New megabill text revives land sales, axes IRA funding
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee's portion of Republicans' party-line bill proposes to sell off certain public lands and repeal billions of dollars for energy programs in Democrats' 2022 climate law.
The committee's proposal, unveiled Wednesday evening, contains many of the provisions in the House-passed H.R. 1, the 'One Big, Beautiful Bill Act' — including ones that would target the Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office or charge a one-time fee to speed up permitting for some natural gas projects.
But there are some significant differences. Most notable is a new section favored by Chair Mike Lee (R-Utah) to revive the sale of public lands, reigniting a firestorm of opposition from advocates. The provision goes further than an abandoned proposal in the House, encompassing Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service lands across 11 Western states.
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ENR's text comes as the Senate is racing to tweak and quickly vote on tax, energy and national security legislation after the House approved its version last month. Republicans are working through the reconciliation process, which will allow them to skirt the Senate filibuster and pass the budget-focused bill with simple majorities.
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Associated Press
14 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Finding a strong candidate for governor in Pennsylvania may help GOP protect its US House majority
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Job No. 1 for Republicans in Pennsylvania is to scrounge up a candidate to contest next year's reelection bid by Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro — if only to run interference for other Republicans on the ballot who are clinging to seats in Congress. In other words, the unalluring mission of next year's Republican gubernatorial nominee could be just to not get blown out by the relatively popular incumbent. That's because a lopsided victory by Shapiro could otherwise doom Republicans up and down Pennsylvania's ballot — and, with them, the GOP's narrow majority in the U.S. House that backs President Donald Trump's agenda. That's one more reason Pennsylvania could again find itself at the center of attention, even during the midterms and even if the GOP faces long odds against beating Shapiro. Democrats are targeting four GOP-held congressional seats in Pennsylvania alone — more than in any other state — and they need to flip only three seats nationwide to retake the majority they lost last year. Having a valuable standard-bearer is important, analysts say. That is the candidate who often sets the tone for the party in the state, delivers the party's message and drives the enthusiasm of the party's faithful to go out and vote. Republicans had Trump atop their ticket in 2024, and he proved formidable in Pennsylvania. Next year, it will be Democrats with a familiar name leading the way, and he, too, brings considerable heft. Shapiro has won three statewide races, is working to sustain his robust public approval ratings and carries a reputation as a disciplined messenger and powerhouse fundraiser who is on the party's shortlist for top White House contenders in 2028. He'll run at what could be a difficult time for Republicans. During a midterm election, the party of the president — in this case, Trump — typically loses seats in what pollsters describe as a political readjustment by an electorate that tends to punish the status quo. 'The big question I have is, 'Would you as a Republican thinking about this office want to choose 2026 as the time you want to make that run?'' said Christopher Borick, a pollster and director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion. 'You're thinking, 'Well I want to be governor,' but you're thinking, 'I have to first take on a well-funded incumbent who's never lost a race in the state, and I have to do it in a period where my party is facing headwinds.'' The four Republican congressmen in Pennsylvania being targeted by Democrats are Rob Bresnahan, Brian Fitzpatrick, Ryan Mackenzie and Scott Perry. Fitzpatrick and Perry are survivors of repeated challenges. Bresnahan and Mackenzie are freshmen. Fitzpatrick is one of just three House Republicans nationally to represent a district won by Democrat Kamala Harris in last year's presidential election. He won by 13 percentage points. But Perry, Bresnahan and Mackenzie each won by 1.6 percentage points or less, putting their victories among the narrowest of 2024. Those victories came without political headwinds on a GOP ticket led by Trump, who carried battleground Pennsylvania by nearly 2 percentage points. Plus, Republicans lost a slew of seats in Pennsylvania the last two times an incumbent Democratic governor ran for reelection in midterms with a Republican president. There's also this to consider: Shapiro won all four districts when he won his 2022 contest by almost 15 percentage points. Republicans would rather forget that election, when the party nominated a relative political novice who ran an insular, ham-handed campaign — and got blown out. It's going to be 'super-important' for Republicans' down-ballot races to have a strong top-of-the-ticket candidate, said Bob Salera, a Republican campaign strategist who has worked on campaigns for governor in Pennsylvania. But, Republicans acknowledge, Shapiro enters the race from a position of strength. 'He's turning into a national figure, so he'll have all the money possible at his disposal to win in 2026,' Salera said. 'He's a formidable candidate, for certain, and it'll take a formidable Republican to beat him.' Defeating Shapiro is obviously the GOP's preference. But a competitive race could at least protect other Republicans and damage Shapiro's popularity in Pennsylvania enough to pay dividends in the next presidential contest. 'Josh Shapiro is a fairly strong candidate,' said Bill Bretz, the GOP chair of heavily Republican Westmoreland County. 