Latest news with #Schumer
Politico
a day ago
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- Politico
Exclusive: Schumer's new megabill play
IN TODAY'S EDITION:— Schumer zeroes in on clean-energy credits— Oversight race heats up — Megabill could hit hospitals hard Chuck Schumer tells us Democrats have a ripe new target in their fight against the megabill: leveraging Republican infighting over whether to eviscerate clean-energy credits. In an exclusive interview with Lisa Thursday, the Senate minority leader said his caucus is looking to make it politically untenable for Majority Leader John Thune and his members to follow House Republicans in gutting green credits under the Biden-era climate law. Those credits, Schumer points out, have widely benefited red states. Schumer's game plan: Needle Republicans already wary of job and investment losses back home to compel Thune to skip the drastic cuts that House GOP leaders included to bring hard-liners along. How Senate Democrats will do it: Ramp up the public pressure campaign Schumer kick-started Thursday against the backdrop of a rooftop solar field in Manhattan, and force Republicans to take tough votes through eventual vote-a-rama amendments. 'There are a whole number of Republicans, particularly those that have a lot of clean-energy investments in their states, who really didn't like what the House did,' Schumer told Lisa. 'And the question is: Will they be able to put enough pressure on Thune, or even vote [with us] on some amendments?' Why Schumer sees this as a fruitful avenue for attack: A quartet of GOP senators — Lisa Murkowski, Thom Tillis, John Curtis and Jerry Moran — warned their leadership weeks ago against a 'full-scale repeal of current credits.' Tillis has already raised concerns about the House language. Schumer said he's spoken privately to 'a good number of Republican colleagues' who dislike the House's cuts, but declined to name names. 'The irony here is most of the new solar, wind and battery factories are in red states. And so we want to make it clear … [the rollbacks] are going to be huge problems in their states,' Schumer said. Democrats may have an unlikely ally in this fight. Elon Musk's Tesla on Thursday blasted plans to phase out the clean-energy tax credits and terminate most credits for electric vehicles at the end of the year, arguing it would 'threaten America's energy independence and the reliability of our grid.' But Republicans have a more pressing challenge awaiting in the Senate. Pet policy provisions that House Republicans tucked into the megabill could get ruled out by the Senate parliamentarian for not meeting the Byrd Rule — the requirement that components of a reconciliation package have budgetary impacts. And they could get cut in what's known as a 'Byrd Bath.' The seven 'Byrd droppings' to keep an eye on, per our Jordain Carney this morning: tax-cut accounting, AI regulations, judicial powers, gun regulations, farm bill provisions, Planned Parenthood funds and energy permitting. TGIF. Wouldn't be a recess without a Sen. Chuck Grassley Dairy Queen post. See you all on Monday. And email your Inside Congress scribes at lkashinsky@ mmccarthy@ and bleonard@ THE LEADERSHIP SUITE Johnson's text to Musk Speaker Mike Johnson said he defended the House-passed GOP megabill to Musk after the billionaire publicly trashed it Tuesday for not cutting enough spending. 'I sent my good friend Elon a long text message last night explaining it can be both big and beautiful,' Johnson said in an interview with Fox News on Thursday, adding that the Congressional Budget Office projections that Musk referred to are 'historically totally unreliable.' The speaker also said the projections didn't take into account potential revenue from President Donald Trump's tariffs. 'This is a pro-growth package,' Johnson said. 'Lower tax rates, less regulation. We'll do exactly what we did in the first Trump administration, but this time on steroids.' Musk is scheduled to have a press conference with Trump in the Oval Office at 1:30 p.m. today to mark 'his last day,' according to a Truth Social post Thursday. Oversight election heats up The race to replace the late Rep. Gerry Connolly as the top Democrat on House Oversight is officially on. Reps. Stephen Lynch, 70, and Robert Garcia, 47, both launched campaigns on Thursday, while Rep. Kweisi Mfume, 76, told colleagues he intends to run, our Nicholas Wu and Hailey Fuchs report. Lynch, who's been filling in for Connolly on the dais, touted the former ranking member's 'trust and endorsement' as part of his opening pitch in a letter to colleagues. Garcia, in a nod to how the contest will test Democrats' appetite for elevating younger leaders to leadership roles, suggested his caucus needed to value 'fresh energy' as well as seniority. Mfume likened himself to fellow Marylander and former Oversight Chair Elijah Cummings, who died in 2019, in his own letter to colleagues. The election to serve as one of Democrats' most prominent foils to Trump will take place June 24. Candidates will first go before the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, which will then make recommendations to the full caucus. Key Republicans ramp up probes of Biden's decline Top Republicans may not be able to steer clear of the recent maelstrom over President Joe Biden's mental state much longer. Sens. John Cornyn and Eric Schmitt will force the issue June 18 when they hold a Senate Judiciary hearing probing Biden's decline while in office. GOP leaders have given hard-liners some leash