The Chinese drones over Washington

Presented by National Retail Federation: A play-by-play preview of the day's congressional news

Nov 23, 2022 View in browser   By Katherine Tully-McManus Presented by National Retail Federation EVERY STEP YOU TAKE, EVERY MOVE YOU MAKE — The Chinese-made drones will be watching you. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill on the Senate Homeland Security, Commerce and Intelligence committees have received classified briefings from federal officials and drone industry experts on hundreds of intrusions into secure airspace by recreational drones made by Chinese company DJI. The drones are supposed to be locked out of D.C.'s restricted airspace, but with simple tweaks, those geofencing restrictions can be overridden. The revelations have stoked concerns about espionage. DJI is not owned by the Chinese government but has strong financial ties to the government and public records list Beijing-backed individuals among its investors, report Bryan Bender and Andrew Desiderio . Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee: "Any technological product with origins in China or Chinese companies holds a real risk and potential of vulnerability that can be exploited both now and in a time of conflict." "Anything that's technological has the capability of having embedded, in the software or in the actual hardware, vulnerabilities that can be exploited at any given moment," Recent data shared with Congress illustrates the vast scope of the issue: there were more than 100 intrusions into the "special flight rules" area in the Washington region in just a 45-day period. Drone operators must obtain waivers from the FAA to fly inside the area, but these did not. Careful what you watch for: The situation brings to mind "Cafe Ground Zero," the Cold War era folklore that Soviet spies believed the hot dog stand in the Pentagon courtyard was a top secret facility based on satellite data showing people going in and out at the same times each day. But drones are much savvier than satellites. House Appropriations Chair Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn) speaks at the Capitol. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker) | Getty Images 'TIS THE SEASON — For doubts to arise that Congress can pull together a year-end funding deal to meet their deadline and avoid a government shutdown. GOP appropriator Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) isn't making plans for the Christmas holiday in case talks drag into the final weeks of December. "Nope. Washington is beautiful when it snows," he told Caitlin Emma . The Dec. 16 deadline will be here before you know it. And the drawn-out elections results process and lame duck leadership jockeying have delayed concerted efforts to hash out a deal. Democrats had a much stronger showing in the midterms than expected and the Senate's margins won't be determined until runoff in Georgia on Dec. 6. House Appropriations Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) said her focus on the mid-December deadline is "laser-like," but also told your Huddle host that the key players were just starting to get together in the days after the House was called for GOP control. Talks had been put off due to the midterm elections. "I just don't think that's going to happen," Republican Rep. Mike Simpson of Idaho told Caitlin, about meeting the Dec. 16 deadline. "There's just too much confusion going on."   A message from National Retail Federation: The INFORM Consumers Act is a bipartisan solution to stop organized retail crime. It's supported by retailers, law enforcement organizations and consumer advocates alike. It's time for Congress to pass the INFORM Consumers Act — this year — and help keep our communities safe. Learn more here.   GOOD MORNING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Wednesday, November 13, where we're thankful for our loyal Huddle readers! SCHEDULING NOTE: Huddle will be off Thursday and Friday for the Thanksgiving holiday. But will return to your inbox on Nov. 28. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) talks to reporters. (Photo by Jacquelyn Martin) | AP McCARTHY SETS SIGHTS ON MAYORKAS — While touring the U.S.-Mexico border on Tuesday with Republicans from the Texas Congressional delegation, GOP leader Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) called on Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to resign. McCarthy: "We will use the power of the purse and the power of subpoena. Let me be clear: Those responsible for this disaster will be held accountable," McCarthy said at a news conference in El Paso. "If Secretary Mayorkas does not resign, House Republicans will investigate every order, every action and every failure to determine whether we can begin impeachment inquiries." DHS responded, making clear that Mayorkas has no intention of resigning. "Members of Congress can do better than point the finger at someone else; they should come to the table and work on solutions for our broken system and outdated laws, which have not been overhauled in over 40 years," DHS said in a statement. On the trip: McCarthy was joined by Texas Republican Reps. Tony Gonzales, Dan Crenshaw, Brian Babin and August Pfluger along with Reps. Mark Green (R-Tenn.) and Kat Cammack (R-Fla.). Reality check: The math for impeachment of administration officials is getting tougher. Back in October Jordain wrote about the momentum in the House GOP towards impeachments . But as the dream of a red wave crashed down and the reality of a razor-thin GOP majority took hold, impeachment ambitions wavered in the wake of the election. Centrists warn that impeachment, even of cabinet officials instead of the president, takes up so much oxygen that it could hurt Republicans heading into 2024.   POLITICO APP USERS: UPGRADE YOUR APP BY DECEMBER 19! We recently upgraded the POLITICO app with a fresh look and improved features for easier access to POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Starting December 19, users will no longer have access to the previous version of the app. Update your app today to stay on top of essential political news, insights, and analysis from the best journalists in the business. UPDATE iOS APP – UPDATE ANDROID APP .     BRING OUT YOUR RULES — The House Rules Committee has announced its hearing on proposed changes to the standing rules of the House, where members can come and pitch their proposals for the new Congress. Save the date, the hearing will be the afternoon of Tuesday, Nov. 29. WE'RE WATCHING THIS WEDNESDAY — Alaska is still counting votes from its midterm election, a process drawn out by the ranked choice voting system. The Alaska Division of Elections is set to finish counting ballots and finalize results this afternoon. But in races for both the House and Senate, where Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola are defending their seats, there won't be official results until officials account for voters' ranked choice preferences. Neither Murkowski or Peltola have reached the 50 percent threshold of first-choice votes they'd need to win outright. Related read: What Alaskans can expect as election officials tabulate ranked choice results Wednesday , from Iris Samuels at The Anchorage Daily News   A message from National Retail Federation:   HUDDLE HOTDISH Sherrod's stache… We can't stop thinking about it. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) thinks he might have Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) beat with his own mustache situation from yesteryear. QUICK LINKS  Taylor Swift ticket trouble could drive political engagement , from Brooke Schultz at The Associated Press Supreme Court backs House effort to obtain Trump tax returns , from Kyle   GO INSIDE THE MILKEN INSTITUTE FUTURE OF HEALTH SUMMIT: POLITICO is featuring a special edition of our "Future Pulse" newsletter at the 2022 Milken Institute Future of Health Summit from Dec. 6 to 8. The newsletter takes readers inside one of the most influential gatherings of health industry leaders and innovators solving the biggest global health issues to ensure a healthier, more resilient future for all. SUBSCRIBE TODAY TO RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE .     TODAY IN CONGRESS The House and Senate are out. AROUND THE HILL Thanksgiving eve is looking quiet. TRIVIA TUESDAY'S WINNER: Michael D. Hawthorne correctly answered that President John Adams was known for drinking a pint of hard cider in the morning. TODAY'S QUESTION Michael: What was the name of the rail car that carried President Harry Truman during his 1948 whistle stop tour? 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   A message from National Retail Federation: According to NRF's National Retail Security Survey, retailers reported an average 26.5% increase in organized retail crime last year alone. Retailers, consumer advocates and law enforcement organizations agree: Congress should pass the INFORM Consumers Act this year. This bipartisan bill will make it tougher for criminals to sell stolen goods online, while ensuring honest small businesses can use ecommerce to reach customers. Learn more here.     Follow us

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