| | | | |  | | By Katherine Tully-McManus | | | With help from Sarah Ferris and Marianne LeVine NOD TO THE NOMINEES — The Senate returns tonight and the House won't be far behind. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) set up a slew of nominations for action this week, including four senior Defense Department picks and a long list of judicial nominees. But simmering off the floor will be speculation and discussion over one particular Biden nominee: the not-yet-named pick to succeed retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. Biden doesn't need any Republican votes to confirm his pick for the Supreme Court, but analysis from Marianne shows that it isn't an impossible scenario. "The three GOP senators who most frequently backed Biden's picks for the federal bench over the past year did so at a rate similar to the three Democrats who most often crossed the aisle to support Donald Trump's judicial nominees during his first year in office, according to a POLITICO analysis." Naming names, the three are Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who have all voted to confirm at least 60 percent of Biden's judges since his term began. CLOCK IS TICKING — That Feb. 18 deadline for a federal spending deal is looming over the otherwise packed to-do list in each chamber. Key appropriators are continuing conversations but there's no agreement in sight yet. Expect more talks, tension and yet another tight timeline to fund the government as we get into February. IT'S THE ECONOMY — In the House, expect to see tunnel vision on the economy after weeks of rising concerns from battleground Democrats. The chamber will spend the week on a massive industrial policy bill — similar to the Senate-passed one from last June that focused largely on competing with China. The House version, however, has some big changes to adjust to economic crises that have worsened in the last six months, such as snarled supply chains and a semiconductor shortage. It's a response to rising jitters among House Democrats, who've been hearing loudly from folks back home about those rising prices, shipping snafus and sparse grocery shelves. "The pinch we are all feeling on inflation is significant," Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) told constituents at a town hall last week. Rep. Susan Wild (D-Pa.) is one of two dozen vulnerable Democrats mounting a public push for the party to put the manufacturing bill "at the top of the agenda." At her own town hall last week, Wild told constituents she was "somewhat shocked" by grocery prices. "There is a lot of work that needs to be done to build an economy that works for everybody," Wild said. Whip check: Dems will need nearly their entire caucus on board, since it's unclear if any House Republicans will back the bill, which they say is weak on China and overly focused on issues like climate. Sarah has the latest: House Democrats pivot to economy in search of next legislative win | | | | 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. | | | | |
GOOD MORNING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Monday, January 31, where we cannot believe it is still the first month of the year.
BIPARTISAN ELECTIONS REFORM GROUP MEETS — The bipartisan group of senators working on potential updates to the Electoral Count Act will meet later this afternoon. The group, led by Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), met over Zoom during the recess and has expanded in size since its inception. Among the reforms the group is discussing is clarifying that the vice president's role in overseeing the certification of an election is ministerial. The group is also considering raising the threshold for members of Congress to challenge election results and protecting poll workers. The meeting comes one day after former President Donald Trump attacked the group's work over the weekend. In a statement, Trump falsely claimed that Vice President Mike Pence could have overturned the 2020 election. "If the Vice President (Mike Pence) had 'absolutely no right' to change the Presidential Election results in the Senate," Trump said in a statement, "how come the Democrats and RINO Republicans, like Wacky Susan Collins, are desperately trying to pass legislation that will not allow the Vice President to change the results of the election?" UKRAINE ON THE BRAIN — House and Senate lawmakers will receive separate in-person classified briefings on the situation in Ukraine on Thursday, senators at 11 a.m. and the House at 1:30 p.m. Briefers include: Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines and Chair of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley. NEW MAPS IN NEW YORK — " New York legislators introduced a redistricting plan that could allow the size of the state's Democratic delegation in Congress to grow from 19 to as many as 22 members. The maps are expected to be approved in the coming week. Democrats, who have supermajorities in both houses of the Legislature, are poised to control the outcome of the mapmaking process in New York for the first time in generations," writes Bill Maoney from Albany. Don't miss Bill's roundup of what's happening across the state, including Republican Claudia Tenney's district and a Staten Island and Brooklyn map that will change Rep. Nicole Malliotakis' chances. HOT STREAK — In the past few weeks, the Jan. 6 select committee has won victories against Trump at the Supreme Court, secured testimony from the highest levels of his White House and unearthed explosive texts from Trump's son and top aides, plus a slew of legal victories against current and former advisors to the former president. Up next are tougher decisions, including how the committee should handle their own colleagues on Capitol Hill who have refused to cooperate, all with eyes on a self-imposed deadline in the spring. Kyle and Nicholas have much more: The Jan. 6 panel's on a hot streak against Trump World. Now what? Hill staffer subpoena: The committee has issued a subpoena to former Trump White House spokesperson Judd Deere, according to a person familiar with the situation not authorized to speak on the record. Deere now works as a spokesperson for Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.). Panel members like Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) have suggested Deere, given his proximity to the former president, could have information relevant to their investigation, | | | | A message from Better Medicare Alliance: Nearly half of all Medicare beneficiaries today choose Medicare Advantage. It's not hard to see why. Medicare Advantage beneficiaries save an average of $1,640 a year compared to fee-for-service Medicare, and a new Morning Consult poll shows 9 in 10 beneficiaries are satisfied with their coverage. Medicare Advantage – it's working. | | |
