| | | | |  | | By Katherine Tully-McManus | | | DEMS SEE NEED FOR SPEED — Democrats are on the edge of their seats, waiting for Biden to nominate someone to replace outgoing Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. And folks on and off the Hill say they want a name soon, keenly aware of the fragility of their tiny majority. Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) led the last evenly-split Senate and said the precarious circumstances, including the potential loss of a member, "ought to be very much on their minds right now." Democrats saw a (non fatal, thankfully) preview of this in recent weeks, when Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) tested positive for Covid, a diagnosis and isolation period that scrambled the Senate schedule. Bleak, but true: "He should get the person confirmed right away," said Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League. "Somebody in the Senate could resign, somebody in the Senate could die. The makeup of the Senate 50-50 could be altered by one career decision or tragedy. You can't wait." Without a name, Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) isn't putting anything on the calendar yet. "It's a little early to predict the timetable for this hearing," he told reporters. But his panel is already preparing. They met Thursday afternoon to talk about next steps and a committee spokesperson said Durbin "is committed to working with his colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure fair and timely consideration of" the pick. Marianne teamed up with our White House team and has much more: Dems to Biden: Move fast on SCOTUS; a tragedy could ensue SHOW ME THE WAY — Your Huddle host is keen to know (besides the nominee's name) who might serve as the Washington version of a sherpa, a veteran politician who serves as a guide to the Senate's confirmation process, from meet and greets with lawmakers to confirmation hearings. The White House has said that the team will be in place even before the nomination is made. Justice Neil Gorsuch had former New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte; Justice Brett Kavanaugh had former Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona. Justice Amy Coney Barrett did not have one. (Actual Sherpas, for those unacquainted with mountaineering, are members of a Tibetan group who live on the slopes of the Himalayas in Nepal. Experts in high terrain and endurance, they often guide foreign mountain climbers.) | | | | JOIN TODAY TO HEAR FROM GOVERNORS ACROSS AMERICA : As we head into the third year of the pandemic, state governors are taking varying approaches to public health measures including vaccine and mask mandates. "The Fifty: America's Governors" is a series of live conversations featuring various governors on the unique challenges they face as they take the lead and command the national spotlight in historic ways. Learn what is working and what is not from the governors on the front lines, REGISTER HERE. | | | | |
GOOD MORNING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Friday, January 28, where next week is sure to pack a punch, so we're holding onto recess.
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Rapid tests are back in Rayburn today and here's some highlights from the latest memo on Covid in Congress from the Capitol's Attending Physician, Dr. Brian Monahan:
- Hard Data: Over the past two weeks the CVC test center positive rate decreased to approximately 4 percent. Seventy nine percent of cases at the Capitol are symptomatic, 21 percent asymptomatic. Eighty-nine percent of covid infections at the Capitol are in vaccinated people.
- "The most common risk of acquiring infection is the individual's activities outside the workplace, such as attendance at receptions" and other crowded indoor situations.
- Keep teleworking, says the OAP, continuing the recommendation that member offices and committees reduce in-person work "to the maximum extent possible."
COOKING UP A RUSSIA RESPONSE— Four Democrats and four Republicans are negotiating legislation that they hope packs a punch against Russian President Vladimir Putin. On the table is a sanctions package that includes both immediate sanctions and mandatory sectoral penalties in the event that Russia invades Ukraine. Andrew and Alex Ward write that the senators are also looking to boost the security assistance to Ukraine and increase aid to combat Russian cyberattacks and propaganda campaigns. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) told POLITICO this week that the group wants to "have a united front, both to support Ukraine and to show Vladimir Putin that he's not going to divide Democrats and Republicans on this issue." Lend-lease and that pesky pipeline: Shaheen and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) are working on legislative language regarding the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline that can attract bipartisan support. And Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.) are hoping to include a lend-lease scheme that would give President Joe Biden the authority to provide Ukraine with military equipment at no cost, though with the promise of repayment later – similar to the agreement between the U.S. and the United Kingdom during WWII with food, energy and weapons. The full story from Andrew and Alex: Senate nears bipartisan — and filibuster-proof — deal to slap at Putin | | A message from HCA Healthcare: HCA Healthcare believes advancing the diversity of our talent pool enhances our ability to deliver more equitable, culturally competent care. In 2021, we announced a $10 million gift over the next three years to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) in communities near our hospitals. In December 2021, HCA Healthcare provided $1.5 million to Florida A&M University's (FAMU) School of Allied Health Sciences to strengthen students' pathways to healthcare management careers. | | |
AFGHANISTAN FOLLOW-UP — In response to Thursday's letter from Oversight Committee ranking member James Comer (R-Ky.) and Rep. Glen Grothman (R-Wisc.), an aide to Oversight Democrats pointed to a Dec. 7 public hearing on " the worldwide threat of al Qaeda, ISIS, and other foreign terrorist organizations," where subcommittee chair Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.) specified that Afghanistan was a germane line of inquiry. The Defense Department and State Department witnesses at the hearing were not the same as who Comer and Grothman said they'd like to hear from.
