IN TODAY’S EDITION:
— Johnson to talk with restless Republicans
— Senate GOP may accelerate funding bills
— Daines, Lummis team up on crypto tax revamp
Chuck Schumer is winning over critics who bashed him for surrendering during this spring’s shutdown standoff. That could change fast.
As Nicholas Wu and Meredith Lee Hill report, a POLITICO survey of Democratic lawmakers and activists finds that Schumer has exceeded their low expectations in the latest funding standoff. But they’re watching his actions closely, wary that Senate Democrats will cave if pressure grows.
“A lot of people wondered whether we would be bullied again, and we have not been,” said Sen. Chris Murphy, who broke with Schumer when the minority leader moved to keep the government open in March. “Sen. Schumer understands the gravity of this moment.”
“He hasn’t surrendered yet,” said Indivisible co-founder Ezra Levin, who in March called on Schumer to step down. “I call that progress, and we’re cheering him on now.”
What’s worrying some progressives is that Schumer hasn’t drawn aggressive red lines like Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who is demanding that Obamacare subsidies be extended via “ironclad” legislation, and that he may agree to reopen the government with only verbal assurances.
“A handshake agreement is capitulation,” Levin said. “Health care and rescission language is the demand, and it’s broadly popular. No reason to cave for less.”
One House Democrat granted anonymity to candidly discuss the shutdown dynamics said they would publicly call for Schumer to give up his leadership post if he folds now. An aide to another senior House Democrat said a significant number of lawmakers would be inclined to push for Schumer’s ouster in that scenario.
On the other side of the aisle, Speaker Mike Johnson will hold an 11:30 a.m. call today with House Republicans as he faces growing pressure from his own ranks to bring the House back and negotiate an Obamacare extension. Some Republicans are calling for votes to ensure active-duty military members and other federal workers don’t miss their next paychecks (more on that below).
GOOD THURSDAY MORNING. And good luck to the speaker on taking those C-SPAN viewers’ calls today. Email us: [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected]. Follow our live coverage at politico.com/congress.
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
With help from Jordan Williams
The House is out.
The Senate will vote on the two CRs and to reverse a Biden-era Bureau of Land Management rule at 11:30 a.m.
— Speaker Mike Johnson will appear on C-SPAN at 8:30 a.m. and then host a news conference with Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Whip Tom Emmer, Conference Chair Lisa McClain and Veterans’ Affairs Chair Mike Bost at 10 a.m. Johnson will also hold a call with House Republicans at 11:30 a.m.
— Senate Judiciary will consider nominations, including Rebecca Taibleson to be U.S. circuit judge for the Seventh Circuit, at 10:15 a.m.
— Senate HELP will consider nominees including Crystal Carey to be general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board and former Rep. Anthony D’Esposito to be the Labor Department’s inspector general, at 9:45 a.m. The committee had planned to vote on Scott Mayer’s NLRB nomination as well but pulled it from the schedule late Wednesday.
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THE LEADERSHIP SUITE
Senate GOP may accelerate full-year funding bills
Senate Republicans are discussing next steps on how to proceed with full-year funding bills during the shutdown stalemate, Jordain Carney writes in.
Majority Leader John Thune said Wednesday night that the Senate may try to take up a standalone defense appropriations bill. Another idea, according to GOP senators, is to go to conference with the House on the appropriations bills the Senate passed earlier this year with funding for veterans, agriculture programs and Congress itself.
Troop pay deadline amps up pressure on leaders
Time is ticking for Congress to open the government by Oct. 15, when active-duty military members are set to miss their first paycheck since the start of the shutdown.
The White House is considering shifting funds around to pay troops if needed, Meredith scooped Tuesday evening. But on Capitol Hill, Johnson is feeling the squeeze from inside his own conference after he walked back earlier comments that he’d be open to allowing a House floor vote on standalone legislation to pay the troops.
A bipartisan bill from Rep. Jen Kiggans that would let servicemembers be paid through the shutdown has more than 120 cosponsors, nearly half of whom signed onto the measure Sept. 30 or after. Just under 90 cosponsors are Republicans.
Kiggans on Tuesday called on House GOP leaders to bring members back from recess and pass her bill in a post on X. In the Senate, some senators are also open to the idea. Sen. Tommy Tuberville told Mia that he’d support standalone legislation “if somebody wanted to push it.” But Thune and Johnson are standing by their position that the simplest way to get troops their pay would be for Democrats to vote for the GOP-led stopgap. Sen. Dan Sullivan, who previously co-sponsored legislation to pay troops through a shutdown, is now siding with Thune.
Platner draws Senate Dem praise as Schumer pushes Mills
Schumer appears close to landing Maine Gov. Janet Mills to challenge Sen. Susan Collins, but a number of Democratic senators are beginning to show enthusiasm for a younger upstart, Calen and Jordain report.
In interviews this week, 41-year-old oyster farmer and military veteran Graham Platner drew praise from Senate Democrats including Chris Murphy, Sheldon Whitehouse and Elizabeth Warren. Sen. Martin Heinrich told us he’s written a check to Platner’s campaign. Sen. Bernie Sanders has endorsed him in the race.
