Congress: The Senate & The House

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Debbie Mucarsel-Powell & other FL Dems again take on Rick Scott’s position on abortion rights

With a six-week abortion ban poised to go into effect in Florida next month, Democrats on Thursday once again went after Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Scott’s position on the law, which has been contradictory in just the past few days.

https://floridaphoenix.com/2024/04/18/debbie-mucarsel-powell-other-fl-dems-again-take-on-rick-scotts-position-on-abortion-rights/?

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U.S. House speaker gains Dem backing for foreign aid plan, as far-right Republicans seethe

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Democrats on Thursday began coalescing behind Republican Speaker Mike Johnson’s plan to provide assistance for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan through a series of three bills, though far-right members of his own party grew increasingly frustrated with the Louisianan’s bipartisan streak.

https://floridaphoenix.com/2024/04/18/u-s-house-speaker-gains-dem-backing-for-foreign-aid-plan-as-far-right-republicans-seethe/?

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National privacy standard eyed by Congress for data harvested by big tech companies

WASHINGTON — U.S. House members tasked with addressing what happens to loads of user data collected by big tech companies see a “long overdue” opportunity for a national privacy standard, particularly for children and teens.

https://floridaphoenix.com/2024/04/18/national-privacy-standard-eyed-by-congress-for-data-harvested-by-big-tech-companies/?

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Seeking ‘the right side of history,’ Speaker Mike Johnson risks his job to deliver aid to Ukraine

WASHINGTON (AP) — Staring down a decision so consequential it could alter the course of history -- but also end his own career -- House Speaker Mike Johnson prayed for guidance.

https://apnews.com/article/house-ukraine-aid-speaker-ouster-c525efc953d532242d6d441c55724992?

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Speaker's historic road-to-Kyiv conversion

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) did something rarely, if ever, seen in the MAGA era when he won passage yesterday of a $95 billion foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, Axios' Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen write in the Behind the Curtain column.

• He defied the loudest, most threatening GOP personalities, dug deep into government intelligence — and shifted his position on the most vital foreign policy legislation in years.

Why it matters: It's hard to overstate the importance of Johnson's road-to-Kyiv political conversion. He not only shifted his own position on funding and arming Ukraine, but defied a majority of his party to do it.

• Oh, and he risked his speakership to pull it off.

🖼️ The big picture: In an era of tribal politics and congressional dysfunction, the country witnessed a rare triumph of consequential bipartisanship. If you're a fan of both sides working together to do hard things, this was it.

• The other three top congressional leaders — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) — pushed Johnson on how Russia would expand its war beyond Ukraine absent new weapons. Jeffries called it a "Churchill or Chamberlain moment."
• President Biden's national security team, most importantly CIA Director Bill Burns, methodically walked Johnson through the damning intelligence.

The intelligence was so eye-opening to Johnson that he soon begged colleagues to go to the secure government chamber to see it themselves, the N.Y. Times reported.

• Johnson, 52, a new leader with predictable early stumbles, didn't just roll over. He prayed. He then helped pull together a package of other national security imperatives, including funding Israel and banning TikTok, to help the medicine go down for his angriest party members.

Reality check: Yes, this was messier and more time-consuming than necessary. But given the current dynamics among House Republicans, and where things stood a few short weeks ago, it's a wonder it happened at all.

The end result: Johnson passed the Ukraine bill with a majority of Republicans against it, but other parts with sweeping majorities.

• Lost in the headlines over Ukraine: Funding for Israel and the Indo-Pacific + the TikTok ban passed by extraordinarily wide margins.

All these votes underscore how Jeffries, leader of House Dems, is an unsung hero in all of this — the only one to deliver majorities of his members on every bill. In many ways, he's Johnson's savior.

Speaker Johnson's notes while talking to reporters yesterday. Photo: Nathan Howard/Getty Images

🇺🇦 Zoom in: Focus on Ukraine for a minute, though. Republicans have a long history of never, ever allowing a vote on something most in the GOP opposed. So jamming this through was all the more stunning.

• Some of the most powerful GOP committee chairs voted against Johnson on Ukraine.
• The three House GOP chairs of the Biden impeachment inquiry — Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), James Comer (R-Ky.) and Jason Smith (R-Mo.) — all voted no.
• So did Homeland Security Chair Mark Green (R-Tenn.) and GOP leadership member and Trump ally Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.).

