Subject: POLITICO Huddle: INCOMING WH CHIEF: BUCKLE UP FOR 2017 – Some Dems open to Obamacare replacement – TESTER ALLY PUSHED ZINKE FOR INTERIOR – Speaker Ryan brings on new chief – CANTOR RULES OUT SENATE BID
From: "POLITICO Huddle" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2016 06:56:04 -0600
List-Id: <1376319_6171191.xt.local>

12/15/2016 07:54 AM EDT

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

With assists from Burgess Everett, Elana Schor and Daniel Lippman 

BUCKLE UP, 2017 IS GONNA BE A WILD RIDE- If you work on Capitol Hill, say goodbye to a social life next year, at least if Congress sticks to the schedule incoming White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus is laying out. "We're probably going to lead with Obamacare repeal and replace. Then we'll have a small tax reform package and then a bigger tax reform package at the end of April," Priebus said on the Hugh Hewitt show Wednesday. "It's going to be a busy year with the first nine months being very much consumed with Obamacare and tax reform."

But, while Senate GOP leaders can move some things quickly through budget reconciliation, there's still no agreement among Republicans about when to phase out Obamacare and what to replace it with. Translation: Things likely aren't going to move as fast as Priebus is hoping. 

Reading between the lines: The schedule laid out by Priebus noticeably doesn't mention a big, stimulus-type infrastructure package that Trump and advisor Steve Bannon have been trumpeting for months. Burgess with more: "Asked whether Trump will pursue any stimulus plan, Priebus dodged: 'I would love to not get into the details with you. We're not going to do that today.'" More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6e5e022d0401e898eb6d4156fa33d7a0f553bf0576395b9f4d72148d484fd561 

Mark your calendars: Priebus said Trump is expected to name his Supreme Court pick around the inauguration. Brent Griffiths: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6e5e022d0401e89836b625d10149e0243383e8dd85d83499403108df89d9206d 

DON'T DISS ME, BRO- House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes says top intelligence officials declined to brief lawmakers on what he says are conflicting accounts about Russian tampering with the election. Nunes, in a Wednesday night statement, called it "unacceptable" that top officials would refuse to talk with lawmakers today on Russian cyber-attacks. Rachael with more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6e5e022d0401e898f16611d4b9c0c3225d312928e2c00647821b523d198f11fc 

NBC News: Russian President Vladimir Putin was personally involved in the cyber-attacks, U.S. intelligence officials believe. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6e5e022d0401e89894e79378acd187fe6b094324cc6087d47bc8b91d85751ade 

BIPARTISANSHIP ON OBAMACARE REPLACEMENT? Believe it or not, some Senate Democrats have signaled they're open to helping Republicans replace Obamacare once the repeal is in the books. It helps that Republicans have a little leverage in their pocket. Burgess and Jen Haberkorn explain: "Enacting any substantive alternative will take at least eight Democratic votes in the Senate. ...Twenty-five Democrats are on the ballot in 2018, including 10 in states that Donald Trump just won. The GOP is betting that many or most in the latter group will be under irresistible pressure to back an Obamacare replacement."

"Incoming Minority Leader Chuck Schumer essentially ruled out bipartisan cooperation on an Obamacare alternative, saying 'we're not going to do a replacement' if the law is repealed ...But Republicans aren't focused on Schumer; they're looking to pick off rank-and-file members who they believe won't risk being blamed for millions of Americans losing their insurance." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6e5e022d0401e898b416080cba44505b12e618c98cc4c5ecce70cb4c6f117120 

TESTER ALLY PUSHED ZINKE FOR INTERIOR- With Rep. Ryan Zinke likely heading to the Interior Department, it's possible he could forgo what was once a near-certain challenge to Sen. Jon Tester in 2018. And it turns out a Tester ally had a role in pushing the freshman lawmaker for the Cabinet post. Land Tawney, the leader of a sportsmen's group with ties to Donald Trump Jr., backed Zinke for the Interior spot. Tawney's group also took a hard line against No. 4 House Republican Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who was considered a lead contender for the post last week. 

