GOP Senators ready to block January 6 commission plan
Lawmakers plead for additional restaurant COVID aid
The Senate is still waiting to vote on a January 6 commission. A GOP offer on infrastructure doesn’t move the needle much. And lawmakers appeal for more money to help restaurants hit by the Coronavirus outbreak. This is your free weekly edition of “Regular Order” for May 28, 2021. Subscribe to support independent journalism on Capitol Hill - $8/ month or $90 for a full year gets you all sort of Capitol Hill insights.
FRIDAY HILL HIGHLIGHTS:
+ Senate convenes for Friday session. 9 am.
+ House spending panel hears from Small Business Administrator. 10 am.
LATE NIGHT. Senators and staff might be moving a bit slow this morning. The Senate worked until 2:50 am, as a small group of GOP Senators led by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) blocked final action on a bipartisan innovation bill. The Senate reconvenes at 9 am - but it's not clear if there will be quick action today on the innovation measure or the January 6 bill.
AMENDMENTS. Johnson held up the bill because basically he was mad his amendments didn’t get included in what’s known as the ‘manager’s amendment,’ a final grouping of changes to the innovation bill. But maybe the reason is that Johnson has vowed to vote against the bill from the start.
LEGISLATIVE NERD NOTE. The Senate did invoke cloture on the substitute amendment to the innovation bill. Under the rules, debate could run on that late into Friday night. If GOP Senators wanted to really cause trouble, they could keep the Senate working into the weekend on that measure - holding off the vote on the Capitol Attack commission as well. Stay tuned.
CAPITOL ATTACK. Enough Republican Senators are ready to filibuster a bill setting up a commission to investigate the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The showdown vote did not take place as planned on Thursday, as a dispute over an unrelated measure kept the Senate working well after midnight. A Senate vote is expected once work is finished on a bipartisan innovation and competitiveness bill.
JANUARY 6. The House-passed bill would create a ten member commission, split evenly between Democrats and Republicans. No members of Congress would be allowed on the independent panel. The staff hiring decisions and other procedures would all be modeled on the 9/11 Commission.
FILIBUSTER. There was no drama about the decision to block the January 6 commission bill. “To me, it’s not a big mystery as to what occurred,” said Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN), who accused Democrats of trying to use the Capitol Attack to hurt Republicans in the 2022 midterm elections.
BREAKING RANKS. Only a handful of Republicans have indicated they’re prepared to vote to create the commission. "This was not a group of tourists coming through," said Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). "Something bad happened. And it's important to lay that out."
BACKERS. Meanwhile, Democrats were furious. “An insurrection without consequences or examination is a dress rehearsal for the next one,” said Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL). Others like Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) were more colorful.
SICKNICK APPEALS. GOP opposition to the January 6 commission hardened even as the mother of Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick personally lobbied GOP Senators to support the plan. "I couldn't stay quiet anymore," Gladys Sicknick told reporters, as she went between offices for a number of closed door meetings.
FANONE. Mrs. Sicknick was flanked by D.C. police officer Michael Fanone, who was brutally beaten as he attempted to defend the Capitol from rioters, and by Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn. “If January 6 didn’t happen, Brian would still be here,” Dunn told reporters.
INNOVATION. After two weeks of debate, the Senate early this morning was on the verge of approving a bipartisan innovation bill, which was bolstered by a late amendment on trade matters. "When we work together in a bipartisan manner, we can tackle the biggest challenges facing our nation," said Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI). "This bill is a huge boost for American R&D," said Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS).
TRADE. The big addition to the innovation bill on Thursday was a bipartisan trade section negotiated by the leaders of the Senate Finance Committee. At 870 pages in all, the measure makes a number of trade changes, reducing import duties on hundreds of items big and small - everything from shelled pine nuts to licorice extract, suitcases, chopsticks, wetsuits, and much more.
BEIJING. Many of the bipartisan trade provisions added to the bill are aimed squarely at China. "For decades, the Chinese government has manipulated global competition and trade in their favor to grow at America’s expense," said Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR). "This strong trade package will help stand up our efforts in pushing back against China," said Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID).