The other side: Johnson is "a real Reagan Republican. It reminds me of Reagan's handling of Gorbachev," Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart (R-Fla.) told Axios.

The bottom line: This Congress has been a hot mess. Republicans have spent as much time firing or threatening to fire their leader as legislating. But this was an interruption of historic import. Ukraine will get its weapons, Israel its financial assistance and TikTok its reckoning.

• And it still might cost Johnson his job.
• Go deeper: How every member voted ... What's in the package.

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A look at what’s in the $95 billion foreign aid package passed by the House

In a rare Saturday session, the House swiftly approved $95 billion in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies. Democrats and Republicans banded together after months of hard-right resistance over renewed American support for repelling Russia’s invasion.   Here’s a look at what’s in the package as it heads to the Senate. Read more.

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The House votes for possible TikTok ban in the US, but don’t expect the app to go away anytime soon

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House passed legislation Saturday that would ban TikTok in the United States if the popular social media platform’s China-based owner doesn’t sell its stake within a year, but don’t expect the app to go away anytime soon.

https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-us-ban-sale-china-congress-de12b4d22aa8095e62cb0982a6e62235?

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💪 1 big thing: Shadow Speaker Jeffries

Photo illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries — with the help of new-found Democratic unity and the weakest speaker in generations — has become the House's ultimate power broker, Axios' Andrew Solender writes. Why it matters: Armed with a speaker's power to determine the fate of legislation, Jeffries got Democrats everything they wanted — a $95 billion foreign aid bill, the credit for passing it, and adversaries that are more divided than ever. 🔎 Zoom in: In their telling, that total victory wasn't a sure thing. "It easily could have fallen apart ... He played the cards the way you'd want to play them," one senior House Democrat told Axios. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), a master legislative tactician, heaped praise on her successor: "He is fabulous. We're so proud of him." Jeffries bailed out Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) three times in three days: Democrats did something virtually unheard of on Thursday, crossing the aisle on the House Rules Committee to save the foreign aid package. They did it again Friday when Republicans tried to block the package from the House floor. On Saturday, Democrats waited until it was clear Johnson didn't have the votes on his own before saving the package in the final floor votes. The bottom line: Jeffries' message to his members leading up to the foreign aid fight was to stay unified behind him and not commit themselves to positions on saving Johnson that might box the party in. "He gave us so many options," said Pelosi.

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MAGA limbo

Weeks of threats to oust Johnson over Ukraine aid fizzled yesterday when Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene left town without pulling the trigger, Axios' Juliegrace Brufke reports.

Why it matters: Greene is still talking the talk, but momentum for an ouster effort that seemed certain now has no timeline and no new endorsers.

• "He needs to do the right thing and resign ... If he doesn't do so, he will be vacated," Greene said today on Fox News.

The big picture: As his party's fourth choice for a speaker — after Kevin McCarthy, Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan — Johnson has repeatedly gone bipartisan.

• March 6: Johnson bypassed a conservative blockade to pass six spending bills with a bipartisan majority.
• March 22: Passed $1.2 trillion in spending with less than half of the GOP on board.
• April 20: Muscled through $60+ billion in Ukraine aid despite a majority of Republicans trying to block it on three different votes.

Between the lines: Opposition from conservatives has weakened Johnson's hand in negotiations, moderate House Republicans told Axios.

• "Truthfully they might prefer losing," one House Republican said of conservative hardliners.
• "[We] could have gotten the Democrats to fold on a variety of border policy changes. ... But in the end, we lost our leverage because we weren't negotiating as a majority," another House Republican told Axios.

What's next: House insiders expect Johnson to largely run out the clock until November, with lots of extra recess time.

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Cori Bush legal fees pile up

Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo). spent close to $100,000 on legal fees in the first quarter of the year as she faced investigations about her use of campaign money, Axios' Alex Thompson reports.

Why it matters: Bush, one of the most outspoken critics of Israel in Congress, is increasingly in danger of losing her seat.

• Bush announced in January that the Justice Department was investigating whether she misused campaign dollars in hiring her husband as part of her security team.
• Bush paid law firms approximately $86,000 from January through March, according to recently released campaign finance records.
• Bush has denied wrongdoing, and said she is cooperating with the investigation. Bush's campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

Between the lines: In response to the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas, Bush called for "ending U.S. government support for Israeli military occupation and apartheid."

