Latest news with #OntheTrail
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sens. Mike Lee and John Curtis have different approaches to green energy tax credits
This article was first published in the On the Trail newsletter. Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox on Friday mornings here. Hello, friends. It's White House Correspondents Week, which means Washington is buzzing with activity from one end of Pennsylvania Avenue to the other. The annual dinner will be held on Saturday evening, although it will look different from years past, as there won't be a headlining comedian — and President Donald Trump has decided not to attend! But the week has still been packed with galas and dinner parties, with celebrity guests expected to appear at different points this weekend. I'll be attending some events, and can give you a behind-the-scenes peek on Monday! And don't forget! We are renaming the newsletter to On The Hill starting next week! Reminder: All content will remain the same, but keep an eye out for the change next Friday. Sens. Mike Lee and John Curtis have different approaches to green energy tax credits Republicans will begin drafting their massive tax reconciliation bill next week, and they have a long road ahead of them. The House hopes to get their version finalized and passed before they leave for Memorial Day recess, but that's an ambitious timeline with several obstacles that could delay the process. More on those obstacles here. But for today's edition, let's dive into one of biggest crossroads emerging in the reconciliation package — but one that hasn't been dragged into the spotlight. Green energy tax credits As I've previously reported, some Republicans are adamant that they will repeal President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act. And not just part of it — they want to overturn its components 'lock, stock, and barrel,' Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, tells me. 'I would rather see us pull out all of the IRA subsidies,' Lee said. 'I think the minute you start trying to draw perimeter lines around certain projects, it's going to be very difficult to contain the damage.' But some Republicans are urging more caution. Take Lee's counterpart, Sen. John Curtis, for example. The junior Utah senator recently signed on to a letter warning against a full repeal of Biden's signature climate bill, warning it could lead to 'significant disruptions' and weaken the United States on the global stage. Conversations on the topic are ongoing, Lee told me. But the Utah senator is expected to play a big role as chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. But what would a repeal of some of those tax credits look like? The IRA creates significant tax credits for renewable energy projects such as solar, wind and geothermal. These Investment Tax Credits incentivize households and businesses to install renewable energy systems by allowing them to deduct a percentage of the cost from federal taxes. That's a big deal for states in the Western U.S. such as Arizona and California that have some of the best conditions for solar power and have some of the highest rates of usage. Utah has also seen growing usage, according to a story last year by Reuters. By installing solar panels, homes and businesses can 'produce some of your energy on your rooftop and reduce the cost' of utility bills, Kate Bowman from Vote Solar, a clean-energy advocacy group, tells me. 'Regardless of the decision to install solar, families' utility bills are going up and investing in rooftop solar is a way to help bring those utility bills back down and then also have some more predictability about what your utility costs are going to be in the future so that you're not as vulnerable to price increases,' Bowman told me. The average household in Utah can save about $90 a month on electric bills with a switch to solar energy, according to Bowman. In response to GOP senators, including Curtis, advocating for green energy credits: 'I think it really shows that he recognizes that this is a moment … to invest in communities, to make sure that we stay on the forefront as our energy system evolves, and that we are giving families the tools to take control of their own energy resources.' However, if there is uncertainty about the future of the tax credits, it could discourage people from switching to solar power altogether, other experts tell me. Take, for example, what Glen Brand, vice president of policy and advocacy for Solar United Neighbors said: 'It's not about the larger political battles. It's about these practical benefits. And we think that's very convincing, and also grounding, because that's, after all, what the whole purpose of this is: to help people save money and then reinvest that money in the economy.' But, Republican lawmakers are looking for ways to save money to get to the $1.5 trillion in cuts promised in the reconciliation bill. That could put the credits on the chopping block. So stay tuned. I'll be following this issue over the next several weeks. Deportation mayhem: The saga of the man mistakenly deported to El Salvador has become a political flashpoint, which continued to heat up this week after four House Democrats traveled to the country to advocate for his release. Republicans are accusing Democrats of being anti-American while Democrats claim the Trump administration is ignoring due process and judicial orders that run contrary to the president's agenda. Pope memorials: Pope Francis died this week, resulting in an outpouring of love and admiration for the Catholic leader. His death came just hours after meeting with Vice President JD Vance, who said it was 'pretty crazy' that he was among the last few officials to see the pope before he passed. 