But there's more: Tawney runs a PAC and nonprofit that spent millions getting Tester elected in 2012 and said he plans to support Tester's 2018 reelection bid as a private citizen, Kevin Robillard reports. More for subscribers: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6e5e022d0401e898feadff6193edbe3808c262ecd4e0fb1836f4fec0779fc555 

YOU'RE TUNING IN THIS THURSDAY, Dec. 15. Thanks for POLITICO's Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill. 

TODAY IN CONGRESS- Nada. 

AROUND THE HILL- Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, Sen.-elect Chris Van Hollen and Reps. Elizabeth Etsy, Gerry Connolly and Don Beyer will join gun safety advocates for a press conference following the fourth anniversary of the Newtown tragedy, which was Wednesday. The press conference kicks off at 10 a.m. in HVC-215. 

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid will be joined by artist Michael Heizer and others for the signing of a conservation easement protecting Heizer's giant modern art sculpture, "City" at 11 a.m. in the Mansfield Room (S-207).

OFF THE HILL- House Speaker Paul Ryan will speak at an economic summit at the American Enterprise Institute at 8:30 a.m. Livestream: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6e5e022d0401e8987fcd7c15cd7457940088933c2a368bcf2f103f33e6ef628e 

DEMS WEIGH IN ON TILLERSON- While Republicans can confirm all of Donald Trump's nominations with partisan votes, it certainly helps the whip count for the GOP to get some Democrats on board. Centrist Sen. Joe Manchin seemed open to Tillerson during a Thursday Morning Joe interview, but cautioned he has concerns about the current ExxonMobil CEO's financial holdings. "Everybody is worried...about Rex's relationship with Putin. That's not what I'm worried about at all," Manchin said. "My concern about Rex is this: Can he separate...his financial ties?" Manchin, who knows Tillerson from Boy Scouts, described him as "a character builder." "Rex brings a lot to the table," Manchin added.

Sen. Heidi Heitkamp has been frostier, saying despite an open mind about him she has "some concerns about Rex Tillerson's close ties to Russia and Vladimir Putin, and his potential conflicts of interest with Russia and other countries abroad."

RYAN BRINGS ON NEW CHIEF- House Speaker Paul Ryan has tapped Jonathan Burks as his new chief of staff, replacing longtime Washington denizen David Hoppe. "Burks's rise to the pinnacle of staff power in Congress comes with an added historical impact: Burks is believed to be the first African-American to serve as chief of staff to a Republican speaker of the House," reports Paul Kane for the Washington Post. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6e5e022d0401e898b06f28eb80dbc9b9f2f65b028d52b6ee166640607ce7bb09 

SPOTTED: Attorney General nominee Jeff Sessions in the Senate carryout, taking a break from studying briefing documents to buy a cup of coffee and load it up with artificial sweetener.

CANTOR RULES OUT SENATE RUN- Former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor has been popping up in Virginia political circles lately but he's adamant he's not planning to challenge Sen. Tim Kaine in 2018. "I've learned in life never say never. But I'm not running for the 2018 Senate seat," he said. More from the Washington Post's Jenna Portnoy: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6e5e022d0401e898b9031fcc01350bca9775a88590b176f040c456897b9311ef 

DEMS TO TRUMP: GIVE UP YOUR HOTEL STAKE OR ELSE- Top Democrats on the House Oversight Committee say President-elect Donald Trump must give up all of his financial interest in the Trump Hotel in Washington by Inauguration Day or he'll be in violation of the lease for the luxury property, at least that's the info they say they're getting from the General Services Administration. More from Josh Gerstein and Isaac Arnsdorf: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6e5e022d0401e8981cc2749443cb91132c5696204f701e090a0a38204088c7d4 

A GSA spokesperson told Huddle that the agency currently does not have a position that "the lease provision requires the President-elect to divest of his financial interests," noting it would be premature to make a definitive statement until Trump's business arrangements have been finalized and he's officially the president. 

