| | | | | |  | | By Katherine Tully-McManus | With Nicholas Wu. SECURITY TENSIONS SIMMER AT CAPITOL — A year after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, security officials are under pressure to prove that changes and improvements have been made to a point that another siege of the Capitol could be prevented and lawmakers could be protected both in Washington and their districts. The Capitol Police Board spelled out changes and reforms already implemented in a 10-page report obtained by POLITICO Tuesday evening, including development of a "Critical Incident Response Plan" and issuing cell phones to USCP officers. The report makes a nod at a new commitment to transparency, but does not go as far as committing to releasing USCP Inspector General reports that civil society groups have spent years pushing for. More on the USCP Board report from Kyle and Nicholas: Capitol security officials present list of reforms ahead of Jan. 6 anniversary Today's testimony: Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger told reporters Tuesday that the department is "stronger and better prepared" to handle their mission than on Jan. 6 last year, and he is expected to reiterate that message and department's changes to readiness this morning before the Senate Rules and Administration Committee. He'll also outline where the department, which has seen steady and significant budget increases over the last decade, would spend additional resources that will be requested in upcoming budget requests. In a private House Democratic Caucus call on Tuesday, Manger and House Sergeant at Arms William Walker were pressed by members on security concerns in their districts and the policies for firearms in the Capitol complex. Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) asked about how to ensure security at district events, since members can't use their office funds to pay for private security — only campaign funds. The two security officials also outlined ideas under consideration for overhauling Capitol security that have the potential to transform access to Congress: enhanced screening for Capitol visitors, similar to the White House's system, and a more robust security posture at entrances and checkpoints. TESTING, TESTING, 123 — Capitol officials have placed a huge order for at-home covid tests for congressional employees, including those working in district offices across the country, sources told Sarah and Nicholas. Tuesday after a House Democratic Caucus call. The Architect of the Capitol has also placed a significant order for N95 masks that will be available to workers and staff. Senate and House offices can also now get reimbursed for buying at-home tests and N95 masks for staff, per a congressional aide. House Administration Committee Chair Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) reiterated guidance from the attending physician on Tuesday's call, urging colleagues to implement maximum telework for their offices and upgrading mask quality for anyone working in the Capitol. But Democratic lawmakers lamented that there aren't teeth to the recommendations, no enforcement of masking except for in the House chamber. New Test Site: Head on down to the Capitol Visitors' Center Cafeteria, which is where covid testing will now be available. That's right in Emancipation Hall, which has been spookily empty for much of the pandemic. The testing site, operated by Curative, is also ramping up staffing in an effort to double testing capacity and decrease wait times. | | | | POLITICO TECH AT CES 2022 - We are bringing a special edition of the POLITICO Tech newsletter to CES 2022. Written by Alexandra Levine and John Hendel, the newsletter will take you inside the most influential technology event on the planet, featuring every major and emerging industry in the technology ecosystem gathered together in one place. The newsletter runs from Jan. 5-7 and will focus on the public policy related aspects of the gathering. Sign up today to receive exclusive coverage of the Summit. | | | | | GOOD MORNING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Wednesday, January 5, where the Senate still has not voted yet this week. DIALING FOR DEFENSE DOLLARS — The House Appropriations Committee is close to allocating $740 billion for the Defense Department, $25 billion more than President Joe Biden requested, report Connor O'Brien and Alex Ward. Appropriations Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and staff have been making calls to see if members would support going higher than Biden's budget. The increase would match the funding level approved in the National Defense Authorization Act, which Biden signed last week. (If you've been calling the NDAA a spending bill, check yourself.) Read more from our friends at NatSec Daily on the next steps and what political roadblocks remain. LOSING LAWRENCE — Rep. Brenda Lawrence will not seek reelection to her Detroit-area district, the 25th House Democrat to retire this cycle. "The four-term Michigan lawmaker had climbed the ranks of the powerful House Appropriations panel, as well as the Congressional Black Caucus, since arriving in the Capitol in 2015. She also narrowly lost an election for a caucus-wide leadership election two years ago, so her decision to step aside — first reported by the Detroit News — surprised some of her colleagues," writes Sarah. NO NEGOTIATION — Usually Senators are eager to insist they are "still talking" even when legislative prospects look bleak, but Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) took the opposite tack Tuesday, saying "There is no negotiation going on at this time," on the Democrats' stalled climate and social spending package that Manchin is the lone Democratic holdout on. And yet, Schumer still plans to put Biden's signature domestic policy package on the Senate floor and put Manchin on the spot to vote for or against it. "I intend to hold a vote in the Senate on BBB and we'll keep voting until we get a bill passed. The stakes are high for us to find common ground," Schumer said Tuesday. More from Burgess here. | | |