2026 Senate watch: Sen. Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Senate Democrat from Illinois, announced he wouldn't run for reelection next year, setting the stage for a rare Democratic primary to replace him. He's the fifth senator to retire so far this year and the fourth Democrat to hang up his hat. While GOP leaders schedule markups for the tax reconciliation bill, there's a number of other bills up for consideration this week on the House floor. A main theme: Repealing a slew of clean energy policies passed under the Biden EPA. At least three bills set to come to the floor this week are Congressional Review Act resolutions, which are special legislative tools used to overturn federal regulations. The ones on deck this week appear to target three electric vehicle-related laws. Here's a brief overview of what each resolution would do: HJR87: Would nullify a rule issued by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2023 allowing California to force truck manufacturers to sell zero-emission trucks. In doing so, it would maintain uniform vehicle emission regulations nationwide. HJR88: Overturns a waiver from the EPA allowing California to implement its 'Advanced Clean Cars II' program. That program would aim for 'all new passenger cars, trucks and SUVs sold in California' to be zero emissions by 2035. HJR89: Repeals another EPA waiver allowing California to enforce a law establishing stringent nitrogen oxide emission standards. From the Hill: Congress explores limiting cellphones in classrooms as states like Utah issue bans. … The challenges Republicans still face as they tackle Trump's tax bill. From the White House: Trump orders flags to half-staff to honor Pope Francis. … DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's bag stolen at D.C. restaurant with security badge inside. … Trump administration releases first plans to downsize the State Department. … Vance says U.S. will 'walk away' if Ukraine and Russia don't agree to peace proposal. From the courts: Judge resigns after immigrant with alleged criminal connections arrested at his home. … Judge strikes down Utah's school choice program. … What the Supreme Court said about LGBTQ rights and a children's book on same-sex marriage. The House and Senate are back next week — and they'll be busy. It'll be a four-week sprint to draft and pass Trump's massive reconciliation bill in the House before they break for Memorial Day recess. Remember: This process could hit some snags, and it won't be a surprise if that target date gets moved farther into the summer. Also next week: The Treasury is expected to announce its long-awaited X-date. Or in other words, the day the country is projected to default on its loans unless Congress raises the debt limit. Stay tuned for more on that. As always, feel free to reach out to me by email with story ideas or questions you have for lawmakers. And follow me on X for breaking news and timely developments from the Hill.
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Congress report card: First 100 days
This article was first published in the On the Trail newsletter. Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox on Friday mornings here. Hello, friends. Welcome back to another quiet week on the Hill as lawmakers are home for the Easter holiday. It's been 100 days since Republicans took control of both chambers of Congress. With the House and Senate out (and spring weather in!), I decided to take a look at what the new GOP trifecta has accomplished so far during this time period — and how the Utah delegation is leading the way on several high-profile issues. All that and more below. And, exciting news: This newsletter is getting a name change. To reflect the fact I am not technically on the campaign trail, we'll be renaming the newsletter to be a little more accurate: On the Hill. The content will remain the same and I'll keep giving you a peek at the behind-the-scenes of Congress. So keep your eyes on your inbox, that change is starting May 2! 100 days into a GOP trifecta — What have Utah lawmakers accomplished? This week marked the first 100 days of the 119th Congress and it's been nothing short of busy and filled with action (and a bit of drama here and there). To mark the occasion, I reached out to members of Utah's congressional delegation to get a sense of what the last four months have been like and what they have accomplished. To be sure, the Republican majority has so far fared better than it did last Congress when the GOP only held control of the House. Multiple times throughout that session, Republicans were forced to rely on their Democratic counterparts to pass key pieces of legislation. That gave Democrats an upper hand, even in the House where they sat in the minority. But this year, there's been a shift in momentum — under the leadership of President Donald Trump, party leaders such as House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., have seemingly been able to do the impossible. They've gotten even the most stubborn hard-line conservatives on board with legislation they never would have supported before (and didn't when they came up for votes last year). 