• Wesley Bell, a progressive prosecutor in St. Louis, abruptly withdrew from the Missouri Senate race and challenged Bush instead.
• Bell immediately criticized Bush's comments on Israel, saying they "show a lack of understanding of the nuance and complexities of an issue that's literally hundreds of years in the making."

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Aid to Ukraine, Israel overwhelmingly approved by U.S. House in bipartisan vote

WASHINGTON — Military and humanitarian aid could be on its way to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan within weeks after the U.S. House took a series of overwhelmingly bipartisan votes Saturday to approve $95 billion in emergency assistance — and the Senate appeared poised to agree.

https://floridaphoenix.com/2024/04/20/aid-to-ukraine-israel-overwhelmingly-approved-by-u-s-house-in-bipartisan-vote/?

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🐘 How Republicans castrated themselves

Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photos: Kevin Dietsch and Nathan Howard/Getty Images, and Bill Clark and Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images

Never before has the party in control of the House of Representatives knowingly and willingly castrated its own power so thoroughly as today's Republicans, Axios' Juliegrace Brufke and Justin Green report. Why it matters: Republicans blew years of potential authority by weak leaders surrendering to keep power. So with a razor-thin GOP majority, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) had to depend on Democrats to muscle through the $60 billion Ukraine bill over the weekend. Two mistakes haunt House Republicans, both dating back to former Speaker Kevin McCarthy's fight to win the gavel in January 2023: Letting any member call a vote on removing the speaker. This gives insurgents like Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) extraordinary power to threaten to oust the party leader any time. Surrendering authority of the Rules Committee, which sets the terms for how legislation will be handled during votes. After allowing non-loyalists onto the committee, leaders can't depend on getting their way. 🔎 Zoom in: The new Rules Committee — with McCarthy-appointed hardliners, including Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Chip Roy (R-Texas) — has become a roadblock. Seven bills were defeated in the past year during the rules process. This is an unprecedented collapse in control: Former Speakers Nancy Pelosi, Paul Ryan and John Boehner never lost a rules vote. Brendan Buck, a top staffer to Ryan and Boehner, wrote in a New York Times op-ed: "A party unable to bring its agenda to the floor for a vote is no longer a functional majority." Former Speaker Ryan told Axios that Johnson "found his footing, and his voice. ... [H]e did it as a statesman, risking his own personal political fortune for the greater good that he believes in."

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McConnell victory lap

Ahead of one of his last big wins, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell took a victory lap today with a harshly worded floor speech and a lengthy press conference, Axios' Stef Kight reports.

Why it matters: McConnell, stepping down as leader after 15 years, has been unwavering in his support for Ukraine in the face of rising GOP isolationism.

• McConnell denounced the "dithering and hesitation" over the foreign aid bill, which he said has hurt Ukraine's defense against Russian aggression, in his floor speech.
• He criticized President Biden for being "too skittish" and not acting fast enough to get Ukraine the money it needed and said he would not "mince words when members of my own party take the responsibilities of American leadership lightly."
• He took shots at conservative media personality Tucker Carlson for the "demonization of Ukraine," saying Carlson "ended up where he should have been all along, which is interviewing [Russian President] Vladimir Putin."

Zoom in: A majority of McConnell's conference bucked McConnell in February by voting against a foreign aid package similar to the $95 billion House-approved version now before the Senate.

• Nine of those detractors voted to end debate on the new package today, which usually indicates a final "yes" vote.
• Just one Republican who voted "yes" in February looks set to flip to a "no."

The bottom line: The two current contenders to replace McConnell — Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) voted for the foreign aid package in February and voted yes on cloture this afternoon.

• But the expected future whip Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) voted no on today's procedural vote, saying in a statement he "cannot vote for a national security bill that neglects the security of our nation."