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D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer Daniel Hodges at the U.S. Capitol. | Stephen Voss for POLITICO | BROTHERHOOD IN TRAUMA — A year on from the attack on the Capitol, Officer Aquilino Gonell is still in physical therapy after two surgeries. The sound of Capitol workers banging on metal still reminds him of it. Nick dug into how officers who responded on Jan. 6 are still reliving that day and are forging bonds together in a search for accountability. One interesting anecdote that didn't make the final story: Metropolitan Police Department Officer Daniel Hodges, who was captured in a now-famous video as he was crushed by rioters in the West Terrace doors of the Capitol, said the video almost didn't happen. Amid the melee, Hodges was about to hit a person before he realized they were wearing press badges, so he thought to himself, "maybe I should leave him alone." "It's good thing I did, because he captured that video, which really demonstrated exactly the odds we were facing and how brutal it was," Hodges recalled in an interview. RELATED: The Capitol Police and the Scars of Jan. 6, from Susan Dominus and Luke Broadwater for New York Times Magazine It's complicated: Feeling safe at the Capitol isn't simple a year after Jan. 6, from Chris Cioffi at CQ Roll Call Neighbors not forgotten: As Jan. 6 anniversary approaches, fear, disbelief and anger still felt in Capitol Hill neighborhood, from The Washington Post | | | | BECOME A GLOBAL INSIDER: The world is more connected than ever. It has never been more essential to identify, unpack and analyze important news, trends and decisions shaping our future — and we've got you covered! Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Global Insider author Ryan Heath navigates the global news maze and connects you to power players and events changing our world. Don't miss out on this influential global community. Subscribe now. | | | | | | | | THE GIRL WITH A HOOP EARRING — Three hundred and fifty nine days after Joe Lowry found a single gold earring on the floor of the balcony in the House Chamber following the Jan. 6 attack, he finally found its owner Tuesday morning. Lowry, the Director of Emergency Preparedness of the U.S. House of Representatives, re-upped his own tweet from Jan. 10, 2021 with a photo of the earring he found after the chamber's evacuation, hoping to still reach its owner almost a year later. He figured someone lost it while donning the emergency escape hoods while trapped in the House gallery during the siege of the Capitol. Our own Sarah Ferris quickly replied "Oh my gosh that's MINE! I still have the other one!!" She quickly told her mother, whose earrings she had borrowed and worn to work on Jan. 6. She and others had tried looking for the hoop hours after the evacuation, with no luck. The good-news exchange touched a lot of hearts, including PopVox founder and former Hill staffer Marci Harris, who posted "choked up over the thoughtful public servant who held onto an earring lost on one of the worst days in the history of the Capitol & the journalist who lost it amid the chaos… & almost exactly 1 year later… wow." Joe and Sarah plan to connect next week to reunite the earrings. HIGHWAY STAR — In case you didn't hear, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) had a truly hellish commute this week. He said he'd rather bike it. QUICK LINKS Inside D.C.'s Rowdy New Progressive Scene, from Kara Voght at The New Republic Congressional Black Caucus taps senior Harris aide as executive director, from Nolan D. McCaskill at The Los Angeles Times TRANSITIONS Kellie Chong is now legislative assistant for Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska). She was previously legislative aide for Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). Amber Bland has been promoted to be legislative director for Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.). She most recently was his legislative counsel for foreign affairs, education and labor. Barrasso's long-time legislative director Bryn Stewart is returning home to Sheridan, Wyoming, after 20 years of serving the state in the U.S. Senate. TODAY IN CONGRESS The House is not in session. The Senate convenes at 11 a.m. AROUND THE HILL Quiet again today. | | | TUESDAY'S WINNER: Pat Leahy, who shares the Senator's name, is a former Sen. Fred Thompson staffer and correctly answered that Sen. Thompson played Ed Trudeau in Die Hard 2. TODAY'S QUESTION from Pat: Which Major League Baseball player from a Washington D.C. team ran for Congress and in what year did he run? 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
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