Subject: POLITICO Huddle: GOP SCRAMBLES FOR HEALTH CARE VOTES – Russia back in Hill spotlight this week – GEORGIA HOUSE RACE TOMORROW – Speaker Ryan dines with VP
From: "POLITICO Huddle" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2017 05:50:55 -0600
List-Id: <1376319_6726643.xt.local>

06/19/2017 07:49 AM EDT

By Heather Caygle ([email-masked] or @heatherscope)
 
WILL THINGS BE DIFFERENT? Last week's shooting at the GOP baseball practice brought Democrats and Republicans together for a moment of bipartisanship and promises from both sides for a less toxic tone to come. But will it last? Lawmakers will get back to work this week on several contentious issues - GOP efforts to repeal Obamacare and the Russia investigation, namely - that threaten the delicate d&eacute;tente. Here's what to watch for this week, via Austin:
 
-Obamacare repeal: Senate Republicans are scrambling for votes, still hoping to resolve long outstanding issues (like how quickly to end the Medicaid expansion and how to lower premiums) in enough time to vote on a repeal bill before the July 4th recess. Democrats, meanwhile, are planning to hold the Senate floor until at least midnight tonight, part of a broader assault meant to slow down the GOP's repeal effort. 
 
Why you gotta be so mean? Democratic senators still haven't decided how far to take their protest - including whether to bring the Senate to a standstill, Burgess reports. They have, however, decided to capitalize as much as possible on President Donald Trump's remark last week that the House GOP's repeal bill is "mean," Josh Dawsey and Seung Min report. 
 
You've got mail: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) wants all 100 senators to meet in the Old Senate Chamber and talk out Obamacare. Seung Min and Jen Haberkorn: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=374dde003d9fda16a91ad48778ca1a6fd9e3d2baa30b988301472c7391d8921870783018fe2cc263be7715d9aa7248418361f5ec7a4d3ef5 We're going to go out on a limb here and guess Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) isn't going to agree to Schumer's request. 
 
That was then, this is now:  The Washington Post gave McConnell an "upside-down Pinocchio" for all the flip-flopping he's done on the health care legislative process from 2010 to now. McConnell in 2010: "Democrats on Capitol Hill are working behind the scenes on a plan aimed at jamming this massive health spending bill through Congress against the clear wishes of an unsuspecting public." And now, as Republicans craft their repeal in secret without any congressional hearings: "Nobody's hiding the ball here. You're free to ask anybody anything." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=374dde003d9fda16f47863174b9f6f0136d53cb4e2b52de528db2bb9f6233ba48eee6cbc7c9cafe0b8e3244fce89788965aca415d54c2517
 
-Russia: House and Senate investigations into Russia meddling in the election will continue to be in the spotlight this week, even as House Intel Chairman Devin Nunes insisted over the weekend there "was never any collusion between Donald Trump and the Russians." Former DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson will testify before the House Intelligence Committee Wednesday. The Senate Intel Committee will also hold a hearing Wednesday on Russian election meddling.
 
-The budget: House Republicans will try to get their funding process back on track as House Budget Chairwoman Diane Black (R-Tenn.), backed by members of the Freedom Caucus, continues to push for somewhere around $200 billion in mandatory cuts in the GOP's budget resolution. 
 
Conservatives are also ramping up calls for welfare reform, which, combined with demands for mandatory cuts, is threatening to block the GOP's tax overhaul hopes and derail the budget process completely. Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) will give a speech on tax reform tomorrow at the National Association of Manufacturers. Sarah Ferris with more for Pros: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=374dde003d9fda16d87c827ccb233f999c3b3dc49914e2b4de25121ebd093515d98821b4757d5447c142b0f357076b86e9f6e0799167fc38 
 
TUESDAYS DOWN SOUTH - The Georgia race between Jon Ossoff and Karen Handel could come down to a few thousand votes Tuesday, as Democrats look to hand Trump a referendum on his presidency while the GOP desperately tries to hold on to a seat that's long been a Republican stronghold, Elena Schneider reports. Right now the election, easily the most expensive House race in history, is too close to call with polling giving Ossoff a razor-thin edge, Steve Shepard reports. And Scott Bland tells you what votes to look for when returns start rolling in tomorrow night: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=374dde003d9fda16f9a881e979239e0f5166c772960fdeca56bd0981ad119e72887cb48e5e3b05d34e87b984ad4061cca0061fa6a31c6c4f 
 
What's at stake tomorrow: Republicans "must demonstrate they can separate themselves from the president enough to hold suburban districts that only now are becoming battlegrounds. And Democrats, facing a restive base hungry for victory after disappointing losses in Montana and Kansas, are under pressure to show they can notch something more than a moral victory in the sort of affluent seat they will need in order to take back the House majority." Jonathan Martin and Alex Burns with the New York Times: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=374dde003d9fda165a6a0b96ac162fefad9d917de0e3a2cf4bbef6f09b3554e4cadead834aed182f9f1116de37f442eaaa6d81bc3a2fe0cb 
 
Other GA-06 news: Both campaigns have condemned a controversial ad that attempts to link Ossoff to the congressional baseball shooting, via the AJC: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=374dde003d9fda16dfc04a0efd57ccebf4b64b38ab6434cc1c38bf31fea859515f9ad77dbe7fb7f6c80b7a2dbfbeba57df168e30db350de6 Pro-Trump group uses Obama's voice out of context in new ad, CNN's Andrew Kaczynski reports: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=374dde003d9fda16dba83478dd85b7685517c91faaa6d98dbdbec56e13e07ddd8140191a22d01d77f54a83306e82ce9edf66181b66426a30 
 
Democrats sweat final details, via Gabe Debenedetti this morning: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=374dde003d9fda16b649ac380a1d0a76bda1d0fad1039fd9ec60949dce0136ccd4bbbd5ee557ea3456fd2ff03ca2add68dbafed651a4fa2c And can Democrats recreate Ossoff magic in the 2018 midterms? McClatchy's Alex Roarty: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=374dde003d9fda16ab32cacca700217989fcfeb50888e39a91814b61c99618664eb6510e90b3857ca1169375941bb8ffd584707fb5c86358  
 
OKAY, I SEE YOU MONDAY. Welcome to June 19 and thanks for reading POLITICO's Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill. 
 
