Subject: POLITICO Huddle, presented by the National Collegiate Athletic Association: HOUSE TO VOTE ON GUN CONTROL– GOP tries to exploit weaknesses in Florida race – BEHIND THE CURTAIN: RYAN’S PUERTO RICO WIN – Joe Manchin, ‘maniac’ driver – TWERK TIME ON THE HILL
From: "POLITICO Huddle" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 01 Jul 2016 05:55:59 -0600

07/01/2016 07:53 AM EDT

By Heather Caygle ([email-masked] or @heatherscope)

With an assist from Burgess Everett 

GUN VOTE COMING UP- Welcome to pre-July 4th Friday, Huddle readers! I'd encourage you to rest up over the long weekend because next week will be a doozy as both chambers try to cram in a lot of action in the sprint toward recess. House Speaker Paul Ryan has promised a vote on gun control next week but just how that'll take shape is still being worked out. And the uncertainty has some Democrats and Republicans already grousing, although for different reasons. 

What we know about next week: The House will vote on a "terrorism package," according to a source on Thursday's GOP call, including a provision aimed at preventing suspected terrorists from buying guns. 

Democrats chime in: House Democrats are warning that if Ryan just brings up a bill identical to Sen. John Cornyn's proposal, which the Senate recently rejected, that won't work. "[B]ringing up a bill authored by the NRA just isn't going to cut it," said Drew Hammill, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's deputy chief of staff. 

Ryan still hasn't made a decision about what to do, if anything, to reprimand Democrats for their day-long takeover of the House floor last week. But at least some House Republicans are calling for a tough response. National Journal: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6386faf55dded8de564eca87ae8da41504bc06fa8536a67cf7939ccebf4704bf 

TRUMP TRAIN ROLLS INTO THE CAPITOL-Presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump will be on Capitol Hill next Thursday to meet separately with House and Senate Republicans. Seung Min with the Senate scoop: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6386faf55dded8de490b0d5da8487894237143a1a24dd1daedd19ba59032ea97 

THERE'S BLOOD IN THE WATER IN FLORIDA, and we aren't talking about sharks-With Marco Rubio back in the race for his Senate seat, Republicans are looking for any weakness on the Dems' side they can exploit now, hoping to damage Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy and give Rubio a major advantage heading into November. For the GOP, that means propping up Murphy's Democratic opponent, controversial liberal Rep. Alan Grayson, ahead of the August primary. 

"'I think anybody would rather run against Grayson' in the general election, said Sen. Dean Heller of Nevada, a vice chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee," report Burgess Everett and Kevin Robillard. 

Boiling it down: "If Republicans can put the Sunshine State race out of reach, it would substantially boost their hopes of retaining the Senate. The party is clinging to a four-seat advantage, but faces an electoral map tilted decidedly in Democrats' favor." Read it: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6386faf55dded8dee912ef4c14cadba3fa796c793e8f2062be1a53630baafc21  

WELCOME TO FRIDAY, July 1. Good morning and thanks for reading POLITICO's Huddle, your play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill. Your favorite newsletter will be taking Monday off to celebrate America but we'll be back at it Tuesday. 

And to take you into the weekend, here's a sweet story about an elephant getting a prosthetic limb after losing a leg in a mine blast: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6386faf55dded8de0ceb4d4e34d0edee8a1aeb9df08aaa352936c1c71898416c 

In the meantime, don't forget to send scoops, Hill gossip and photos of lawmakers in patriotic garb my way: [email-masked] 

TODAY IN CONGRESS - The House meets for a pro forma session at 9 a.m. The Senate gavels in for pro forma at 9:30 a.m. 

** A message from the National Collegiate Athletic Association: In the last five years, the lives of college athletes have changed for the better, in some cases dramatically. But we've still got work to do. Find out what our member schools are doing to advance academics, fairness and well-being and the NCAA's commitment to this critical mission at NCAA.org/opportunity. **

AROUND THE HILL- Unanswered emails and semi-clever out-of-office messages. 

BEHIND THE SCENES ON PUERTO RICO-With the Puerto Rico bill signed into law, House Speaker Paul Ryan can breathe a sigh of relief. The legislation is a check in the win column for the new(ish) speaker and getting to yes wasn't easy. "He personally steered negotiations between Republicans skittish of the 'bailout' label and Democrats who abhorred the idea of an oversight board taking over the Caribbean island's finances," report Rachael Bade and Colin Wilhelm. 

"And it was Ryan who got the bill over the finish line after it looked like it was dead in the water, hammering out a deal with Treasury Secretary Jack Lew and White House chief of staff Dennis McDonough, while persuading his own conference to get on board." Rachael and Colin pull back the curtain: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6386faf55dded8de576ac0eb0d43cbb3112c1bbcefaccf5af5b7284bde01c472 

COUNTRY ROADS, TAKE ME HOME- If you found yourself wondering what country music star Brad Paisley was up to Thursday (because why not, right?), well he was traveling the backroads of West Virginia with the state's senators, Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito. Paisley trekked down to the Mountain State to help raise funds after recent devastating floods. 