'In this Congress, House Republicans are sticking together,' Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, told me. 'I do love that we have good, positive movement now, and we're focusing on some core aspects of governing and I hope to be able to continue to do that.' Rep. Burgess Owens, R-Utah, had similar thoughts, pointing to votes on a stopgap government funding bill and a massive budget resolution that 'in the past, would've been impossible for us.' 'It's so different for our party to be together like this because normally, we're very individual,' he said. 'So I'm excited … (about) the relationship our president has with Speaker Johnson, that we're actually getting legislation done.' And for the Utah delegation, they've had a productive 100 days themselves. Moore has played a major role in crafting the tax reconciliation bill thanks to his roles on the powerful Budget and Ways and Means committees. Meanwhile, Owens has focused much of his attention on education. The House passed a bill in March seeking to crack down on foreign gifts given to U.S. universities and colleges, and much of that bill contained provisions from Owens' proposals. Rep. Mike Kennedy, R-Utah, has also had an eventful first three months on the job — including the passage of his first bill, the U.S. Research Protection Act. With Kennedy being the newbie in the Utah delegation, I asked him if there was anything that surprised him about serving in Congress. His response: 'To be candid, I have been genuinely surprised by the number of dedicated individuals here who are working diligently to bring about positive change for our country. Certain media outlets often relish in pushing negative narratives when speaking about those serving in government positions, but I have witnessed a level of sincerity and effort from many members of Congress that is rarely highlighted or acknowledged.' On the Senate side, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, has played a major role in some of Trump's top priorities. For example, the Utah senator is leading the SAVE Act, which would ban noncitizens from voting in federal elections. The bill has already passed the House, but its future in the Senate is unclear. Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, has also had a productive first few months in the Senate, introducing a flurry of bills cracking down on China and other legislation directly related to Utah. From Senate to El Salvador: Maryland Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen flew to El Salvador on Wednesday in an attempt to return Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia after he was deported last month. Democrats have demanded his return after the Trump administration admitted the deportation was an 'administrative error' but has refused to bring him back, claiming it is not under U.S. jurisdiction. Trump snub: President Trump won't attend the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner later this month, snubbing the high-profile event amid tensions with the press. A feud between Trump officials and the WHCA has been nearing a boiling point for months, especially after the White House announced in February it would be taking over the press corps' rotating assignments for journalists covering the president. Could New York go red? Rep. Elise Stefanik, who is long been considered a rising star in the Republican Party, is mulling a governor's run in the blue state of New York, a source familiar with her thinking tells me. That could make the election interesting as Stefanik is a fundraising powerhouse — and Democrats aren't totally set on incumbent New York Gov. Kathy Hochul as a candidate. While speaking to the Utah delegation about their first 100 days in Congress, one of the things that stuck out to me was how tightknit this group is. In conversations with the members, they often speak highly of their Utah peers — and even humble brag about each others' areas of expertise. I also spot Utah lawmakers sitting with each other in the House chamber during long vote sessions and they even have the occasional hype-up on social media. 'I hope Utahns can sit back and look at their delegation and recognize you've got incredibly good coverage on all the issues that matter to Utah,' Moore told me. And it's true — Utah lawmakers cover a lot of ground in Congress. In the Senate, Lee chairs the Energy and Natural Resources Committee while Curtis sits on four committees related to energy and commerce as well as the environment. On the other side of Capitol Hill, Moore sits on a number of key committees and even holds a spot in GOP leadership as the conference's vice chair. From there, the other three Utah House members sit on an array of committees such as Rep. Celeste Maloy on Appropriations, Owens on Education and Workforce, and Kennedy on Transportation and Infrastructure, to name a few. 