on these red-meat probes in the past. But they remain fearful that going too far down conspiracy rabbit holes could backfire politically, our Kyle Cheney writes in, especially when it comes to a former president no longer seeking office. POLICY RUNDOWN MEGABILL COULD HIT HOSPITALS HARD — Health care providers could lose close to $800 billion in revenue over the next decade if the House-passed GOP megabill becomes law, according to a new analysis from the Urban Institute backed by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Hospitals would take the brunt of the losses, with $306 billion in lost revenue, per the analysis from the think tank and philanthropy headed by former CDC acting director Rich Besser. Prescription drug revenue would also fall by $184 billion, and physicians' revenue would fall by $79 billion. Uncompensated care would rise $198 billion over a decade. Those findings stem from changes to both Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act under the bill, which would cumulatively lead to more than 11 million people losing health care coverage, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Republicans have made the case that they're going after waste, fraud and abuse in Medicaid, while Democrats argue that provisions like Medicaid work requirements will lead to many people who are eligible losing coverage. MAJOR NEW CRYPTO BILL — House Financial Services Chair French Hill released a new version of landmark cryptocurrency legislation aiming to overhaul the regulation of digital assets, our Jasper Goodman and Katherine Hapgood report. The legislation is central to Republicans' push to move industry-friendly crypto legislation, and has three Democratic backers already. It would divide oversight of digital assets among regulators by giving the Commodity Futures Trading Commission new power over them. Hill is eyeing a June 10 markup for a committee vote on the legislation, according to three people with knowledge of the matter who were granted anonymity to discuss unannounced plans. Republicans, with the support of key crypto industry players, are considering tying this bill to different stablecoin legislation and passing both by the August recess. But that could complicate the path forward for the latter. As Senate Banking Chair Tim Scott recently told Katherine: 'Why would we want to do both at the same time when we already have the votes to do the GENIUS Act by itself?' RUBIO'S OVERHAUL — Secretary of State Marco Rubio is pushing to gut his agency's human rights bureau as part of a massive reorganization, according to internal documents obtained by our Robbie Gramer and people familiar with the planning. The State Department sent a document to Congress notifying lawmakers of the changes that call for the elimination of most offices in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. That would lead to funding freezes or cuts to programs ranging from internet freedom initiatives in autocratic countries to support for pro-democracy civil society groups facing repression in sub-Saharan Africa. It also calls for the creation of new positions that reflect Trump administration values, including emphasizing debates over digital censorship and creating a deputy assistant secretary of State role focused on 'Democracy and Western Values.' The move is part of a wider effort to reorganize more than 300 bureaus and offices outlined in the document, all to revamp what the Trump administration views as an unwieldy and bloated foreign policy bureaucracy. Best of POLITICO Pro and E&E: CAMPAIGN STOP HUIZENGA DEFIANT — Republican Rep. Bill Huizenga is moving ahead with plans to run for Michigan's open Senate seat despite GOP attempts to dissuade him. He intends to make a final decision this summer, Adam Wren and Lisa scooped. Huizenga's update came a day after the NRSC went public with its attempts to keep him out of the GOP primary against former Rep. Mike Rogers. But Huizenga argues Republicans need a new candidate after Rogers lost to now-Sen. Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat, last year even as Trump won the state. ICYMI: HOYER'S CHALLENGER — Former House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, 85, has drawn a 35-year-old challenger who's explicitly calling to 'stop treating congressional seats as lifetime appointments.' Harry Jarin is the latest in a wave of younger Democrats mounting long-shot challenges to aging incumbents. TUNNEL TALK NEW ETHICS REPORT — The Office of Congressional Conduct believes Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick may have violated House rules while requesting community project funding, also known as earmarks, on behalf of a for-profit entity, Hailey and Nicholas report. The findings of a new report made public Thursday by the congressional watchdog group — which reviews outside ethics complaints against House members and recommends further action to the House Ethics Committee — builds on allegations the Florida Democrat has been facing since 2023. THE CARRYOUT Welcome back to our Capitol Hill food recommendations — by Hill people, for Hill people. We're back with our next lawmaker-suggested eat. Sen. Ruben Gallego isn't a fan of any food on the Hill, though the former House member claims Senate food is far better than what's available on the House side. When he's in DC, he will occasionally settle for some Old Bay wings. Do you agree? Email us at mmccarthy@ and lkashinsky@ THE BEST OF THE REST New York NGOs Worry They Won't Be Able to Make Up for Steep Medicaid and