Subject: POLITICO Huddle, presented by United for Medical Research: PENCE HEADS TO THE HILL TODAY – Oversight hauls in Clinton email crew – FREEDOM CAUCUS PLOWS AHEAD ON KOSKINEN – Ryan rules out year-end omnibus – WALKER LINES UP ENDORSEMENTS IN RSC BID
From: "POLITICO Huddle" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2016 05:55:46 -0600
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09/13/2016 07:53 AM EDT

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

With assistance from Rachael Bade and Daniel Lippman

PENCE HUDDLES WITH HILL REPUBLICANS-Mike Pence will be on Capitol Hill today, meeting with House Republicans in a closed-door session this morning before holding a joint press conference with House Speaker Paul Ryan. The GOP vice presidential nominee then treks across the Capitol for lunch with Senate Republicans off-site at the NRSC. Given that Donald Trump has been relatively gaffe free in recent weeks, today's Pence meetings will likely have a very different feel compared to the GOP presidential nominee's pilgrimage to the Hill in early June to make amends with skeptical Republicans.

Money, money, money: At least part of the House GOP meeting will focus on fundraising with House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy expected to tell members he's transferring another $1.5 million to the House GOP's campaign arm, bringing his total NRCC transfers to $7.5 million this cycle. "We can't take this majority for granted. No matter the election, I've always put our team first. Today through Election Day, you are my priority," he's expected to tell the caucus. 

Related: Congressional Leadership Fund, the super PAC aligned with Speaker Ryan, is raising millions off top-of-ticket worries, reports CNN's Deirdre Walsh this morning. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fbe24e606b66d6ec30a76e72906a66319baadc333cccc1ee94ff68480d32c830 

HOT TODAY: OVERSIGHT HAULS IN CONTROVERSIAL CLINTON CREW-- The House Oversight Committee has summoned three Clinton staffers close to her controversial email issue to answer questions this morning about whether they destroyed evidence - a hearing that's likely to be explosive should they show. A panel staffer said all have "indicated" they would show but representatives for all three declined to confirm their plans. The hearing kicks off at 10 a.m. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fbe24e606b66d6ecf73ca84a2d11594271bdc9fa416d4a8a43dbca51a4851706 

Who's who: You might recognize these names: Bryan Pagliano, Clinton's former server maintainer who received FBI immunity; Paul Combetta, a Platte River Networks engineer who wiped Clinton's backup email archive and also received FBI immunity; and Justin Cooper, a Bill Clinton staffer who originally set up the server and who simultaneously worked for the ex-president, the Clinton Foundation and a company that marketed its access to the Clintons to clients.

Related: "House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz publicly subpoenaed the FBI's full case file in the Hillary Clinton email investigation Monday, delivering the document demand to a senior FBI official during a contentious hearing," reports Josh Gerstein. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fbe24e606b66d6ec4a8d8ad2aee97554f5bf7cde59392af01647353779711803 

HOUSE FREEDOM CAUCUS PLOWS AHEAD-The conservative rabble-rousers are moving ahead with a motion to impeach IRS Commissioner John Koskinen, planning to bring up the resolution sometime today, thereby forcing action this week. "I don't see the point in that," Rep. John Fleming told reporters Monday night when asked why the HFC wouldn't wait until after a planned GOP caucus meeting Thursday on Koskinen before trying to force the vote. "We've been waiting for months for leadership to get on the ball and they haven't," he added. 

Talking time: Several of the group's members also plan to hold "special hour of talking time on the House floor Tuesday to rail against Koskinen and explain their case for his impeachment" reports Matt Fuller for the Huffington Post. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fbe24e606b66d6ec4f0285e995c3f23cba25358f0afb9fe793f91448122f1cee 

NYT: Ryan 'remains hostage' to Freedom Caucus-- The Gray Lady's editorial board called the impeachment attempt "meritless and unprecedented" in an editorial this morning, criticizing Fleming for "cynically fund-raising off his fervor" and taking a shot at Speaker Ryan for letting it get this far. 