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Big Bad for The Big Board?...The Big Board bar on H Street NE could find itself running dry (aka losing its liquor license) under a summary suspension notice expected after an Alcoholic Beverage Control Board vote Wednesday night. Barred in D.C. first reported the news and DCist has this summary of what could come next : "A summary suspension notice means an establishment can't sell, serve, or allow consumption of alcoholic beverages while the suspension is in place. D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine's office will draft the notice and the ABC board chair will sign it before serving it to The Big Board. The bar owners can request an ABC board hearing within three days, and the hearing would take place within two days after that — meaning any hearing about the case would likely take place next week." We're watching this because of the outpouring of support for the bar from GOP Hill staff.
Also: Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) pays a visit to H Street's Dirty Water, complete with a video . Your Huddle host can't decide if Gaetz would fit right in or stand out like a sore thumb with the bros in a real Boston sports bahh. | | | | 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. | | | | |
QUICK LINKS
Rep. Cori Bush's vehicle hit by gunfire in St. Louis area, from KSDK-TV Biden's high court pledge shows growing power of Black women, from The AP What will a Supreme Court pick mean for Senate races? Maybe nothing, from Natalie Alison TRANSITIONS Ryan Croft will be a deputy director in CBP's Office of Congressional Affairs. He most recently was a senior policy adviser for Grothman. Sarah Hodgkinsis joining the American Gastroenterological Association as director of government affairs. She previously was a senior legislative assistant for Rep. Mario DÃaz-Balart (R-Fla.). Devin Kelsey, previously a legislative assistant for Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II (D-Mo.), has been promoted to deputy legislative director. Harden Spencer is now legislative director for Cleaver. | | | | A message from HCA Healthcare:   | | |
TODAY IN CONGRESS
The House will convene at 9 a.m. for a pro forma session. The Senate is not in session. AROUND THE HILL Besides rapid test pick-up? Not much. | | |
THURSDAY'S WINNER: Tom Squitieri correctly answered that Sen. Alan Cranston (D-Calif.) was sued at age 24 by Hitler's American publisher for copyright infringement (and lost.) He went on to work at the Library of Congress and even ran for president in 1984. More on Cranston's interesting life from a 2001 obituary.
TODAY'S QUESTION from Tom: Last week, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey announced her run for governor. Should she win, she would be the state's first female governor and the nation's first openly gay governor. What decades-long losing streak – dwarfed only by the 86-year Red Sox World Series gap – would Healey snap with a win? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your answers to ktm@politico.com (even if you're on the West Coast and think you'll be too late!) GET HUDDLE emailed to your phone each morning. Follow Katherine on Twitter @ktullymcmanus | | A message from HCA Healthcare: HCA Healthcare is partnering with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) to help advance diversity in healthcare.
Investing in a diverse talent pool enhances our ability to deliver more equitable, culturally competent care. In 2021, we announced a $10 million gift over the next three years to HBCUs and HSIs in communities near our hospitals to expand opportunities for students through internship programs, curriculum development, scholarships and other investments. As part of this commitment, in December 2021, we provided $1.5 million to Florida A&M University's (FAMU) School of Allied Health Sciences to strengthen students' pathways to healthcare management careers. This funding will support scholarships, internships, and the construction and operations of a simulation lab.
We are honored to continue building relationships with these universities to support Black and Hispanic/Latinx students interested in healthcare careers. | | | | | | | Follow us | | | | |
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