'I would hope Utahns are looking at their delegation and saying, 'Oh goodness, they're covering a lot of ground for only being four people in the House,'' Moore said. And with only six members in the entire delegation across the House and Senate, it opens the door for a lot of collaboration. 'The reason we punch above our weight is because we collaborate,' Owens told me over the phone this week. 'We might not approach (problems) in the exact same way, but what's unique about Utah is we have this culture of service, culture of entrepreneurship and innovation — so in that process you have to talk. You have to have your chance to collaborate, see what works best for us to get to our endgame.' Over the last four months, Utah lawmakers have teamed up several times to introduce legislation. In fact, there have been times where all six of them sign on to one bill. Just this week, Utah lawmakers introduced a bill to preserve access to the University of Utah's Research Park amid legal uncertainties posed by the Bureau of Land Management about whether the federal land is being used for its original intent. 'I'm excited about being a state that has this focus of communication,' Owens said. From the Hill: Sen. Mike Lee wants to crack down on 'secret meetings' of the D.C. Council. … Republicans are split on proposals to raise taxes for the rich. … Utah Rep. Blake Moore leads efforts to make adoption more affordable. … Congress will investigate 23andMe bankruptcy amid privacy concerns. From the White House: RFK Jr. decries 'epidemic denial' amid rising autism rates. … President Trump shares messages for Easter and Passover. … Trump discusses crime, deportations with El Salvador's Bukele. … AG Bondi takes Maine to court over transgender athletes. From the courts: Supreme Court gives surprise update on birthright citizenship battle. … SCOTUS mandates return of wrongly deported man. …. U.K. Supreme Court issues unanimous ruling on the definition of 'woman'. The House and Senate are out next week. When they return, they'll get to work drafting Trump's massive tax reconciliation package, which would hit some obstacles as Republicans are already butting heads on some provisions. As always, feel free to reach out to me by email with story ideas or questions you have for lawmakers. And follow me on X for breaking news and timely developments from the Hill.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The Trump factor: How the president is corralling Congress
This article was first published in the On the Trail newsletter. Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox on Friday mornings here. Hello, friends. By the time you're reading this, Capitol Hill will be nearly empty after lawmakers travel home for the two-week Easter recess — but not before drama involving the House, Senate and the White House played out in a very public way this week. We'll get more into that below, and how President Donald Trump continues to wield his influence on Capitol Hill. Also, I asked members how they keep themselves entertained on the House floor during long votes (like the one on Wednesday night that stayed open for nearly an hour and a half!). You'll find their answers below. Let's get into the news of the week. The Trump factor: How the president is forcing his agenda through Congress Republicans had an eventful week of arm-twisting, handshaking, and deal signing that ultimately resulted in a massive victory for GOP leaders and President Trump — who inserted himself directly into Capitol Hill negotiations to ensure success for his agenda. It's a saga we've seen play out several times over the last few months since Trump returned to the White House. Even on the toughest of bills with the slimmest of margins, the president has managed to use his position to convince even the most stubborn members to acquiesce to his plans. We saw it during the speaker's race in January when Trump had to call Reps. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., and Keith Self, R-Texas, from the House floor to get them to flip their votes and confirm Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. We saw it during the first House reconciliation vote in February and again when Republicans had to rally together to avoid a government shutdown. During the latter, Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., made clear to me: 'There is no way the (funding bill) would have passed had it not been for Trump and his team.' Cut to the beginning of this week, when things were looking uncertain for GOP leadership to get this budget resolution across the finish line. Hardliners in the House were upset with some of the changes made by their Senate colleagues, and more than a dozen lawmakers said they'd vote against it. Then those holdouts — well, some of them — were invited to the White House on Tuesday to speak directly with Trump as he sought to ease concerns. Those same holdouts then met with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and Johnson on Wednesday. This led to a standoff on the House floor Wednesday night when almost 20 House Republicans were pulled to a side room with Johnson to continue hashing out the tax package. Lawmakers also heard from Trump during that meeting. After roughly 85 minutes of discussion, the group emerged with no deal — and leaders punted on the vote until the next morning when Johnson and Thune announced a deal for deeper spending cuts. That assurance, plus some others from Trump himself, offered the golden ticket for hardliners to drop their opposition and vote for the bill. 