HEADLINE DU JOUR: "Rep. Duncan Hunter repays campaign with loan brokered by long-ago murderer," from the San Diego Union Tribune. "The broker has had a decades-long career after shooting to death a business partner who was having an affair with his wife in the 1970s. Hunter was unaware of that history, and the broker said it was irrelevant to the transaction," reports Morgan Cook. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6e5e022d0401e898bd6493a058165edb3805c032364d0f3a0d49ce5165584672 

WARREN JOINS ARMED SERVICES- Sen. Elizabeth Warren announced on Wednesday that she'll be joining the Armed Services Committee next year, putting the liberal icon in a prime position to tackle defense issues and burnish her foreign-policy credentials ahead of the 2020 presidential race. Warren said in a statement that her priorities would include "making sure Congress provides effective support and oversight of the Armed Forces, monitors threats to national security, and ensures the responsible use of military force around the globe."

In other Warren news, she apologized for a Facebook rant against a hedge fund manager who happened to be an avid supporter. The Boston Globe: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6e5e022d0401e898487d109376b5cea1402fad3b90c3be006776d0cdd4dd728e 

VIA PLAYBOOK: WERE YOU INVITED? - SPOTTED in a back room at Ocean Prime last night: Speaker Paul Ryan having dinner with CNN's Jake Tapper, CBS's Major Garrett, Fox News' Bret Baier, CBS's John Dickerson, ABC's Martha Raddatz and other top journalists.

LABOR LEADERS IN QUITE THE PICKLE- Labor Secretary Tom Perez is expected to officially enter the race for DNC chairman today, meaning top union players who like Perez but have already backed Keith Ellison are finding themselves in quite the conundrum. "Now, as Perez prepares to make his candidacy official on a conference call with party officials, union leaders are trying to game out a race that will go on until the election in late February." More from Marianne Levine, Gabriel Debenedetti, Edward-Isaac Dovere and Daniel Strauss: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6e5e022d0401e8981478a0fef1a38fc40c1d8be0f29d5f3a0f93e8d5e7deddc9 

On the flip side, Trump announced Wednesday that he's tapped Michigan GOP chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel to lead the RNC. Alex Isenstadt: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6e5e022d0401e898cedcc29840b0d51f9548a6e75ba57a4846a48a116d6479bf 

HOT OFF THE PRESSES: DEMS' UNVEIL TRUMP BILL- Five Democratic senators are rolling out a bill this morning that they plan to release next month requiring "Donald Trump to divest assets that risk a conflict of interest and place the proceeds in a blind trust as well as require his appointees to step aside from official decisions that could benefit him," Elana reports. Chances of passage? Slim to none. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6e5e022d0401e898d7cc2ee89894ea9230a3021faff301f03c24941a151858e4 

BABY COTTON DOING BETTER- Sen. Tom Cotton's newborn son Daniel is doing much better after initially struggling with breathing problems after his birth last week, the Arkansas senator wrote in a Facebook post Wednesday. "Daniel remains in the NICU, but he's shown pretty steady progress since Friday. He went off the ventilator on Sunday and he's been breathing room air ever since," Cotton wrote. "We still don't know when Daniel will be discharged; he has several milestones left to reach." Here's a pic of the little guy and mom Anna: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6e5e022d0401e898186c74dbe755b09cf1f4157684f51658303fc639e94a7d69 

COMING SOON TO A TV NEAR YOU- C-SPAN, every Capitol Hill reporter's favorite channel, has been given the go ahead to film a special 90-minute feature on the Senate set to debut next spring. The public affairs network had to get special permission to access the Senate floor, including a resolution passed by the upper chamber in the final hours of its legislative session last week. Normally the Senate doesn't allow filming, other than with their own video cameras, which is what you see in C-SPAN's gavel-to-gavel coverage. 

WEDNESDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER- Zachary Israel was the first to guess that President Taft was the first sitting commander-in-chief to visit Abraham Lincoln's home in Springfield. 

TODAY'S TRIVIA- Zachary with today's question: In May of 1868, the U.S. Senate came one vote short of convicting President Andrew Johnson after his impeachment by the House. Only 35 senators voted in favor of convicting Johnson when 36 votes (i.e., two-thirds of the Senate) were needed to remove the president from office. Had a 36th senator voted to convict Johnson, who would have become the 18th president?

The first person to correctly guess the answer to today's question gets a mention in tomorrow's Huddle. Send suggestions for trivia questions my way: [email-masked] 

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