.m.: Pelosi weekly holds her weekly press conference.
11:30 a.m.: GOP leader Kevin McCarthy holds his weekly press conference.
11:30 a.m.: A bicameral group of Democrats will hold a press conference outside the Supreme Court to discuss their legislation that aims to expand the size of the U.S. Supreme Court.
11:45 a.m.: Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), and Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.) and others will announce a New SALT Caucus.
1 p.m.: The Administration Committee will hold a hearing on the Capitol Police and Jan. 6 p.m., featuring Capitol Police Inspector General Michael Bolton.
2 p.m.: Biden and VP Kamala Harris will meet with the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Executive Committee in the Oval Office.
Additionally: HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, VA Secretary Denis McDonough, and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will all testify before House Appropriations subcommittees.
TRIVIA
WEDNESDAY’S WINNER: Wilson Golden was the first person to correctly guess that the physician who learned of the British planning to attack Lexington and who had lanterns displayed in the Old North Church was Dr. Joseph Warren. He later became a general in the army and died a few months later at the Battle of Bunker Hill. The lanterns were made famous by Longfellow’s poem.
TODAY’S QUESTION: From Wilson: Which President’s daughter was both married in and gave birth to a child in the White House?
The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your answer to [email protected].
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A message from Freight Rail Works:
As Washington turns its focus to fixing America’s outdated infrastructure, freight rail is a model industry that carries its own weight. We’ve got what it takes to help Congress meet three key priorities for today and tomorrow. The first: supporting the economy. Even during the height of the pandemic, freight rail kept goods moving 24/7 while offering customers competitive rates. Second: modernizing infrastructure. Freight railroads are already paving the way in this area, creating the safest era in rail history thanks to an annual $25 billion investment. Third: protecting our environment. If one-tenth of the freight shipped by the largest trucks were moved by rail instead, we could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 17 million tons annually. See how freight rail can help America rebound, rebuild and reimagine our future.