'President Trump is a businessman. He looks at the final product (and) he says, 'Get it done. Bring it to me,'' Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., an initial holdout who ultimately voted yes, told me after the vote. When I asked how much credit he would give to Trump: 'If he were standing here, I'd give him 150%. I mean, if he'd said no, we'd be here on Easter Sunday.' Return to Ranks: Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., is officially back in House GOP leadership after her nomination to become Trump's ambassador to the United Nations was pulled last month. Stefanik will now serve as the chairwoman of House Republican Leadership, a position focused on strategy, communications, and executing the GOP agenda. Stefanik was also reinstated to her assignments on the Intelligence, Armed Services, and Education and Workforce committees. Judges on notice: The House passed a bill on Wednesday seeking to rein in so-called 'activist judges' from blocking Trump's executive orders. The proposal, which faces an uphill battle in the Senate, marks the first step from Republicans to limit the authority of district judges from issuing nationwide injunctions. Read more here from my friend Liz Elkind at Fox News. Tariffs and trade wars: Trump pulled back slightly on his tariff threats this week, issuing a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs and instead issuing a reduced 10% tariff on select countries. Still, Trump is going full steam against China, announcing on Thursday morning his tariff on Chinese imports would be at least 145% — sending the markets into a nosedive. Republicans are cautiously optimistic, telling reporters the tariffs have forced countries into negotiations and have been Trump's strategy all along. Democrats, on the other hand, argue the reversal was a last-minute decision responding to the market turmoil. For those who don't make a habit of watching C-SPAN every evening, the process of voting can seem like a relatively quick event. After all, most people I talk to off the Hill say they are only aware of votes on major pieces of legislation — and only after they've already passed. But sometimes this process can drag on. Take Wednesday night, for example. As I explained earlier, GOP leaders kept one vote open for nearly an hour and a half as they continued negotiations with roughly 20 holdouts. Which got me thinking: What do the other 400-odd members do while those conversations take place that they aren't privy to? Rep. Celeste Maloy, R-Utah, tells me her extroverted tendencies come into play: 'I usually entertain myself by wandering around talking to my colleagues. Sometimes I just sit still and take advantage of the break in my day, but I usually chat with friends.' Rep. Mike Kennedy, R-Utah, similarly likes to chat with friends, but he also tends to 'bring work from the office to work on (or) read The Wall Street Journal.' During the vote on Wednesday, Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., was seen in the visitor's balcony above the floor speaking with some guests. Rep. George Whitesides, D-Calif., told me he likes to 'go out to the member balcony and get some fresh air.' In many ways, the House floor is similar to a high school cafeteria and lawmakers like to take the opportunity to catch up with friends they don't interact with as often. 'It gives me a chance to see people that I normally don't since I'm only on Financial services and Space committees,' freshman Rep. Mike Haridoplos, R-Fla., told me during the 85-minute vote on Wednesday. 'Actually got a lot of good business done on the floor.' Some even had the courtesy to name drop their favorite conversationalists: 'I like hanging out with Tom Cole when I can,' Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., told me, referring to the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. From the Hill: GOP leaders struck a deal on voting remotely, here's how. … Jamieson Greer faces ire from Democrats and Republicans as he defends tariff strategy. … House Republicans pass bill to ban noncitizens from voting. … John Curtis joins calls to preserve clean energy credits in tax package. From the White House: White House threatens to veto bill limiting tariff powers. … Trump considering tariffs on pharmaceuticals. … Judge restores White House access for The Associated Press. … Trump signs executive order to unleash the coal industry. From the courts: Supreme Court intervenes in controversial deportation case. … SCOTUS halts lower court order to rehire about 16,000 government employees. While you're here, check out some great reporting from my colleague Brigham Tomco, who's been in Canada this last week covering all things tariffs, trade wars, and more. The House and Senate are out for the next two weeks as lawmakers return home for the Easter holiday. I'll be keeping up with lawmakers from afar as they take a bit of a breather — and are likely to receive feedback from constituents on their job performance. As always, feel free to reach out to me by email with story ideas or questions you have for lawmakers. And follow me on X for breaking news and timely developments from the Hill.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Worries about farms, prices lead to Senate rebuke of Trump tariffs