'He's someone we need to identify the chink in the armor here and need to set back his candidacy for governor so that we can set him back in 2028.' In any case, it's a little early for that conversation, Bretz said. No Republican has declared a candidacy for the GOP nomination, and, for now, only two say they're considering it. One is U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, who hails from a Trump-friendly congressional district in northeastern Pennsylvania. At Trump's rally at a U.S. Steel plant earlier this month, Trump singled out Meuser in the crowd and said nice things about him. 'He's been a great congressman, and if you run, you have my support totally, and you'll win,' Trump said. Meuser said he'll decide by July 1. The other is state Treasurer Stacy Garrity, a two-time statewide winner who has campaigned for other Republicans all over Pennsylvania but has raised only a fraction of the money Shapiro did while winning two low-profile races. All told, Democrats have put a target on 35 Republican-held House districts, needing to flip just three to transform a 220-215 majority into a minority. All four of the targeted Republicans in Pennsylvania voted last month for Trump's big tax cut and spending bill, helping it pass by one vote — a vote that Democrats say will cost them. For his part, Shapiro smashed Pennsylvania's campaign spending record in 2022, and he's running for reelection in a state that's friendly to incumbent governors. Shapiro's most recent public approval ratings resemble those of a candidate who'll cruise to reelection, said Berwood Yost, a pollster and director of the Center for Opinion Research at Franklin and Marshall College. Shapiro unified the party and its allies behind his candidacy in 2022, after winning two statewide elections for attorney general. Shapiro has ably managed the levers of state government and avoided any major scandal. He has raised his profile nationally, including making Harris' shortlist of vice presidential running mates, and kept his grip on party unity. For a candidate to run against Shapiro, there aren't many incentives, Yost said. Timing can be everything in a successful — or unsuccessful — political career, he said. 'You never know what's going to happen, but you're signing up for something you know will be incredibly challenging,' Yost said. 'You have to wonder, if you're an ambitious politician, timing is important. 'Maybe you wait this one out. There's always another statewide race.' ___ Follow Marc Levy on X at:
Axios
16 minutes ago
- Axios
No Kings protest expected to draw 2,000 people
Protesters are gathering at the Iowa State Capitol on Saturday for what is expected to be the largest single-day anti-Trump demonstration since the beginning of his second administration. The big picture: The widespread No Kings movement will run counter to President Trump's multimillion-dollar military parade in Washington. Interest in the nationwide protests has risen since the Trump administration's crackdown on protesters in Los Angeles. Driving the news: Around 2,000 people are expected to attend the Des Moines event, based on registrations as of Wednesday, per Des Moines organizer Lori Hunt. Indivisible Iowa is supporting over 20 No Kings protests across the state. Zoom in: Hunt said she expects nonviolent protests. Volunteers are being trained for situational awareness and deescalation. Des Moines Police Sgt. Paul Parizek told Axios the department has a team in place to respond Saturday if needed. Hunt said event organizers are not coordinating with DMPD. State of play: Speakers include Charlie Wishman from Federation of Labor, Joe Henry with LULAC, Sue Dinsdale with ICAN and Iowa Rep. Rob Johnson (D–Des Moines). Hunt said the plan is to gather at the west terrace, and people can park in surrounding free lots, like the Capitol Complex parking garage. The event runs from 12pm to 2pm. Zoom out: Trump's military parade will be on June 14, the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary and his 79th birthday, achieving his long-held desire to march a parade of soldiers through the capital. The other side: "President Trump earned the support of 77 million Americans and won Iowa by a commanding margin, that's democracy in action," Iowa Republican Party spokesperson Jade Cichy shared in an email. "The protests we're seeing aren't organic. They're funded by dark money groups and designed to distract from the Democrats' sinking poll numbers and lack of a serious agenda." What they're saying: Hunt said she and other organizers are not receiving dark money.
Newsweek
22 minutes ago
- Newsweek
The Bulletin June 9, 2025
The rundown: After months of lagging poll numbers and internal party anxieties, Democrats are seeing signs of a rebound. Here's what the new polling reveals. Why it matters: YouGov's generic congressional ballot tracker, which tests which party voters would choose in a congressional election, shows that the Democrats are 2 points ahead of the Republicans, with 44 percent to the GOP's 42 percent. That is the biggest lead the Democrats have held over the Republicans in the poll since August. Between October 2024 and April 2025, the two parties were practically tied in the poll. But since April, support for the Democrats has started to trend upward, with their lead over the Republicans reaching 2 points this week. The upward trajectory for the Democrats coincides with Trump introducing his "Liberation Day" tariffs in April. The policy move rattled markets, prompting a sharp sell-off before an eventual recovery. Read more in-depth coverage: Trump Eliminates Democrats' Polling Advantage in Key Area TL/DR: YouGov's tracker also shows a downward trajectory in the Democratic Party's popularity, dropping from 40 percent favorability in December to 38 percent in May. What happens now? Democratic strategists say the party is beginning to gain momentum by aggressively countering Donald Trump's policies and offering a message of stability amid chaos. Former Obama adviser Peter Loge pointed to what he sees as the deep unpopularity of Trump's actual policies—even among some who support his rhetoric. Deeper reading Democrat Support is Finally Bouncing Back
