| | | | |  | | By Katherine Tully-McManus | Presented by Sallie Mae® | With an assist from Sarah Ferris and Jordain Carney
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Kim points to her signature on a wall outside the U.S. military mess hall. | Olivia Beavers/ POLITICO | CATCHING UP WITH KIM — Rep. Young Kim of California says she is trying to be a bridge builder between South Korea and the U.S., but as one of only two Korean American Republicans in Congress, she also has her hands full trying to educate her own party. “She is a prominent Asian American in a party struggling to allay fears among voters of color, including Asian Americans, that Republicans are focused on white voters and overly tolerant of racial bigotry and xenophobia,” write Olivia and Nicholas. Rep. Michelle Steel of California, another Republican, said she and Kim had to spend time in their first year in Washington explaining to their colleagues how to tell them apart. “A lot of people, the first year, they couldn’t recognize the differences between Kim and me,” she recalled. “I had to mention that I'm taller than her, I have longer hair than her.” Earlier this year, Kim tried to turn down the heat after her colleague Rep. Lance Gooden (R-Texas) made racist comments against U.S.-born Rep. Judy Chu (D) of California. When asked about the meeting between the two lawmakers, Gooden lashed out at Kim. “Rep. Kim requested this private meeting and I believed it was to remain private,” Gooden said in a statement. “She has betrayed the trust of our visit but as a now-undeserved courtesy to her.” Kim has been on a CODEL making multiple stops in Asia during this recess, where Olivia caught up with her in Seoul. President Yoon Suk-yeol singled out Kim for recognition during her visit, but she’s also facing some criticism while back in the country from which she emigrated as a teen. Much more on the CODEL and where Kim fits in Congress: This Korean American Republican is trying to educate her party — in the U.S. and abroad, from Olivia and Nicholas AGENDA AHEAD — The House floor schedule for next week won’t officially drop until Friday, but Republicans are discussing three hot button measures for floor action next week, though some could slip to the following week.
- Trans sports: Rep. Greg Steube’s (R-Fla.) Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2023, which would bar transgender students from playing on sports teams consistent with their gender identity, and amend Title IX to define sex as based solely on a person's reproductive biology and genetics at birth. Amendments to the House Rules Committee are due today on the measure. Committee outcome: The House Education and Workforce Committee approved the bill along party lines following a markup in March that took roughly 16 hours.
- D.C. Police: Rep. Andrew Clyde’s (R-Ga.) resolution to overturn a D.C. Council police reform measure that would prevent hiring officers who have committed misconduct as well as expand access to body camera footage and disciplinary records. The White House says that President Joe Biden would veto the GOP-led effort. Committee outcome: House Oversight voted along party lines to advance the resolution.
- Veto override: The House could also take up an override of Biden’s recent veto of a Republican-led resolution to permanently repeal the Biden administration’s waters of the U.S. — or WOTUS. The House previously approved the resolution 227 to 198.
| | A message from Sallie Mae®: The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently confirmed college financial aid offer letters are often unclear and confusing, leaving too many families in the dark about the true cost of college and their eligibility for aid. Establishing a standardized format and content for financial aid offer letters would be a good step toward providing clarity and transparency. Learn how Sallie Mae helps families navigate financing higher education. | | | GOOD MORNING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Wednesday, April 12 where you could use AI to name those bills. Correction: Monday’s newsletter misstated the status of the Family and Small Business Taxpayer Protection Act. The House passed the bill 221 - 210 in January. FIRST IN HUDDLE: CALIFORNIA ENDORSEMENT WATCH — A key Dem political group, the New Dem Action Fund, is out with its first endorsement of the 2024 cycle and it’s in one of the party’s biggest offensive chances in the House. New Dems are endorsing George Whitesides — a one-time NASA official and former Virgin Galactic CEO — in the race to beat Rep. Mike Garcia (R-Calif.). It’s a critical primary for Democrats: They’ve lost the seat in three straight elections with Christy Smith as their nominee. Smith, who’s not running again, also endorsed Whitesides. The announcement is expected to drop later this morning. As a Biden +13 seat in the Los Angeles area, the New Dems dubbed the seat “a top pickup opportunity” for the party. “As the majority makers, New Dems will be the key to taking back the House in 2024, starting with this critical seat in California,” said Rep. Ami Bera (D-Calif.), honorary chair of the action fund. It’s not clear yet how much competition there will be in a primary: At least one other Democrat, criminal justice reform advocate Franky Carrillo, has filed paperwork to run. SCOTT JUMPS IN — Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) hasn’t exactly made his presidential ambitions secret. He is heading to Iowa and New Hampshire this week, after all. But today he officially announced the formation of a presidential exploratory committee.