“I’ve seen a bunch of his stuff, and it’s killer,” said Murphy, adding that Platner “seems pretty impressive.” But asked if Platner was being overlooked by party leaders, Murphy said only that he looks forward to meeting the candidate and learning more about him.
The question Democrats aren’t openly addressing yet is whether Platner is a stronger choice than Mills, a 77-year-old two-term governor. Mills has interviewed potential campaign managers and is reportedly expected to officially announce her campaign by next week.
Neither Schumer nor Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, the Senate Democratic campaign chair, has reached out to Platner, according to a person granted anonymity to describe Platner’s campaign dealings. Platner has said he won’t support Schumer for party leader if he makes it to the Capitol come January 2027.
POLICY RUNDOWN
DAINES, LUMMIS TEAM UP ON CRYPTO TAX BILL — Senate Finance Republican Steve Daines tells Benjamin he’s working with Sen. Cynthia Lummis on a first-of-its-kind taxation framework for cryptocurrencies.
“We’re not here to in any way compete with what’s out there, but we want to stay in the lane in the Finance Committee, which has tax jurisdiction,” said Daines. “We’ve got to start moving, and the uncertainty is a barrier to crypto.”
Rep. Max Miller is expected to roll out his own draft crypto tax legislation in the coming weeks in the House.
Daines said his blueprint would incorporate several of the crypto taxation policies Lummis, one of the biggest crypto boosters in Congress, unsuccessfully sought to have incorporated into the GOP megabill.
That includes creating a “de minimis” exemption from taxes for crypto transactions up to $300; establishing tax treatment for crypto activities like “mining” and “staking;” and clarifying that the lending of digital assets are not taxable events.
MORE TRUMP JUDGES INCOMING — Senate Judiciary Republicans are poised today to advance five judicial nominees who, if confirmed, would further expand Trump’s conservative imprint on the federal judiciary.
Among the judges under consideration this morning is Rebecca Taibleson, the president’s pick to serve on the Seventh Circuit. She’s a former clerk to the late Justice Antonin Scalia and then-Judge Brett Kavanaugh, and was among Kavanaugh’s most outspoken defenders during his tumultuous Supreme Court confirmation fight.
Asked during her confirmation hearing about an article she wrote at the time, Taibleson told Sen. Dick Durbin that she was trying “to help rebut allegations that Justice Kavanaugh was anti-woman.”
Taibleson would hold a lifetime seat on the powerful appeals bench with jurisdiction over Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. Other nominees slated for a vote include four potential judges for district courts in North Carolina and five aspiring U.S. attorneys.
Best of POLITICO Pro and E&E:
THE BEST OF THE REST
Former Detroit U.S. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick dies at 80, from Todd Spangler at the Detroit Free Press
Once a loyal foot soldier for Trump, Marjorie Taylor Greene is increasingly bucking her party, from Melanie Zanona, Ryan Nobles and Kyle Stewart at NBC News
Republican Congresswoman Failed to Properly Disclose 170 Trades Worth Up to $13.6M, from Dave Levinthal at NOTUS
CAMPAIGN STOP
ICYMI: NORTON RAISING LITTLE MONEY — Longtime Washington congressional Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton raised just $3,200 for her reelection campaign last quarter, Jessica Piper reports. It’s a notable drop for her from raising $19,200 from donors over the same period in 2023.
The 88-year-old Democrat has repeatedly said she’ll seek reelection next year, but she’s facing serious questions about her age and fitness to serve. Norton has primary challengers, including D.C. Council members Robert White and Brooke Pinto.
CAPITOL INFLUENCE
Ridgeline Advocacy Group has added Josh Hodges, a former national security adviser to Speaker Johnson, as a new partner,POLITICO Influence reports.
JOB BOARD
Maryam Cope has joined Arm to head its government affairs and innovation policy efforts in Washington. She previously worked on Senate Commerce.
Robert Rische is now deputy assistant secretary for oversight in the Department of Education’s congressional affairs office. He previously worked for the House Administration Committee.
Who’s hiring?
The National Association of Social Workers is seeking a public policy & government relations director.
Ellucian is seeking a director of government affairs.
Sustainable Forest Initiative is seeking a communications coordinator.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Former Reps. Tom Perriello and Artur Davis … POLITICO’s Arianna Skibell and Cheyanne Daniels … Chris Kofinis of Park Street Strategies … Peter Billerbeck of House Foreign Affairs … ABC’s Justin Fishel … Russell Dye of House Judiciary … Shailagh Murray … Kaelan Deese of the Washington Examiner … McKinsey’s David Bibo … Brian Lamb … Rochelle Mallett of HB Strategies
TRIVIA
WEDNESDAY’S ANSWER: Prianka Sharma correctly answered that Tulsi Gabbard was the first Hindu American to serve in Congress.
TODAY’S QUESTION, from Nicholas: Who was the first speaker of the House?
The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Inside Congress. Send your answers to [email protected].
