Tag: U.S. House

Eyeing House majority, top Republican super PAC books $43 million in fall ads

Washington Post logoThe largest Republican super PAC focused on House races has reserved $43 million in advertising this fall, sketching out the GOP’s path for retaking the majority two years after a Democratic wave swept them from power.

The spending plan from the Congressional Leadership Fund targets about 30 Democratic incumbents in a cycle in which Republicans will need to flip 18 seats to win back the speaker’s gavel. The group, which has close ties to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) and other Republican leaders, is also moving to protect as many as six vulnerable GOP members.

Among the group’s most prominent targets are Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (D-Tex.), a freshman in a Houston-area district where the super PAC is planning to spend $3.1 million, and Rep. Anthony Brindisi (D-N.Y.), whose Upstate New York district is targeted for $2.2 million of fall spending. Continue reading.

Pelosi, Schumer want aid to states, hospitals in GOP small business bill

The Hill logoSpeaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer (N.Y.) say a Republican request to funnel an additional $250 billion to a special small-business loan program for the coronavirus crisis must also include hundreds of billions of dollars for hospitals, state and local governments and food assistance.

“As Democrats have said since Day One, Congress must provide additional relief for small businesses and families, building on the strong down-payment made in the bipartisan CARES Act,” they said in a statement Wednesday morning.

The Democratic response comes a day after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said he would ask for unanimous consent on the Senate floor Thursday to approve an additional $250 billion in funding for the popular small-business Paycheck Protection Program. Continue reading.

Combative in public, Trump administration and congressional leaders negotiate behind the scenes on coronavirus relief

Washington Post logoThe president and the speaker haven’t spoken in months, while the president is openly taunting the Senate’s top Democrat about a potential primary challenge more than two years away. The top Republicans have direct channels to the president but don’t share the same big-spending appetite as the leader of their party.

The core five leaders in Washington — President Trump, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) — and their interactions with one another have come under scrutiny amid the coronavirus outbreak, as the pandemic continues to swamp the nation, killing thousands of Americans and plunging the U.S. economy into crisis.

Yet for all the public signs of discord, communications and coordination between congressional leaders and the Trump administration have hummed along, compensating for the dysfunctional relationship — or the outright lack of one — between Trump himself and the top two Democrats on Capitol Hill. Continue reading.

Pelosi, McConnell clash over next coronavirus bill

The Hill logoSpeaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell(R-Ky.) are publicly at odds over a potential fourth coronavirus package.

The two leaders, whose public relationship has been tense in recent weeks, are taking different tactics on follow-up legislation and sparring through the media on next steps to address the devastating economic and health effects of the pandemic.

The mixed messaging, which comes as lawmakers are out of town until at least April 20, underscores the looming challenge of keeping the congressional response to the coronavirus bipartisan. The first three bills passed with overwhelming support on both sides of the aisle. Continue reading.

Pelosi eyes end of April to bring a fourth coronavirus relief bill to the floor

The Hill logoSpeaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said in a letter to fellow House lawmakers on Saturday that she wants to bring a second stimulus package to the floor by the end of this month to further relieve the American public during the coronavirus pandemic.

“It is my hope that we will craft this legislation and bring it to the floor later this month,” Pelosi said in the letter, according to Bloomberg, adding that American communities “cannot afford to wait.”

Pelosi added that the next stimulus package “must go further in assisting small businesses including farmers, extending and strengthening unemployment benefits and giving families additional direct payments.” Continue reading.

Pelosi forms House committee to oversee coronavirus response

The Hill logoSpeaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Thursday announced the creation of a special House committee charged with overseeing the unprecedented, multitrillion-dollar federal response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Pelosi has tapped Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.), the Democratic whip, to lead the bipartisan panel, which will be authorized “to examine all aspects of the federal response to the coronavirus and ensure the taxpayer’s dollars are being wisely and efficiently spent.”

“The panel will root out waste, fraud and abuse; it will protect against price-gauging, profiteering and political favoritism,” she told reporters on a press call. “The fact is, we do need transparency and accountability.” Continue reading.

House may cancel recesses, extend legislative weeks for days lost to pandemic

‘I would urge you to keep your schedules very flexible,’ Hoyer says in letter to colleagues

As the House loses time in legislative session due to the coronavirus pandemic, House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer warned members Tuesday that he may make up for days lost by canceling recesses or extending legislative weeks in the future.

“I would urge you to keep your schedules very flexible,” the Maryland Democrat said in a “Dear Colleague” letter. “In order to make up for time that has been lost, the House may meet during weeks that had previously been scheduled as district work periods, and four-day weeks may become five-day weeks. While we have lost legislative days, we have not reduced the amount of work we have to do.”

Hoyer had announced Monday that the House, which is currently in an extended district work period, would not return before April 20. But the return date remains fluid. Continue reading.

The Most Powerful People in American Politics Are Over 65

New York Times logoPresident Trump is 73. His leading rival is 77. And many of their strongest supporters — vulnerable to the coronavirus but enormously influential politically — are eligible for Social Security.

LAS VEGAS — Joseph R. Biden Jr. wasn’t accustomed to overflow audiences.

It was a Tuesday evening in February and Mr. Biden had limped into Las Vegas, bruised from his disappointing showings in the Iowa and New Hampshire nominating contests. But at Harbor Palace Seafood Restaurant, a dim sum spot here, a crowd of retirees had packed in to see the 77-year-old former vice president, forming a line that snaked out the door.

“I don’t like Warren and I don’t like Bernie because they want ‘Medicare for all,’” said Alan Davis, 80, dismissing the single-payer health care system promoted by Senator Bernie Sanders, 78. “I’m totally against it. I have a good health plan.” Continue reading.

House passes $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill, with Trump to sign quickly

The Hill logoThe House on Friday passed a historic $2 trillion coronavirus relief package, overcoming eleventh-hour hurdles erected by a GOP lawmaker that sent furious lawmakers across the country racing back to Washington to move the emergency legislation to President Trump‘s desk.

The enormous package, approved by the Senate late Wednesday night, provides hundreds of billions of dollars for the industries, small businesses, unemployed workers and health care providers hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic, which has devastated economies around the world.

Trump has said he’ll sign the bill immediately. Continue reading.

White House, Senate reach deal on $2 trillion stimulus package

The Hill logoThe White House and Senate leaders reached a deal early Wednesday morning on a massive stimulus package they hope will keep the nation from falling into a deep recession because of the coronavirus crisis.

The revamped Senate proposal will inject approximately $2 trillion into the economy, providing tax rebates, four months expanded unemployment benefits and a slew of business tax-relief provisions aimed at shoring up individual, family and business finances.

The deal includes $500 billion for a major corporate liquidity program through the Federal Reserve, $377 billion in small business aid, $100 billion for hospitals and $150 billion for state and local governments. Continue reading.