Subject: POLITICO Huddle: McCONNELL SPENDS BIG TO BOOST STRANGE – Centrists plot bipartisan health care bill – GOP LEADERS PIVOT TO TAX REFORM – McCain in Arizona for treatment
From: "POLITICO Huddle" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2017 05:53:47 -0600
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By Heather Caygle | 07/31/2017 07:52 AM EDT

With an assist from Daniel Lippman 
 
AIN'T NO STOPPING US NOW - Sensing a window after the Senate's health care collapse, a bipartisan group of House lawmakers is moving quickly to unveil their own health care bill later today. The plan aims to stabilize Obamacare and make changes to the law backed by both sides, multiple sources told your Huddle host and Paul Demko. Roughly 40 centrist House Republicans and Democrats have signed onto the effort, which is being led by the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus. 
 
The House plan: The most significant proposal is funding for Obamacare's cost-sharing subsidies. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to cut off the payments, which could cause the insurance markets to implode. Trump is expected to decide this week whether to continue making the payments. Much more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=11a46932fb535d4ac30f46faab0bcd1b7318d6031350478c7096062cc6a1c9d0061bd6537b08a2a0d51c182096ac7246e8896a1ef811a69d 
 
It ain't over til it's over: Trump fumed over the weekend about the Senate's failure to repeal Obamacare, taking to Twitter to vent his frustrations and calling on Senate leaders to change the chamber's longstanding filibuster rules. The president met with Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Dean Heller (R-Nev.) on Friday to talk about ways to revive the repeal push, including a block grant idea floated by Graham. House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) also met with White House officials. Burgess, Josh and Rachael with more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=11a46932fb535d4a3a7bcfbc72b40a5902f666289dfc2291207f788094f009695d3eafe270484d0710c99aaa49c50ba3f5793c05660d9e25 
 
That'll go over well: OMB Director Mick Mulvaney (a former House guy, mind you) said the White House is taking the official stance that the Senate shouldn't vote on anything else until Republicans revive their Obamacare repeal. "In the White House's view, they can't move on in the Senate," Mulvaney said Sunday on CNN. Remember, Congress has a long list of things to do come September, including funding the government, raising the debt ceiling, reauthorizing the FAA, renewing the children's health insurance program and more. 
 
BRINGING OUT THE BIG GUNS - Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is going all out to make sure one of two conservatives doesn't win the Aug. 15 GOP Senate primary in Alabama and make his life just a little tougher in the upper chamber. The Republican leader is trying to thwart Rep. Mo Brooks and former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore, both of whom are campaigning against McConnell and recently appointed Sen. Luther Strange. 
 
The deets: McConnell's super PAC is set to spend as much as $8 million to boost Strange. The Kentucky Republican has also "activated his sprawling donor network and pressed the White House for more resources." And the NRSC has warned consultants they'll be cut off in the future if they assist Strange's opponents. Alex Isenstadt: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=11a46932fb535d4a85a73f238215e066b24270c62a0de3527b5fd165f3dfddec7a032eeacfd57e924de2874108bbbd74428323b2c9829f6b 
 
WELCOME TO MONDAY, JULY 31. Thanks for tuning into POLITICO's Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill. Things are quiet on the House side but still rocking in the Senate.
 
FRIDAY'S MOST CLICKED: The NBC News video of Sen. John McCain giving the pivotal thumbs down, sinking the GOP's skinny repeal early Friday morning, was the big winner. 
 
ON THE OTHER END OF PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE... Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly takes command of the West Wing today after Trump ousted chief of staff Reince Priebus on Friday. "Trump enters a new phase of his presidency on Monday with a new chief of staff but an old set of challenges as he seeks to get back on course after enduring one of the worst weeks that any modern occupant of the Oval Office has experienced in his inaugural year in power," Peter Baker reports. The New York Times: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=11a46932fb535d4a500509c82defabf3ec6a73f3787ee4b95c581bf511396686f0eb74fe22bbbdc47e84c9f01a6f904dea534464cf385008 
 
Help wanted: Kelly's move to the West Wing leaves a vacancy at the top of DHS, and could trigger a nasty confirmation fight depending on whom Trump nominates to replace the former Marine general. One name being floated is House Homeland Security Chairman Mike McCaul, who was passed over for the job the first time around. Ted Hesson and Andrew Restuccia report: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=11a46932fb535d4a69617023d1b7c8a17457e572f0d8e0cba13953e2243e653e69ff5734cc88081796c69a91ddf89632f565a58bdafa32f8 
 
'STICK THE LANDING' ON TAX REFORM - With the GOP's Obamacare repeal effort in the gutter (at least for now), House leaders are pivoting to their next big agenda item: tax reform. "I feel much more confident that we're going to stick the landing on tax reform,'' Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said on Fox News Sunday. But not so fast. Both Ryan and Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas) are already rejecting a 44 percent tax rate for people making more than $5 million per year, an idea being pushed by White House adviser Steve Bannon. Bloomberg's Benjamin Bain: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=11a46932fb535d4ad99c08d9b88c7f587156b2ca11a665d22a87861e1a02d1a6ab34be369657bd373e434eacdf50ee2ecbd1e325beb3f972 
 