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House Democrats flip GOP dominance

Data: Federal Election Commission, Cook Political Report; Chart: Axios Visuals House Democrats and Democratic candidates have begun to dominate Republicans in fundraising as the 2024 election draws near, Axios' Andrew Solender reports. Why it matters: It's a stark reversal of the consistent fundraising advantage vulnerable Republicans enjoyed over their Democratic counterparts last year. Between the lines: Democratic operatives who spoke to Axios pointed to several factors that they believe turbo-charged their fundraising numbers. Ongoing chaos in the GOP-controlled House. Former President Trump securing support from vulnerable Republicans. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee outraising Johnson and the National Republican Congressional Committee. Judicial rulings restricting access to abortion and fertility services. The other side: A Republican strategist working on House races argued the GOP is in a "good position," pointing to Republican incumbents having a $200,000 cash-on-hand advantage over their Democratic counterparts. "At the start of the cycle, we always knew we were never going to outraise the Democrats, but our goal is to keep it as close to parity as possible," the strategist said. NRCC spokesperson Will Reinert said House Republicans will "continue to stack the cash they'll need," adding, "This should leave House Democrats shaking in their boots as we expand the map to grow our majority."

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🏛️ Biden to sign historic aid bill

The Senate sent President Biden the long-delayed foreign aid package with tens of billions of dollars for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan — as well as a potential ban on TikTok.

• Why it matters: Eight months after Biden requested tens of billions in emergency funding, and four months after he promised he wouldn't "walk away from Ukraine," he can make good on his promise.

The bill passed the Senate 79 to 18, with 15 Republicans against, Axios' Stef Kight reports.

• The House passed it during a rare Saturday session.
• Biden said last night: "I will sign this bill into law and address the American people as soon as it reaches my desk tomorrow so we can begin sending weapons and equipment to Ukraine this week."

📱 The bill includes a potential ban on TikTok if the Chinese-owned ByteDance doesn't sell the app within a year.

• A source close to TikTok told me: "TikTok has beaten the government both in federal and state court twice on these types of actions. They will likely challenge in court. Significant constitutional issues, particularly First Amendment."

How senators voted ... TikTok Q&A.

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⚖️ Trump on trial: Sleaze day

National Enquirer cover, 2016. Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker — the first witness in the Manhattan hush-money trial — told jurors yesterday that he committed to being Donald Trump's "eyes and ears" during the 2016 campaign. "I said I would run positive stories about Trump, and I would publish negative stories about his opponent," he told the jury. Why it matters: Pecker's two-hour-long testimony placed Trump at the center of a deliberate strategy to pay for exclusive rights to any potentially damaging story about him while he ran for president, Axios' Sophia Cai writes. Pecker said the infamous cover story (pictured above) that connected Sen. Ted Cruz's father with the JFK assassination was fabricated. "We mashed the photos and the different picture with Lee Harvey Oswald. ... And that's how that story was prepared — created I would say." Keep reading.

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Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan The Senate has passed $95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars. The bill passed the Senate on an overwhelming 79-18 vote late Tuesday after the House had approved the package Saturday. Read more.

Why this matters: President Biden, who worked with congressional leaders to win support, said in a statement immediately after passage that he will sign it Wednesday and start the process of sending weapons to Ukraine, which has been struggling to hold its front lines against Russia.   The legislation would also send $26 billion in wartime assistance to Israel and humanitarian relief to citizens of Gaza, and $8 billion to counter Chinese threats in Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific. U.S. officials said about $1 billion of the aid could be on its way shortly, with the bulk following in coming weeks.   Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made passage of the legislation a top priority, agreeing to tie Ukraine and Israel aid to help ensure passage. The Senate leaders worked with House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, to overcome seemingly intractable Republican opposition to the Ukraine aid, eventually winning large majorities in both chambers.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ UN calls for investigation into mass graves uncovered at two Gaza hospitals raided by Israel   China blasts US military aid to Taiwan, saying the island is entering a ‘dangerous situation’   Ukraine gets a big boost of US aid. It still faces a long slog to repel Russia

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A bill forcing TikTok’s China-based parent company to sell or face a ban is awaiting Biden’s signature The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok’s China-based parent company, ByteDance, to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban in a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers. China has previously said it would oppose a forced sale of TikTok. And TikTok, which has long denied it’s a security threat, is preparing a lawsuit to block the legislation. Read more.