| | | | GO INSIDE THE 2023 MILKEN INSTITUTE GLOBAL CONFERENCE: POLITICO is proud to partner with the Milken Institute to produce a special edition "Global Insider" newsletter featuring exclusive coverage, insider nuggets and unparalleled insights from the 2023 Global Conference, which will convene leaders in health, finance, politics, philanthropy and entertainment from April 30-May 3. This year’s theme, Advancing a Thriving World, will challenge and inspire attendees to lean into building an optimistic coalition capable of tackling the issues and inequities we collectively face. Don’t miss a thing — subscribe today for a front row seat. | | | | | AMICUS (NOT SO) BRIEF — 240 Democrats signed on to an amicus brief Tuesday challenging a federal judge’s ruling suspending FDA approval of mifepristone, a drug commonly used to induce abortion. Signatories include every Senate Democrat other than Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), plus independent Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.), Angus King (Maine) and Bernie Sanders (Vt.) and 190 out of the 213 Democrats in the House. The 65-page brief was filed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on Tuesday. The lawmakers close the brief asking for a stay, writing: “emergency relief from the order is necessary to mitigate the imminent harm facing members of the public, many of whom rely on the availability of mifepristone for reproductive care—and many more rely on the integrity of FDA’s drug approval process for continued access to life-improving and life-saving drugs.” ROUDA NOT RUNNING — Former Rep. Harley Rouda (D-Calif.) isn’t running to replace Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.), who has jumped in the ring for retiring Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s (D-Calif.) seat. Rouda disclosed Tuesday that he recently suffered a moderate traumatic brain injury and said he was dropping out of the race. POLITICAL PING PONG — Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg sued House Republicans on Tuesday to prevent them from subpoenaing his former lieutenant, Mark Pomerantz, who has criticized aspects of Bragg’s investigation into former President Donald Trump. House Republicans have tried to compel Pomerantz’ testimony, which Bragg calls a “campaign of harassment in retaliation for the District Attorney’s investigation and prosecution of Mr. Trump.” That’s just the latest in the ongoing battle between the House Judiciary Committee and Bragg’s office. Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) is taking his show on the road to Bragg’s backyard on Monday with a hearing in New York. Coming soon: Meanwhile, House Republicans introduced their first bill stemming from Trump’s legal jeopardy on Tuesday with Rep. Russell Fry (R-S.C.) — who defeated then-Rep. Tom Rice (R-S.C.) in a primary after the latter voted to impeach the then-president — rolling out a bill to “give Presidents and Vice Presidents, both former and current, the option to move their own civil or criminal cases from a state court to a federal court.” Jordan, during a Fox News interview, signaled it could get a speedy vote in his panel, pointing to it as a bill “we expect to bring forward real quickly from our committee.” 30 UNDER 30 UNDER FIRE — Beware of the Forbes 30 Under 30. This week an ABC News investigation called into question recent honoree Safi Rauf’s Human First Coalition, with allegations of misused funds and mistreating refugees the group promised to help. Last week the Department of Justice indicted another 30 under 30 nominee, Charlie Javice, for “falsely and dramatically inflating the number of customers of her company” in order to get JPMorgan Chase to buy it. Sam Bankman-Fried, a 2021 honoree, of course led crypto exchange FTX which collapsed spectacularly as he faces charges including bribing a foreign government to money laundering to making unlawful political contributions. His colleague Caroline Ellison, a 2022 honoree who led FTX’s sister company Alameda Research, pleaded guilty late last year to seven offenses including wire fraud, securities fraud and money laundering.
| | | | A message from Sallie Mae®:   | | | | | Weed warning… D.C. may have decriminalized weed, but that doesn’t mean you can bring multiple blunts to work without raising a Capitol Police eyebrow. They’re feds after all and it’s still federally restricted. Need a lift?... Call Wesley Britt. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) and her husband were spotted helping an injured track athlete from Loveless Academic Magnet Program in Montgomery, Ala. Wesley’s still got strength as a former University of Alabama football player. (Best wishes for a speedy recovery to the student athlete, from a former track kid and current Huddle host.) QUICK LINKS Lindsey Graham meets with Saudi crown prince, reversing past criticism, from Mariana Alfaro at The Washington Post 4 lawmakers share their mental health struggles: It's 'a form of public service' by Brittany Shepherd and Isabella Murray at ABC News Inside Chicago’s intense, behind-the-scenes effort to secure the DNC, from Shia Kapos, Christopher Cadelago and Sally Goldenberg GOP eyes new work requirements for millions on Medicaid, food stamps, from Tony Romm and Rachel Roubein Sheriff Mark Lamb Enters GOP Race for Arizona Senate, from Eliza Collins at the Wall Street Journal Despite government response, East Palestine residents feel forgotten, from Taylor Popielarz at Spectrum News TRANSITIONS Melissa Wolfe is now digital director for Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.). She previously was press assistant for Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.). David Frulla is now comms director for Rep. John Duarte (R-Calif.). He most recently was comms director at the Republican Main Street Partnership, and is a Western Caucus Foundation alum. Giancarlo Pellegrini is now Democratic chief counsel for the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic. He was previously Democratic elections counsel for the Committee on House Administration. Kelly O’Keeffe is now Democratic communications director and senior adviser for the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic. She was previously communications director for Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.), the committee’s new ranking member.
| | | | The McCain Institute will convene its 10th annual Sedona Forum on May 5-6, featuring lawmakers, journalists, military leaders, business executives, and more. This year’s theme, “Indispensable Power,” will examine the diplomatic, military, and economic means employed to protect democracy, human rights, and the global competitive edge. Established by Senator John McCain, the Sedona Forum is held each spring in the red rock country of Sedona, Arizona, to advance the mission of the McCain Institute – fighting for democracy, human dignity, and security. Visit TheSedonaForum.org to register for the livestream today. | | | | | TODAY IN CONGRESS The House and Senate are out. AROUND THE HILL A quiet one.
| | TUESDAY’S WINNER: Wesley Baker correctly answered that Aaron Burr, then vice president, shot Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton in a duel. TODAY’S QUESTION from Wesley: Which President’s spouse passed away before her husband would’ve won the presidency? She would’ve been the first U.S. born first lady. 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 Sallie Mae®: As a responsible private lender, Sallie Mae believes higher education should be more affordable and accessible, and students and families should understand the total cost of higher education before attending. A more transparent, standard financial aid offer letter will help students and families make more informed decisions about what school to attend and how to pay for it, and can ultimately help prevent overborrowing. Learn more about how Sallie Mae helps students and families responsibly plan and pay for higher education. | | | | | | | Follow us | | | | |
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