SNAP Cuts, from Shifra Dayak at NOTUS Trump's Senate Antagonists (Ranked), from Leigh Ann Caldwell at Puck CAPITOL HILL INFLUENCE Former Sen. Jon Tester is joining Unite the Country as a senior adviser. FIRST IN INSIDE CONGRESS: NO TAX ON TIPS TAKEDOWN — The Independent Restaurant Coalition sent a letter urging members of Congress to amend the portion of the megabill that would eliminate taxes on tips to include changes to the way service charges are taxed. The letter was signed by more than 500 business owners and workers from 47 states. The Senate already unanimously passed No Tax on Tips outside of the reconciliation package. CRYPTO GIANT ADDS DEM LOBBYING SUPPORT — Tether has started working with Lilette Advisors, the firm started last year by Biden alumni, on the GOP-led GENIUS Act beginning on May 6, POLITICO Influence reports. Ankit Desai, who worked for Biden during his time in the Senate, is listed as the sole lobbyist on the account. Tether previously added Miller Strategies, Ridgeline Advocacy Group and Jucundus Business Services — additions that made its roster of hired guns overwhelmingly Republican. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Former Rep. Steve Israel … NBC's Frank Thorp … Reema Dodin … Miryam Lipper … Stratton Kirton … Loren Duggan … Nicholas Ballasy … POLITICO's Maggie Miller … Rob Noel … Novartis' Nicole Longo … Jeff Freeland … Chris Gowen … Holland & Knight's Scott Mason TRIVIA THURSDAY'S ANSWER: Shanelle Wilson correctly answered that fiscal 1997 was the last time Congress passed all 12 regular appropriations bills on time. TODAY'S QUESTION, from Shanelle: A proposed amendment becomes part of the Constitution as soon as it is ratified by how many states? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Inside Congress. Send your answers to insidecongress@
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Canadian bridge traffic down from last year
WATERTOWN, N.Y. (WWTI) – Canadian border crossing at New York ports of entry have dropped by over 20-percent from last year according to Senator Charles Schumer's office. In an announcement released on Wednesday, border crossings have dropped by around 290,000 according to the senator's office. Schumer said that tariff's imposed by President Donald Trump have caused a 'nose dive' in entries. What is the 'TACO trade' on Wall Street? According to statistics from Schumer's office, crossings at the Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge saw the second-steepest decline percentage at 27.51-percent. Last year saw 43,945 entries, but that's down to 31,857. The Thousands Islands Bridge also saw a drop of 20.2-percent from last year with 117,953 crossings. That number was 147,814 at this time last year. The Seaway Bridge in Massena only saw a decrease of 1.91-percent 205,518 entries as opposed to 209,524 from last year. According to Customs & Border Patrol (CBP), almost 290,000 fewer travelers crossed the Upstate New York-Canadian border last month than over the same period in 2024, a whopping 22% decrease. Burning bridges and ruining relationships with our closest ally and key trading partner, Canada, right when summer tourism season is arriving, is about as destructive as it gets. Upstate NY is on the frontlines of Trump's destructive tariff war, and this shocking new data shows our tourism economy is paying the price from Buffalo to Ogdensburg. United States Senator Charles Schumer The announcement was made in conjunction with the start of summer tourism season occurring with recent passing of the Memorial Day holiday. According to a recent North Country Chamber of Commerce survey, 66% of businesses are already experiencing a dip in Canadian bookings. Canada is the top source of international visitors to the U.S., with 20.4 million visits in 2024, generating $20.5 billion in spending and supporting 140,000 American jobs. Schumer said if there were even a 10-percent reduction in Canadian travel, it could mean as much as $2 billion in lost spending and 14,000 job losses across America. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Schumer: Border crossings down 'whopping' 22% amid Trump's Canadian rhetoric
U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York, on Wednesday, released updated border-crossing figures that show traffic at all ports of entry in New York was down by nearly 290,000 travelers in April when compared to numbers from the same month last year. Data from U.S. Customs and Border Patrol released by Schumer shows upstate New York and Canada saw 1,017,500 border crossings in April, compared to 1,307,381 during the same month in 2024. Schumer said the numbers show a "whopping" 22% decrease across road and bridge crossings frequented by tourists, which include the Rainbow and Whirlpool bridges in Niagara Falls, Lewiston-Queenston Bridge in Lewiston and the Peace Bridge in Buffalo. According to Schumer, CPB stats show auto crossings at the Rainbow Bridge declined by more than 31%, from 174,395 in April 2024 to 119,265 in April. At the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge, auto crossings decreased by more than 21%, from 32,211 to 25,377 over the same time period. Traffic at the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge in April dropped by more than 14%, from 239,645 auto crossings a year ago to 204,222 this past month. At the Peace Bridge, CBP numbers show a decline of more than 15%, from 366,159 auto crossings in April 2024 to 309,317 last month. Schumer blamed the decline on Republican U.S. President Donald Trump, saying his rhetoric about annexing Canada as America's 51st state and other "destructive" comments have contributed to the numbers which show many Canadians are choosing to stay home instead of traveling to the United States. Trump's tariff policies, which include levying 25% tariffs on Canadian goods, aren't helping either. 