Why this matters: The passage of the legislation is a culmination of long-held bipartisan fears in Washington over Chinese threats and the ownership of TikTok, which is used by 170 million Americans. For years, lawmakers and officials have expressed concerns that Chinese authorities could force ByteDance to hand over U.S. user data, or influence Americans by suppressing or promoting certain content on TikTok.   Many opponents of the TikTok measure argue the best way to protect U.S. consumers is through implementing a federal data privacy law that targets all companies regardless of their origin. They also note the U.S. has not provided public evidence that shows TikTok sharing U.S. user information with Chinese authorities, or that Chinese officials have ever tinkered with its algorithm.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ The US is banning TikTok? Your key questions answered   Attorneys argue that Florida law discriminates against Chinese nationals trying to buy homes   TikTok may be banned in the US. Here’s what happened when India did it

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Biden says the US is rushing weaponry to Ukraine as he signs a $95 billion war aid measure into law

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he was immediately rushing badly needed weaponry to Ukraine as he signed into law a $95 billion war aid measure that also included assistance for Israel, Taiwan and other global hot spots.

https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-mike-johnson-ukraine-israel-b72aed9b195818735d24363f2bc34ea4?

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TikTok two-step

Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios

President Biden's campaign will continue using TikTok, even though he signed a bill into law today that declares the app to be a national security threat, Axios' Sareen Habeshian reports. It's a microcosm of Washington's broader TikTok quandary: Lawmakers from both parties are worried about the data the Chinese government may be able to access from TikTok users. But it's an extremely popular platform, and if you want to reach young people, that's where they are. 🔮 What's next: Everyone, including the Biden campaign, will likely be able to keep using TikTok without interruption for at least the next several months. The law Biden signed today gives ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, nine months to sell its U.S. operations or face a nationwide ban. ByteDance has said it will challenge the law in court, most likely on First Amendment grounds. And it's not clear there's a buyer out there, even if it wanted to sell. The Chinese government could also try to block the sale.

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Johnson booed and heckled

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) faced a venomous response to his Columbia University visit today, Axios' Andrew Solender reports.

Zoom in: Johnson and Reps. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.), Anthony D'Esposito (R-N.Y.) and Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) were booed and heckled for nearly the entire 18 minutes of their press conference on the steps of Columbia's Low Library.

• Students in the crowd chanted, "Mike, you suck," "Free, free Palestine" and "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free."

The bottom line: "It does not matter who shouts in our faces, we are going to do what's right by America," Johnson said in response to the hecklers.

• Pointing to the encampment of pro-Palestinian demonstrators on Columbia's campus, Johnson added: "We respect free speech, we respect diversity of ideas, but there is a way to do that in a lawful manner and that's not what this is."
• Johnson called for the resignation of Columbia University President Minouche Shafik and said he plans to call President Biden to "demand that he take action."

Read more

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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell Slams Tucker Carlson & Donald Trump For Delaying Foreign Aid Package To Ukraine & Israel

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell condemned former Fox News’ host Tucker Carlson and Donald Trump after senators approved a $95 million foreign aid package that would send funds to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.

https://uinterview.com/news/daily-digest/senate-minority-leader-mitch-mcconnell-slams-tucker-carlson-donald-trump-for-delaying-foreign-aid-package-to-ukraine-israel/amp/

ps:Good for him!! (Even though half the time you have no idea where he stands??)

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McConnell continues to break with Trump on immunity claims

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is still breaking with Donald Trump on the former president’s claims of having total immunity — and on his role in the events of Jan. 6 — putting the two men at striking odds just months out from the election.

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/3418749346537-mcconnell-continues-to-break-with-trump-on-immunity-claims?

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Zelensky's invitations to Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said today he has invited House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to travel to Ukraine after the New York Democrat played a key role in the foreign aid fight, Axios' Andrew Solender reports.

• The invitation comes several days after Zelensky said he invited Speaker Mike Johnson to visit.

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This congresswoman was born and raised in Ukraine. She just voted against aid for her homeland U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz, the first and only Ukrainian-born member of Congress, emerged early on as a natural advocate for supporting her native country in its war with Russia. But when $61 billion in additional support for the war effort came up for a vote in the House recently, she voted against it. Read more.

Why this matters: Spartz is calling for better oversight of U.S. funds and has opposed giving “blank checks” to the Ukrainian cause. She says U.S. border security should be a bigger priority.   This puts Spartz more in line with conservative House Republicans and more notably with voters in her deeply conservative central Indiana congressional district.   She’s locked in a tough reelection fight. Indiana’s GOP primary takes place May 7.

Related coverage ➤ Ukraine's army chief reports tactical retreat in the east, and warns of front-line pressure Two Russian journalists jailed on ‘extremism’ charges for alleged work for Navalny group