SIZE. But the size of the bill - and the unknown cost - led to a mini-rebellion from GOP Senators opposing the measure. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) refused to allow the Senate to move to final passage of the bill. That delayed action on the January 6 commission. The Senate recessed at 2:50 am and returns at 9 am.
INFRASTRUCTURE. Republicans finally submitted a counter offer on infrastructure to the White House on Thursday, but the $928 billion plan fell far short of what Democrats have been looking for. While President Biden offered to hold more talks next week with GOP Senators, the road to a bipartisan deal remains rocky at best.
REPUBLICANS. "We recognize that your most recent offer leaves us far apart," GOP Senators told the President in a memo titled, "Republican Roadmap." Their plan includes $506 billion for new roads and bridges, $93 billion for transit, $65 billion for broadband, $56 billion for airports, $46 billion for railroads, $22 billion for ports and waterways, and more.
BIDEN HIS TIME. The reaction from the White House was again one which emphasized the positive - and not the large differences between the two sides. "We are grateful for the work of Senator Capito and her colleagues on this proposal," said Press Secretary Jen Psaki. President Biden said he would speak with Capito next week. "I told her we have to finish this really soon."
BOTTOM LINE. June looks like it’s going to be the inflection point on infrastructure. Democrats will have to decide whether to keep searching for a bipartisan deal, or act on their own under budget reconciliation rules.
RESTAURANT RELIEF. Like the initial offering of relief under the Paycheck Protection Program in 2020, money for a new Coronavirus restaurant aid program is running out quickly. More than $75 billion in funding has been requested from over 362,000 applications - but Congress only approved $28.6 billion to help restaurants hit by the virus outbreak.
MORE AID. Facing a huge request for help, dozens of lawmakers from both parties are asking House leaders to funnel even more money into the program. "We write to respectfully urge you to quickly replenish the Restaurants Revitalization Fund," lawmakers wrote to Speaker Pelosi.
INFLATION. Republicans sparred with Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in a House hearing on Thursday, disputing her confidence that a recent jump in inflation will not be long lasting. "I fear that you're wrong," Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT), as he said rising interest rates could be 'incredibly painful' for U.S. businesses and consumers.
PREDICTIONS. Yellen stressed the fact that short term interest rates remain near zero at this point - and inflation is by no means out of control, either. "That's still a very low level by historical standards," Yellen said.
DATA. The Consumer Price Index in April was up 3 percent from the same point in 2020 - when you exclude food and energy prices. Adding those in - it was up 4.2 percent. It was the biggest monthly jump since September 2008.
ARMY SECRETARY. A day after confirming - and then canceling approval of the nomination of Christine Wormuth - the Senate on Thursday again approved her as Army Secretary, the first time a woman will serve in that post. "There is no better person for the job," said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
SNAFU. There were varying explanations for what happened, but basically it seems Democrats mistakenly went ahead with the nomination even though there was an objection to proceeding. Wormuth will now be able to tell her grandchildren that she needed to be approved twice by the Senate.
SLOW GOING. After acting quickly on COVID relief, the Congress is struggling to move forward on big ticket plans from Democrats and President Biden, as deals on infrastructure and police reform legislation remain elusive. Will the month of June be any different? My column for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
RAP SHEET. While the Senate was deadlocking on a January 6 investigation, the feds were arresting more suspects. An Ohio man who attacked police outside the Capitol. And a Washington State man learns a familiar lesson: deleting videos from your phone about the Capitol Attack won’t stop the feds from finding them.
MUSE OF HISTORY. May 28, 1856. Six days after a brutal beating on the Senate floor spurred by the fight over slavery, the Senate approved a report into the attack on Sen. Charles Sumner of Massachusetts, who was savaged with a cane by Rep. Preston Brooks of South Carolina. The review found that Brooks did assault Sumner 'with considerable violence.' But the five Senators who investigated the attack said the Senate had no power to punish someone who was not a member of the Senate. While the Capitol violence shocked many in the North, Brooks was hailed as a hero in the South. The House would try to expel Brooks, but the 121-95 vote in July of 1856 fell short of the two-thirds needed for expulsion. Violence had arrived - and excused - inside the walls of the U.S. Capitol. The nation was moving inexorably towards war.
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM:
The House next has votes the week of June 14.
The Senate meets at 9 am.
President Biden’s daily schedule link.
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