| | | | | |  | | By Katherine Tully-McManus | With Andrew Desiderio LET'S TRY THIS AGAIN — How many times will be the charm in the Senate? There's legislative, negotiation and scheduling déjà vu all at play in the chamber this week. Voting on voting: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has vowed the Senate will tackle voting rights legislation and will vote on changing key Senate rules by Jan. 17 if the GOP once again blocks the Democrats' elections bill. "We must adapt. The Senate must evolve, like it has many times before," Schumer wrote in a Dear Colleague letter Monday. Schumer is charging hard towards a fight on the filibuster, which isn't a settled issue within his own caucus. Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona have repeatedly defended the filibuster, but Democrats are looking to see if there are proposals short of outright elimination that could bring their two colleagues on board, like bringing back a talking filibuster. There's a small group of Senate Dems who have been meeting with Manchin to discuss his stance on rules changes and those meetings are expected to continue this week. More from Marianne and Burgess on the Senate's status here. Build back… when? Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), a member of Schumer's leadership team, said on Monday that the focus on elections legislation doesn't mean Senate Democrats are putting their major climate and social spending bill on the back burner. "I don't think we're pivoting away. In fact, we met by recess over phone and we're lining up a vote on that," she said. It isn't clear when the Senate will turn to the legislation, but Schumer told his caucus he'd bring it to a vote, despite Manchin's opposition to the latest proposal. Only a few snow-worthy senators made it to Monday's brief session, in which votes were canceled due to the fly-in-day whiteout. Monday's nomination vote is slated for this morning ahead of caucus lunches. Democrats are returning to a virtual caucus meeting format, while Republicans are sticking to in-person, replicating the posture each side took during other covid surges on Capitol Hill. CAUCUS CALL — House Democrats hold their first caucus meeting of the new year, virtually, this afternoon. The three topics on the agenda are: 1) Events marking the anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. 2) Rising covid positivity rates on Capitol Hill, with a presentation from House Administration Committee Chair Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.). 3) Capitol security. | | | | 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 Tuesday, January 4. Shoutout to the Architect of the Capitol workers who cleared paths through the snow and ice, but still watch your step. RUSH-ING TO RETIREMENT — Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), the 15-term lawmaker, minister and former Black Panther, says his current term will be his last on Capitol Hill. The former Chicago alderman first told his hometown paper the Chicago Sun-Times on Monday night and has an official announcement planned for noon (EST) in Chicago. But he's not calling it retirement. "I am not ready to go off to some spot in the sun, sit on nobody's beach drinking tequila," Rush told POLITICO on Monday. "I'm coming home to my church located in the heart of South Side of the city of Chicago," Rush said, referring to the Beloved Community Church of God in Christ, where he serves as pastor. "I'm just entering into a new level of my life," he said. More from the interview and on Rush's incredible trajectory, from Shia Kapos and Brakkton Booker here. As for his successor, "I will be making a suggestion," Rush said. "I'm going to be presenting an individual who I would like to continue the work that I have done in the U.S. Congress." But that announcement isn't expected today. DEMS SCHEMING? — Democrats are now grappling with Schumer's commitment to give Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) a vote this month on sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 Russian pipeline (and confirm dozens of ambassadors in the process. The vote, which is set to take place before Jan. 14 is a politically risky vote for Democrats, some of whom spoke out against Biden's decision last year to waive sanctions on the pipeline. Cruz expects to win that vote overwhelmingly, though, meaning Democrats will effectively be undercutting Biden at a time when Russia is threatening to invade Ukraine. But Democrats might have a way out, write Andrew and Alex Ward . And it's worrying Republicans. One option for Democrats is to bring up a different sanctions package from Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) that would impose sanctions on Nord Stream 2 only after Russia invades Ukraine — as a "side-by-side" with Cruz's bill, effectively giving senators an option to vote for either. Republicans have criticized such an idea as an effort to give Democrats political cover for opposing Cruz's bill, which the majority of Democrats have supported in the past. And while the Cruz-Schumer agreement doesn't explicitly allow for a side-by-side, it could still happen. FORTENBERRY MOTION FOILED — A federal judge on Monday rejected Rep. Jeff Fortenberry's (R-Neb.) effort to dismiss charges against him, including making false statements to FBI agents who were investigating an illegal foreign donation to his campaign. That's not the Nebraskan's last stand though: He still has a motion pending to try and suppress statements he made to investigators, with a court hearing set for Jan. 11. His trial is scheduled to start Feb. 15, but it has already been postponed several times. ICYMI: The House Ethics Committee voted unanimously in early December to establish an investigative subcommittee to probe the allegations against Fortenberry. But, as is standard, the Justice Department asked House Ethics to defer consideration while prosecution continues. COVID IN CONGRESS… CONTINUED — We already knew Washington was a hotspot with some of the highest case counts in the country, but with new information released Monday by the Capitol's Attending Physician we now know that Capitol Hill is part of the trend. More than 13 percent of people at the campus's on-site testing center have tested positive in recent weeks, up from less than 1 percent before the omicron variant surfaced. Dr. Brian Monahan warned that cases will "increase even more substantially in the coming weeks." Recommendation roundup: Key takeaways include limiting in-person meetings and urging offices to move to "maximal telework posture" along with masking guidance. Monahan is encouraging staff and workers on Capitol Hill to ditch cloth face masks and surgical masks in favor of N95 or KN95 masks that provide superior protection. Will Monahan's message sway the many GOP offices in the House and Senate that have had mask-optional policies for months? We'll see. Hit up Huddle with info about what your office is doing (or… not doing) to avoid the omicron wave. You know where to find us . Door dash… Capitol Police alerted Hill workers in recent days that certain doors on the Capitol campus are out of commission because of "staffing shortages," meaning not enough officers to station teams at each door for security screenings. | | | A 2022 SURPRISE — If the Capitol Police are one of the least transparent law enforcement agencies in the country, the Capitol Police Board is a black box. But the four-person Capitol Police board is holding a press conference this afternoon, "to discuss the improvements made to secure the U.S. Capitol and protect our democratic process." (2:30 p.m., HVC-201) Who are they: The board is composed of House and Senate sergeants-at-arms, Gen. William Walker and Gen. Karen Gibson, Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton, with a non-voting presence by the Capitol Police chief. The board came under intense scrutiny in the wake of communication and leadership breakdown on Jan. 6, 2021. But there's been a near wholesale replacement of the board since then – the USCP chief and both sergeants-at-arms who were at the helm for the attack resigned soon after. Lawmakers have called for an overhaul of the Capitol Police's governing body and USCP Chief Thomas Manger is set to testify tomorrow before a Senate panel. New authority: President Joe Biden signed a bill into law last month that allows the Capitol Police chief to request help from the D.C. National Guard or federal law enforcement without getting prior approval from the Capitol Police Board. A bipartisan Senate report on the insurrection released last June "clearly demonstrated the need for the chief of the U.S. Capitol Police to have more unilateral flexibility to quickly request assistance in an emergency," another of the bill's sponsors, Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), said in a statement. | 
Pro-Trump protesters gather in front of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. | Jon Cherry/Getty Images | MANY CRIMES, LITTLE PUNISHMENT — A year after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, more than 700 people have been arrested for crimes tied to the deadly riot and investigations are still ongoing. Check out POLITICO's new database that will be updated regularly tracking every sentence to date in the Capitol riot. The database, plus analysis from Nick Niedzwiadek, is HERE. The POLITICO analysis of every sentence to date in the Capitol riot shows that judges have been wary about imposing long prison terms except when violence, or the threat of it, was involved. RELATED: Why DOJ is avoiding domestic terrorism sentences for Jan. 6 defendants, by Josh Gerstein SILENCE IN THE SENATE? — After the House pushed out information about mental health and support resources ahead of the anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack, some Senate staff were left searching their own inboxes and wondering "what about us?" The Senate sent out information about a weekly mindfulness program on Dec. 27 and a plug for the employee assistance program on Dec. 20 entitled "Holiday Emotional Support" that seemed to go out of it's way to avoid mentioning Jan. 6, saying: "a quick glance at the calendar could help you to connect what you're experiencing to an anniversary of a traumatic or emotional event." Those emails didn't go to all Senate employees, just to top aides with a suggestion to forward on to their staffs. In addition to the EAP, CapitolStrong has a good roundup of resources. HuffPost's Igor Bobic captures the chamber's posture: Capitol Riot A Distant Memory In The Senate: Seems 'As If It Never Happened' | | | | 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. | | | | | | | | RIP BBM…The Blackberry network, essential technology on Capitol Hill for more than two decades, shuts down today. C-SPAN's Howard Mortman gave us flashbacks to Blackberry feedback on the Senate floor and your Huddle host is even nostalgic for getting issued a Blackberry for my first Hill reporting gig way back when. Sled free or die… The rumors are true: your Huddle host is pro-sledding. In recent years the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill has included language instructing Capitol Police to not enforce a Capitol Hill sledding ban. But on Monday USCP cleared the West Front of saucers and toboggans -- citing falling branches knocked down by a combination of wet, heavy snow and blustering winds. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), a champion of the Capitol's signature slope, acknowledged the situational danger but made clear she was still pro-sledding when safe: "Children across America and particularly in D.C. have endured an extremely challenging year. Sledding is a simple, childhood thrill. It is the least we can allow for our resilient children this winter season." TRANSITIONS Maya Krishna-Rogers is taking over as press secretary for Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.). She most recently worked at Emily's List. Daniela Campos is now press secretary for Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.). She previously was press secretary for Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas). Renzo Olivari is joining Sen. Jacky Rosen's (D-Nev.) office as comms director in her Senate office. He previously was press secretary for Terry McAuliffe's Virginia gubernatorial campaign. Katie Moore Culleton is joining the National Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives as Legislative Affairs Director. She was previously senior policy advisor to Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kan.). Kirsten Hartman West is now a principal of public affairs at Cornerstone. She previously was deputy chief of staff for Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.). Abigail Kane is now a special assistant for policy in the office of the assistant secretary of Defense for legislative affairs. She previously was a legislative aide for Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.). Haley Meyers is now a management and program analyst with congressional affairs at the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Inspector General. She previously was a legislative aide for Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.). TODAY IN CONGRESS The House is not in session. The Senate convenes at 10 a.m. AROUND THE HILL 2 p.m. Senate Republican and Senate Democratic leaders will hold their post-lunch media availabilities. | | | MONDAY'S WINNER: Bruce Mehlman correctly answered that pneumatic tubes between the Library of Congress and Capitol made the "rapid transit literary line" aka book tunnel less needed, but the construction of the Capitol Visitors Center closed the tunnel for good. TODAY'S QUESTION from Bruce: What role did a former Presidential candidate play in Die Hard 2? 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
| | | | Follow us | | | | |
Comments
Post a Comment