Capitol agenda: Big day for Trump nominees, questions on plane crash
Several of President Donald Trump's toughest confirmation fights are playing out in the Senate today. Here's a rundown of what we're watching.
Tulsi Gabbard: Trump's pick to serve as director of national intelligence will appear before Senate Intel at 10 a.m. At least three Republicans on the panel are undecided: Sens. Susan Collins, Jerry Moran and Todd Young. Sen. Mitch McConnell is also being closely watched after voting 'no' on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Republicans have been discussing unconventional tactics to advance Gabbard. Rachael Bade scooped this week that some want to take the unusual step of making the Intelligence Committee's vote public to pressure members.
Another option would be to send her to the Senate floor without a favorable recommendation. Senate Majority Leader John Thune isn't sounding convinced it's a viable alternative, saying in a brief interview: 'It's been done before, but rarely.'
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: The HHS nominee appears before Senate HELP at 10 a.m. Kennedy seemed to pass his first test on Wednesday at Senate Finance, despite flubbing questions on Medicare and Medicaid. He'll face tough scrutiny from senators today about his past anti-vaccine rhetoric.
Kash Patel: Democrats are preparing to hammer the FBI director nominee at a 10 a.m. Senate Judiciary hearing over social media posts making light of violence against lawmakers and his past statements suggesting he would go after the president's political adversaries.
Russ Vought: Senate Budget is expected to approve Vought's OMB nomination along party lines at noon. Republican lawmakers are declining to press Vought on the uproar around the Trump administration's federal spending freeze. Democrats were already inclined to oppose him, and they unsuccessfully pushed for his committee vote to be delayed amid this week's chaos.
What else we're watching:
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And what was it? SEN. PADILLA: Yes- sadly, no. And so a little bit of context here, the reason I tried to- the reason I was at the press conference, it was at a scheduled briefing with representatives of Northern Command just a couple doors down the hall in the same federal building when I learned of the press conference. My briefing delayed because the folks I was supposed to meet with were at that press conference. So I asked if we could listen in I was escorted over, and that's what I was doing. Why? Because for months and months, whether it's in committee, the Secretary herself testifying and not providing substantive answers to questions, other representatives of the department, formal letters and inquiries that we've submitted, doing my job as a senator to get information as part of our oversight and accountability responsibility. So to be able to ask a question of the Secretary directly when they offered the meeting after the incident, I took it. But sadly, no, nothing substantive, nothing informative-- MARGARET BRENNAN: She couldn't answer the question, or-- SEN. PADILLA: Either couldn't or wouldn't. And frankly, that says a lot, right? In terms of they type-- MARGARET BRENNAN: What was the question? SEN. PADILLA: Well, among other things, their justification for the federalization of the National Guard, not only not necessary, but counterproductive as we've seen this last week in Los Angeles, and also just truth. You know, for all the talk about the focus and targeting of violent criminals, if that's all the Trump administration was doing, there would be no debate. There is no disagreement on that. But as you're hearing more and more stories of undocumented, long term residents of the United States who are otherwise law abiding, working hard, paying taxes, raising families and, frankly, working in jobs that under the first Trump administration, when the COVID pandemic hit, were deemed essential. MARGARET BRENNAN: Right SEN. PADILLA: Right? Workers in restaurants, in agricultural fields, in health care, construction, etc. That's who's being targeted now, and that's why there's so much fear and terror in communities, not just in Los Angeles, but throughout the country, MARGARET BRENNAN: So the vast majority of immigrants in California, we went and we looked at the stats. They are in this country legally, but Pew Research says your state has nearly 2 million undocumented and they make up about 7% of the entire labor force in some of those farming and service jobs that you you talked about. Since the Trump administration this week told ICE to pull back a bit when it comes to enforcement. Do you see that as a step in the right direction, and do you know what triggered that decision? SEN. PADILLA: Yeah, so I don't know exactly what triggered that decision. I'll take it. Is it a step in the right direction? It's at least a baby step. Let's hope there's more to follow, because they're responding to what I and others have been saying for months and months and, frankly, years, going back to the first Trump administration. You want stats. Let's talk about stats. The state of California, the most populous state in the nation, the most diverse state in the nation, home to more immigrants than any state in the nation, mostly documented, some undocumented. This is the same California that is the largest economy of any state in the nation, fourth largest economy in the world, not despite the immigrant population, but thanks to the contributions of so many immigrants as workforce, as consumers and as entrepreneurs. So again, focus on the dangerous, violent criminals. No disagreement there, but the folks are otherwise law abiding, tax paying and enriching communities, there's got to be a better way, a pathway towards legalization, a pathway to citizenship for 'Dreamers', farm workers and others. MARGARET BRENNAN: Well that's- that is hoping for movement in Congress that would take some time. I did note it was interesting to see the- in the House, the Republican Hispanic Conference, put forth a letter asking for a breakdown of how many criminals were among those actually reported. SEN. PADILLA: And that was one of the key questions they had for the Secretary. Of course, she had no data, had no answer. Promised to follow up. I hope, we'll see. And I also want to be clear about this, because when I had the audacity to try to ask a question as a Senator of a Cabinet Secretary, that's what happened. And you saw the response, everybody's seen the video, it wasn't about me, right? If that's how this administration responds to the Senator with a question, don't just imagine what their capable of, but what they are doing when the cameras are not there, to people without a title like United States Senator, that cruel, disrespectful treatment of so many people who deserve much better. 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Overwhelmingly, on a bipartisan basis, yes. And so I think it's important to break down three things. Number one, do we need a safe and secure, orderly, humane border? Absolutely, no disagreement. People seeking to come to the United States, whether it's to seek asylum on work pieces, etc., we definitely have to modernize that system and be more strategic in those capacities. But we can't forget the millions of long term residents, people who have been here, working, paying taxes, raising families, buying homes, contributing to the strength of our economy. They deserve better. MARGARET BRENNAN You are the ranking member on the Senate Rules Committee which oversees the Capitol Police. What if anything can you tell us about the state of security for lawmakers, given what's happening in Minnesota? SEN. PADILLA Look, a lot of questions, a lot of concerns, and work directly with both the US Capitol Police and the Senate Sergeant at Arms, and they're doing what they need to do to ensure the safety of members of Congress. But I also think it's more than appropriate to step back and say, why are tensions so high? Not just in Los Angeles, but throughout the country. And I can't help but point to the beginning of not just the first Trump term, but the beginning of the campaign, the tone with which the President had launched his first campaign for President, served throughout his first term, and continues in this term, for a cabinet secretary during a press conference to not be able or be willing to de escalate a situation when I was trying to ask a question that's just indicative-- MARGARET BRENNAN: --You wanted her to say, wait a second, I know who he is. Calm down. Let him go. Is that what you're saying? SEN. PADILLA: The vast majority of people in that room knew who I was. I was escorted into that room by an FBI agent and a National Guard's member. It's the Los Angeles press corps. It said United States Senate on the chest of my polo. MARGARET BRENNAN" Senator Padilla, thank you for joining us today.