This article was first published in the On the Trail newsletter. Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox on Friday mornings here. Hello, friends. It was the week that was here in Washington, D.C. — and in some ways, the week that wasn't. After internal battles boiled over in the House (thanks to a proposal to let new mothers vote remotely), GOP leaders canceled votes for the rest of the week and sent everyone home. It's caused quite a stir in the lower chamber, but we'll dive into that in a bit. Meanwhile, Capitol Hill is reeling from President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs announced on Wednesday — prompting some Republicans to consider handing tariff powers back to Congress. Let's get into the news of the week. Senate GOP delivers Trump first major rebuke over Canada tariffs A handful of Republican senators sided with their Democratic colleagues in advancing a resolution to overturn President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canada, marking the first GOP pushback on a major component of the president's economic agenda. Four GOP senators joined all Democrats in voting to rescind an emergency declaration Trump issued in February, which determined the flow of fentanyl and illegal immigration numbers constituted a national emergency. That declaration was used as the justification for 10% tariffs later levied on Canadian imports. The Republicans who joined Democrats: Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Susan Collins, R-Maine, Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Rand Paul, R-Ky. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., offered the resolution under Congress's authority to overturn presidential emergency declarations — marking a rare moment for Democrats to force floor action on legislation thwarting Trump's agenda. 'It's a rare thing in the Senate where one senator can file a motion to be guaranteed a floor vote,' Kaine said ahead of the vote. 'Nobody can kill it.' Kaine's resolution specifically focused on tariffs in Canada even though the emergency declaration also targeted Mexico and China. That was done on purpose to get the necessary GOP support to push the resolution past the finish line, he said. 'Getting Republicans to move away from Trump on anything is really hard,' Kaine said. 'When I saw the president's announcements of the three, I thought, 'Let's start with Canada.' I think it's the most straightforward case, and it's the one that I would expect to have the most Republican sympathy for.' The resolution, however, is likely dead on arrival in the Republican-led House. But it hints at a growing concern among GOP lawmakers about the effects of Trump's tariffs — particularly after he announced a sweeping global package on Wednesday. You can read more about that here from my colleague Brigham Tomco. To be sure, some Republicans are uneasy about the 10% baseline tariff on imports and what that could do to their local economies. 'Anyone who says there may be a little bit of pain before we get things right need to talk to my farmers who are one crop away from bankruptcy,' Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said on Tuesday. 'We could do damage that is irreparable to farmers.' 'I think tariffs on trade between the U.S. and Canada will threaten our country with a recession. I think they're a terrible idea economically and will lead to higher prices,' Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said on Thursday. Not only that, he says, but: 'Historically, tariffs have also led to political decimation.' Other Republicans are encouraging their colleagues to watch and see what happens, expressing cautious optimism things will even out over time. 'I will give (Trump) the benefit of the doubt,' Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said on Thursday. VOTE-A-RAMA: The Senate unveiled text of its budget blueprint on Wednesday, teeing it up for a vote early this weekend. The resolution closely mirrors the one that has already passed out of the House, detailing plans to raise the debt ceiling while advancing a number of Trump's priorities on the border, national defense, and energy. The Senate will undergo a marathon vote series known as a vote-a-rama this weekend, with plans for the House to take it up sometime next week. GOP leaders are pushing to get it through before both chambers adjourn for Easter recess. TARIFF TAKEBACK: Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., introduced a bipartisan resolution this week that would reclaim congressional authority over trade policy — requiring the president to get approval before imposing tariffs. Under the resolution, all tariffs would expire