Turns out Manchin may be a little rough on the roads, at least according to Paisley's tweet: @BradPaisley: Road trip with two Senators. Next time @SenCapito drives. @Sen_JoeManchin is a maniac behind the wheel. Seriously. 

WILL THEY OR WON'T THEY- Several GOP lawmakers are still on the fence about attending the GOP convention in Cleveland later this month and many likely won't decide until the last possible minute. The latest update: Sen. Mike Lee may not even be close to endorsing Donald Trump but that doesn't mean he's skipping the GOP convention. Lee said he still plans to attend but can't imagine being given a speaking slot (Hmm, wonder why?). Sen. John Thune hasn't finalized his attendance yet but has a room reserved if he wants to go. 

SANDERS ITCHING FOR A FIGHT-Sen. Bernie Sanders may be back on Capitol Hill-albeit with a security detail still-but that doesn't mean he'll just go peacefully into the night. The Vermont Independent is already warning of a possible convention fight if changes aren't made to the Democratic platform to spin it more in the direction progressives want. 

Daniel Strauss reports: "In an email to supporters on Thursday (titled 'We're going to the convention') Sanders wrote that 'we are going to take our political revolution into the halls of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia where we will fight to place a $15 minimum wage, opposition to TPP, and a ban on fracking directly into the Democratic Platform.'" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6386faf55dded8de1801d0ec26d07d893fb1a51eca53abda7443de8a04176b8d 

Related: Sanders "not quite there" on Clinton endorsement, no matter what Joe Biden says. Bloomberg: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6386faf55dded8debf5fb5b9dc1db7bfd7a9ded06ecfe4ef23170797c71e14cc 

TWERK TIME ON CAPITOL HILL- An outdoor dance party briefly took over Capitol Hill Thursday, all in an effort to honor victims of the Orlando shooting. And yes, there's video, courtesy of Roll Call: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6386faf55dded8de7f633c0f5287ae57d9ce6265e152b70d420361e9b9204491  

SENATE SAYS BYE TO BLACKBERRY-Luddite-like staffers will just have to embrace a more modern smartphone: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6386faf55dded8ded71f1d302a6cef7b1c7a1cff632445cf465caa6d65bde9db 

BIPARTISAN PILE ON- Both Republicans and Democrats are piling on after news that Attorney General Loretta Lynch met with Bill Clinton informally amid the ongoing investigation into Hillary Clinton's email server: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=47336b496d18cb52186f45bfbc2dc4a19abd5351d1734e78c549d55c5e358d0c

BACK ME UP, BUDDY- Are Republicans ready to go all in for Darryl Glenn? Morning Consult: "Darryl Glenn, a tea party favorite, on Tuesday secured the Republican nomination for Senate in Colorado, one of the only places where the GOP thought it had a real chance to pick up a seat in 2016."

"But as the El Paso County commissioner makes his first run for statewide office - a challenging feat for even the most seasoned and well-financed politician in a purple state like Colorado - it is not clear that the Republican establishment is willing to give him a hand against Democratic incumbent Sen. Michael Bennet." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=47336b496d18cb52e58ca498400cd0480e8b69b568da66c85b530067d638b220 

McCAIN PLANS HEARING ON TRANSGENDER BAN- Sen. John McCain, "chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, says he intends to hold hearings on the Pentagon's decision to lift the ban on transgender troops serving openly." The Hill: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=47336b496d18cb527676828ed74e7cf16e8ac72df8e41fe889a02cecc47ae9ee 

ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES-Jessica McFaul will be joining Rep. Jeff Denham's office as his communications director July 1. She's currently press secretary for the American Forest and Paper Association. 

Today is Blair Ellis' last day as communications director for Rep. Renee Ellmers. Next week Ellis starts a new gig as press secretary for the House Energy and Commerce Committee. 

Beth Crowley will be leaving the Senate press gallery staff in August after nearly 10 years. Crowley will be taking a position as communications director at an elementary school in Northwest D.C. 

GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS, HILL STAFFERS-The good news is that House staffers might be getting a pay raise in 2017. The bad news is that it's unlikely to be much more than a few extra bucks for coffee. Roll Call: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=47336b496d18cb52340855f356de2a35f4dec57692fabaa2e1bac94c7a37b0d0 

THURSDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER - Ryan McDevitt was the first to correctly guess that former Rep. Jon Runyan was a Michigan footballer and NFL pro bowler. 

TODAY'S TRIVIA - Ryan with today's question: New Jersey has been called the crossroads of the Revolution because it saw more battles than any other colony. Which two NJ towns did Washington and the revolutionary army choose to encamp at during the winters of 1777-1780? The first person to email me the correct answer gets a mention in Tuesday's Huddle.

GET HUDDLE emailed to your phone each morning: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=47336b496d18cb52576044def590c807ddb6cf5c8882f62461d6fe0fa233583c

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