FRIDAY'S MOST CLICKED: The latest update on House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, written by Rachael Bade, was Friday's most-read story. 
 
SCALISE CONDITION IMPROVES - House Majority Whip Steve Scalise faced an "imminent risk of death" when he arrived at the hospital last Wednesday according to his doctors. But the Louisiana Republican continues to improve - his condition was upgraded from critical to serious over the weekend - and he was awake, speaking with his family and even watching LSU baseball. Still, Scalise is expected to remain in the hospital for a "considerable period of time," according to his doctors. Rachael with more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=374dde003d9fda167f7ab7b235551543ad671555662d1366e8ee01fa6fa91e3c847fd9f1197fe291bf689b5bf0ca593e42c9cd884654a616 
 
The Scalise family posted a special Father's Day message on his Twitter page Sunday: "Steve's greatest joy is being a father to Madison and Harrison and a husband to Jennifer," Team Scalise wrote. "This Father's Day has special meaning for the Scalise family." More (with pics): http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=374dde003d9fda16568b5098443c106479b53a87035497f7134e1c759907c2a1129bba6af1cbacb90eb02deeda61c573a1cedcea82c33df4 
 
-We also enjoyed this video from Speaker Ryan on what he's learning as a dad as his three children enter their teenage years: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=374dde003d9fda16ccd266d09b5cb2a7e9e9d39bdcbebe137f370549b7176b886d05a1c6fd8e50801f9827ee1186a5b7d88ed300bd4bcf0f 
 
'SOMEBODY'S TRYING TO KILL ME' - For five long minutes last Wednesday, Republican lawmakers, staffers, Capitol police and lobbyists fought for their lives as a bitter 66-year old man trained his rifle on them during a routine congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, Va. We talked to 13 of the men who were there - 11 representatives, one senator (and one devoted, 81-year-old freelance photographer) - who retold the horrific shooting from their vantage point, sharing the sights and sounds that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. Kyle, Elana and your Huddle host with more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=374dde003d9fda1698595f8e0f0169a8572d59fde0d71fb83cd5f8deb1790d5f2ad64c2201528ac733433d8a0ccb3978b5103d0af00d3fb9 
 
MENENDEZ LAWYER ON KUSHNER LIST - Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, is reconsidering his legal team as the federal investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election heats up, the New York Times reports. One of the lawyers contacted by Kushner representatives about possibly joining the team? Abbe Lowell, the prominent trial lawyer who is currently representing Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) in his federal corruption case. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=374dde003d9fda16de337a7efe8cbc7d97c12bcc073478a19f0c67d4014aea35060ee4aacd7f8cb4f6a0c9f62123a09d0ab9939ba2cdf987 
 
ASHFORD GIVES IT ANOTHER GO - Former Rep. Brad Ashford will run for Congress again in 2018 after losing his Nebraska seat by a little more than a percentage point in the last election. Ashford, the former Democratic lawmaker who represented Nebraska's 2nd District for one term, was defeated by now-Rep. Don Bacon. Ashford faces a crowded Democratic primary first. The Omaha World-Herald: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=374dde003d9fda163b7bbb5f2fb544db3387a45f0724bd8d847cca46e3b83ddf0f5b7109cd98f65d5d3f842c9b02f15feb1dad820b42f3c3 
 
HEADLINE DU JOUR: "Gianforte calls for civil politics after assaulting reporter." Ahead of Wednesday's swearing in, Montana Rep.-elect Greg Gianforte sat down with the AP's Matt Volz for his first national interview since winning the special election and pleading guilty to assaulting reporter Ben Jacobs. "Gianforte refused to answer questions about the attack and why his campaign initially released a statement painting Jacobs as the instigator, which contradicted witness accounts, Gianforte's own apology letter and the criminal charge to which he eventually pleaded guilty." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=374dde003d9fda166c643e6ca1ab68cb24277d347a6dc6b650ce39996eae04d38a334db0aba1d9ff46ba9be8725acdb761bd4e2c2964ec02 
 
TODAY IN CONGRESS - The Senate meets at 4 p.m. with a 5:30 p.m. confirmation vote on FEMA administrator nominee Brock Long. The House is out but will be back Tuesday. 
 
OFF THE HILL - Vice President Mike Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence will host Speaker Paul Ryan and his wife Janna for dinner at 6 p.m. at the VP's residence. 
 
FRIDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER - Kieran Murphy was the first to guess that Teddy Roosevelt won the president's race during the congressional baseball game, the first time he's won this season. 
 
TODAY'S TRIVIA - Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) and Al Franken (D-Minn.) all share a notable accomplishment this week. What is it? The first person to correctly answer gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send answers my way: [email-masked] 
 
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