UNION STATION UPDATE — A man was arrested over the weekend and charged with spray painting swastikas on Union Station. It is being investigated as a possible hate crime. The Washington Post has more: Man arrested after swastikas painted at Union Station in possible hate crime, police say
CORNYN'S CASH — Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn isn't up for reelection this cycle, but he is hauling in cash with the intention of boosting his GOP colleagues in their bid to retake control of the Senate. Sen. Cornyn formed the Cornyn Victory Committee at the start of the 2022 cycle and raised $5.9 million, $750,000 of which he transferred to the NRSC general fund, according to a source familiar with what Cornyn will report today. His incumbent colleagues each got between $180 to $265 thousand for their campaigns from Cornyn and he's set aside between $55 to $60 thousand for GOP nominees (not yet selected) for the open seats in Alabama, Missouri, North Carolina Ohio and Pennsylvania, as well as for GOP candidates challenging Democratic incumbents in Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, New Hampshire and Nevada. | | | | DON'T MISS CONGRESS MINUTES: Need to follow the action on Capitol Hill blow-by-blow? Check out Minutes, POLITICO's new platform that delivers the latest exclusives, twists and much more in real time. Get it on your desktop or download the POLITICO mobile app for iOS or Android. CHECK OUT CONGRESS MINUTES HERE. | | | | | | | | Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) announced a positive covid test on Friday and Rep. Colin Allred (D-Texas) announced that he tested positive for covid upon returning to the U.S. from a bipartisan Congressional delegation to Brussels, Belgium and Kyiv, Ukraine. Both lawmakers put out statements, read Allred's status update and Romney's announcement.
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Vending variety… There's two more Wellfound SmartMarket vending machines on the Capitol campus as of last Friday. Find one outside the Senate Carryout in the Capitol and another in Cannon near Rako coffee. | | | | A message from Better Medicare Alliance:   | | |
QUICK LINKS
Democrats Put Build Back Better in Joe Manchin's Court, from Andy Duehren at The Wall Street Journal Esteban Torres, Congressional Advocate for Latinos, Dies at 91 , from The New York Times House Democrats are retiring in droves. Not Ohio's Marcy Kaptur, from NBC Stuck without housing, Afghan evacuees languish inside D.C.-area hotel rooms, from The Washington Post Wicker: Black Woman Supreme Court Pick An Affirmative Action 'Beneficiary', from The Mississippi Free Press TRANSITIONS Sierra Kelley-Chung will be a senior policy adviser to Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.). She most recently was senior adviser to Rep. Anthony Brown (D-Md.). Charlie Chamness has been promoted to be legislative director for Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.). He most recently was legislative assistant for Quigley. Samantha Carter is joining Sen. Chris Van Hollen's (D-Md.) office as digital director. She previously was digital director for the House Budget Dems. Matt Lahr is now comms director for Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.). He previously was deputy director of strategic comms in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Mike Danylak is now an SVP at the CGCN Group. He previously was comms director for Senate Energy and Natural Resources ranking member John Barrasso (R-Wyo.). Sophie Draayer is now scheduler for Rep. John Curtis (R-Utah). She most recently was an intern for Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah). TODAY IN CONGRESS The House is not in session. The Senate convenes at 3 p.m. AROUND THE HILL Not much so far. | | |
Mea Culpa: Your Huddle host extends the deepest of apologies for the factual errors in Friday's reader-submitted trivia question. We failed to correct those before print, and in the process failed our readers -- who are, hands down, the best part of my job every morning. Thank you to the scores of Huddle loyalists who reached out about the question, particularly those who were rightly upset by its failure to correctly recognize historic "firsts" in gubernatorial elections. We can and will do better by you all in the future.
(To correct the record from Friday's question about Maura Healey: Jane Swift made history back in 2001 as Massachusetts' first female governor; Gov. Kate Brown of Oregon was the first openly LGBTQ person elected governor in the U.S.; and Colorado's Jared Polis was the first openly gay man in the nation to be elected governor.) TODAY'S QUESTION: How many fluted, white marble columns line the House side's Hall of Columns? 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 Better Medicare Alliance: Medicare Advantage works for more than 28 million Americans – whether they're living on a fixed income, or in an underserved neighborhood. It's health care the way it should be – high-quality, coordinated, accessible, and affordable.
According to a new poll conducted by Morning Consult, 9 out of 10 seniors are satisfied with their Medicare Advantage, and research shows Medicare Advantage beneficiaries save an average of $1,640 a year. Medicare Advantage – it's working. | | | | | | | Follow us | | | | |
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