Meanwhile, American Action Network, the outside group aligned with House leadership, plans to spend up to $20 million boosting its tax reform priorities. Katie Glueck with McClatchy: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=11a46932fb535d4a92622fa817347357499710e153ee45ce41543f227ceb7fa3f99cec8c8782d614e731daa8cbf9a6512a5ff302ff4ef24f 
 
SHOW ME THE MONEY - The National Democratic Redistricting Committee, the group backed by former President Barack Obama and led by former Attorney General Eric Holder, brought in nearly $11 million in its first six months, Edward-Isaac Dovere reports this morning. "Much of the fundraising was through five briefings for donors conducted by Holder, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston and Washington, but an event that Obama headlined in Washington earlier this month gave the efforts a significant boost." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=11a46932fb535d4a6dd3263eb0c3c168c69d21313877711ee979ad199e85dd807eb801a580d98bb94870ab25995ce7723c6dba9f0a6404d1 
 
AND SPEAKING OF WAR CHESTS... Senate Leadership Fund and One Nation, the main outside groups backing Senate Republicans, have nearly $22 million combined in their bank accounts after raising $17 million in the first six half of the year, Kevin Robillard reports. "The massive war chest, raised with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's help, should aid Senate Republicans as they try to win 10 Democratic-held seats in states President Donald Trump won last November, while playing defense for Nevada Sen. Dean Heller and Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake." More for Pros: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=11a46932fb535d4aa3905b87bf5bb93992440d972f06871de2dd06a75891f05c19afad06772d7b69cabeb5773c459575ad8158b4483cb9af 
 
YOU CAN'T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT - "Rep. John Delaney may not be the presidential candidate Democrats want. But the wealthy, low-profile congressman and newly minted 2020 hopeful believes he's what the country needs," Kevin writes in Huddle's favorite lede of the weekend. Kevin with more on what Delaney is thinking: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=11a46932fb535d4a6e7a5508a234dcdf032a8c6a297a5aae3877b687ab117b9d7d73d2deee6728510bfba373be1ddd8b945f2f558a97326d 
 
Dress rehearsal: And Gabriel Debenedetti reports on how Democrats are seizing on the 2018 midterms to distinguish themselves from the pack. "Top contenders are making endorsements, picking sides in party primaries and aggressively working the fundraising circuit on behalf of 2018 candidates, all the while building their own name recognition." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=11a46932fb535d4a7a1aad74e33737a16c9a7e60d134ab086c5f0a511f498bebcaa605ff7be6a66f65b68b1ab90acd846c07e70002c4dd17 
 
McCAIN BEGINS CANCER TREATMENT - Sen. John McCain is back in Arizona where he begins treatment this week for an aggressive form of brain cancer. "McCain had hoped the Senate could quickly debate and pass the defense authorization bill once health care was completed. Senate Democrats said they would be willing - if Republicans dropped the repeal bid," CNN's Jeremy Herb reports. But in the end, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) objected to bringing NDAA up in the Senate, meaning the bill probably won't get addressed until September. It's unclear when McCain will return. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=11a46932fb535d4a01e00c1ef75915d0674bde4d62b3d3c2e5c443c0cb138014d6ecc8aa541056777431f17d861d1c5def0afda6cf0ee60c 
 
GRAPHIC DU JOUR - The moderate Blue Dog Coalition hopes to play a significant role in helping Democrats take back the House next year. But with only 18 members, the group is still working to rebuild its ranks after nearly half its members lost their seats in 2010. While Blue Dogs used to be primarily concentrated in the south, now their influence can be found more in the West and Midwest. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=11a46932fb535d4a8e8018b94b078886c47f005753ddc4542f79c13126b7b6faf3cd1c43e95ba59c74decc2b07a8ea0336379413c95e7a51 
 
WELCOME TO THE WORLD - Rep. Trey Hollingsworth (R-Ind.) and his wife Kelly, who works in fashion, welcomed their first child, Joseph, on Thursday at 1:38 a.m. "Both Kelly and Joseph are doing well, and Trey is adjusting to fatherhood like a pro, already having taken hundreds of photos and videos of his new son." Pic: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=11a46932fb535d4adb7bfac23b56e038ec48583d580d0499ed02f3cc9af165deb1f92df030b9cfb95159d669e0712d52c0e6f07d55590274
 
TODAY IN CONGRESS - The Senate gavels in at 4 p.m. with one roll call vote at 5:30 p.m. The House is gone for recess. 
 
AROUND THE HILL - Rep. Brad Sherman, (D-Calif.), TV host Marc Summers and others participate in a discussion on Americans with disabilities at 9 a.m. in 2168 Rayburn. 
 
FRIDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER - Vince Magruder was first to guess that Ronald Reagan was the union leader later elected president. Reagan was president of the Screen Actos Guild from 1947 to 1952 and again in 1959. 
 
TODAY'S TRIVIA - Vince with today's question: Last week yielded some pretty epic theatrics in the Senate. Fortunately, it did not involve a member of the body performing a song-and-dance routine, only to pass away within a few hours. Who was this senator and what were the circumstances? 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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