after 60 days unless Congress explicitly approves them. REPUBLICAN REINFORCEMENTS: Republicans held onto two House seats up for grabs in Florida on Tuesday, bringing their majority up to 220-213 over Democrats in the lower chamber. Reps. Randy Fine and Jimmy Patronis were sworn in by House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday, raising Republicans' majority from two votes to three. After an unsuccessful bid to shut down a proposal allowing new parents in Congress to vote remotely, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is eyeing other ways to stop the bill from reaching the floor. One way is by offering an alternative proposal to provide increased accommodations for new mothers in Congress such as breastfeeding rooms near the House chamber and financial assistance for travel. Details of such a compromise have not been finalized but it comes as GOP leadership looks for ways to stymie efforts to change House rules. 'Proxy voting aside, I am actively working on every possible accommodation to make Congressional service simpler for young mothers,' Johnson said in a post on X on Wednesday. 'As the pro-family party, our aim as Republicans is to support those principles while also defending our constitutional traditions.' The scramble comes after House lawmakers shut down a bid to nix the proxy voting proposal on Tuesday, dealing a blow to GOP leadership as nine of their own party members joined Democrats in the effort. In response, Johnson canceled votes for the remainder of the week to continue strategizing ways to kill the proxy voting bill before he is required by House rules to bring it to the floor. But Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, the Republican co-sponsor behind the proxy voting bill, has shown no signs of slowing down. Luna noticed her discharge petition on Tuesday morning, meaning Johnson has only two legislative days to bring the proposal to the floor for a vote. It's likely Johnson and other GOP leaders may try to tuck a petition freeze to another piece of legislation, effectively killing the proposal if the main bill passes. However, that's what Johnson already tried — which ultimately failed. 'Never bet against the Luna,' Luna said after the vote on Tuesday. The House returns Monday evening and if Johnson doesn't pass something to nullify Luna's discharge petition, he may be forced to call a vote on Tuesday. Stay tuned for more on that. But it's likely the faction of nine who defended Luna may stay in her corner — even if they don't necessarily support letting new parents vote remotely. Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., is among those who say they don't agree with the underlying legislation but are against leadership blocking a vote that rightfully garnered the signatures needed to earn one. 'I do support members' ability to file a discharge petition,' Steube told me on Tuesday. 'Killing a discharge petition by rule is an abuse of the rules and the process in which members have to get bills heard on the floor.' Further throwing a wrench in things, Trump endorsed Luna's bill on Thursday — putting the pressure on Johnson after he has been adamantly opposed to the change. That could move the needle for a handful of other Republicans who initially opposed Luna's proposal, diminishing support for Johnson. Luna said she spoke with Johnson after Trump weighed in on the issue publicly, and the pair are considering adjustments to the proposal. 'We discussed limiting the vote to just new moms who cannot physically travel in event of emergency etc,' Luna said in a post on X. 'This is smart.' It's not clear how the two would move forward with such a proposal, or how much support it will get. Democrats may be angered by Luna swapping out negotiated language at the last minute — and some Republicans still say they won't vote for the change. 'Just as unconstitutional and wrong - as I know (Johnson) also believes,' Rep. Chip Roy, who has been a leading voice to shut down the proposal, said on Thursday. From the Hill: John Curtis joins bipartisan group introducing sanctions against Russia. … Mike Lee pushes for more requirements to receive SNAP benefits. … Burgess Owens wants to rename press gallery after Frederick Douglass. … Curtis sent Sen. Booker 'encouragement' during record-breaking speech. From the White House: Trump suggests he can serve a third term. … How Trump administration cuts to public health impact Utah. …Will Trump reach a deal on TikTok before it's banned? … Trump puts the world on notice as he announces global tariffs From the courts: The Supreme Court is hearing a religion case for the first time in two years. SCOTUS debates Medicaid restrictions. The House will be back Monday. The Senate will be in next week, but unsure when (or if!) senators will get a weekend. There are whispers that Thune may keep senators in session over the weekend so they can get an early out next week for the Easter break, my friend David Sivak from the Washington Examiner reported. No final decisions there yet, though. As always, feel free to reach out to me by email with story ideas or questions you have for lawmakers. And follow me on X for breaking news and timely developments from the Hill.