"The deeper question for Mr. Ryan is why he would allow the Republican House to toy with an embarrassing impeachment issue when it should be attending to a new federal budget and a host of other pressing needs," the board wrote. Trying to appease the Freedom Caucus "would be another signal that Mr. Ryan remains hostage to his ultraright members." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fbe24e606b66d6ecee78f4c68fec16eaba15812b69f58de30cb71cfdbb3024af 

GOP HITS CLINTON ON HEALTH SECRECY-Trump may be sticking to the script when it comes to Hillary Clinton's recent health saga but Republicans on the Hill castigated the Democratic nominee for what they say is just one more example of her "impenetrable wall of opacity," reports Burgess Everett. "It is absolutely a natural impulse of her staff to dissemble and lie, and it is just astounding," said Sen. Roger Wicker, who runs the Senate GOP's campaign arm. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fbe24e606b66d6ec640e2ec708f6c573167620c23e727ae0ba53326240f5d82a 

THIS IS TUESDAY, SEPT. 13. You're reading POLITICO's Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill. 

** A message from United for Medical Research: America's investment in medical research - through the National Institutes of Health - is making amazing things possible. This week, United for Medical Research proudly launches a new podcast series, Amazing Things, that tells the stories of NIH-funded research on the cusp of changing lives and saving healthcare dollars. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fbe24e606b66d6ec9f08fe4e156f14487c55a39db3f6498ee7c51d3d01a5c3d2 **

TODAY IN CONGRESS- The House meets at 10 a.m. with first votes at 2 p.m. and last votes around 4:30 p.m. The Senate gavels in at 10 a.m. to continue working on a water infrastructure package that includes aid for Flint, Mich. 

AROUND THE HILL- House Speaker Paul Ryan and other GOP leaders hold a joint press conference with Mike Pence following a Republican caucus meeting with the vice presidential nominee. The press conference starts at 10 a.m. in the RNC lobby. House Democratic Caucus Chairman Xavier Becerra and Vice Chairman Joe Crowley hold a post-caucus press conference at 10 a.m. in the HVC-210 alcove. 

House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer holds his weekly pen and pad at 11 a.m. in H-144. Rep. Tim Walz holds an 11 a.m. press conference on honorable military discharges in the House triangle. 

Reps. Chris Smith and Mike Coffman hold a press conference on Ethiopian rights at 12 p.m. in the House triangle. Pence meets with Senate Republicans at NRSC headquarters at 12:30 p.m. 

Reps. Curt Clawson and David Jolly hold a 12:30 p.m. press conference on Zika in HVC Studio B. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and Sen. John Barrasso will be honored by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems at the Four Seasons tonight. 

THE SLOW CRAWL TO A CR- Congressional leaders left a White House meeting Monday "optimistic" that they'll pass a short-term spending bill with Zika funding in the next few weeks. But House Speaker Paul Ryan again pushed his "minibus" idea, saying he didn't want to just pass a huge omnibus at the end of the year, instead preferring a handful of smaller funding packages that he thinks are more digestible to House Republicans. 

Democrats "did not outright pan his pitch, sources say," report Seung Min Kim and Rachael Bade. "Senate Democratic sources say they'd want any minibus strategy to adhered to the same budget levels they agreed to last year, and a promise that it wasn't a trick to back off that funding level in the lame-duck session." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fbe24e606b66d6ec0f63cf2a8be18da7e8ed48eafc81d01633dd30d51dd9da95 

TWEET DU JOUR-- Manu Raju (@mkraju): Rubio enters the Capitol, turns to group of reporters and says with a big smile: "What do you want scumbags?"

YOU'RE CRUSHING IT BRO- "Ohio Stadium, or 'The Shoe,' is a sea of red and white as fans stream in to see the Buckeyes face off against the University of Tulsa. ...But today, another set of fans is here. The school's baseball team, drinking beer and lounging under a tent outside the stadium, starts cheering when a 60-year-old man materializes in its midst, chanting, 'Rob! Rob! Rob!' - and then, moments later, 'Port-man! Port-man! Port-man!'" The National Review's Eliana Johnson on how Sen. Rob Portman is using his establishment advantage to crush the Ohio Senate race: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fbe24e606b66d6ec1e43ad4bdab0943ac5915b22fc677a3552d974defc177862 

IT'S OFFICIAL: OBAMA TO VETO 9/11 BILL- President Obama plans to veto a bill that allows victims of the 9/11 attacks (and their families) to sue Saudi Arabia, White House press secretary Josh Earnest confirmed Monday. The White House received the legislation Monday, so Obama has until Sept. 23 to take action on the bill, reports Seung Min. Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, one of the bill's primary sponsors, said a veto override would be "well deserved" given that the measure passed both chambers without objection. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fbe24e606b66d6ec4bd08ef482f7b68a83b205edede1b8650a0d0713345b9f40 