'Burning bridges and ruining relationships with our closest ally and key trading partner, Canada, right when the summer tourism season is arriving, is about as destructive as it gets," Schumer said. "Upstate NY is on the frontlines of Trump's destructive tariff war, and this shocking new data shows our tourism economy is paying the price from Buffalo to Ogdensburg. Instead of lowering costs, Trump's tariffs are raising prices for families and driving away tourists who spend billions in our shops, hotels, restaurants, and support thousands of New York jobs. If this trend of depressed tourism continues, this could be a summer in Upstate New York that no small business wants to remember.' John Percy, president and CEO of Destination Niagara, said his agency has heard directly from its tourism partners about the decline in cross-border travel and about the negative impact it has had on their businesses so far this year. "There's no question that the tariffs imposed on Canada and other countries are hurting international tourism to Niagara Falls USA — and, by extension, our local economy," Percy said. "Hotel occupancy has been down every month this year compared to 2024, and if this trend continues through the summer, the consequences for our industry could be severe.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Senate Republican campaign committee 'grills' Chuck Schumer on National Hamburger Day
The National Republican Senatorial Committee is revisiting a much-maligned year-old photo from Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer. The NRSC, which is the campaign arm of the Senate GOP, marked National Hamburger Day on Wednesday with a new video titled, "We Grill Right," which spotlights Schumer's viral social media post from last year's Father's Day. In the photo that appeared in the 2024 post, Schumer appeared to place a slice of cheese on an uncooked burger patty. Only On Fox News: Senate Republican Campaign Chair Reveals How Many Seats He's Aiming For In 2026 "Our family has lived in an apartment building for all our years, but my daughter and her wife just bought a house with a backyard and for the first time we're having a barbeque with hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill!" Schumer wrote in his post. Schumer was quickly grilled on X, formerly Twitter, by a chorus of conservatives who pilloried his cooking skills, and the longtime senator soon deleted the post. He was also called out by late-night host Stephen Colbert. Read On The Fox News App Democrats' New Senate Campaign Chair Reveals Keys To Winning Back Majority In 2026 Fast-forward a year and the NRSC, in their video maligning Schumer, urged voters to "join a real party, the Republican Party. We grill right." The NRSC was also selling related merchandise on its website, including beer koozies that read, "I grill like I vote. Right." The NRSC also used their email release to also highlight recent reports, confirmed by Fox News, that some Democratic strategists and consultants were spending millions of dollars to better communicate with male and working-class voters, whom the party has struggled to court in recent election cycles. Democrats' Strategy Session To Better Communicate With Male Voters Ridiculed "Shouldn't take much to know how to grill a burger or correctly call a pick six, but apparently for Democrats, figuring out how to be a normal American takes at least $20 million — and even that won't be enough," NRSC regional press secretary Nick Puglia claimed in a statement. Republicans currently control the Senate with a 53-47 majority. The GOP aims to expand their majority in next year's midterm elections. Fox News reached out to the rival Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee for a response to the new attack by the NRSC, but the DSCC had yet to take a bite at the time this report was article source: Senate Republican campaign committee 'grills' Chuck Schumer on National Hamburger Day
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Tractor collision in Vermilion Parish results in fatality
VERMILION PARISH, La. (KLFY) — A female driver was killed in a fatal crash after she collided with a sugar cane tractor, authorities said According to Vermilion Today, the incident occurred in the northern part of Vermilion Parish near Woodlawn Bridge on Tuesday around 11:30 a.m. The publication reported that the car veered off the road to a ditch nearby and it has yet to be determined whether the driver of the car hit the tractor or the subsoiler that was being pulled behind. Authorities confirmed driver of the vehicle died at the scene and the driver of the tractor was not injured. No names of either drivers have been released yet. This investigation is still ongoing. We will update as more information is released. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Nebraska Republican interrogated over GOP megabill during tense town hall Schumer rips Trump plan to privatize Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Broussard community job fair: empowering local job seekers Tractor collision in Vermilion Parish results in fatality Evangeline Parish sheriff seeks tips on burglary suspect Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