SHOWDOWN IN THE SWAMP- Rep. Patrick Murphy has agreed to three televised debates and a forum against Sen. Marco Rubio after the Florida senator initially called for six face-to-face meetings, reports Matt Dixon. "But Rubio's campaign isn't going along with half of them, saying two of the events - a League of Women Voters debate and a Forum Club of the Palm Beaches forum - are too affiliated with Murphy donors." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fbe24e606b66d6ece1e0ede917d59a802e9a347d6b91bcadd50fc41f2f7e321a 

WALKER LINES UP BIG ENDORSEMENTS-Rep. Mark Walker announced a slew of endorsements Monday in his bid to lead the Republican Study Committee, including support from two committee chairmen and a member of leadership, reports the Hill's Scott Wong. Walker and other potential RSC candidates, including Reps. Trent Franks and Andy Harris, meet with RSC leaders tonight. 

Lining up behind Walker: House Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul, Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady and Rep. Virginia Foxx, GOP conference secretary, are among the backers. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fbe24e606b66d6ec724f2f82783a46ddeccc5b55d85d95de9d415a7ae953cf76 

THINGS ARE WRAPPING UP- "The congressional primary season essentially draws to a close on Tuesday with contests in Delaware, New Hampshire and Rhode Island, ending a long slog of state races that produced few upsets despite the volatile electorate," writes Carl Hulse for the New York Times. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fbe24e606b66d6ecc04568a2b9f51a763ab4e2e3e3e7d4e76aa8f526e9ff7781 

SENATE SUPERLATIVES: IT'S LONELY AT THE TOP-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is again the least popular senator among his home-state voters according to survey results from Morning Consult this morning. And Minority Leader Harry Reid is not far behind, ranking as the third least popular senator overall. Most popular? Sen. Bernie Sanders with an 87 percent approval rating back home in Vermont. 

Do you know me? Sen. Gary Peters earns the sole distinction of being the only senator to have to more voters express no opinion about him than say they approve or disapprove of him. Morning Consult polled 71,900 registered voters online from May through September. Full results: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fbe24e606b66d6ec986337b3ca003ce2ab3e0743147ac39cc156b702eb73fe27 

ARRIVAL LOUNGE-- Mike Harney is leaving his job as assistant U.S. trade representative for congressional affairs for a new gig as Sen. Mark Warner's chief of staff. Harney was previously chief of staff for Sen. Kay Hagan. Jaryn Emhof has joined Rep. Daniel Webster's office as his new chief of staff and communications director following Elizabeth Tyrrell's departure. 

Watch Live Today - The Medicaid Agenda in 2017: Tune in at 8:15 a.m. as POLITICO's Pro Health Care team and featured speakers Sen. Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA), Louisiana Department of Health Sec. Rebekah Gee, Arkansas Department of Human Services Director Cindy Gillespie and Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) discuss the future of Medicaid. TODAY - 8am; Livestream: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fbe24e606b66d6ecc5d409e75ea4e36e2ea03387c4caed0dca6904a2c71fe015

MONDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER- Howie Kipnes was the first to guess that Rep. Jim Jordan's son-in-law, Jarrod Uthoff, plays for the Toronto Raptors. 

TODAY'S TRIVIA- Howie with today's question: Who are the oldest and youngest members of the House and Senate and what are their ages? The first person to correctly answer gets a mention in tomorrow's Huddle. Get at me: [email-masked] 

GET HUDDLE emailed to your phone each morning. 

** A message from United for Medical Research: The greatest returns on the federal government's investment in the National Institutes of Health are discoveries that lead to improved health, longer lives and the ability to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. Without question, NIH-funded research is making the impossible possible. Listen to the Amazing Things podcast with Samuel Achilefu of Washington University in St. Louis whose cancer goggles will light the way for surgeons, making it easier for them to find and remove cancerous cells. NIH funding: Because America's investment in medical research is making amazing things possible. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fbe24e606b66d6ecbfbb680e8608bb293a9414f7b4124a206e0de20c03def551 **

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